Instant PRO accounts at Shark Futures use a Trailing Max Drawdown system (End-of-Day mode) combined with a soft daily loss limit for higher-tier accounts. Understanding how these mechanisms work together is critical to managing risk properly and maintaining payout eligibility.
Key Mechanics Overview
Rule | $25K Account | $50K Account | $100K Account | $150K Account |
Max Drawdown (Hard Floor) | $1,250 | $2,000 | $4,000 | $6,000 |
Daily Loss Limit (Soft) | N/A | $1,500 | $3,000 | $4,500 |
Starting Balance Cap | $25,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 | $150,000 |
Drawdown Mode | End of Day | End of Day | End of Day | End of Day |
Core Concepts Explained
Trailing Max Drawdown (Hard Floor)
The trailing drawdown updates only at end of day (EOD) based on your closing balance
The drawdown trails your highest EOD balance
If your live equity drops below the drawdown level at any time, the account is immediately breached and closed
Once your drawdown reaches your starting balance, it stops trailing permanently
This is a hard rule and is enforced live intraday.
Soft Daily Loss Limit
Instant PRO accounts at $50K and above include a soft daily loss limit, equal to the drawdown buffer.
Important clarifications:
The soft daily loss limit does not close the account
It does not disable trading
It does not automatically disqualify payouts
It is provided as a risk management guideline, not a hard stop
All breach decisions are based on total equity vs the hard drawdown floor, not the soft limit.
How the Drawdown System Behaves
Case 1: Soft Daily Loss Limit Followed by Hard Breach
$50K Instant PRO Account
Day 1
Trader loses $1,500 intraday
Soft daily loss limit is reached
Account remains active
EOD balance = $48,500
Hard drawdown floor remains at $48,000
Day 2
Trader loses another $550 intraday
Live equity drops to $47,950
Equity falls below the hard drawdown floor
❌ Hard breach triggered — account closes permanently
Case 2: Profitable Growth (Drawdown Trails, Then Locks)
$50K Instant PRO Account
Day 1
+$1,000 profit
EOD balance = $51,000
Drawdown moves to $49,000
Day 2
+$2,000 profit
EOD balance = $53,000
Drawdown locks at $50,000 (starting balance)
Day 3
+$2,000 profit
EOD balance = $55,000
Drawdown remains locked at $50,000
From this point forward, any drop below $50,000 at any time results in a hard breach, regardless of how high profits go.
Case 3: Recovery Followed by Violation
$50K Instant PRO Account
Day 1
+$3,000 profit
EOD balance = $53,000
Drawdown locks at $50,000
Day 2
−$1,000 loss
EOD balance = $52,000
Account remains safe
Day 3
Trader loses $2,100 intraday
Live equity drops to $49,900
❌ Hard breach triggered — account closes immediately
Soft Daily Loss Limit vs Hard Breach
Type | Trigger | Result |
Soft Daily Loss Limit | Intraday loss exceeds soft limit | Account remains active |
Hard Breach | Equity falls below drawdown floor | Account permanently closed |
Consistency & Payout Rules (Instant PRO)
To qualify for a payout on any Instant PRO account, all requirements below must be met.
Minimum Trading Days
8 qualifying trading days are required
Days do not need to be consecutive
Definition of a Qualifying Trading Day
A qualifying trading day must:
Include at least one executed trade
Close the day with a minimum net profit of $150
Days below $150 do not count toward payout eligibility.
20% Consistency Rule
Add total profit from all qualifying days
Calculate 20% of that total
No single day's profit may exceed that amount
Any day exceeding the 20% threshold is disqualified and must be replaced with another qualifying day.
Additional Requirements
No hard breach may occur
Account must remain within drawdown limits