Permitted Products and Trading Hours at TakeProfitTrader

TakeProfitTrader is a CME futures firm, and the product list is straightforward: standard equity index futures, the major energy and metals contracts, and their micro equivalents are all permitted. The one rule that catches traders off-guard is not what you can trade but when: all positions must be flat by 5pm ET, every day, no exceptions. There is no overnight holding on any account type, and forgetting to flatten is not just a trading mistake; it is a rulebook violation.

The other detail worth knowing upfront: there is no time limit on the Test evaluation. You can take as many calendar days as you need to hit your profit target without hitting any evaluation-expiry wall.

Which products can you trade at TakeProfitTrader?

TakeProfitTrader's permitted product list covers the core CME futures universe. The table below groups them by category with the contract codes and any position-limit notes that apply. As of May 2026, these are the confirmed permitted instruments.

The position size limits scale with account tier: a $25K account allows up to 3 standard contracts or 30 micro-equivalent contracts, and a $150K account allows up to 15 standard contracts or 150 micro-equivalent contracts. These limits apply identically in the Test, PRO, and PRO+ phases.

What is not permitted: stocks, forex, cryptocurrency, options, and any CME contract that falls outside the approved list. If you want to trade a symbol that is not on this list, contact TPT support before opening a position. Trading an unapproved symbol is treated as a rules violation regardless of whether the trade was profitable.

Some traders ask about specific micro metals and agricultural contracts. Those fall into a gray zone; the confirmed list covers the products above. For anything outside this table, verify with TPT directly before placing a trade. Paul has been trading TPT for ~3 years across ES, NQ, and CL primarily, and those three instruments cover the majority of what active traders are looking for at the firm anyway.

For more detail on how account sizes map to position limits, see the TakeProfitTrader accounts overview.

What are the trading hours?

The CME Globex session for equity index futures runs nearly around the clock on weekdays, opening at 6pm ET Sunday and running through 5pm ET Friday with a brief daily maintenance window (typically 4pm–5pm ET). TakeProfitTrader does not use the full globex session.

The operative rule is: all positions must be flat by 5pm ET, Monday through Friday. This applies to the Test phase, the PRO phase, and PRO+. There is no scenario in which you can hold a position overnight or into the weekend.

The session structure by account phase looks like this:

The 5pm ET daily maintenance window on CME aligns with the TPT flat requirement, which makes sense: CME equity futures go through a brief daily settlement at 4pm ET and a maintenance window that typically runs to around 5pm ET. You should be flat before the 5pm window regardless of which firm you are on.

News restrictions differ slightly by phase. During the Test phase there are no news restrictions at all, and you can trade through FOMC announcements, NFP, and CPI releases. In the PRO phase, TPT requires you to be flat one minute before through one minute after major scheduled economic events including FOMC, NFP, and CPI. The PRO+ phase inherits PRO-phase rules. If you are a news trader, plan accordingly before you reach the PRO phase, since the restrictions kick in as soon as your Test pass is confirmed. The TakeProfitTrader strategy guide covers how to approach news sessions in the Test phase without building habits that create PRO violations.

For a full breakdown of which rules differ between phases, the TakeProfitTrader rules overview covers the complete matrix including trailing drawdown mechanics, consistency rules, and payout structure.

Why is the 5pm ET flat rule strict?

The short answer is margin exposure. Proprietary trading firms that fund traders through a simulated or live account environment carry overnight margin risk, or at minimum the simulation exposure to gap risk, on any open position when the market closes. The 5pm ET cutoff eliminates that exposure entirely.

For futures traders there is an additional practical reason: the 4pm–5pm CME maintenance window creates low-liquidity conditions where spreads widen and the platform behavior can be unpredictable. Holding into that window on a funded account is the kind of situation that ends badly even when the market moves in your direction, because the fill quality during the maintenance window is often poor.

The bigger issue is gap risk. Equity index futures react overnight to earnings releases, geopolitical events, and Federal Reserve communication. A position that looks fine at 4:50pm ET can gap significantly against you by the time the globex session re-opens at 6pm ET. Firms like TakeProfitTrader are essentially managing a portfolio of funded trader accounts, and one trader holding a large overnight position in CL during an unexpected geopolitical event is a firm-level risk problem, not just an individual trader problem.

For traders used to holding overnight in personal accounts, the adjustment requires discipline. The practical approach is to set a hard rule for yourself: no new entries after 4:30pm ET, use trailing stops on any open positions going into the last 30 minutes, and confirm flat before 4:55pm ET to give yourself a buffer. Several long-term TPT traders on Reddit describe this as the habit that made the difference between passing Test easily and struggling on PRO.

See also the TakeProfitTrader trailing drawdown explainer for how the PRO intraday trailing drawdown interacts with end-of-day position management. Those two rules together are the main reason PRO is described as "easy to pass, hard to keep."

What if you forget to flatten?

TakeProfitTrader will auto-liquidate any open position at or immediately after 5pm ET. The platform closes the position at market, which means you may receive an unfavorable fill during the low-liquidity CME maintenance period. You do not get to choose how the position is closed.

The auto-liquidation itself is logged as a rules violation. The first occurrence may be treated as a warning depending on context, but TPT's rulebook treats it as a breach of the overnight policy. Repeated incidents, or any scenario where it appears the overnight hold was intentional, can result in account closure and forfeiture of any profits that had accumulated.

The practical consequences:

• Test phase: A rules violation during Test is flagged on the account. TPT can reset the account (at the $100 flat reset fee) or close it entirely depending on severity. Any profits accumulated in that evaluation cycle may be lost even if the profit target was otherwise within reach.
• PRO phase: A rules violation on a live PRO account is more serious. TPT's PRO rulebook allows up to 3 resets (at tiered fees of $399–$1,499 depending on account size) before the account is closed permanently. An overnight violation that triggers account closure forfeits any pending payout balance.
• PRO+ phase: PRO+ accounts cannot be reset. A rules violation on PRO+ is terminal for that account.

The most common cause of unintentional overnight holds is platform connectivity issues: a trader enters a position late in the session, loses connection, and cannot close in time. If you experience a platform outage near the 5pm ET close, contact TPT support immediately. TPT does have a process for reviewing technically-driven incidents. The January 28, 2026 Tradovate outage, which caused stuck positions across multiple accounts, is an example where TPT remediated affected traders. However, that remediation took two days and generated a significant negative review spike on Trustpilot. Do not rely on support intervention as a fallback; the safest practice is to be flat before 4:50pm ET.

The TakeProfitTrader payout rules article covers what happens to your payout balance during a violation, including the buffer zone requirement before any withdrawal is permitted.

Is there a time limit on the Test phase evaluation?

No. TakeProfitTrader does not impose a time limit on the Test phase evaluation. You can trade for as many calendar days as you need to reach the profit target, provided you are paying the monthly subscription fee and not violating any other rules.

The only rules that govern how long the Test takes are:

1. 5-day minimum trading requirement: you must trade on at least 5 separate calendar days before requesting a PRO account conversion. This is a floor, not a ceiling.
2. 50% consistency rule: no single day can account for more than 50% of your total profit. This slows down traders who are trying to get through the evaluation in one or two large days.
3. Monthly subscription: the Test account bills monthly (after any NOFEE40 discount is applied). If you do not pass within the first month, the subscription renews and you continue.

There is no expiry date, no countdown clock, and no penalty for taking 30, 60, or 90 days to pass. This is one of the structural advantages of TakeProfitTrader compared to other firms.

Topstep, for comparison, has historically structured its evaluation with a maximum calendar-day window or trading-day requirement depending on account tier, which creates pressure to pass quickly and leads some traders to take on more risk than they otherwise would. TPT's open-ended evaluation removes that pressure. If your trading style is selective and lower-frequency, trading only a few days per week with high conviction setups, TPT's evaluation structure works in your favor.

For traders considering their options, the comparison article on TakeProfitTrader vs Topstep covers the full structural differences including evaluation time limits, trailing drawdown mechanics, and payout rules.

Which products are commonly restricted?

TakeProfitTrader's product restrictions fall into a few categories:

Asset class exclusions: Stocks, forex, cryptocurrency, and options are categorically not permitted. TPT is a CME futures firm. If you want to trade these instruments, you need a different firm structure entirely.

CME contracts not on the approved list: The major liquid contracts (ES, NQ, YM, RTY, CL, GC, NG, and their micro equivalents) are confirmed permitted. Some less-liquid CME contracts, including certain agricultural futures, interest rate futures, and exotic commodity contracts, may not be on the approved list. This is common across all funded futures firms; the restriction exists because illiquid instruments are harder to risk-manage at the firm level.

Exotic or non-standard symbol combinations: Some platforms allow traders to create custom spreads or calendar roll combinations. These are not the same as the underlying outright futures contract and may not be permitted. If you are trading anything other than a standard outright futures contract, verify with TPT support.

VPN or falsified jurisdiction: This is not a product restriction per se, but trading while connected through a VPN or using falsified KYC information to bypass country restrictions results in permanent termination and forfeiture. This is a CME compliance requirement, not a discretionary TPT policy.

The most common question in this category is about interest rate futures. The 10-Year Treasury Note (ZN), for example, is a large, liquid CME contract, but it is not consistently listed on TPT's confirmed permitted list. Verify current status directly with TPT support before trading ZN or similar rate instruments.

For the full rulebook context on what constitutes a violation versus a permitted trade, the TakeProfitTrader rules overview is the right starting point.

How does this compare to other firms?

TakeProfitTrader vs Topstep on evaluation time limit:

This is the most meaningful comparison in this category. Topstep has traditionally structured its Step 1 with a maximum trading-day window, which puts a clock on passing the evaluation. TakeProfitTrader has no such limit. For selective traders who might take 8–12 weeks to accumulate the required profit at a disciplined pace, TPT's open-ended structure is a structural advantage. The Topstep evaluation review at PTV covers their current rules.

TakeProfitTrader vs Apex Trader Funding on products:

Both firms operate exclusively on CME futures and permit the same core universe: ES, NQ, YM, RTY, CL, GC, NG, and the micro equivalents. The product overlap is nearly complete. The main difference in practice is position sizing. Apex account sizes and their associated contract limits differ from TPT's, so the effective leverage per dollar of account size is not identical. Paul has traded both firms for multi-year periods and the product availability has never been the differentiating factor; it is always the drawdown mechanics and payout structure. See the Apex Trader Funding review at PTV for the full comparison.

TakeProfitTrader vs Tradeify on product scope:

Tradeify is a futures firm and shares the same CME product universe. Tradeify's review at PTV covers their drawdown and payout structure if you are comparing across firms.

Key structural summary:

The evaluation time limit difference between TPT and Topstep is real and matters for trader behavior. The product list differences between these firms are small relative to the drawdown mechanic and payout structure differences, which should be your primary decision criteria.

For a full comparison of how TPT's rules compare across all competing firms, the TakeProfitTrader FAQ includes a cross-firm comparison section.

The bottom line

TakeProfitTrader's product and hours rules are straightforward: trade standard CME futures, be flat by 5pm ET, and do not touch the account overnight. The product list covers everything most active futures traders need: ES, NQ, YM, RTY, CL, GC, NG, and all the micro equivalents, with restrictions on illiquid, exotic, or non-CME instruments that are standard across all funded futures firms.

The 5pm ET flat rule is strict, auto-enforced, and treated as a rulebook violation if triggered. The practical answer is to build a personal pre-5pm process into every trading day: no new entries after 4:30pm ET, trail stops on any open positions, flat before 4:50pm ET.

The absence of an evaluation time limit is one of TPT's genuine structural advantages. You can take as long as you need to pass the Test phase provided you are meeting the 5-day minimum and 50% consistency rule. That open-ended structure is better for disciplined, selective traders who do not want a countdown clock forcing them into suboptimal trades.

Paul has traded TakeProfitTrader for ~3 years and withdrawn $20K+ in real payouts. The product list and hours rules have never been the complicating factor. The PRO intraday trailing drawdown is the hard part. That mechanic is covered in detail in the TakeProfitTrader trailing drawdown guide.

Use code NOFEE40 at TakeProfitTrader for 40% off the monthly Test fee and to waive the $130 PRO activation fee. The offer has been renewed repeatedly through 2026 and functions as a near-permanent discount.

Frequently Asked Questions

What products can you trade at TakeProfitTrader?

TakeProfitTrader permits CME futures including E-mini ES, NQ, YM, and RTY; the full-size S&P 500 futures; all Micro E-mini index contracts (MES, MNQ, MYM, M2K); Crude Oil (CL) and Micro Crude Oil (MCL); Natural Gas (NG); Gold (GC) and Micro Gold (MGC). Stocks, forex, cryptocurrency, and options are not permitted on any account type.

What time must you be flat at TakeProfitTrader?

All positions must be closed by 5pm ET, Monday through Friday. This applies to the Test, PRO, and PRO+ phases without exception. No overnight or weekend holds are permitted.

What happens if you hold a position past 5pm ET at TakeProfitTrader?

TakeProfitTrader auto-liquidates any open position at or immediately after 5pm ET. The auto-liquidation is logged as a rules violation. Depending on severity and account phase, TPT can flag the account, require a paid reset, or close the account. PRO+ accounts cannot be reset; a violation there is terminal for that account.

Is there a time limit on the TakeProfitTrader Test evaluation?

No. TakeProfitTrader does not impose a time limit on the Test phase. You can take as many trading days as you need to reach the profit target. The only minimum is 5 trading days before requesting PRO conversion, and you must pay the ongoing monthly subscription while the account is open.

Can you trade Micro E-mini futures at TakeProfitTrader?

Yes. All Micro E-mini index contracts (MES, MNQ, MYM, M2K) are permitted. A $25K account allows up to 30 micro contracts; a $150K account allows up to 150 micro contracts. These limits apply across Test, PRO, and PRO+.

Can you trade overnight futures sessions at TakeProfitTrader?

No. Even though CME Globex runs nearly 24 hours on weekdays, TakeProfitTrader requires all positions to be flat by 5pm ET. You can re-enter positions when the next CME session opens after the maintenance window, but you cannot hold through the 5pm cutoff.

Does TakeProfitTrader allow trading Crude Oil (CL)?

Yes. Crude Oil (CL) and Micro Crude Oil (MCL) are both on the permitted product list. Natural Gas (NG) is also permitted. The same 5pm ET flat rule and position-size limits apply to these energy contracts.

Can you trade Gold futures at TakeProfitTrader?

Yes. Standard Gold futures (GC) and Micro Gold (MGC) are permitted. These are standard CME precious metal contracts subject to the same 5pm ET flat rule and normal account position-size limits.

How does TakeProfitTrader compare to Apex on permitted products?

Both firms permit the same core CME futures universe: ES, NQ, YM, RTY, CL, GC, NG, and their micro equivalents. The product availability is nearly identical across these two firms. The meaningful differences are in drawdown mechanics, payout structure, and account sizing, not in the product list.

How does TakeProfitTrader's evaluation time limit compare to Topstep?

TakeProfitTrader has no evaluation time limit. You can take unlimited calendar days to pass the Test phase. Topstep has historically enforced a maximum trading-day or calendar-day window on its evaluations. For traders who prefer to trade selectively without time pressure, TPT's open-ended evaluation is a meaningful structural difference.

Are stock, forex, or crypto products permitted at TakeProfitTrader?

No. TakeProfitTrader is a futures-only firm. Stocks, forex pairs, cryptocurrency, and options are not permitted on any account type. If you need access to those instruments on a funded basis, you need a different firm.

Does the 5pm ET flat rule apply to PRO and PRO+ accounts?

Yes. The 5pm ET flat rule is universal across all three phases: Test, PRO, and PRO+. There is no phase where overnight holding is permitted.

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