Highlights
- Protect your account from day one: DLL sets your daily risk upfront, so one bad day doesn’t take you out.
- Automatic pause, no second-guessing: Hit your limit and trading stops. No spiraling, no revenge trading.
- More control, your way: Optional support to help you trade smarter, stay disciplined, and keep progressing.
Day one is where it all starts. For a lot of traders, it's also where it ends.
Just this year:
Over 59% of traders have blown a Trading Combine® or an Express Funded Account on day one.*
Not because they don’t have potential, but because one bad day turns into one bad decision… and then another.
That’s exactly why we offer a new Daily Loss Limit (DLL) add-on.
With DLL, your daily risk upfront is set up front, giving you more control over your trades and your path to trading with Topstep’s® money. It’s one more way Topstep has your back from day one.
What is a Daily Loss Limit?
The DLL option is designed for traders who want more control and consistency. Instead of managing daily risk entirely on your own, you’ll trade with a set DLL based on your account size. If that number is reached, trading is paused for the session.No spiraling. No overtrading. Just done for the day.It’s built to help you “Always Trade for Tomorrow,” so one tough session doesn’t take you out of the game.
Built into your trading journey
If you choose the DLL, it stays with you every step of the way, from the Trading Combine to the Express Funded Account. Here’s how it works:
Trading Combine
Choose DLL when you start your Combine and trade with a built-in daily risk limit from day one.
Express Funded Account (XFA)
Pass your Combine with DLL? It carries into your XFA, so you keep that same support as you start earning payouts.
Back2Funded
If you Reset through Back2Funded:
- Your DLL stays if you already have it
- Or you can choose to add it if you didn’t before
And if you’re already comfortable and successful with the existing objectives, you can keep your Combine exactly as it is today.
Why trade with a Daily Loss Limit?
With DLL, you’re not just trading the Combine. You’re building habits that help get you funded and keep you there.
Here’s what that does for you:
- Keeps your risk in check without overthinking it
- Protects the progress you’ve already built
- Helps you stick to your plan (even when it’s tough)
- Lets you stack solid days instead of chasing one big one
Because one bad day shouldn’t define your progress. And one good day shouldn’t be your entire strategy. DLL helps give you that structure to trade consistently.
Your path to funding, your way.
The goal hasn’t changed.
Earn funding. Earn payouts. Trade with Topstep’s money.
What’s changed is that you now have even more ways to help you succeed. Topstep is always building new ways to support Responsible Trading, giving you tools that help you build habits that carry into live markets.It’s all about rewarding traders who manage risk, trust their process, and keep improving over time.
With DLL, you’re not just trading the Combine. You’re shaping your own path through it.
More control. More customization. More ways to trade on your terms.
Choose your path to funding. Start your Combine today.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Daily Loss Limit?
A Daily Loss Limit (DLL) is an optional add-on that sets your maximum loss for the day. If you hit that limit, trading pauses for the session.
Is a Daily Loss Limit required?
No. DLL is completely optional. If you’re confident managing your daily risk on your own, you can trade without it. If you want an added layer of protection, DLL is there for you.
What happens when I hit my Daily Loss Limit?
Trading pauses for the rest of the day. You won’t be able to place new trades until the next session. It’s designed to stop the slide before one bad decision turns into more.
Can I change or remove my Daily Loss Limit after I start?
You can choose to add a Daily Loss Limit at key points in your journey, when starting a new Trading Combine, resetting your Combine, activating your Express Funded Account (XFA), or reactivating your XFA. Once a DLL is added to an account, it stays with that account for its entire lifecycle and cannot be removed or adjusted later. This is intentional. It’s designed to give you consistent structure and risk control from day one through payouts. If you decide you’d prefer to trade without a DLL, you can open a new account and simply not select it.
Does Daily Loss Limit carry into my Express Funded Account (XFA)?
Yes. If you choose Daily Loss Limit in your Trading Combine and pass, it carries into your Express Funded Account (XFA), so you keep that same support as you start earning payouts.
What happens to my Daily Loss Limit if I use Back2Funded?
You’ve got options. If you already have a Daily Loss Limit (DLL), it stays with your account. If you didn’t choose it before, you can add it during Back2Funded. It’s built to support you wherever you are in your trading journey.
*Based on internal data. Trading involves significant risk, and past performance—including this statistic—is not indicative of future results. Individual results will vary.
