Prop Firm News: Week of 5 October 2026
Funding Pips moved new accounts onto a new rulebook, Topstep launched a static drawdown Combine, E8 Markets lowered payout caps on Signature futures accounts and Instant Funding released IF Micro Lite.
Funding Pips moved every new account onto a new set of rules, Topstep released a $50K Trading Combine with a static loss limit, E8 Markets lowered payout caps on Signature futures accounts, and Instant Funding launched a new instant account. TradeDay and My Funded Futures also changed their country lists.
Funding Pips changes its rules for new accounts
Funding Pips applies a new set of rules to every account bought or reset from 28 September 2026. Accounts bought before that date keep the previous rules, which the firm now publishes as a separate legacy rules page in its help centre.
- 1 Step Flex: the reward split on the two week payout cycle falls from 85% to 80%.
- 2 Step Flex: the phase 2 target rises from 6% to 8%, and the lower split option falls from 85% to 80%. The 95% option, which needs three profitable days, is unchanged.
- 2 Step Standard: traders can now choose a 3% daily loss limit, and accounts with that option have no minimum trading days. Otherwise each phase still needs three trading days.
- Master accounts: on 1 Step Flex, 2 Step Standard, 2 Step Flex and 2 Step Pro, trades can no longer be held overnight or over the weekend unless the Swing add on was bought. The system closes open trades every day between 20:45 and 21:00 UTC in summer time and between 21:45 and 22:00 UTC in winter time. Under the legacy rules, positions were closed only before the weekend.
The Funding Pips home page now lists no Striking System, no Risk Per Trade Idea limit and no Profit Concentration policy, three rules that applied under the legacy terms. Some help centre pages still mention the Striking System, so traders on new accounts should check the rules shown for their own account. The wider effect of the daily close is covered in our guide to weekend and overnight holding rules.
Topstep launches a $50K static drawdown Trading Combine
Topstep added a sixth release to its Labs range in October 2026: the $50K Static Drawdown Trading Combine. It costs a one time $149 rather than a monthly subscription. The profit target is $4,000 and the $2,000 maximum loss limit is static, so it does not trail the balance. A $1,000 daily loss limit is mandatory, the consistency target is 55%, and positions are limited to 4 minis or 40 micros. Each account lasts 90 days and a trader can hold up to five.
Activation of the Express Funded Account that follows is free, and payouts from it are capped at $8,000 on either payout path. The standard Trading Combine and its prices are unchanged. Other firms with a fixed loss floor are listed on our static drawdown page.
Exchange fees rise on two micro contracts
From the 1 October 2026 trading day, the CME exchange fee that Topstep passes on for TopstepX trades rose from $0.50 to $0.60 per side on Micro Crude Oil (MCL) and from $0.60 to $0.70 per side on Micro Henry Hub Natural Gas (MNG). Topstep’s notice covers only these two products. Contract choice at futures firms is covered in our guide to micro futures.
E8 Markets lowers payout caps on Signature futures accounts
For E8 Signature accounts on futures bought after 17:00 UTC on 1 October 2026, E8 Futures allows four payouts per account instead of five and lowers several payout caps. Once the last permitted payout is requested, the account closes and the trader moves on to a free challenge of the same size. Signature accounts on E8’s Classic Markets keep the existing caps.
| Account size | Payouts 1 and 2, before | Payouts 1 and 2, from 1 October | Payouts 3 and 4, before | Payouts 3 and 4, from 1 October |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,250 | $1,250 |
| $50,000 | $1,250 | $1,250 | $2,250 | $2,000 |
| $100,000 | $2,250 | $2,000 | $3,250 | $3,000 |
| $150,000 | $3,250 | $3,000 | $4,250 | $3,500 |
Accounts bought before the change keep the earlier limit of five payouts, with fifth payout caps of $1,500 to $5,250 depending on size.
Instant Funding launches IF Micro Lite
Instant Funding published IF Micro Lite on 1 October 2026. It is an instant account with no evaluation and no profit target, and the firm’s home page lists five sizes from $5,000 to $50,000 with an 80% reward share on MT5, Match Trader or cTrader.
- The daily loss limit is 3%. The Smart Drawdown starts at 6% of the starting balance and tightens permanently to 3% once the balance is 3% above its start.
- An Account Drawdown breach and a trade placed within 4 minutes either side of major news each count as a strike. The first strike cuts the reward share to 50% and a second closes the account.
- Payouts are every 14 days, subject to a 15% best day rule, a minimum withdrawal of 5% of the starting balance and a Smart Drawdown already locked at 3%.
- Weekend holding is not allowed. Leverage is up to 1:30 on currencies, 1:20 on commodities and indices, 1:5 on metals and 1:2 on crypto, and accounts close after 60 days without a trade.
Other firms that sell instant funded accounts are compared on our best for page.
Country list changes at TradeDay and My Funded Futures
TradeDay updated its prohibited countries page on 1 October 2026. The list now includes Turkey, and a new section on conditional jurisdictions says German citizens, and Canadian citizens or residents outside Ontario, are not eligible for Funded Live accounts. Traders in those groups who pass an evaluation can trade a Funded Sim account and may stay on it indefinitely. TradeDay says the restriction comes from its broker and clearing firm and cannot be waived.
My Funded Futures updated its restricted countries policy during the week, and Kazakhstan now appears on the list. Traders can check which firms accept their country with our country lookup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the new Funding Pips rules apply to accounts bought before 28 September 2026?
No. Funding Pips says its legacy rules apply to all purchases made before 28 September 2026, and the new rules apply to new purchases and to account resets after that date. A trader who resets an older account therefore moves onto the new rules, including the daily close of open trades on Master accounts unless the Swing add on is bought.
What is different about the Topstep $50K Static Drawdown Trading Combine?
Its $2,000 maximum loss limit is static and does not trail the balance. It costs a one time $149 rather than a monthly subscription, has a mandatory $1,000 daily loss limit and a 55% consistency target, and lasts 90 days. Topstep caps payouts from the Express Funded Account that follows at $8,000 on either payout path.
How many payouts can an E8 Signature futures account make?
For Signature futures accounts bought after 17:00 UTC on 1 October 2026, E8 Markets allows four payouts per account. Accounts bought earlier keep the previous limit of five. Once the last permitted payout is requested, the account closes and the trader moves on to a free challenge of the same size. The cap on each payout depends on the account size.
