Futures Tick Value Calculator
Calculate one-tick, one-point and whole-position movement values from an entered futures multiplier, minimum price increment and whole contracts. The result reconciles the same movement by ticks and by price points.
Enter the contract and movement assumptions
Load the dated MES example or replace every specification with the exact current exchange data for the product and transaction type.
Entered futures tick-value result
Futures Tick Value 2.0.0.
Tick-value calculation audit
Reconcile tick, point and movement identities from the same entered values.
On smaller screens, scroll each table horizontally; the page itself remains contained.
| Step | Arithmetic | Result |
|---|
Five adjacent whole-tick movement rows
Contract inputs stay fixed while the movement changes by one tick per row.
| Ticks | Price movement | Value / contract | Whole-position value | Row type |
|---|
How the Futures Tick Value Calculator works
Tick value for position = tick value per contract × whole contracts
Point value per contract = contract multiplier × one price point
Movement ticks = price movement ÷ minimum price increment
Movement value = movement ticks × tick value × whole contracts
The price-movement input must reconcile to a whole number of the entered minimum increments. That catches mismatched tick units instead of silently presenting fractional legal ticks.
Audited MES worked example
The dated MES example uses a USD 5 index-point multiplier, a 0.25-point outright tick, four whole contracts and a 10-point movement. One tick is 0.25 × USD 5 = USD 1.25 per contract, or USD 5.00 across four contracts. One full point is USD 5 per contract or USD 20 across the position.
Ten points contain 40 whole ticks. The movement is USD 50 per contract and USD 200 across four contracts. Five rows show 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42 ticks, with whole-position values of USD 190, USD 195, USD 200, USD 205 and USD 210.
Dated MES and ES examples
The CME values below were checked on 23 August 2026. They remain editable because exchange rules and transaction-specific increments can differ.
| Symbol | Contract multiplier | Outright minimum increment | Derived tick value | Use boundary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MES | USD 5 × S&P 500 Index | 0.25 index points | USD 1.25 per contract | Verify exact month and transaction type |
| ES | USD 50 × S&P 500 Index | 0.25 index points | USD 12.50 per contract | Verify exact month and transaction type |
Assumptions and limits
- Multiplier, tick, movement and whole contracts are entered or loaded from a dated editable example.
- The minimum increment must apply to the exact product and transaction type; outright and calendar-spread increments can differ.
- Movement is a positive distance only. Long or short direction, entry and exit prices are not modeled.
- Commission, exchange and clearing fees, spread, slippage, tax and every other cost are excluded.
- Margin, buying power, stop execution, account risk and maximum loss are outside this model.
- The result is not an order, target, stop, suitability decision, forecast or financial advice.
A careful futures tick-value workflow
- Identify the exchange, exact symbol, delivery month and transaction type.
- Copy the current multiplier or contract unit from the exchange specification.
- Copy the applicable minimum price increment without substituting a CFD lot size.
- Enter whole contracts and a price distance aligned to that increment.
- Reconcile tick and point routes, then stop if any exchange or platform value differs.
- Use separate position-size, P/L and margin tools for those distinct decisions.
Frequently asked questions
- Multiply the entered minimum price increment by the entered contract multiplier or units per contract.
- Multiply the per-contract tick value by the positive whole number of contracts entered.
- Tick value is the minimum price increment times the multiplier. One full-point value equals the multiplier when the quote convention is price points.
- Futures price increments are discrete. The gate catches a movement that is inconsistent with the entered minimum increment instead of silently displaying fractional ticks.
- They keep the multiplier, tick and whole contracts fixed while displaying the entered whole-tick count plus two adjacent tick rows on each side.
- No. MES and ES are dated editable examples, and custom fields are manual. Verify the exact symbol, month, transaction type and current exchange specification.
- No. This route uses an unsigned distance and excludes direction, entry, exit and costs. Use a direction-aware P/L calculator for those inputs.
- No. It is deterministic arithmetic on entered specifications, not an order instruction, risk limit, profit forecast or suitability decision.
Sources and methodology
- CME Group — Calculating Futures Contract Profit or Loss — explains tick value as minimum tick times contract size and movement value as ticks times tick value times contracts.
- CME Group — Micro E-mini S&P 500 contract specifications — identifies the USD 5 multiplier and 0.25-point minimum tick.
- CME Group — Micro E-mini equity index futures FAQ — documents the MES and ES multipliers plus outright and calendar-spread increments.
- CFTC — Futures Market Basics — describes futures obligations and the possibility of losses beyond the initial investment.
The operational contract is Futures Tick Value version 2.0.0. Independent fixtures cover MES, ES, custom, one-tick, whole-tick-alignment, five-row, CSV-structure and field-specific invalid-input gates.
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Compare broker products separately
The brokers below primarily offer leveraged forex or CFD products, not the MES or ES futures examples on this page. Verify the broker’s own symbol, contract size, lot step, margin, spread, commission and financing terms.
Risk warning and affiliate disclosure: Futures and leveraged derivatives are high risk, and losses can exceed the initial funds deposited. Links above are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This calculator is educational and does not provide personalized advice.