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Futures Day Trading Margin Requirements - Discount Trading

Futures Day Trading
Margin Requirements

Discount Trading offers some of the lowest intra-day margins available. Enhanced day trading margins are available on select platforms - contact us for details.

$40MES Enhanced Margin*
$400ES Enhanced Margin*
$80MNQ Enhanced Margin*
$800NQ Enhanced Margin*

*The lower the day trade margin the higher the leverage and riskier the trade.
Leverage can work for you as well as against you - it magnifies gains as well as losses.
Not all clients will qualify for Enhanced Margins.

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Discount Trading - Lowest Futures Day Trading Margins

Complete intra-day margin requirements for all major futures contracts including stock index, energy, metals, grains, currencies, and more.

Initial & Maintenance Margin

Initial Margin is set by the exchange and is the amount required to hold each position past the market close. This margin amount can go as low as the Maintenance Margin before the client is required to replenish funds back to Initial Margin Requirements if the positions are held past the market close.

Day Trade (Intra-Day) Margin

Day Trade Margin is set by Discount Trading. This is the minimum amount required to hold a position per contract on an intra-day basis. Enhanced day trading margins ($400 E-mini S&P and $40 Micro E-mini S&P) are available for select platforms. Please contact us for details.

Stock Index Futures

↔ Slide to see the full table
Contract NameSymbolDay Trade MarginEnhanced Day TradeExchange InitialExchange MaintenanceExchange
E-mini S&P 500ES$500$400$25,713$23,375CME
E-mini NASDAQ 100NQ$1,000$800$43,858$39,871CME
E-mini DOW ($5)YM$500$400$16,973$15,430CBOT
E-mini Russell 2000RTY$500$400$11,850$10,773CME
Micro E-mini S&P 500MES$50$40$2,572$2,338CME
Micro E-mini NASDAQ 100MNQ$100$80$4,386$3,987CME
Micro E-mini DOW ($5)MYM$50$40$1,716$1,560CBOT
Micro E-mini Russell 2000M2K$50$40$1,185$1,077CME
Nikkei 225 Stock IndexNKD$1,000$28,106$25,551CME
E-mini Midcap 400EMD$1,000$28,166$25,605CME
Eurex DJ Euro Stoxx 50FESX€1,000€4,506€4,506EUREX
Eurex Mini-DaxFDXM€1,000€9,282€9,282EUREX
Eurex DaxFDAX€10,000€46,414€46,414EUREX

Cryptocurrency Futures

↔ Slide to see the full table
Contract NameSymbolDay Trade MarginEnhanced Day TradeExchange InitialExchange MaintenanceExchange
Nano BitcoinBIT$20$15$150$136Coinbase
Nano EtherET$20$15$44$40Coinbase
Micro BitcoinMBT$50$40$1,687$1,534CME
Micro EtherMET$50$40$72$65CME
Micro SolanaMSL$50$40$1,917$1,742CME
Micro XRPMXP$50$40$1,185$1,077CME

Interest Rate Futures

↔ Slide to see the full table
Contract NameSymbolDay Trade MarginEnhanced Day TradeExchange InitialExchange MaintenanceExchange
Micro 30-Year30Y$100$80$297$270CBOT
Micro 10-Year10Y$100$80$330$300CBOT
Micro 5-Year5YY$100$80$363$330CBOT
Micro 2-Year2YY$100$80$363$330CBOT
Ultra US Treasury BondsUB$1,000$500$5,665$5,150CBOT
U.S. Treasury BondsZB$1,000$500$4,070$3,700CBOT
Ultra 10 Year NotesTN$500$300$2,805$2,550CBOT
10 Year NotesZN$500$300$2,063$1,875CBOT
5 Year NotesZF$500$1,375$1,250CBOT
2 Year NotesZT$400$1,320$1,200CBOT
30 Day Fed FundsZQ$200$1,348$1,225CBOT
One-Month SOFRSR1$200$1,128$1,025CME
Three-Month SOFRSR3$200$908$825CME
Eurex Bund (10yr)FGBL€1,000€1,948€1,948EUREX
Eurex Bobl (5yr)FGBM€750€1,046€1,046EUREX
Eurex Schatz (2yr)FGBS€500€412€412EUREX
Eurex Euro-BuxlFGBX€3,000€3,923€3,923EUREX

Metal Futures

↔ Slide to see the full table
Contract NameSymbolDay Trade MarginEnhanced Day TradeExchange InitialExchange MaintenanceExchange
GoldGC$2,000$1,500$25,386$23,078COMEX
E-mini GoldQO$1,000$750$12,500$11,364COMEX
Micro GoldMGC$200$150$2,559$2,326COMEX
1-Ounce Gold1OZ$20$15$251$228COMEX
SilverSI$4,000$3,500$36,611$33,283COMEX
E-mini SilverQI$2,000$1,750$18,154$16,504COMEX
Micro SilverSIL$800$700$7,405$6,732COMEX
100-Ounce SilverSIC$80$70$733$666COMEX
CopperHG$2,500$2,000$13,200$12,000COMEX
E-mini CopperQC$1,250$6,600$6,000COMEX
Micro CopperMHG$250$200$1,320$1,200COMEX
PalladiumPA$6,000$14,858$13,507NYMEX
PlatinumPL$6,000$8,963$8,148NYMEX

Energy Futures

↔ Slide to see the full table
Contract NameSymbolDay Trade MarginEnhanced Day TradeExchange InitialExchange MaintenanceExchange
Crude OilCL$2,000$1,500$9,550$8,682NYMEX
Micro Crude OilMCL$200$150$922$838NYMEX
E-mini Crude OilQM$1,000$1,000$4,609$4,190NYMEX
Brent CrudeBRN$2,000$11,344$10,313ICE-EU
Natural GasNG$2,000$1,500$3,358$3,053NYMEX
E-mini Natural GasQG$500$845$768NYMEX
Micro Natural GasMNG$200$338$307NYMEX
Heating Oil - ULSDHO$1,000$13,776$12,524NYMEX
E-mini Heating Oil - ULSDQH$500$6,893$6,266NYMEX
RBOB GasolineRB$1,000$8,372$7,611NYMEX
E-mini RBOB GasolineQU$500$4,191$3,810NYMEX

Grain Futures

↔ Slide to see the full table
Contract NameSymbolDay Trade MarginEnhanced Day TradeExchange InitialExchange MaintenanceExchange
CornZC$300$250$990$900CBOT
Mini CornXC$50$198$180CBOT
SoybeansZS$750$500$2,145$1,950CBOT
Mini SoybeansXK$100$418$380CBOT
Soybean OilZL$350$2,035$1,850CBOT
Soybean MealZM$400$1,485$1,350CBOT
WheatZW$750$500$1,870$1,700CBOT
Mini WheatXW$100$374$340CBOT
Kansas City WheatKE$400$1,870$1,700CBOT
Hard Red Spring WheatMWE or IH$500$1,705$1,550MGE
OatsZO$250$1,375$1,250CBOT
Rough RiceZR$300$1,375$1,250CBOT

Currency Futures

↔ Slide to see the full table
Contract NameSymbolDay Trade MarginEnhanced Day TradeExchange InitialExchange MaintenanceExchange
Euro Futures6E$400$300$2,310$2,100CME
E-mini Euro FuturesE7$200$1,155$1,050CME
E-micro Euro FuturesM6E$50$231$210CME
Japanese Yen6J$500$2,640$2,400CME
E-mini Japanese YenJ7$250$1,320$1,200CME
Aussie Dollar6A$250$1,925$1,750CME
Micro Aussie DollarM6A$40$193$175CME
British Pound6B$350$1,870$1,700CME
Micro British PoundM6B$50$187$170CME
Canadian Dollar6C$250$880$800CME
E-micro Canadian DollarMCD$50$99$90CME
Swiss Franc6S$500$3,960$3,600CME
E-micro Swiss FrancMSF$50$440$400CME
Brazilian Real6L$250$935$850CME
Mexican Peso6M$400$1,210$1,100CME
New Zealand Dollar6N$300$1,320$1,200CME
South African Rand6Z$400$1,760$1,600CME
U.S. Dollar IndexDX$800$2,187$1,988ICE

Soft Futures

↔ Slide to see the full table
Contract NameSymbolDay Trade MarginEnhanced Day TradeExchange InitialExchange MaintenanceExchange
Sugar #11SB$750$1,146$1,042ICE
CocoaCC$2,000$9,482$8,620ICE
CoffeeKC$3,000$16,067$14,606ICE
CottonCT$1,500$2,343$2,130ICE
Orange JuiceOJ$1,000$3,277$2,979ICE
LumberLBR$1,000$825$750CME

Meat Futures

↔ Slide to see the full table
Contract NameSymbolDay Trade MarginEnhanced Day TradeExchange InitialExchange MaintenanceExchange
Feeder CattleGF$1,000$6,270$5,700CME
Live CattleLE$600$3,520$3,200CME
Lean HogsHE$600$1,650$1,500CME

Important Notices

Disclaimer: Margins listed on this page are for informational purposes only and are subject to change at any time without notice. Margins are believed to be accurate as of August 21, 2026. Please check directly with the exchange's website for the most current initial and maintenance margin requirements. Discount Trading assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information above.

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