Weekend Holding Restrictions for Prop Firm Traders
Futures prop firms almost never let you hold positions over the weekend. If you do, you’ll trigger an instant hard breach. The rule is simple: you must be flat before the futures market closes on Friday. But every firm times it differently, and if you miss the cutoff even by a minute, you’re done.
Why Prop Firms Don’t Allow Weekend Holds
The futures market opens Sunday with gaps — sometimes small, sometimes massive. Prop firms don’t want the risk of your position opening dozens of points against you. They protect themselves by forcing every trader to be flat by a certain time on Friday.
This rule is just as important as max position size limits or daily loss rules. Break it once and the account is gone.
Common Friday Cutoff Times
Each firm publishes a specific time you must be flat. Here’s the general pattern:
| Firm Type | Cutoff Time (Approx.) |
|---|---|
| Most Futures Prop Firms | 3:55 PM – 4:00 PM CST |
| Strict Firms | 3:45 PM CST |
| Flexible Firms | Right at market close (4:00 PM CST) |
This isn’t optional. You don’t get a warning. If the system detects an open position after cutoff, you fail.
What You MUST Close Before the Weekend
Firms count everything:
- All open trades
- All pending orders (yes, even working orders)
- All bracket orders/stops still attached to a closed position
- OCO groups that didn’t cancel correctly
The firm’s risk system doesn’t care if it was an accident. If anything is working in the market, it counts as exposure.
How Positions Accidentally Carry Into the Weekend
The most common mistakes include:
- Forgetting a stop-loss order after closing a trade
- Submitting a limit order and assuming it auto-cancels
- Letting scaling orders sit on your chart
- Closing a position manually but leaving a bracket leg active
One stray order is all it takes to trigger a hard breach.
How to Avoid Weekend Violations
The strongest traders survive because they treat Friday like a cleanup day:
- Stop trading early — don’t wait until the last five minutes
- Flatten everything and manually cancel all working orders
- Check your positions tab and your orders tab separately
- Reload your platform data to confirm nothing is stuck
A good habit is to be flat at least 15 minutes before your firm’s cutoff. Don’t flirt with the line.
Firms With Hardline Weekend Rules
Most futures firms enforce strict no-hold policies:
- Apex — flat by cutoff, no exceptions
- Leeloo — strict, immediate hard breach
- Bulenox — zero weekend exposure allowed
- Topstep — historically strict and fast to liquidate
If you’re mixing multiple firms, always default to the earliest cutoff time. It keeps you out of trouble.
Final Takeaway
Weekend holding restrictions are simple: be flat before Friday’s cutoff or you lose the account. Close everything, cancel everything, and double-check your platform. It takes two minutes and saves you from a stupid violation.