Insights and trading guides
In-depth articles on futures, CFD and prop firms — from basic concepts to advanced strategies and market analysis.
87 guides – updated and quality-checked
Guides to futures trading
What is futures trading?
The complete guide to the futures market. Contracts, margin requirements, exchanges and strategies for traders.
Beginner · Basics
How to trade futures
Step-by-step guide from account opening to your first trade. From beginner to expert.
Beginner · Practical
Futures trading strategies 2026
Strategies for ES, NQ, gold, commodities, DAX, Initial Balance and intraday trading. Learn how the market drives the strategy.
Advanced · Strategy
VWAP strategy 2026
Guide to VWAP pullback, reclaim, anchored VWAP, standard deviation bands, trend days and range days.
VWAP · Day trading
Scalping in futures 2026
Technique and risk for fast futures trades using DOM, VWAP, footprint, order flow, stop-loss, costs and liquidity.
Scalping · Risk
Trading journal 2026
Template and method for logging trades, R-multiples, screenshots, risk, psychology and weekly review.
Journal · R-multiple
Trading psychology
Guide to discipline, FOMO, revenge trading, overtrading, stop-loss, drawdown and mental routines for futures traders.
Psychology · Risk management
Futures position sizing
Micro-first guide to picking the right contract, stop-loss, tick value, R-multiple and a futures calculator for ES, NQ, RTY, GC, CL and 6E.
Risk management · Calculator
Common futures risk mistakes
Guide to margin, contract size, stop-loss, drawdown, overtrading, prop firm rules, news and R-multiples.
Risk · Stop-loss
Day trading futures 2026
Complete guide for day traders on liquidity, scalping, micro futures, opening hours, prop firms and risk management.
Intraday · Practical
NinjaTrader guide 2026
Practical guide to NinjaTrader setup, charts, SuperDOM, Chart Trader, ATM, replay, order flow and rollover.
NinjaTrader · Platform
TradingView guide 2026
Charting, continuous futures, alerts, watchlists, layouts, Paper Trading, Pine Script and Skilling integration.
TradingView · Alerts
Bookmap guide 2026
Order flow, heatmap, liquidity, volume bubbles, CVD, DOM Pro, Stops & Icebergs and Replay Mode for futures.
Bookmap · Heatmap
Quantower guide 2026
Guide to Quantower, DOM, cluster charts, footprint, volume profile, Rithmic, workspaces and EdgeClear setup.
Quantower · DOM
Sierra Chart guide 2026
Advanced guide to Sierra Chart, Numbers Bars, TPO, DOM, volume profile, replay, ACSIL and EdgeClear setup.
Sierra Chart · TPO
Order flow trading 2026
Basic guide to the order book, DOM, bid/ask, market depth, CVD, footprint, heatmap, absorption, stop-runs and icebergs.
Order flow · CVD
Market Profile and TPO 2026
Guide to value area, POC, Initial Balance, single prints, balance, imbalance and day types for futures traders.
Market Profile · TPO
Footprint charts 2026
How to read bid, ask, delta, POC, imbalances, absorption and trapped traders inside the futures candle.
Footprint · Delta
Micro vs mini vs standard futures
Guide to contract size, tick value, margin, MES vs ES, MNQ vs NQ, MGC vs GC and MCL vs CL.
Micro · Tick value
Micro E-mini futures 2026
Micro E-mini futures give traders access to MES, MNQ, MYM and M2K with smaller contract size, clear risk calculation and practical strategies.
Beginner · Micro
Futures rollover 2026
How to handle expiry, contract switches, roll date, first notice day and continuous charts without costly mistakes.
Technique · Rollover
Futures vs options 2026
How futures and options differ on risk, margin, time decay, hedging and strategies.
Comparison · Intermediate
Futures vs forwards 2026
The difference between exchange-listed futures and private forwards, and when traders or businesses should use each.
Comparison · Advanced
Futures vs stocks
The difference between ownership, contract exposure, margin, shorting, opening hours, risk and CME Single Stock Futures.
Stocks · SSF
Trading tax in Europe 2026
CFDs, futures, prop firms, stocks, funds, foreign brokers, currency, losses, deductions and documentation explained for European traders.
Tax · Europe
Futures vs crypto spot
Compare Bitcoin futures and spot crypto on ownership, custody, margin and risk.
Crypto · Risk
Futures order types 2026
Market, limit, stop, stop-limit, bracket, OCO, queue position, slippage and order status explained practically.
Orders · Risk management
Futures margin 2026
Initial margin, maintenance, day-trading margin, variation margin, margin call, buffer and actual contract risk.
Margin · Risk
Futures swing trading 2026
Technique, contract size, margin, stop-loss, rollover, macro news and practical swing strategies.
Swing · Risk
CME vs ICE
The difference between CME Group, ICE, clearing, market data, contract specification, delivery and practical exchange risk.
CME · ICE
R-multiples and risk/reward
How to use 1R, expectancy, win rate, MAE, MFE and journal data to measure a futures strategy.
1R · Expectancy
Roll yield explained
How contango, backwardation, roll rules and commodity curves affect returns in futures and ETPs.
Roll · Commodities
Contango and backwardation
Understand the futures curve, carry, convenience yield, inventory, seasonality, spread trading and why curve shape isn't a forecast.
Contango · Curve
Settlement and delivery
What happens at expiry, and why First Notice Day, Last Trading Day and broker deadlines need to be part of the plan.
FND · Rollover
Basis risk in futures
How local spot price, futures contract, quality, location, timing and hedge ratio affect the hedging outcome.
Basis · Hedging
Best futures trading platform 2026
Compare EdgeProX, NinjaTrader, Bookmap and TradingView, and see which setup suits your trading style.
Platform · Tools
Indices, commodities and rates
Best index futures 2026
Compare ES, NQ, YM and RTY, micro contracts, tick value, strategy, correlation and risk.
ES / NQ · RTY / YM
S&P 500 futures 2026
Complete guide to ES, MES, tick value, margin, risk and strategy for traders.
E-mini · Index
NQ futures 2026
Complete guide to Nasdaq futures, MNQ, tick value, risk and strategy for traders.
NQ · MNQ
Dow Jones futures 2026
Complete guide to YM, MYM, tick value, margin, risk and strategy for traders.
YM · Blue chip
Russell 2000 futures 2026
Guide to RTY, M2K, US small caps, market breadth, tick value, strategy and risk.
RTY · M2K
VIX futures 2026
Complete guide to VX, VXM, term structure, contango, backwardation, liquidity and risk.
VIX · Volatility
Gold futures 2026
Complete guide to GC, MGC, tick value, margin, the dollar, real rates, strategies and risk.
GC · MGC
Silver futures 2026
Guide to SI, SIL, QI and 100-Ounce Silver Futures, tick value, margin, delivery and the gold/silver ratio.
SI · SIL
Platinum futures 2026
Guide to NYMEX Platinum (PL), tick value, catalytic converters, hydrogen, South Africa, physical delivery and risk.
PL · PGM
Copper futures 2026
Complete guide to HG, MHG, Dr. Copper, China, inventory data, margin, strategies and risk.
HG · MHG
Natural gas futures 2026
Complete guide to NG, MNG, QG, EIA storage figures, weather, LNG, margin and risk.
NG · MNG
Bitcoin futures 2026
Complete guide to CME BTC, Micro Bitcoin MBT, BFF, tick value, margin, hedging and risk.
BTC · MBT
Commodity futures 2026
Guide to gold, oil, natural gas, grain, coffee, contract sizes, reports and risk.
Metals · Energy
Corn futures 2026
Guide to Corn futures, ZC, Micro Corn, tick value, WASDE, USDA reports, seasonality and risk.
ZC · USDA
Wheat futures 2026
Guide to Chicago SRW Wheat, ZW, XW, MZW, tick value, WASDE, wheat classes, seasonality and risk.
ZW · WASDE
Cocoa futures 2026
Guide to ICE Cocoa Futures, CC, tick value, physical delivery, West Africa, inventory, grindings and risk.
CC · Cocoa
Interest rate futures 2026
Guide to Treasury futures, SOFR, Fed Funds, the yield curve, DV01, tick value and risk.
ZN / SR3 · Rates
Treasury futures 2026
Guide to ZT, ZF, ZN, ZB, the yield curve, DV01, CTD, delivery and Treasury strategies.
ZN / ZB · Rates
Euro FX futures 2026
Guide to 6E, M6E, EUR/USD, tick value, ECB, the Fed, the dollar, macro data, strategy and risk.
6E · M6E
GBP futures 2026
Guide to British Pound futures, 6B, M6B, GBP/USD, tick value, the Bank of England, the Fed and risk.
6B · M6B
JPY futures 2026
Guide to Japanese Yen futures, 6J, MJY, USD/JPY direction, tick value, the Bank of Japan, the Fed and volatility.
6J · MJY
Currency futures 2026
Guide to EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, Micro FX, NOK futures, tick value and rollover.
6E / 6J · FX futures
Best grain futures 2026
Compare corn, wheat and soybeans on liquidity, volatility, seasonality, USDA risk and contract size.
ZC/ZW/ZS · CBOT
Cotton futures 2026
Guide to Cotton No. 2, CT, tick value, ICE, USDA, mill consumption, the textile industry and risk.
CT · ICE
Heating oil futures 2026
Guide to Heating Oil, HO, ULSD, tick value, distillate inventories, crack spreads, delivery and risk.
HO · ULSD
Coffee futures 2026
Guide to Coffee C, KC, Arabica, Robusta, tick value, ICE, Brazil, inventory, weather and risk.
KC · ICE
Palladium futures 2026
Guide to PA, Micro Palladium, tick value, catalytic converters, Russia, South Africa, delivery and risk.
PA · PGM
Soybean futures 2026
Guide to Soybean futures, ZS, Micro Soybean, tick value, WASDE, crush, China and risk.
ZS · USDA
Sugar futures 2026
Guide to Sugar No. 11, SB, tick value, ICE, Brazil, ethanol, India, Thailand and risk.
SB · ICE
Guides to CFD trading
CFD trading 2026
Complete guide to CFDs, leverage, costs, regulation, risk and the difference versus futures.
CFD · Risk
Forex trading 2026
Guide to spot currency, forex CFDs, currency pairs, margin, leverage, spreads, macro and Skilling as a CFD choice for traders.
Forex · Skilling
CFD strategies 2026
Practical strategies for indices, gold and currencies using breakout, VWAP, stop-loss, position sizing and risk management.
Strategy · VWAP
Best CFD brokers 2026
Compare Skilling, eToro and IG on platform, regulation, markets, costs, copy trading and risk.
Skilling · eToro
Index CFDs 2026
How Nasdaq, S&P 500 and DAX CFDs work, with pricing basis, opening hours, leverage and costs.
Indices · Leverage
Stock CFDs 2026
Shorting, leverage, dividend adjustments, corporate actions, margin and the difference versus owning stocks.
Stocks · Shorting
Leverage and margin in CFDs
How margin, effective leverage, margin call, stop-out and negative balance protection work in practice.
Margin · Stop-out
CFD costs 2026
Spread, commission, overnight financing, currency, slippage and how to compare the real cost.
Spread · Fees
CFD vs futures 2026
Differences between OTC CFDs and exchange-listed futures: price, margin, volume, clearing, costs and expiry.
CFD · Futures
CFD leverage limits in Europe 2026
Regulatory limits on CFD leverage: margin close-out from 3.33% to 50%, and what negative balance protection means for you.
Leverage · Europe
Crypto CFDs 2026
Compare Bitcoin and Ethereum CFDs with real crypto and CME futures. Learn about 2:1 leverage, shorting, costs and risk.
Bitcoin · Ethereum
Commodity CFDs 2026
Learn how commodity CFDs work. Compare gold, oil, silver and natural gas on leverage, costs, pricing and risk.
Gold · Oil
Prop firm guides
What is a prop firm?
How funded futures trading, sim-funded accounts, payout, copy trading and the path to live capital work.
Funded · Copy trading
Prop firm guide 2026
Complete guide to funded futures trading, evaluations, sim-funded accounts, payouts, drawdown and prop firm rules.
Funded · Drawdown
Best prop firms 2026
Compare Top One Futures, Topstep, Tradeify, Legends Trading and Apex on drawdown, payout, account types and rules.
Top One · Payout
Prop firms in Europe 2026
Which futures prop firms can traders in Europe use? We compare Top One Futures, Topstep, Tradeify, Legends, MyFundedFutures and Apex.
Europe · Payout
Top One Futures 2026
Evaluation guide to Elite Challenge, Instant Sim Funded, Elite Access, Elite Daily, drawdown, consistency and payout.
Top One · Evaluation
Prop firm rules 2026
Consistency rule, trailing drawdown, daily loss limit, max loss, payout and rule violations explained for futures traders.
Rules · Drawdown
Sim-funded vs live-funded
The difference between sim-funded and live-funded prop firm accounts, payout, drawdown, consistency rules and the path to live capital.
Sim-funded · Live
Prop firm strategy 2026
How to build a funded trading strategy for Top One Futures with drawdown, Micro Futures, the consistency rule and a payout plan.
Top One · Funded
Topstep Trading Combine 2026
Step-by-step guide to the Trading Combine, Maximum Loss Limit, Consistency Target, TopstepX and the funded account.
Topstep · Combine