uspropfirms.comVerified Firms
Eligibility checked against each firm's own terms · August 2026

Prop Firms That Accept US Traders

US residents face the narrowest access in this market, and most comparison sites repeat eligibility claims nobody has checked. We only list a firm after finding the United States absent from its own published restricted-country list — and we link the document every time.

See Verified Firms What To Check First
Alpha Futures accepts US residents — Create an Account
13
Firms reviewed
2
Verified from firm terms
0
Eligibility claims we can't source
50
States, no firm-published limits
Start Here

Which prop firms actually accept US residents?

This is the only question that matters first. Access for US-based traders is narrower than almost anywhere else, and firm policies change without notice. So we do not repeat what other comparison sites claim — we only list a firm here after reading its own current published terms or help centre and finding the United States absent from its restricted-country list. Every entry below links to the exact document we checked and the date we checked it.

Futures and equities products are generally the more accessible route for US traders, which is why this shortlist leans that way. Acceptance is still firm-specific: re-check the source document yourself before you pay for anything.

Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Our recommendations are based on the factors explained on each page.

Alpha Futures

futures
US residents accepted. Alpha Futures publishes a full list of restricted countries in its own help centre. The United States is not on that list, and the firm states traders must be a resident or citizen of a non-restricted country. Alpha Futures help centre — Countries with Limitations, checked 14 August 2026.
Markets
Futures (simulated evaluation environment)
Payout methods usable from the US
ACH to US bank accounts, wire, SWIFT, Wise, Rise (all paid in USD)
KYC
Government-issued ID plus a selfie, verified through Veriff. Must be completed by the account holder; VPN/VPS use during KYC is not permitted.
State restrictions
None published by the firm
Platforms
ProjectX / Quantower
Instruments
Futures on US index and commodity contracts
Fees
Fee reimbursement capped at up to $15,000 per request on Standard and Advanced accounts
Drawdown
End-of-day trailing max loss

US traders who want a futures evaluation route with US bank payouts

Create an AccountSee Rules

Trade The Pool

equities
US residents accepted. Trade The Pool's terms enumerate every 'Forbidden Territory' by name. The United States is not among them, and the firm confirms KYC is required before becoming a funded user. Trade The Pool — Terms and Conditions, checked 14 August 2026.
Markets
Stocks / equities
Payout methods usable from the US
Not specified in the firm's public terms
KYC
Required as a condition of becoming a funded user; circumventing geographic restrictions via VPN is a stated breach.
State restrictions
None published by the firm
Instruments
US stocks and ETFs — 12,000+ instruments reported
Platforms
Interactive Brokers / Trader Evolution related (verify with the firm)
Programs
Day Trade and Swing programs; no PDT rule; pre-market and after-hours access on many instruments
Split
Around 70% reported

US traders who prefer equities over futures

Visit Trade The PoolSee Rules

Also reviewed — not listed

We reviewed these firms for this page but could not confirm US acceptance from their own current published terms. That is not a claim that they refuse US traders — only that we will not assert eligibility we cannot source. Contact the firm directly if you are considering one.

  • Top One Futures — Terms refer to restricted jurisdictions but do not publish the list
  • Aqua Futures — No published country eligibility list found
  • Blue Guardian Futures — No published country eligibility list found
  • Lark Funding — No published country eligibility list found
Before You Buy

Six things US traders should check before paying for an evaluation

Accepted states

Check whether the firm publishes any state-level limits of its own. Where a firm publishes none — as with both firms above — treat the whole country as open unless the firm itself says otherwise. Be sceptical of third-party lists of 'banned states'; they are frequently invented.

KYC before you buy

Most firms verify identity before issuing a funded account or releasing a payout. Expect a government-issued photo ID and a selfie check, completed personally by the account holder. VPN or VPS use during verification is commonly treated as a breach. Confirm you can pass KYC before paying an evaluation fee.

Payout methods that work from the US

This is where US traders most often get stuck. Look for ACH to a US bank account, domestic wire, or a payout partner that supports US recipients. If a firm only pays via routes unavailable to you, the profit split is irrelevant.

How the income is reported

Prop-firm payouts to US traders are commonly treated as self-employment or independent-contractor income and are often reported on a 1099. Ask the firm which form it issues and what documentation it will request from you before your first payout.

What the firm actually is

Read the firm's own disclaimer. Many state plainly that they are not a broker, do not hold customer funds, and are not registered with any financial regulator. Understand that before you commit capital — it defines what recourse you have.

Rules you can actually trade

Drawdown type, consistency requirements, news and holding-period rules decide whether an account survives. Read them on the firm's own rules page, not on a comparison table.

Worked through the checklist?

These are the firms on this page whose acceptance of US residents we verified against their own current terms. Open their plans and compare the rules side by side before deciding.

Alpha Futures — Create an AccountTrade The Pool — Visit Trade The Pool
Regulatory Reality

Why Most Prop Firms No Longer Accept US Traders

CFD access is the bottleneck

Retail CFD trading is heavily restricted for US residents. That single constraint is why so many international prop firms — whose entire product is CFD-based — simply exclude the US.

Most European firms withdrew

FTMO, MyForexFunds and most EU-based CFD prop firms stopped accepting US clients across 2024–2025, sharply narrowing the field.

So the field shifted

What remains open to US traders leans towards futures and equities products. That is why this site's shortlist looks the way it does — it follows availability, not preference.

Read this before you pay

If a firm's marketing welcomes US traders but its own terms exclude them, the terms are what govern your account — and a firm can close it and withhold payouts on that basis. Never rely on a comparison site, an affiliate video or a support chat message. Find the firm's own eligibility document and read it yourself.

Start from a firm whose own terms include the US

Both firms below were checked against their own current published eligibility documents, linked in full further down this page.

Alpha Futures — Create an AccountTrade The Pool — Visit Trade The Pool
The 3 Legal Paths

How Prop Firms Work Legally for US Traders

PATH 01

The Futures Route

Most Common for US Traders

Evaluation programmes built around exchange-traded futures, usually on platforms such as Tradovate, NinjaTrader or Rithmic. This is where most US traders end up, simply because these firms are the ones that keep accepting US residents.

PATH 02

The Equities Route

Less Common, Still Open

A smaller group of firms funds stock trading rather than futures or CFDs. Useful if you already think in equities, and it avoids the CFD access problem entirely.

PATH 03

Offshore Workarounds

Not Recommended

Forming an offshore entity to reach firms that exclude US residents creates real complications and typically breaches the firm's own terms — which is grounds for account closure and withheld payouts. Do not do this on the basis of a forum post.

Red Flags for US Traders

  • Advertises to US residents while its own terms exclude them
  • Publishes no country eligibility list anywhere you can find it
  • Cannot tell you which payout methods work for a US bank account
  • Requires no identity verification at any stage
  • Implies it is registered or approved by a US regulator
  • No physical address or verifiable contact

Which route fits you?

If futures suit your style, the futures route is where most US traders end up. If you already think in stocks, the equities route sidesteps the CFD access problem entirely.

Alpha Futures — Create an AccountTrade The Pool — Visit Trade The Pool
Full Comparison

Firms Commonly Marketed to US Traders

A reference table of the firms US traders encounter most often. Every entry advertises US acceptance, but advertising is not confirmation — check each firm's own current terms before you pay for anything, and start from the shortlist we verified.

FirmUSPlatformsPayoutsTaxSplitMaxBest For
DNA Funded✓ AcceptsDXtrade, cTraderBi-weekly1099Up to 90%$600KUS Forex Traders
Apex Trader Funding✓ AcceptsTradovate, NinjaTrader, RithmicOn demand (8 days)1099100% first $25K, 90% after$300KFutures Value
My Funded Futures✓ AcceptsTradovate, NinjaTraderBi-weekly1099100% first $10K, 90% after$150KHighest Trader Rating
TopStep✓ AcceptsTopstepX, NinjaTrader, TradingViewDaily/WeeklyK-1100% first $10K, 90% after$150KMost Established
The5ers✓ AcceptsMT5, Match-TraderBi-weekly1099Up to 100%$4M (scaled)Highest Scaling
Take Profit Trader✓ AcceptsNinjaTrader, TradovateBi-weekly109980%–90%$150KBeginner Friendly
Tradeify✓ AcceptsTradovateBi-weekly109990%$150KFlexible Rules
Bulenox✓ AcceptsRithmic, TradovateBi-weekly109990%$250KMulti-Account
Lucid Trading✓ AcceptsTradovate, RithmicBi-weekly109985%–90%$150KLow Drawdown
Elite Trader Funding✓ AcceptsNinjaTrader, RithmicBi-weekly109980%–90%$300KDiscount Codes
Earn2Trade✓ AcceptsNinjaTrader, R|Trader ProMonthly109980%$200KEducation + Funding
Legends Trading✓ AcceptsTradovateBi-weekly109990%$150KNew & Growing
Goat Funded Trader✓ Accepts (Futures)Tradovate, NinjaTraderBi-weekly1099Up to 95%$200KHigh Split

Methodology: rows are ordered as originally published and are not a ranking. Figures are as reported by the firms and trader communities at the time of writing and are not independently verified — the "US" column reflects what each firm advertises, not a confirmation from its own terms. Only the firms in our verified shortlist have been checked against their own published eligibility documents.

Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Our recommendations are based on the factors explained on each page.

Only two rows here are backed by the firm's own eligibility document

Everything else in the table reflects what firms advertise. These are the two we could verify, with the source linked.

Alpha Futures — Create an AccountTrade The Pool — Visit Trade The Pool
Deep Dives

Five Firms US Traders Ask About Most

These are the names that come up constantly in US trader communities, summarised here so you know what people mean when they mention them. Treat the details as reported rather than verified: we have not confirmed their current US acceptance from their own terms, which is why they sit outside our verified shortlist.

1
Best Overall for US Forex Traders

DNA Funded

  • DXtrade & cTrader access for US clients
  • Up to 90% profit split, bi-weekly payouts
  • 1099 tax treatment, simple filing
  • Up to $600K account scaling

One of the very few firms still offering forex-style instruments to US traders through a compliant structure.

Widely cited by US traders. We have not verified DNA Funded's current US acceptance against its own published terms, so it is not part of our shortlist — see the firms we did verify.

2
Best Futures Deal

Apex Trader Funding

  • 100% profit on first $25K, 90% after
  • On-demand payouts (8-day minimum)
  • Tradovate, NinjaTrader & Rithmic supported
  • Frequent promo codes, low evaluation cost

Best-value CME futures prop firm — aggressive scaling and the most flexible payout schedule in the industry.

Widely cited by US traders. We have not verified Apex Trader Funding's current US acceptance against its own published terms, so it is not part of our shortlist — see the firms we did verify.

3
Highest Rated by Traders

My Funded Futures

  • Top community reviews in 2025–2026
  • 100% profit on first $10K, 90% after
  • Clean rules, no surprise restrictions
  • Bi-weekly reliable payouts

Consistently the most trusted firm among active US futures traders, with the strongest payout track record.

Widely cited by US traders. We have not verified My Funded Futures's current US acceptance against its own published terms, so it is not part of our shortlist — see the firms we did verify.

4
Most Established

TopStep

  • 10+ years operating in the US
  • TopstepX platform with built-in coaching
  • Daily payout option after consistency unlock
  • K-1 partnership structure

The original US prop futures firm. Educational backbone is unmatched, though K-1 taxation adds filing complexity.

Widely cited by US traders. We have not verified TopStep's current US acceptance against its own published terms, so it is not part of our shortlist — see the firms we did verify.

5
Highest Scaling for US Citizens

The5ers

  • Scales to $4M funded capital
  • Up to 100% profit split at top tiers
  • MT5 + Match-Trader execution
  • 1099 tax treatment

The highest-ceiling US-legal program for traders who can demonstrate sustained consistency over time.

Widely cited by US traders. We have not verified The5ers's current US acceptance against its own published terms, so it is not part of our shortlist — see the firms we did verify.

How Income Is Reported

How US Prop Trading Income Is Typically Reported

Understanding how a firm will report your payouts is part of choosing one. The following is general information, not tax advice, and it does not describe your situation. Rates, thresholds and filing outcomes depend on facts we cannot know — consult a qualified tax professional before acting on any of it.

Usually contractor income

Prop-firm payouts to US traders are commonly treated as self-employment or independent-contractor income rather than investment income, because you are paid a performance fee rather than trading your own capital.

The 1099 route

Firms that treat you as a contractor typically issue a 1099. Ask the firm which form it issues and what identifying documentation it will need from you before your first payout.

The K-1 route

Some firms instead structure traders as partners in the prop entity and report income on a K-1. This is a different filing path from a 1099 and is generally more involved.

Plan for it in advance

Because nothing is withheld on your behalf, US traders commonly need to set money aside as they are paid rather than at year end. How much, and on what schedule, depends entirely on your own circumstances.

Keep your own records

Retain payout statements, evaluation fees and platform or data costs from day one. Whatever your filing path turns out to be, the records are the part only you can produce.

Talk to a qualified professional

Generalist accountants often misclassify prop-trading income. Engage a CPA or tax adviser experienced with traders before you rely on any assumption about your situation.

Ask a firm which form it issues, and what documentation it needs, before your first payout. Alpha Futures publishes its payout methods and KYC requirements up front.

Create an Account
For Swing Traders

Best US Prop Firms for Swing Traders

Most futures prop firms enforce holding-period rules or restrict news trading. These firms accommodate longer-term positions and flexible playbooks.

DNA Funded
Allows overnight & weekend holds on forex pairs
The5ers
Designed for swing trading — no daily targets
Tradeify
Permits holding through major news events
Apex Trader Funding
Allows overnight futures positions (with margin adjustments)

Holding rules vary by firm and change often — read the current rulebook before you buy an evaluation. Trade The Pool funds equities rather than futures, which changes the overnight picture entirely.

Visit Trade The Pool
Market Exits

Firms That Stopped Accepting US Traders (2024–2026)

Following sustained regulatory pressure on CFD offerings and the MyForexFunds shutdown in 2023, most major CFD-based prop firms withdrew from the US market. If you see one of these firms advertising to US clients again, treat it as a reason to read its current terms closely rather than as evidence that access has reopened.

FTMO MyForexFunds The Funded Trader (forex) FundedNext (CFD) E8 Funding Funded Trading Plus (CFD)
FAQ

US Prop Firms — Frequently Asked Questions

Which prop firms accept US traders?

On this page we list only firms whose own current published terms or help centre show the United States is not restricted: Alpha Futures and Trade The Pool, both linked to the exact source document we checked. Other firms may also accept US residents — we simply will not assert it without a source.

Why is access so limited for US traders?

Retail CFD trading is heavily restricted for US residents, and CFDs are the core product of most international prop firms. Rather than adapt, most of them excluded the US outright, which is why what remains skews towards futures and equities products.

Why did FTMO stop accepting US clients?

FTMO and most EU-based CFD prop firms withdrew from the US market across 2024–2025 amid sustained regulatory pressure on CFD offerings to US residents. They were not alone — the withdrawals reshaped what is available to American traders.

Can I trade from any US state?

None of the firms on our verified shortlist publish state-level restrictions of their own. Treat third-party claims about specific 'banned states' with scepticism unless the firm itself says so in writing. Your own state filing obligations are a separate matter for a qualified professional.

What identity checks should I expect?

Expect KYC: typically a government-issued photo ID plus a selfie check, completed personally by the account holder. Firms commonly treat VPN or VPS use during verification as a breach. Complete KYC before paying an evaluation fee, so you are not stuck holding an account you cannot activate.

How will I actually get paid in the US?

This trips people up more than profit splits do. Look for ACH to a US bank account, domestic wire, or a payout partner that supports US recipients. Alpha Futures, for example, publishes ACH, wire, SWIFT, Wise and Rise as options, all paid in USD. Confirm the route works for you before you commit.

How is prop trading income reported in the US?

Payouts are commonly treated as self-employment or independent-contractor income and are often reported on a 1099; some firms instead use a K-1 partnership structure. This is general information rather than tax advice and does not describe your situation — consult a qualified tax professional.

Is a firm on this list regulated or licensed?

We make no such claim about any firm, and you should be wary of anyone who does. Many prop firms state plainly in their own terms that they are not brokers and are not registered with financial regulators. Read the firm's own disclaimer so you understand what you are entering into.

Can I use automated trading or EAs?

Policies vary by firm and change often. Rather than trust a summary anywhere — including here — read the automation and copy-trading clauses in the firm's own rules before deploying anything.

Trading From Elsewhere?

Eligibility works differently outside the US

Access, verification and payout routes are country-specific. Our sibling guides cover them locally rather than swapping the country name on the same page.

UK Prop FirmsFCA context, GBP payouts and UK tax reportingDubai Prop FirmsUAE residency, Emirates ID KYC and AED payouts

Start With a Firm That Confirms It Accepts You

Eligibility comes before profit split. These are the firms on this page whose acceptance of US residents we verified against their own current published terms.

futures

Alpha Futures

US traders who want a futures evaluation route with US bank payouts.

Create an AccountCompare With Others
equities

Trade The Pool

US traders who prefer equities over futures.

Visit Trade The PoolCompare With Others

Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Our recommendations are based on the factors explained on each page.

Alpha Futures
US residents accepted — verified from firm terms
Create an Account