NQ Tick Value, Point Value & Contract Specs
One NQ (E-mini Nasdaq-100) tick is 0.25 index points and is worth $5.00 per contract. A 1.00 move in the price is worth $20. Source: CME Group contract specs.
NQ contract specs
| Product | E-mini Nasdaq-100 Futures |
|---|---|
| Symbol (CME Globex) | NQ |
| Exchange | CME (rulebook chapter CME 359) |
| Contract unit | $20 × Nasdaq-100 Index |
| Price quoted in | index points |
| Tick size (outright) | 0.25 index points |
| Tick value | $5.00 per contract |
| Point value (1.00 move) | $20 per contract |
| Ticks per 1.00 move | 4 |
| Settlement | Cash-settled |
| Listed contracts | Quarterly contracts (Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec) listed for 6 consecutive quarters, 2 additional June contracts and 4 additional December contract months. Month codes: H M U Z |
| Next expiry | NQZ6 (Dec 2026): suggested roll Mon, Dec 14, 2026, last trading day Fri, Dec 18, 2026. Rollover calendar |
| Trading hours | CME Globex: Sunday–Friday 5:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. CT (6:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET), with a daily break 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. CT. Trading hours today and holidays |
| Micro contract | MNQ (Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100): NQ = 10 × MNQ. |
Sources: CME Group contract specs (read October 23, 2026) · Barchart contract profile (cross-check) (read October 23, 2026). Tick size, tick value and contract size come from the CME Group spec page. A second source, read the same day, confirms them: Barchart's contract profile (tick size and tick value) or, for MYM, M2K, MCL and M6E, TradingView (contract size).
How much is 1 NQ contract?
Type the current price. The default is an example level, not a quote.
Notional value: $580,00029,000.00 × $20 × 1 contract
Notional value is the size of the exposure, not the cash you need. Your broker asks for a margin, set by the broker and CME.
About NQ
NQ follows the Nasdaq-100: the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq stock market, weighted by market value, with a large share of technology companies.
Its point is worth $20, so a 100-point Nasdaq-100 move is $2,000 per contract.
At expiry it is cash-settled to the Special Opening Quotation of the Nasdaq-100 on the third Friday.
All 6 futures prop plans in our position size calculator (Lucid Flex 50K, Tradeify Select 50K, Topstep 50K Combine, Apex 50K EOD, MFFU Rapid 50K, FTMO Futures Growth 50K) list a commission for NQ in their rules. Size a trade within a plan's limits with the futures position size calculator.
Trading strategies backtested on the continuous NQ contract (NQ1!): best NQ strategies.
What one NQ move is worth
Worked examples with an example move (not a quote):
- A 10-point move on 1 NQ = 40 ticks × $5.00 = $200.00.
- A 10-point move on 2 NQ = $400.00.
- 1 tick on 10 NQ = 10 × $5.00 = $50.00.
- The same 10-point move on 1 MNQ = $20.00.
NQ and MNQ
MNQ is the micro version of NQ. NQ = 10 × MNQ: MNQ ticks are worth $0.50 and a 1.00 move is $2.
Micros let you size in smaller steps: a stop of the same distance costs a fraction as much. See micro vs mini futures to convert a position from one to the other.
NQ futures calculator
Trade
Contract: NQ (E-mini Nasdaq-100). Other contracts
1 tick = 0.25 = $5.00 · 1.00 move = $20
Commission per contract, per side (entry and exit are each charged). Add exchange and clearing fees if your broker lists them separately.
Profit and loss
+40 ticks × $5.00 × 1 contract = $200.00 gross
$200.00 − $0.00 commission = $200.00 net
Notional value at entry (example price, not a quote): $580,000 (29,000.00 × $20 × 1 contract).
You know what one NQ tick pays. Does your strategy catch them?
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NQ FAQ
How much is 1 NQ contract worth?
Its notional value is the price times $20. At an example price of 29,000.00, 1 NQ controls $580,000. Type the current price in the notional value box on this page for today's figure. The margin your broker asks to hold the contract is a different, much smaller number set by the broker and CME.
What is the NQ tick value?
One NQ tick is 0.25 index points and is worth $5.00 per contract (CME Group contract specs). A 1.00 move in the price is worth $20.
How many ticks are in a point on NQ?
4. A tick is 0.25, so a 1.00 move is 4 ticks × $5.00 = $20.
How many MNQ make one NQ?
10 MNQ carry the same exposure as 1 NQ: 10 × $2 = $20 per 1.00 move. A 10-point move is worth $200.00 on 1 NQ and $20.00 on 1 MNQ.
Is NQ cash-settled?
Yes. NQ is cash-settled ("financially settled" in the CME specs): there is no delivery, open positions are settled in cash at expiry.
Which months does NQ trade?
Quarterly contracts (Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec) listed for 6 consecutive quarters, 2 additional June contracts and 4 additional December contract months (CME Group). Month codes: H, M, U, Z.