Minimum Trading Days
Also known as: min trading days, MTD, active trading days
Direct Answer
A minimum trading days rule requires you to place at least one qualifying trade on a set number of separate days before passing or withdrawing. Most firms ask for three to ten days, ensuring evaluations reflect process not a single lucky session. Skipping days delays payouts even when the profit target is met.
A qualifying day usually means a closed trade that lasted more than a few seconds and ideally had non-trivial volume. Micro-lot scalps purely to tick the day count can be voided by the firm.
On funded accounts, similar 'active days' rules govern payout eligibility — usually 5 days of trading between payouts.
Which firms enforce this rule
| Firm | Strictness |
|---|---|
| FTMO | Standard |
| FundedNext | Standard |
| Apex Trader Funding | Strict |
Example scenarios
Scenario
Trader hits 10% target in 2 days on a firm requiring 4 minimum trading days.
Outcome
Pass is held until 2 more qualifying days are completed.
Scenario
Trader opens micro-lot trades for 30 seconds each across 5 days purely to satisfy the count.
Outcome
Firm may flag the activity as gaming the rule and void the qualifying days.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a trading day?
Do losing days count?
Is the rule still common in 2026?
Can I trade multiple instruments on the same day?
Does it apply to payouts on funded accounts?
Related rules
Profit Target
A profit target is the percentage gain you must reach in an evaluation phase to advance or get funded. Most one-step challenges set targets between eight and ten percent, two-step models five to ten percent per phase. Hitting it without breaking any other rule unlocks the next stage or funded status immediately.
Consistency Rule
A consistency rule caps how much of your total profit can come from a single trading day, typically thirty to fifty percent. Prop firms use it to discourage all-or-nothing trades and reward steady performance. Break the threshold at payout time and the firm may delay, reduce, or void your withdrawal entirely.