Do You Get Funded Automatically After Passing TradeDay?

Written by Paul

Published on

January 16, 2026

I hit all five evaluation objectives on day 27 of my third TradeDay attempt. Profit target: complete. Minimum trading days: 7/7. Consistency: every day under 25%. Drawdown: never close to limit. Rules compliance: perfect.

I clicked "Request Funding" expecting immediate access to my funded account. Instead, I got a message: "Your evaluation is under review. We'll notify you within 1-2 business days."

Wait—review? I passed everything. What's left to check?

Turns out passing your evaluation objectives doesn't mean automatic funding. TradeDay (and every prop firm) manually reviews your account before activating funded status. This process takes 1-3 business days, examines your trading activity for rule violations you might not know you committed, and determines whether you actually qualify for funded capital.

This guide covers what happens after you pass TradeDay's evaluation, what the review process checks, how long it actually takes, what "Funded Sim" means vs live funded status, and when you can request your first payout. I'm covering the steps TradeDay doesn't explain until you're already waiting.

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.

What Happens the Moment You Pass All Objectives

When you satisfy all five evaluation requirements (profit target, minimum trading days, consistency rule, drawdown limit, rules compliance), your dashboard displays a "Request Funding" button.

You must click this button yourself. TradeDay doesn't automatically submit your evaluation for review. Your account stays in evaluation status until you manually request funding.

Why Manual Request?

Some traders want to continue building profit during evaluation to enter funded status with more buffer above their minimum threshold. If you've hit $2,000 profit target on a $50K account but you're only at $2,050, you might trade a few more days to reach $2,400 before requesting funding. This gives you more room to work with in Funded Sim.

I requested funding the same day I passed objectives. I was at $2,180 on a $50K account ($180 above minimum) and didn't want to risk violating a rule that would terminate everything.

The Review Process: What TradeDay Actually Checks

After you click "Request Funding," TradeDay's compliance team reviews your entire evaluation trading history. This isn't a 30-second automated check—it's a detailed manual review looking for violations you might have committed without realizing.

What Gets Examined During Review

1. News Trading Violations

TradeDay checks every single trade against their Tier 1 news event calendar. If you had positions open within 2 minutes before or after major releases, your funding request gets denied even if you passed all five objectives.

This catches traders who:

Didn't know about the 2-minute window
Forgot about scheduled news
Had positions already open when news hit (and didn't close them)

My Close Call:During my review, TradeDay flagged one trade I took 4 minutes before FOMC minutes release. I had already closed the position 2 minutes before the event, so it didn't violate the rule—but they checked it. The review email specifically mentioned they examined my trading around that FOMC event and confirmed no violation occurred.

2. Position Limit Compliance

TradeDay verifies you never exceeded maximum position sizes at any point during evaluation:

$50K account: 10 micros or 2 minis per instrument
$100K account: 20 micros or 4 minis per instrument
$150K account: 30 micros or 6 minis per instrument

Even if you held oversized positions for 10 seconds before realizing the mistake, it counts as a violation.

3. Prohibited Trading Patterns

They look for:

Copy trading: Identical entries/exits across multiple accounts within seconds
Hedging: Opposite positions on same instrument across different TradeDay accounts
Exploitative strategies: Latency arbitrage, platform bugs, coordinated entries with partners

These are rare violations, but TradeDay actively checks for them.

4. Data Feed Compliance

TradeDay examines whether you used unauthorized data sources during evaluation. When you trade through their approved platforms (Tradovate, NinjaTrader, etc.), you must use TradeDay-approved data feeds. Connecting outside data providers violates their terms.

Most traders don't even know this is checkable, but it is.

5. VPN Usage From Banned Countries

If you're trading from a banned jurisdiction, they'll catch it during review. TradeDay tracks IP addresses and session locations. Using a VPN to bypass geographic restrictions results in funding denial and account termination.

6. Multiple Account Coordination

TradeDay checks if you're running coordinated strategies across multiple evaluation accounts. Opening identical positions on two separate TradeDay accounts at the same time violates their multiple accounts policy.

This doesn't mean you can't have multiple accounts—just that you can't coordinate them as if they're a single larger account.

The Timeline: How Long Does Review Actually Take?

TradeDay advertises "1-2 business days" for review. Here's what actually happens:

Typical Timeline

Day 1 (Request Submission):

You click "Request Funding" in dashboard
Status changes to "Under Review"
You receive automated email confirming submission
No trading activity during review period

Day 2-3 (Review Period):

Compliance team examines trade history
Checks for violations listed above
Verifies all objectives were legitimately satisfied

Day 3-4 (Approval/Denial):

You receive email with decision
If approved: Funded Sim account activates
If denied: Explanation of violation(s)

My Experience Across Four Evaluations:

Attempt 1: Never passed (failed on drawdown)
Attempt 2: Never passed (failed on consistency)
Attempt 3: Approved in 47 hours (request Thursday 3 PM, approved Saturday 2 PM)
Attempt 4: Approved in 31 hours (request Tuesday 10 AM, approved Wednesday 5 PM)

Both approvals came within the advertised 1-2 business day window. I've never seen TradeDay take longer than 3 business days for clean evaluations.

What Delays Review

Weekend Submissions: If you request funding Friday afternoon, your review likely doesn't start until Monday. Business days = Monday-Friday.

Holiday Periods: Major US holidays (New Year's, Thanksgiving, Christmas) extend review timelines by 1-2 additional days.

Complex Trade Histories: If you traded 100+ times during evaluation with positions near news events, review takes longer as they examine each trade individually.

Red Flags: If compliance spots something questionable (not a clear violation, but suspicious), they may extend review to investigate further. This can add 2-3 days.

I've seen traders in Discord report 4-5 day reviews during holiday weeks, but these are outliers. Typical clean evaluations get approved in under 48 hours.

What "Funded Sim" Means vs Live Funded Status

When TradeDay approves your funding request, they don't immediately give you live funded status. You enter Funded Sim first—a separate phase with its own requirements.

Funded Sim Explained

What It Is:

Simulated funded account with same balance as your evaluation
You trade real market conditions with sim capital
No real money at risk (for TradeDay or you)
Your P&L affects your progression through milestones

Why It Exists:TradeDay uses Funded Sim to verify you can maintain profitability and rule compliance under funded account conditions before risking actual capital. It's a secondary evaluation disguised as funded trading.

Rules During Funded Sim:

Same drawdown limits as evaluation (just adjusted for new balance)
No profit targets (unlike evaluation)
No consistency rule (unlike evaluation)
No minimum trading days (unlike evaluation)
Can't request payouts until you reach specific milestones

The pressure is lower than evaluation—you're mainly proving you can trade without violating rules.

How Funded Sim Milestones Work

TradeDay has milestone system that determines when you transition from Funded Sim to Live Funded:

Milestone Level	Requirements	What You Get	Can Withdraw?
Milestone 1	Initial activation after review approval	Funded Sim access, start trading	No
Milestone 2	Reach 2% profit above starting balance	First payout eligibility unlocked	Yes (profit above buffer zone)
Milestone 3	Additional 3% profit (5% total from start)	Scale up opportunities + higher withdrawal limits	Yes (higher amounts)
Live Funded	Consistent profitability demonstrated	Real capital account (no longer sim)	Yes (unrestricted)

Most traders stay in Funded Sim phase indefinitely. TradeDay rarely transitions accounts to true live funded status—Funded Sim works exactly like live funded for practical purposes (you can withdraw profits), so there's no operational difference for traders.

See the Funded Sim milestones guide for complete details.

When You Can Request Your First Payout

You can withdraw profits once you've cleared the "buffer zone"—the 2% profit milestone above your Funded Sim starting balance.

Example ($50K Account):

Pass evaluation at $52,180 balance
Funded Sim activates at $52,180 starting balance
Buffer zone threshold: $53,220 (2% above $52,180)
First withdrawal eligible when you reach $53,220+

Once you're above buffer, you can withdraw as frequently as you want (though there are payout fees and minimum withdrawal amounts).

I reached my buffer zone 8 days after Funded Sim activation. Requested first payout of $680 (the amount above buffer threshold). Processed in 2 business days via Riseworks transfer.

Check the payout policy guide for current processing timelines and profit split details.

What If Your Funding Request Gets Denied?

Denial is rare but it happens. If TradeDay finds violations during review, they send denial email explaining what went wrong.

Common Denial Reasons

1. News Trading Violation Discovered

You had positions open during banned windows
Even if you didn't realize NFP or FOMC was scheduled
Results in permanent evaluation termination

2. Position Limit Exceeded

You traded more contracts than allowed at any point
Even brief violations count

3. Prohibited Strategy Detected

Copy trading across accounts
Hedging between multiple accounts
Exploiting platform issues

4. Geographic Restriction Violation

Trading from banned country via VPN
IP address inconsistencies

5. Data Feed or Platform Violations

Using unauthorized data sources
Modifying platform settings in prohibited ways

What Happens After Denial

Your Evaluation Terminates:

Account closes permanently
All progress lost (same as failing during evaluation)
No refunds issued

You Can Reset:

Purchase new evaluation at reset cost
Start from scratch
Avoid the specific violation that caused denial

I've never been denied, but I've seen Discord posts from traders who were. Most common cause is news trading violations they legitimately didn't know about (positions open 90 seconds before FOMC that they forgot to close).

The Gap Between "Passing" and "Funded": Managing Expectations

Here's what most traders don't understand:

Passing evaluation ≠ Getting funded immediately

Timeline from passing objectives to first payout:

Pass all five objectives (Day X)
Request funding (Day X)
Review period: 1-3 business days (Day X+1 to X+3)
Funded Sim activates (Day X+3)
Trade to buffer zone threshold (Day X+3 to X+10 typical)
Request first payout (Day X+10)
Payout processes: 1-3 business days (Day X+10 to X+13)

Realistic Timeline: 10-13 days from passing to receiving money

This isn't TradeDay being slow—this is industry standard. Every prop firm has review processes, milestone systems, and processing timelines.

Compare this to some firms' instant funding options, which eliminate evaluation entirely. You pay upfront for immediate access to funded capital. No review, no Funded Sim, no buffer zones. Trade day 1, withdraw profits day 2.

TradeDay's evaluation path takes longer but costs less. Choose based on your priorities (speed vs cost).

What You Can Do During Review Period

While TradeDay reviews your evaluation, your dashboard shows "Under Review" status and trading is disabled.

What You CAN Do:

Review your trade history
Check your metrics (profit target, consistency, drawdown)
Export trade data for personal records
Read funded account rules to prepare for next phase

What You CAN'T Do:

Place new trades
Modify positions (none exist anyway)
Cancel review request
Speed up review process

I spent my review period analyzing what worked and what mistakes I almost made. Documented my winning setups, identified trades that came too close to drawdown limits, and created a game plan for Funded Sim.

Those 2 days felt longer than the entire 27-day evaluation, honestly.

Common Mistakes Traders Make After Passing Evaluation

Mistake 1: Assuming Approval Is Guaranteed

Just because you hit all five objectives doesn't mean funding is guaranteed. If you unknowingly violated a rule, denial happens. Don't celebrate or make plans until you receive the approval email.

I didn't tell anyone I'd passed until after receiving approval. Good thing—I've seen traders announce their "funded account" on social media only to get denied 2 days later.

Mistake 2: Not Understanding Funded Sim vs Live Funded

New funded traders think they have live capital immediately. They don't. Funded Sim is still simulated until you hit milestones. Your first several thousand dollars of profit are "real" only in the sense that you can withdraw them—the capital you're trading isn't live yet.

This distinction doesn't affect trading for most people, but understanding it prevents confusion.

Mistake 3: Requesting Payouts Before Reaching Buffer Zone

Your Funded Sim starts above your evaluation profit target, but you can't withdraw immediately. The 2% buffer zone must be cleared first. I've seen traders try to request payouts the day Funded Sim activates and get confused when dashboard says "Insufficient Balance."

You need to earn another 2% in Funded Sim before first withdrawal.

Mistake 4: Trading Too Aggressively in Early Funded Sim Days

Funded Sim has no profit targets or consistency requirements, which makes traders trade more aggressively than evaluation. This is dangerous—you still have drawdown limits.

I've watched traders violate max drawdown in Funded Sim within 3 days of activation because they thought "no consistency rule means I can trade bigger." Not true. Drawdown rules remain in effect. Violate them and your Funded Sim terminates just like evaluation.

Trade the same size in Funded Sim that worked during evaluation. Don't scale up until you're consistently profitable.

What Changes When You Enter Funded Status

Funded accounts operate differently than evaluations:

What Disappears

Profit Targets:

No minimum daily/weekly/monthly profit requirements
Trade when you see setups, not because you "need" to trade

Consistency Rule:

Single days can be any percentage of total profit
No 30% limitation anymore

Minimum Trading Days:

No required number of days per week/month
Trade based on market conditions, not quotas

What Stays

Drawdown Limits:

Still must respect max drawdown rules
Violating drawdown terminates funded account permanently

Position Limits:

Same contract maximums as evaluation
Scale up only through official account upgrades

News Trading Bans:

Tier 1 events remain off-limits
Auto-liquidation still applies

Rules Compliance:

All prohibited practices still enforced
Violations terminate account

The main difference: less pressure to "perform" daily, more flexibility in when/how you trade.

How to Prepare While Waiting for Review Approval

Use the 1-3 day review period productively:

1. Document Your Winning Strategy

Review your evaluation trades. Identify:

Which setups worked consistently
What time of day you trade best
Which instruments gave you best risk/reward
Position sizes that kept you comfortable

This becomes your Funded Sim game plan.

2. Calculate Your Buffer Zone Threshold

Know exactly what balance you need to reach before requesting first payout:

Funded Sim starting balance × 1.02 = buffer threshold
Example: $52,180 starting balance × 1.02 = $53,224 threshold

Have this number ready so you're not guessing when you can withdraw.

3. Read Funded Account Rules

Evaluation rules and funded rules differ slightly. Review the complete funded account rules so you know what changes.

4. Set Up Riseworks Account (If Not Already Done)

TradeDay processes payouts through Riseworks. Set up your account now so you're ready to withdraw profits immediately after clearing buffer zone.

See the Riseworks setup guide for step-by-step instructions.

5. Manage Expectations

Assume review takes 3 business days (not 1). Assume buffer zone takes 7-10 additional trading days. Assume first payout processes in 3 business days after request.

Realistic Timeline: 2-3 weeks from passing evaluation to receiving first payout in bank account.

Plan accordingly. Don't quit your job or make financial commitments based on optimistic timelines.

FAQ

Can I speed up the review process by contacting support?

No. Review timelines are fixed. Contacting support won't accelerate it and may actually slow it down if your inquiry creates additional administrative work. Wait for the approval email—it comes when review is complete.

What if I don't receive approval or denial within 3 business days?

Contact TradeDay support after 4 business days if you haven't heard anything. Sometimes approval emails go to spam folders. Check there first before contacting support.

If my funding request is denied, can I appeal the decision?

You can explain your case to support, but denials are rarely overturned unless there was a clear error on TradeDay's end. If you violated a rule, the denial stands. You'll need to purchase a reset and try again.

Do I continue paying monthly subscription during review and Funded Sim?

Yes. Your subscription continues until you cancel it. Even after getting funded, you're still paying the monthly fee. Some traders keep subscriptions active to maintain additional evaluation accounts or to preserve dashboard access.

Can I trade my funded account differently than I traded during evaluation?

You should trade similarly to what worked during evaluation. Funded Sim has no profit targets or consistency rules, but dramatically changing your strategy often leads to drawdown violations. The style that passed evaluation is probably your sustainable approach.

Does TradeDay's review check my personal trading accounts elsewhere?

No. They only review your TradeDay evaluation activity. Your personal brokerage accounts, other prop firm accounts, or trading history outside TradeDay aren't examined.

What happens if I violate max drawdown during Funded Sim?

Your Funded Sim account terminates permanently, just like evaluation failure. You lose funded status and any profit you built. You'd need to purchase a new evaluation and start over. There are no resets for funded accounts—only evaluations get reset options.

How long does Funded Sim typically last before transitioning to Live Funded?

Most traders stay in Funded Sim indefinitely. TradeDay rarely transitions accounts to true live funded status. For practical purposes, Funded Sim IS your funded account—you can withdraw profits, scale up through milestones, and trade exactly as if it were live capital.

If I get funded but then decide TradeDay isn't for me, can I cancel without losing anything?

You can cancel your subscription anytime. If you've cleared buffer zone and have withdrawable profit, request payout before canceling. Once you cancel, you lose access to the funded account and any profit you haven't withdrawn. There's no "pause" option—it's active subscription or canceled subscription.

Can I have multiple funded accounts at TradeDay simultaneously?

Yes. If you pass multiple evaluations, you can have multiple funded accounts active. Each requires its own monthly subscription. Some traders run 2-3 funded accounts to diversify risk and increase profit potential. Check the multiple accounts policy for coordination restrictions.

Final Thoughts: Patience After Passing Is Part of the Process

Passing all five evaluation objectives feels like the finish line. It's not—it's the transition point between evaluation and funded phases.

The review period tests patience. Funded Sim's buffer zone requirement tests consistency. First payout processing tests trust. Every step has friction by design—prop firms want traders who can handle delayed gratification, follow rules even when no one's watching, and maintain discipline under funded conditions.

I was frustrated during my first review period. Now I understand it's necessary. Would you give a complete stranger $50,000 to trade without verifying they didn't cheat or exploit loopholes? Neither would TradeDay.

Wait out the review. Trade conservatively through buffer zone. Request your first payout. Then celebrate.