Apex Trader Funding has payout rules and a payout structure that may seem a bit complicated at first glance but it’s a lot simpler than you think.
I break down all the details in this article so it’s the only resource you’ll need to understand everything regarding Apex Trader Funding’s payout rules and structure and why it’s designed to be more advantageous than the other prop firms.
payout ratio
Apex Trader Funding is one of few prop firms that offers a 90:10 profit/split ratio. The trader keeps 90% and Apex keeps 10%.
Apex Trader Funding also lets you keep 100% of the first $25,000 (an industry high) and that’s PER ACCOUNT. So hypothetically, if a trader had 20 PA accounts with Apex, that’s half a million in profits they get to keep.
PAYOUT REQUEST TIMEFRAME
Apex Trader Funding allows a trader to receive a payout twice a month by submitting a request within the request window. The following is the date range of every month for the request window:
First Request Window: 1st - 5th
Second Request Window: 15th - 20th
The request for the first window is approved any time between the 1st - 14th, depending on the exact date you made the request. If approved, payments are sent out on the 15th of the month and can take anywhere from 3 - 7 business days to reach your bank account.
The request for the second window is approved any time between the 15th - 29th, again, depending on the exact date you made the request. If approved, payments are sent out on the 30th of the month and can take anywhere from 3 - 7 business days to reach your bank account.
You are still allowed to keep trading after a request is made. But just be mindful of how much payout you requested and trade as if that amount was already deducted from your balance so you do not hit your trailing threshold.
PENDING VS. APPROVED
When you request a payout in any one of the two windows, the status will be shown as PENDING until your request is APPROVED. It is extremely important to be aware of your status while trading your account.
If you continue to trade and your status remains PENDING after you submit your payout request and suddenly blow your account, you will no longer get that payout.
BUT… if you continue to trade and your status was APPROVED after you submit your payout request and suddenly blow your account, you will still get that payout.
Once a payout is approved, you will get that payment, regardless if the account is blown or not.
MiniMUM TRADING DAYS
Apex Trader Funding requires you to trade a minimum of 10 days before being eligible for a payout.
A trading day counts as taking a trade anywhere from 6:00 pm EST to 5:00 pm EST the next day.
So for instance, if you take a trade on Sunday night at 7:00 pm EST and another trade on Monday afternoon at 4:00 pm EST, then that still counts as one trading day.
MINIMUM ACCOUNT BALANCE & MAXIMUM WITHDRAWAL FOR PAYOUT
| Account Size | Min Balance Required | Max Withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
| $25k | $26,600 | $1,500 |
| $50k | $52,600 | $2,000 |
| $75k | $77,850 | $2,250 |
| $100k | $103,100 | $2,500 |
| $150k | $155,100 | $2,750 |
| $250k | $256,600 | $3,000 |
| $300k | $307,600 | $3,500 |
| $100k Static | $102,600 | $1,000 |
In order to get approved for a payout, you need to reach the minimum account balance as indicated in the table above for each respective account size plan.
But unlike most other prop firms, Apex Trader Funding doesn’t require you to maintain the minimum account balance once you’ve reached it. You can make a payout request as soon as you reach it and build back up again to the minimum balance required to request another payout.
But do keep in mind, if you decide to withdraw money as soon as you reach the minimum balance required, it will eat into your trailing threshold. For instance, if you have a $50k account size plan and build the account to the minimum balance required ($52,600), you are eligible to request a $2,000 payout. But if you did that, your balance would go to $50,600, leaving you only with a $500 trailing threshold. So it’s best to build a cushion on top of the minimum balance required to leave yourself with enough of a trailing threshold.
Another detail to keep in mind is that when you request a payout and the status is still PENDING, don’t go below the minimum balance. If you do, you will not get that payout because Apex is still reviewing whether you’ve qualified or not by meeting the minimum trading days and reaching the minimum balance required. But once the status is APPROVED, then it’s okay to go below the minimum required balance.
Once you’ve reached the minimum balance, you can only withdraw a certain amount as indicated in the table above under max withdrawal for each respective account size plan. But this restriction only applies for the FIRST 3 MONTHS. Once you’ve requested at least one payout a month for the first 3 months, you are now eligible to withdraw as much profits as you’d like with no restrictions.
The 30% CONSISTENCy rule
In order to be approved a payout, you need to show Apex that you are trading consistently. Therefore, your biggest trading day cannot exceed 30% of your total PnL on the day of your withdrawal request.
The easiest way to keep track of this is by looking at the total balance you’re trying to get to whether it’s the minimum required balance or some other balance you feel comfortable with when you’re ready to request a payout.
For instance, say you want to withdraw money when your balance gets to $55,000 on a $50k account. You take the $5,000 which is the total profits you’ve made and multiply that by .3. So $5,000 x .3 = $1,500. Therefore, your biggest trading day should not exceed $1,500.
If you do exceed it, just keep trading until you meet the 30% consistency rule. The easiest way to keep track of that is by taking your biggest trading day and dividing it by .3. So let’s say you exceed that $1,500 from the previous example and your biggest trading day ended up being $1,800 instead. So you take $1,800 / .3 = $6,000. Therefore, you need to get your balance to $56,000 ($50k starting balance + $6,000 required).
But the 30% isn’t such a black and white rule. If your best trading day goes above 30% by a bit and you show Apex you’ve been a consistent trader, you should still be approved for a payout. The 30% rule is primarily there to get rid of gamblers and people who YOLO trade on their accounts.
OTHER RULES
Other rules include you have to withdraw a minimum of $500 each time you make a payout request.
You are taxed as a contractor and will receive a 1099 at the end of the tax year.
Each account is considered a separate, stand-alone account. So all these rules apply PER account.
RECAP
So just to recap, the following are all rules and details regarding the payout system for Apex Trader Funding…
Traders keep 100% of the first $25k in profits PER ACCOUNT and then it goes to a 90/10 split
Traders need to trade a minimum of 10 days for a payout
Traders need to meet the required minimum balance for a payout
Traders cannot exceed the maximum withdrawal amount (this restriction drops after 3 months of payouts)
Traders are only allowed two payouts per month
Payouts are forfeited if the trailing threshold gets triggered and the status was PENDING but are given out if the status was APPROVED
Traders need to make sure their best trading day does not exceed 30% of total PnL on day of withdrawal request (rule flexible if Apex sees you’re a consistent trader)
Traders need to withdraw a minimum of $500 when requesting a payout
Traders taxed as a 1099 contractor
That is everything when it comes to the rules and regulations on payouts for Apex Trader Funding. As stated earlier, Apex has these rules in place to make it advantageous for the trader while still making sure they’re providing resources to someone who is actually consistent.
Every prop firm has their pros and cons when it comes to payouts. But I truly feel Apex is the best as far as the pros significantly outweighing the cons. These rules and structures are set in making sure the trader fairly gets compensated while not blowing their account.
