Topstep Rules — Trading Combine, MLL Drawdown, Consistency, and Payout Guide

By Diego · Published 2026-06-06 · Verified 2026-06-06 · Re-verify before acting

Trading Combine Parameters

The Trading Combine is Topstep’s evaluation phase. You trade a simulated account under live-market conditions and must reach the profit target without violating the Maximum Trailing Loss.

The Daily Loss Limit (DLL) is optional during the Trading Combine and Express Funded phases. Traders who choose to enable it activate the lock-out at the listed dollar amount. In the Live Funded phase, the DLL becomes automatic and mandatory — hitting it locks trading until the next session, but does not count as a rule violation.

The Maximum Trailing Loss — How It Works

The MLL is an intraday-trailing drawdown floor. Its two defining characteristics distinguish it from the simpler end-of-day trailing drawdown used at other prop firms:

1. It updates in real time, including unrealized P&L. An open winning trade lifts your effective account balance — and simultaneously trails the MLL floor upward. If you let that winning trade erode back to breakeven, the floor has already moved up. You now have less cushion even though your closed P&L has not changed.
2. It never moves down. The floor only trails upward, never retraces. This creates a ratchet effect: a good trading day permanently reduces the available drawdown buffer unless a payout is taken.

The MLL locks permanently at the starting balance once it reaches that level. From that point, the floor cannot move higher (it is already at the account’s starting value) and the nominal risk is the full current balance above the starting-balance floor.

For a deeper comparison of how intraday-trailing drawdown differs from end-of-day trailing, see the intraday trailing vs. EOD drawdown explainer.

The Trading Combine Consistency Rule — 50% of Profit Target (Soft)

The Trading Combine carries a consistency rule: your best single winning day must not exceed 50% of the profit target for your account size. This rule is Trading Combine only and it is soft: breaching it does not fail your account. Instead, it raises your profit target so that the large day falls back under the 50% threshold for the new, higher target.

Worked example for the $100,000 account (profit target $6,000):

• Best-day ceiling = 50% × $6,000 = $3,000.
• If you have a $3,500 day, the target must be raised until $3,500 is ≤ 50% of the new target, meaning the new target must be at least $7,000.
• You can still pass the Combine — you simply need $7,000 in total profit instead of $6,000, and no single future day exceeds the new ceiling.

This rule is distinct from the XFA 40% Consistency rule, which applies to the Express Funded Account’s payout eligibility (not the evaluation). See the payout rules guide for a full explanation of the XFA 40% rule and the $6,000 cap.

Express Combine — The Faster Path

Topstep also offers an Express Combine: a one-step evaluation with a higher profit target (approximately double the Standard Combine target for the same account size) and no time limit. Completing it leads directly to an Express Funded Account. The No-Activation-Fee path eliminates the one-time activation charge; the standard path includes it. Both lead to the same XFA with the same rules. Pricing for Express Combine paths is volatile — verify current rates at topstep.com before signing up. As of June 2026, the XFA standard-path activation is $149 one-time.

Evaluation Pricing (Volatile — Re-Verify Before Purchasing)

The $50 and $100 monthly figures are well-confirmed across multiple sources. The $150K monthly price conflicts between help-center renderings ($199) and reviewer records ($149) — verify directly in the Topstep checkout before purchasing. Each renewal includes one free reset credit; paid resets cost the current monthly subscription amount.

Platforms and Supported Contracts

Topstep supports TopstepX (its proprietary platform, primary since July 2025), NinjaTrader, and Tradovate. All micro futures contracts including MES are supported. The 10:1 minis-to-micros ratio is enforced: a $100,000 account allows up to 10 E-mini contracts or up to 100 Micro E-mini contracts (or a pro-rata mix). As of June 2026.

Data feed vendor (CQG or Rithmic) is unverified from primary sources — listed platforms use their respective native feeds; verify with Topstep support if feed vendor matters for your setup.

XFA vs. Live Funded Account — Key Differences

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Topstep Trading Combine account sizes and profit targets?

Topstep offers three account sizes in the Trading Combine: $50,000 (profit target $3,000, MLL $2,000), $100,000 (profit target $6,000, MLL $3,000), and $150,000 (profit target $9,000, MLL $4,500). Daily Loss Limits are optional in the Combine and Express Funded phases, and automatic in Live Funded. As of June 2026.

How does the Topstep Maximum Trailing Loss work?

The Maximum Trailing Loss (MLL) is an intraday-trailing drawdown floor that includes unrealized open profit in its calculation. It trails up as your balance and open profit rise, but never moves down. It locks permanently at your account starting balance — from that point on it can only sit at zero or be reset after payouts. A losing trade or an eroding open profit counts against the MLL in real time during the session.

What is the Topstep Trading Combine consistency rule?

The Trading Combine consistency rule requires that your best single day must not exceed 50% of the profit target for your account size. This rule applies only to the Trading Combine phase and is soft: breaching it does not fail your account — instead it raises your profit target so the day's profit falls back under 50% of the new target. As of June 2026.

What is the difference between the XFA and LFA at Topstep?

XFA (Express Funded Account) is the standard funded path after completing the Trading Combine or Express Combine. It carries a 40% Consistency rule (best day must not exceed 40% of total net profit at payout) and a $6,000 payout cap on $100K/$150K accounts. LFA (Live Funded Account) is a separate path with no Consistency rule, no payout cap, an automatic Daily Loss Limit, and a 30 winning-days requirement before daily withdrawal access. As of June 2026.

What platforms does Topstep support?

Topstep supports TopstepX (its proprietary platform, primary since July 2025), NinjaTrader, and Tradovate. MES and all micro futures contracts are supported. The minis-to-micros ratio is 10:1 — a $100K account allows 10 minis or 100 micros. As of June 2026.