TradeStation adds CME Group Spot-Quoted futures to lineup of investment instruments

TradeStation Securities has rolled out CME Group Spot-Quoted futures (SQFs), a new suite of smaller-sized futures contracts covering major U.S. equity indices and cryptocurrency markets.

Available now on the TradeStation platform, the contracts are aimed at advanced derivative traders and are priced at or near the underlying cash market value. That pricing structure is designed to give traders a convention they already use when trading stocks, ETFs and cryptocurrencies. The product separates the spot index quote from the futures basis, so the displayed price is intended to align with the spot index while still providing the regulatory and clearing benefits of a CME Group-cleared futures contract.

The initial offering includes eight SQF contracts across equity indices and digital assets:

• Equity indices: S&P 500 (QSPX), Nasdaq-100 (QNDX), Russell 2000 (QRTY) and Dow Jones (QDOW)
• Cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin (QBTC), Ether (QETH), XRP (QXRP) and Solana (QSOL)

Notional amounts range from $500 to $6,000, with pricing between $0.25 and $0.50 per contract. TradeStation says the contracts are at least five times smaller than existing Micro futures, which may allow traders to size positions more precisely while reducing the capital needed to access futures markets.

“Many active traders already follow markets like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100, but traditional on-screen pricing and contract sizes can create a barrier to entry,” said John Bartleman, President and Chief Executive Officer of TradeStation Group. “SQFs provide pricing that’s familiar while giving traders access to the benefits of CME-cleared futures contracts, making it easier to explore futures markets with greater flexibility.”