Discount Trading offers some of the lowest intra-day margins available. Enhanced day trading margins are available on select platforms - contact us for details.
*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.
Complete intra-day margin requirements for all major futures contracts including stock index, energy, metals, grains, currencies, and more.
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 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.
| Contract Name | Symbol | Day Trade Margin | Enhanced Day Trade | Exchange Initial | Exchange Maintenance | Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-mini S&P 500 | ES | $500 | $400 | $24,366 | $22,151 | CME |
| E-mini NASDAQ 100 | NQ | $1,000 | $800 | $38,163 | $34,694 | CME |
| E-mini DOW ($5) | YM | $500 | $400 | $16,668 | $15,153 | CBOT |
| E-mini Russell 2000 | RTY | $500 | $400 | $11,067 | $10,061 | CME |
| Micro E-mini S&P 500 | MES | $50 | $40 | $2,437 | $2,215 | CME |
| Micro E-mini NASDAQ 100 | MNQ | $100 | $80 | $3,816 | $3,469 | CME |
| Micro E-mini DOW ($5) | MYM | $50 | $40 | $1,683 | $1,530 | CBOT |
| Micro E-mini Russell 2000 | M2K | $50 | $40 | $1,107 | $1,006 | CME |
| Nikkei 225 Stock Index | NKD | $1,000 | $13,459 | $12,236 | CME | |
| E-mini Midcap 400 | EMD | $1,000 | $26,909 | $24,463 | CME | |
| Eurex DJ Euro Stoxx 50 | FESX | €1,000 | €3,765 | €3,765 | EUREX | |
| Eurex Mini-Dax | FDXM | €1,000 | €8,111 | €8,111 | EUREX | |
| Eurex Dax | FDAX | €10,000 | €40,890 | €40,890 | EUREX |
| Contract Name | Symbol | Day Trade Margin | Enhanced Day Trade | Exchange Initial | Exchange Maintenance | Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nano Bitcoin | BIT | $20 | $15 | $330 | $300 | Coinbase |
| Nano Ether | ET | $20 | $15 | $141 | $128 | Coinbase |
| Micro Bitcoin | MBT | $250 | $200 | $1,826 | $1,660 | CME |
| Micro Ether | MET | $50 | $40 | $74 | $67 | CME |
| Micro Solana | MSL | $50 | $40 | $1,917 | $1,742 | CME |
| Micro XRP | MXP | $50 | $40 | $1,616 | $1,469 | CME |
| Contract Name | Symbol | Day Trade Margin | Enhanced Day Trade | Exchange Initial | Exchange Maintenance | Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro 30-Year | 30Y | $100 | $80 | $297 | $270 | CBOT |
| Micro 10-Year | 10Y | $100 | $80 | $330 | $300 | CBOT |
| Micro 5-Year | 5YY | $100 | $80 | $352 | $320 | CBOT |
| Micro 2-Year | 2YY | $100 | $80 | $363 | $330 | CBOT |
| Ultra US Treasury Bonds | UB | $1,000 | $500 | $5,665 | $5,150 | CBOT |
| U.S. Treasury Bonds | ZB | $1,000 | $500 | $4,070 | $3,700 | CBOT |
| Ultra 10 Year Notes | TN | $500 | $300 | $2,805 | $2,550 | CBOT |
| 10 Year Notes | ZN | $500 | $300 | $2,063 | $1,875 | CBOT |
| 5 Year Notes | ZF | $500 | $1,430 | $1,300 | CBOT | |
| 2 Year Notes | ZT | $400 | $1,320 | $1,200 | CBOT | |
| 30 Day Fed Funds | ZQ | $200 | $1,458 | $1,325 | CBOT | |
| One-Month SOFR | SR1 | $200 | $1,128 | $1,025 | CME | |
| Three-Month SOFR | SR3 | $200 | $908 | $825 | CME | |
| Eurex Bund (10yr) | FGBL | €1,000 | €1,913 | €1,913 | EUREX | |
| Eurex Bobl (5yr) | FGBM | €750 | €1,092 | €1,092 | EUREX | |
| Eurex Schatz (2yr) | FGBS | €500 | €389 | €389 | EUREX | |
| Eurex Euro-Buxl | FGBX | €3,000 | €3,800 | €3,800 | EUREX |
| Contract Name | Symbol | Day Trade Margin | Enhanced Day Trade | Exchange Initial | Exchange Maintenance | Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | GC | $2,500 | $2,300 | $36,130 | $32,845 | COMEX |
| E-mini Gold | QO | $1,250 | $17,547 | $15,952 | COMEX | |
| Micro Gold | MGC | $250 | $230 | $3,746 | $3,405 | COMEX |
| 1-Ounce Gold | 1OZ | $25 | $23 | $352 | $320 | COMEX |
| Silver | SI | $5,000 | $4,500 | $54,542 | $49,584 | COMEX |
| E-mini Silver | QI | $2,500 | $27,372 | $24,884 | COMEX | |
| Micro Silver | SIL | $1,000 | $900 | $11,030 | $10,027 | COMEX |
| Copper | HG | $2,500 | $2,000 | $13,200 | $12,000 | COMEX |
| E-mini Copper | QC | $1,250 | $6,600 | $6,000 | COMEX | |
| Palladium | PA | $6,000 | $22,063 | $20,057 | NYMEX | |
| Platinum | PL | $6,000 | $13,626 | $12,387 | NYMEX |
| Contract Name | Symbol | Day Trade Margin | Enhanced Day Trade | Exchange Initial | Exchange Maintenance | Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crude Oil | CL | $4,000 | $4,000 | $29,876 | $27,160 | NYMEX |
| Micro Crude Oil | MCL | $400 | $400 | $2,992 | $2,720 | NYMEX |
| E-mini Crude Oil | QM | $1,000 | $1,000 | $14,966 | $13,605 | NYMEX |
| Brent Crude | BRN | $4,000 | $23,990 | $21,809 | ICE-EU | |
| Natural Gas | NG | $2,000 | $1,500 | $3,567 | $3,243 | NYMEX |
| E-mini Natural Gas | QG | $500 | $911 | $828 | NYMEX | |
| Micro Natural Gas | MNG | $200 | $364 | $331 | NYMEX | |
| Heating Oil - ULSD | HO | $3,000 | $21,540 | $19,582 | NYMEX | |
| E-mini Heating Oil - ULSD | QH | $1,500 | $10,464 | $9,513 | NYMEX | |
| RBOB Gasoline | RB | $3,000 | $9,931 | $9,028 | NYMEX | |
| E-mini RBOB Gasoline | QU | $1,500 | $4,920 | $4,473 | NYMEX |
| Contract Name | Symbol | Day Trade Margin | Enhanced Day Trade | Exchange Initial | Exchange Maintenance | Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corn | ZC | $300 | $250 | $1,155 | $1,050 | CBOT |
| Mini Corn | XC | $50 | $231 | $210 | CBOT | |
| Soybeans | ZS | $750 | $500 | $2,090 | $1,900 | CBOT |
| Mini Soybeans | XK | $100 | $418 | $380 | CBOT | |
| Soybean Oil | ZL | $350 | $1,760 | $1,600 | CBOT | |
| Soybean Meal | ZM | $400 | $2,200 | $2,000 | CBOT | |
| Wheat | ZW | $750 | $500 | $1,925 | $1,750 | CBOT |
| Mini Wheat | XW | $100 | $385 | $350 | CBOT | |
| Kansas City Wheat | KE | $400 | $2,090 | $1,900 | CBOT | |
| Hard Red Spring Wheat | MWE or IH | $500 | $2,090 | $1,900 | MGE | |
| Oats | ZO | $250 | $1,375 | $1,250 | CBOT | |
| Rough Rice | ZR | $300 | $1,375 | $1,250 | CBOT |
| Contract Name | Symbol | Day Trade Margin | Enhanced Day Trade | Exchange Initial | Exchange Maintenance | Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Euro Futures | 6E | $400 | $300 | $2,970 | $2,700 | CME |
| E-mini Euro Futures | E7 | $200 | $1,485 | $1,350 | CME | |
| E-micro Euro Futures | M6E | $50 | $297 | $270 | CME | |
| Japanese Yen | 6J | $500 | $3,080 | $2,800 | CME | |
| E-mini Japanese Yen | J7 | $250 | $1,540 | $1,400 | CME | |
| Aussie Dollar | 6A | $250 | $2,090 | $1,900 | CME | |
| Micro Aussie Dollar | M6A | $40 | $209 | $190 | CME | |
| British Pound | 6B | $350 | $2,200 | $2,000 | CME | |
| Micro British Pound | M6B | $50 | $220 | $200 | CME | |
| Canadian Dollar | 6C | $250 | $1,100 | $1,000 | CME | |
| E-micro Canadian Dollar | MCD | $50 | $110 | $100 | CME | |
| Swiss Franc | 6S | $500 | $4,950 | $4,500 | CME | |
| E-micro Swiss Franc | MSF | $50 | $495 | $495 | CME | |
| Brazilian Real | 6L | $250 | $935 | $850 | CME | |
| Mexican Peso | 6M | $400 | $1,210 | $1,100 | CME | |
| New Zealand Dollar | 6N | $300 | $1,430 | $1,300 | CME | |
| South African Rand | 6Z | $400 | $1,760 | $1,600 | CME | |
| U.S. Dollar Index | DX | $800 | $2,171 | $1,974 | ICE |
| Contract Name | Symbol | Day Trade Margin | Enhanced Day Trade | Exchange Initial | Exchange Maintenance | Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar #11 | SB | $750 | $838 | $762 | ICE | |
| Cocoa | CC | $2,000 | $4,422 | $4,020 | ICE | |
| Coffee | KC | $3,000 | $7,611 | $6,919 | ICE | |
| Cotton | CT | $1,500 | $1,337 | $1,215 | ICE | |
| Orange Juice | OJ | $1,000 | $4,775 | $4,341 | ICE | |
| Lumber | LBR | $1,000 | $3,300 | $3,000 | CME |
| Contract Name | Symbol | Day Trade Margin | Enhanced Day Trade | Exchange Initial | Exchange Maintenance | Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feeder Cattle | GF | $1,000 | $6,600 | $6,000 | CME | |
| Live Cattle | LE | $600 | $3,630 | $3,300 | CME | |
| Lean Hogs | HE | $600 | $1,870 | $1,700 | CME |
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 March 31, 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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