Topstep Payout Rules: Fast, Clean Withdrawals

This guide breaks down exactly how Topstep payouts work—eligibility, request mechanics, timelines, profit splits, and the sneaky bits that trip traders up (like the MLL reset). If you follow the cycles and manage buffers like a pro, payouts are predictable.

Quick Snapshot — Payouts at a Glance

Topstep’s payout framework is simple once you know the knobs to turn:

• Profit split: Keep 100% of your first $10,000 in total payouts; then 90/10 (you keep 90%).
• Eligibility trigger: 5 non-consecutive winning days since your last approved payout. Each must hit the minimum Net PnL threshold shown in your dashboard.
• Express Funded (sim): Per request, up to $5,000 or 50% of balance (whichever is lower).
• Live Funded: Per request, up to 50% of balance after 5 winning days. After 30 Live winning days, you unlock daily payouts up to 100% of balance (note: a 100% pull typically closes the Live account).
• Processing time: Approval typically a few business days; delivery depends on method (ACH/Wise/wire) and bank rails.
• Crucial reset: After any payout, your Maximum Loss Limit (MLL) resets to $0. Plan withdrawals around that reality.

Payout Rules by Account Type

Express Funded Account (Sim)

• What you can request: Up to $5,000 or 50% of account balance per request.
• When you can request: Once you’ve logged 5 winning days (non-consecutive) since your last approved payout. After payment, the 5-day counter resets.
• Split mechanics: All Express payouts count toward your lifetime first $10K at 100%; beyond that you’re on 90/10.

Why Express exists: It’s a proving-ground stage that pays real money while you demonstrate repeatability. Think of it as “paid internship” before full promotion to Live.

Live Funded Account

• What you can request: Up to 50% of balance per payout after 5 winning days.
• Daily payouts (100% access): After 30 non-consecutive winning days in Live, you can request daily and take up to 100% of the account balance (minimum request applies). A full 100% withdrawal generally closes the Live account—use with intent.
• Promotion path: Many traders are moved to Live after a series of successful Express payouts; risk can accelerate or slow this based on behavior.

Why Live matters: Fewer training wheels, more flexibility. Treat it like a professional account: schedule withdrawals, protect your cushion, and size with MLL in mind.

Profit Split & Lifetime Counters

• First $10,000 = 100% yours. This is lifetime across your funded accounts, not “per account.”
• After $10K total payouts: Split shifts to 90/10 (you keep 90%).
• Counter discipline: Keep a simple tracker of lifetime payouts so you know when you flip to 90/10 and can plan requests around tax/cash-flow considerations.

Step-by-Step: Requesting a Payout

1. Confirm eligibility
   • Funded stage (Express or Live).
   • 5 winning days since your most recent approved payout; each must meet the Net PnL threshold shown in your dashboard.
2. Open the payout request
   • Choose method (e.g., ACH/Wise/wire/SWIFT).
   • Ensure your KYC and banking details match—mismatches are the #1 avoidable delay.
3. Choose the amount
   • Express: ≤ $5,000 or 50% of balance (lower of the two).
   • Live: ≤ 50% of balance (until daily-payout unlock at 30 Live wins, then up to 100%).
   • Leave a small cushion; don’t request the absolute max.
4. Submit—then stop trading
   • Trading while your request is pending can alter your eligibility/balance at the wrong moment.
5. Receive funds & reset plan
   • After payout, MLL resets to $0. Re-evaluate size, stop placement, and target pacing for the next sessions.

Practical Tips to Avoid Delays (or Denials)

• Freeze activity post-submission. Don’t let a tiny drawdown or a fee nudge you under a threshold.
• Request slightly under max. Leave “breathing room” so your post-payout start isn’t a tightrope.
• Batch wins on purpose. Knock out your 5 winning days early in the week; request on a non-event day.
• Pick faster rails when timing matters. Domestic ACH/Wise can be quicker than international wires; plan around holidays.
• Keep docs clean. A mismatched name, expired ID, or wrong bank nickname is an easy, painful delay.

Platform Note (2025): TopstepX Is the Default

• New Combines and resets run on TopstepX (browser-based). You’ll get TradingView charts, one-click size, and session-close helpers.
• If you’re legacy on third-party platforms for older funded accounts, expect that to remain grandfathered while new activity routes to TopstepX.

Bottom line: Whatever your platform feelings, execution is stable. Focus on risk process and payout cadence.

Common Payout Rejection Reasons (and Quick Fixes)

1) Missing a valid “winning day.”

• Symptom: You think you have 5, but one day is under the Net PnL minimum after fees/commissions.
• Fix: Export day-by-day PnL. Verify net, not gross. If you came in a few dollars short, add one more clean day before requesting.

2) Requesting over the cap.

• Symptom: Express request > $5,000 or >50% of balance; Live request >50% without 30 Live wins unlocked.
• Fix: Recalculate off the actual current balance in the app. Request ≤ allowable max.

3) Trading after submission.

• Symptom: You submit, then take a small trade out of habit—nudging eligibility or balance.
• Fix: Create a personal rule: once submitted, platform closed until confirmation.

4) KYC/banking mismatch.

• Symptom: Name variations, expired ID, or a Wise/ACH profile that doesn’t match your account.
• Fix: Align everything before requesting. Screenshot confirmations for your records.

5) “All-in-one” first withdrawal from Live.

• Symptom: You try to yank too much, crush your MLL to zero, and struggle next week.
• Fix: Stagger withdrawals. Keep enough buffer to survive a normal drawdown cycle.

Buffer & MLL Math: Worked Examples

Understanding MLL resets and percent caps is the difference between smooth payouts and chaos.

Example A — Express Funded (Sim)

• Balance: $9,800
• Express cap: 50% of balance or $5,000 (lower of the two) → $4,900 max request.
• You request $4,500. Payout clears; MLL resets to $0.
• New starting risk: You now have no loss cushion. Next session, size small until you rebuild $300–$500 of realized buffer.

Example B — Live Funded (Before Daily Unlock)

• Balance: $14,200
• Live cap: 50% → $7,100 max request.
• You request $5,000 to keep more runway. After payout, MLL = $0.
• New plan: Run half-size for a few sessions, aim to rebuild $800–$1,200 cushion before scaling.

Example C — Live Daily Payouts Unlocked

• You’ve recorded 30 Live winning days.
• Balance: $12,000 → you can request up to 100% (minimum applies).
• Pulling 100% generally closes the account. Prefer staged draws (e.g., 30–40%) unless you intend to reset or rotate capital.

Advanced Scheduling: How Pros Time Their Payouts

• Cycle around event risk. Request before CPI/FOMC weeks so you restart with minimal exposure when volatility spikes.
• Use “double Fridays.” Bank 5th win Thursday, request Friday morning; you’ll likely start the following week fresh.
• Quarter-end strategy. If taxes matter, cluster payouts at quarter boundaries—still leaving enough buffer to trade sanely post-reset.
• Size down post-payout. Treat the first 2–3 sessions after payout like a new Combine—tight stops, single setups, smaller targets.

FAQ

Is there a first-payout lockup window?
No fixed “time window.” Your gate is the 5 winning days since the last approved payout.

How fast are payouts?
Approval typically a few business days; delivery depends on ACH/Wise/wire and your bank’s settlement schedule. Weekends and holidays don’t process.

Do winning days carry from Express to Live?
Express and Live track their own counters for eligibility. Expect to re-accumulate Live winning days for daily payout privileges.

What happens after I reach $10,000 in total payouts?
You move from 100% keep to 90/10 (you keep 90%) for subsequent payouts.

What’s the biggest risk around payouts?
The MLL reset to $0 after every withdrawal. If you pull too much too soon, your effective runway shrinks. Stagger payouts and rebuild cushion before scaling.

Can I request daily payouts in Live?
Yes—after 30 Live winning days. You can request up to 100% of balance (minimum applies). A full 100% withdrawal typically closes the account.

Notes & Policy Watch

• Winning day thresholds are defined in the app—always check the current minimum Net PnL per day before counting.
• Daily payout unlock is tied to Live winning days specifically; Express wins don’t substitute.
• Method selection matters. Domestic ACH/Wise often beats international wires for speed; plan large transfers early in the week.

Bottom Line

Topstep payout system is built to reward consistency without black-box delays: 5 winning days → request, Express ≤$5K or 50%, Live ≤50% (until daily unlock at 30 Live wins), 100% of first $10K then 90/10, and an MLL that resets to $0 after every withdrawal. Trade the rules, stage your payouts, and protect your runway—do that, and the system pays cleanly.