Guide
Topstep Maximum Loss Limit explained (50K, 100K, 150K)
The short answer
Topstep's Maximum Loss Limit (MLL) is the lowest your balance may reach: $2,000 below start on a 50K account, $3,000 on 100K and $4,500 on 150K. It trails your end-of-day balance upward, never moves down, and is monitored in real time including unrealized P&L.
How it trails
The MLL rises as your end-of-day balance grows but never moves down. In the Trading Combine it locks permanently once it reaches your starting balance. Topstep's example: start a 50K Combine at $50,000 with an MLL of $48,000; make $500 and the MLL trails to $48,500; lose $500 the next day and the MLL stays at $48,500.
Express Funded Account (XFA)
The XFA balance starts at $0; the 50K/100K/150K label refers to buying power. On a 50K XFA the MLL starts at -$2,000 and locks at $0 once the balance reaches $2,000. After the first payout the MLL is set to $0.
What happens if you breach it
Trading Combine: liquidated for the day and ineligible for funding until you Reset. XFA: permanently closed (Back2Funded may be available). The MLL cannot be adjusted and Topstep makes no exceptions.
Why a fill above the limit can still be a breach
Limits are checked on realized and unrealized P&L. If an open trade touches the limit, liquidation fires by market order; slippage can leave the final balance above the limit, but the breach already happened.
Sources
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Not financial advice. Educational content only. Trading futures, options and crypto involves substantial risk of loss. Full disclaimer.