Topstep Labs: Real Experiments. Limited Drops. More Ways to Get Funded.

Topstep has launched Topstep Labs, a dedicated innovation unit that will release limited-time experimental account structures and features based on trader feedback. The first product from the lab is Drop #001: a $25K Static Trading Combine.

The creation of Topstep Labs follows Topstep's acquisition of The Futures Desk, a firm focused on trader education and tools. Josh Schwartzberg, co-founder of The Futures Desk, has been named Head of Innovation at Topstep and will lead the new lab. “We started The Futures Desk to help traders actually learn the craft, not just chase a quick payout,” Schwartzberg said. “Topstep is the only place that truly shares that obsession.”

The $25K Static Trading Combine offers traders a smaller account size than the standard $50K Combine, with a fixed $1,000 maximum loss limit. Unlike many other combines that use a trailing drawdown, the static limit remains locked at $24,000 — the account balance simply must stay above that line. Traders who pass the combine earn a $25K Express Funded Account with up to $4,000 in payout capacity, matching the payout cap of the $50K Combine.

The experiment is part of Topstep's broader effort to increase flexibility for traders seeking funding. According to the company, future drops from Topstep Labs may introduce additional account sizes, risk management tools, or new features — each tested as a limited-time offering before potentially becoming permanent.

Topstep Labs represents a strategic push to bring product experimentation into the prop-firm space, where standardized combine models have long dominated. By acquiring The Futures Desk and putting Schwartzberg in charge of innovation, Topstep aims to accelerate development of new ways for traders to earn funded accounts.