The minimum number of days a trader must actively place trades during an evaluation phase before they can pass, even if the profit target has already been reached. A trading day is typically defined as any day where at least one trade is opened or closed.
Why It Matters
- 1Minimum trading day requirements prevent traders from passing an evaluation with a single lucky trade or one big winning day. They force you to demonstrate that your profits come from a repeatable process rather than a one-off event.
- 2If you hit your profit target on day 3 but the minimum is 5 trading days, you must continue trading for at least 2 more days without violating any rules — which means your existing profits are at risk.
Example
- 1Your evaluation has a 5-day minimum trading requirement and you hit the $6,000 profit target on day 3. You still need to trade on days 4 and 5. On day 4, you open a small position and close it for a $50 gain.
- 2On day 5, you do the same for a $25 gain.
- 3You've now met both the profit target and minimum trading days without risking significant profits.
Common Mistakes
- ✖Risking large positions on minimum trading days instead of placing small trades to fulfill the requirement
- ✖Not checking if the firm requires a minimum number of trades per day or just one
- ✖Forgetting that minimum trading days may differ between evaluation phases