- Topstep founded 2012 — fourteen years of operating history, the oldest futures-only prop firm
- Chicago-based, focused on CME futures
- Monthly subscription model rather than a one-time upfront fee
- 100% profit on the first $5K, then 90%
- Live Funded path available, with real market exposure
Topstep is the oldest futures-only prop firm and the default first choice for US traders working in the CME products. The Chicago-based operator has been running since 2012 and uses a monthly subscription Combine — a structure that rewards traders who can pass within a single billing cycle. In our review, the firm sits in the highest trust tier, with the caveat that its futures-only focus and US time zone make it less universally applicable than FTMO or The5%ers.
Strengths
- Fourteen years of operating history — the longest in the industry
- US-based, operating within a CFTC-regulated environment
- Real-market Live Funded option once you have shown sustained performance
- Strong reputation across the US futures community
Concerns
- Futures-only — no FX, CFD, or crypto
- US-centric time zone, which is challenging for Asian traders
- Monthly subscription means accumulating cost during prolonged challenges, by contrast with one-time evaluation fees
Compare
| Topstep | Apex | Earn2Trade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 | 2021 | 2016 |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly |
| Trust | Highest | High | High |
→ Topstep review → For FX/CFD instead: FTMO or The5%ers