What is the buffer?
A cushion that stays in the account. Once funded on a Cycle or Stream account, your balance has to be above the buffer before any profit can be withdrawn. The buffer equals the starting balance plus the initial Max Loss Limit plus $100: the exact point where the trailing limit locks.
| Account type | 25K | 50K | 100K | 150K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cycle | $26,100 | $52,100 | $103,100 | $154,600 |
| Clear | None | None | None | None |
| Stream | $26,100 | $52,100 | $103,100 | $154,600 |
| Direct | None | None | None | None |
Why does the buffer exist?
Because the Max Loss Limit locks at the starting balance plus $100. Once your balance is above the buffer, a full drawdown down to the locked limit still leaves you above the starting balance. In other words, the buffer guarantees that a payout is taken from real cushion, not from the trailing room.
How does the buffer interact with payouts?
Everything above the buffer is profit that can be requested, subject to the payout rules of the account type. On Cycle, you also need to reach the cycle goal and pass the consistency check, and the first payout is capped. On Stream, everything above the buffer can be requested every day with no cap per request.
Which accounts have no buffer?
Clear and Direct. On Clear, the safeguard is the five-day rule with a cap at 50% of the cycle profit. On Direct, it is the 20% consistency rule and cycle goals. Neither keeps a fixed balance in the account.
Common mistakes
- Counting the buffer as withdrawable profit when planning the first payout.
- Forgetting the extra $100: the buffer is not “starting balance + limit” but that amount plus $100.
- On Stream, requesting a payout below the $500 minimum because the amount above the buffer is small.
Simulated accounts until Live. Futures trading involves substantial risk of loss.