This information applies to the Express Funded Account and Live Funded Account. If you are trading in the Trading Combine, please see this article for Holiday Trading information.
What does it mean to follow the CME Protocol for Holidays?
The information below will tell you what it means to follow the CME Protocol for Holidays:
When planning your trading sessions during holidays, it's important to know if your data provider follows the 'CME Protocol'. Check the table below to see if the Trading Platform you are using Follows CME Protocol
On recognized holidays with shortened trading hours, the CME might combine multiple calendar days into one trading day.
For example, if a holiday falls on a Monday with reduced trading hours, the exchange may consider all profits and losses from Sunday's opening to Tuesday's close as one trading day.
What does it mean if the platform I use does NOT follow CME Protocol?
If the platform you use does not follow the CME Protocol, each day, including holidays with shorter trading hours, is counted separately. Profits and losses, as well as drawdowns, reset at the end of each calendar day.
CME Protocol (Yes or No) | Trading Platform | Data Provider |
No | Tradovate
TradingView | CQG |
No for Express Funded Account. Yes for Live Funded Account. | TopstepX | ProjectX |
Yes | NinjaTraderSierra Chart
Jigsaw daytradr
MultiCharts
R|Trader | Rithmic |
Yes | Plus500/T4 | Plus500
|
Understanding the Abbreviated Hours around Holidays and Flattening Requirements:
Our list of Holiday Hours includes days when the market is closed for the holiday, as well as days with abbreviated trading hours. We'll also indicate if funded traders cannot trade on these holidays.
Depending on the holiday, Topstep may permit or restrict trading during shortened hours.
You'll receive an email with more details about each holiday as they approach.
Topstep requires traders in Funded Accounts to close all positions 15 minutes before the early close. Failing to do so by 11:45 AM CT could lead to account suspension.
For example, on January 19th, 2026, Topstep permits holiday trading. The markets stop trading at 12:00 PM CT, so Funded Accounts must be flat 15 minutes before, at 11:45 AM CT.
Our team of Risk Managers will begin automatically flattening all open positions and cancel all working orders in all accounts starting at 11:58 AM CT. This is an extra step we take to help our traders, but it is not 100% guaranteed, so it's extremely important to stay mindful of holiday hours and flattening your own positions before the market closes.
The table below will provide an example of when positions must be closed depending on the type of account you have with Topstep.
Account Type: | Close Positions (on 01/19/2026) |
Trading Combine | Before 12:00 PM CT |
Express Funded Account™ | Before 11:45 AM CT |
Live Funded Account | Before 11:45 AM CT |
Tip: Trading days with early closes are the ones you will want to consider the CME Protocol mentioned above. |
2026 Holiday Trading Hours:
Holiday trading hours are subject to change per exchange schedules. Please confirm with CME holiday hours when planning trades.
New Year’s - Thursday, January 1, 2026
Thursday, January 1: Markets Closed. You may reopen positions after 5:00 PM CT. Normal open at 17:00 CT for the 1/2/2026 Trade Date
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Monday, January 19, 2026
Sunday, January 18: 5:00 PM CT open for the 1/20 Trade Date.
Monday, January 19 (Trade Date 1/20): All positions must be closed by 11:45 AM CT. You may reopen positions after 5:00 PM CT.
President's Day - Monday, February 16, 2026
Sunday, February 15; 5:00 PM CT open for the 2/17 Trade Date.
Monday, February 16 (2/17 Trade Date): All positions must be closed by 11:45 AM CT. You may reopen positions after 5:00 PM CT.
Good Friday - Friday, April 3, 2026
Friday, April 3: All positions must be closed by 8:00 AM CT. You may reopen positions after 5:00 PM CT on Sunday, April 5.
Memorial Day - Monday, May 25, 2026
Monday, May 25 (5/26 Trade Date): All positions must be closed by 11:45 AM CT. You may reopen positions after 5:00 PM CT.
Juneteenth - Friday, June 19, 2026
Friday, June 19 (Trade Date 6/22): All positions must be closed by 11:45 AM CT. You may reopen positions after 5:00 PM CT on Sunday, June 21.
Independence Day - Saturday, July 4, 2026
Friday, July 3 (7/6 Trade Date): All positions must be closed by 11:45 AM CT.
Sunday, July 5: You may reopen positions after 5:00 PM CT.
Labor Day - Monday, September 7, 2026
Monday, September 7 (9/8 Trade Date): All positions must be closed by 11:45 AM CT. You may reopen positions after 5:00 PM CT.
Thanksgiving - Thursday, November 26, 2026
Thursday, November 26 (11/27 Trade Date): All positions must be closed by 11:45 AM CT. You may reopen positions after 5:00 PM CT.
Friday, November 27: All positions must be closed by 12:00 PM CT. You may reopen positions after 5:00 PM CT on Sunday, November 29th.
Christmas - Friday, December 25, 2026
Thursday, December 24: All positions must be closed by 12:00 PM CT.
Friday, December 25: Markets Closed
Sunday, December 27: You may reopen positions after 5:00 PM CT.
New Year’s - Friday, January 1, 2027
Friday, January 1: Markets Closed.
Sunday Jan 3: You may reopen positions after 5:00 PM CT.