Topstep Trading Combine Rules 2026: Full $50K/$100K/$150K Breakdown

The Topstep Trading Combine is a monthly subscription evaluation where you trade a simulated futures account under live market conditions and advance to real-money funding when you pass. Three sizes, one structure: hit a profit target, respect the Max Loss Limit (the floor moves at end of day, breaches count in real time), keep your best day at 50% or less of total cycle profit, and mind the optional Daily Loss Limit if you added one at checkout.

I've been running the $50K Combine since 2023. Multiple passes, recurring payouts along the way. This article covers every number you need to know before you subscribe.

The three Combine sizes: fees and specs

Every size uses the same structure. What changes is the profit target, the loss limits, and the contract caps.

Source: topstep.com/topstep-prop, verified July 2026 (pricing cross-checked against help.topstep.com).

The activation fee is the same $149 regardless of size, making the $50K the cheapest total entry point. Monthly fees continue billing until you pass, breach, or cancel. There is no one-time evaluation path.

Drawdown mechanic: trailing intraday, not EOD

This is the number one thing traders get wrong about the Combine. The Max Loss Limit floor moves only at the end of each trading day, but it is monitored in real time: if your equity, realized or unrealized, touches the current floor at any moment of the session, the account is liquidated (per Topstep's help center, checked July 2026).

How it works in practice on a $50K Combine with a $2,000 MLL:

Two things follow from that. First, the floor does lock: once end-of-day profits push it up to your starting balance, it locks there permanently. Second, intraday give-back above the floor does not break you: make $3,000 in the morning and give it all back, and you are still fine as long as you never touched the floor set at the previous close. What kills Combines is unrealized drawdown through that existing floor, not give-back above it. It was already $1,000 below the new floor.

This is what makes the Combine harder than an EOD-trailing eval. Intraday management is not optional.

Daily Loss Limit: how it works and why hitting it isn't a violation

The Daily Loss Limit ($1K/$2K/$3K depending on size) is a separate mechanism from the MLL. When your daily losses reach the limit, Topstep auto-liquidates any open positions and locks trading for the rest of that day. The reset happens at 5 PM CT.

Critically: hitting the Daily Loss Limit is NOT a rule violation. The account stays open. You come back the next session at full standing. This is a protective floor, not an account-ender.

What the Daily Loss Limit does do:

• Forces discipline on bad-day spiraling, you cannot continue adding to losses once the limit is hit
• Protects the MLL, many accounts that would eventually breach the MLL are saved by the DLL cutting off the session
• Resets clean, after 5 PM CT you start fresh the next day with no running balance from the bad session

The MLL breach is the one that ends the Combine. The DLL is the safety net before that point.

The 50% consistency rule

The consistency rule: your single best winning day cannot exceed 50% of total cycle profit.

Formula: Best Day / Total Profit ≤ 50%

Two worked examples on a $50K Combine with a $3,000 target:

Failing the consistency check. Day 1: +$1,800. Next four sessions: +$200, +$300, +$400, +$300. Total: $3,000. Best day: $1,800. Concentration: $1,800 / $3,000 = 60%. Pass denied.

Passing the consistency check. Day 1: +$600. Day 2: +$500. Day 3: +$700. Day 4: +$800. Day 5: +$400. Total: $3,000. Best day: $800. Concentration: $800 / $3,000 = 27%. Pass.

The rule favors distributed-edge traders. A 1-trade wonder who bags $2,800 on a single NFP print and scrapes $200 across the remaining sessions fails this check even though the target is hit and the drawdown was never touched.

The fix is always the same: add more profitable sessions to lower the concentration ratio. Once you're above 50% on your best day, you cannot retroactively reduce that day's profit, you can only add sessions until the ratio drops below 50%.

The 50% rule applies during the Combine. It does not carry over to the Express Funded Account: the Standard Path has no consistency rule, the Consistency Path uses a 40% target.

Pass rate context

Topstep publishes its own cohort data on topstep.com/our-program. The 2025 numbers:

• 16.8% of all Combines pass
• 51.8% of participants advance to any funded level (meaning many traders restart and eventually pass)
• 33.3% of funded-level traders received payouts
• 0.71% of Express Funded Account traders reached the Live Funded Account

The 51.8% figure is the one worth holding onto. The 16.8% pass rate is per attempt. Traders who restart after a breach, using either a new subscription or a Reset Credit, can and do pass on later attempts. The path is narrow, but the majority of persistent traders get through to funded.

My own history is consistent with this. I didn't pass my first $50K Combine. Pacing strategy matters more than trading ability above a certain threshold.

Max contracts: position limits per size

The contract limits define simultaneous open positions, not daily volume.

Mixing minis and micros is allowed within the equivalent cap. 5 minis equals 50 micros, so a trader holding 3 minis and 30 micros on a $50K Combine is at full capacity.

What happens after you pass

Pass the Combine and you advance automatically to the Express Funded Account (XFA). No application, no waiting period, the XFA opens when the Combine closes.

Since February 5, 2026, the XFA runs two paths:

• Standard Path: 5 winning days of $150+ net profit (non-consecutive)
• Consistency Path: 3 trading days staying at or below a 40% consistency target (the old cumulative-profit minimums were removed with the April 28, 2026 payout rework)

The XFA uses the same MLL mechanic as the Combine: the floor moves at end of day, locks at $0 once profits push it there (the XFA starts from a $0 balance), and breaches count in real time including unrealized P&L.

On the XFA the consistency rule is optional: the Standard Path has none, the Consistency Path runs a 40% target. Profit split for current sign-ups (post-January 12, 2026) is 90/10 in the trader's favor from the first dollar.

The Reset Credit Bank

Each monthly subscription renewal adds one Reset Credit to your account. A Reset Credit lets you reset the Combine back to starting conditions without purchasing a new account. The credit matches your account size and path. Unlike per-reset-fee models at other firms, Topstep's monthly subscribers accumulate credits passively over time.

Pass strategy for the $50K Combine

Trading the $50K since 2023 has produced a consistent playbook. The specifics of the $100K and $150K Combines are structurally identical, scale the dollar figures.

Pace the consistency rule first, profit target second. On a $50K with a $3,000 target, plan for $300-$500 profit days. Five days at $600 average is $3,000 with a 20% concentration. You have room for variance. Sizing for $1,200-$1,500 days compresses that margin fast.

The DLL is your session floor, not your target. A $1,000 DLL on $50K is a hard floor, not a soft one. Trading toward it loses you the session and risks your MLL buffer. Plan sessions to stay well inside $400-$500 intraday loss before cutting. The DLL is the ceiling on bad days, not the expected loss level.

Understand the intraday MLL math before every session. Before you open a position, know where your MLL floor sits. If you had a good previous session, the floor is higher than it was. Factor that into sizing. This is the habit that separates traders who pass from traders who get taken out by a position they thought was manageable.

Sit out high-variance news events. CPI, FOMC, NFP. The Combine's intraday trailing drawdown is unforgiving on wrong-side news moves. A 30-point NQ spike against you can close a session's worth of equity and move the MLL floor up before auto-liquidation triggers. Flat or reduced size through the print is the right call.

Don't chase the pass near month-end. The monthly subscription model creates a psychological trap, traders rush to pass before the next billing date. Rushed pass attempts produce oversized position days that blow the consistency rule. There is no time limit on the Combine. A clean pass on Day 30 is the same as Day 10. Don't let billing dates drive sizing decisions.

Common Combine failure modes

Intraday MLL breach on a recovery trade. Trader takes a $600 loss, price bounces, they add size to recover quickly. The recovery trade runs against them. The MLL floor moved up on earlier equity highs and the account closes at a point the trader thought was still safe. This is the most common single breach cause at the $50K level.

Consistency rule violation near the target. Trader hits $2,800 of a $3,000 target on 4 trading days, realizes one day accounted for $1,600 (57%), and then tries to pass quickly by closing the remaining $200 gap in small increments. The large day stays at 57%. No amount of small days fixes a 57% concentration without adding meaningful profit. Many traders underestimate how many additional sessions are needed.

Treating the DLL hit as a pass risk. The DLL does not end the Combine. Some traders who hit it once assume the account is compromised and trade defensively or recklessly afterward. Neither is correct. A DLL hit is a bad day. Come back the next session.

Platform switch mid-Combine. Switching from TopstepX to NinjaTrader or Tradovate mid-evaluation introduces platform-specific execution differences that add variance at the worst time. Pick one platform before you activate and stay on it.

Rules overview

The Combine-specific drawdown mechanic in detail is at Topstep drawdown explained.

The Combine is the entry gate. Everything downstream, the XFA, the Live Funded Account, the payouts, depends on passing it cleanly.

The bottom line

The Topstep Trading Combine runs $49/month ($50K), $99/month ($100K), or $199/month ($150K) on the Standard Path, plus a $149 activation fee (a No-Activation-Fee Path with higher monthly pricing is also available). Pass conditions: hit the profit target ($3K/$6K/$9K), never let live equity touch the current MLL floor (it moves at end of day, but unrealized P&L counts), mind the optional Daily Loss Limit if you added one, and keep your best day at 50% or less of total cycle profit. The intraday trailing drawdown is the hardest part, it moves in real time and doesn't lock at starting balance the way EOD drawdowns do.

16.8% of Combines pass on a given attempt. 51.8% of participants eventually advance to a funded level. The traders who pass are the ones who pace the consistency rule deliberately, manage session exposure around the intraday MLL, and treat the DLL as a protective floor rather than a target. Pass and you go straight to the Express Funded Account, where the drawdown converts to EOD-trailing and the path to payouts opens.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the monthly fees for the Topstep Trading Combine?

As of July 2026, the Trading Combine costs $49/month for $50K, $99/month for $100K, and $199/month for $150K on the Standard Path (a No-Activation-Fee Path runs $95/$149/$229 with $0 activation). The one-time $149 Express Funded activation fee is charged when you pass and activate the funded account on the Standard Path ($0 on the No-Activation-Fee Path), not at Combine signup. Topstep does not offer a one-time evaluation option, the Combine is subscription-only. Monthly fees continue until you pass, breach, or cancel.

What is the profit target for the Topstep Trading Combine?

Profit targets are $3,000 for the $50K Combine, $6,000 for $100K, and $9,000 for $150K. There is no time limit, you can take as long as needed as long as you stay within the drawdown and daily loss limits. The profit target is based on account balance, so you need your simulated account to reach $53K, $106K, or $159K respectively.

How does the Max Loss Limit drawdown work on the Trading Combine?

The Max Loss Limit floor moves up based on your end-of-day balance, never back down. Monitoring is a different story: a breach counts in real time, including unrealized P&L (per Topstep's help center, checked July 2026). The floor lifts only after a session closes at a new end-of-day high. During the session, a drop that touches the current floor, even momentarily on unrealized P&L, closes the account. The MLL is $2,000 on $50K, $3,000 on $100K, and $4,500 on $150K. Once the floor reaches your starting balance, it locks there permanently.

What is the Daily Loss Limit on the Topstep Trading Combine?

The optional Daily Loss Limit (added at checkout; adding one doubles your later XFA payout caps) is $1,000 on $50K, $2,000 on $100K, and $3,000 on $150K. It resets at 5 PM CT each trading day. Hitting the Daily Loss Limit triggers an auto-liquidation of open positions, but it is NOT recorded as a rule violation. The account stays open, you are simply locked out of trading for the rest of that day. This is different from the MLL breach, which ends the account.

What is the 50% consistency rule on the Topstep Trading Combine?

The consistency rule requires that your single best winning day stays below 50% of your total cycle profit. If you have $3,000 in total profits but $1,600 came from one day, that is 53% and the pass is denied even if the profit target is met. The fix is always the same: add more profitable days to lower the concentration ratio below 50%. This rule applies during the Combine; on the XFA, consistency only applies if you choose the Consistency Path (40% target).

How many contracts can I trade in the Topstep Trading Combine?

The $50K Combine allows up to 5 mini contracts (or 50 micro contracts). The $100K allows 10 minis (100 micros). The $150K allows 15 minis (150 micros). These are simultaneous position limits, not daily volume limits. Mixing minis and micros is allowed within the equivalent cap.

What is the pass rate for the Topstep Trading Combine?

As of 2025 cohort data published on topstep.com, 16.8% of all Combines pass. A broader metric shows 51.8% of participants advance to any funded level, meaning many traders restart and eventually pass. Only 33.3% of funded-level traders received payouts, and 0.71% of Express Funded Account traders advanced to the Live Funded Account. These are Topstep-published figures.

What happens after I pass the Topstep Trading Combine?

Passing the Combine advances you automatically to an Express Funded Account (XFA). Since February 5, 2026, the XFA offers two paths: the Standard Path (5 winning days of $150 or more) and the Consistency Path (3 trading days at or below a 40% consistency target). The XFA uses a trailing EOD drawdown rather than the intraday version on the Combine.

Is there a time limit on the Topstep Trading Combine?

No. There is no maximum number of days to complete the Trading Combine. Your monthly subscription continues billing until you pass, breach, or cancel. This means slow and deliberate pacing is a valid strategy, especially for managing the 50% consistency rule. Each subscription renewal also adds one Reset Credit to your Reset Credit Bank.

What does an auto-liquidation on the Daily Loss Limit mean for my Combine?

When your losses for the day reach the Daily Loss Limit ($1K/$2K/$3K), Topstep auto-liquidates all open positions and locks your trading for the remainder of that day. This is a protective mechanism, not a penalty. The Combine account remains active and continues normally the next session. Only a Max Loss Limit breach terminates the account.

What is the Reset Credit Bank and how does it apply to the Combine?

Each monthly subscription renewal adds one Reset Credit to your Reset Credit Bank. A Reset Credit lets you reset a Combine back to starting conditions without purchasing a new account. The credit matches your account size and path. Instead of paying a separate reset fee each time, monthly subscribers accumulate credits passively.

How does the $50K Combine compare to the $150K Combine?

The $50K Combine costs $49/month with a $3,000 profit target, $2,000 MLL, and a $1,000 Daily Loss Limit. The $150K costs $199/month (Standard Path) with a $9,000 profit target, $4,500 MLL, and a $3,000 Daily Loss Limit. Contract limits scale from 5 minis to 15 minis. The percentage-based difficulty is similar across sizes, all three require the same 50% consistency rule and the same EOD-trailing, real-time-monitored drawdown mechanic. The $150K offers more cushion in dollar terms but demands more total profit.

Can I use a VPN while trading the Topstep Trading Combine?

No. Topstep explicitly prohibits VPNs. Their Help Center states: "No, you cannot use a VPN while trading with Topstep." The TopstepX API Also, states all activity must be performed from your own device without VPS, VPNs, or remote access tools. A VPN connection triggers Error 403 Forbidden.

Which platforms can I use for the Topstep Trading Combine?

As of July 2026, the Trading Combine for new sign-ups runs on TopstepX (Topstep's proprietary platform with built-in TradingView charts); Quantower can connect via TopstepX credentials, and NinjaTrader and Tradovate continue on legacy accounts. ProjectX was shut down in 2026 and is no longer supported. TopstepX is the recommended platform and gained new capabilities following Topstep's April 1, 2026 acquisition of The Futures Desk.