Top One Futures Path To Trading Live
✅ Clear Path to Live
✅ Daily Payouts
✅ No Maximum Withdrawal Limits
✅ Consistency Rule Removed
The following outlines your path to becoming a live trader without any need to risk your own personal funds.
Transitioning to Live
After 3 successful payouts from one account, a risk manager will review your account and either:
Keep you in the Sim Funded environment for further review
Transition you to a Live Account
Note: Top One Futures may transition you to a Live Account sooner than your third payout depending on your trading history.
When transitioning to a live account, all other accounts are temporarily disabled while the risk manager evaluates the trader's performance. Trading on SIM accounts is not permitted during this review period.
When transitioning to Live, Trader will start with a maximum of one (1) Live Account, with the ability to scale up to 5 live accounts.
How Do We Move Funds to Live?
Rather than carrying over a capped amount of sim profits as was our previous policy, traders will receive live accounts (scaling up to 5) in proportion to the account size traded in sim with the following parameters.
Live Acct Size | Starting Balance | MLL - EOD Drawdown | EOD Balance to Trigger DD Lock | Drawdown Lock | DLL | Max Contracts |
$25K | $0 | $1,000 | $1,100 | $100 | None | 1 |
$50K | $0 | $2,000 | $2,100 | $100 | None | 3 |
$100K | $0 | $3,000 | $3,100 | $100 | None | 5 |
$150K | $0 | $4,000 | $4,100 | $100 | None | 7 |
Traders will start with one (1) live account. Based on the number of qualifying sim accounts, traders will receive another live account each time the previously granted live account reaches a total of 5% in end of day profits.
Example:
When a $50K live account achieves at least 5% in profits ($2,500), Trader will be granted their 2nd $50K live account.
When the trader achieves at least 5% in profits ($2,500) on their 2nd live $50K account, Trader will be granted their 3rd $50K live account.
Live Payout Policy
No Payout Caps - Unlimited Withdrawals
No Consistency Rule
No Daily Loss Limit
Daily Payouts: Payouts are available every 24-hours after the previous payout is approved. (Minimum payout = $200)
Profit Split: When a trader is moved to a live account, their profit split will go from 90/10 to 80/20
Withdraw-able profits are profits created in excess of your starting balance.
What is the Pre-Live Stage and Why Does It Exist?
Based on trader behavior and breach patterns, many successful SIM traders struggle with the psychological transitioning to live trading.
To bridge that gap, we created the Pre-Live stage. An opportunity for you to continue earning sim profits with the same benefits of the live program, while making the shift to trading fully live capital.
The Pre-Live environment allows us to:
Assess how a trader handles live-market psychology and risk management under real-time pressure with the same starting balance as their sim-account.
Protect firm capital from immediate exposure to high-risk behavior
Smooth out the Live transition by evaluating traders in a realistic yet controlled setting
What Traders Gain in Pre-Live:
Trader receives all the benefits of Live without the firm being exposed to the full downside risk.
The same drawdown levels and contract sizing as live
No Consistency Rule
No Daily Loss Limit
Daily Payouts: Payouts are available every 24-hours after the previous payout is approved. (Minimum payout = $200)
80/20 Profit Splits
Withdraw-able profits are profits created in excess of your starting balance.
What Comes Next?
Once you’ve shown profitability and discipline in Pre-Live by achieving the following milestones, you will be upgraded to a brokerage account, where real capital is deployed and you’ll begin trading under full Live conditions.
Live Account Size | Max Withdrawals | Transition to Fully Live |
$25K | $2,000 | ✅ |
$50K | $4,000 | ✅ |
$100K | $8,000 | ✅ |
$150K | $12,000 | ✅ |
Breach Policy
Should the Trader breach their Pre-Live or Live account, there is a mandatory 3-week cooling off period before new sim accounts are available to be purchased and Trader may purchase and trade one sim-funded account at a time.
Contract Scaling Plan
Pre-Live Challenge Purchase & Progression Rules
While in the Pre-Live stage, you are allowed to purchase and trade on one challenge account only.
However, during this stage:
Trading is only allowed on ONE CHALLENGE account (no sim funded)
No payouts can be requested from newly purchased challenge accounts
Progression to a Funded account is restricted until you exit Pre-Live/Live
What Comes Next?
Once you’ve shown consistent profitability and discipline in Pre-Live, your account will be upgraded to a brokerage account, where real capital is deployed and you’ll begin trading under full Live conditions. This tiered approach allows us to responsibly allocate funds while giving traders every opportunity to prove they’re ready without disrupting your payout cycle or forcing you to “start over.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How many payouts do I need before I can go live?
For most accounts, you need 3 successful payouts.
Elite Daily accounts are the exception and require 5 successful payouts.
In some cases a trader may be transitioned to a Live Account sooner, but the numbers above are the standard requirement.
If I get selected to move to live, can I choose to stay in Sim Funding?
No. If you are selected to move to live, your options are to begin trading live or to close your Sim Funded account. You may not voluntarily close your live account and move back to Sim. Sim trading should be seen as a gateway to trading live, having your consistency rule removed, receiving unlimited payouts, and scaling your capital. Any attempts to intentionally breach accounts to remain in Sim is strictly prohibited and may result in having trading privileges revoked.
What are the Benefits of trading a Live Account versus Sim?
If you are selected to move to trading live, you have the ability to earn an unlimited income with no withdrawal limits as a professional trader. Not only will your consistency rule be removed, you’ll have the ability to withdraw profits every 24 hours.
How long does it take to receive my live account?
Once you’ve been approved to move to live, your live account will be set up with the broker in 2-3 weeks.
What is the minimum withdrawal?
The minimum withdrawal amount is $200.
Can I withdraw from my starting balance?
No. Withdrawals are available from profits created on top of your starting balance.
Example: On a live account, you will start with a $0 balance. You must have a positive balance in order to withdraw.
Can I purchase or continue to trade a challenge account or Sim Funded Account if I’m trading in a live account?
No, once you are trading live, you may not purchase additional accounts unless you are in the Pre-Live stage.
If you are in the Pre-Live stage, you may purchase and trade on one challenge account. However:
You will not be eligible for payouts on that challenge account
You will not be able to upgrade to a SIM Funded account while in Pre-Live
What will happen to my Sim Funded Accounts when I'm in a live account?
If you have an active account when you transition to a Live Account, that account will be closed.
What if I lose my live account?
Should you lose your Live Account, the risk management team will determine the appropriate next steps for the trader, based on their trading activities across all accounts associated with their profile.
What are the costs in the Live Account?
There are no account or platform costs in live, but as a live trader, you are responsible for the professional market data. You will need to subscribe to receive Professional Data Subscription(s). Top One Futures does not make a profit on these data fees. Our trading platform charges us these fees that are passed along to you as the trader.
CME Exchange - $140/mo
NYMEX Exchange - $140/mo
COMEX Exchange - $140/mo
CBOT Exchange - $140/mo
(Most traders chose one exchange, but you may subscribe to multiple.)
Am I trading real capital once I go live?
Yes, Top One Futures does provide access to real capital, but most traders will first be placed in a pre-live trading environment that mirrors their Sim Funded account conditions. This stage is designed to validate consistent, disciplined performance.