E*TRADE
Category Scores
Available Regions
Trading Costs
Asset Coverage
E*TRADE provides broad access within futures, with more than 60 products listed on CME Group exchanges, ICE US and CFE across equity indexes, interest rates, currencies, metals, energy, agriculture, soft commodities, livestock, volatility and cryptocurrency, plus options on eligible futures. Micro contracts allow more precise position sizing, and the wider platform adds stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds and options. The main limitations are narrower international market access than some global brokers and the absence of a conventional spot-forex account.
Focus: More than 60 exchange-traded futures products and futures options, within a broader multi-product brokerage
Market categories
- Equity indexes
- E-mini and Micro E-mini S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, Dow Jones and Russell 2000
- Mid-cap indexes
- E-mini S&P MidCap 400
- Volatility
- Cboe VIX and Mini VIX futures
- Interest rates
- US Treasury notes, Treasury bonds and related interest-rate contracts
- Currencies
- Euro FX, British pound, Japanese yen and other exchange-traded currency futures
- Metals
- Gold, Micro Gold, silver, Micro Silver, copper and platinum
- Energy
- Crude oil, Micro WTI Crude Oil, natural gas, heating oil and gasoline
- Agriculture
- Corn, wheat, soybeans and selected smaller-sized agricultural futures
- Soft commodities
- Selected coffee, sugar and other soft-commodity contracts
- Livestock
- Selected livestock futures listed on supported exchanges
- Cryptocurrency
- Bitcoin, Micro Bitcoin, Ether, Micro Ether, Solana, XRP and selected Micro contracts
US exchanges
- CME Group exchanges
- ICE US
- Cboe Futures Exchange (CFE)
Product support
- Options on futuresYes
- Micro contractsYes
- Stocks & ETFsYes
- Spot forexNo
Highlights
- More than 60 futures products
- CME Group, ICE US and CFE market access
- Major US equity-index futures
- Micro contracts for smaller position sizes
- Interest-rate and Treasury futures
- Currency futures
- Metals, energy, agricultural and soft commodities
- Selected livestock futures
- Bitcoin, Ether, Solana and XRP futures
- Futures options available with the required account permissions
- Wider access to stocks, ETFs, bonds and mutual funds through E*TRADE
- No conventional spot-forex trading account
- Product availability varies by exchange and account eligibility
- Futures options require additional trading permission
Product availability varies by exchange and account eligibility, and international exchange selection is narrower than that of some global competitors.
Futures options require additional trading permission requested through the Futures Specialist team, and not every product is available in every account type.
Trading Conditions & Tools
Trading conditions
- Score
- 8.5
- Minimum Deposit Usd
- 0
- Minimum Deposit Note
- The minimum deposit is $0 for a standard futures account, but a margin-enabled brokerage account or eligible IRA is required, funds must meet the margin requirements of the contracts traded, and eligible futures IRAs must maintain a minimum equity of $25,000.
- Margin Note
- These are the broker's published rules, not fixed margin rates, and E*TRADE can increase requirements at any time, so the current contract specifications should be checked before trading.
- Day Trading Margin Availability
- Intraday margin is set at 50% of the initial margin requirement for supported futures products other than Bitcoin.
- Maintenance Margin Requirement
- Overnight positions must be margined at 100% of the exchange's minimum margin requirement, and eligible futures IRAs require 200% of initial margin with $25,000 minimum equity at all times.
- Forced Liquidation
- Yes
- Summary
- Trading conditions are flexible, with no minimum funding requirement for a standard futures account, nearly 24-hour trading six days a week in many products and intraday margin at 50% of initial requirements for eligible products other than Bitcoin. Overnight positions need 100% of the exchange minimum margin, eligible futures IRAs need $25,000 in equity and 200% of initial margin, and requirements can change, so intraday capital is not enough to carry a position overnight. Automated Money Movement simplifies funding for linked accounts, but it does not eliminate margin calls, and E*TRADE can liquidate positions while customers remain liable for deficits.
- Highlights
- No minimum funding requirement for a standard futures accountFutures trading requires a margin-enabled brokerage account or eligible IRAIntraday margin is 50% of initial margin for eligible products other than BitcoinOvernight margin is 100% of exchange minimum marginEligible futures IRAs require at least $25,000 in equityIRA futures margin is set at 200% of initial requirementsIntraday margin requirements can increaseAutomated Money Movement simplifies eligible linked-account fundingUnlinked accounts may require manual transfersMore than 60 futures products available for 24/6 or nearly 24-hour tradingExact sessions vary by contractContract settlement and expiration rules require attentionPositions may be liquidated if margin requirements are not satisfiedLeverage can increase losses beyond the initial amount deposited
Support & Account Opening
Customer support
- Score
- 8.2
- Channels
- PhoneFutures Specialists
- Availability
- During the futures trading week
- Educational Support Resources
- Online helpEducational documentation
- Public Feedback
- Positive
- Praise for the platform's trading tools and execution capabilities
- Negative
- Long waits, inconsistent responses and difficulty resolving account or transfer problems, described as anecdotal and not representative of every customer
- Summary
- Customer support is one of E*TRADE's advantages, particularly for futures customers who need help with contract specifications, margin requirements and platform functionality, through licensed Futures Specialists available during the futures trading week plus online documentation. Public feedback is mixed, with praise for trading tools but complaints about long waits, inconsistent responses and account or transfer problems. Customers should understand which account is involved when asking for help and know the emergency procedures for managing open positions.
- Highlights
- Dedicated Futures Specialist supportPublished futures contact numberSupport during the futures trading weekOnline help and educational documentationAssistance with account funding, margin and contract questionsSupport for Power E*TRADE platform workflowsPublic praise for trading tools and execution capabilitiesSome users report long waits and inconsistent support responsesAccount and transfer issues can require additional follow-upCustomers should understand emergency procedures for managing open positions
Account opening
- Score
- 8.6
- Minimum Deposit Usd
- 0
- Minimum Deposit Note
- The minimum deposit is $0 for a standard futures account, eligible futures IRAs must maintain a minimum equity of $25,000, and customers must hold enough funds to meet the margin requirements of each position.
- Fully Digital
- Yes
- Verification Required
- Yes
- Possible Delays
- Separate futures-trading approvalAccount approval and verification times vary
- Simulated Trading Available
- Yes
- Additional Steps Before Trading
- Select the appropriate brokerage account typeProvide personal and financial informationComplete the applicable identity-verification requirementsEstablish a margin-enabled account or eligible IRARequest futures trading authorizationReview the relevant product, commission and margin requirements
- Accessibility
- High
- Summary
- E*TRADE offers a digital account-opening process and a broad range of account types, with futures available through a margin-enabled brokerage account or an eligible Traditional, Roth or Rollover IRA and no minimum funding requirement for a standard futures account. The score is held back because futures access needs separate approval, futures IRAs require $25,000 in equity and 200% of initial margin, and customers must understand account-linkage arrangements. Opening a basic brokerage account does not automatically grant futures privileges.
- Highlights
- Online account-opening processNo minimum funding requirement for a standard futures accountMargin-enabled brokerage account or eligible IRA requiredSeparate futures-trading approvalEligible Traditional, Roth and Rollover IRAs supportedFutures IRA minimum equity of $25,000Futures IRA margin set at 200% of initial requirementsNot every product is available in every account typeACH and bank transfer funding optionsAutomated transfers available for eligible linked accountsUnlinked accounts may require manual transfersCredit-card and digital-wallet funding is not standardAccount approval and verification times vary
User Experience
E*TRADE offers a user experience that combines retail accessibility with advanced trading tools. Power E*TRADE web and mobile make order entry and market monitoring easy, while Power E*TRADE Pro adds multiple ladders and customizable layouts at the cost of a learning curve, and futures can be traded alongside other eligible investments. Linked accounts can move margin automatically, but this does not give futures funds the same protection as securities funds, and unlinked customers may need to transfer funds manually.
Retail-accessible web and mobile platforms with advanced desktop tools, integrated with a broader investment-services ecosystem
Funding timing
- Withdrawal arrival
- ACH processing times and bank wire charges can affect the time and cost of moving money.
Things to manage separately
- Futures trading approval
- Linked brokerage account arrangements
- Intraday and overnight margin requirements
- Futures IRA requirements
Highlights
- Power E*TRADE web and mobile platforms
- Power E*TRADE Pro for advanced desktop trading
- Futures ladders and direct order management
- Charting, technical studies and customizable layouts
- Simulated trading for practice
- Integration with the broader E*TRADE investment ecosystem
- Automated movement of funds for eligible linked accounts
- Different platform feature levels across web, mobile and desktop
- Learning curve for advanced trading tools
- Separate regulatory treatment for futures and securities accounts
- Some public concerns about customer support and transfer delays
Trader Compatibility
Who It's For
Best for
- US-based active futures traders who want an accessible trading platform
- Traders who value research, educational content and dedicated futures support
- Equity-index futures traders focused on the S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, Dow Jones and Russell 2000
- Micro futures traders who want smaller contract sizes
- Commodity traders interested in energy, metals and agricultural futures
- Currency and interest-rate futures traders
- Cryptocurrency futures traders who understand the higher commission schedule and related risks
- Futures-options traders who qualify for the necessary permissions
- Traders who want to practise with paper trading before using real capital
- Investors who want futures access alongside stocks, ETFs, bonds and options
- Customers who want automatic margin funding through an eligible linked brokerage account
- Traders who value integrated research and education more than the lowest possible commission
- Customers who prefer a major financial-services firm with multiple investment products
Not recommended for
- High-volume scalpers who prioritize the lowest possible all-in commission
- Traders who focus heavily on cryptocurrency futures and want lower trading costs
- Algorithmic traders who require a dedicated public retail futures API
- Traders seeking more extensive international futures-market access
- Investors who expect all funds across E*TRADE accounts to receive identical regulatory protection
- Customers who need SIPC protection for futures-account positions
- Traders who cannot maintain sufficient margin for overnight positions
- Futures IRA customers who cannot maintain the $25,000 minimum equity requirement
- Users who want to deposit through credit cards or digital wallets
- Customers who do not want to manage futures approval and separate account requirements
- Traders who rely on fixed intraday margin requirements regardless of market conditions
- Users who require specialized execution technology beyond the tools available in Power E*TRADE
- Traders who are unfamiliar with futures expiration, margin calls and leveraged trading risks
Final Review
E*TRADE is a strong choice for retail futures traders who want an accessible trading environment, useful research and the convenience of an integrated financial-services provider. Its Power E*TRADE platforms, futures-specific education, dedicated support and broad futures selection stand out, while higher all-in costs for some trading styles, account-specific margin requirements and limited emphasis on public futures API automation prevent a higher score.
E*TRADE earns a high TraderZone rating because it combines a solid futures product selection, approachable web and mobile trading, useful research, paper trading and convenient linked-account funding. Its drawbacks are meaningful, including the same $1.50 per side commission on Micro and standard contracts, a $2.50 rate for cryptocurrency futures, limited international exchange coverage and the absence of SIPC protection for futures accounts, but they do not outweigh its strengths for US retail futures traders. Traders who prioritize the lowest possible commissions, extensive international exchange access or direct API-based futures automation should compare specialist alternatives before opening an account.
Trading carries risk. Review the broker’s current terms directly before opening an account. This page is informational and not financial advice.