Futures Basics·Beginner· 3 min

NQ vs MNQ

Same index, very different risk. Pick the right instrument for your account size.

The size difference

moves $20 per point. moves $2 per point. Both track the same Nasdaq-100 index — MNQ is simply 1/10th the size.

Why it matters

A 50-point move (very normal in a day) is $1,000 on and $100 on . If your account is under ~$25k, MNQ lets you practice real setups without one loss ruining your week.

When to size up

Trade until your process is consistent for weeks, not days. Then scale to — or trade multiple MNQ contracts — as risk tolerance and account size allow.

Watch it on the chart

Chart breakdown

Chart showing a 40-point range, labeled with dollar risk for both instruments.

Key takeaways

: $20/point. : $2/point.
is the training-wheels version — use it early.
10× = 1× in dollar terms.
Consistency comes first, size comes second.

Quick check

The Nasdaq moves 40 points. How much do you make on 1 MNQ contract?

What is the Nasdaq-100?Previous Tick size & point valueNext