Get started with a futures account
Futures offer you the ability to gain exposure to and trade a variety of different asset classes, such as equity indices, energy, currencies, metals, and other commodities.
Trading futures has some unique characteristics, including:
Futures trading and options on futures trading is offered through Robinhood U.K. Ltd. and Robinhood Derivatives, LLC.
Keep in mind, futures are complex products with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. They’re not suitable for all investors. Before you invest, you should make sure you understand how futures work, what the risks are of trading futures and whether you can afford to lose more than your original investment. Please review the Futures Risk Disclosure Statement prior to engaging in futures trading.
You can trade and analyse futures in-app, on web classic, or on several of the Widgets in Robinhood Legend.
Futures accounts are currently rolling out and will be available to all eligible customers in the coming weeks.
To enter the futures application process:
Eligibility to apply for a Robinhood futures account requires you to have an open individual investing account with either:
You can’t apply for futures if your account doesn’t meet the eligibility criteria or if you don’t pass the appropriateness assessment.
It may take up to 3 business days to review your application. We’ll notify you via email about the status of your application.
Futures trading involves significant risk. If your application is rejected, we likely have determined that futures trading is not appropriate for your account at this time. However, you are welcome to reapply in the future.
Your futures account is funded through your individual investing account. You can deposit in GBP and your deposit will be converted into USD. However, the amount available for trading futures (known as your futures buying power) may be slightly different from what you see in your investing account. This is because futures buying power is calculated differently. You can view your futures buying power in Investing → Buying power.
Bank holidays may impact your deposit timeline.
You may receive both daily and monthly futures statements, depending on your account activity.
You’ll receive a statement at the end of each month regardless of your account activity. Daily statements will also be generated each day that you have cash activity, trading activity, open positions, or any futures balance.
When you request a full or partial account transfer (ACATs) to another firm, any futures contract positions you may hold will be liquidated. We currently don’t support transferring futures contracts in-kind.
Futures and options are both derivative instruments in which their value is derived from an underlying asset. Both futures and options have expiration dates on their contracts. However, futures contracts are binding agreements to buy or sell specific assets. As opposed to options where the buyer has the right, but not the obligation to act.
We currently don’t support trading options on futures contracts.
Your Robinhood futures account might be restricted for a number of reasons, including but not limited to the following:
For more details, review Account restrictions.
Robinhood doesn’t provide tax advice. For specific questions, please seek advice.
Futures trading is offered through Robinhood U.K. Ltd. and Robinhood Derivatives, LLC, a US registered futures commission merchant with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (‘CFTC’) and a member of the National Futures Association (‘NFA’) (NFA ID 0424278).
Futures are complex products with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. They’re not suitable for all investors. Before you invest, you should make sure you understand how futures work, what the risks are of trading futures and whether you can afford to lose more than your original investment. Please review the Futures Risk Disclosure Statement prior to engaging in futures trading.
Futures contracts and cash in futures accounts that you deposit with Robinhood Derivatives, LLC to margin futures contracts traded on the CME are held in a customer segregated funds account pursuant to regulatory requirements. Futures accounts are not protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (‘SIPC’) or the UK's Financial Services Compensation Scheme (‘FSCS’).
Robinhood U.K. Ltd and Robinhood Derivatives, LLC are subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc.
Robinhood Derivatives, LLC retains the right to cancel orders and liquidate your positions at any time, without prior notice. Review see the Futures Client Agreement for more details.