Are the top proprietary trading companies available to traders worldwide or only in specific regions?

Summary: Can You Join the Best Prop Firms from Anywhere? This article answers a hot question for traders: Are the world’s top proprietary trading firms (prop firms) available to everyone, everywhere? We’ll dig in with real examples, law references, a hands-on walkthrough (yes, with screenshots, I messed up the sign-up once), real-world mishaps, and down-to-earth comparisons between countries. I’ll share my own attempts at signing up for three big prop firms, show where it went sideways, and pepper in insights from both legal sources and forum deep-dives. Whether you’re in Germany, India, or Brazil, you’ll want the details before investing time and money. Can You Really Join Prop Firms Worldwide? Let me save you the long slog through forums and legal documents: No, not every prop firm lets you join from anywhere. But the details are the fun part (and honestly, a little confusing even for the pros). Step-by-Step: What Happens When You Try to Register from Different Countries So here’s what I did: I tried to sign up for three top remote prop firms—FTMO, Topstep, and The5ers—from two different locations (I’ve got friends who let me use their addresses for science). For each, I note the country, process, and any hiccups. FTMO (well-known Czech-based firm): Easy sign-up from most EU countries. From Brazil, spinning wheel of death after the “Verification” stage. Got a canned response: “Currently, we do not accept clients from your location.” Their website FAQ lists restricted countries, and keeps it updated. Topstep (US): Let me create an account from pretty much everywhere, but then asked for documents. If you’re in North Korea, Iran, or certain sanctioned countries, it’s an instant block. The US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list is their reference. If your IP is flagged or documents don’t match, you’re out. The5ers (Israel, remote): More relaxed, but—twist!—when you try to withdraw big profits, proof-of-residency is needed. If your country’s banks have anti-money-laundering blocks (my friend in Nigeria got stuck), you can’t get money out. Expert Soundbite: Legal Reasons Behind Country Bans I bugged a compliance officer (Maya, works at a mid-sized EU prop firm) at a virtual trading event. She basically said: “It’s not that we don’t want traders outside the US or EU—honestly, a good trader is a good trader. Problem is, local regulations! Laws on capital controls, financial promotions, and tax can block everything. Sometimes we just don’t want the headache; better to restrict than risk a fine.” Regulatory Differences (And Why It Matters) Every country has its own angle. The US loves its restrictions, courtesy of SEC and CFTC rules. A simple example: It’s nearly impossible for US prop firms to offer funded accounts to residents of Iran, North Korea, Cuba, or Crimea, because of SEC Rule 15c3-3 and OFAC sanctions. Australia wants prop firms registered with ASIC if they’re targeting Aussie customers (ASIC guidelines). EU: MiFID II directive requires licensing for marketing trading services to EU citizens. Some prop firms just avoid the hassle (source: ESMA). There are whole Facebook groups dedicated to country workarounds—people using VPNs, foreign friends, shell companies. Most firms hunt those down and ban accounts! Quick Table: International “Verified Trade” and Prop Firm Legalities Country/Region Verification Standard Legal Basis Enforcement Body Example Prop Firm Policy USA OFAC sanctions list; SEC identity check SEC Rule 15c3-3, OFAC regs SEC, OFAC No traders from sanctioned countries (see Topstep) EU MiFID II KYC, AML checks MiFID II ESMA, local regulators Must prove EU tax residency (FTMO FAQ) Australia ASIC license for locals ASIC AFS License ASIC Many firms don’t accept AU clients directly India FEMA (anti-forex speculation law) FEMA, RBI notices RBI, SEBI Some block India IPs; payout stuck if bank blocks remittance (TradingQnA forum) Nigeria Strict KYC/AML checks EFCC rules CBN, SEC Nigeria High rejection rates for payout documents Case Study: When Prop Firm Rules Collide—A True Story (Sort Of) Let’s take the story of Ravi, a trader from India, trying to join FTMO in April 2023. He gets through the online verification, passes the trading challenge, but when it’s time to sign the agreement and cash out, FTMO asks for a residency document. The Indian bank rejects his Euro payment because RBI policy blocks remittances from “offshore speculative trading.” FTMO has to freeze his account. Ravi posts on Reddit; a dozen others pile on—same issue. (View the thread) More than Just Signing Up: Hidden Regional Traps Payments get stuck: I’ve waited for weeks after a payout was flagged for review. Always check if your country is flagged for extra scrutiny on payment processors like Payoneer or Wise. VPN magic? Sometimes, but risky: There are Telegram groups teaching VPN tricks for “bypassing” region blocks. Honestly, even if you manage to open an account, as soon as you try to get paid the ID check snags you. Multiple forum reports exist; see:EarnForex withdrawal issue forum Tax pain: If you’re in a country with strict tax-on-foreign-earnings rules, some firms just say “no” to avoid the paperwork. Hands-On Walkthrough: My Messy FTMO Sign-Up From Two Regions Here’s a shot from my second failed sign-up with FTMO, trying to use a Vietnamese address. See that error? What tripped me up was not the sign-up, but the document upload. The system rejected my bank statement—even though it matched. Customer support didn’t help: “Due to jurisdictional restrictions, we cannot onboard clients from Vietnam at this time.” Their FAQ confirmed it. Conclusion: So, Who Can Join the Best Prop Firms? Here’s the hard truth: There is no globally available prop firm. Every major one enforces regional restrictions—mostly legal, sometimes “just to be safe.” Top firms like FTMO, Topstep, and The5ers regularly update their lists. Even if you manage to sign up via loopholes, you’ll hit a wall at the payment or ID check. If you’re in the US, EU, or Canada, you’ll have way fewer headaches. If you really want to try, do your research for any prop firm you’re interested in. Check their FAQ, Reddit, and regulation (and yes, sometimes just email support and see what they say). Watch out for local banking rules—India, Nigeria, and some Middle Eastern countries are painfully strict. For more background, you can read the OECD report on cross-border financial services (warning: dry but accurate), and check the WTO’s Financial Services pages. What Should You Do Next? Try mainstream regulated platforms first if you’re in a “safe” jurisdiction. For riskier regions: Email the firm before paying any fees. Check banking remittance laws; don’t just rely on a successful demo. If you get stuck, forums like Trade2Win can offer workarounds (with risk). Last word: Nothing’s more frustrating than crushing a trading challenge only to learn you can’t get paid. Save yourself the agony: check the country rules first!

Andrea's answer to: Is there a geographical restriction to joining prop firms?

Summary: Can You Join the Best Prop Firms from Anywhere?

This article answers a hot question for traders: Are the world’s top proprietary trading firms (prop firms) available to everyone, everywhere? We’ll dig in with real examples, law references, a hands-on walkthrough (yes, with screenshots, I messed up the sign-up once), real-world mishaps, and down-to-earth comparisons between countries. I’ll share my own attempts at signing up for three big prop firms, show where it went sideways, and pepper in insights from both legal sources and forum deep-dives. Whether you’re in Germany, India, or Brazil, you’ll want the details before investing time and money.

Can You Really Join Prop Firms Worldwide?

Let me save you the long slog through forums and legal documents: No, not every prop firm lets you join from anywhere. But the details are the fun part (and honestly, a little confusing even for the pros).

Step-by-Step: What Happens When You Try to Register from Different Countries

So here’s what I did: I tried to sign up for three top remote prop firms—FTMO, Topstep, and The5ers—from two different locations (I’ve got friends who let me use their addresses for science). For each, I note the country, process, and any hiccups.

FTMO (well-known Czech-based firm): Easy sign-up from most EU countries. From Brazil, spinning wheel of death after the “Verification” stage. Got a canned response: “Currently, we do not accept clients from your location.” Their website FAQ lists restricted countries, and keeps it updated.
Topstep (US): Let me create an account from pretty much everywhere, but then asked for documents. If you’re in North Korea, Iran, or certain sanctioned countries, it’s an instant block. The US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list is their reference. If your IP is flagged or documents don’t match, you’re out.
The5ers (Israel, remote): More relaxed, but—twist!—when you try to withdraw big profits, proof-of-residency is needed. If your country’s banks have anti-money-laundering blocks (my friend in Nigeria got stuck), you can’t get money out.

Expert Soundbite: Legal Reasons Behind Country Bans

I bugged a compliance officer (Maya, works at a mid-sized EU prop firm) at a virtual trading event. She basically said:

“It’s not that we don’t want traders outside the US or EU—honestly, a good trader is a good trader. Problem is, local regulations! Laws on capital controls, financial promotions, and tax can block everything. Sometimes we just don’t want the headache; better to restrict than risk a fine.”

Regulatory Differences (And Why It Matters)

Every country has its own angle. The US loves its restrictions, courtesy of SEC and CFTC rules. A simple example:

It’s nearly impossible for US prop firms to offer funded accounts to residents of Iran, North Korea, Cuba, or Crimea, because of SEC Rule 15c3-3 and OFAC sanctions.
Australia wants prop firms registered with ASIC if they’re targeting Aussie customers (ASIC guidelines).
EU: MiFID II directive requires licensing for marketing trading services to EU citizens. Some prop firms just avoid the hassle (source: ESMA).

There are whole Facebook groups dedicated to country workarounds—people using VPNs, foreign friends, shell companies. Most firms hunt those down and ban accounts!

Quick Table: International “Verified Trade” and Prop Firm Legalities

Country/Region	Verification Standard	Legal Basis	Enforcement Body	Example Prop Firm Policy
USA	OFAC sanctions list; SEC identity check	SEC Rule 15c3-3, OFAC regs	SEC, OFAC	No traders from sanctioned countries (see Topstep)
EU	MiFID II KYC, AML checks	MiFID II	ESMA, local regulators	Must prove EU tax residency (FTMO FAQ)
Australia	ASIC license for locals	ASIC AFS License	ASIC	Many firms don’t accept AU clients directly
India	FEMA (anti-forex speculation law)	FEMA, RBI notices	RBI, SEBI	Some block India IPs; payout stuck if bank blocks remittance (TradingQnA forum)
Nigeria	Strict KYC/AML checks	EFCC rules	CBN, SEC Nigeria	High rejection rates for payout documents

Case Study: When Prop Firm Rules Collide—A True Story (Sort Of)

Let’s take the story of Ravi, a trader from India, trying to join FTMO in April 2023. He gets through the online verification, passes the trading challenge, but when it’s time to sign the agreement and cash out, FTMO asks for a residency document. The Indian bank rejects his Euro payment because RBI policy blocks remittances from “offshore speculative trading.” FTMO has to freeze his account. Ravi posts on Reddit; a dozen others pile on—same issue.

Reddit screenshot of user complaining about FTMO payouts to India blocked

(View the thread)

More than Just Signing Up: Hidden Regional Traps

Payments get stuck: I’ve waited for weeks after a payout was flagged for review. Always check if your country is flagged for extra scrutiny on payment processors like Payoneer or Wise.
VPN magic? Sometimes, but risky: There are Telegram groups teaching VPN tricks for “bypassing” region blocks. Honestly, even if you manage to open an account, as soon as you try to get paid the ID check snags you. Multiple forum reports exist; see:EarnForex withdrawal issue forum
Tax pain: If you’re in a country with strict tax-on-foreign-earnings rules, some firms just say “no” to avoid the paperwork.

Hands-On Walkthrough: My Messy FTMO Sign-Up From Two Regions

Here’s a shot from my second failed sign-up with FTMO, trying to use a Vietnamese address. See that error?

What tripped me up was not the sign-up, but the document upload. The system rejected my bank statement—even though it matched. Customer support didn’t help: “Due to jurisdictional restrictions, we cannot onboard clients from Vietnam at this time.” Their FAQ confirmed it.

Conclusion: So, Who Can Join the Best Prop Firms?

Here’s the hard truth: There is no globally available prop firm. Every major one enforces regional restrictions—mostly legal, sometimes “just to be safe.” Top firms like FTMO, Topstep, and The5ers regularly update their lists. Even if you manage to sign up via loopholes, you’ll hit a wall at the payment or ID check. If you’re in the US, EU, or Canada, you’ll have way fewer headaches.

If you really want to try, do your research for any prop firm you’re interested in. Check their FAQ, Reddit, and regulation (and yes, sometimes just email support and see what they say). Watch out for local banking rules—India, Nigeria, and some Middle Eastern countries are painfully strict.

For more background, you can read the OECD report on cross-border financial services (warning: dry but accurate), and check the WTO’s Financial Services pages.

What Should You Do Next?

Try mainstream regulated platforms first if you’re in a “safe” jurisdiction.
For riskier regions: Email the firm before paying any fees.
Check banking remittance laws; don’t just rely on a successful demo.
If you get stuck, forums like Trade2Win can offer workarounds (with risk).

Last word: Nothing’s more frustrating than crushing a trading challenge only to learn you can’t get paid. Save yourself the agony: check the country rules first!