A large-sized prop firm account, typically $150,000 and above, that trades E-mini or full-size futures contracts. These accounts are designed for experienced traders and carry higher per-point dollar exposure. The term 'standard account' is used here as a general size category — individual firms may use different labels for their largest account tiers.
Why It Matters
- 1Standard accounts are designed for experienced traders who can handle the larger per-tick dollar values.
- 2In the prop firm world, standard account sizes ($150,000-$300,000) allow trading more contracts or larger instruments, which means both higher potential profits and higher risk.
- 3The evaluation fees are proportionally higher, so you need confidence in your strategy before committing.
- 4Standard accounts make the most sense for traders who have already proven themselves on smaller accounts.
Example
- 1A $300,000 standard account evaluation costs $899 and allows up to 15 ES contracts.
- 2At $50 per point per contract, trading 10 contracts means each point of movement equals $500. A 10-point winning trade earns $5,000, but a 10-point losing trade costs the same.
- 3With a 4% daily loss limit ($12,000), you have room for a 24-point adverse move at 10 contracts before hitting the daily limit.
Common Mistakes
- ✖Starting with a standard account before proving consistency on smaller sizes
- ✖Not adjusting position sizing downward despite the larger account — risk percentage should stay constant
- ✖Underestimating the psychological pressure of watching larger dollar swings