The short answer
Vanguard Futures has no minimum trading-day requirement, including for the first payout. Each payout requires a 6% profit target, a best day within 20% of total net profit, all positions closed and a minimum payout of $100. Payout caps depend on your account size and payout number.
First and later payouts
Vanguard is instant funding: there is no evaluation and you trade under funded rules from the first trade. There is no separate first-payout waiting period or five-day requirement.
Before each payout, the 6% profit target and 20% Best Day condition must both be met. On a $50,000 account, the 6% target is $3,000. Meeting the consistency limit alone does not establish payout eligibility.
Before the first payout, identity verification (KYC) and the Trader Agreement must also be complete. These are one-time requirements.
How Vanguard differs from Thunderbolt Classic
Rule | Thunderbolt Classic Futures | Vanguard Futures |
Account type | One-step evaluation, then funded | Instant funding |
Profit requirement before payout | At least 1% since the last payout, or since funding for the first | 6% profit target |
Minimum trading days | 3 per payout period, each with profit ≥0.5% of initial balance; none on accounts purchased before October 29, 2026 | None, including for the first payout |
Best Day Rule | 35%; 20% on accounts purchased before October 29, 2026 | 20% |
Other payout conditions | All positions closed; minimum payout $100; applicable payout cap | All positions closed; minimum payout $100; applicable payout cap |
The $100 minimum is your share after the selected profit split. See Futures: Thunderbolt Classic complete rules and Futures: Vanguard complete rules for all account rules.
Example: a first Vanguard payout
On a $50,000 Vanguard account, assume the payout period has $3,200 of total net profit and the largest profitable day is $600. The 6% target is $3,000, and $600 ÷ $3,200 × 100 = 18.75%, so both the profit target and the 20% Best Day condition are met.
If positions are closed, KYC and the Trader Agreement are complete, and the remaining conditions are met, you may request a payout. The first-payout cap on a $50,000 Vanguard account is $750. Profit above the cap remains in the account for a later payout. This example describes completed results, not a recommended trading schedule.
Fees and processing
Bank transfer carries a $19.90 fee plus 2.49%. Crypto carries $19.90 plus 30%, reduced to $19.90 plus 2.49% if more than 50% of your orders were paid in crypto. Crypto payouts use USDT TRC20 or USDC ERC20. Approved payouts are processed the same day.
For the full process, see Futures: How to request a payout.
Common questions
Do I need five qualifying days for the first payout? No. The minimum trading-day requirement has been removed. The 6% profit target, 20% Best Day limit and other payout conditions apply.
Does meeting the Best Day limit guarantee a payout? No. It satisfies only the consistency condition; every payout requirement must be met.
Do funded risk rules apply before the first payout? Yes. Vanguard's 3% EOD trailing drawdown, 2% daily drawdown and 1.5% max trade loss apply from your first trade. See Futures: Vanguard complete rules for their calculation and enforcement.
Profit split note: The standard Upcomers profit split is 90%. Depending on the option selected at checkout, it can be adjusted to 80% or 100%. Changing the profit split also changes the Challenge price. The selected profit split remains linked to that account. Accounts purchased under previous conditions retain the profit split assigned at the time of purchase.