All paths
Learning path
Futures Basics
What futures are, how NQ and MNQ work, and the vocabulary you need before you place a single trade.
0 / 5 · 0%
Path overview
Before you can trade futures well, you need to understand what you're actually clicking. Futures aren't stocks — they're standardized contracts on things like the Nasdaq-100 index, with their own vocabulary (tick, point, margin, contract size) and their own risks. Get the vocabulary right first and every later lesson gets ten times easier.
Why it matters
Most losing accounts don't die from bad strategies — they die because the trader never learned what a $2 tick on MNQ vs a $5 tick on NQ actually means in dollars. This path removes that gap in a few short lessons.
What you'll learn
- What a futures contract really is (and isn't).
- How the Nasdaq-100 index works and why it moves fast.
- The exact dollar value of every point and tick on NQ and MNQ.
- How leverage and margin actually work — without the horror stories.
- Why MNQ is the right instrument to start on.
~17 minutes total across 5 lessons
Lessons in this path
5 lessons- Lesson 1·BeginnerWhat are futures?A calm walkthrough of what a futures contract really is — no jargon, no scary math.4 min
- Lesson 2·BeginnerWhat is the Nasdaq-100?The index that NQ and MNQ track — and why it moves the way it does.3 min
- Lesson 3·BeginnerNQ vs MNQSame index, very different risk. Pick the right instrument for your account size.3 min
- Lesson 4·BeginnerTick size & point valueThe smallest unit price can move — and what it's worth in dollars.3 min
- Lesson 5·BeginnerLong, short, leverage & marginThe four words that scare new traders — explained without drama.4 min
Up next
Chart Reading & Price Action