Trailing Drawdown Explained: Intraday vs End-of-Day, With Examples
A trailing drawdown is a loss limit that follows your highest balance up and never comes back down. Whether it follows every tick or only your closing balance changes how much room you really have. Here is how each type works, one example that shows the difference, and how Topstep, Apex and FTMO apply it.
The rule in one line
Floor = highest balance − drawdown amount, and the floor never moves down. With a $2,000 trailing drawdown on a $50,000 account, the floor starts at $48,000. If your balance reaches $51,000, the floor rises to $49,000 and stays there even if you drop back to $50,000. Your room is now $1,000, not $2,000.
Three types of drawdown
- Intraday trailing: the "highest balance" includes open profit, updated in real time. A trade that runs into profit lifts your floor before you close it.
- End-of-day trailing: only closing balances count. What happens inside the day does not move the floor, although the floor is still enforced in real time.
- Static: the floor never moves. Rare in futures evaluations today.
One example, two results
$50,000 account, $2,000 drawdown, same trades under both rules:
| Day | What happens | Intraday floor | End-of-day floor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Balance $50,000 | $48,000 | $48,000 |
| Day 1 | Trade runs to +$1,500 open, closed at +$300. Close: $50,300 | $49,500 (peak $51,500) | $48,300 (set at the close) |
| Day 2 | Loss of $900. Balance falls to $49,400 | Breached ($49,400 is below $49,500) | $48,300, still $1,100 of room |
Same trades, but the intraday account is gone on day 2 while the end-of-day account has $1,100 left. The cause is the open profit given back on day 1: intraday rules count the open peak as a new high, end-of-day rules ignore it.
Decision: if you hold trades through pullbacks and often give back open profit, pick end-of-day accounts. If you trade intraday drawdown accounts, take partial profits as the trade runs, so the open profit that lifts your floor is at least partly banked.
Two things that trip traders up
End-of-day does not mean "only checked at the close"
Topstep, Apex and FTMO all set the floor at the close but enforce it in real time. If an open loss touches the floor at 10:15 AM, you are liquidated, even if the trade would have closed green.
The lock level depends on the account, and sometimes the platform
Most accounts stop trailing at a fixed level, after which your floor is permanent. At Apex, the evaluation on Tradovate never stops trailing, while the same evaluation on Rithmic or WealthCharts stops at the profit target balance.
How Topstep, Apex and FTMO apply it
Each row is taken from the firm's own page, verified Oct 23, 2026.
| Firm and account | Type | Moves on | Stops trailing at | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topstep Trading Combine | End-of-day | Highest closing balance | Starting balance | Topstep MLL |
| Apex EOD evaluation | End-of-day | Highest closing balance (set 4:59:59 PM ET) | Profit target balance on Rithmic / WealthCharts; never on Tradovate | Apex EOD |
| Apex Intraday evaluation | Intraday | Peak balance including open profit | Profit target balance on Rithmic / WealthCharts; never on Tradovate | Apex Intraday |
| Apex Performance Account | EOD or intraday, as bought | Same as the evaluation type | Starting balance + $100 | Apex EOD |
| FTMO Futures Growth | End-of-day, on equity | Highest closing balance | Initial capital | FTMO Futures |
For the full rules of each firm, see our guides to Topstep rules, Apex Trader Funding rules and FTMO Futures rules.
Model your own days
Type your account size, drawdown, lock level and daily results into the prop firm drawdown calculator. It shows where the floor sits each day under intraday, end-of-day and static rules side by side.
To keep the rule in front of you while you trade, add the account to the MyTradeEdge journal with its maximum drawdown and daily loss limit. The journal measures drawdown from your highest daily closing result on the trades you log, which matches an end-of-day rule; it does not see intraday peaks of open trades or the lock level, so use the calculator for intraday accounts.
Frequently asked questions
What is a trailing drawdown?
A loss limit that follows your highest balance up at a fixed distance and never moves down. If you have a $2,000 trailing drawdown and your balance peaks at $51,000, your floor is $49,000, even if you later fall back to $50,000.
Is end-of-day trailing drawdown better than intraday?
For most traders, yes. With an end-of-day drawdown, open profit you give back during the day does not raise the floor; only closing balances do. With an intraday drawdown, every new peak, including unrealized profit, moves the floor up immediately.
Does the trailing drawdown ever stop?
At most firms, yes. Topstep and FTMO Futures lock it at the starting balance. Apex Performance Accounts lock it at starting balance plus $100. Apex Tradovate evaluations are an exception: the drawdown keeps trailing.
Can I breach an end-of-day drawdown during the day?
Yes. The floor is calculated at the close, but Topstep, Apex and FTMO all enforce it in real time. If an open loss takes your balance to the floor during the session, you are out.
Know your real room before the next trade
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Open the drawdown calculatorTopstep, Apex Trader Funding and FTMO are trademarks of their owners. MyTradeEdge is not affiliated with them. This page explains public rules and is not trading advice.