Topstep Payout Rules: 90/10 Split, $125 Minimum, MLL Reset, and the XFA Cap

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

The 90/10 Profit Split

Topstep changed its profit-split structure on January 12, 2026. Accounts created on or after that date follow a straightforward 90/10 split: the trader keeps 90 cents of every dollar withdrawn, and Topstep keeps 10 cents.

Accounts opened before January 12, 2026 received a different initial structure: 100% of the first $10,000 in lifetime withdrawals, then 90/10 thereafter. That legacy structure is no longer offered to new accounts. Going forward, both legacy and new accounts follow the same 90/10 rule once the $10,000 lifetime threshold is cleared for those that qualified. New accounts start at 90/10 from the first payout.

The 90/10 split applies to both the Express Funded Account (XFA) and the Live Funded Account (LFA) paths.

The $125 Minimum Withdrawal

Topstep requires a minimum withdrawal of $125. There is no stated maximum on individual withdrawal requests for Live Funded accounts. Withdrawals must be submitted during CME trading hours. Live Funded accounts that have completed the 30 winning-days requirement can withdraw daily up to 100% of available profit.

The $125 floor means a trader with, say, $50 in profit cannot yet withdraw. They must continue trading until the withdrawable balance reaches at least $125.

How the Maximum Trailing Loss Resets to $0 After a Payout

This is the most consequential — and most misunderstood — feature of Topstep’s payout mechanics.

In a Topstep funded account, the Maximum Trailing Loss (MLL) is a trailing floor: it starts at the initial drawdown level (for example, $2,000 below the starting $100,000 balance, meaning the MLL is at $98,000 for a $100K account) and trails up as the account balance grows, including unrealized open profit. The trail never moves down.

After a payout, the withdrawn amount reduces the account balance — but the MLL does not simply trail down with it. Instead, the MLL floor is reset permanently to $0: the trailing safety floor is gone, and the account can now be drawn down to a zero balance before a violation. What each payout removes is the trailing protection; what remains at risk is the entire remaining balance.

Concretely: a $100K account with a $3,000 MLL threshold (the MLL starts at $97,000). The trader profits $5,000, bringing the account to $105,000. The MLL trails up to $102,000 ($3,000 below the new high). After a $5,000 payout, the account returns to $100,000 — below where the old $102,000 floor sat — and the MLL floor resets to $0. The floor no longer trails at all: the full remaining $100,000 balance can be lost before the account is closed out.

This is by design: Topstep’s funded structure rewards consistent profitability, not a single large win followed by extraction. Traders who understand this mechanic typically leave a buffer in the account rather than withdrawing to the maximum after each session.

The XFA Consistency Requirement — 40% Rule

The Express Funded Account (XFA) path imposes an additional payout condition: no single day’s profit may exceed 40% of total net profit at the time of the payout request. This is the XFA Consistency rule, separate from the Trading Combine consistency rule.

Example: an XFA holder has $3,000 in total net profit. Their best day was $1,400, which is 46.7% of $3,000. That account is not payout-eligible until more trading days reduce the best day’s share below 40%. If they trade two more days and earn $800 total, net profit rises to $3,800 and the best day becomes 36.8% — now payout-eligible.

The Consistency rule resets after each successful payout. The clock starts fresh. As of June 2026.

The XFA $6,000 Payout Cap — What It Actually Covers

A widely circulated claim states that “Topstep has a $6,000 payout cap.” That is an oversimplification. The $6,000 cap is:

• XFA Consistency-path only — the Live Funded Account (LFA) path has no payout cap.
• $100,000 and $150,000 account sizes only — the $6,000 cap applies to those two sizes on the XFA Consistency path. It limits a single payout request.
• Not a lifetime cap — a trader can make multiple $6,000 payouts over time; the cap applies per request, not lifetime.

The $50,000 XFA account has a different (lower) cap corresponding to its size. The Live Funded path is uncapped. Summary table:

The 30 Winning-Days Requirement (Live Funded)

Live Funded accounts require 30 winning trading days before daily withdrawal access unlocks. A winning day is a day where the account closes with a net positive P&L. Days where you do not trade do not count toward the 30. This requirement gives Topstep confidence that a funded trader has demonstrated consistent performance before unlimited withdrawal frequency is available.

Before the 30-day threshold is met, withdrawals are still permitted — just on a more restricted schedule. Check the current withdrawal frequency rules at help.topstep.com, as these conditions have changed before.

Daily Loss Limit on Live Funded Accounts

Live Funded accounts carry an automatic Daily Loss Limit (DLL) of $1,000 / $2,000 / $3,000 for the $50K / $100K / $150K accounts respectively. This DLL is automatic in the Live Funded phase — unlike the Trading Combine and Express funded phase where the DLL is optional. Hitting the DLL locks the account from trading until the next session; it is not a rule violation and does not end the funded account. As of June 2026.

How Payout Mechanics Interact with the MLL

Because the MLL resets after each payout, the sequence of a payout decision looks like:

1. Account reaches payout eligibility (profit ≥ $125, Consistency rule met if XFA).
2. Trader requests withdrawal. Topstep processes it during CME hours.
3. Account balance decreases by the withdrawn amount.
4. MLL resets to $0 — the floor no longer trails; it sits at a zero balance.
5. From here on, losses are no longer stopped by a trailing limit — the entire remaining balance is exposed down to the $0 floor.

Many funded traders find that leaving a portion of profits in the account — rather than withdrawing to the maximum — keeps more working capital between the balance and the $0 floor, reducing the chance that a losing stretch immediately after a payout ends the account.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Topstep's profit split?

Topstep accounts joined after January 12, 2026 keep 90% of every withdrawal (90/10 split). Accounts joined before that date received 100% of the first $10,000 in lifetime withdrawals, then 90/10 thereafter. Both paths now follow the same 90/10 rule going forward. As of June 2026.

What is the minimum withdrawal amount on Topstep?

$125 is the minimum withdrawal on Topstep. There is no cap on withdrawal frequency for Live Funded accounts that have met the 30 winning-days requirement. As of June 2026.

What happens to the Maximum Trailing Loss after a Topstep payout?

After each payout, the Maximum Trailing Loss (MLL) floor resets permanently to $0. This means the maximum amount you can lose from your account balance grows with each payout — the safety floor no longer trails up once it reaches $0. A trader who has made multiple payouts carries a larger nominal downside than a trader who has just started funded trading.

What is the Topstep XFA $6,000 cap and which accounts does it apply to?

The $6,000 cap applies to Express Funded Accounts (XFA) on the Consistency path for the $100,000 and $150,000 account sizes only. It limits a single payout request on those accounts to $6,000. The Live Funded Account (LFA) path has no payout cap. The XFA cap is not a flat universal limit across all Topstep accounts. As of June 2026.

What is the Topstep XFA 40% Consistency rule?

Express Funded Account (XFA) holders must ensure that no single day's profit exceeds 40% of total net profit at the time of a payout request. If one day accounts for more than 40% of total profits, the account is not payout-eligible until more trading days dilute that day's share. The rule resets after each payout. The 40% Consistency rule applies only to the XFA path, not the Live Funded Account. As of June 2026.