Topstep Payout Rules: Caps, Paths & the MLL Reset (2026)

Last verified: 26 August 2026 — read from Topstep’s own payout policy on that date.

Topstep pays a 90/10 split with a $125 minimum, and you request payouts from a funded account — not from the Trading Combine. On an Express Funded Account you can take 50% of your balance up to a size-based cap; Live Funded Account payouts are not capped.

The consequence that deserves more attention than the caps: Topstep states that after each payout your Maximum Loss Limit resets to $0 permanently and your 5-day count restarts. Taking a payout permanently removes your drawdown buffer, so every payout is also a risk decision, not just a cash-out.

The two payout paths on an Express Funded Account

Standard pathConsistency path
Requirement5 winning days of $150+ net P&L3 trading days with consistency at or below 40%
Request50% of account balance50% of account balance
50K cap$2,000$3,000
100K cap$3,000$4,000
150K cap$5,000$6,000
Split90/1090/10
Topstep XFA payout paths, verified 26 August 2026. Consistency = largest single-day net profit divided by total net profit.

The Consistency path pays more for fewer days, but only if your profit is spread out. If one session carries more than 40% of your total profit you fall back to the Standard path. Topstep resets the consistency calculation to $0 after each payout request.

Payout basics

Terms
Minimum payout$125
Profit split90/10 in the trader’s favour
WhereExpress Funded Account or Live Funded Account, via the Topstep dashboard
WhenCME market hours: Sunday 5 PM CT to Friday 5 PM CT, excluding holidays
After each payoutMaximum Loss Limit resets to $0 permanently; the 5-day count restarts
Max simultaneous funded accounts5
Source: Topstep payout policy, verified 26 August 2026.

Payout methods and fees

Three of the five methods are free; two cost $30.

MethodSpeedFeeNotes
Prop to brokerageSame day$0US only
AeropayInstant after approval$0
Wise1–3 business days$0
ACH1–3 business days$30
Wire / SWIFT5–10 business days$30
Topstep payout methods, verified 26 August 2026.

Express Funded vs Live Funded

The Express Funded Account is capped; the Live Funded Account is not. Topstep positions the XFA as the stage you pass through rather than settle in.

  • Express Funded (XFA): starts at a $0 balance that grows from your trading profits; payout caps by size and path; the same trailing Maximum Loss Limit as your Combine tier, which locks at $0 once reached and stays there permanently after a payout.
  • Live Funded (LFA): no payout cap. 20% of combined XFA balances is available immediately, with 80% held in Reserve and unlocked in four 25% increments as profit targets are met. Payouts come only from the unlocked balance, never from Reserve.
  • 30 winning days in a Live Funded Account unlocks daily access to up to 100% of profits.
  • Legacy promo: dashboards created before 12 January 2026 keep 100% of the first $10,000 in lifetime profits, then revert to 90/10.

Common questions

What are Topstep’s payout rules?

Payouts are requested from an Express Funded Account (XFA) or a Live Funded Account (LFA), with a $125 minimum and a 90/10 split in the trader’s favour. On the XFA there are two qualifying paths: the Standard path needs 5 winning days of $150+ net P&L, and the Consistency path needs 3 trading days with a consistency figure at or below 40%. You can request 50% of your account balance up to a cap that depends on account size and path. Live Funded Account payouts are not capped. Verified 26 August 2026 from Topstep’s own payout policy.

Can you get a payout from the Trading Combine?

No. The Trading Combine is the evaluation stage — you request payouts from a funded account, not from the Combine. Passing the Combine moves you to an Express Funded Account, and that is the first point at which you can request a payout, subject to the 5-winning-day or consistency path and the $125 minimum.

Do payouts affect the Maximum Loss Limit at Topstep?

Yes, and significantly. Topstep’s own wording is that after each payout your Maximum Loss Limit resets to $0 permanently, and your 5-day count restarts. That means once you have taken a payout, the account can no longer draw down below its starting balance — your buffer is gone for good, and any further loss below $0 closes the account.

What is Topstep’s minimum payout?

$125. Payout requests can be made during CME market hours, Sunday 5 PM CT through Friday 5 PM CT, excluding holidays.

What is the maximum Topstep payout per request?

50% of your account balance, up to a cap set by account size and path. On the Standard path the caps are $2,000 (50K), $3,000 (100K) and $5,000 (150K). On the Consistency path they are $3,000 (50K), $4,000 (100K) and $6,000 (150K). Those caps apply to Express Funded Accounts only — Live Funded Account payouts are not capped.

What is the difference between Topstep’s Standard and Consistency payout paths?

The Standard path requires 5 winning days of $150+ net P&L. The Consistency path requires only 3 trading days, but your consistency figure — your largest single-day net profit divided by total net profit — must be at or below 40%. The Consistency path carries higher payout caps ($3,000/$4,000/$6,000 versus $2,000/$3,000/$5,000), so it rewards spreading profit across days rather than relying on one big session.

Are Live Funded Account payouts capped at Topstep?

No. Payout caps apply to Express Funded Accounts only; Live Funded Account payouts have no dollar cap. Topstep also states that stacking 30 winning days in a Live Funded Account unlocks daily access to up to 100% of your profits.

How does Topstep pay you and what are the fees?

Five methods, and the fee difference is real: prop-to-brokerage transfer is same-day and free but US only; Aeropay is instant after approval and free; Wise takes 1-3 business days and is free; ACH takes 1-3 business days and costs $30; and wire/SWIFT takes 5-10 business days and costs $30. If you are US-based and choosing between free same-day and a $30 wire, that is a straightforward decision.

Do you keep 100% of profits at Topstep?

Only in two specific situations. Traders whose dashboards were created before 12 January 2026 keep 100% of their first $10,000 in lifetime profits, after which the standard 90/10 split applies. Separately, 30 winning days in a Live Funded Account unlocks daily access to up to 100% of profits. Otherwise the split is 90/10 in the trader’s favour.

Do you have to pay the Topstep subscription again after a payout?

Taking a payout does not itself restart the Trading Combine or trigger a new purchase — payouts happen in the funded account. The monthly Combine subscription applies while you are in the evaluation stage. What a payout does change is your risk buffer: the Maximum Loss Limit resets to $0 permanently, so there is no drawdown room left below your starting balance.

Source: Topstep’s payout policy, read 26 August 2026. See also our Topstep profile, the 10-firm comparison and our methodology.