Lesson 8 of 14 · 2 min
Markets you can trade
Stocks, futures, options, forex and crypto side by side — hours, leverage, costs and who each suits.
"Trading" can mean very different things depending on the market. Here's the map.
| Market | What you trade | Hours | Leverage | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Shares of companies | Exchange hours (plus extended) | Low (margin accounts) | Simple to understand; US day-trading rules can limit small accounts |
| Futures | Contracts on an index, commodity or rate | Nearly 24h, 5 days | High (built in) | Centralised exchange, transparent volume; micro contracts make small sizes possible |
| Options | The right to buy/sell at a set price | Underlying's hours | Built in | More moving parts — price, time and volatility all matter |
| Forex | Currency pairs (EUR/USD…) | 24h, 5 days | High | Traded over-the-counter; no single central volume |
| Crypto | Coins and crypto derivatives | 24/7 | Varies hugely | Volatile; exchange and regulatory risk vary by venue |
Why Utopia focuses on index futures
- One central exchange (CME) — everyone sees the same price and volume, which is what orderflow tools need.
- Deep liquidity in ES and NQ, so fills are tight.
- Micros (MES, MNQ) let you trade the same chart with a tenth of the risk.
- Nearly 24-hour access around a day job.
The tools transfer
Auction theory, volume profile and risk management work in any liquid market. But learn them on one market first. Jumping between five markets is how beginners stay beginners.
Quick recap
- Each market has different hours, leverage and risks.
- Futures give clean volume data and small sizes via micros.
- Pick one market and learn it properly.
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