Gold CFDs vs gold futures: contract, venue and cost differences

Exchange contract vs broker contract

A standardized gold future is traded on an exchange under that market’s contract specification and clearing arrangement. A retail CFD is typically a bilateral derivative under the provider’s client agreement. Counterparty, price formation, account protections and settlement differ.

CME’s Gold futures materials identify contract sizes and exchange instruments; a CFD provider sets its own symbol specification, spread and financing terms.

The size of one trade can differ greatly

A standard COMEX Gold future references 100 troy ounces. At an illustrative gold price of $2,400/oz, its notional value is $240,000. A CFD platform may permit smaller ounce exposure, but its definitions must be checked individually. Neither the contract name nor posted margin alone states the full price risk.

Costs need different comparison rows

For futures, inspect exchange and broker commission, margin, tick size and relevant contract months. For CFDs, inspect variable spread, commission, overnight financing and margin close-out. Rolling a futures position and holding a CFD overnight are not the same cost mechanism.

• Contracting entity and market venue.
• Notional exposure and smallest trade increment.
• Margin method and account protections.
• Time-based costs, roll and settlement details.

Which instrument does an AI product actually trade?

A bot marketing “AI gold” may access a future, CFD or a simulated chart. We will identify the actual executable instrument before comparing cost or reported performance, and avoid mixing futures backtests with CFD live results without adjustments.