The size ladder
| Step 1 · 1 micro | Where every account and every month starts. |
|---|---|
| Step 2 · 2 micros | 10 sessions in a row at step 1 without a major slip, an average process score of 4 or more, and your new daily stop still well below the firm’s daily limit and far from your drawdown. |
| Step 3 · 3 micros | The same criteria, 10 sessions at step 2. Step 3 is the ceiling for Month 3. |
Every account, and every new month, starts at step 1.
The drawdown test
Before each step up, check that your distance to the max loss still holds at least 2 full days of your daily stop at the new size. Example: with $1,200 left before the max loss and a daily stop of $100 at 1 micro, you can absorb 12 bad days. At 3 micros, the daily stop is $300: 4 days, still above 2. With $500 left, 3 micros means less than 2 days: stay at your step, or step down.
Step down immediately if
- You have 2 major slips within 5 sessions.
- You hit your daily stop 2 sessions in a row.
- Your distance to the drawdown no longer fits 2 full days of your daily stop at this size.
Stepping down is not a punishment. It’s the ladder doing its job: you climb back with the same criteria.
After a pass, a payout or a new account
Back to step 1 for 5 sessions. A win changes your account, not your process.
Micros before minis
One mini (ES, NQ) is worth 10 micros. Climbing from 1 to 3 micros keeps each step small; moving to a mini multiplies the risk by 10 at once. Your firm also caps the number of contracts per account: it’s on each firm’s page.
Practice the next step first
On 10 replay setups, calculate the risk at the next step. If the stop no longer fits your daily stop, the size has to wait, not your limits. The position size calculator does the math.
Part of the free 90-day gameplan for new prop firm traders. Educational content, not financial advice. Trading futures involves a high risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone. The Sweep Setup and the size ladder are learning tools, not recommendations or proven strategies. Buying an evaluation is your own decision. Always check your prop firm’s official rules for your account.