Scaling Plan & Growth

Topstep Scaling Architecture Overview

Topstep structures its capital progression to protect both firm liquidity and trader equity. While the Trading Combine allows traders to test their strategy with full contract capacity on TopstepX, the Express Funded Account (XFA) and Live Funded Account (LFA) enforce progressive position sizing.

Traders unlock greater buying power strictly by accumulating realized profits above their starting balance floor.

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Contract Progression by Account Tier

The scaling ladder dictates the maximum number of open contracts a trader can hold simultaneously across all CME products (ES, NQ, YM, RTY, CL, GC, etc.).

1. $50,000 Account Scaling Ladder ($2,000 MLL)

Account Balance Tier	Net Profit Level	Max Standard Minis	Max Micro Contracts (10:1)
$50,000.00 – $51,500.00	$0 – $1,500.00	2 Minis	20 Micros
$51,500.01 – $52,000.00	$1,500.01 – $2,000.00	3 Minis	30 Micros
$52,000.01+	$2,000.01+	5 Minis (Max)	50 Micros (Max)

Operational Rule: On a $50K account, starting traders are capped at 2 Minis. Sizing up to 3 Minis requires generating at least $1,500.01 in realized profits. Reaching full capacity (5 Minis) requires surpassing $2,000 in net profit.

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2. $100,000 Account Scaling Ladder ($3,000 MLL)

Account Balance Tier	Net Profit Level	Max Standard Minis	Max Micro Contracts (10:1)
$100,000.00 – $102,000.00	$0 – $2,000.00	3 Minis	30 Micros
$102,000.01 – $103,000.00	$2,000.01 – $3,000.00	5 Minis	50 Micros
$103,000.01+	$3,000.01+	10 Minis (Max)	100 Micros (Max)

Operational Rule: Traders begin with 3 Minis. Hitting $2,000.01 in profit unlocks 5 Minis. Surpassing $3,000 in profit unlocks the maximum 10 Mini contract cap.

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3. $150,000 Account Scaling Ladder ($4,500 MLL)

Account Balance Tier	Net Profit Level	Max Standard Minis	Max Micro Contracts (10:1)
$150,000.00 – $153,000.00	$0 – $3,000.00	5 Minis	50 Micros
$153,000.01 – $154,500.00	$3,000.01 – $4,500.00	8 Minis	80 Micros
$154,500.01+	$4,500.01+	15 Minis (Max)	150 Micros (Max)

Operational Rule: The largest combine tier starts with 5 Minis, scaling to 8 Minis at $3,000 profit, and unlocking 15 Minis once the $4,500 drawdown buffer is fully established.

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Mini vs Micro Contract Sizing Mechanics

Traders can trade both Standard Mini contracts and Micro contracts interchangeably, provided the total net position does not exceed the tier's equivalent mini cap.

Equivalent Minis = Mini Contracts + (Micro Contracts / 10)

Permitted Allocation Scenarios on a 5-Mini Cap:

• Scenario A: 5 Mini contracts on ES (50 Micro equivalents) = Permitted.
• Scenario B: 2 Mini ES contracts + 30 Micro MNQ contracts = 2 + 3 = 5 Minis = Permitted.
• Scenario C: 4 Mini ES contracts + 15 Micro MNQ contracts = 4 + 1.5 = 5.5 Minis = Hard Violation / Rejected Order.

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Scaling Down & Balance Retracement

The scaling plan is dynamic and recalculates at the close of every trading session.

1. Downside Adjustment: If your account balance retraces back down into a lower profit bracket at the 4:00 PM CT close, your maximum permitted contract sizing instantly drops for the next trading day.
2. The Payout Downscale Effect: When a withdrawal is processed, your account balance decreases by the payout amount. If this withdrawal moves your account balance into a lower scaling tier, you must immediately reduce your position sizing to match the lower tier.
3. Execution Safety on TopstepX: Unlike legacy platforms where exceeding your scaled contract limit breached your account, TopstepX automatically rejects any order that would cause total open contracts to exceed your current tier allowance.

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Live Funded Account (LFA) Institutional Transition

Traders demonstrating consistent risk discipline in the Express Funded Account are invited to transition to the Live Funded Account (LFA).

• Real Clearing: Capital clears directly through institutional clearing firms (Dorman Trading or Phillip Capital).
• Removal of Caps: Payout caps are removed completely. Traders who reach 30 winning days of $150+ unlock on-demand daily withdrawals.
• Custom Risk Sizing: High-performing traders can petition Topstep risk managers for increased contract limits beyond 15 Minis based on verified Sharpe and Sortino ratios.