Breakout Restricted Countries 2026: Complete List

Breakout maintains a published list of countries from which traders cannot open or operate accounts. The list reflects standard international sanctions compliance plus a handful of additional jurisdictions where Breakout has chosen not to operate for risk or regulatory reasons. This guide covers the complete 2026 list, the reasoning behind the restrictions, the KYC and VPN policy, and the practical alternatives for traders in restricted regions.

Complete 2026 restricted country list

Why these countries are restricted

The Breakout list lines up closely with US Treasury OFAC sanctions, EU sanctions, and UN Security Council sanctions, plus a small set of additional jurisdictions where Breakout has chosen not to operate. The structural drivers behind the restrictions fall into four categories.

OFAC and international sanctions

The bulk of the list (Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Russia, Belarus, Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Venezuela, Sudan, South Sudan, Burma, Zimbabwe) reflects active US Treasury OFAC sanctions and equivalent EU and UN restrictions. Breakout is registered in Delaware, which means OFAC compliance is mandatory. Operating in OFAC-sanctioned jurisdictions exposes the firm to legal liability and is non-negotiable.

FATF high-risk jurisdictions

FATF (Financial Action Task Force) maintains lists of jurisdictions with strategic deficiencies in anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism financing controls. Countries on the FATF black list and gray list are restricted by most crypto-asset firms because operating there triggers enhanced due diligence requirements that are impractical at evaluation-account scale.

Regulatory restrictions on crypto

China maintains a comprehensive ban on crypto trading and exchange operations. Crypto prop firms cannot legally onboard Chinese residents under current Chinese law. Several other jurisdictions have similar restrictions on retail crypto activity, which is why those jurisdictions appear on most crypto prop firm lists.

Firm-specific risk decisions

A small number of jurisdictions on the list reflect Breakout-specific risk decisions rather than universal sanctions. These are countries where the firm has determined the operational risk-reward does not justify onboarding, often due to fraud rates, payout settlement complications, or jurisdiction-specific compliance issues.

Categorical breakdown

What is NOT restricted: eligible regions

The vast majority of the world is eligible to trade at Breakout. Specifically, the following regions and major markets are fully served.

United States

All 50 states. Breakout is Delaware-registered and explicitly serves US traders. KYC accepts US driver's licenses, passports, and other government-issued ID.

Europe and UK

All EU member states, the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. The only European country on the restricted list is Belarus.

Asia-Pacific

India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines. The notable exceptions are China and Cambodia.

Middle East and Africa

UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Israel, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa. Restricted countries in MEA are limited to Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, CAR, DR Congo, and Zimbabwe.

Latin America

Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and most of the Caribbean. Restricted: Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela.

KYC requirements

Breakout runs a streamlined KYC process that is fast by category standards. The required documents are minimal compared to brokerage KYC.

Required documents

• Government-issued photo ID (passport, driver's license, or national ID card)
• Selfie verification matched to the ID photo
• Country of issuance must be on the eligible list

Not required

• Utility bill or proof of address
• Bank statement
• Tax filing or financial statements
• Source of funds documentation at standard payout sizes

Processing time

KYC is typically processed within approximately 7 minutes for a clean submission. Document upload, selfie verification, and automated checks usually complete in minutes. Manual review takes longer and is triggered when documents are unclear or there is a discrepancy between the ID and the selfie.

VPN policy

Breakout's VPN policy is the same as most regulated and compliance-driven firms. VPNs are not blocked for general privacy use, but they cannot be used to circumvent country restrictions.

What is allowed

• VPN use for general privacy or network security from eligible countries
• Connecting through a VPN endpoint in a different eligible country during travel
• Standard corporate VPN connections that route through enterprise networks

What is not allowed

• Using a VPN to access Breakout from a restricted country
• Submitting documents from a restricted country with a VPN-disguised connection
• Operating an account that lists a restricted-country address or ID

Bypass attempts result in account closure. KYC documentation is the gate; the trader must be able to provide a government-issued ID from an eligible country. VPN tricks do not survive the KYC step.

What happens if your country is added later

Breakout can modify the restricted list at any time. The most common trigger for additions is new OFAC sanctions or FATF re-classifications. Existing funded traders in a newly restricted country would likely have accounts closed under evolving compliance rules, with any earned payouts subject to standard policy.

The practical implication is to withdraw frequently rather than accumulating large balances. This is a working-capital principle that applies broadly across prop firms, and it specifically protects against jurisdictional risk for traders in regions that could be added to a restricted list during a sanctions revision cycle.

Alternatives for restricted traders

Traders in restricted countries should not attempt to bypass the rules. The viable alternatives depend on the trader's actual jurisdiction.

If you reside in a restricted country

The honest answer is that crypto prop firms generally restrict the same set of countries because the OFAC and FATF lists drive the restrictions. Looking for a firm that operates in an OFAC-sanctioned country is looking for a firm taking compliance risk that the trader should not want. The alternative is to wait for jurisdictional changes or to consider relocating residency to an eligible country if the trading career is the priority.

If you have dual residency

Some traders have residency or citizenship in an eligible country alongside a restricted country. The KYC step accepts ID from an eligible country. The trader's documentary status, not just the country of physical presence, is what matters.

Peer-firm comparison

Common questions traders get wrong

1. Thinking VPN access solves country restrictions. KYC documentation is the gate; VPN tricks do not survive KYC.
2. Assuming a passport from an eligible country lets a restricted-country resident sign up. Some firms apply both citizenship AND residency criteria; Breakout's specific policy should be confirmed at signup.
3. Believing the list never changes. OFAC and FATF updates trigger list revisions; traders in border-line jurisdictions should monitor.
4. Conflating Breakout's list with all crypto prop firms. The lists overlap heavily but are not identical.
5. Trusting third-party advice on rule circumvention. Account closure is the standard consequence; the firm cannot make exceptions on sanctions compliance.

Practical takeaways and trader playbook

Restricted country lists at crypto-asset prop firms tend to converge because they are driven by the same compliance inputs: US Treasury OFAC sanctions, EU restrictive measures, UN Security Council resolutions, and FATF strategic deficiency lists. Firms that differ from those inputs are typically either adding additional firm-specific exclusions for risk reasons or, more rarely, taking compliance positions that should make a trader nervous. Breakout's list aligns closely with the convergent baseline, which is the expected position for a Delaware-registered firm.

Sanctions lists are updated by the various authorities on different cadences. OFAC updates the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list frequently and adjusts country-level sanctions on policy events. EU sanctions update through Council regulations on similar event-driven schedules. FATF publishes its black and gray lists at regular plenary meetings, typically three times per year. Firms revise their internal restricted lists to track these external updates, sometimes with a short lag. Traders in border-line jurisdictions should monitor not only the firm's published page but also the underlying sanctions calendars for early warning.

The practical implication for traders in eligible countries is that the published list is reliable but not permanent. The mature operational habit is to withdraw frequently rather than accumulating balances, which is sensible at any prop firm regardless of country risk. For traders in jurisdictions that have been on the periphery of sanctions for several years (some Eastern European, MENA, and African countries), the marginal risk of jurisdictional change is higher than for traders in fully stable jurisdictions like the US, UK, or major EU markets.

Dual residency and dual citizenship are common in modern professional mobility, and the KYC step at Breakout handles documentary status rather than physical presence at a given moment. A trader who is a citizen or resident of an eligible country is eligible based on documentation, even when traveling temporarily in a restricted country. The firm-specific policy on traveler use should be confirmed at signup; some firms apply tighter geo-fencing during trips than the citizenship test would suggest.

Documentation strategy for borderline cases

Traders with complex documentary status (dual citizenship, permanent residency in one country with a passport from another, multi-country tax residency) should choose the most defensible documentation profile for KYC purposes. Generally, the best approach is to use the strongest single document set from a clearly eligible country. Mixing documents from multiple jurisdictions in a single KYC submission sometimes triggers manual review and can complicate downstream payout verification. Pick the cleanest documentary story and submit it; save secondary documents as backups in case of additional verification requests.

For traders whose documentary status changes over time (e.g., obtaining new residency or citizenship after account creation), updating the firm's KYC record proactively is the right operational habit. Most firms allow KYC updates through support channels; some require a fresh KYC submission. Discovering a documentary mismatch at payout time is more painful than handling it preemptively when there is no time pressure.

Operational behavior during sanctions updates

Sanctions lists update on event-driven schedules. OFAC announcements trigger immediate compliance reviews at registered firms. EU sanctions cycle through Council adoption processes. UN Security Council resolutions move through deliberation cycles. Firms typically post announcements about restricted list changes on their official channels (homepage banner, email list, Discord) within a short window of the underlying policy event. Traders in border-line jurisdictions should subscribe to those channels for early warning rather than relying on community channels alone.

If a country is added to the restricted list while a trader has open positions or pending payouts, the practical outcome depends on the firm's specific policy. Some firms grandfather existing balances and allow withdrawal of pending payouts. Some require accounts to close immediately upon list update. The firm's terms of service typically describe the policy. Traders in border-line jurisdictions should read the terms carefully and consider this scenario as part of their risk planning rather than as a hypothetical.

VPN considerations in depth

VPN use is a layered question. For general privacy and security purposes, VPN use is universally permitted at compliant firms. For circumventing country restrictions, VPN use is prohibited and triggers account closure when discovered. The detection layer is primarily at KYC: the trader must provide a government-issued ID from an eligible country, and the document issuance country determines eligibility. VPN tricks at the connection layer do not survive document verification.

A separate VPN consideration is travel. Traders from eligible countries who travel through restricted countries sometimes find their connection routed through a restricted-country endpoint via VPN or geo-detection. Most compliant firms apply the country of residence and citizenship test rather than the country of physical presence at a given moment, but some apply stricter geo-fencing. The firm-specific policy on traveler use should be confirmed at signup if international travel is part of the trader's normal pattern.

Practical compliance hygiene

Healthy operational hygiene for a Breakout-funded trader includes withdrawing frequently to avoid concentrated balance risk, keeping primary documentation current and refreshed if circumstances change, monitoring the firm's announcement channels for restricted list updates and major policy changes, and documenting any unusual interactions with support in case escalation becomes necessary. None of these are unique to Breakout; they are general best practices for any prop firm relationship. Border-line jurisdiction traders need them more than fully stable-jurisdiction traders, but the habits work uniformly across the trader population.

What restricted-country traders sometimes miss

Traders in restricted countries occasionally believe they can solve eligibility issues through technical workarounds: VPN routing, friend-account purchases, or false documentation. None of these survive KYC at payout time, when the firm needs to verify the trader's actual identity and jurisdiction to process the payment. Attempting these workarounds risks losing both the evaluation fee and any earned but unpaid balances. The honest path is either to wait for jurisdictional changes (sanctions are revised periodically as international policy evolves) or to consider whether residency or citizenship in an eligible country is a viable longer-term option.

What restricted-list updates look like in practice

When a restricted list update happens, the firm typically posts an announcement on the homepage banner, the official email list, and the Discord channel within a short window of the underlying policy event. The announcement specifies which countries are being added or removed, when the update takes effect, and what the implications are for existing accounts in those jurisdictions. Traders in border-line jurisdictions should subscribe to those channels so they receive the announcement directly rather than learning about it indirectly through community channels.

For existing accounts in newly restricted countries, the firm's specific policy at the time of the update determines the outcome. Some firms grandfather existing funded accounts and allow them to continue trading and request payouts under standard terms. Others require immediate account closure. The terms of service typically describe the framework, but the firm-specific behavior during a real event sometimes goes beyond what is written. Documenting any communications with support during such events is good practice.

Compliance posture and what it means for traders

Breakout's Delaware registration and aligned compliance posture means the firm takes OFAC and equivalent sanctions seriously. That is good news for traders in eligible countries because it signals operational maturity and reduces the probability of the firm being sanctioned itself or losing payment processor relationships due to compliance issues. That is bad news for traders in restricted countries because the firm cannot make exceptions on the compliance dimension. Both effects are part of the same operational posture.

Traders who value strong compliance should weight Breakout's posture as a positive operational signal in the same category as audited financials or visible leadership. Firms with weaker compliance postures may offer more permissive country access, but the corresponding firm-side risk is higher and the trader is implicitly exposed to it through the partnership.

Long-term jurisdictional planning

For traders building a long-term career in prop trading, jurisdictional planning is part of the strategic decision set. Residency, citizenship, and tax domicile all interact with prop firm eligibility, payout taxation, and operational stability. Traders in unstable jurisdictions or jurisdictions trending toward restriction should think about residency options as part of their career planning rather than only as a reaction to specific restriction events. This is a longer-horizon question than a single account purchase, but it is the kind of strategic thinking that distinguishes professional traders from hobbyists.

For most traders in stable eligible jurisdictions, none of this is immediately relevant. The list is well-documented, KYC is fast, and the operational pipeline works cleanly. The strategic thinking matters only at the margins where jurisdiction is either uncertain or trending. For those margins, doing the work in advance is much cheaper than reacting after the fact.

Final practical notes

For traders in eligible countries, the Breakout restricted list is a non-event. KYC clears quickly, accounts operate normally, and the only relevant operational habit is withdrawing frequently rather than warehousing balances. For traders in border-line jurisdictions, the list deserves periodic monitoring through the firm's announcement channels. For traders in restricted countries, the honest path is to wait for jurisdictional changes or consider residency options rather than attempting workarounds that will not survive KYC.

The list itself is a snapshot in time that reflects current OFAC, EU, UN, and FATF compliance requirements plus firm-specific risk decisions. Sanctions lists update on event-driven schedules and the trader's right operational habit is to maintain awareness of the underlying policy environment rather than treating the published list as permanent. This is general best practice across compliant prop firms, not unique to Breakout.

As of 2026, the eligible markets cover the vast majority of the global trading population. US, UK, EU, most of APAC, most of MENA, most of Latin America, and major commonwealth countries are all served. The restrictions concentrate where international compliance frameworks require restrictions, which is the expected pattern for a compliant Delaware-registered firm.

Sanctions framework background

Most restricted-country lists at compliant prop firms derive from the same underlying frameworks: US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions, EU restrictive measures adopted by the Council, UN Security Council resolutions, and FATF strategic deficiency lists. Each of these frameworks operates on different cadences and through different policy processes. OFAC publishes Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) updates frequently and country-level sanctions through Executive Orders. EU sanctions move through Council Regulations. FATF publishes black and gray list updates at three annual plenary meetings.

Firms registered in jurisdictions subject to these frameworks must comply with the relevant set. Breakout is Delaware-registered, which means OFAC compliance is the primary driver of the firm's restricted list. EU traders should note that the firm operates globally and EU-specific sanctions may not all appear on the published list; traders in EU jurisdictions remain subject to their own local rules around prop firm participation regardless of the firm's published list.

How sanctions lists actually update

Sanctions list updates rarely happen in a vacuum. They typically follow specific international events: conflicts, government changes, terrorism designations, or major policy shifts at international institutions. Traders in jurisdictions near the periphery of sanctions activity can sometimes anticipate restrictions based on the underlying policy environment. The healthy operational habit is to maintain awareness of the underlying policy environment rather than only the firm's published list.

The bottom line

The Breakout restricted country list is 24 fully restricted countries plus three Ukraine regions under regional restrictions. The list reflects OFAC, FATF, and firm-specific risk decisions. KYC requires a government ID from an eligible country, and VPN bypass attempts result in account closure. For traders in eligible countries, the path is clean: ID, selfie, fast KYC, and trading. For traders in restricted countries, the firm cannot make exceptions; the right move is to wait for jurisdictional changes or look at residency options if the trading career is the priority.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can US traders use Breakout?

Yes. Breakout is US-registered (Delaware) and fully serves all 50 US states. KYC accepts US driver's licenses, passports, and other government-issued ID. There are no state-level restrictions beyond standard federal compliance. US traders are one of the firm's largest user bases.

Is China restricted from Breakout?

Yes. China is on the restricted list as of 2026. The restriction reflects China's domestic prohibition on crypto trading and exchange activity, which prevents Breakout from legally onboarding Chinese residents. This is universal across crypto prop firms operating under standard compliance frameworks.

Can Russian traders use Breakout?

No. Russia is fully restricted, aligning with international sanctions in effect since 2022 and ongoing OFAC and EU compliance requirements. Russian-issued ID is not accepted for KYC. Traders with dual citizenship or residency in an eligible country can use that documentation, but Russian residency alone does not pass KYC.

Does Breakout work in India?

Yes. India is not restricted. Indian traders can use all Breakout services and receive USDC or USDT payouts. KYC accepts Indian passports, driver's licenses, and Aadhaar-linked documents per Breakout's published process. India is one of the firm's larger international markets.

Can I use a VPN to access Breakout from a restricted country?

VPNs are allowed for general privacy use but not for circumventing country restrictions. KYC requires a government ID from an eligible country. Bypass attempts result in account closure. The KYC step is the gate; VPN tricks do not survive document verification because the firm checks document issuance country against the eligibility list.

What happens if my country gets added to the restricted list after I am funded?

Breakout can modify restrictions at any time. Newly restricted traders would likely have accounts closed under evolving compliance rules. Any earned payouts are subject to standard policy at the time of the change. The practical mitigation is to withdraw frequently rather than letting large balances accumulate, which is a sensible principle for any prop firm.

Is Ukraine restricted from Breakout?

Only Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions are restricted, reflecting the international sanctions framework around those specific regions. The rest of Ukraine is eligible. Ukrainian passport-holders from outside the restricted regions can complete KYC and operate accounts normally.

Can European traders use Breakout?

Yes. All EU member states, the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein are eligible. Only Belarus is fully restricted within Europe. European traders are one of the firm's primary user segments and KYC accepts standard EU national IDs and passports.

Does Breakout require proof of address?

No. Only a government-issued ID and selfie verification are required. No utility bill, bank statement, or proof of address is needed. This is a streamlined KYC process by category standards and is one reason verification typically completes within minutes rather than days.

How quickly is Breakout KYC processed?

About 7 minutes for a clean submission. Document upload and selfie verification with results usually available within minutes. Manual review triggers when documents are unclear or the selfie does not match the ID; manual cases take longer. Clean ID photos and a well-lit selfie are the practical tips for fast verification.

Are dual-residency traders eligible?

Generally yes if the trader can provide a government ID from an eligible country. The KYC step is documentary; the firm checks document issuance country against the eligibility list. Traders with dual citizenship in an eligible country can use that documentation. Traders with only restricted-country residency cannot pass KYC.

Are all crypto prop firms aligned on the same restricted list?

Mostly. The OFAC and FATF lists drive the bulk of restrictions, so the overlaps are heavy across compliant firms. Specific jurisdictions vary based on firm-side risk decisions. Looking for a firm that operates in an OFAC-sanctioned country is looking for a firm that is taking compliance risk; traders should not assume that is a feature.

Does Breakout serve traders in MENA?

Yes for most of the region. UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Israel, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria are eligible. Restricted MENA countries are Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, CAR, and DR Congo. MENA traders should confirm the current list at signup.

Can I trade Breakout from a restricted country during travel?

Standard policy is country of residence and citizenship, not country of physical presence at a given moment. A trader who is a resident or citizen of an eligible country and is temporarily traveling in a restricted country is generally still eligible. The firm-specific policy should be confirmed; some firms apply stricter geo-fencing during trips.

What is the safest way to find current eligibility?

Check the live Breakout terms of service or restricted country page at the time of signup. Sanctions lists change with international policy events. The published page is the authoritative source. Third-party guides (including this one) reflect a snapshot in time and may lag behind a recent revision to the list.

Is the Breakout restricted list expected to grow or shrink?

Historically, sanctions lists tend to grow over time more than they shrink because new conflicts and policy events add countries while removals require positive policy developments. For trader planning purposes, treat the current list as a snapshot that is more likely to expand than contract over a multi-year horizon. Border-line jurisdictions should plan for the possibility of future addition rather than assume permanent eligibility.

Does Breakout serve traders in Caribbean and small-island jurisdictions?

Most Caribbean and small-island jurisdictions are eligible. The exceptions on the list are Cuba and Haiti. Other Caribbean nations (Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Bahamas) are eligible under standard KYC. Small-island traders should confirm the current list at signup since sanctions revisions occasionally affect smaller jurisdictions.

What is the most common KYC failure mode at Breakout?

Unclear or poorly photographed ID documents are the most common cause of KYC delays. Selfies that do not match the ID photo, expired documents, and documents from non-eligible jurisdictions are the next most common issues. Submitting clean ID photos, a well-lit selfie, and using current documents from an eligible country produces the fastest KYC completion.