To me the only funding program that makes sense, and the only one I would participate in is one with a static drawdown. So you have a 100K account with a 1K drawdown. $99K is the game over level. You make $10K. $99K is still the game over level. You take your profit down to $0. $99K is still the game over level. Nothing else makes sense IMO.
So when you lose 1K on a 100K account, your trading career is over. Your account is closed. Is that what you are saying?
I do think pro traders should be able to manage getting to $10K without a $1K drawdown, even though it may take a while.
That was not my conundrum. If you have 100K, and you lose 1K, does that mean you should go back to working at McDonalds. That's it. Your trading career is over.
I think a model where you put up $XK in exchange for leverage and access is normal. But with these online ones, you aren't putting up much money.
Topstep is on the hook for the Funded Account until the trader gets their Trailing Loss Limit to their initial balance. So Topstep has substantial risk across Funded Accounts especially when they first start. Once the Trailing Loss Limit meets the initial balance the rule drops off entirely. I'd be more than happy to answer any more questions.
So TST In simple words If trader's account is 100K ( notional I suppose) and your set Close account level is -1000 then if trader makes 10K and then does the "Close account" still remains at 99K?
The $100k account has a $2,000 Daily Loss Limit/Weekly Loss Limit (Step 2) and a $3,000 Trailing Loss Limit (EOD). If you were to make $10,000 your Weekly Loss Limit would disappear and your Trailing Account Loss Limit would say "your cannot cannot reach its starting balance". So you you would be +$10,000 with a $3,000 Daily Loss Limit and a rule that says you cannot return to your starting balance.