MNQ: Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100
Everything that decides whether MNQ fits a funded account: tick value, point value, margin, sessions, which prop firms offer it, and how many contracts the drawdown buffer actually supports at each account size.
MNQ contract specifications
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 |
| Tick size | 0.25 index points |
| Tick value | $0.50 |
| Point value | $2.00 |
| Contract size | 1/10 of NQ |
| Day-trading margin | ~$50–$300 intraday at prop firms; CME overnight far higher |
| Sessions | Sunday 5:00 PM – Friday 4:00 PM CT, with a daily maintenance halt 4:00–5:00 PM CT |
| Prop firms | Every major futures prop firm: Apex, Topstep, MyFundedFutures, Tradeify, Lucid, TradeDay, Take Profit Trader, Bulenox, Top One Futures, Phidias, Funded Futures Family |
How many contracts fit each prop account size
| Account | Drawdown buffer | Contracts | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25K | $1,000–$1,500 | 1–2 | A 50-point stop is $100 per contract. Two contracts on a $1,000 floor is 20% of the buffer on one trade. |
| 50K | $2,000–$2,500 | 2–4 | Four contracts move $8 per point. A 100-point stop is $800 — a third of the buffer. |
| 100K | $3,000–$3,500 | 4–8 | Above eight, one NQ mini becomes the cleaner instrument unless the strategy scales out. |
| 150K | $4,500–$5,000 | 8–14 | Contract caps (often 150 micros) sit far above what the buffer supports. |
The buffer decides the size, not the contract cap. Firms commonly permit 15 minis or 150 micros on a 150K account — far above what the drawdown floor supports. Run the arithmetic on the sizing checker or the position size calculator.
What this means for a systematic strategy
MNQ is the default instrument for systematic prop strategies and the reason is arithmetic, not preference. At $2 per point it is the finest-grained equity index exposure CME lists, which means a strategy can scale in and out across four to eight units on a 50K account without any single exit moving the floor materially.
The constraint that catches people is Nasdaq's range. A normal session moves 200–400 points; a catalyst day doubles that. At $2 per point a 300-point adverse move is $600 per contract — so the number of contracts, not the stop distance, is what has to fit inside the drawdown buffer.
Related
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FAQ
How much is one MNQ point worth?
$2.00 per point, or $0.50 per tick (one tick is 0.25 index points). That is one tenth of the NQ mini, which pays $20 per point.
How many MNQ contracts can I trade on a 50K prop account?
Two to four in practice, against a $2,000–$2,500 drawdown buffer. Four contracts move $8 per point, so a 100-point stop costs $800 — roughly a third of the buffer on a single trade.
Which prop firms allow MNQ?
All major futures firms list it. Micro contracts are universally supported because they are the only way to size against tight drawdown limits on accounts under 150K.
Contract specifications verified September 2026 against CME Group and current futures specification trackers. Prop firm availability cross-checked against the rules cards. Margins vary by broker and rise during volatility; confirm before trading.