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ThinkCapital News Trading Rule
The Simple Answer
ThinkCapital news trading is banned on Lightning, Nexus, Dual Step Intraday, and Bolt accounts at all stages including evaluation. Dual Step Swing is the only account where news trading is fully allowed by default. Violations on restricted accounts result in immediate account termination and forfeiture of all profits.
A News Trading Add-On is available at checkout for Lightning and Nexus accounts, which removes the restriction entirely for both challenge and funded phases. The Bolt instant funding account does not offer the add-on, and carries a stricter 5-minute window compared to the standard 2-minute window on other accounts. ThinkCapital uses the Forex Factory calendar to define high-impact events. All-day events are excluded from the restriction since they have no specific release time.
Below is a breakdown of how the ThinkCapital news trading rules apply across different account types and stages.
| Challenge Type | Evaluation Phase | Funded Phase |
|---|---|---|
| Instant (Bolt) | N/A | Not Allowed |
| 1 Step (Lightning) | Not Allowed | Not Allowed |
| 2 Step (Dual Step Intraday) | Not Allowed | Not Allowed |
| 2 Step (Dual Step Swing) | Allowed | Allowed |
| 3 Step (Nexus) | Not Allowed | Not Allowed |
Breakdown by Account Type
Instant (Bolt)
The Bolt account provides instant access to a funded account with no evaluation phase. ThinkCapital news trading is strictly prohibited on Bolt accounts. The restriction is stricter than other account types: no trades may be opened or closed, and no account activity including SL and TP hits are permitted within 5 minutes before or after a high-impact event. The total restricted window is 10 minutes per release. The News Trading Add-On is not available for Bolt accounts. Any activity during the window results in immediate account termination and forfeiture of all profits.
1 Step (Lightning)
ThinkCapital news trading is prohibited on Lightning challenge and funded accounts. The 2-minute window applies before and after each high-impact red-folder event on the Forex Factory calendar. No trades, limit orders, stop orders, or any account activity including SL and TP fills may occur within the 4-minute total window. Violations result in immediate account termination. The News Trading Add-On is available at checkout for Lightning accounts. Purchasing it removes the restriction entirely for both the challenge and funded phases.
2 Step (Dual Step Intraday)
The Dual Step Intraday challenge and funded account are subject to the same 2-minute news trading restriction as Lightning. No activity is permitted within 2 minutes before or after a high-impact event. Violations result in immediate account termination and profit forfeiture. ThinkCapital does not specify whether the add-on is available for Dual Step Intraday.
2 Step (Dual Step Swing)
Dual Step Swing is the only ThinkCapital account where news trading is allowed by default. There are no timing restrictions and no window to observe around high-impact events. Traders on the Swing account can open and close positions freely at any time. This makes the Dual Step Swing suitable for traders who build strategies around macroeconomic releases.
3 Step (Nexus)
Same news trading rule as Lightning. The 2-minute restriction applies on both the Nexus challenge and funded account. Any trade execution, pending order trigger, or SL and TP hit within the 4-minute window constitutes a violation and results in immediate account termination. The News Trading Add-On is available at checkout for Nexus accounts, which removes the restriction for the full account lifecycle.
Warning System for News Rule Violations
ThinkCapital news trading violations are hard breaches with no warning. Any restricted activity during the window results in immediate termination of the funded agreement, cancellation of the account, and forfeiture of all profits. This applies to all restricted account types. There is no soft breach mechanism and no profit deduction option. Traders who need news trading capability have two routes: purchase the add-on for Lightning or Nexus, or choose the Dual Step Swing account where no restriction exists.
Final Comments
ThinkCapital news trading policy is one of the strictest in the prop firm space on standard accounts. The hard breach on first violation, combined with immediate profit forfeiture, means there is no room for accidental exposure around news events. Traders on Lightning, Nexus, or Bolt accounts need to be disciplined about their calendar management.
The Dual Step Swing account is the clearest solution for news traders within the ThinkCapital product range. It has no restriction, no add-on required, and no window to manage. The Lightning and Nexus add-on is an alternative for traders who want to trade those formats but need news trading capability, though it adds cost at checkout. Bolt traders have no workaround option: the 5-minute window applies and cannot be removed.
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FAQ
Is ThinkCapital news trading allowed?
It depends on the account. Dual Step Swing allows news trading by default with no restrictions. All other accounts (Lightning, Nexus, Dual Step Intraday, and Bolt) prohibit news trading. Lightning and Nexus traders can purchase a News Trading Add-On at checkout to remove the restriction.
Which ThinkCapital account allows news trading?
The Dual Step Swing account allows ThinkCapital news trading by default at all stages with no window or restriction. Lightning and Nexus accounts allow it if the News Trading Add-On has been purchased. All other accounts are restricted.
What is the restricted window at ThinkCapital?
On Lightning, Nexus, and Dual Step Intraday, the restricted window is 2 minutes before and 2 minutes after each high-impact event, creating a 4-minute total window. On Bolt, the window is 5 minutes before and 5 minutes after, for a 10-minute total.
What happens if I violate the news trading rule?
A news trading violation at ThinkCapital is a hard breach with no warning. The account is terminated immediately, the funded agreement ends, and all profits are forfeited. There is no first-offence warning or soft breach mechanism.
Is the News Trading Add-On available for Bolt accounts?
No. The News Trading Add-On is only available for Lightning and Nexus accounts. Bolt accounts cannot unlock news trading, and the 5-minute restriction cannot be removed.
Which calendar does ThinkCapital use?
ThinkCapital uses the Forex Factory calendar for red-folder high-impact events. All-day events marked as red folder are excluded from the restriction since they have no specified release time.