Futures Basics·Beginner· 3 min

NQ vs MNQ

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

The size difference

NQ moves $20 per point. MNQ 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 NQ and $100 on MNQ. If your account is under ~$25k, MNQ lets you practice real setups without one loss ruining your week.

When to size up

Trade MNQ until your process is consistent for weeks, not days. Then scale to NQ — 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

NQ: $20/point. MNQ: $2/point.
MNQ is the training-wheels version — use it early.
10× MNQ = 1× NQ 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