Use this FAQ for quick answers about Tradesera, competition formats, payouts, billing, account security, and community.
For account-specific help, open a support ticket from the trader portal so the support team can review your account details.
Tradesera is a simulated futures trading competition platform where traders compete, improve their skills, and earn eligibility for competition-based payouts under published rules. All trading takes place in a simulated environment.
No. Tradesera is not a traditional proprietary trading firm. We operate skill-based simulated trading competitions with their own rules, rankings, and payout structures.
All trading activity takes place in a simulated environment. No live trades are executed on your behalf and no customer funds are placed into financial markets.
At this time, Tradesera does not offer a path to live funded trading accounts. Our focus is on providing competitive simulated trading experiences designed to help traders develop consistency, discipline, and risk management skills.
No. Traders of all experience levels are welcome. However, futures trading concepts can be complex, so we encourage participants to educate themselves and manage risk responsibly.
Trading is already difficult enough. We believe the challenge should come from the markets, not from complicated rules, oversized positions, or endless evaluation requirements.
Too often, traders find themselves focused on passing evaluations, managing restrictive rules, and chasing larger account sizes instead of improving their skills.
Tradesera was built around a different idea: helping traders develop consistency through competition, discipline, and community.
Our goal is simple: create an environment where traders can focus on becoming better traders.
Trading should be fun again.
We believe traders should have the freedom to keep the profits they earn and choose the brokerage, platform, and trading setup that best fits their needs.
Many funding programs eventually place traders into live accounts where profits are shared between the trader and the firm. While those models can work well for some traders, our philosophy is different. We believe successful traders should have the opportunity to trade on their own terms rather than being dependent on a specific funding provider or profit-sharing arrangement.
Rather than directing traders into a particular funding path, Tradesera focuses on helping participants build the skills, discipline, and confidence needed to succeed independently.
As Tradesera grows, we may partner with brokers or other service providers to help traders transition to live trading if they choose to do so. Any such opportunities would be optional and entirely separate from our simulated competitions.
Choose the competition that best fits your goals, complete registration, and receive your account credentials after your purchase is processed.
Most accounts are issued automatically after payment processing is completed. Processing times may vary during periods of high demand.
Yes. The number of accounts allowed depends on the competition and the published rules.
Currently, participants may hold up to two MNQ Scale Cup accounts and one NQ Showdown account. You may also participate in both competitions simultaneously while entries remain open.
As new competitions are introduced, account limits may vary. Always refer to the competition rules page for the most current information.
Tradesera is launching in the United States first. However, our goal is to make our competitions available to participants from all eligible countries where permitted by applicable laws and regulations.
Availability may vary by jurisdiction, so please refer to our Terms of Service for the most current list of supported countries and eligibility requirements.
Tradesera Competition Accounts are powered by Rithmic's professional trading infrastructure, providing fast execution, accurate fills, and a reliable trading environment.
We recommend Quantower for the best desktop trading experience, but participants are generally free to use any trading platform that supports Rithmic connectivity.
Connection instructions and platform setup details are provided after registration.
Winners are determined according to the rules of each competition. Please refer to the applicable Competition Format page for details on ranking methodology, qualification requirements, and payout structure.
No. Your maximum financial risk is limited to the fees paid for participation.
No. Tradesera competitions currently do not use a Daily Loss Limit (DLL).
Instead, each competition uses a static drawdown that defines the maximum allowable loss for the account. Unlike a daily loss limit, a static drawdown does not reset each trading day and does not fluctuate based on daily performance.
The specific drawdown amount depends on the competition and is published in the competition rules.
Accounts that violate competition rules may be disqualified, restricted, suspended, or closed depending on the nature of the violation.
No. Tradesera does not currently offer account resets.
If an account breaches its drawdown limit or otherwise becomes ineligible under the competition rules, it cannot be reset. Traders who wish to continue participating may purchase a new competition account if entries are still being accepted or join the next competition cycle.
No. MNQ Scale Cup starts in MNQ mode. The account starts with 3 MNQ contracts, and 1 NQ mode becomes available only after the account reaches full unlock at 10 MNQ equivalent size.
Size unlocks are based on reviewed cumulative end-of-day realized profit. After more than $300 in end-of-day realized profit, each full additional $100 can unlock +1 MNQ, up to 10 MNQ or 1 NQ equivalent size.
No. Intraday gains and open P&L do not unlock size by themselves. Unlocks depend on reviewed end-of-day realized profit after the trading day is complete.
Not from a normal losing day. Once size is unlocked and applied, it is intended to remain available unless the account breaches its drawdown limit or otherwise becomes ineligible under the competition rules.
No. Full unlock means the account can choose 10 MNQ mode or 1 NQ mode. It does not mean 10 MNQ plus 1 NQ together. Only one exposure mode may be active at a time.
The account must be flat first, with no open positions and no open orders. Once the switch is requested and the Rithmic product limit update is confirmed, the selected mode stays active for the rest of the trading day.
Profit Lock is the MNQ Scale Cup path for protecting eligible profit before final settlement. It becomes available after an eligible active account has positive P&L and 3 qualifying profitable trading days. A qualifying day currently requires more than $100 in realized net profit.
No. If approved, the account is locked and trading stops on that account. The approved amount becomes pending final settlement. Withdrawal readiness comes after the competition closes, final settlement is complete, and payout requirements are satisfied.
MNQ settlement starts with an expected payout baseline: approved simulated profit x 90%. Final settlement then checks the trader payout pool. If the pool has extra money after the baseline, the remaining trader pool is shared among approved winners by performance share. If the pool is smaller than the baseline, payouts are adjusted proportionally.
If no trader qualifies, no payouts are made from that competition and the remaining trader payout pool rolls forward into the next scheduled MNQ Scale Cup. If approved payouts are covered and money remains, the remaining pool is distributed among approved winners by performance share.
It means the account may use up to one NQ-sized exposure. Traders can use that exposure as 1 NQ mode or 10 MNQ mode, but not both at the same time.
Yes. NQ Showdown starts in 1 NQ mode by default, but eligible traders may request 10 MNQ mode after the account is active and Rithmic setup is complete.
No. NQ Showdown uses one exposure mode at a time. In 1 NQ mode, NQ is enabled and MNQ is disabled. In 10 MNQ mode, MNQ is enabled and NQ is disabled.
The account must be active and flat first, with no open positions and no open orders. Once the switch is requested and the Rithmic product limit update is confirmed, the selected mode stays active for the rest of the trading day.
NQ Showdown is designed as a weekly competition. The target window starts Sunday at 6:00 PM ET and ends Friday at 4:00 PM ET. Final settlement review begins after the weekly competition window closes.
NQ Showdown currently uses a $2,000 static drawdown. There is no daily loss limit, no trailing drawdown, and no consistency rule. Accounts must still follow product limits, platform rules, competition rules, and prohibited-activity policies.
No. Profit Lock is for MNQ Scale Cup. NQ Showdown payout review happens after the weekly competition closes and final settlement begins.
A trader must finish inside the paid group, generate at least $500 in net profit, avoid breaching drawdown, remain in good standing, and pass final settlement review.
Not by itself. The top 20% is the maximum paid group, rounded up. A trader must also meet the $500 minimum net profit requirement, remain eligible, and pass final settlement review.
Qualified traders share the winner pool by performance share. Your net profit is divided by total qualifying net profit, and that percentage is applied to the winner pool. If nobody qualifies, no payouts are made from that competition and the remaining winner pool may roll forward under the published product rules.
A size unlock allows traders to increase their maximum position size after meeting specific performance milestones.
For example, in the MNQ Scale Cup, traders begin with a maximum position size of 3 MNQ contracts. As reviewed end-of-day realized profits increase, additional MNQ contracts may be unlocked. At full unlock, traders may choose between 10 MNQ mode or 1 NQ mode.
Size unlocks are designed to encourage traders to earn larger position sizes through consistent performance rather than starting with maximum leverage from day one.
For the current MNQ unlock schedule, use the MNQ Scale Cup FAQ on this page or the Competition Format page.
Most traders struggle because they trade too large too quickly. Size unlocks encourage consistency and disciplined risk management before increasing exposure.
No. Many traders perform better with smaller position sizes because decision-making becomes more consistent and emotionally controlled.
Drawdown represents the maximum decline allowed in your account before it becomes ineligible to continue.
Tradesera uses a static drawdown model unless otherwise specified in the competition rules.
No. Static drawdown levels do not move as your account balance increases.
Static drawdown is easier to understand, easier to manage, and allows traders to focus on execution instead of monitoring a moving threshold.
The account becomes ineligible under the competition rules and may be closed.
Competition Payout Pools are funded from eligible competition entry fees and are reserved for qualified trader payouts according to the published competition rules.
As long as a trader qualifies under the rules of the competition, the payout pool is there to support eligible payouts.
Eligibility requirements vary by competition and are outlined in the published rules.
Profit Lock is the MNQ Scale Cup path for protecting eligible profit before final settlement. It is not available for NQ Showdown.
For current eligibility and timing, use the MNQ Scale Cup FAQ on this page.
Processing times vary depending on verification requirements, payment settlement timelines, and payout volume.
No.
Simulated profits are used to measure trading performance, qualification status, and payout eligibility within a competition. MNQ Scale Cup and NQ Showdown use different payout models, so use the product-specific FAQ sections on this page for the current calculation method.
Reviews help ensure compliance with competition rules, identity verification requirements, tax obligations, and payment processing standards.
Yes. Requests may be denied if rules were violated, required documentation is incomplete, or eligibility requirements have not been met.
Unless specifically prohibited by a competition's rules, trading around news releases is generally permitted.
No.
All positions must be closed before the daily market maintenance break at 5:00 PM ET. Positions may not be held through the 5:00 PM ET to 6:00 PM ET market closure.
Trading may resume when the market reopens at 6:00 PM ET, subject to the rules of the competition.
Most legitimate trading strategies are permitted as long as they comply with competition rules and platform requirements.
Yes. Traders may copy their own trades between eligible Tradesera accounts when the accounts are using the same instrument and the same exposure style, subject to the competition rules.
For example, an MNQ Scale Cup account in 10 MNQ mode and an NQ Showdown account in 10 MNQ mode can be easier to align than accounts using different modes. Copy trading with other people, shared accounts, or attempts to bypass risk controls are not allowed.
Yes, automated trading systems are allowed as long as they follow the same rules as manual trading.
Your system must stay within the account's contract limits, drawdown rules, product restrictions, platform rules, and prohibited-activity policy. Automation cannot be used to bypass limits, create abusive order flow, exploit latency, share accounts, or avoid risk controls.
You are responsible for anything your automated system does on the account.
Generally yes, provided platform and security requirements are followed.
Tradesera currently accepts ACH transfers, credit cards, and debit cards at checkout.
If wallet-funded checkout is available on your account, you may also be able to use eligible wallet balance toward a purchase.
The payment methods displayed at checkout are the options currently available for that order.
Refunds may be requested before the official start of a competition.
Once a competition has started or trading activity has occurred on an account, participation fees are generally non-refundable.
No.
Once market data access has been provisioned to an account, the associated Rithmic market data fees are non-refundable. These fees are charged by third-party providers and are incurred whether or not the account is actively traded.
No.
Tradesera competitions are currently one-time purchases. Any required market data fees, if applicable, are disclosed separately before purchase.
No.
Tradesera does not currently offer subscription products or recurring billing. You will only be charged when you make a new purchase.
If you receive qualifying payouts, Tradesera may issue the required tax documents based on your tax profile, country of residence, payout amount, and applicable reporting requirements.
U.S. traders may be required to complete tax certification before payouts can be released. Non-U.S. traders may also be required to complete the appropriate tax forms or certifications.
Not every trader will receive a tax document. Tax reporting requirements depend on payout activity and applicable laws and regulations.
Identity verification helps protect participants, prevent fraud, and satisfy legal and tax reporting requirements.
We use industry-standard security practices to protect participant information.
No. Tradesera does not provide investment, financial, legal, or tax advice.
Yes. Tradesera is designed to bring traders together through competitions, rankings, challenges, and shared learning experiences.
Yes.
Tradesera competitions include leaderboards and rankings that allow participants to compare their performance with other traders in the same competition.
Leaderboard rankings are calculated according to the rules and scoring methodology of each competition.
Most trading companies focus on larger account sizes and passing evaluations. Tradesera focuses on consistency, discipline, competition, and helping traders enjoy the process of becoming better traders.
We believe many traders fail because they are encouraged to trade too large, too fast, under too much pressure. Tradesera is built around a different philosophy: smaller size, better decisions, meaningful competition, and long-term growth. Consistency comes first. Everything else follows.