Topstep Restricted Countries 2026: Eligibility, KYC, and What to Check Before You Buy

Topstep maintains a restricted-country list aligned with US OFAC sanctions and the broader compliance posture of Plus500US, the FCM behind Topstep Brokerage. The full list is not publicly enumerated the way some peers publish theirs; the Help Center references the existence of restrictions and uses Afghanistan as a leading example, with the operational floor set by US Treasury sanctions on jurisdictions like Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria, plus sectoral sanctions on Russia and Venezuela. As of April 2026 the practical guidance for any prospective Topstep trader near a sanctioned region is to verify directly with help.topstep.com support before purchase, complete KYC from real residence with VPN disabled, and assume that any country under active OFAC comprehensive sanctions is blocked even if not named in a public roster.

This article is the Topstep eligibility reference for traders evaluating whether they can sign up. For the broader rule framework see the Topstep rules overview; for the VPN dimension that interacts with every geographic check see the Topstep VPN policy.

What Topstep actually publishes about country eligibility

Topstep does not run a 19-country numbered list on its main site the way YRM Prop does, nor a fully exposed sanctions roster the way FundedNext does. The relevant primary source is help.topstep.com, where eligibility content references the existence of restricted jurisdictions and uses Afghanistan as the alphabetised example. The firm's published positioning is consistent with how a US-based FCM-adjacent business has to operate: it does not need to list every blocked country publicly because the binding constraint is US Treasury OFAC, which is itself authoritative and constantly updated.

The practical implication for traders is that a clean public list cannot be the only verification step. You verify by checking your specific country with Topstep support before purchase, and you confirm the operational reality at KYC time when ID and address documents are reviewed.

The OFAC floor and why it matters

Topstep is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and Topstep Brokerage operates as an FCM via Plus500US. That structural fact pulls the firm under US Treasury OFAC jurisdiction at the floor of its compliance posture. The OFAC tiers most relevant to Topstep eligibility are:

The floor is real even when the country is not named in a public Topstep list. A Cuban resident cannot onboard. An Iranian resident cannot onboard. A North Korean resident cannot onboard. The same is true for Syria. These are not Topstep policy choices; they are US federal law applied to a US-domiciled financial services business.

Verifying your country before purchase

The cleanest verification path is direct support contact before you spend $49 on a Combine subscription or $149 on activation. Steps:

1. Open help.topstep.com and search for "restricted countries" or "country eligibility."
2. If the answer is unclear or your country is on the borderline, click the Help Center chat icon (bottom-right) or email support@topstep.com.
3. State your country of residence, your country of citizenship, and that you are evaluating a Trading Combine purchase.
4. Wait for written confirmation before proceeding.

A practical email template:

> Subject: Eligibility check before Combine purchase — [Country of residence] > > Hello Topstep team, > > I am considering purchasing a $50K Trading Combine and want to confirm eligibility before checkout. I am a citizen of [country] and I reside in [country]. Could you confirm whether my country is eligible to onboard, evaluate, and receive payouts at Topstep? > > Thank you, > [Name]

Two practical points. First, ask before you buy. A failed eligibility review after purchase is harder to unwind than a clean pre-purchase confirmation. Second, the support answer covers the country gate; KYC at first payout is a separate compliance step run on actual ID and address documents.

KYC, VPN, and the bright-line ban

Topstep's KYC posture is the operational enforcement layer behind the country list. The VPN policy is the guardrail that keeps it honest. As of April 2026 the Help Center is explicit that VPNs are prohibited during trading and during identity verification, with a 403 Forbidden error on connection attempts and a documented requirement to disable VPN, ad blockers, and browser extensions before running KYC.

The interaction with country eligibility:

• Routing through a VPN to mask restricted-country origin at checkout: payment may complete, account may activate, evaluation may even pass, but KYC at first payout will see the real ID and address and the account closes with profit forfeit.
• Running a VPN during KYC for privacy reasons in an eligible country: still fails the verification because timezone and location data conflicts with submitted documents.
• Using a VPS to run automated execution from a country other than your real residence: prohibited by the TopstepX API rules ("All activity must be performed from your own device, without using VPS, VPNs, or remote access tools"), and any TopstepX API access is gated on this rule.

The full mechanics including how to disable common VPNs cleanly during KYC are in the Topstep VPN policy article. The cluster-level point is that VPN is not a workaround for the country gate at Topstep — it is the failure path.

How Topstep compares to peers on geographic strictness

A rough mapping of restricted-country posture across futures props as of April 2026:

The takeaway is that Topstep is on the more US-anchored end of the posture range, similar to Apex. YRM Prop's public 19-country list is more transparent on paper, though the operational reality at YRM is filtered through Rise Works at the payout step regardless. AlphaFutures' approximately 70-country list is on the strict end. Topstep's posture is "OFAC plus discretion" rather than a hard public roster, which means borderline cases need direct support confirmation.

For the cluster comparison angle, the Topstep vs YRM Prop article walks through the structural differences in how each firm filters geography, and the Apex Trader Funding vs Topstep comparison covers the two earliest US futures props with similar OFAC-anchored postures.

What if your country gets restricted post-funding

The Help Center does not publish a blanket grandfathering rule for newly restricted jurisdictions. In practice the patterns observed across the futures-prop sector apply:

• Active cycle, account in good standing: typically allowed to complete the active phase. Combine traders may be permitted to finish; XFA traders close to first payout face a tighter check.
• First payout request post-restriction: KYC applies the current rules at the moment of verification. If your address now resolves to a sanctioned country, the request is rejected.
• New purchase post-restriction: blocked at checkout once the billing system updates.
• Mid-cycle move into a restricted country: Topstep support should be notified before payout. Hiding an address change does not work because KYC catches it.

If a sanctions change directly affects your status, contact support@topstep.com immediately rather than waiting. The compliance posture is anchored to OFAC, which means changes flow from US Treasury announcements; the firm's discretion to grandfather is narrow.

US traders and the regulatory framework

Topstep's status as a US-based firm with an FCM-adjacent retail arm via Plus500US makes it one of the most US-trader-friendly futures props in the market. The Trading Combine and Express Funded Account run as simulated evaluations, which sits cleanly outside the state-by-state retail-broker rules that complicate equities. The Live Funded Account stage is real-money FCM-backed and operates under standard US futures regulation, with NFA and CFTC oversight on the FCM side rather than on Topstep itself.

A few practical points for US traders:

• No state-level eligibility filter at signup. The Combine and XFA work the same way for a New York resident as for a Texas resident.
• Tax treatment of payouts is on the trader. Topstep issues documentation as required by US law; a CPA conversation is the right move once payouts scale.
• Topstep Brokerage (the retail arm) is open to US residents through Plus500US, but it is structurally separate from the prop product. See the Topstep platforms guide for the platform side and the Topstep accounts overview for the account-tier breakdown.

For the full legitimacy and trust angle that backs the regulatory posture, the is Topstep legit review covers the firm's 12-plus-year track record and the FCM partnership.

The bottom line

Topstep maintains a restricted-country list aligned with US OFAC sanctions and the compliance posture of Plus500US. The Help Center references the existence of restrictions with Afghanistan as a leading example but does not publish a fully enumerated public roster. The operational floor is OFAC comprehensive sanctions on Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria, plus sectoral sanctions on Russia and Venezuela, plus de facto blocks on heavily sanctioned regions like Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Belarus. VPN use is prohibited at every stage including KYC, so routing through a VPN to mask restricted-country origin is a fast-fail path that ends in account closure and profit forfeit. US traders are accepted broadly, with no state-level eligibility filter on the Combine or XFA. International traders outside the OFAC floor are accepted broadly. If you are near any sanctioned region or hold dual citizenship, verify with support@topstep.com before purchase rather than after.

For deeper coverage of the rules framework, the Topstep rules overview is the pillar; for the VPN dimension that interacts with every geographic check, the VPN policy article is the operational deep-dive; for the legitimacy and FCM-backed credibility that anchor the compliance posture, the is Topstep legit review is the trust pillar; for cluster-level peer comparisons, the Apex Trader Funding vs Topstep and Topstep vs YRM Prop comparisons cover the structural differences in how each firm filters geography. The main review is the consolidated reference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Topstep publish a full list of restricted countries?

No. As of April 2026 Topstep's Help Center references the existence of restricted jurisdictions and uses Afghanistan as a leading example, but the firm does not publish a fully enumerated public list the way YRM Prop publishes its 19-country roster. The operational reality is that Topstep's compliance posture is anchored to US OFAC sanctions plus the onboarding policies of Plus500US, the FCM behind Topstep Brokerage. Email support@topstep.com or use the Help Center chat to confirm your specific country before you purchase a Trading Combine.

Is Topstep available to traders outside the United States?

Yes. Topstep accepts international traders broadly, with the restricted-jurisdiction list as the floor. Most of Europe, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, much of Latin America outside Cuba and Venezuela, and most of Asia outside North Korea and Iran are accepted. The firm has 12 plus years operating since 2014 with international cohorts represented across its Combine, Express Funded Account, and Live Funded tiers. Verify your specific country at help.topstep.com if you are unsure.

Can US traders use Topstep?

Yes. Topstep is a Chicago-headquartered US firm and is one of the most US-trader-friendly futures props on the market. The Trading Combine, Express Funded Account, and Live Funded Account are all open to US residents, and the Topstep Brokerage retail product runs through Plus500US as the FCM. State-level futures regulation generally targets brokerages and FCMs rather than simulated-evaluation prop firms, so the Combine and XFA stages do not raise state-by-state issues for most US traders.

Why does Topstep maintain a restricted-country list at all?

Topstep is a US-based firm and its Brokerage arm operates as an FCM via Plus500US, which means the firm sits squarely under US Treasury OFAC jurisdiction. OFAC comprehensive sanctions on Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria automatically flow through to Topstep's onboarding rules, and OFAC sectoral sanctions on Russia and Venezuela add further constraints. Beyond OFAC, Plus500US's bank and clearing relationships impose their own jurisdictional filters that Topstep inherits.

How do I verify my country is eligible before I buy a Trading Combine?

Three steps. First, check the Topstep Help Center at help.topstep.com for any country-eligibility article. Second, if your country is borderline, email support@topstep.com or use the Help Center chat icon and ask directly: state your country of residence and citizenship and request confirmation before purchase. Third, ensure you complete checkout from your real country with VPN disabled — see the Topstep VPN policy article for the full mechanics.

Can I use a VPN to sign up from a restricted country?

No. VPN use is prohibited at Topstep at every stage including identity verification. The Help Center is explicit: a VPN connection during trading or KYC triggers a 403 Forbidden error, and the firm requires VPN disabled during identity verification because of timezone and location consistency checks. Routing through a VPN to mask a restricted-country origin will pass checkout but fail at KYC, and the result is account closure with profits forfeited. The full mechanics are in the Topstep VPN policy article.

What happens at KYC if my documents come from a sanctioned country?

KYC fails and the account closes. Topstep runs identity verification before payouts, including for the Live Funded Account stage which is real-money FCM-backed. ID and address documents that resolve to a country under OFAC comprehensive sanctions, or that conflict with the country claimed at signup, are grounds for rejection. The Combine and XFA stages are simulated, so the binding compliance moment is the first payout request rather than initial purchase.

How does Topstep's restricted list compare to YRM Prop, FundedNext, or Apex?

YRM Prop publishes a clear 19-country list (Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and 14 others). FundedNext publishes a longer list with broader Asia and Africa exposure. Apex Trader Funding has a US-anchored compliance posture similar to Topstep with its own list. Topstep's specific list is not as publicly enumerated, but the OFAC-aligned floor means the headline blocks (Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, plus Russia and Venezuela on sectoral sanctions) are universally consistent with peer US-based futures props.

What if Topstep adds my country to the restricted list after I have a funded account?

Topstep does not publish a blanket grandfathering policy for newly restricted jurisdictions. In practice, accounts already in good standing may be allowed to complete an active cycle, but new purchases from the newly restricted country are blocked, and KYC at the moment of the next payout request applies the current rules. If you are sitting on a payout when your country status changes, contact support@topstep.com immediately rather than waiting for the system to resolve it.

Does dual citizenship help if one of my passports is from a restricted country?

Sometimes, but it is case-by-case. The relevant question is which document you present at KYC and where you actually reside. If you hold a passport from an eligible country and your address documents (utility bill, bank statement) support residence in that eligible country, you typically clear. If your only verifiable address is in a restricted country, the eligible passport on its own does not override the geographic block. Email support@topstep.com before you purchase if your situation is non-trivial.

Are EU traders covered without restrictions?

Yes. All 27 EU member states plus the UK, Switzerland, Norway, and the broader EEA are accepted at Topstep. None appear under any OFAC sanctions regime or on Topstep's restricted floor. The relevant compliance overlays are GDPR for data handling and EU sanctions which Topstep mirrors automatically. Traders in EU countries with dual-citizenship ties to sanctioned jurisdictions occasionally see additional KYC steps, which are normal verification rather than back-door rejections.

Can I move countries mid-cycle and keep my Topstep account?

Yes, if you are moving from one eligible country to another. Update your address with Topstep support before your next payout request so KYC has time to refresh. Moving from an eligible country into a restricted country puts the account at risk: at first payout post-move, KYC will see the address shift and pause the account. Do not try to mask a country change with a VPN — the bright-line VPN ban makes this a fast-fail scenario.