GOAT Funded Trader: rules card
Every GOAT Funded Trader rule (2-Step, 1-Step, Instant GOAT, Instant Premium, Instant Pro, Pay Later, Goat $1) that decides whether a strategy fits, on one page with sources and a verification date.
GOAT Funded Trader rules at a glance
| Rule | Current terms |
|---|---|
| Programs | 2-Step and 1-Step evaluations (static drawdown), Instant GOAT and Instant Premium (no evaluation, trailing drawdown), Instant Pro, Pay Later (fee at payout, trailing drawdown), Goat $1. Several rules changed for accounts bought from 2 and 5 September 2026; each row states the date where it matters (help.goatfundedtrader.com, Sep 2026) |
| Automation (EAs, bots) | Allowed if the strategy complies with the rules; HFT, latency arbitrage and Gold Arbitrage EAs prohibited; commercial off-the-shelf EAs built to pass challenges are banned and the firm may request source code (velotrade, newyorkcityservers, 2026). Verify with firm for TradeLocker EA support |
| Copy trading | Own accounts only; Verify with firm |
| Drawdown (evaluation) | Static from initial balance on 2-Step (10%) and 1-Step (6%); trailing on equity on Instant models (6%), Pay Later (8% in phase 1) and Goat $1 |
| Drawdown (funded) | 2-Step and 1-Step: static carries over. Instant and Pay Later: 6% trailing end-of-day on equity; on Instant accounts the maximum loss limit resets after each payout |
| Daily loss limit | 2-Step: 4–5% by source; 1-Step: 4%; Instant models: 3% of the daily starting balance or equity, whichever is higher, calculated at 5 pm ET; Goat $1: 3% |
| Floating loss rule | Instant Premium, Pay Later and related models: the account is permanently closed when combined open loss reaches 2% of balance (1.5% on Instant Premium, tightened to 1% for accounts bought from 2 September 2026). Independent of the daily and maximum limits |
| Profit targets | 2-Step: 8% then 6% (some sources 8% / 5%); 1-Step and GOAT: 10%; Instant: none |
| Consistency | Funded stage only. Standard accounts: 15%; Instant GOAT: no day may be 15% or more of total profit in a payout period; Instant Pro and Pay Later: 20% (30% for Pay Later accounts bought from 5 September 2026); Instant Premium: none |
| Minimum days | 3 trading days on 1-Step and 2-Step to pass and per payout; Instant models: 5 profitable days at 0.5% of initial balance before each reward (Pay Later: 3, or 5 for accounts bought from 5 September 2026); resets after each payout |
| News | Allowed; profit from trades within 5 minutes of high-impact releases capped at 1% (velotrade, Jul 2026) |
| Overnight and weekend | Weekend holding allowed with a weekend-gap adjustment on some models. Verify with firm |
| Payout | Split 80% funded (100% reachable through the scaling ladder: 92% at Level 3, 95% at Level 4); withdrawal caps of 6% on the first two payouts on some models; $100 minimum from 30 July 2026; 48-hour payout guarantee with a $1,000 penalty; Goat $1 capped at $100 lifetime |
| Scaling | Instant accounts double at 10% profit; ladder to $2M with +3% / +4% drawdown, monthly salary $300–$500 at Levels 3–4 after 5–6 months of payouts |
| Platforms | TradeLocker (TradingView integration, limited EA support), MT5 by period; the firm has changed platforms more than once. Verify with firm |
| Instruments | Forex, indices (NAS100), metals (XAUUSD), crypto (1:2 leverage on crypto) |
| Entity | Hong Kong, founded 2023; $23M+ in paid rewards per the firm |
Rows marked “Verify with firm” are where current rule trackers are silent or disagree; the firm’s own help center is the only binding source.
What this means for a systematic strategy
GOAT is two firms under one name. The 2-Step and 1-Step evaluations are conventional: static drawdown, 3 minimum days, a 15% consistency rule that appears only once funded. The Instant family is a different animal: trailing floors, a 3% daily loss on the higher of balance or equity, and a floating-loss hard breach that closes the account at 1–2% of open loss. For a systematic strategy the floating-loss rule is the one that matters, and it tightened to 1% on 2 September 2026: on a 50K Instant Premium the whole book is liquidated and the account closed at $500 of open loss. That is a stop, not a drawdown.
The consistency numbers are also the tightest on any card here (15% standard, 15–20% Instant), which means a strategy needs roughly seven equal winning days per payout period. Systems that produce a few large days will pass the evaluation and never get paid on schedule.
Is GOAT Funded Trader worth it for a systematic strategy?
Only the 2-Step, and only for a strategy with many small, even days. Static drawdown and a refundable fee make the 2-Step usable; the 15% funded consistency rule is the constraint to model. The Instant models are not suitable for coded strategies with defined stops, because the 1–2% floating-loss breach fires before most stops do.
The platform history (TradeLocker with limited EA support) is the other reason to confirm the execution path in writing before paying.
Guides for this firm
- How to pass GOAT Funded Trader
- Prop firm hidden rules
- Prop firm consistency rules
- Rules cards for every firm
Every rule in the table is defined in the glossary and explained by mechanism in the rules hub.
FAQ
Does GOAT Funded Trader allow EAs?
Yes, if the strategy complies with the rules. HFT, latency arbitrage and Gold Arbitrage EAs are prohibited, and commercial challenge-passing EAs are banned; the firm may ask for source code. EA support on TradeLocker is limited, so confirm the execution platform first.
What is the GOAT Funded Trader consistency rule?
It applies only once funded. Standard accounts: no day may exceed 15% of total profit in a payout period. Instant Pro and Pay Later: 20%, or 30% for Pay Later accounts bought from 5 September 2026. Instant Premium has none.
What is the floating loss rule?
On Instant Premium, Pay Later and related models the account is permanently closed when combined open loss reaches 2% of balance, 1.5% on Instant Premium, and 1% for challenges bought from 2 September 2026. It applies independently of the daily and maximum limits.
How is the GOAT daily drawdown calculated?
On Instant models, 3% of the higher of balance or equity at the 5 pm ET rollover; on the 2-Step, 4–5% and on the 1-Step 4%, measured on the initial balance.
How many trading days before a GOAT payout?
3 on the 1-Step and 2-Step, per payout period. 5 profitable days of at least 0.5% on Instant models (Pay Later: 3, or 5 for accounts bought from 5 September 2026). The count resets after each payout.
What is the GOAT profit split?
80% once funded, rising to 92% and 95% on scaling Levels 3 and 4 and up to 100% at the top of the ladder. Some models cap the first two withdrawals at 6% of the account.
Sources: firm documentation and current rule trackers, cross-checked September 2026. Rules change quarterly; the firm’s help center is the binding source.