Abstract:Topstep is a U.S.-based proprietary trading firm that offers futures traders a chance to trade firm capital after passing a simulated evaluation (Trading Combine). Traders can access futures products, including currency futures, commodities, stocks, and index futures. The platform has low entry costs and supports many professional-grade trading platforms, but lack of regulation.
| Topstep Review Summary | |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Registered Country/Region | United States |
| Regulation | No regulation |
| Market Instruments | CME equity futures, forex futures, agricultural futures, energy futures, metals, interest rate futures |
| Demo Account | ✅ |
| Leverage | / |
| Spread | / |
| Trading Platform | TopstepX™, NinjaTrader, Quantower, Tradovate, TradingView, T4 by CTS, R|Trader Pro (Rithmic), ATAS – Order Flow Trading Platform, MotiveWave, VolFix, Bookmap, Investor/RT by Linn Software, Jigsaw Daytradr, MultiCharts, Sierra Chart, and Trade Navigator. |
| Minimum Deposit | / |
| Customer Support | Tel: 1-888-407-1611 |
| Email: support@topstep.com | |
Topstep is a U.S.-based proprietary trading firm that offers futures traders a chance to trade firm capital after passing a simulated evaluation (Trading Combine). Traders can access futures products, including CME equity futures, forex futures, agricultural futures, energy futures, metals, and interest rate futures. The platform has low entry costs and supports many professional-grade trading platforms, but lack of regulation.

| Pros | Cons |
| Various trading instruments | No regulation |
| Demo accounts | Lack of transparency |
| Supports over a dozen advanced trading platforms |
Topstep is not a legitimate broker. It is registered in the United States but currently holds no valid regulatory license from the U.S. or any international financial authority. Well-known regulatory bodies such as the FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), and NFA (USA) do not regulate Topstep.

The domain topstep.com was registered on August 18, 2000, and is set to expire on August 18, 2033. The domain is in a locked status “client transfer prohibited”, which prevents it from being transferred to another registrar, ensuring some level of administrative security.

Topstep offers trading in futures contracts only, not spot trading. Traders can access futures products, including CME equity futures, forex futures, agricultural futures, energy futures, metals, interest rate futures.
| Tradable Instruments | Supported |
| CME equity futures | ✔ |
| Forex futures | ✔ |
| Agricultural futures | ✔ |
| Energy futures | ✔ |
| Metals | ✔ |
| Interest rate futures | ✔ |
| Indices | ❌ |
| Stocks | ❌ |
| Cryptocurrencies | ❌ |
| Bonds | ❌ |
| Options | ❌ |
| ETFs | ❌ |

Topstep does not offer traditional live accounts like most brokers. Instead, it provides three tiers of evaluation accounts (Trading Combine®): $50K, $100K, and $150K buying power accounts. These are simulated accounts used to assess a traders performance before offering real capital. Once a trader passes the evaluation phase, they can earn access to an Express Funded Account.
| Account Type | Live Trading | Demo Trading | Best for |
| $50K Combine | ❌ | ✔ | Beginners or low-risk traders |
| $100K Combine | ❌ | ✔ | Intermediate traders |
| $150K Combine | ❌ | ✔ | Experienced traders comfortable with risk |
| Express Funded Account | ✔ | ❌ | Traders who passed evaluation |

| Trading Product | NFA & Clearing Fees (Round-turn) |
| E-mini S&P 500 (ES) | $2.80 |
| Micro E-mini S&P (MES) | $0.74 |
| E-mini NASDAQ 100 (NQ) | $2.80 |
| Micro E-mini NASDAQ 100 (MNQ) | $0.74 |
Topsteps trading fees are low to moderate compared to industry standards, especially when using its own platform, TopstepX.

Swap Rates
Topstep does not charge swap rates or overnight rollover fees, because all trading must be done during regular trading hours. Swing trading is not permitted, positions must be closed daily.

Non-Trading Fees
| Non-Trading Fees | Details |
| Deposit Fee | ❌ |
| Withdrawal Fee | ❌ |
| Inactivity Fee | Not mentioned |

| Trading Platform | Supported | Available Devices | Suitable for |
| TopstepX | ✔ | Mobile, Mac | Beginner to intermediate |
| NinjaTrader | ✔ | Desktop | Experienced |
| Quantower | ✔ | Desktop | Experienced |
| Tradovate | ✔ | Mobile | Beginner-friendly |
| TradingView | ✔ | Mac | Chart-focused traders |
| T4 | ✔ | Mobile | Basic futures traders |
| R|Trader Pro | ✔ | Mobile | Pro traders |
| ATAS OrderFlow Trading | ✔ | Desktop | Order flow traders |
| MotiveWave | ✔ | Mobile, Mac | Technical analysts |
| VolFix | ✔ | Mobile, Mac | Volume traders |
| Bookmap | ✔ | Mac | Advanced visualization |
| Investor/RT | ✔ | – | Professional analysis |
| Jigsaw Daytradr | ✔ | – | Scalpers |
| MultiCharts | ✔ | – | Quantitative traders |
| Sierra Chart | ✔ | – | Custom strategy users |
| Trade Navigator | ✔ | – | Charting professionals |
Topstep does not charge deposit fees. However, some withdrawal methods do incur a fee. The minimum withdrawal amount is $125.
| Deposit Options | Deposit Fees | Deposit Time |
| Visa | ❌ | Instant |
| Mastercard | ||
| American Express | ||
| Discover | ||
| PayPal (old dashboard only) |
| Withdrawal Options | Minimum Withdrawal | Withdrawal Fees | Withdrawal Time |
| Wise | $125 | $20 | 1–3 business days |
| ACH | |||
| Wire/SWIFT | Not mentioned | 3–5 business days | |
| International Wire/SWIFT | 5–10 business days |


HIJA MARKETS, a Saint Lucia-based brokerage entity, is dealing with multiple trading complaints from users worldwide. Among the complaints, what captured our imagination was the $3,000 fee demand for the unfreezing of profits on the broker’s platform. Such a payment demand immediately raises legitimacy concerns regarding the brokerage firm. Complaints do not stop here; in fact, they suggest a pattern of disappearing funds and endless withdrawal denials. Many traders have accused the broker of carrying out illicit trading activities online. In this HIJA MARKETS review 2026, we have examined every user allegation against the brokerage firm. To give you more means to assess its legitimacy, we have given a thorough look into its regulatory framework.

Dubai’s regulator says brokerage firms in the DIFC are expanding faster than their internal controls, highlighting gaps in staff trading oversight, record-keeping, and compliance culture as the sector grows rapidly.

The top 10 retail brokers accounted for 69% of global web visibility in May 2026, with shifts at the top of the ranking as OANDA maintained first place but saw its lead over competitors narrow.

EMAR Markets, a South Africa-based forex broker, allegedly never misses the opportunity to disappoint its traders, according to their reviews. The user allegations present a disturbing picture, with users repeatedly complaining about pending EMAR MARKETS withdrawal processing in the pretext of a data review process that reportedly seems to have no end. They even accused the broker of withholding funds even after they paid the verification fee worth 2,000 to 5,000 yuan as requested. Some users complained about the not-so-meaningful updates and complete communication halt that further made the overall trading scenario precarious. In this EMAR MARKETS review, we have examined serious user allegations to provide an overview of the overall situation. To further help you assess its legitimacy, we have provided a regulatory framework of this company.