Profit Splits and Scaling
The profit split is the number on the box: 80/20, 90/10, 50/50. But the split you see on the landing page is rarely the split you get on day one. The real question is what makes it move.
The baseline norms
| Split | Typical context |
|---|---|
| 50/50 | Topstep baseline; TradeDay baseline |
| 80/20 | The industry default, most forex/CFD evaluation firms |
| 90/10 | Scaling milestone, or an option with conditions |
| 100/0 | Marketing headline. Always has conditions attached. Treat as fiction until proven. |
How splits scale
The “up to 90%” language hides the path. Common mechanisms:
- Milestone scaling (FTMO): each profitable payout milestone moves your split up.
- Deferral bonus (Apex): wait 30 days for the first payout → 90/10.
- Cumulative profit tiers (The5ers): your split rises as total profit grows.
- Tenure (Topstep): time on the funded account raises the split.
What to check
- What is the starting split on the exact program you’re buying?
- What are the exact conditions for the higher split?
- Does the higher split apply retroactively to existing profit, or only from the next period?
- Does taking a payout reset your scaling progress?
The gotcha
“Up to 90%” is the most-abused phrase in prop firm marketing. The conditions are always somewhere, always. If the conditions aren’t on the same page as the headline number, that’s a deliberate design choice. Note it, and expect the split you’re actually offered to be the baseline, not the ceiling.