The Trading Combine & Express Funded Account are both simulated trading accounts while the Live Funded Account is a brokerage account that trades on the live markets. Because of this, there are some differences across the accounts that Topstep offers:
Rules | Trading Combine® | Express Funded Account™ | Live Funded Account™ |
Calculated: End of Day Enforced: Intraday Based on: Net P&L | Calculated: End of Day Enforced: Intraday Based on: Net P&L | Enforced: Intraday Based on: Net P&L* | |
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| Not updated automatically. Please contact us to adjust the Scaling Plan. | |
Commissions and Fees align with what you will be charged while trading in the real markets in a Live Funded Account. | Commissions and Fees align with what you will be charged while trading in the real markets in a Live Funded Account. | Dependent on your platform & products traded. | |
Trading is allowed on shortened days due to US holidays. See the holidays with early closes here. | Trading is allowed on shortened days due to US holidays. See the holidays with early closes here. | Depending on the specific holiday, traders may or may not be able to trade. We will communicate any varying hours as the specific holiday approaches. For more information, please see this article. | |
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Click here to learn more. |
*Your starting balance in the Live Funded Account will be your profits from your Express Funded Account. Due to this, the Maximum Loss Limit will be fixed at $0 when you trade live. This is the equivalent of saying that when all the profits that were transferred over are lost, the Maximum Loss Limit will be broken.
Rules
Trading Combine & Express Funded Account: The Maximum Loss Limit value is calculated and set at the end of the trading day. This means the minimum account balance will not be adjusted while you are trading; this will be adjusted between trading days based on your account balance high.
Live Funded Account: Similar to the way the Daily Loss Limit is calculated intraday in the Trading Combine® once in the Live Funded Account, the Maximum Loss Limit is also liquidated intraday (based on unrealized P&L). If, while trading, the account balance falls below the minimum account balance displayed on your Trader Dashboard, you will be pulled from your trades right away, your account will be liquidated, and the rule will be broken.
The Scaling Plan levels are not automatically updated in the Live Funded Account as they are in the Express Funded Account. A trader will need to contact us to have their Max Position Size adjusted.
Commissions Calculation on Rithmic Platforms
Trading Combine & Express Funded Account: Fees and Commissions will be included in your P&L. You can use your P&L to get an accurate count of your P&L for the day.
Live Funded Account: Fees and Commissions are not included in your P&L. You will need to be aware of these costs. You will need to either reference the 'Total Commissions' column or compare the difference between your Account Balance (your current balance) and Cash on Hand (your balance at the start of the trading day).
Holiday Trading Hours
Trading Combine & Express Funded Account: Traders can participate in the markets according to the CME Group trading hours.
Live Funded Account: Depending on the specific holiday, traders may or may not be able to trade. We will communicate any varying hours as the specific holiday approaches. For more information, please see this article. Trading during prohibited times will result in the suspension of the Live Funded Account.