Express to Live is a separate ONYX program (live now). You buy one evaluation, pass it, build a short buffer on the same account, then trade a live account. It is NOT one of the standard tracks (Sapphire, Flex, Gold) and it is NOT the Diamond program. Always call it "Express to Live", never "ETL".
Simulated vs live: the Express evaluation and buffer phases are SIMULATED. The Express live account is REAL live-capital trading. This differs from the standard tracks, whose funded accounts are simulated.
Two tracks (floor mechanic only)
Brand | Floor type | Floor mechanic |
Ruby-X | EOD trailing | Trailing floor that rises with every new end-of-day high and NEVER locks at breakeven. This is different from the standard Sapphire/Flex EOD floor, which locks at your starting balance. |
Platinum-X | Static | Fixed floor that never moves against you. |
Sizing, targets, and rules are identical across Ruby-X and Platinum-X. Only the floor mechanic differs.
Size means drawdown, not balance
The size you buy is your maximum drawdown (risk budget), NOT a deposit or account balance. It is the one hard limit the account is measured against. Sizes: $1,000, $1,500, $2,000, $3,000.
Tiers (per drawdown size)
Drawdown (size) | Evaluation target | Buffer target | Daily loss limit | Daily consistency cap (eval only) | Max contracts mini / micro |
$1,000 | $2,000 | $1,000 | $400 | $286 | 1 / 10 |
$1,500 | $3,000 | $1,500 | $600 | $429 | 1 / 15 |
$2,000 | $4,000 | $2,000 | $800 | $572 | 2 / 20 |
$3,000 | $6,000 | $3,000 | $1,200 | $858 | 3 / 30 |
Evaluation target = 2x drawdown. Buffer target = 1x drawdown. Daily loss limit = 40% of drawdown. Daily consistency cap = evaluation target divided by 7, rounded up. Contract limit is one pooled figure: 10 micros = 1 mini.
Three phases
Phase | Environment | Target | Min trading days | Consistency | Daily loss limit |
1. Evaluation | Simulated | 2x drawdown | 7 | Daily cap = target / 7 | 40% of drawdown |
2. Buffer | Simulated | 1x drawdown | None | None | 40% of drawdown |
3. Live account | Real live capital | None | None | None | Only the one you set yourself |
Daily consistency cap (evaluation only)
The only ONYX-specific rule in Express. It is a per-day ceiling on how much a single day can count toward your evaluation target. Value = evaluation target divided by 7, rounded up, fixed the day you start. It does not exist in the buffer or on the live account.
Overage: if your best day exceeds the cap, your target rises to that best day multiplied by 7. A big day is never wasted and never penalized.
Drawdown boost: while you are in drawdown the daily cap scales up, up to 3x, reaching the full 3x at your drawdown floor. Recovering never runs into the consistency rule.
Live account payouts
Split (you keep) | 85% |
Cadence | Daily, no minimum days between payouts |
Minimum payout | $300 |
Payout cap | None |
The live account is created for you after you clear the buffer. There is no payout button to unlock and no funded-stage grind.
Accounts, activation, resets
Activation fee | $0 on either track, any size |
Max active accounts | Up to 6, capped by combined drawdown of $6,000 (not by balance) |
Breach | A breach in the evaluation or the buffer closes the account. Both are resettable. |
Do not conflate with the standard tracks
Dimension | Express to Live | Standard tracks (Sapphire / Flex / Gold) |
Size means | Drawdown / risk budget ($1,000 to $3,000) | Account balance ($25K to $200K) |
EOD floor | Ruby-X trails, never locks at breakeven | Sapphire/Flex trails, locks at starting balance |
Daily loss limit | 40% of drawdown in eval and buffer; self-set when live | None forced |
Payouts | Daily, keep 85% | Weekly, up to 100% |
Min trading days (eval) | 7 | 3 (Sapphire, Gold), 5 (Flex) |
Max accounts | Up to 6 (combined drawdown $6,000) | Up to 10 (5 on Gold) |
Funded environment | Live account is real live capital | Funded accounts are simulated |
Live program identity | Express to Live (available now) | Diamond (their coming-soon live stage, separate) |
Firm-wide rules still apply where relevant: futures only on CME, COMEX, NYMEX, CBOT and their micros; flat at least two minutes before tier-1 news; no automated trading; copy trading across your own accounts on any platform. For current Express prices, see onyx-futures.com.
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