Rule library / Topstep
Topstep Trading Combine max drawdown and daily loss rules
Every phase of the Trading Combine programme, in percent and in dollars. The drawdown type matters more than the target, so it is named on every row.
Combine profit target
6.0%
$9,000
Max overall drawdown
4.0%
$6,000
Max daily loss
2.0%
$3,000
Min trading days
2
Combine
Combine phase, on a $150,000 account.
| Phase | Profit target | Max drawdown | Drawdown type | Max daily loss | Min trading days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combine | 6.0% | 4.0% | Trailing | 2.0% | 2 |
Percentages are measured against the initial account balance, as the firm publishes them. A profit target of "None" means the phase has no target.
The most common sizes traders run on this programme. Percentages are what the firm writes; dollars are what you actually have to manage.
Account size
$150,000
| Phase | Profit target | Max drawdown | Max daily loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combine | $9,000 | $6,000 | $3,000 |
Account size
$100,000
| Phase | Profit target | Max drawdown | Max daily loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combine | $6,000 | $4,000 | $2,000 |
Account size
$50,000
| Phase | Profit target | Max drawdown | Max daily loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combine | $3,000 | $2,000 | $1,000 |
Daily loss basis
Original account size, not the current balance
The basis decides when the limit resets and what counts against it. Two firms with the same percentage can leave you very different room.
Combine — extra rule
Consistency Target: your best single day must stay under 50% of the profit target. The Maximum Loss Limit rises with balance and never falls.
Note on these numbers
Topstep sets futures limits in dollars, not percent. The percentages here are the dollar limits divided by account size, so the arithmetic works the same way.
Static drawdown
The floor is fixed below your starting balance and never moves.
$150,000 − $6,000 = $144,000
Every dollar of profit becomes buffer. Reach $156,000 and you can lose 8.0% before the breach.
Trailing drawdown
The floor follows your highest balance upward, and never comes back down.
peak − $6,000 = floor
Your room stays $6,000 no matter how well you trade. Profit buys no buffer at all.
The cost, in one paragraph
On a static account, a good week widens your margin for error. On a trailing account it does not.
You go up $6,000 and the floor goes up $6,000. Giving that back is a breach, at a balance above your start. End-of-day trailing is gentler. It recalculates overnight from the highest prior-day balance, so an intraday spike is ignored. Intraday trailing counts the peak the moment it happens, unrealised profit included.
This programme trails, so size down as the balance climbs. The distance to the floor is the number to watch, never the profit.
Challenge Pilote is a tracking and risk-management tool. It gives no investment advice, no buy or sell signals, and no guarantee of success. Trading carries significant risk of loss. You remain solely responsible for your decisions.