Being banned means your access to Topstep’s services is permanently revoked. Your accounts are closed, balances are forfeited, and you are not eligible to earn a Funded Account®. Here is what to do if you disagree with the ban.
1. Read Your Notification Carefully
The email we sent you is the record of what happened. Read it start to finish before you do anything else.
It names:
The conduct we identified — what was found, and when.
The exact section of the Terms of Use that conduct violated.
The accounts and products involved, where applicable.
Open the Terms of Use and read the cited section in full. Most questions about a ban are answered there. If the conduct described matches what happened in your accounts, any appeal will be rejected.
2. If You Believe the Ban Was a Mistake, Build an Evidence Docket
If you think the finding is wrong or unfounded, you can ask for a formal appeal review. An appeal is a factual challenge, not a request for leniency.
Compile everything into a single docket before you send it. Make sure you have provided anything relevant, as you will only receive one appeal.
3. Submit It to Our Support Team
Contact our Support Team at help@topstep.com to request an appeal. Our team will send you the form submission link where you can submit all evidence for your appeal. The items you will need to provide via the form include:
The email your account uses. Include the email address on your Topstep profile so we can match your submission to the case.
The specific finding you're disputing. Quote the line from your notification.
What you say actually happened, in writing, with dates and times (include your time zone).
The account numbers and products the finding refers to.
Supporting evidence- platform screenshots, order and fill records, trade logs, statements, or anything else that documents your version of events.
Anything that explains the pattern we flagged- for example, documentation about who has access to your accounts or devices.
⚠️ Please note: Send it all at once. A partial submission followed by additions slows the review and gives the reviewing team an incomplete picture. Assertions without records are not evidence.
4. What to Expect
Timeline. You'll typically hear back on your appeal within a few business days.
Process. Bans follow a documented review, and by the time a notification goes out, the conduct has already been established against the record. An appeal is a check on that process — not a second chance at the outcome.
Decision. Once the appeal review is finished, the decision is final.
Why We Hold This Line
Topstep exists to find and fund real traders. That only works if the results mean something.
Every rule we enforce protects the traders doing it the right way — the ones whose Funded Account® was earned by trading within the rules. When personal conduct corrupts that process, it takes value away from every honest trader in the program, and puts the whole model at risk.
Enforcing this consistently, even when the decision is a hard one, is how we keep the best trading experience in the industry worth being part of.
FAQs
Can I create a new profile?
No. New profiles created after a ban are closed as soon as they're identified, and no refunds are issued.
Will I get a refund for my Trading Combine® or my account balance?
No. Accounts closed for a Terms of Use violation are closed without refund, and balances in them are forfeited.
What happens to a pending Payout request?
Pending Payout requests are not processed when an account is closed for a violation.
Is there a deadline to appeal?
30 calendar days from the date of your notification.
Can I appeal twice?
No. 1 appeal review per decision.