Overview
Holidays bring shortened or closed markets. All account types must close positions 15 minutes before any early close. Positions still open at the cutoff are auto-liquidated. Topstep emails details before each holiday.
Position Close Rule
Close all positions 15 minutes before early close (e.g., close by 11:45 CT for a 12:00 CT close)
Applies to: Trading Combine®, Express Funded Account® (XFA), Live Funded Account® (LFA)
Open positions at the cutoff will be auto-liquidated
⚠️ Holiday trading hours are subject to change per the exchange. Always confirm with CME holiday hours when planning trades.
2026 Holiday Schedule
Holiday | Date | Close Positions By | Reopen After |
New Year's Day | Thu Jan 1, 2026 | Markets closed | 17:00 CT (for 1/2 trade date) |
MLK Day | Mon Jan 19, 2026 | 11:45 CT | 17:00 CT Mon Jan 19 |
Presidents' Day | Mon Feb 16, 2026 | 11:45 CT | 17:00 CT Mon Feb 16 |
Good Friday | Fri Apr 3, 2026 | 08:00 CT | 17:00 CT Sun Apr 5 |
Memorial Day | Mon May 25, 2026 | 11:45 CT | 17:00 CT Mon May 25 |
Juneteenth | Fri Jun 19, 2026 | SIM: 11:45 CT | 17:00 CT |
Independence Day | Fri Jul 3, 2026* | 11:45 CT | 17:00 CT Sun Jul 5 |
Labor Day | Mon Sep 7, 2026 | 11:45 CT | 17:00 CT Mon Sep 7 |
Thanksgiving | Thu Nov 26, 2026 | 11:45 CT | 17:00 CT Thu Nov 26 |
Day After Thanksgiving | Fri Nov 27, 2026 | 12:00 CT | 17:00 CT Sun Nov 29 |
Christmas Eve | Thu Dec 24, 2026 | 12:00 CT | — |
Christmas Day | Fri Dec 25, 2026 | Markets closed | 17:00 CT Sun Dec 27 |
New Year's Day | Fri Jan 1, 2027 | Markets closed | 17:00 CT Sun Jan 3 |
*July 4 falls on Saturday; early close observed on Friday July 3.
👉 Please note: Payouts are not available during holiday hours.
CME Protocol
What Is the CME Holiday Protocol?
On certain holidays, the CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) operates on a shortened trading schedule. Rather than treating each calendar day as a separate trading session, the CME may blend multiple calendar days into a single trading day — meaning all profits, losses, and drawdowns accumulated across that window are counted together as one session.
Example: If a holiday falls on a Monday with reduced trading hours, the CME may treat the period from Sunday's market open through Tuesday's market close as a single trading day.
How Does a Blended Trade Date Affect Your Daily Loss Limit (DLL)?
This is an important distinction that can directly impact your ability to trade. Your DLL applies to the entire blended session — not each calendar day within it. Here's what that means in practice:
If you hit your DLL during the abbreviated holiday session (e.g., Monday), your account will be locked for the remainder of that blended trading day — which may extend into Tuesday's session.
Even though Tuesday feels like a brand new day, the platform will still consider you to be within the same trade date until the blended session officially closes.
You would not be able to resume trading until the blended session ends and a new trade date begins.
Bottom line: On a blended trade date, hitting your DLL earlier in the session can prevent you from trading further into what you may think of as the "next" calendar day.
What If My Platform Does NOT Follow the CME Protocol?
If your platform does not follow the CME Protocol, each calendar day is treated independently — regardless of holidays or shortened hours.
Does My Platform Follow the CME Protocol?
If you trade a Live Funded Account on TopstepX, you are subject to blended trade dates during CME holidays and should plan your risk accordingly. See table below.
Account Type | CME Protocol |
Live Funded Account® | Yes |
Trading Combine® | No |
Express Funded Account® | No |
Key Takeaway: Before trading around a holiday, always confirm whether your account type follows the CME Protocol. If it does, treat the entire blended session as a single trading day when managing your daily risk.