THE BEST BROKERS FOR TRADING FUTURES
My name is Norberto. I've been investing and trading for over a decade. I'm also the author of the Topstep Experience trading course. If you want to learn how to invest and have any questions, feel free to contact me.
YOUR MONEY, YOUR RULES: CHOOSE THE BROKER THAT SUITS YOU
YOUR MONEY, YOUR RULES: CHOOSE THE BROKER THAT SUITS YOU
🎯 Compare the best platforms, low fees, and professional tools to grow your capital.
In this article I show you a list with the main characteristics of the best futures brokers so that you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
Discover the ideal broker, course, or funding account for you with the help of AI.
- 📊 Tailored recommendations, based on your profile
- 🧠 Learn about investing and trading for free
- 🔍 Ideal for beginners and growing traders
Which is the best Futures broker?
Since a broker is an intermediary that executes buy and sell orders in a market, a futures broker is an entity that offers access to this type of financial instrument.
Futures contracts are characterized by being traded on an official exchange, meaning they are no longer private agreements between two parties and have specific characteristics regarding contract size (and therefore required capital) and expiration dates. However, they offer complete liquidity and security. Furthermore, they allow for leverage and short selling.
Because financial futures are products with a pre-established and high trading volume for retail traders, smaller versions called mini and micro futures have recently emerged . Therefore, trading futures does not require excessive capital.
The best brokers for futures:
INTERACTIVE BROKERS
- Read Interactive Brokers review
- More information: www.interactivebrokers.com
- the amount of available assets
- regulation (this is one of the best regulated brokers worldwide)
- There are no different deposit and withdrawal options; everything is limited to bank transfers
Is IB the best Futures broker?
Interactive Brokers (www.interactivebrokers.com) has been rated as one of the best brokers for international trading, for intraday , and one of the best in commissions.
This is one of the highest-rated American brokers. In fact, in 2021 it won Barron's award for best online broker.
Although its main headquarters are located in the United States and is therefore regulated by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), it has an international presence.
Therefore, it has several headquarters and is subject to different regulations, including those of the Central Bank of Ireland and the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (one of the strictest and most reputable supervisory bodies in existence).
INTERACTIVE BROKERS RECOMMENDED
even listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Berlin and Stuttgart, which provides that extra security and transparency (since it is required to present audited accounts).
In addition to Interactive Brokers' security, transparency, and prestige, I can highlight the power and functionality of its trading platform (Interactive Brokers Trader Workstation). It also offers Interactive Brokers Web Trader (which is somewhat simpler) and a mobile-optimized version (Interactive Brokers Mobile).
There is no doubt that Interactive Brokers is designed for sophisticated traders who intend to trade futures from around the world using professional tools (such as ComboTrader, SpreadTrader and the Index Arbitrage Indicator).
It offers a wide range of financial products and does not require a minimum capital to open an account. The asset classes for futures offered by this broker are as follows:
- Agriculture.
- Cryptocurrencies.
- Foreign exchange.
- Energy.
- Stock market indices.
- Fixed income products
- Interest rates.
- Metals.
- Volatility indices.
Another advantage is that it eliminated maintenance fees in 2021.Similarly, its negotiation fees are reasonable.
Features of Interactive Brokers
| Broker type | Futures, options, Forex, stock market and CFD broker. |
| Headquarters | USA |
| Regulation | SEC, IIROC, FCA, CSSF, CBI, ASIC, CNMV |
| Financial instruments | Stocks, Forex, Metals, ETFs, Investment Funds, Futures, Bonds, Options, Stock Indices, Options, Warrants. |
| Platforms | Client Portal, Trader Workstation, Mobile App |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 for a Cash Account ($2,000 for a Portfolio Margin Account) |
| Demo account | Free for customers |
AMP FUTURES
- Read AMP review
- More information: www.ampfutures.com
Why choose AMP Futures for trading futures?
AMP Futures is a US broker regulated by the NFA and CFTC, specializing in the futures market. It stands out for offering ultra-competitive commissions, a wide range of trading platforms (such as NinjaTrader, Sierra Chart, Bookmap, and Quantower), and a highly technical approach that particularly appeals to professional and high-volume traders.
One of its main strengths is its execution infrastructure: direct access to the CME, low latency, and the ability to route orders to different data centers. Furthermore, it allows trading with live accounts starting from $100 of intraday margin for micro contracts, making it an accessible option without sacrificing professionalism.
While its approach is more technical than beginner-friendly (opening an account can be somewhat complex), AMP is ideal for experienced traders seeking low costs and high-level operational performance. It also offers demo accounts and support for international traders.
Highlights of AMP:
- Specializing exclusively in futures and options on futures, with access to CME, CBOT, NYMEX, COMEX and EUREX.
- Ultra-low fees
- It offers more than 30 compatible trading platforms, including NinjaTrader, Sierra Chart, TradingView, MultiCharts, and its own AMP WebTrader platform.
- No minimum deposit required, making it accessible to retail traders.
- Fast and stable execution, ideal for scalping and algorithmic trading.
- Customer service specializing in futures trading, with support in English (not always available in Spanish).
AMP FUTURES
NINJATRADER
- Read NinjaTrader Brokerage review
- More information: www.ninjatrader.com
Why choose NinjaTrader Brokerage?
You may know NinjaTrader for its trading platform, famous for its power, which allows for effective scalping strategies.
In reality, NinjaTrader, besides being a software company that has developed one of the leading platforms, is also a brokerage firm. It is headquartered in the United States and is properly regulated to operate as a broker.
In other words, NinjaTrader is a futures broker (www.ninjatrader.com). Some media outlets even claim it was the best futures broker in 2021. (Need a futures trading course?)
NinjaTrader currently has a subsidiary (NinjaTrader Clearing) registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to process futures trades, and it is possible to trade with them directly. Until recently, NinjaTrader only acted as an introduction broker (it had agreements with Phillip Capital and Dorman Trading, two regulated brokers).
Besides the low margins and fees, one of the advantages of trading with NinjaTrader is the possibility of using its renowned platform for free, without needing to purchase the corresponding license.
Among other things, NinjaTrader allows you to use an unlimited demo account , unfiltered market data, a free 24-hour emergency hotline , unlimited daily support and training .
In fact, both the functions and power of its platform and its educational tools are two of the most valued features that make NinjaTrader one of the best brokers for futures.
iBROKER
- More information: www.ibroker.es
Is iBROKER reliable?
Among the best futures brokers is a Spanish intermediary. In fact, iBroker (www.ibroker.es) is one of the few brokers specializing in financial derivatives (futures, options, CFDs, etc.).
One of iBroker's features is its agreement with CME Group: the largest financial futures market in the world.
Its origins date back to 2016, as a spin-off from Auriga Global Investor. Since then, iBroker has remained as part of the derivatives business and is currently one of the leading brokers in the Spanish market.
iBroker is headquartered in Madridand is therefore regulated by the Spanish National Securities Market Commission (CNMV). Consequently, it also offers all the security guarantees for funds mandated by European regulations (fund segregation, membership in the investment guarantee fund, etc.).
Among all its advantages, the trading technology it offers stands out , designed to provide all clients with a unique experience when trading futures or any other derivative instrument.
With iBroker, you can trade through their web platform (featuring professional charts, a full range of analytical tools, extensive price history, and the ability to place multiple order types). However, you can also choose the TradingView platform, a powerful trading tool with advanced operational, charting, and analytical capabilities.
In addition, you can also trade from any mobile device (with Android or iOS operating system) thanks to its trading app; and you can even place orders by phone in cases where you lose your internet connection.
In short, iBroker is included in this list of top futures brokers thanks to its reliability, technology , and low fees. For example, for day trading futures, iBroker offers a more streamlined margin program.
I could also mention a number of other features valued by traders of this broker, such as their customer service.
Furthermore, it also offers a demo account for 7 days of real-time trading. After that, you can continue trading, but you'll see quotes with a 15-minute delay.
DETURO
- Read DEGIRO's review
- More information: www.degiro.es
Why choose DEGIRO?
DEGIRO is a Dutch broker that has a large number of markets available on five continents (more than 50) and also offers all the guarantees of security and reliability for your funds.
This broker is regulated by the Dutch Financial Markets Authority (AFM) and the Dutch Central Bank (DNB). It offers all the security guarantees required by European financial regulations (MiFID).
DEGIRO is one of Europe's leading intermediaries. It began as an intermediary serving financial professionals, expanding its portfolio to retail clients in 2015. It has won over 80 international awards, including the highest-rated investment platform and app in 2020 by Investors Chronicle & Financial Times (UK) and the best intraday broker award in 2020 by Brokerwahl (Germany).
Among other things, DEGIRO stands out for its easy account opening, offering low fees (typical of professional operators), the functionality of its platform and its customer service.
The rapid growth shown by this broker, both in transactions and clients, is proof of its good practices.
You might also be interested in
HOW TO START INVESTING IN THE STOCK MARKET?
PSYCHOTRADING: WHAT IS IT AND WHAT IS IT FOR?
Discover what psychotrading is and how it can improve your…
