Slay Markets is a futures brokerage, and this article answers the most common trading questions in one place: opening an account, the minimum to start trading, order types, trading hours, margin, contract expiration, fees, taxes, and how to reach support. Each answer states the key fact directly and links to a full article for more detail.
Slay Markets (Tradeify Brokerage LLC d/b/a Slay Markets) is an NFA-registered Introducing Broker (NFA ID 0575972). Tax information below is general and is not tax advice; consult a qualified tax professional.
How do I open a Slay Markets account?
To open a Slay Markets account, complete the online application and upload two documents: a government-issued photo ID and a separate address verification document. The Slay Markets New Accounts team typically reviews applications within 1 to 2 business days.
Q: How do I open a Slay Markets account?
A: Complete the online Slay Markets application, then upload your photo ID and a separate address verification document. Review typically takes 1 to 2 business days. See How to Open a Slay Markets Account for the full step-by-step walkthrough.
Q: Can I practice before trading with real money at Slay Markets?
A: Yes. Slay Markets supports simulation (paper trading) with live market data, so you can practice placing orders and managing positions before committing real funds.
What is the minimum deposit to start trading at Slay Markets?
There is no minimum deposit to open a Slay Markets account ($0). A minimum of $50 is required to fund the account and place a first trade — $50 covers the intraday margin for one micro equity-index contract such as MES, MYM, or M2K (MNQ requires $100). Most traders start with more to give positions room.
Q: What is the minimum deposit to start trading at Slay Markets?
A: There is no minimum deposit to open a Slay Markets account ($0). A minimum of $50 is required to fund the account and place a first trade — $50 covers the intraday margin for one micro equity-index contract such as MES, MYM, or M2K (MNQ requires $100). Most traders start with more to give positions room. See Minimum Deposits and Third-Party Funding Rules for funding rules and Margin Requirements by Product for current figures by contract.
What order types are available at Slay Markets?
Slay Markets supports market, limit, stop, stop-limit, MIT, OCO, bracket, and trailing stop order types. These cover both basic entry and exit orders and advanced risk-management orders such as brackets and trailing stops.
Q: What order types are available at Slay Markets?
A: Market, limit, stop, stop-limit, MIT, OCO, bracket, and trailing stop. See the Slay Markets Order Types Reference for a full description of each.
Q: How do I close a position at Slay Markets?
A: Place an opposite order of the same size in the same contract, or right-click the position in the Positions tab and select Close Position to send a market order that closes the full quantity.
What are the trading hours for ES and NQ at Slay Markets?
At Slay Markets, the equity index futures ES (E-mini S&P 500) and NQ (E-mini Nasdaq-100) trade Sunday 6:00 PM ET through Friday 5:00 PM ET, with a daily maintenance break from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET.
Q: What are the trading hours for ES and NQ at Slay Markets?
A: ES and NQ trade Sunday 6:00 PM ET through Friday 5:00 PM ET, with a daily maintenance break from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET. See the Slay Markets Trading Hours by Product for every product's session.
Can I trade futures 24 hours a day at Slay Markets?
Most futures markets at Slay Markets trade nearly 24 hours a day, Sunday through Friday, with a brief daily maintenance break. Agricultural products have shorter sessions, so hours vary by product.
Q: Can I trade futures 24 hours a day at Slay Markets?
A: Nearly. Most futures markets trade roughly 23 hours per day, Sunday through Friday, with a brief daily maintenance break; agricultural products have shorter sessions. See the Slay Markets Trading Hours by Product for exact hours by product.
What is a margin call at Slay Markets?
A margin call at Slay Markets occurs when your account's net liquidation value (NLV) falls below the maintenance margin required to hold your open positions. The account enters liquidate-only mode and may be auto-liquidated by the clearing firm if you do not reduce positions or deposit funds.
Q: What is a margin call at Slay Markets?
A: A margin call occurs when your account equity (net liquidation value) falls below the maintenance margin level. The account enters liquidate-only mode and may be auto-liquidated if you do not reduce positions or deposit funds. See What Is a Margin Call and What Should I Do?.
What is the difference between initial and maintenance margin at Slay Markets?
At Slay Markets, initial margin is the amount required to open a new position, and maintenance margin is the lower minimum required to keep a position open. If your account equity falls below the maintenance margin, a margin call is triggered.
Q: What is the difference between initial and maintenance margin at Slay Markets?
A: Initial margin is required to open a new position. Maintenance margin is the minimum required to keep it open and is lower than initial margin. If your equity falls below maintenance, a margin call is triggered. See the Slay Markets Margin Rules Overview.
Do I need to hold margin overnight at Slay Markets?
At Slay Markets, any position held past the daily session close requires the full overnight (initial) margin rate. Intraday margins are lower, but they only apply while the market is open and you plan to close the position before the session ends.
Q: Do I need to hold margin overnight at Slay Markets?
A: Yes. Positions held past the daily session close require the full overnight (initial) margin rate. Intraday margins are lower but only apply while the market is open and you plan to close before the session ends. See the Slay Markets Margin Rules Overview.
What happens when a futures contract expires at Slay Markets?
When a futures contract expires at Slay Markets, cash-settled contracts (ES, NQ, and similar) settle automatically. Physically-settled contracts (CL, GC, and similar) require you to close or roll the position before the First Notice Day to avoid a delivery obligation. For background on how contracts work, see What Is a Futures Contract?.
Q: What happens when a futures contract expires at Slay Markets?
A: Cash-settled contracts (ES, NQ, etc.) settle automatically. Physically-settled contracts (CL, GC, etc.) require you to close or roll before the First Notice Day. See Contract Expiration: What Happens and What to Do.
Q: Do I have to roll my contracts at Slay Markets?
A: No. You can let them expire. For cash-settled contracts, settlement is automatic. For physically-settled contracts, accounts holding an open position past the roll date are subject to liquidation and associated fees. See How Rollovers Work.
Q: What is the difference between micro and full-size contracts at Slay Markets?
A: Micro contracts (MES, MNQ, MYM, M2K) are one-tenth the size of full-size contracts (ES, NQ, YM, RTY) and require proportionally less margin. See Products and Contracts Offered.
What does it cost to place a trade at Slay Markets?
Every Slay Markets trade has three fees per side: a Slay Markets commission, an exchange fee, and an NFA fee. Because these apply per side, a round turn (opening and then closing a position) is charged twice.
Q: What does it cost to place a trade at Slay Markets?
A: Every trade has three fees per side: a Slay Markets commission, an exchange fee, and an NFA fee. See Commissions, Exchange Fees, and NFA Fees for current rates by contract.
Is there a monthly platform fee at Slay Markets?
The Slay Markets Web Trader has no monthly platform fee, and the Slay Free plan has no monthly plan fee. Recurring charges that can apply: the optional Slay Pro plan at $149 per month (lower per-side commissions), optional paid market data subscriptions (free real-time CME Level I data is included with every account), and a $35 monthly inactivity fee on Slay Free accounts with no live trade in a 30-day period.
Q: Is there a monthly platform fee at Slay Markets?
A: The Slay Markets Web Trader has no monthly platform fee, and the Slay Free plan has no monthly plan fee. Recurring charges that can apply: the optional Slay Pro plan at $149 per month (lower per-side commissions), optional paid market data subscriptions (free real-time CME Level I data is included with every account), and a $35 monthly inactivity fee on Slay Free accounts with no live trade in a 30-day period. Only optional market data upgrades (CME Level II depth, Eurex, ICE) carry a monthly data fee — see Market Data Subscriptions and Professional Classification for current subscription pricing and Commissions, Exchange Fees, and NFA Fees for commission and fee details.
How are futures trading profits taxed at Slay Markets?
Futures traded at Slay Markets receive Section 1256 tax treatment: 60% of net gains are taxed as long-term capital gains and 40% as short-term, regardless of how long you held the position. Open positions are marked to market at December 31. This is general information and not tax advice; consult a qualified tax professional.
Q: How are futures trading profits taxed at Slay Markets?
A: Futures receive Section 1256 tax treatment: 60% of net gains are taxed as long-term capital gains, 40% as short-term, regardless of holding period. Open positions are marked to market at December 31. See Tax Treatment of Futures. This is general information; consult a qualified tax professional.
When will I receive my 1099-B from Slay Markets?
Your Slay Markets 1099-B is available in your Account Dashboard by February 15 of the year following the tax year.
Q: When will I receive my 1099-B from Slay Markets?
A: By February 15 of the year following the tax year, in your Account Dashboard. See Your 1099-B and Tax Documents for download steps.
How do I contact Slay Markets support?
To contact Slay Markets support, email support@slaymarkets.com — replies within 1 business day.
Q: How do I contact Slay Markets support?
A: Email support@slaymarkets.com — replies within 1 business day. See How to Contact Slay Markets Support for support hours and details.
Q: The Slay Markets platform is down. What do I do?
A: Check the Slay Markets system status page first to confirm whether it is a system-wide issue or a local problem. If an outage is confirmed, monitor the status page for updates. If you have open positions and cannot access the platform, email support@slaymarkets.com. See System Status and Outages.