Elite Trader Funding Rules: Drawdown, Consistency, News and Every Account
Review the documented rules, source notes, tools, and account checks recorded for Elite Trader Funding Rules: Drawdown, Consistency, News and Every Account.
Rules can change: The firm or platform controls the current wording. Confirm the linked source and your dashboard before you trade or request a payout.
Elite Trader Funding rules for every account on sale: 1-Step, Static, End of Day, Diamond Hands, Fast Track and Direct to Funded, plus the Elite Sim-Funded and LIVE ELITE stages. Elite Trader Funding (ETF) is a US futures prop firm founded in February 2022. You pass a simulated evaluation (or buy a Direct to Funded account), trade a simulated Elite Sim-Funded account for rewards, and can be moved to a LIVE ELITE account with real capital. The rules that decide most outcomes are not the headline profit targets. They are the drawdown type (live trailing, end of day or static), the safety net of max drawdown plus $100, the Active Trade Day rule that works like a consistency rule, the 20% / 35% loss limit, the flatten-before-close rule, and the Terms of Service clauses on martingale, averaging down, copy trading and news. This page covers each one with dollar values for every size, worked examples, two calculators and the places where ETF’s own pages disagree.
Account Picker
Choose your Elite Trader Funding account. The result lists the published rule values and the rule most likely to catch you out on that account.
What can trip you up
Rows To Inspect First
These are the rules ETF’s own pages say end accounts or void rewards, and the ones traders who only read the plan cards tend to miss. The labels explain why each row is surfaced; they are not a recommendation to buy or avoid any account.
A deadline on the safety net
The Terms give a funded account 45 calendar days from the fee payment to reach its safety net, or it is closed. One-time-fee accounts (DTF) get 25 days plus one 3-day cure, and must stay above the safety net afterwards. Plan articles do not mention this.
Adding to a loser is banned
The Terms ban averaging down (adding to any position while it shows an unrealized loss) and martingale (re-entering bigger in the same or next session after a realized loss), across all your accounts, with NQ and MNQ treated as the same market.
The 20% / 35% loss limit
Once an Elite account is up 20%, giving back 35% or more of its peak gains (open profit included) removes it from the Elite program and from LIVE ELITE eligibility, even if the drawdown floor was never touched.
Elite Trader Funding Rule Checks
| Rule area | Official-source snapshot | What to verify + evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum drawdown 3 types, hard breach | 1-Step: live trailing on your highest unrealized profit ($2,000 / $3,000 / $5,000 on 50K / 100K / 150K). End of Day and Diamond Hands: trails the highest end-of-day balance ($2,000 / $3,500; $3,500 on Diamond Hands 100K). Static: a fixed floor that never moves ($500 / $1,000 / $2,000 on 10K / 25K / 50K). | Touching the floor at any time fails an evaluation or an Elite account. On Elite accounts the trailing types stop trailing once realized profit reaches the drawdown plus $100; from then the floor is the starting balance plus $100. Static floors never move. Source: Elite Trader Funding How the 1-Step Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Revamped EOD Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Static Account Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and Evaluations page and its plan data – drawdown sections and plan data – checked October 11, 2026. |
| Daily loss limit hard breach on EOD and DH | End of Day $1,100 (50K) and $2,200 (100K); Diamond Hands $1,500. Calculated from the prior day’s ending balance, and open losses count intraday. 1-Step, Static, Fast Track and DTF have none. | Hitting it fails the account, unless you bought the TradeShield add-on, which turns it into a pause until the next session. On Elite accounts it is removed for good once the safety net is reached. Source: Elite Trader Funding How the Revamped EOD Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Revamped Diamond Hands Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and Add-on: TradeShield – EOD drawdown sections and TradeShield add-on – checked October 11, 2026. |
| Profit target and minimum days 5 days, no time limit | 1-Step $3,000 / $6,000 / $9,000; Static $1,000 / $2,000 / $4,000; EOD $3,000 / $6,000; Diamond Hands $5,000; Fast Track $2,000. Minimum 5 trading days (3 on Fast Track); any day you place a trade counts. | No maximum time except Fast Track (10 calendar days). The One Day to Pass add-on, bought at checkout only, removes the 5-day minimum. Sunday evening and Monday count as one trading day. Source: Elite Trader Funding How the 1-Step Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Revamped Fast-Track Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and Add-on: One Day to Pass and Evaluations page and its plan data – evaluation rules and plan data – checked October 11, 2026. |
| Consistency rule Fast Track 40% / 30% | Only Fast Track has a best-day cap: your best day must be no more than 40% of total profit to pass, and meet 30% consistency at each reward. The Terms define it as best day ≤ total profit x percentage, with past rewards counted in total profit. | Every other plan uses the Active Trade Day rule instead (next row). Neither rule caps how much you can make in one day. Source: Elite Trader Funding Consistency Rule and Active Trade Days (ATD) Explained (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Revamped Fast-Track Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and Terms of Service (last updated October 11, 2026; effective October 8, 2026) – consistency article, Fast Track rules and Consistency Rules clause – checked October 11, 2026. |
| Active Trade Days (ATD) $250 and 30% of best day | A funded day counts only if it makes at least $250 realized profit and at least 30% of your best day (evaluations bought on or after October 2, 2026, 2:00 PM PT; $125 on 10K and 25K Static). Older purchases: $200 and 23%. DTF: $150 to $600 and 38% to 62% by size. | 8 ATDs for reward cycle 1 and 10 for later cycles (DTF 5 to 20 per cycle). Applies to Elite accounts only, not evaluations. A new best day raises the bar for every later day. Source: Elite Trader Funding Consistency Rule and Active Trade Days (ATD) Explained (updated October 8, 2026) and How the 1-Step Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Static Account Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the DTF Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) – ATD tables – checked October 11, 2026. |
| Safety net drawdown + $100 | No reward until realized profit reaches the max drawdown plus $100 (for example $2,100 on a 50K 1-Step). You can never withdraw the safety net itself. | The Terms add a deadline: 45 calendar days from paying the fee on funded accounts, 25 days plus one 3-day cure on one-time-fee accounts. Miss it and the account is closed with no refund. Source: Elite Trader Funding How the 1-Step Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and Safety Net Requirements (updated October 7, 2026) and Terms of Service (last updated October 11, 2026; effective October 8, 2026) – safety net sections and Activation and Safety Net Requirement clauses – checked October 11, 2026. |
| Loss limit rule 20% up, 35% given back | After an Elite account grows 20%, a drop from its peak of 35% or more of the gains (peak minus start, open profit included) makes it invalid for the Elite program and for LIVE ELITE. | It overrides the normal drawdown. Assessed during audits and at reward requests, so it can surface weeks after the drop. Source: Elite Trader Funding Terms of Service (last updated October 11, 2026; effective October 8, 2026) and Elite Sim-Funded account page and How the 1-Step Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) – loss limit clause and plan articles – checked October 11, 2026. |
| Flatten before close 1 minute before close | All positions must be closed one minute before the instrument’s market close on 1-Step, Static, EOD and Fast Track. ES example: flat before 3:59 PM CT; new trades from 5:00 PM CT. | Diamond Hands and DTF may hold overnight and over weekends. Any overnight margin charge from an accidental hold is invoiced to you; an unpaid invoice forfeits the account. Source: Elite Trader Funding How the 1-Step Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Revamped Diamond Hands Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the DTF Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and Overnight Margin: Responsibilities and Charges – flatten rules and overnight margin article – checked October 11, 2026. |
| News trading allowed in evaluation, restricted on Elite | Plan articles say you can trade during news. The Terms say every Elite account must be flat from 5 minutes before to 5 minutes after the major news or economic events ETF lists; evaluations are exempt. | The Terms say they override help articles. The page the Terms link for the event list did not show a list when we checked, so ask support which events apply before trading a release on a funded account. Source: Elite Trader Funding Terms of Service (last updated October 11, 2026; effective October 8, 2026) and How the 1-Step Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and Elite Sim-Funded account page – Trading major economic events clause – checked October 11, 2026. |
| Averaging down and martingale banned | Adding to a position that shows an unrealized loss is banned. So is re-entering the same or a substantially similar market at a larger size in the same or next trading session after a realized loss. | Judged on patterns, not one trade, and across all your accounts. ES/MES, NQ/MNQ and the other mini/micro pairs always count as the same market. Source: Elite Trader Funding Terms of Service (last updated October 11, 2026; effective October 8, 2026) and Correlated and Substantially Similar Instruments (effective July 10, 2026) – section (aj) and the correlated-instrument list – checked October 11, 2026. |
| Hedging banned | No opposite positions in the same or a correlated instrument (for example NQ and MNQ) on one or more accounts you own or that are linked to you, including accounts at the same address. | Enforcement: suspension or termination and all gains voided. Source: Elite Trader Funding Policy: Hedging against yourself – hedging policy – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
| Copy trading, bots and AI approved copiers only | Allowed copiers: Tradesyncer, Tradecopia, Affordable Indicators Duplicate Account Actions, Replikanto Flowbot (compliance edition only) and copiers built into your platform. AI, bots and automated systems need ETF’s written authorization. | Checked at reward requests. An unapproved copier can mean a reset, forfeited profits and, on repeat, failure and a permanent ban. Source: Elite Trader Funding Trade Copier Disclaimer (last updated May 19, 2026) and Terms of Service (last updated October 11, 2026; effective October 8, 2026) – approved copier list and section (ac) – checked October 11, 2026. |
| Trade length and HFT 10 seconds minimum | Every trade must last at least 10 seconds. Abusive high-frequency trading is banned, and gains from simulated fills that could not have happened in the live market are reversed. | A trade under 10 seconds, or a scratch trade placed only to log activity, does not count toward an Active Trade Day or the weekly trade rule. Source: Elite Trader Funding Terms of Service (last updated October 11, 2026; effective October 8, 2026) – sections (ah), Non-Executable Fills and Genuine Activity – checked October 11, 2026. |
| Activity rules 1 trade a week, login every 30 days | Each account needs at least one genuine trade every calendar week, and you must log in at least every 30 days. A break can be requested through ETF’s form, once per quarter under the Terms. | Missing a week closes the account and voids rewards; missing a login disables it and forfeits profits. A long run of scratch days can also close an account. Source: Elite Trader Funding Mandatory 30-Day Login and Weekly Trade Policy and Account Closure for Non-Productive Trading Activity and Terms of Service (last updated October 11, 2026; effective October 8, 2026) – login and weekly trade policy, non-productive activity and Genuine Activity – checked October 11, 2026. |
| Funded account limit 20, with up to 5 DTF | Up to 20 active Elite Sim-Funded accounts, Fast Track passes included, of which up to 5 can be DTF. | ETF’s Elite page and its FAQ say 5 for evaluations bought on or after September 17, 2025. Accounts over your limit can be deactivated without notice. Source: Elite Trader Funding Max Active Elite Sim-Funded Accounts (updated October 9, 2026) and Elite Sim-Funded account page – account limit article and Elite page – checked October 11, 2026. |
How Elite Trader Funding Accounts Work
Everything before LIVE ELITE is simulated. You buy an evaluation (billed every 30 days, except Fast Track, which is a one-time fee), trade it until you hit the profit target in at least the minimum number of days, and stop trading once you qualify. ETF says the dashboard can take up to 72 hours after the close to show the pass, followed by an audit of your trading. You then activate an Elite Sim-Funded account: $87 a month, a one-time fee ($177 for 1-Step 50K, Static and EOD 50K; $247 for 1-Step 100K and 150K; $257 for EOD 100K; $307 for Diamond Hands), or the Double Down Deal add-on from $47. Fast Track passes get the first month free and cannot take the one-time option. Direct to Funded skips the evaluation and the activation fee.
Two billing rules catch people: an evaluation subscription keeps billing after you pass until you activate or cancel, and a failed evaluation is reset automatically when the subscription renews. On the Elite account you keep up to 100% of simulated profit up to $25,000 in total rewards per trader, with a $150,000 lifetime cap across re-entries; ETF can move you to LIVE ELITE before, during or after any reward request.
Source: Elite Trader Funding Reached Evaluation Objectives (qualified), What’s Next? and Elite Sim-Funded account page and How the 1-Step Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and Terms of Service (last updated October 11, 2026; effective October 8, 2026) – activation, billing, reward cap and order of precedence – checked October 11, 2026.
Full source URLs
Reached Evaluation Objectives (qualified), What’s Next? and Elite Sim-Funded account page and How the 1-Step Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and Terms of Service (last updated October 11, 2026; effective October 8, 2026)
Elite Trader Funding Evaluation Rules Side by Side
The evaluation accounts on sale on the check date. List prices come from the plan data behind ETF’s evaluations page; promotions change the checkout price, so see the Elite Trader Funding deals page for current codes.
| Rule | 1-Step | Static | End of Day | Diamond Hands | Fast Track | Direct to Funded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sizes on sale | 50K, 100K, 150K | 10K, 25K, 50K | 50K, 100K | 100K | 10K EOD, 10K Static | 10K, 50K, 100K |
| Drawdown | Live trailing (open profit) | Static | EOD trailing | EOD trailing | EOD or static | EOD (10K, 50K) or static (100K) |
| Daily loss limit | None | None | Yes, hard breach | Yes, hard breach | None | None |
| Profit target | 6% | 10% / 8% / 8% | 6% | 5% | $2,000 (20%) | None (safety net instead) |
| Minimum trading days | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | None |
| Time limit | None | None | None | None | 10 calendar days | None |
| Evaluation consistency | None | None | None | None | 40% | Not applicable |
| Hold overnight | No | No | No | Yes, and weekends | No | Yes, and weekends |
| Micros per mini | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| Evaluation reset | $47 | $47 | $47 | $47 | Not allowed | Not applicable |
| Billing | Every 30 days | Every 30 days | Every 30 days | Every 30 days | One-time | One-time |
| List price | $207 / $257 / $347 | $147 / $277 / $497 | $347 / $487 | $397 | $57 / $77 | $357 / $747 / $997 |
Rules on every account: no hedging, approved copiers only, no averaging down or martingale, 10-second minimum trade length, trade the front-month contract with the highest volume, one trade a week per account, a login every 30 days, one person per household and no trading for anyone else.
Source: Elite Trader Funding Evaluations page and its plan data and How the 1-Step Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Static Account Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Revamped EOD Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Revamped Diamond Hands Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Revamped Fast-Track Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the DTF Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and Contract Limits (updated October 6, 2026) – plan data, evaluation rules and contract limits – checked October 11, 2026.
Full source URLs
Evaluations page and its plan data and How the 1-Step Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Static Account Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Revamped EOD Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Revamped Diamond Hands Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the Revamped Fast-Track Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and How the DTF Plan Works (updated October 8, 2026) and Contract Limits (updated October 6, 2026)
Elite Trader Funding 1-Step Rules
ETF’s most popular plan and its strictest drawdown. The maximum drawdown trails your highest unrealized profit, so a winning trade that runs up and comes back can move the floor against you befor