Getty Images Day trading is fast, stressful, risky and often expensive in ways new traders don't realize until the damage is already done. Day trading just got easier to access, but that doesn't mean it got easier to survive. As of June 4, 2026, the old pattern day trader designation and $25,000 minimum equity requirement were replaced with a new risk-based intraday margin framework. Now brokerage firms will monitor your account throughout the trading day to ensure you have adequate equity.