Discount Trading gives you direct access to CQG's industry-leading order routing infrastructure - trusted by professional traders, major institutions, and brokers worldwide for over 45 years.
A routing solution built on four decades of reliability, speed, and global reach.
Access exchanges worldwide through CQG's network of co-located Hosted Exchange Gateways - one of the broadest exchange footprints available.
CQG's Gateway 5.0 routing system delivers microsecond-level order routing. Fast, reliable, and built for traders who cannot afford delays at critical moments.
CQG consolidates market data from more than 75 sources into a single, high-performance feed - giving you accurate, real-time information across all major asset classes.
Discount Trading pairs CQG's professional routing with some of the lowest day trading futures margins in the industryiLeverage can work for you as well as against you - it magnifies gains as well as losses..
CQG Mobile is available for iOS and Android, giving you full access to quotes, analytics, and order entry from anywhere in the world.
CQG supports market, limit, stop, stop-limit, OCO, trailing stops, iceberg, DOM-triggered, and algorithmic orders - giving you full flexibility in execution strategy.
CQG supports order routing for options on futures, with Greeks displayed directly on the DOM - a capability not available on every routing platform.
Developers and systematic traders can access CQG's full market data and order routing via the CQG API - ideal for building custom trading applications and algorithms.
The CQG routing connection is compatible with a wide range of professional futures trading platforms. Simply connect your CQG credentials to any of the following platforms and begin trading immediately through Discount Trading.
Gold-highlighted platforms are CQG native products. All others connect via the CQG API. Contact Discount Trading if you do not see your platform listed - CQG supports a broad range of additional third-party software.
Fill out account forms on Discount Trading. We accept accounts from the USA and most foreign countries.
Send funds via Plaid ACH, wire transfer, or check to activate your trading account.
Discount Trading will provide your CQG login credentials and setup instructions via email.
Download your preferred CQG platform, log in with your credentials, and begin trading.
Ready to get started? Open an Account Now - our team will guide you through the CQG setup process from start to finish.
Most traders think of CQG as a platform, but at its core, CQG is a routing and data technology company. What separates CQG routing from other options is the depth and breadth of its global infrastructure.
One of CQG's most powerful capabilities is its spread trading infrastructure. The CQG Spreader is a sophisticated tool that manages multi-leg futures spread orders using proprietary algorithms - all executed server-side at CQG's co-located exchange servers. Synthetic spread legs execute in under one millisecond, and the system handles overfill protection, leg ratios, and order management automatically.
Traders can configure leg ratios, scale, and legging risk, prioritize leg placement, and monitor spread trades directly through the DOMTrader interface. This level of spread trading capability is typically only available to institutional traders - CQG brings it to the individual trader through brokers like Discount Trading.
For developers and systematic traders, the CQG API provides programmatic access to the full CQG routing and data infrastructure. It is designed for traders who want to build custom applications, automated strategies, or integrate CQG's data feed and order routing into their own proprietary systems.
Contact Discount Trading to discuss CQG API access and pricing for your specific use case.
CQG offers several platforms to fit different trader styles - from those who want a lightweight DOM-focused tool to those who need a full-featured analytics and charting suite. All platforms connect to the same CQG routing infrastructure and exchange gateways.
CQG Desktop is the current generation platform from CQG, combining trading, charting, and analytics in one browser-based HTML5 application. It is clean, fast, and easy to navigate - designed for traders who want professional-grade tools without the complexity of legacy software. CQG Desktop supports all major order types, real-time intraday charting, and direct connectivity to CQG's Hosted Exchange Gateways.
CQG One is CQG's modern, next-generation trading platform combining trading, charting, and market analytics in a clean, user-friendly interface. Built on HTML5, WebSocket, and Protobuf technology, CQG One is designed for traders who want a balance between advanced features and ease of use - with no software download required. It includes CQG's full suite of order types and direct connectivity to CQG's Hosted Exchange Gateways.
CQG QTrader is the professional trader's go-to platform - a comprehensive solution combining advanced analytics, charts, and multiple trade execution interfaces in one package. It offers many of the same features as CQG Integrated Client at a more accessible price point, making it ideal for active traders who need professional-grade tools without the full complexity of the flagship platform.
The CQG Integrated Client is the flagship professional platform - a comprehensive trading environment with advanced charting, technical analysis, spread trading tools, and full order routing capabilities. It has earned its reputation as the go-to solution for serious professional traders who demand the highest level of detail and control over their trading environment. Footprint charts, Delta Bar charts, and over 100 technical studies are available natively.
CQG Mobile is available for both iOS and Android devices, providing full access to real-time quotes, analytics, and order entry on the go. It is included at no additional charge with all four CQG platforms (CQG Desktop, CQG One, CQG QTrader, and CQG Integrated Client), giving you a complete trading solution across all your devices.
CQG provides access to exchanges through its global network of co-located Hosted Exchange Gateways. Key exchanges supported include CME, CBOT, NYMEX, COMEX, Eurex, and ICE. This global reach makes CQG particularly well suited for traders who work across multiple asset classes or who trade international futures markets.
For developers, institutions, and algorithmic traders who want to connect directly to CQG's routing infrastructure, there are two primary programmatic connection methods: FIX Connect and the CQG Web API. Each is designed for a different use case and technical environment. Here is how they compare.
FIX Connect is CQG's implementation of the industry-standard Financial Information eXchange (FIX) protocol - the same messaging format used by major banks, institutions, and professional trading operations worldwide. It provides direct access to CQG's exchange gateway for order routing to futures and fixed income cash markets without requiring a CQG proprietary client to be installed.
FIX is the right choice if your organization already uses FIX messaging, you need to integrate CQG routing into an existing institutional workflow, or you require platform-neutral execution without running CQG client software.
The CQG Web API is a modern, lightweight connection method built on secure WebSockets and Google Protocol Buffers. It was designed to give developers a flexible, language-agnostic way to access CQG's full market data and order routing capabilities from virtually any environment - including web browsers, mobile applications, cloud-based systems, and server-side applications.
Web API is the right choice if you are building a custom trading application, want to integrate CQG data and routing into a web or cloud environment, or prefer a modern API standard over traditional FIX messaging.
| Feature | FIX Connect | Web API |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | FIX (industry standard) | WebSockets + Protocol Buffers |
| Best environment | Institutional / back-office systems | Custom apps / web / cloud / mobile |
| CQG client required | No | No |
| Order routing | Yes - full exchange access | Yes - full exchange access |
| Market data | Limited - order routing focused | Full - real-time, historical, DOM |
| Symbol formats | CQG, Bloomberg, Reuters, custom | CQG native format |
| Conformance testing | Required before live use | Not required |
| Language support | Any FIX-capable language | Any WebSocket/Protobuf language |
| Typical users | Institutions, prop desks, algos | Developers, fintechs, custom platforms |
Contact Discount Trading to discuss which connection method is right for your specific use case. Our team can help facilitate the CQG setup process and connect you with the appropriate CQG technical resources.
CQG has been one of the most trusted names in futures technology for over 45 years. Founded in Denver, Colorado, CQG built its reputation by delivering institutional-grade market data and order routing infrastructure to professional traders, major brokers, hedge funds, and exchanges around the world.
Unlike platforms that bolt on routing as an afterthought, CQG was engineered from the ground up as a routing and data technology company. Its infrastructure serves as the backbone for some of the largest and most respected names in the futures industry.
When you trade through CQG at Discount Trading, you are connecting to the same institutional-grade infrastructure used by professional traders and major financial firms worldwide.
CQG has been at the center of futures technology for over four decades. Its routing infrastructure is trusted by major financial institutions, brokers, and active traders worldwide.
Gateway 5.0 delivers microsecond-level order routing through co-located exchange gateways. When speed matters, CQG's infrastructure gives you an edge that generic retail routing cannot match.
Direct Market Access to exchanges worldwide. Whether you trade US equity index futures, energy, metals, currencies, or international markets, CQG connects you directly.
Over 100 technical studies, Footprint charts, Delta Bar charts, spread analytics, and real-time options Greeks - CQG's analytical depth is unmatched at any price point.
CQG's server-side spread trading engine executes synthetic leg orders in under one millisecond, with full control over ratios, legging risk, and overfill protection.
Discount Trading pairs CQG's institutional routing with some of the lowest day trading futures margins availableiLeverage can work for you as well as against you - it magnifies gains as well as losses.. Professional infrastructure does not have to mean high cost.
CQG Order Routing - Low Day Trading Margins - Competitive Commissions - 25+ Years Helping Traders
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