TradeDay FAQ: 60 Most Asked Questions Answered

You're researching TradeDay and you have questions. Lots of them. The website explains some things but leaves gaps. YouTube videos contradict each other. Reddit threads from 2023 might be outdated.

This is the comprehensive FAQ I wish existed when I was evaluating TradeDay 14 months ago. Every question is answered based on actual trading experience, not marketing copy. If TradeDay changed something recently, I'll note it. If the answer is "it depends," I'll explain what it depends on.

Quick heads-up: This article is based on my real experience with TradeDay and the info available when I published/updated this. Things change in prop trading — rules, payouts, promos, all of it.

For the absolute latest, check TradeDay´s website or their faq page.

60 questions covering everything from basic signup to complex payout scenarios. Organized by topic so you can jump to what matters most to you.

Getting Started & Basics

1. What is TradeDay?

TradeDay is a prop trading firm (proprietary trading firm) that provides capital to futures traders. You pay a monthly subscription to attempt their evaluation, and if you pass, they fund you with a simulated trading account ranging from $50,000 to $150,000. You keep 80-95% of your profits depending on your cumulative earnings tier.

They're based in Chicago, launched in 2022, and focus exclusively on futures trading (no forex, no stocks). You trade on their simulation platform during evaluation and in Funded Sim after passing, with an optional upgrade to Funded Live for direct market routing.

2. How is TradeDay different from other prop firms?

The main differentiators: (1) Your first $10,000 earned is at 100% profit split (you keep everything), which most competitors don't offer. (2) Three drawdown types (Intraday, EOD, Static) let you choose the risk management style that fits your trading. (3) No consistency rule once you're funded (most firms keep it). (4) Support for 7 different trading platforms instead of forcing one proprietary system.

The trade-offs: They have a strict 30% consistency rule during evaluation that trips up many traders. News trading restrictions are enforced with auto-liquidation. Monthly subscription costs are mid-range compared to competitors (not the cheapest, not the most expensive).

3. Is TradeDay legit or a scam?

Legit. I've withdrawn over $18,000 from TradeDay across two funded accounts over 14 months. Payouts process within 3-5 days consistently. They're a real company with physical presence in Chicago, proper business registration, and thousands of active traders.

Red flags to watch for with ANY prop firm: refusing to pay out profits, constantly changing rules retroactively, disappearing support, fake trading results. TradeDay hasn't exhibited any of these. That said, "legit" doesn't mean "easy" — most traders still fail evaluations because prop trading is difficult, not because the system is rigged.

4. How much does TradeDay cost?

Monthly subscription fees range from $75 to $225 depending on your account size and drawdown type. A $100K account with EOD trailing drawdown costs $150/month. Once you pass and get funded, the monthly subscription ends. You pay a one-time $139 activation fee, then no more monthly costs unless you upgrade to Funded Live ($140/month for direct market routing, which most traders skip).

Additional costs: Reset fees if you fail evaluation ($75-189), platform subscriptions if you use TradingView or advanced tools ($15-60/month), and Riseworks payment processing fees when withdrawing ($25 for wire, 2-5% for crypto).

For complete pricing breakdown, see the account sizes comparison guide.

5. Can I try TradeDay for free?

No free trial. You pay the first month's subscription upfront when you sign up. Some prop firms offer free trials, but TradeDay's model is subscription-based from Day 1. However, your first month is refundable if you request cancellation within the first few days and haven't traded yet — check current refund policy with support as this may change.

Alternative: Practice on free sim accounts with Tradovate or NinjaTrader before subscribing. Prove your strategy works in simulation, then pay for TradeDay access when you're ready to attempt the evaluation seriously.

6. How long does it take to get funded?

Fastest possible: 5 days (if you pass evaluation in 5 trading days and submit immediately). Realistic: 2-4 weeks for most traders who pass on first attempt. Average including failures: Most traders take 2-3 attempts over 2-4 months before passing.

Once you submit for evaluation review, approval takes 24-48 hours. After approval, you pay the $139 activation fee and you're funded within 24 hours. The bottleneck is passing the evaluation, not the administrative process.

7. What's the pass rate for TradeDay evaluations?

TradeDay doesn't publish official pass rates. Industry estimates for prop firms are 10-20% pass on first attempt. Anecdotally, traders with prior futures experience and who actually prepare (test their strategy in sim first) have much higher pass rates than complete beginners who jump in blind.

The main killers: hitting max drawdown (35-40% of failures), consistency rule violations (20-25%), insufficient trading days or missing objectives (15-20%), and prohibited practices like news trading (10-15%).

8. Can I have multiple TradeDay accounts?

Yes. You can run multiple evaluations simultaneously and have multiple funded accounts. There's no published limit. Some traders scale to 5-10 funded accounts. Each account has its own separate drawdown limits, position limits, and subscription fee.

Important restriction: You cannot hedge across accounts (can't be long on one account and short on another simultaneously). Each account should trade independently in the same direction or be flat.

For complete details, see the multiple accounts policy guide.

Account Types & Pricing

9. What account sizes does TradeDay offer?

Three sizes: $50,000 (1 contract max, $1,500 profit target), $100,000 (2 contracts max, $2,500 profit target), and $150,000 (3 contracts max, $3,750 profit target). The $100K account is the most popular because it offers 2-contract flexibility at reasonable monthly cost ($150 for EOD trailing).

Your starting balance slightly exceeds the account name (e.g., $100K accounts typically start at $100,000 exactly but can vary by a few hundred dollars based on when you activate).

10. What are the three drawdown types?

Intraday Trailing: Drawdown calculated in real-time including unrealized losses. Resets daily at 4:10 PM CT. Cheapest option ($75-165/month) but least forgiving. Best for scalpers with tight stops.

EOD Trailing (End-of-Day): Drawdown calculated once daily at market close. Unrealized losses don't count until 4:10 PM CT. Most popular option ($99-225/month). Best for 80% of traders because it lets you hold through intraday swings.

Static: Fixed total drawdown limit plus a daily loss cap. Limits never trail upward. Most expensive ($105-225/month). Best for ultra-conservative traders, but the daily loss limit kills most people.

For complete technical breakdown, see the drawdown types comparison guide.

11. Which account size should I choose?

Start with $100K EOD Trailing unless you have specific reasons otherwise. It's the sweet spot: 2 contracts gives you flexibility, $2,500 target is achievable but not trivial, and $150/month is manageable if you're serious about prop trading.

Choose $50K if: budget is tight, you're testing TradeDay for the first time, or you trade small size naturally (1 contract or micros).

Choose $150K if: you've already passed $100K elsewhere and want more position sizing, or you're an experienced trader confident in larger targets.

12. Can I upgrade or downgrade my account size?

Not directly mid-evaluation. If you want a different size, you need to cancel your current subscription and sign up fresh with the new configuration. Your progress doesn't transfer — you start from zero.

Better approach: Finish your current evaluation (pass or reset), then sign up for a different size as a second account rather than canceling your first.

13. What's included in my monthly subscription?

Your subscription includes: (1) Unlimited evaluation attempts until you pass, (2) Access to all 7 supported platforms, (3) Real-time CME futures market data (normally $50-100/month), (4) Dashboard with progress tracking and analytics, (5) Email support, (6) Risk management tools and drawdown monitoring.

Not included: Reset fees if you fail ($75-189), activation fee when you pass ($139), platform subscriptions for TradingView/Quantower/etc if you use those ($15-250/month), and payment processing fees for withdrawals.

For complete membership breakdown, see the what's included guide.

14. Do prices ever change?

TradeDay has adjusted pricing over time. Early users who signed up in 2022-2023 sometimes have grandfathered rates lower than current pricing. If you maintain continuous subscription, you typically keep your original rate even if prices increase for new signups.

If you cancel and come back months later, you'll likely pay current market rates, not your old rate.

15. Are there any discounts or promo codes?

TradeDay periodically offers promotions: 20-50% off first month, reduced reset fees, or special pricing for adding additional accounts. These are usually sent via email to existing customers or shared through affiliates.

Current active codes: Check the TradeDay discount codes page for updated promotions. Codes change frequently and often expire after 30-90 days.

16. What payment methods does TradeDay accept?

Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover) and debit cards. Payment is processed immediately when you subscribe and auto-renews monthly on the same date. TradeDay uses standard payment processors (Stripe or similar).

Prepaid cards sometimes work but aren't officially supported. Cryptocurrency is not accepted for subscriptions (though you can receive payouts in crypto through Riseworks).

Evaluation Rules & Requirements

17. What are the 5 evaluation objectives I need to pass?

You need ALL five simultaneously:

(1) Profit Target: $1,500 for $50K, $2,500 for $100K, $3,750 for $150K(2) Minimum Trading Days: 5 separate calendar days where you open at least one position(3) Consistency Rule: No single day can exceed 30% of your total profit(4) Maximum Drawdown: Stay within your limit ($2K-4K depending on size and type)(5) Trading Rules Compliance: No news trading, no position limit violations, no prohibited practices

Miss any one objective and you fail. Pass all five and you can request evaluation review.

For complete technical details, see the evaluation rules guide.

18. How does the 30% consistency rule work?

No single trading day can represent more than 30% of your total profit during evaluation. Formula: (Biggest Day Profit ÷ Total Profit) must be ≤ 30%.

Example failure: You make $1,400 on Day 2 and finish with $2,600 total. $1,400 ÷ $2,600 = 53.8%. You failed consistency even though you hit your profit target.

The fix: If you have a big early winner, you need to make significantly more total profit to dilute that day below 30%. Minimum total needed = (Big Day Profit ÷ 0.30). So if you made $1,400, you need at least $4,667 total.

For complete calculation guide and strategies, see the consistency rule calculator.

19. What counts as a "trading day"?

A calendar day where you open at least one position and hold it for a minimum duration (appears to be 2-5 minutes based on trader reports). Simply holding overnight positions from previous days doesn't count as a new trading day. You need to actively enter a new trade.

What counts: Trade 2 NQ, hold 8 minutes, close = trading dayDoesn't count: Hold an overnight position from yesterday with no new entries today = not a trading day

20. How is drawdown calculated?

For Intraday/EOD Trailing: Drawdown = Peak Balance - Current Balance (including unrealized P&L for Intraday, closed P&L only for EOD). It's measured from your highest account balance, not your starting balance.

For Static: Fixed total drawdown limit plus a separate daily loss limit. Both must be maintained.

Example: You start at $100,000. You reach $102,500 (new peak). You drop to $100,000. Your drawdown is $2,500, not $0, because you're down from your $102,500 peak.

For complete technical breakdown, see the maximum drawdown guide.

21. Can I hold positions overnight during evaluation?

Yes. There's no restriction on holding positions overnight, over weekends, or through gaps. Your drawdown continues to be measured based on your type (Intraday recalculates at 4:10 PM CT, EOD measures at close, Static has fixed limits).

Risk management reminder: Overnight gaps can be large. If you're close to your drawdown limit, holding overnight is risky because you could gap through your limit and fail the evaluation before you can react.

22. What are position limits?

• $50K account: 1 contract maximum (or 10 micro contracts)
• $100K account: 2 contracts maximum (or 20 micro contracts)
• $150K account: 3 contracts maximum (or 30 micro contracts)

10 micro contracts = 1 standard contract. So on a $100K account, you can trade: 2 ES, OR 20 MES, OR 1 ES + 10 MES. Not 3 full contracts in any combination.

Violating position limits = instant evaluation failure. Your account is terminated and you need to reset.

23. What is Tier 1 news trading and why is it banned?

Tier 1 news events are major economic releases that cause extreme volatility: Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP), FOMC rate decisions, CPI, PPI, GDP, unemployment rate. You cannot trade within 2 minutes before or 2 minutes after these releases.

Why it's banned: Simulated environments can't accurately replicate the extreme slippage and unpredictable fills during NFP chaos. TradeDay prevents exploitation of sim fills that wouldn't be possible with real brokers.

Enforcement: TradeDay's system auto-liquidates your positions if you're in a trade during restricted windows. Your account gets flagged, and repeat violations result in termination.

The complete news calendar is in your TradeDay dashboard. Check it every morning.

24. How long do I have to complete my evaluation?

Unlimited time. There's no 30-day or 60-day expiration. As long as you maintain your monthly subscription, you can take as long as you need to pass. Some traders pass in 2 weeks, others take 4 months.

Your subscription auto-renews monthly. If you don't pass in Month 1, you're charged again for Month 2 and you continue working on the same evaluation (unless you reset).

25. What happens if I fail an evaluation objective?

Your evaluation ends. You have two options:

(1) Pay a reset fee ($75-189 depending on account size) to start completely fresh. All progress erased, you begin at starting balance with zero trading days.

(2) Keep trading (if possible). If you failed consistency but haven't hit drawdown, you can keep trading to fix the consistency violation, then resubmit for review.

You cannot recover from hitting max drawdown — that's instant failure requiring a reset.

Platforms & Technology

26. What trading platforms does TradeDay support?

Seven options: (1) Tradovate (web-based, easiest), (2) NinjaTrader (desktop, most powerful), (3) TradingView (best charts), (4) TradeDayX (TradeDay's proprietary platform), (5) Quantower, (6) ATAS, (7) Jigsaw Trading.

Tradovate, TradeDayX, and basic NinjaTrader are free to use with TradeDay. TradingView requires a Premium subscription ($15-60/month). Quantower, ATAS, and Jigsaw require their own platform subscriptions ($29-250/month).

For complete platform comparison, see the supported platforms guide.

27. Which platform should I use?

For beginners: Start with Tradovate. Web-based, works on any device, dead simple to learn, integrated TradingView charts, free.

For experienced traders: NinjaTrader. Professional-grade order flow tools, full customization, powerful but steep learning curve.

For chart-focused traders: TradingView. Best charting in the industry, good for swing trading, but execution interface is basic.

For DOM scalpers: TradeDayX or NinjaTrader. Fast execution, clean order book display.

28. Can I switch platforms mid-evaluation?

Yes. Your evaluation progress is tied to your TradeDay account, not the platform. You can use Tradovate for 3 days, switch to NinjaTrader on Day 4, and your profit/trading days carry over seamlessly.

Most traders pick one platform and stick with it because switching requires relearning interfaces and setting up hotkeys again.

29. Does TradeDay provide market data?

Yes. Real-time CME futures data is included in your subscription at no extra cost. This normally costs $50-150/month if you paid for it separately through a broker. You get Level 1 (best bid/ask) and Level 2 (depth of market) data for all CME Group futures contracts.

30. Can I use automated trading or bots?

Yes, with restrictions. You can run algos based on legitimate technical analysis, order flow, or market prediction. You cannot run bots designed to exploit the simulation environment (latency arbitrage, HFT gaming, execution testing).

Allowed: NinjaTrader automated strategies, TradingView Pine Script auto-execution, your own custom algos based on indicators.

Not allowed: Commercial "prop firm challenge" bots, copy trading from external sources, high-frequency exploitation strategies.

TradeDay monitors for suspicious patterns (95%+ win rates, sub-second hold times). If your algo looks like system gaming, you'll get banned.

For complete rules, see the algo trading guide.

31. What if my platform disconnects during a trade?

Contact TradeDay support immediately with details (timestamp, position details, what happened). They'll review the situation. If the disconnection was caused by their servers, they may make exceptions or adjustments. If it was your internet connection, you're responsible for the outcome.

Best practice: Have a backup execution method (mobile app, different platform) ready in case your primary platform fails mid-trade.

32. Do I need a powerful computer to trade with TradeDay?

For web platforms (Tradovate, TradeDayX, TradingView): Any computer, even a Chromebook. These run in your browser and don't require much processing power.

For desktop platforms (NinjaTrader, Quantower): Minimum 8GB RAM, decent processor (Intel i5 or equivalent), Windows OS (or Mac with Boot Camp/Parallels). Not high-end gaming PC required, but not a 10-year-old laptop either.

Internet: 10+ Mbps download, stable connection. Wired ethernet is better than WiFi for reliability.

Payouts & Money

33. How do TradeDay payouts work?

Once funded, you trade and build profit above your starting balance. This extra profit is your "buffer." You can request withdrawals every 7+ days as long as you have positive buffer. Payouts process through Riseworks (Rise), TradeDay's payment partner, and arrive in 3-5 business days.

Your profit is split: You keep 80-95% (depending on cumulative earnings tier), TradeDay keeps the rest. First $10,000 you earn is at 100% split (you keep everything).

For complete details, see the payout policy guide.

34. What is the profit split structure?

Tiered system based on cumulative lifetime earnings:

• First $10,000 earned: 100% (you keep all of it)
• $10,001-$25,000: 80% to you, 20% to TradeDay
• $25,001-$50,000: 90% to you, 10% to TradeDay
• $50,001-$100,000: 92.5% to you, 7.5% to TradeDay
• $100,001+: 95% to you, 5% to TradeDay

Your cumulative total never resets. Once you hit 95%, you stay there forever on all future earnings.

For detailed breakdown, see the profit split guide.

35. How fast do payouts arrive?

Typical timeline:

• Day 1: Request payout from TradeDay dashboard
• Day 2-3: TradeDay processes and sends to Riseworks
• Day 4-6: Riseworks verifies and sends payment
• Total: 3-5 business days for wire transfers, 1-3 days for crypto

First payout sometimes takes longer (5-7 days) because Riseworks needs to verify your identity. Subsequent payouts are faster.

36. What payment methods can I receive payouts through?

Options through Riseworks:

• Wire transfer (ACH for US, international wire for others): $25 fee per withdrawal
• Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT): 2-5% network fees
• Riseworks prepaid card (if available in your country): Varies by region

Most traders use wire transfer for large withdrawals or crypto for smaller amounts to minimize fees.

37. How often can I request payouts?

Every 7 days minimum per account. The timer starts when you submit the request, not when you receive the money. If you request payout Monday, your next earliest payout is the following Monday.

You can request smaller amounts more frequently rather than waiting to build large buffer. Many traders withdraw every 7-14 days to lock in profits rather than leaving them at risk in the account.

38. Is there a minimum withdrawal amount?

TradeDay doesn't publish a strict minimum, but Riseworks has practical minimums due to fees. Withdrawing $100 with a $25 wire fee means you lose 25% to fees. Most traders wait until they have $500-1,000+ buffer before withdrawing.

39. What are withdrawal fees?

Wire transfers: $25 flat fee (regardless of amount)Crypto: 2-5% depending on network and coinRiseworks card: Varies by location

Fees are deducted from your payout amount. If you withdraw $1,000 via wire, you receive $975.

40. Do I pay taxes on TradeDay profits?

Yes (for US traders). TradeDay issues 1099 forms for US citizens/residents. Your funded account profits are taxable income. You're responsible for reporting and paying taxes.

For non-US traders: Tax treatment depends on your country's laws. TradeDay doesn't withhold taxes for international traders — you handle your own tax reporting.

Structure: Some traders route their prop firm income through LLCs for tax advantages. Consult a tax professional familiar with trading income.

41. What happens to my profits if I blow my funded account?

Profits you've already withdrawn are yours permanently. Profits still in your account buffer that you haven't withdrawn are lost when the account terminates.

Example: You built your account to $108,000 ($8,000 buffer). You withdrew $5,000 already (kept ~$4,500 after split and fees). Account drops to zero and terminates. You keep the $4,500 you already withdrew. The remaining $3,000 buffer you didn't withdraw is gone.

This is why smart traders withdraw regularly rather than letting profit accumulate in the account.

Funded Accounts

42. What changes after I pass and get funded?

Rules that disappear: Profit target (no more required earnings), minimum trading days (trade as often or rarely as you want), consistency rule (make 100% of monthly profit in one day if that's how it works out).

Rules that stay: Maximum drawdown (same limits and type as evaluation), position limits (still capped at 1/2/3 contracts), prohibited practices (news trading still banned, no hedging across accounts).

What's new: Buffer requirement (must be above starting balance to withdraw), payout frequency (7-day minimum between requests), profit split (now 80-100% instead of keeping 100% during eval).

For complete details, see the funded account rules guide.

43. Do I still pay monthly fees when funded?

No. Your evaluation subscription ends once you pass and activate your funded account. You stop paying the $75-225/month. The only ongoing cost is if you upgrade to Funded Live ($140/month for direct market routing), which most traders skip.

44. What is Funded Live vs Funded Sim?

Funded Sim (default, free): You trade on TradeDay's simulation environment. Profits are real money you can withdraw, but orders route through their sim system, not directly to exchanges.

Funded Live (optional, $140/month): Your orders route directly to real exchanges through a live broker connection. Professional-grade data feeds included. Better execution for very high-frequency traders.

Most traders stay on Funded Sim because execution quality is fine for normal day trading/swing trading, and free is better than $140/month.

45. Can I scale my position size once funded?

Not on a single account — limits stay fixed (1/2/3 contracts depending on size). To trade larger size, you add more funded accounts. If you have 3 funded $100K accounts, you can trade 6 contracts total (2 per account).

Professional TradeDay traders scale to 10-20 contracts by running 5-10 funded accounts simultaneously.

46. What happens if I hit max drawdown when funded?

Your funded account closes immediately and permanently. You lose access. Any profit buffer you didn't withdraw is gone. The account cannot be reset or recovered.

You can start a new evaluation if you want to get funded again, but that specific funded account is finished.

47. How long do funded accounts last?

As long as you don't hit max drawdown. There's no time limit or expiration. Some traders have had the same funded account for 12+ months. Others blow funded accounts within 2-3 weeks.

TradeDay doesn't force you to trade actively. You can take weeks or months off from a funded account and it stays active as long as you stay within drawdown limits when you do trade.

48. Can I have multiple funded accounts?

Yes. No published limit on how many funded accounts you can run. Each requires passing a separate evaluation and paying a separate $139 activation fee. Most traders scale to 2-5 funded accounts, some go 10+.

All your funded accounts contribute to your cumulative earnings for profit split tiers, so the more accounts, the faster you reach 90-95% splits.

Rules & Violations

49. What are TradeDay's prohibited practices?

Major violations that get you banned:

• Trading within 2 minutes before/after Tier 1 news releases (NFP, FOMC, CPI, etc.)
• Hedging across multiple TradeDay accounts (long on one, short on another simultaneously)
• Gaming the simulation (latency arbitrage, HFT exploitation, system testing)
• Using prohibited software (certain commercial bots, external copy trading)
• VPN usage to hide location from banned countries

Enforcement: First violation might get a warning. Second violation typically results in account termination and possible permanent ban.

For complete list and details, see the prohibited practices guide.

50. What happens if I accidentally trade during restricted news?

TradeDay's system auto-liquidates your position at market price (which might be a terrible fill during volatility). Your account gets flagged for review. First offense might be a warning with trades reversed. Second offense usually results in account termination.

How to avoid: Check your TradeDay dashboard news calendar every morning. Set phone alarms for 5 minutes before major releases. Close positions by 8:28 AM ET if NFP is at 8:30 AM ET.

51. Can I copy trades between my own TradeDay accounts?

Yes, as long as you're not hedging. You can copy your trades from Account A to Accounts B and C (all going long together or all going short together). You cannot copy trades that result in opposing positions (Account A long, Account B short).

Allowed software: Trade copiers that replicate YOUR trades across YOUR accounts.Not allowed: Copying trades from someone else's account, external signal services, pooled copying from multiple sources.

52. What counts as "gaming the algorithm"?

Any strategy designed to exploit TradeDay's simulation rather than predict market direction. Red flags: 95%+ win rates that make no logical sense, sub-second execution patterns, repeated entry/exit testing, strategies that only work in sim environments but would fail with real broker execution.

TradeDay monitors for these patterns. If detected, account terminated without appeal.

Safe trading: Base your trades on technical analysis, order flow, fundamentals — anything that attempts to predict where the market will go rather than exploiting how TradeDay's system processes orders.

53. Can I use a VPN while trading?

Allowed: Using VPN for privacy/security while in an allowed country (e.g., you're in the US, using a US VPN server).

Not allowed: Using VPN to hide your real location if you're in a banned country (e.g., you're in Russia, using US VPN to pretend you're in America).

Best practice: Don't use VPN during initial signup to avoid triggering fraud detection. Once your account is established and you've been verified, using VPN for legitimate privacy is generally fine.

54. What if I violate a rule accidentally?

Minor first offenses sometimes get warnings. Your trades might be reversed or your account flagged, but not terminated. Major violations (news trading multiple times, hedging, gaming) usually result in immediate termination even on first offense.

No appeals: TradeDay's decisions on rule violations are final. "I didn't know" isn't a defense — you're responsible for understanding and following all rules.

Prevention: Read the full rules before trading. When in doubt, contact support before doing something questionable, not after you get caught.

55. Can TradeDay change the rules after I sign up?

They can update their terms of service, but major changes typically apply to new customers only. Existing active traders are often grandfathered under their original terms (especially pricing, profit splits).

Regulatory changes or platform-wide rule updates (affecting all traders) do happen. Check your email regularly for policy notifications.

Eligibility & Verification

56. Who can join TradeDay?

Requirements: Age 18+, not located in a banned country (Russia, Iran, North Korea, Syria, etc.), able to pass identity verification if requested, valid payment method (credit/debit card).

Not required: Minimum income, employment, net worth, credit score, trading licenses, college degree, US citizenship.

Students, unemployed traders, international users (in allowed countries) are all welcome.

For complete eligibility details, see the eligibility requirements guide.

57. Do I need a US Social Security Number?

Not for signup. SSN is only required for US citizens/residents when requesting payouts (for tax reporting via 1099 forms). Non-US traders don't need SSN.

58. What documents do I need for verification?

If verification is triggered (not everyone gets asked immediately):

• Government-issued photo ID (passport, driver's license, national ID)
• Proof of address within 90 days (utility bill, bank statement)
• Selfie holding your ID (for photo matching)

Processing time: 24-48 hours typically. Some traders never get asked for verification until their first payout. Others are verified during signup.

59. Can I join from outside the US?

Yes. TradeDay accepts traders from most countries worldwide except those under OFAC sanctions (Russia, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, etc.). Canada, UK, EU, Australia, most of Latin America and Asia are accepted.

Your payment method billing address and IP location must match an allowed country. Using VPN to bypass country restrictions violates terms and results in ban.

60. What if my verification documents get rejected?

Common reasons: blurry photos, expired ID, name mismatch between ID and account, address on proof-of-address doesn't match billing address.

Solution: Resubmit with clear, high-quality scans. Ensure names match exactly. Contact support if you need clarification on what's wrong. Most rejections are fixable with better quality documents.

Final Thoughts

TradeDay is a legitimate path to funded futures trading if you're willing to put in the work. Most questions traders have are answered somewhere in their terms of service, dashboard, or support docs — but those sources are scattered and sometimes unclear.

These 60 questions cover 95% of what traders actually need to know. The remaining 5% are edge cases you can ask TradeDay support directly.

The three most important things to remember:

1. Track your consistency daily during evaluation (don't wait until submission to find out you failed)
2. Understand your drawdown type and monitor it obsessively
3. Withdraw regularly once funded (don't leave profits at risk in your account)

For the complete deep-dive on TradeDay's system, rules, and strategies, check the full TradeDay review.

Now you have answers. Time to trade.

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