Weekend Holding

Trading Rules & Restrictions

Source review:

According to Vigil's prop trading glossary, Weekend Holding is keeping trading positions open from Friday market close through Monday market open. Weekend holding carries gap risk because markets can move significantly over the weekend due to geopolitical events. In prop trading, understanding weekend holding is critical because it directly affects your drawdown limits, position sizing, and whether you pass or fail an evaluation.

This term is part of the full prop firm glossary.

View in full glossary
How does weekend holding work?

Weekend holding is a subset of overnight holding and carries additional risk because the weekend gap can be much larger than an overnight gap. Markets are closed for approximately 48 hours over the weekend, and any major news during that time can cause a significant price gap on Monday open.

Most futures prop firms (TopStep, Apex) prohibit weekend holding. Forex-focused firms are more lenient -- FTMO, FundedNext, and The5%ers all allow weekend holding. This is because forex traders are accustomed to managing weekend gap risk.

For traders who use weekend holding as part of their strategy (e.g., holding a position initiated on Thursday for a weekly timeframe play), firm selection is critical. Being forced to close on Friday and re-enter on Monday adds transaction costs and creates the risk of entering at a worse price after a gap.

What does weekend holding look like in practice?

The5%ers $100K forex account: you buy GBP/USD at 1.2650 on Friday. Over the weekend, unexpected election results cause GBP to gap down. Monday open: 1.2550 (100 pip gap). With 2 standard lots, you are down $2,000 on open. With a 4% max drawdown ($4,000), this single gap consumed 50% of your total drawdown room.

Why does weekend holding matter for prop firm traders?

Weekend Holding rules vary between firms. What is allowed at one firm can be a violation at another. Always verify before your first trade on a new account.

Practical example across firms: FTMO: 2-step, static drawdown, 5% daily loss, from €155. TopStep: 1-step, trailing drawdown, 2% daily loss, from $49.

Common mistake: The most common mistake with weekend holding: carrying habits from one firm to another without rechecking. Weekend Holding rules can differ between firms and even between evaluation phases at the same firm.

How do different firms handle weekend holding?

Understanding weekend holding is essential when choosing and trading with a prop firm. Compare how different firms handle this:

What terms are related to weekend holding?

Overnight Holding

Keeping trading positions open past the daily market close. Some prop firms require all positions to be flat (closed) before the end of the trading session, while others allow positions to be held overnight.

News Trading Restriction

A rule prohibiting or limiting trading during major economic announcements like FOMC, NFP, and CPI releases. Firms restrict news trading because extreme volatility can cause rapid drawdown breaches.

Position Sizing

The process of determining how many contracts, lots, or shares to trade per position based on your account size, risk tolerance, and the distance to your stop-loss. Proper position sizing is the foundation of risk management.

Stop-Loss

A pre-set order to close a position at a specified price to limit losses. In prop trading, stop-losses are not optional -- trading without them means a single adverse move could breach drawdown limits and terminate the account.

See weekend holding in action
Where can I learn more?

How to Pass FTMO $200,000

Step-by-step guide

How to Pass TopStep $150,000

Step-by-step guide

How to Pass Apex Trader Funding $300,000

Step-by-step guide

FTMO Trust Score

Independent trust audit

TopStep Trust Score

Independent trust audit

Not sure which firm matches your trading style?

Test your knowledge: Which prop firm matches your style?

VR

Vigil Research

Reviewed | Rules verified against official firm websites