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Understanding CME Contracts on Tradeify: Futures Specifications Guide
If you're trading Tradeify, you're trading CME futures contracts—ES, NQ, YM, RTY, CL, GC, and others. But here's what most traders miss: each contract has its own specifications, tick sizes, trading hours, margin requirements, and contract months. Get these wrong and you're either risking too much, trading during illiquid hours, or placing orders at the wrong price increments.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know about CME contract specifications when trading on Tradeify's sim-funded or Elite Live accounts. We'll cover the major contracts traders actually use, explain tick values and point values, show you how to calculate P&L, and give you the practical details that affect your trading decisions every single day.
Quick heads-up: This article is based on my real experience with Tradeify 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 Tradeify´s website or their help center.
What Are CME Contracts?
The CME Group (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) is the world's leading derivatives marketplace. When you trade futures on Tradeify, you're accessing CME contracts through your broker connection (Tradovate, NinjaTrader, etc.).
CME futures are standardized contracts that specify:
- Underlying asset (S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, Crude Oil, Gold, etc.)
- Contract size (how much of the asset one contract controls)
- Tick size (minimum price movement)
- Tick value (dollar value of one tick)
- Trading hours (when the market is open)
- Expiration dates (when contracts expire)
Understanding these specifications matters because they directly impact:
- How much you risk per trade
- How your P&L moves per tick
- Which times you can trade
- When you need to roll contracts
Major CME Contracts on Tradeify
I've been trading these contracts on Tradeify since they launched, and understanding the specs has saved me from countless execution mistakes. Here are the core futures contracts you'll encounter:
These are the contracts I trade most frequently on my Tradeify accounts. Let's break down what each specification means and why it matters.
Understanding Tick Size vs Point Value
This is where most new traders get confused. Let me clarify:
Tick Size
The minimum price movement allowed by the exchange. You cannot place an order between ticks.
Example: ES has a tick size of 0.25, so valid prices are:
- 5800.00
- 5800.25
- 5800.50
- 5800.75
- 5801.00
You cannot place an order at 5800.12 or 5800.33—the platform won't accept it.
Tick Value
The dollar amount one tick represents.
Example: ES tick value = $12.50
- If ES moves from 5800.00 to 5800.25 (1 tick), you make or lose $12.50 per contract
Point Value
The dollar amount of a full point move (1.00).
Example: ES point value = $50.00
- If ES moves from 5800.00 to 5801.00 (1 point = 4 ticks), you make or lose $50.00 per contract
Quick Math:
- 1 point = 4 ticks (on ES)
- 1 tick = $12.50
- 1 point = $50.00 (4 ticks × $12.50)
When you're trading Tradeify and calculating your risk per trade, you need to know these numbers cold. If your stop loss is 10 ticks away on ES, that's $125 of risk per contract ($12.50 × 10 ticks). This directly affects how you manage Tradeify's consistency rule.
Deep Dive: ES (E-mini S&P 500)
ES is the most actively traded futures contract in the world and probably what you'll trade most on Tradeify. Here are the complete specifications:
ES Contract Specifications
Real Example: ES P&L Calculation
Let's say you're trading a 50K Tradeify account and you take a long position on ES:
- Entry: 5800.00
- Exit: 5810.00
- Move: 10 points = 40 ticks
- P&L: 40 ticks × $12.50 = $500 profit (1 contract)
If you're trading 2 contracts, that's $1,000 profit. This is why understanding tick values matters—it affects your position sizing and risk management.
Deep Dive: NQ (E-mini Nasdaq-100)
NQ is my personal favorite. Higher volatility than ES, tighter spreads than most think, and plenty of liquidity. Here's what you need to know:
NQ Contract Specifications
NQ Trading Considerations for Tradeify
Higher Volatility: NQ moves faster than ES. A 20-point move on NQ ($400/contract) can happen in 10 minutes during news events. On Tradeify, this means you need tighter stop losses and better timing or you'll burn through your trailing max drawdown quickly.
Lower Dollar Risk Per Point: Because NQ's point value is $20 (vs ES's $50), you can trade more contracts with the same dollar risk. If you want $100 of risk with a 5-point stop:
- ES: 2 contracts × 5 points × $50 = $500 risk (too much)
- NQ: 5 contracts × 5 points × $20 = $500 risk (or 1 contract = $100 risk)
This gives you more granular position sizing when managing consistency requirements.
Trading Hours and Session Breaks
CME futures trade nearly 24 hours a day, but there are important session breaks you need to know:
For Tradeify Traders: The 5:00 PM ET close is when Tradeify calculates your end-of-day balance for trailing drawdown purposes. If you're holding a position through the 5:00 PM close, your drawdown limit will adjust based on your 5:00 PM balance, but the limit remains enforced in real-time during the next session. More detail in the Tradeify trading hours guide.
Margin Requirements vs Tradeify Capital
Here's something important: CME publishes margin requirements for each contract, but these don't apply to you when trading Tradeify's sim-funded accounts. You're not posting margin—Tradeify is.
However, understanding exchange margins helps you gauge the leverage you're using:
Note: Margin requirements change based on volatility. Always check current margins on the CME website.
Contract Expiration and Rollover
Every CME contract expires. Here's when:
When trading on Tradeify, always trade the front month (highest volume contract). Rolling contracts is your responsibility—Tradeify doesn't auto-roll for you. I cover the complete rollover process in my guide on selecting the correct trading contract on Tradeify.
Practical Application: Position Sizing on Tradeify
Let's apply this knowledge to real Tradeify trading scenarios.
Scenario 1: Trading NQ on a 50K Select Account
Your situation:
- 50K account balance
- Trailing max drawdown at $47,500 (you're up $2,500 from starting balance of $50K)
- You want to risk $250 per trade (0.5% of account)
Position sizing calculation:
- Stop loss distance: 10 points on NQ
- NQ point value: $20
- Risk per contract: 10 points × $20 = $200
- Contracts to trade: $250 risk ÷ $200 per contract = 1.25 contracts → Round to 1 contract
Result: Trade 1 NQ contract with a 10-point stop = $200 risk (within your $250 target)
Scenario 2: Scaling Up with Multiple Tradeify Accounts
I currently trade 3 sim-funded Tradeify accounts simultaneously using copy trading. Here's how I calculate position size:
Per account:
- 100K balance each
- 2% risk target = $2,000 per trade per account
- Trading ES with 8-point stops
- ES point value: $50
- Risk per ES contract: 8 points × $50 = $400
Contracts per account: $2,000 ÷ $400 = 5 contracts per account
Total across 3 accounts: 5 × 3 = 15 ES contracts total
This is how you scale with Tradeify while keeping risk management tight. More on managing multiple simulated funded accounts.
Micro Contracts vs E-Mini Contracts
Tradeify allows both micro and E-mini contracts, but there's an important rule: you cannot trade both simultaneously.
Tradeify Rule: Pick one size and stick with it for that session. You can trade MES or ES, but not both simultaneously. This prevents hedging violations. More on this in Tradeify's hedging and micro contract rules.
Setting Up Contracts on Your Platform
On Tradovate (Tradeify's Default Platform)
- Log in to Tradovate web or desktop app
- Add instrument via the "+" button
- Select contract: ES, NQ, YM, etc.
- Choose contract month: Always pick front month (highest volume)
- Add to watchlist and set up charts
More detailed setup instructions: Tradovate platform setup for Tradeify.
On NinjaTrader (via Tradovate Connection)
- Connect NinjaTrader to your Tradovate credentials
- Right-click chart → Instruments
- Search for contract (ES, NQ, etc.)
- Select front month from dropdown
- Apply and start trading
Full NinjaTrader setup: NinjaTrader 8 setup for Tradeify.
On TradingView (via Tradovate Add-on)
- Install Tradovate add-on in TradingView
- Link your Tradovate credentials
- Search for continuous contract: ES1! or NQ1!
- Place trades directly from TradingView chart
TradingView integration guide: TradingView with Tradeify setup.
FAQ
Q: Do CME contract specifications change over time?Yes. The CME occasionally adjusts tick sizes, trading hours, or margin requirements based on market conditions. Always verify current specs on the CME Group website before trading a new contract.
Q: What's the difference between big contracts (like /ES) and E-mini contracts (like ES)?Big contracts are 5x larger than E-minis. The full S&P 500 contract (/SP) has a $250 point value vs ES's $50. Tradeify traders use E-mini contracts exclusively because they're appropriately sized for retail capital.
Q: Can I trade micro contracts (MES, MNQ) on Tradeify?Yes, but Tradeify has a rule: you cannot trade both mini (ES, NQ) and micro (MES, MNQ) contracts simultaneously, even in the same direction. Pick one size and stick with it for that session.
Q: How do I know which contract month I'm trading?Check your platform's instrument selector. It should show the month code (H=March, M=June, U=September, Z=December) and year. Example: ESH26 = March 2026 ES contract. Always trade the front month for best liquidity.
Q: What happens if I don't roll my contract before expiration?Your position will be forcibly closed at expiration, potentially at unfavorable prices. On Tradeify, this could blow through your drawdown due to slippage. Always roll 5-7 days before expiration when the next month has majority volume.
Q: Does Tradeify have position limits per contract?Tradeify doesn't publish specific position limits in their rules, but practical limits exist based on margin and risk. With a 50K account, you shouldn't be trading more than 3-5 ES contracts or 2-3 NQ contracts simultaneously to maintain proper risk management.
Q: Are trading hours different for equity index futures vs commodities?Slightly. Equity index futures (ES, NQ, YM) trade Sunday 6PM - Friday 5PM ET with a 15-minute break at 5PM daily. Energy futures (CL) have similar hours but may have different maintenance windows. Always check CME specs for each contract.
Q: How do I calculate my P&L in real-time?Use this formula: (Exit Price - Entry Price) × Tick Value per Point × Number of Contracts. Example: Long 2 NQ at 18,500, exit at 18,510 = 10 points × $20/point × 2 contracts = $400 profit.
Q: Can I trade commodity futures like Gold and Crude Oil on Tradeify?Yes. Tradeify supports all major CME futures including GC (Gold), CL (Crude Oil), and others. The same contract specification principles apply—know your tick size, tick value, and trading hours before placing trades.
Conclusion
Understanding CME contract specifications isn't optional when you're trading Tradeify—it's foundational. Tick sizes dictate where you can place orders. Tick values determine your P&L. Trading hours affect when you can enter and exit. Expiration dates force you to roll contracts or risk getting crushed by slippage.
I've been trading these contracts on Tradeify since launch, and the traders who succeed are the ones who know their contract specs cold. They know ES moves $12.50 per tick. They know NQ's point value is $20. They know when to roll before expiration. They calculate position size based on actual dollar risk, not gut feel.
If you're serious about passing Tradeify evaluations and scaling to Elite Live accounts, master these specifications. They're the mechanical foundation everything else is built on.
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