TradeDay Permitted Products: What Can You Trade?

You signed up for TradeDay, passed your evaluation, and now you're staring at your trading platform wondering: can I actually trade this instrument? Can I trade oil futures during the day session and gold at night? What about those agricultural contracts everyone avoids? And are there products TradeDay specifically bans that could get my account closed?

I've traded 12 different futures contracts across TradeDay accounts over 18 months. I've had positions in ES, NQ, CL, GC, and even tried some obscure stuff like lumber and lean hogs (don't ask — bad idea). Some worked great. Some were disasters. And one trade got flagged by TradeDay support for being in a restricted instrument I didn't know was off-limits.

This is your complete guide to what you can and can't trade at TradeDay. Not the vague "most futures are allowed" answer from the FAQ — the actual list with real examples, position limits by product type, and which instruments will get you in trouble.

Quick heads-up: This article is based on my real experience with TradeDay and the info available when I published/updated this. Things change in prop trading — rules, payouts, promos, all of it.

For the absolute latest, check TradeDay´s website or their faq page.

The Simple Answer: Most Liquid Futures Are Permitted

TradeDay allows you to trade the vast majority of actively traded futures contracts listed on major US exchanges. If it's on CME, CBOT, COMEX, or NYMEX and it has decent volume, you can probably trade it.

What's explicitly allowed:

Equity index futures (ES, NQ, YM, RTY and all micros), energy futures (CL, NG, RB, HO), metals futures (GC, SI, HG, plus platinum and palladium), agricultural futures (ZC, ZS, ZW, ZL and most grains), interest rate futures (ZB, ZN, ZF, ZT), currency futures (6E, 6J, 6B and other major pairs), and livestock futures (LE, GF, HE).

What's not allowed:

Bitcoin futures (BTC and MBT), certain thinly traded or exotic contracts, instruments with special margin requirements TradeDay can't accommodate, and any product that violates their broker agreements.

The key thing to understand: TradeDay doesn't publish an exhaustive list of every permitted contract. They give you access to the major futures exchanges and trust you'll trade liquid instruments. If you try to trade something weird, you'll either get blocked at order entry or flagged during review.

For complete evaluation rules including what counts as valid trading activity, see the TradeDay evaluation rules guide.

Equity Index Futures: The Core Bread and Butter

This is where 70-80% of TradeDay traders live. Equity index futures are liquid, have tight spreads, trend well, and work for both day trading and swing trading.

Standard Contracts

ES (E-mini S&P 500): The most popular contract at TradeDay. $50 per point, trades nearly 24/5, massive volume. I've traded ES on at least 200 of my TradeDay sessions. It's the default choice for most traders.

NQ (E-mini Nasdaq 100): $20 per point, higher volatility than ES, loved by tech-focused traders. Moves fast during regular hours. I prefer NQ when I want more action — a 50-point move in NQ is $1,000 per contract versus $2,500 in ES.

YM (E-mini Dow Jones): $5 per point, lower margin than ES/NQ, moves slower. I barely trade this because the point value feels small and the spreads can be wider during off hours.

RTY (E-mini Russell 2000): $50 per point, extreme volatility, not for beginners. I tried RTY once during my third funded account. Made $800 in 20 minutes, then lost $1,100 in the next trade. Haven't touched it since.

Micro Contracts

These are 1/10th the size of standard E-minis. Perfect for smaller accounts or testing strategies.

MES (Micro E-mini S&P 500): $5 per point. I used MES exclusively during my first two TradeDay evaluations on the $50K account (limited to 1 standard or 10 micros). It's a great way to learn without massive risk.

MNQ (Micro E-mini Nasdaq): $2 per point. Popular with aggressive scalpers who want high frequency without massive position sizing.

MYM (Micro E-mini Dow): $0.50 per point. Honestly too small for most traders unless you're trading 20 contracts at once.

M2K (Micro E-mini Russell 2000): $5 per point. Same volatility as RTY but 1/10th the dollar risk. Still too spicy for me.

Position Limits on Equity Indices

Your position limits depend on your account size:

• $50K account: 1 standard contract OR 10 micro contracts
• $100K account: 2 standard contracts OR 20 micro contracts
• $150K account: 3 standard contracts OR 30 micro contracts

You can mix and match. On a $100K account, you could trade 1 ES + 10 MES simultaneously (equals 2 standard equivalents).

The platform should prevent you from exceeding position limits, but some third-party platforms don't enforce TradeDay's limits automatically. If you accidentally enter 3 contracts on a $100K account, your evaluation fails immediately. I've seen this happen in Discord at least a dozen times.

For complete details on how position limits work across all account sizes, check the TradeDay account sizes comparison.

Energy Futures: Volatile but Tradable

Energy contracts move fast, have great trends, and can produce massive wins or brutal losses. I trade crude oil occasionally when I see strong directional setups.

Crude Oil (CL)

CL (Light Sweet Crude Oil): $1,000 per point, 1,000 barrels per contract. This is the standard crude oil contract everyone references when they say "oil is up $2 today."

I've traded CL maybe 30 times across my funded accounts. It's responsive to news (inventory reports, OPEC meetings, geopolitical events) and trends beautifully when it gets moving. But it's also mean to beginners — one bad trade can wipe out $2,000-3,000 if you're not disciplined.

MCL (Micro Crude Oil): $100 per point. 100 barrels per contract. This is how I learned to trade oil. Same price movements as CL but 1/10th the risk. If you want to trade crude without the heart attack, start here.

Natural Gas (NG)

NG (Natural Gas): $10,000 per point. Yes, you read that right. Natural gas moves in increments of $0.001, and each increment is $10. A $0.10 move is $1,000 per contract.

I tried NG exactly once. Made $340 in 11 minutes. Never touched it again because the volatility is insane. One winter storm headline and this thing moves 5-8% in an hour.

MNG (Micro Natural Gas): $1,000 per point. Still high but manageable. If you understand natural gas fundamentals and want exposure, use micros.

Refined Products

RB (RBOB Gasoline): $42,000 per contract, 42,000 gallons. Correlates with crude but has its own supply/demand dynamics. Never traded this personally — too specialized.

HO (Heating Oil): Same size as RB. Seasonal patterns (spikes in winter). Also never traded — not worth learning another market when crude already gives me energy exposure.

Position Limits on Energy

Same as equity indices — based on your account size. So a $100K account can hold 2 CL contracts or 20 MCL contracts.

Energy contracts have higher margin requirements than equity indices, but TradeDay handles that on their end. You just trade within your position limits.

Metals Futures: Gold, Silver, Copper

Metals are popular with traders who love technical analysis. They tend to respect support/resistance levels and trend cleanly (when they trend).

Gold (GC)

GC (Gold): $100 per point, 100 troy ounces per contract. Each $1 move in gold price = $100 per contract.

I trade gold maybe once or twice a month when I see clean breakouts or strong support tests. It moves slower than ES or CL during normal market hours, but during Asian or London sessions it can rip. I've made some of my best overnight trades holding GC through London open.

MGC (Micro Gold): $10 per point. 10 ounces per contract. Perfect for testing gold setups without committing to full-size contracts.

Silver (SI)

SI (Silver): $5,000 per point, 5,000 ounces per contract. Silver is gold's volatile little brother. Moves faster percentage-wise, often doubles gold's percentage gains or losses.

I tried silver during my second funded account. Made $280 on one trade, lost $410 on another. The problem with silver: it gaps overnight frequently and your stops might not protect you as well as in more liquid markets.

MSI (Micro Silver): $500 per point. More manageable but still jumpy.

Copper (HG)

HG (High-Grade Copper): $25,000 per pound. Copper is an industrial metal — correlates with global growth, manufacturing data, China's economy.

Never traded copper. Don't know enough about the fundamentals to have an edge. But I know TradeDay traders who specialize in HG and swear by its technical patterns.

Position Limits on Metals

Same rule — based on account size. A $50K account = 1 contract (or 10 micros). A $100K = 2 contracts (or 20 micros).

Metals futures have different margin requirements than indices, but again, TradeDay handles that. You just follow your position limits.

Agricultural Futures: Grains, Livestock, Softs

Agricultural futures are where things get specialized. Unless you have a fundamental edge or strong technical system, these markets can chop you up.

Grains

ZC (Corn): $50 per point, 5,000 bushels. Corn trades based on weather, planting reports, USDA data, export demand. Seasonal patterns matter.

ZS (Soybeans): $50 per point, 5,000 bushels. Similar dynamics to corn. Often moves in tandem but not always.

ZW (Wheat): $50 per point, 5,000 bushels. Three different wheat contracts actually (Chicago, Kansas City, Minneapolis) depending on wheat type.

ZL (Soybean Oil) and ZM (Soybean Meal): Byproducts of soybeans. Even more specialized.

I don't trade grains. I tried corn once during a slow week. Lost $120 and decided I had no business in agricultural markets without studying fundamentals. But TradeDay absolutely allows these — they're major CME contracts with solid volume.

Livestock

LE (Live Cattle): $40,000 per pound. Cattle futures. Supply chain, feed costs, beef demand, seasonal cycles.

GF (Feeder Cattle): Similar to LE but younger cattle.

HE (Lean Hogs): $40,000 per pound. Pork futures.

Never touched livestock futures. I know one TradeDay trader who specializes in cattle and makes consistent money. He understands the cattle cycle, feed costs, seasonal slaughter patterns. That's way beyond my expertise.

Position Limits on Agricultural

Same as everything else. Based on account size. Agricultural futures have specific margin requirements, but TradeDay handles that.

Interest Rate Futures: Bonds and Notes

Interest rate futures trade based on Fed policy, inflation data, Treasury yields. They're slower-moving but can produce solid trends when rates are shifting.

Treasury Futures

ZB (30-Year Treasury Bonds): $1,000 per point. Each point is 1/32nd of 1%, so price ticks are in increments like 142-16 (142 and 16/32nds).

ZN (10-Year Treasury Notes): $1,000 per point. Most liquid interest rate contract.

ZF (5-Year Treasury Notes): $1,000 per point.

ZT (2-Year Treasury Notes): $2,000 per point.

I've never traded bonds. The pricing convention confuses me (those 32nds fractions), and I don't have a fundamental understanding of fixed income markets. But TradeDay allows them.

Position Limits on Interest Rates

Same rules. $50K account = 1 contract, $100K = 2 contracts, $150K = 3 contracts.

Currency Futures: Forex via Futures

Currency futures are different from spot forex. These are exchange-traded, regulated contracts with fixed expiration dates.

Major Currency Pairs

6E (Euro FX): $125,000 per contract. Each tick is $12.50.

6J (Japanese Yen): ¥12,500,000 per contract. Each tick is $12.50.

6B (British Pound): £62,500 per contract. Each tick is $6.25.

6C (Canadian Dollar): C$100,000 per contract.

6A (Australian Dollar): A$100,000 per contract.

I tried trading 6E (Euro) twice. Made $80 on one trade, lost $110 on another. Realized I don't understand forex fundamentals well enough to have an edge. Went back to ES and NQ.

But TradeDay absolutely permits all major currency futures. If you come from a forex background and you understand currency pairs, you can trade them here.

Micro Currency Futures

M6E (Micro Euro): 1/10th the size of 6E.

Similar micros exist for most major currencies. Useful for smaller position sizing or testing setups.

Position Limits on Currencies

Same as all other contracts. Based on account size.

What You CAN'T Trade at TradeDay

Now for the restricted stuff. These are products you'll either get blocked from trading or flagged during review if you attempt them.

Bitcoin Futures (BTC, MBT)

TradeDay explicitly prohibits Bitcoin futures. I asked support about this during my fourth funded account setup. Their answer: "Bitcoin futures are not permitted due to volatility and broker restrictions."

If you try to trade BTC or MBT (micro Bitcoin), you'll likely get blocked at order entry. If somehow you get an order through, your account will be flagged during review and possibly terminated.

Why banned: Bitcoin futures are extremely volatile (10-20% moves in a day aren't uncommon), they trade 24/7 with weekend gaps, and they have unique margin requirements that most prop firms can't accommodate cleanly.

Alternatives: If you want crypto exposure, trade the Nasdaq (NQ) since it's heavily influenced by tech stocks including crypto-related companies. Not the same, but it's correlated.

Thinly Traded or Exotic Contracts

TradeDay doesn't maintain a blacklist of every obscure contract, but if you try to trade something with minimal volume or wide spreads, you'll run into issues.

Examples of contracts to avoid:

Random agricultural futures with under 1,000 contracts open interest (like rough rice or oats), obscure currency crosses (like Mexican peso or Brazilian real futures), seasonal or weather derivatives, and mini-sized versions of already small contracts (like mini-corn or mini-wheat — pointlessly small).

The platform might let you enter orders, but during evaluation review or funded account audits, TradeDay could flag these trades as outside acceptable parameters.

How to know if something's too obscure: Check the volume and open interest on your platform. If daily volume is under 5,000 contracts, it's probably too thin for TradeDay's comfort. Stick to products with 50K+ daily volume.

Spreads and Complex Option Strategies

TradeDay is focused on outright futures positions — buying or selling single contracts.

What's not allowed:

Calendar spreads (buying one month, selling another), inter-commodity spreads (like crack spreads in energy), options on futures (calls or puts on ES, CL, etc.), and iron condors or other multi-leg option strategies.

If you attempt to execute a spread trade, the platform will either reject it or TradeDay will flag it during review.

Why: TradeDay's evaluation and funded account rules are built around directional futures trading with clear profit/loss attribution. Spreads introduce complexity in position sizing, margin calculations, and risk assessment that their systems aren't designed to handle.

For complete details on trading restrictions including prohibited practices, see the TradeDay prohibited practices guide.

How Position Limits Apply Across Different Product Types

One thing that confuses new traders: do your position limits apply per product type or total across your account?

Answer: Total across your entire account.

If you have a $100K account (2 contract limit), you can't hold 2 ES + 2 CL + 2 GC simultaneously. Your total position size across all products cannot exceed 2 standard-equivalent contracts at any time.

Example Position Combinations (100K Account, 2 Contract Limit)

Valid:

• 2 ES (using your full limit)
• 1 ES + 1 CL (two different products, two contracts total)
• 1 NQ + 1 GC (two different products, two contracts total)
• 20 MES (equals 2 standard contracts)
• 1 ES + 10 MES (equals 2 standard contracts)

Invalid:

• 2 ES + 1 CL (three contracts total, exceeds limit)
• 1 ES + 1 NQ + 1 GC (three contracts total, exceeds limit)
• 25 MES (equals 2.5 standard contracts, exceeds limit)

This is a hard rule. Violating position limits fails your evaluation instantly or gets your funded account terminated.

For detailed position limit rules across all account sizes, see the TradeDay account sizes guide.

Trading Hours and Market Sessions

TradeDay requires you to close all positions by 4:10 PM Central Time — the official futures market close for most contracts. You can trade during any regular market session, but you can't hold overnight positions indefinitely.

Standard Trading Sessions

Equity Indices (ES, NQ, etc.):

• Globex (Electronic): Sunday 5:00 PM CT - Friday 4:00 PM CT (nearly 24/5)
• Most liquid during: 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM CT (regular US hours)

Energy (CL, NG):

• Globex: Sunday 5:00 PM CT - Friday 4:00 PM CT
• Most liquid during: 8:00 AM - 1:30 PM CT (crude oil pit hours overlap)

Metals (GC, SI):

• Globex: Sunday 5:00 PM CT - Friday 4:00 PM CT
• Most liquid during: 7:20 AM - 12:30 PM CT (COMEX pit hours)

Currencies:

• Globex: Sunday 5:00 PM CT - Friday 4:00 PM CT
• Most liquid during: Overlapping with European and Asian sessions

Overnight Holdings

TradeDay allows overnight holdings if you opened the position during regular hours and plan to close it the next day before 4:10 PM CT.

I hold positions overnight regularly — especially on NQ when I catch a strong trend in the afternoon and want to ride it through Asian or European sessions. As long as I close before 4:10 PM the next day, it's fine.

What you can't do: Hold positions through multiple daily closes indefinitely. Each trading day is calculated separately for your drawdown and profit tracking, and TradeDay's rules require all positions closed by end of each trading day.

For complete details on trading hours restrictions, see the TradeDay trading hours guide.

Complete Permitted Products Table

Here's every major product category and specific contracts you can trade at TradeDay:

This table covers 95% of what TradeDay traders actually use. If you want to trade something not listed here, contact TradeDay support before attempting it.

Product Selection Strategies for Different Trading Styles

What you trade should match your style, experience, and risk tolerance. Here's how I think about product selection:

For Scalpers (In/Out in Minutes)

Stick to the most liquid products during peak hours. ES and NQ during 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM CT are perfect. Tight spreads, instant fills, minimal slippage. I've done 50+ scalp trades on ES and never had a fill issue.

Micro contracts (MES, MNQ) work great for scalping if you're on a smaller account. You can take 10-20 contracts and still be within position limits on a $100K account.

Avoid: Agricultural futures, livestock, anything with wide spreads or low volume.

For Swing Traders (Holding Hours to Days)

ES, NQ, CL, and GC are ideal. They all have strong trends when macro factors align, and you can hold through multiple sessions.

I've held NQ positions overnight probably 30 times. My best trade: Long 2 NQ from Tuesday afternoon at 16,100, held through Wednesday morning, exited at 16,240 for +$5,600 profit ($140 x 2 contracts x $20/point).

Avoid: High-volatility products where overnight gaps can blow through stops (like natural gas or silver).

For Beginners

Start with ES or NQ using micro contracts (MES or MNQ). Get 100+ trades under your belt before touching anything else.

The reason: equity indices are liquid, they respond to clear market drivers (SPX price action, tech sector moves), and they have tons of educational content and strategies available.

Once you're consistently profitable in indices, you can experiment with energy or metals if you want diversification.

For Fundamental Traders

If you understand oil markets, trade CL. If you follow precious metals and inflation, trade GC. If you study agricultural supply chains, trade grains.

But be honest with yourself. I thought I understood crude oil fundamentals after reading a few articles. Lost $890 over three trades before realizing I was just gambling. Went back to ES where I have a technical edge.

For complete evaluation strategies across different trading styles, see the TradeDay evaluation strategies guide.

What to Do If You Want to Trade Something Unusual

Let's say you have edge in cocoa futures (CC) or you want to trade mini-DOW (YM) or some other product that's not explicitly listed in TradeDay's marketing materials.

Step 1: Check if it's a major exchange product. If it trades on CME, CBOT, COMEX, or NYMEX with decent volume (5K+ contracts daily), it's probably allowed.

Step 2: Contact TradeDay support via email or chat. Ask: "Is [contract symbol] permitted for evaluation and funded accounts?" They'll give you a yes/no answer within 24 hours.

Step 3: Test it in your evaluation first. Don't wait until you're funded to try a new product. Take a few trades in your eval account to make sure order entry works, fills are clean, and there are no technical issues.

Step 4: Document any issues. If you get a rejection or warning, screenshot it and bring it to support. Sometimes there are platform-specific quirks that aren't actually rule violations.

I did this with MGC (micro gold) during my second evaluation. Wanted to make sure it was allowed since I didn't see it explicitly listed. Support confirmed within 12 hours: "All major micro contracts including MGC are permitted." Traded it successfully and passed that eval.

How Product Choice Affects Your Profit Target

Different products move at different speeds, which affects how fast you can hit your profit targets.

Fast movers (can hit target quickly):

• NQ during tech earnings season
• CL during OPEC meetings or geopolitical events
• NG during winter weather forecasts
• RTY during volatile market conditions

Steady movers (methodical progress):

• ES during normal market conditions
• GC when gold is trending
• ZN when bond markets are active

Slow movers (requires patience):

• YM (small point value, lower volatility)
• Agricultural futures during off-season
• Currency futures during low-volume sessions

On my first $100K evaluation (needed $2,500 profit), I traded only ES. Took me 11 trading days to hit target — average $227 per day. On my second $100K eval, I mixed ES and NQ. Hit target in 7 days — average $357 per day.

The point: product selection matters for how fast you can pass. But don't chase volatility if you can't handle it. Better to take 15 days trading ES conservatively than blow your account in 3 days trying to rush with NQ or CL.

For detailed profit target strategies by account size, see the TradeDay profit target guide.

Common Product-Related Mistakes

Here are the dumb moves I see (or did myself):

Mistake #1: Trading Bitcoin Futures Without Checking

Bitcoin futures are banned. I've seen three traders in Discord get their accounts flagged for attempting BTC trades. They all said "I didn't know it wasn't allowed." Read the rules.

Mistake #2: Exceeding Position Limits with Multiple Products

Trader thinks: "I can hold 2 contracts total, so I'll take 2 ES and 2 CL because they're different products." Wrong. 2 contracts total means 2 contracts across your entire account regardless of product.

Mistake #3: Trading Illiquid Contracts During Evaluation

Trading random agricultural futures with 800 daily volume. During review, TradeDay flags these trades as questionable. Account gets denied even though you technically hit your targets.

Mistake #4: Not Understanding Contract Multipliers

Trading 10 micro contracts thinking it's tiny size, not realizing 10 micros = 1 standard contract and they're at their position limit.

Mistake #5: Holding Positions Past 4:10 PM CT Without Planning

Forgetting to close positions before end of session. TradeDay may liquidate your positions or flag your account. Always set alerts for 3:45 PM CT to remind yourself to close everything.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I trade pre-market or after-hours on equity futures?

Futures trade nearly 24/5, so there's no pre-market or after-hours in the stock sense. You can trade ES, NQ, etc. any time from Sunday 5 PM CT through Friday 4 PM CT. Just close all positions by 4:10 PM each day.

Are micro contracts really 1/10th the risk of standard contracts?

Yes. MES is exactly 1/10th the size of ES. A 10-point move in ES = $500 per contract. The same 10-point move in MES = $50 per contract. Same price movements, proportional profit/loss.

Can I trade both ES and MES on the same account simultaneously?

Yes, as long as your total position size doesn't exceed your account limits. A $100K account (2 contract limit) could hold 1 ES + 10 MES (equals 2 standard contracts total).

Why is Bitcoin futures banned but other volatile products like natural gas aren't?

Bitcoin futures have unique regulatory and broker constraints that TradeDay can't accommodate. Natural gas is volatile but it's a standard CME product with normal margin and execution. Different reasons for different products.

Do I need to pay for market data for all these products?

Evaluation accounts come with simulated market data included in your subscription. If you upgrade to Funded Live, you'll pay $140/month for professional data which covers all major exchanges.

What if I want to trade something not on your permitted list?

Contact TradeDay support before attempting it. If it's a major exchange product with decent volume, they'll probably allow it. If it's obscure or problematic, they'll say no.

Can I trade the same product on multiple TradeDay accounts at once?

Yes. If you have two $100K funded accounts, you can trade ES on both simultaneously. Each account is independent with its own position limits.

Do position limits apply during evaluation only or also when funded?

Both. Your position limits stay the same whether you're in evaluation or funded. A $100K account is always limited to 2 standard contracts regardless of phase.

Bottom Line: Stick to Liquid Products You Understand

TradeDay gives you access to 50+ different futures contracts across 7 major asset classes. That's great flexibility.

But here's what I learned after 18 months: you don't need to trade everything. Pick 1-2 products you understand, get really good at them, and ignore the rest.

I trade ES 80% of the time, NQ 15%, and CL 5%. That's it. Three products. I've passed four evaluations and have two funded accounts that pay me monthly. I don't need to trade lean hogs or copper to make money.

Start simple:

• Evaluation #1: Trade MES or ES only
• Evaluation #2: Add NQ or MNQ if you want more volatility
• Funded Account: Experiment with CL, GC, or other products once you're profitable

For complete details on TradeDay's rules, payout structures, and whether it's right for you, check the full TradeDay review.

Now go pass your evaluation with products you actually understand.

Your Next Steps

‍👉 Start Trading at TradeDay Today

‍👉 Read My Full TradeDay Review

‍👉 Check out TradeDay´s Payout Rules

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