Chicago-based futures funding platform Topstep has acquired proprietary trading firm The Futures Desk, the company announced on Wednesday.
The Futures Desk co-founders Josh Schwartzberg and Brian Ford are both joining Topstep as part of the deal. The acquired firm’s technology will be integrated directly into TopstepX, Topstep’s trading platform.
The deal is a product-and-team integration rather than a simple brand acquisition. Topstep said the move would give traders “more developmental tools designed to help them learn and build better habits while they trade.”
The Futures Desk is more like an old-school futures arcade, rather than a modern trader funding firm, with the firm running trading strategies and allocating capital to traders on its books.
“Bringing to life The Ultimate Trading Experience means simplifying and making sure that when you step up to the plate, that besides being backed by our capital, that you are backed with the best technology in the prop trading world,” said Topstep co-founder Michael Patak.
Schwartzberg framed the deal as a natural fit. “We started The Futures Desk to help traders actually learn the craft, not just chase a quick payout,” he said. “Topstep is the only place that truly shares that obsession.”
Topstep did not disclose financial terms, integration timelines, or whether The Futures Desk will continue operating as a standalone brand. It is also unclear whether existing Futures Desk traders will migrate to TopstepX or remain on separate infrastructure during a transition period.
The acquisition tightens the connection between trader education, platform tooling, and funding access, with The Futures Desk providing both a team and a product approach aligned with that direction.
