Go Beyond Stocks
and Options

Trade where prices move first. To capture pure market shifts on
the S&P 500, gold, oil and more, choose futures.

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Go long or short

Be a buyer or seller and pivot instantly as your views change. Trade intraday volatility without short-sale friction.

Make every dollar work harder

Maximize buying power and free up capital for your next move. Use leverage to control a large position with less capital upfront.

Trade anytime, execute instantly

Tight spreads. Universal, public pricing. No waiting for a bell. Along with around-the-clock liquidity, you’re ready to act when the market moves.

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Where can you start trading futures?

When you’re ready to start trading, you’ll first need a futures account.

Charles Schwab

Interactive Brokers

NinjaTrader

Plus500

Robinhood

tastytrade

TradeStation

Webull

Additional brokers offering these products

Please note: The list is provided solely for informational purposes and is not an endorsement of any particular broker. It is not verification of legal registration, the broker’s status or the firm’s ability to solicit or carry customer accounts. Read additional important considerations about the brokers found on and off of this list.

*More about Featured Brokers
Please check a national regulatory body in the firm's country of origin in your jurisdiction to confirm registration status and licensing of a featured broker. For FCMs and IBs in the United States, you may check their membership at https://www.nfa.futures.org/basicnet/

No significance should be attached to a broker's inclusion or omission. The list may not be exhaustive since the list only includes those brokers that have requested to be included on the list. If you are a broker and would like your firm to be listed, please contact our team at brokerlist@cmegroup.com

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Where can you start trading futures?

When you’re ready to start trading, you’ll first need a futures account.

Fideuram

Fineco

iBroker

Interactive Brokers

NinjaTrader

Saxo Bank

Swissquote

TradeStation

Additional brokers offering these products

Please note: The list is provided solely for informational purposes and is not an endorsement of any particular broker. It is not verification of legal registration, the broker’s status or the firm’s ability to solicit or carry customer accounts. Read additional important considerations about the brokers found on and off of this list.

*More about Featured Brokers
Please check a national regulatory body in the firm's country of origin in your jurisdiction to confirm registration status and licensing of a featured broker. For FCMs and IBs in the United States, you may check their membership at https://www.nfa.futures.org/basicnet/

No significance should be attached to a broker's inclusion or omission. The list may not be exhaustive since the list only includes those brokers that have requested to be included on the list. If you are a broker and would like your firm to be listed, please contact our team at brokerlist@cmegroup.com

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Where can you start trading futures?

When you’re ready to start trading, you’ll first need a futures account.

Chief Securities

DA International

Futu Securities

Jinrui Futures

Nanhua Futures

Please note: The list is provided solely for informational purposes and is not an endorsement of any particular broker. It is not verification of legal registration, the broker’s status or the firm’s ability to solicit or carry customer accounts. Read additional important considerations about the brokers found on and off of this list.

*More about Featured Brokers
Please check a national regulatory body in the firm's country of origin in your jurisdiction to confirm registration status and licensing of a featured broker. For FCMs and IBs in the United States, you may check their membership at https://www.nfa.futures.org/basicnet/

No significance should be attached to a broker's inclusion or omission. The list may not be exhaustive since the list only includes those brokers that have requested to be included on the list. If you are a broker and would like your firm to be listed, please contact our team at brokerlist@cmegroup.com

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Where can you start trading futures?

When you’re ready to start trading, you’ll first need a futures account.

KGI

MooMoo Financial

Nanhua Futures

Please note: The list is provided solely for informational purposes and is not an endorsement of any particular broker. It is not verification of legal registration, the broker’s status or the firm’s ability to solicit or carry customer accounts. Read additional important considerations about the brokers found on and off of this list.

*More about Featured Brokers
Please check a national regulatory body in the firm's country of origin in your jurisdiction to confirm registration status and licensing of a featured broker. For FCMs and IBs in the United States, you may check their membership at https://www.nfa.futures.org/basicnet/

No significance should be attached to a broker's inclusion or omission. The list may not be exhaustive since the list only includes those brokers that have requested to be included on the list. If you are a broker and would like your firm to be listed, please contact our team at brokerlist@cmegroup.com

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Where can you start trading futures?

When you’re ready to start trading, you’ll first need a futures account.

Moomoo Financial

Please note: The list is provided solely for informational purposes and is not an endorsement of any particular broker. It is not verification of legal registration, the broker’s status or the firm’s ability to solicit or carry customer accounts. Read additional important considerations about the brokers found on and off of this list.

*More about Featured Brokers
Please check a national regulatory body in the firm's country of origin in your jurisdiction to confirm registration status and licensing of a featured broker. For FCMs and IBs in the United States, you may check their membership at https://www.nfa.futures.org/basicnet/

No significance should be attached to a broker's inclusion or omission. The list may not be exhaustive since the list only includes those brokers that have requested to be included on the list. If you are a broker and would like your firm to be listed, please contact our team at brokerlist@cmegroup.com

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Compare futures to the markets you already know

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Futures vs. stocks

Futures offer greater leverage to control larger positions with lower margin requirements than traditional stocks, which amplifies both potential profits and risks. Unlike non-expiring stocks, time-bound futures contracts trade 24/5, allowing technical traders to respond instantly to overnight market movements.

Read more[link-bold]

Futures vs. stock options

Futures enable you to trade directional price movement with linear risk – allowing you to execute on price action directly without having to manage the time decay and volatility of options trading.

Read more[link-bold]

Futures vs. ETFs

The main advantages of futures over ETFs lie in their superior capital efficiency (requiring as little as 3%–12% margin) and nearly 24-hour liquidity, allowing technical traders to adjust positions immediately during overnight economic events.

Read more[link-bold]

Futures vs. forex

While off-exchange spot forex trading relies on decentralized brokers – where traders may be challenged by variable spreads, hidden financing fees and counterparty risk – FX futures offer a centralized order book with equal execution priority and transparent costs for all participants. Micro FX futures provide expanded access to key currency pairs via small contracts.

Read more[link-bold]

Characteristic Futures Stocks
Underlying asset Standardized agreement to buy/sell an asset at a set future date Share of equity in a single publicly traded company
Ownership Synthetic exposure (no equity ownership) Direct equity ownership
Leverage available High (typically 10:1 to 20:1 using initial margin) Low (standard Regulation T margin up to 2:1 for overnight)
Expiration date Yes (standard, monthly or quarterly expiry) None (hold indefinitely while company exists)
Upfront capital Performance margin deposit (usually 3%–12% of contract value) Full purchase price (or 50% on standard margin)
P&L profile Linear (1:1 per tick value, magnified by leverage) Linear (1:1 gain/loss per dollar price change)
Liquidity & volume Extremely high on major benchmarks (e.g., ES, NQ, CL) High to low depending on market cap
Characteristic Futures Stock Options
Underlying asset Standardized agreement to buy/sell an asset at a set future date Contract granting the right (not obligation) to buy/sell shares
Ownership Synthetic exposure (no equity ownership) Contract rights only
Leverage available High (typically 10:1 to 20:1 using initial margin) High (inherent leverage via premium paid relative to underlying share value)
Expiration date Yes (standard, monthly or quarterly expiry) Yes (weekly, monthly, or LEAPS expiry)
Upfront capital Performance margin deposit (usually 3%–12% of contract value) Option Premium (max loss for buyers)
P&L profile Linear (1:1 per tick value, magnified by leverage) Non-Linear (influenced by time decay theta, volatility, and stock price Delta)
Liquidity & volume Extremely high on major benchmarks (e.g., ES, NQ, CL) High on liquid single stocks and broad indexes
Characteristic Futures ETFs
Underlying asset Standardized agreement to buy/sell an asset at a set future date Basket of equities, commodities or bonds tracking an index
Ownership Synthetic exposure (no equity ownership) Shares in a fund structure
Leverage available High (typically 10:1 to 20:1 using initial margin) Low (similar to stocks; up to 2:1 margin)
Expiration date Yes (standard, monthly or quarterly expiry) None (hold indefinitely)
Upfront capital Performance margin deposit (usually 3%–12% of contract value) Full purchase price (or 50% on standard margin)
P&L profile Linear (1:1 per tick value, magnified by leverage) Linear (1:1 gain/loss relative to ETF price)
Liquidity & volume Extremely high on major benchmarks (e.g., ES, NQ, CL) High for major index ETFs (e.g., SPY, QQQ); varies for niche funds
Characteristic Futures Forex
Underlying asset Standardized agreement to buy/sell an asset at a set future date Currency pairs (relative value of one currency to another)
Ownership Synthetic exposure (no equity ownership) Spot currencies or derivative currency contracts
Leverage available High (typically 10:1 to 20:1 using initial margin) Very High (up to 30:1 – 50:1 in regulated regions like U.S.)
Expiration date Yes (standard, monthly or quarterly expiry) Spot forex: None (overnight roll); Currency futures: Yes
Upfront capital Performance margin deposit (usually 3%–12% of contract value) Small margin deposit based on broker leverage
P&L profile Linear (1:1 per tick value, magnified by leverage) Linear (1:1 per pip move, magnified by leverage)
Liquidity & volume Extremely high on major benchmarks (e.g., ES, NQ, CL) Highest global financial liquidity (~$7.5+ trillion/day)
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RESOURCES & TOOLS

Fill out your toolkit

From beginner to advanced analytics, we've got everything you need to improve your trading skills.

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FedWatch

Track the probabilities of Fed rate moves, which can impact prices in equities, oil, gold and more.

QuikStrike

Better insights lead to better trades. Use free tools like the Strategy Simulator, Vol2Vol™ Expected Range and more to stress-test ideas, analyze sentiment and identify trends.

Trading Simulator

Test your strategies risk-free

The next best thing to live trading: no money required. Practice trading Micro- and nano-sized futures in live simulated markets without risking any capital.

Start practicing[primary, login]

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Find answers to your frequently asked questions

Here are some questions you need to know before you start trading.
What’s a futures contract, and how does it work?
A futures contract is a standardized agreement to buy or sell an asset (e.g., S&P 500, gold, oil) at a set price on a future date. Unlike stocks, you don't own the asset; you are trading price commitments.
What’s the difference between going long and going short?
"Going long" means buying first to profit from rising prices. "Going short" means selling first to profit from falling prices. In futures, shorting is as seamless as buying – there are no borrow fees or locate requirements like with stocks.
What‘s the advantage of trading futures on-exchange compared to off-exchange financial instruments?

Compare some of the key advantages of trading exchange-traded futures vs. OTC markets, such as the transparent, public pricing for all traders and the mitigated counterparty risk associated with a centrally cleared limit order book (CLOB).

/fragments/accordion/why-trade-futures/faq-table

What does cash-settled vs. physical delivery mean?
Physical delivery means taking possession of the actual commodity (e.g., crude oil) upon expiration. Most active traders trade cash-settled contracts (like index futures) or close out positions on physically delivered contracts before expiration to avoid taking ownership of the oil, corn or other physical product in the specified location (e.g., warehouse, grain elevator and so on).
How much money do I need to start trading futures?
Thanks to nano-sized and Micro contracts, you may be able to open an account with as little as $500–$1,000. Recommended starting capital, however, depends on other factors as well, like your risk tolerance, your expected holding timeframe, preferred stop-loss size (how much negative price movement you’re comfortable with before closing a position), and more.
What is margin in futures trading?
Unlike stock margin (which is a loan from a broker), futures margin (or, performance bond) is a good-faith deposit acting as collateral rather than a loan or down payment. Futures margin is designed to cover potential losses and ensure contractual obligations are met. Futures margin is required to open and maintain a futures position.
What is the difference between initial, maintenance and day trading margin?

Intraday/day trading margin: A lower margin amount required to hold positions during market hours (for example, $50–$500 per Micro).

Initial margin: Full amount required by the clearinghouse to hold positions overnight.

Maintenance margin: Minimum account balance required to keep an overnight position open without facing a margin call.

Can I lose more money than I deposit?
Yes. Because of futures leverage, a sharp market move against your position can create losses that exceed your initial margin deposit.
What is a tick vs. a point?
A "tick" is the minimum price movement a contract can make. For S&P 500 futures, one point equals four ticks. A point refers to the increments in which an underlying index moves.
How do futures expiration dates and contract months work?
Futures contracts expire on set schedules (e.g., quarterly for index futures). Active traders must "roll over" their positions to the next contract month before expiration to maintain exposure via futures.
What are futures trading hours?
Most major futures markets at CME Group trade nearly 24/5 (nearly 23 hours a day, Sunday evening through Friday afternoon), making them flexible for different time zones. There are several futures products that are now available 24/7, extending trading opportunities into the weekend. View our list of available 24/7 contracts.
How do I get started?

Practice risk-free with our Trading Simulator: If you're new to futures or testing a new strategy, start with our simulated trading environment. You can place trades, test execution speed and monitor positions in real time using virtual funds. This enables you to gain experience with zero financial risk. Visit our Trading Simulator.

Trade live with a broker: When you’re ready to trade real capital, open and fund an account through a supported futures broker. Once your brokerage account is connected, you can execute trades directly in live futures markets.

Does CME Group offer education?
Yes. CME Group provides a comprehensive suite of free educational resources designed for traders of all experience levels. Access complimentary self-paced courses, instructional videos, market insights and interactive trading simulations to help you build your knowledge of futures markets, contract specifications, trading strategies and more.
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