End-of-Day (EOD) Drawdown Explained
End-of-day (EOD) drawdown is a trader-friendly variant where your drawdown level only updates at the close of each trading day. This means intraday swings in your open P&L do not affect your drawdown floor — only your closing balance matters.
How EOD Drawdown Works
With EOD drawdown, the firm captures your account balance at market close each day. If your closing balance is higher than any previous close, the drawdown floor rises. But unlike real-time trailing drawdown, your open trades during the day have no impact on the calculation. This is especially beneficial for traders who hold positions through volatility before closing at a profit.
EOD vs Real-Time: A Practical Example
Imagine a $50K account with $2,500 drawdown. During the day, your trade runs to +$2,000, pulling back to close at +$500. With real-time trailing, your floor rose to $49,500 (tracking the +$2,000 peak). With EOD trailing, your floor only rises to $48,000 (tracking the +$500 close). That $1,500 difference could mean the difference between staying funded and blowing the account.
Which Firms Offer EOD Drawdown?
EOD drawdown is most common among futures prop firms. Apex Trader Funding pioneered the EOD trailing drawdown model, and many firms have followed. Use our comparison table below to see which firms currently offer EOD drawdown.
Best Practices
Even with EOD drawdown, discipline matters. Close your trades before market close to ensure your balance reflects your actual gains. Avoid holding losing positions overnight hoping for a reversal, as your closing balance determines the floor. Track your daily closing balances to always know where your drawdown stands.
Firms Using End-of-Day (EOD) Drawdown
| Firm | Max Drawdown | Profit Split | Payout Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Trading | 4% | 90% | Every 3 business days (LucidPro) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is EOD drawdown better than trailing?
For most traders, yes — EOD drawdown is more forgiving because it ignores intraday equity swings. This gives you more room to manage trades without the pressure of watching the drawdown floor move in real time.
Does EOD drawdown apply to the daily loss limit?
No. The daily loss limit is always real-time. Even with EOD drawdown on the max trailing, you can still breach the daily limit intraday.
When does EOD drawdown update?
It updates at the official market close time set by the firm. For CME futures, this is typically 5:00 PM ET (4:00 PM CT).