WHAT HAPPENED TO MARCELLO ARRAMBIDE'S DAY TRADING ACADEMY (DTA)

Years ago, it was common to hear the name 'Day Trading Academy (DTA)' (Marcello Arrambide's trading school). It would appear on YouTube, in advertisements, in webinars, or even in an Instagram Live with epic music and a somewhat implicit promise of financial freedom.

And then the typical thing happens. One day you see them everywhere and the next you wonder… Where's Marcello?

What happened? They're still around. They closed. They changed their name. It was good. It was all smoke and mirrors. There are complaints. There are furious students. There are people who say it changed their lives (I don't know any). And others who say it was the worst decision.

What really happened?

Let's get this straight. With context. With nuance. And with some uncomfortable things too, because otherwise, this is pointless.

Quick note. This is not a personal attack on anyone. It's an attempt to understand what happened to Day Trading Academy, what signs were there, what recurs in these types of academies, and why people will always fall victim to charlatans.

The short version (to give you some context)

When someone says “what happened to Day Trading Academy?”, they are usually asking one of these things:

Whether the academy is still operating or has disappeared.
If he had legal problems, complaints or controversies.
If you changed your model, your marketing, or your brand.
Whether they were actually teaching something useful or if it was more about selling than trading.
Why are there such polarized opinions?.

In most cases, what "happens" to these types of academies isn't a one-off event. It's a mix of attrition, changes in strategy, pressure to attract students, market saturation, complaints, refunds, more complaints, conflicts, smoke and mirrors… lots of smoke and sometimes rebranding.

Let's take it one step at a time.

What was Day Trading Academy?

Day Trading Academy (DTA) marketed itself as a training academy for day trading. According to its narrative, it focused on short-term trading with method, discipline, and a proven system (all smoke and mirrors). I have a full review of this school here.

So far, so normal. There are a thousand academies selling snake oil like this one.

What was unique was the style: a strong emphasis on lifestyle, community, "coaching," and a discourse that blended personal development with trading. That's what hooks you.

So… what really “happened”

The truth is, there is no official version…

But I've looked at forums and networks, and the picture that emerges is not that of a single "definitive scandal," but rather that of a school that gradually gained a bad reputation due to its price, marketing, and actual usefulness; and whose founder was later increasingly associated with SpeedUp Trader (one of the worst funding companies... another alleged scam by Arrambide according to users).

I must say that I didn't find a major public demand or regulatory shutdown of DTA as such in the sources reviewed, but I did find a fairly clear pattern of repeated criticism and a shift in the business's focus.

There are three things, however, that stand out…

1) The first: A ridiculous price… and a mediocre product.

Many users considered the course too expensive for what it offered.

Depending on the package, prices ranged from $2,500 to $10,000, with nothing to justify that price.

In one of the forums checked, a former student says that the course is a "total scam and waste of time".

This can be clearly seen in the comments that we can read under the DTA review published on this same website

People start out with enthusiasm, but sooner or later they realize it. The DTA thing was a short YouTube course, not a $2,500 course (much less a $10,000 one).

2) The second: The marketing surrounding Marcello Arrambide and his lifestyle.

I myself have criticized the image of a successful trader that Marcello sold: trips, aspirational videos, paradise beaches, working only 2 hours a day, etc.

The typical snake oil salesman's kit.

Nothing about trading.

Look, don't get me wrong… I don't mind the photos of travel and luxury. What bothers me is that people are led to believe that the trips and luxurious lifestyle Marcello shows off were achieved through trading, when in reality it was all financed by the $2,000 to $10,000 courses he sold.

But people wanted to believe.

The videos struck at the heart of the dreams of those who desired (and still desire) a life change. These comments we can find on YouTube say it all.

And what about trading?

None of the school's mentors traded (I know this from a former student). Even the loudmouth Tori Trades, with all the money she makes selling courses, occasionally shows up at the market... if only to keep up appearances.

Nothing here.

It was all about beaches, luxury hotels, and selling the illusion of 'you too can live like me (if you pay me first)'.

3) The third (and very important): SpeedUp Trader… bad funding that didn't pay.

Day Trading Academy became closely linked to SpeedUp Trader (one of the shadiest funding companies; Arrambide was its founder).

In other words, traders were being referred from a terrible trading school to a terrible funding company.

1 + 1 = Lamentable.

Summary: expensive course, aggressive marketing, questionable value, hype, skeptical community, SpeedUp Trader.

The “Arrambide” model burned out

This is textbook. At the beginning, you have the first students, all motivated. Those who finish the course post a review. Those who don't finish, leave quietly.

Over time, different profiles accumulate:

People who bought impulsively.
People who did not have enough capital to operate.
People who thought they would be making a living from this in 3 months.
People are starting to notice that mentors don't trade.
People who realize that the whole 'we're a family of traders' thing was just a way to get you to hand over your money.
People who study a little more end up noticing that the school's strategy is ridiculous and that no serious trader uses it.

And when that clash with reality passes, harsh reviews appear. Not always because the course is a "scam," but because the expectation was unrealistic. Because they were selling an unrealistic expectation.

Of course, there are also many questionable practices: aggressive sales tactics, pressure to close, ambiguous promises, selected testimonials, and refund policies that are a real pain in practice.

If you look, you'll see the pattern in these types of schools (it applies to DTA and many others):

Gurus.
Lambos.
Travel (Beaches and Dubai are a must-have).
Rolex.
'I did all this in my early twenties…'
'You don't need a degree to succeed... look at me.'.
Invented profits.
Multi-level style recruitment (although not all).
Promises of “quitting your job”.

The Trading Sensei is a very similar case…

Typical signs…

I'm not saying they all apply to DTA, I'm talking about common patterns in industry academies. If you see several together, you'll understand why there's so much noise.

Aggressive sales and constant urgency

"Today only," "limited availability," "last places," "price goes up tomorrow." Sometimes it's true. Often it's scripted.

The problem isn't the discount. It's that it pushes you to decide without thinking about whether the product is right for you.

Testimonies without context

Testimonials from students saying, "It went incredibly well." Okay. How long? With what capital? In what market? Under what conditions? How many trades? What was the drawdown?.

Without context, a testimony is just emotion.

Results shown as if they were typical

If they show you a spectacular month and don't show you the bad month, they're selling you an illusion.

A serious trader talks about streaks, variance, and risk. Not about "we made $500 today" as if it were just going to the gym.

That's where part of the "what happened" comes from. People buy something they imagined, receive something different, and explode.

Trading: Between Clowns and Snake Oil Salesmen (Unfiltered)

BETWEEN CLOWNS AND TRADING SCAMMERS (IS MOWLIHAWK INVESTIGATING?)

If you were a student (or are thinking of entering a similar school), ask yourself these 7 questions

This is what's practical. It doesn't matter if it's called DTA or anything else.

Which markets do they teach and why? Futures, forex, stocks, crypto. Each has a different structure.
What part is theory and what part is guided practice? And how many actual hours?
They teach you risk management from day one or at the end. If it's at the end, that's a bad sign.
They have a clear progression plan. Demo, micro, small, scaled. Or is it all "just jump in and trade"?
What is their refund policy and how does it apply? Both on paper and in practice.
What evidence of consistency do they provide? Not just a single screenshot. A history, a logging method, audits, something.
What happens when you finish? Are you left hanging, or is there a real community with helpful feedback?

If you can't answer this before paying, you're buying blindly.

So, to answer the title: what happened to Day Trading Academy?

Most likely, there wasn't a single "step".

What usually happens with many trading academies like Day Trading Academy (DTA) is a combination of:

A period of strong growth when trading was in vogue.
Lots of public exposure, lots of marketing, lots of new students.
Inevitable accumulation of bad experiences (due to unrealistic expectations or problems with the product).
Bad reviews that generate distrust.
Strategy adjustments, internal changes, rebranding, or reduced presence.

As we write this article, we can see that the school's website is down (and has been for some time). And the YouTube channel is only used for live streams with the typical pre-market analysis that offers nothing new, all aimed at driving traffic to a new community called 'SPKS' – all via WhatsApp (can you imagine?).

Marcello hasn't offered any explanations. I think at this point they're unnecessary… everything is very clear.

Conclusion:

If you're here because you haven't seen much of Day Trading Academy lately, or because you've heard rumors, the truth is there's no official explanation, and perhaps they'll return at some point (where there's smoke, there's fire)... for now, what we know is that the school's website is dead and Marcello hasn't been seen on social media for over a year.

The market changes. Fashions change. Expectations clash with reality. And academies, whether bad or mediocre, usually fade away.

The useful question is not just what happened to DTA.

The useful question is: what are they promising you to lure you with smoke and mirrors?

That's where everything is decided. Seriously.

🛡️ Legal notice

This article is for informational purposes only and reflects personal opinions, user experiences shared on social media, and critical analysis of an educational product offered to the public. It is not intended to defame, spread misinformation, or damage the reputation of any person or company mentioned.

The images used in this article are illustrative, either public screenshots or images taken for critical analysis from freely accessible websites. Their use falls within the legitimate interest of informing and providing context.

We recommend that our readers research and compare various sources before making decisions related to financial products or services.

Norberto Viale( Trader and founder of Topstep Experience )

My name is Norberto. I've been investing and trading for over a decade. I'm also the author of the Topstep Experience trading course. If you want to learn how to invest and have any questions, feel free to contact me.