Lesson 2 of 4 · 2-Step Challenge

What counts as a profitable day in the 2-Step Challenge?

Essential3 min readMyFundedCapital Research · rules as of 17 Oct 2026

Short answer

A profitable day is one where the lower of your end-of-day balance or equity is at least 0.5% of the phase’s initial balance above the previous day’s balance. You need 3 such days in each phase, on top of the profit target.

01

A day counts only if it gains at least 0.5% of the phase’s initial balance.

02

The rule uses the lower of end-of-day balance or equity, so open losses can cancel a day.

03

You need 3 qualifying days in phase 1 and another 3 in phase 2.

The definition

For each trading day the rule works out one number:

Daily result = the lower of end-of-day balance or equity − the previous day’s balance.

The day qualifies when that result is at least 0.5% of the phase’s initial balance. The threshold is fixed when the phase starts and does not rise as your balance grows.

Account sizeMinimum per qualifying day
$5,000$25
$10,000$50
$25,000$125
$100,000$500
Daily floor $9,500Max loss floor $9,000Balance
Your two floors on a $10,000 account

Worked examples

All four days below are on a $10,000 account, where the threshold is $50.

What happenedDaily resultCounts?
All trades closed, balance up $50$50Yes
Green day, balance up $25$25No, below the threshold
Balance up $100, but an open loss leaves equity only $25 up$25No, equity is lower
One big day, balance up $500$500Yes, but as one day

The last row matters most: a large day helps the target, but it still counts as a single profitable day.

The third row is the one that surprises people. The balance looked fine, but a trade left open into the end of the day pulled equity down, and the rule takes the lower figure. If you want a day to count, either close your trades before the day ends or make sure the open positions are not in loss when it does.

Days versus the target

The target and the day count are separate checks, and you need both. At an average 0.5% a day, phase 1 takes about 16 trading days and phase 2 about 10. If you reach the target with fewer than 3 qualifying days, the phase is not done yet.

In that case, keep trading small until the day count is met. You have already done the hard part; the remaining days only need to clear the threshold without a breach, so this is the moment for your smallest risk, not your largest.

InteractiveTry it: days to each targetPick an average daily gain and see how many trading days each 2-Step phase target takes.

Planning the days you need

  • Close before the day ends when you can. With no open trades, equity equals balance and your result is clear.
  • Know when the day ends: the trading day resets at 17:00 New York time.
  • Do not chase the threshold. A day just below the line is not a failure; forcing an extra trade to clear it adds risk for little gain.
  • Keep risk the same on qualifying days and on ordinary days. The rule rewards steady days, not big ones.

A sample phase 1 week

Here is how a calm week on a $10,000 phase 1 account could look. The figures are an illustration, not a forecast.

DayDaily resultQualifying days so far
Monday+$1001
Tuesday−$251
Wednesday+$251, below the threshold
Thursday+$1502
Friday+$503

After five days the day count for the phase is met, while the target still needs more profit. From here only the target is left, and you can keep the same risk until you reach it. A red day in the middle did not reset anything; it only cost some progress toward the target.

Quiz

Check yourself

0 / 4

1On a $25,000 account, what is the minimum gain for a profitable day?
2Balance closes up, but an open loss leaves equity lower. Which figure counts?
3You reach the phase 1 target with two qualifying days. Is the phase done?
4You make $500 in one day on a $10,000 account. How many profitable days is that?

Questions

Does the threshold rise as my balance grows?

No. It is set from the phase’s initial balance. On a $10,000 account every qualifying day needs $50, even after the balance has grown.

Does the funded account have a profitable-days rule?

No. Profitable days apply in phase 1 and phase 2. The funded account uses the 35% consistency rule instead, which is a separate calculation.

Related lessons

  1. What are the 2-Step Challenge rules?2-Step ChallengeBeginner3 min
  2. How do you pass phase 2 of the 2-Step Challenge?2-Step ChallengeEssential3 min
  3. What is the consistency rule and how do you stay inside it?Risk & rulesIntermediate3 min

Rules shown here come from the help center and the live rulebook; your program terms apply.

Bogdan Rubtsov, CEO and founder of MyFundedCapital

Bogdan Rubtsov

CEO & Founder

“Traders shouldn’t have to beg for capital or guess the rules. So every MyFundedCapital program has its own rulebook, and you can read it before you pay. We ask one question: can you manage risk? If you can, you’re welcome here. If a rule ever feels unclear, that’s ours to fix.”

Your payout story starts here

Your next chapter starts with the right account.