TradeDay

TradeDay has quickly established itself as one of the most respected futures prop firms in the industry. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Chicago, USA, the firm is known for combining professional-grade trading infrastructure with one of the fairest payout policies in prop trading. Unlike many competitors, TradeDay allows payouts from day one, processed within 24 hours, and offers traders up to 95% of their profits through a transparent scaling model.

Whether you’re a new futures trader looking for mentorship or an experienced professional seeking reliable funding, TradeDay has built its reputation on transparency, trader-first rules, and education, qualities that earned it the Best Payout Policy Award at the FundedTrading Awards 2025.

TradeDay at a Glance

Quick Verdict – Who TradeDay Is Best (and Not Best) For

Best for:

• ✅ Futures traders who want payouts from day one
• ✅ Traders who value structured scaling + transparent rules
• ✅ Beginners seeking mentorship, education, and community support

Not ideal for:

• ❌ Traders looking to trade stocks, forex, or crypto (futures only)
• ❌ Anyone expecting “easy money”. TradeDay’s evaluation is fair but strict

Company Background

TradeDay was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, right in the heart of U.S. futures trading. Its leadership team brings together over 80 years of combined experience across proprietary trading groups, hedge funds, and major investment banks.

Founders

• James Thorpe (CEO) – Over 15 years as a full-time futures trader. Former CEO of Mercury Derivatives/Futures First, Clear Capital Group, and Lakeside Trading LLC. Previously worked as a futures broker and exchange executive, managing trading teams worldwide.
• Steve Miley (Co-Founder) – Award-winning analyst and founder of Market Chartist. Former Head of Technical Analysis at Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse, with 20+ years in research and trading.

Mentors & Educators

• Tera Vicker – 20 years of bond trading experience, both full-time and part-time.
• Mike Turner – 25+ years in markets, with expertise in sales trading and trading psychology (also a certified therapist).
• Duncan Donald – Three decades managing proprietary trading desks, with deep expertise in global bonds, FX, and equities.
• Shaun Downey – Veteran commodities and FX trader, author of award-winning books on technical analysis, and developer of proprietary indicators.

Together, this team builds on decades of real prop desk experience to provide coaching, education, and mentoring to TradeDay’s funded traders.

Evaluation Programs (Funding Path)

TradeDay offers three drawdown models (Intraday, End of Day, and Static) with account sizes at $50K, $100K, and $150K. Each program is built for different risk profiles, giving traders flexibility in how they pursue funding.

1. Intraday Trailing Drawdown

The Intraday TMD calculates drawdown in real time based on unrealized profits during the trading day. Best suited for active intraday traders.

2. End of Day Trailing Drawdown

The EOD TMD calculates drawdown from realized profits at the daily close (16:00 CT). Best for swing traders holding positions longer.

3. Static Drawdown

The Static DD never moves from the initial balance. Best for traders who want predictability and don’t want their drawdown trailing profits.

Reset Policy

If you break a rule, you can reset immediately from $59.

• $50K Intraday: $59

• $50K EOD/Static: $99

• $100K: $119

• $150K: $139

Or wait for your subscription renewal, and your account auto-resets for free (if marked Not Being Evaluated at renewal). Resets don’t change your billing date and can’t be banked.

Payout Policy (Best in the Industry 🏆)

TradeDay’s payout system is one of the most trader-friendly in the prop firm industry, so much so that it earned the Best Payout Policy Award at the FundedTrading Awards 2025. Unlike other firms that impose waiting periods or consistency requirements, TradeDay keeps things simple, fast, and transparent.

• Day One Payouts — Withdraw profits as soon as you’re funded, with no cooling-off period.
• 24-Hour Processing — Requests made before 5:30 PM CT are processed the next business day.
• Scaling Profit Split:

• 80% on the first $50K withdrawn
• 90% on $50K–$100K
• 95% on profits beyond $100K

• Buffer Zone:

• Eligible to withdraw anytime
• Payouts taken into the buffer are split 50/50 (ensures account stability)

• Minimum Withdrawal: $250
• Payment Methods:

• US Bank Wires: Free
• International Wires: $15 fee
• Crypto L1: $2.50 + gas fees
• Crypto L2: Free

Why it stands out: Most firms require 10–30 days before your first withdrawal, but TradeDay gives traders access to their own money immediately, making it the fastest payout model in the industry.

Rules You Must Know

Like any prop firm, TradeDay enforces trading rules to protect capital and ensure fair evaluations. The good news? Their model is simple and transparent, with only one hard fail rule.

• Max Drawdown: The only “hard stop” rule. Break it, and your evaluation resets.
• Permitted Products: Trade only the approved futures contracts.
• News Trading Restrictions:
  • Tier-1 events (CPI, NFP, FOMC, Crude/Gas inventories, etc.)
  • Positions auto-liquidated 2 minutes before and 2 minutes after these releases.
• Hedging: Strictly not allowed.
• Automated Trading Systems (ATS): Supported, but must comply with rules (no exploitative strategies, no high-frequency “bot swarms”).

Platforms & Tech

TradeDay gives traders multiple platform options, ranging from its own proprietary system to industry-standard futures platforms. This flexibility ensures that traders can choose the environment that best suits their style.

TradeDayX

• Built on ProjectX, an institutional-grade backend also used by professional proprietary firms.
• Designed for low-latency execution (sub-100ms order routing).
• Provides real-time CME market data with full depth of book.
• Integrated with Quantower for advanced charting, algorithmic trading, and automation.
• Features risk dashboards for tracking PnL, drawdown, and evaluation progress.

👉 See our full TradeDayX Review for a deep dive into the platform’s features, latency, and Quantower integration.

NinjaTrader & Tradovate

• Popular futures platforms with strong charting and order management tools.
• Offer market replay, advanced order types, and support for micro contracts.
• Trusted by futures traders for both evaluation and funded stages.

TradingView

• Web-based charting and execution with social trading features.
• Allows traders to leverage familiar tools and indicators while trading funded accounts.
• Ideal for traders who want fast access from anywhere without downloading a platform.

Unlike some firms that lock traders into one platform, TradeDay provides choice + flexibility, which is a major advantage for futures traders who already have platform preferences.

Education, Mentorship & Community

TradeDay doesn’t just fund traders. It also educates and mentors them, setting it apart from many competitors that only provide a “pass/fail” evaluation.

CoPilot Program ($24/month)

• Access to exclusive webinars, trading courses, and live squawk service.
• Daily research reports and market insights.
• Private Discord community for Q&A, peer support, and strategy sharing.
• Designed to help both beginners and experienced traders sharpen their edge.

Daily Webinars & Morning Meetings

• Professional mentors host live sessions covering market outlooks, trade ideas, and risk management.
• Designed to build the habits of consistent professional traders.

Discord Community

• Traders can chat in real time with mentors and peers.
• Active channels for strategy discussions, evaluation tips, and accountability.

Mentorship Team

• James Thorpe and Steve Miley (founders) actively contribute to trader education.
• Mentorship from industry veterans like Tera Vicker, Mike Turner, Duncan Donald, and Shaun Downey, covering bonds, psychology, FX, commodities, and technical analysis.

TradeDay isn’t just a prop firm. It’s a community with real trader mentorship, which makes it especially attractive for new futures traders who want guidance alongside funding.

Pricing & Discounts

TradeDay offers some of the most competitive pricing in futures prop trading, with evaluation accounts starting as low as $69/month. Traders can choose between three drawdown types (Intraday, End of Day, and Static) and apply discounts to further reduce costs.

Available Coupons

• FundedTrading: 20% off for our readers.
• NEWYEAR: 50% off + no activation fee for new customers
• Save40: 40% off  + no activation fee

If you plan to hold an account for multiple months, stacking one of these discounts with TradeDay’s free renewal resets can make it cheaper long-term than many competitors.

Pros & Cons

Like every prop firm, TradeDay has strengths and limitations. Here’s the quick breakdown:

✅ Pros

• Best payout system in the industry — up to 95%, with day one withdrawals
• Multiple drawdown types (Static, Intraday, End of Day) for different strategies
• Flexible account options ($50K, $100K, $150K)
• Strong education & mentorship — CoPilot, daily webinars, Discord, and pro mentors
• Transparent rules — only one main fail rule (max drawdown)
• Free resets with renewal — lowers long-term cost

❌ Cons

• Futures only — no stocks, forex, or crypto trading
• Restrictions on Tier-1 news trading & hedging may limit some strategies

TradeDay vs. Competitors (Comparison Grids)

TradeDay competes directly with other leading futures prop firms like Topstep, Apex Trader Funding, and TickTick. Here’s how it stacks up:

TradeDay vs. Topstep

Verdict:
TradeDay clearly wins on payout speed (Day 1) and simpler scaling model. Topstep remains strong for its reputation and trader community, but its payout restrictions and slower first withdrawal are clear disadvantages.

TradeDay vs. Apex Trader Funding

Verdict:
Apex offers 100% of the first $25K profits and frequent promos, but requires 7 trading days before the first payout and charges resets. TradeDay wins with Day 1 payouts, multiple drawdown options, and stronger education support.

TradeDay vs. Savius

Verdict:
Savius offers instant funding and larger account sizes, but payouts are capped and require a 10-day minimum with strict rules. TradeDay wins on Day 1 payouts, higher profit splits, and simpler conditions.

FundedTrading Award Recognition

In 2025, FundedTrading recognized TradeDay with the Best Payout Policy Award for setting a new industry benchmark in fairness and transparency.

Why TradeDay Won

• ✅ Day One Payouts — profits are accessible immediately, with no waiting periods
• ✅ Up to 95% Profit Split — one of the highest in the industry
• ✅ Clear, Structured Model — 80% on first $50K, 90% up to $100K, 95% beyond
• ✅ Buffer Zone Protection — safeguards account stability while still allowing access to profits

Since launching in 2020, TradeDay has consistently prioritized trader-first rules, making it the only futures prop firm to win this award.

Is TradeDay Worth It in 2025?

TradeDay’s biggest strength is its payout policy: traders can request withdrawals from day one, with payments typically processed within 24 hours. Combined with a scaling profit split model (80% → 90% → 95%), it’s one of the most trader-friendly setups available in futures prop trading.

Beyond payouts, TradeDay offers multiple evaluation styles (Intraday, End-of-Day, Static) to fit different risk preferences, along with daily webinars, mentoring, and an active community to support trader development.

For futures traders who want fast access to profits, clear rules, and educational support, TradeDay is one of the strongest choices in 2025.

FAQs

Is TradeDay legit?

Yes. TradeDay was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Chicago, USA. Its leadership team brings decades of experience from banks, hedge funds, and prop desks. The firm is also recognized with the Best Payout Policy Award 2025 by FundedTrading.

How fast are TradeDay payouts?

TradeDay allows Day One payouts, processed within 24 hours if requested before 5:30 PM CT. This makes it one of the fastest prop firms in the industry.

What’s the difference between Intraday, EOD, and Static drawdown?

• Intraday TMD: Drawdown tracks unrealized profits during the day (best for active traders).
• End of Day TMD: Drawdown calculated only at the daily close (suited for swing traders).
• Static DD: Fixed drawdown that never moves (preferred for traders who want predictability).

What platforms are supported in TradeDay?

TradeDay offers TradeDayX, along with NinjaTrader, Tradovate, and TradingView.

Does TradeDay allow automated trading?

Yes. Automated trading systems (ATS) and Quantower integration are supported, provided strategies comply with prop firm rules (no hedging or exploitative bots).

What’s the minimum payout?

The minimum withdrawal is $250, with free U.S. wires, $15 international transfers, and crypto options.

What’s the best account type for beginners?

Most new traders choose the Static Drawdown account, since the buffer never trails equity and rules are easier to manage.

Does TradeDay offer a free trial?

No free trials. However, traders can join the CoPilot program ($24/month) for access to webinars, squawk service, and research before committing to an evaluation.

TradeDay Discount Code

If you want to join TradeDay, use these codes:

• FundedTrading: 20% off for our readers.
• NEWYEAR: 50% off + no activation fee for new customers
• Save40: 40% off  + no activation fee