Tradovate: Symbol Mapping (Futures to CFD)

Quick answer

Tradovate trades futures contracts (ES, NQ, CL), while most other platforms trade CFDs (US500, USTEC, USOIL). The app automatically maps between them using known aliases.

Understanding futures vs CFD symbols

Tradovate (Futures)

• ES = E-mini S&P 500 futures
• NQ = E-mini Nasdaq-100 futures
• CL = Crude Oil futures
• GC = Gold futures

MT4/MT5/Other (CFDs)

• US500 or SPX500 = S&P 500 index CFD
• USTEC or NAS100 = Nasdaq-100 index CFD
• USOIL or WTI = Crude Oil CFD
• XAUUSD or GOLD = Gold CFD

Automatic symbol mapping

The app automatically maps between these:

Contract months (optional detail)

Tradovate futures have expiration dates: - ESH6 = E-mini S&P 500, March 2026 - NQM6 = E-mini Nasdaq-100, June 2026

Month codes: - F=Jan, G=Feb, H=Mar, J=Apr, K=May, M=Jun - N=Jul, Q=Aug, U=Sep, V=Oct, X=Nov, Z=Dec

The app automatically selects the nearest active contract when mapping.

When mapping fails

If symbols don't map automatically:

1. Check Symbol Mapping in your copy link settings
2. Manually map unmapped symbols
3. Use the search to find the correct receiver symbol

Common unmapped cases

• Exotic symbols: Not all futures have CFD equivalents
• Spreads: Calendar spreads (ESZ4-ESU4) aren't supported
• Options: Options contracts don't map to CFDs

Micro contracts

For smaller position sizes, Tradovate offers micro contracts:

When using risk-based sizing, the app will prefer micro contracts for smaller calculated positions.

Contract sizing differences

Futures: Trade in whole contracts (1, 2, 3...) CFDs: Trade in lots with decimals (0.01, 0.50, 1.25...)

The app handles this conversion automatically: - Calculates risk in USD - Converts to appropriate contract size - Rounds to whole contracts for Tradovate

Troubleshooting mapping issues

"No symbols from Tradovate"

• Ensure you're logged in successfully
• Check that API subscription is active
• Try refreshing the symbol list

"USTEC not mapping to NQ"

• The alias table should handle this automatically
• If not mapping, manually select "NQ" from the dropdown
• Report to support if automatic mapping should work

"Wrong contract month selected"

• The app selects the nearest active month
• You can manually override in Symbol Mapping if needed

Related articles

• How to add Tradovate account
• Tradovate API requirements

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