News
Topstep Adds $25K and $250K Live Funded Accounts, Now Five Live Tiers
Topstep's Live Funded Account now comes in five sizes. A new $25K tier starts with a $5,000 tradable balance, a $1,000 daily loss limit and $2,000 Reserve steps, and a new $250K tier has a $5,000 daily loss limit and $15,000 steps, per Topstep's help center.
What happened
Topstep now has five Live Funded Account (LFA) sizes instead of three. Its help-center page on Live Funded Account Parameters (opens in new tab) lists a new $25K and a new $250K Live account alongside the existing $50K, $100K and $150K, and its Dynamic Live Risk Expansion (opens in new tab) page adds starting loss limits and contract limits for both. The new tiers first appeared on those pages in early November 2026.
The Live Funded Account is the real-capital stage that follows Topstep's simulated Trading Combine and Express Funded Account (XFA). Traders don't buy it; Topstep's risk team calls them up.
Topstep is listed in the ProprietaryTrading.com directory.
The five Live tiers
| Live account size | Profit to unlock each 25% of Reserve | Starting Daily Loss Limit | Starting max position |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25K (new) | $2,000 | $1,000 | 3 contracts |
| $50K | $3,000 | $2,000 | 5 contracts |
| $100K | $6,000 | $3,000 | 10 contracts |
| $150K | $9,000 | $4,500 | 15 contracts |
| $250K (new) | $15,000 | $5,000 | 15 contracts |
How the money moves
Topstep sizes the Live account from the average size of your eligible XFAs, rounded up to the nearest tier, and that size is a hard cap on what transfers. Of the amount that transfers:
- 20% is tradable right away, with a minimum of $10,000. The new $25K tier has a lower $5,000 minimum.
- 80% sits in a Reserve and is released in four 25% steps, each time you make the tier's profit target as net profit since the last release. Topstep reviews this every Monday and deposits within one to two business days.
If the tradable balance falls to $10,000 or below, the Daily Loss Limit drops to $2,000; at $5,000 or below it drops to $1,000. If the balance falls below $1,000, the account can be liquidated and closed that day, with what's left paid out and the locked Reserve forfeited.
Why it matters
The $25K tier gives traders coming from small Express Funded Accounts a Live account sized to match, with a $5,000 tradable start and $2,000 steps rather than being pushed into a $50K risk frame. The $250K tier does the opposite for traders who ran several large accounts, such as the $250K Freedom Combine in Topstep Labs, which we covered when it became permanent. The help page warns that new Labs accounts are averaged in with your other XFAs, so they can change the Live size you get.
One inconsistency to watch: the "Live Account Size" paragraph on the same page still says the average rounds up to "$50K, $100K, or $150K," while the tables and the cap list include $25K and $250K. Ask Topstep support which tier applies before you plan around it.
What hasn't changed: you can't turn down a call-up and keep your XFAs, all XFAs close when you go Live, you can hold only one Live account, setup takes 7 to 10 business days, and automated strategies through the API aren't available on Live.
FAQ
Q: Can I buy a $25K or $250K Live account? A: No. Live accounts come only through a call-up from Topstep's risk team after you trade an Express Funded Account.
Q: Can I take payouts before the whole Reserve is unlocked? A: Yes. Topstep says payout eligibility isn't tied to capital expansion, but payouts come only from the unlocked balance.
Q: Can one big winning day unlock several Reserve steps? A: No. Each step needs net profit since the last release, reviewed weekly.
Q: Is this an affiliate or PT.com exclusive offer? A: No. This is editorial coverage of a public Topstep rule change. ProprietaryTrading.com isn't claiming an exclusive code or tracked referral with Topstep in this article.
Sources: Topstep Help Center, Live Funded Account Parameters (opens in new tab) and Dynamic Live Risk Expansion (opens in new tab), checked 10 November 2026. Rules can change, so confirm them with Topstep.
Firms mentioned
Quick reference for the firms referenced above — pulled from our live firm listings.
Topstep
Chicago, USA
- Model
- Evaluation
- Split
- 90%
- Payouts
- Each time the XFA payout requirement is met (5 winning days Standard / 3 days Consistency); daily, uncapped after 30 winning Live days
- Max
- $150,000
Compare these side-by-side in the firm comparison tool or browse the full firm listings.
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