Introduction

TradeStation has broadened its retail product suite by launching access to CME’s single‑stock futures (SSFs). The move brings the broker in line with other platforms—such as Schwab, NinjaTrader, EdgeClear, Optimus Futures and Plus500—that had already opened the new contracts to retail traders after CME’s July 27 launch.

Product Details

The initial offering includes 55 standard‑size SSFs and 22 micro‑size SSFs, covering over 50 leading U.S. equities from the S&P 500, Nasdaq‑100 and Russell 1000. Notable names available are Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOGL), Meta (META), Nvidia (NVDA), Tesla (TSLA) and SpaceX (SPCX).

  • Standard contracts represent 100 shares of the underlying company.
  • Micro contracts are scaled to 10 shares, lowering the capital requirement for retail traders and allowing finer position sizing.

All contracts trade 24 hours a day, Sunday through Friday and are cleared by CME, providing financial settlement rather than physical delivery.

Market Context

SSFs allow traders to take long or short positions in a single stock’s price movement without owning or borrowing the shares. They combine the leverage and margin flexibility of futures with the familiarity of equity names, making them attractive for active traders who already monitor these stocks.

John Bartleman, President and CEO of TradeStation Group, said the new contracts give “active traders another way to trade the names they’re already watching.” He added that the “margin‑based, nearly around‑the‑clock structure” opens opportunities for new strategies.

Trader Implications

For retail clients, SSFs represent a middle ground between a new asset class and a conventional equity product. They deliver:

  • Margin‑based exposure to individual names, enabling both long and short positions.
  • Financial settlement at expiration, avoiding the complexities of physical delivery.
  • Extended trading hours beyond the standard equity market, allowing traders to react to after‑hours news.

The addition expands the array of equity‑linked instruments available to TradeStation users, offering greater flexibility in portfolio construction and risk management.

Pricing & Execution Considerations

TradeStation has not yet announced a dedicated commission schedule for the SSFs. Futures fees typically depend on:

  1. Trading volume – larger volumes may attract lower per‑contract rates.
  2. Exchange and regulatory charges – CME and clearinghouse fees are passed through to the trader.
  3. Broker‑specific execution costs – bid‑ask spreads and any additional service fees.

Because the fee structure remains undisclosed, clients will likely compare TradeStation’s execution quality and total cost against competitors that already offer SSFs.

Conclusion

By adding CME single‑stock futures, TradeStation enhances its retail offering with a versatile, margin‑based instrument set that covers more than 50 U.S. equities. The launch gives traders additional avenues for leveraging price movements while maintaining the flexibility and extended hours that futures provide. Pricing and execution details will determine how the broker’s SSFs stack up against peers in this growing market segment.