E-mini Russell 2000 vs Micro E-mini Russell 2000
Same underlying, different size: one RTY equals 10 M2K.
Margins as of Specs checked as of How we source this
| RTY | M2K | |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange | Chicago Mercantile Exchange | Chicago Mercantile Exchange |
| Contract unit | $50 × Russell 2000 Index | $5 × Russell 2000 Index |
| Tick size | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Tick value | $5 | $0.50 |
| One point | $50 | $5 |
| Initial margin | $11,939.40 | $1,193.50 |
| Maintenance margin | $10,854 | $1,085 |
| Settlement | Cash | Cash |
| Contract months | Mar (H), Jun (M), Sep (U), Dec (Z) | Mar (H), Jun (M), Sep (U), Dec (Z) |
| Front contract | RTYZ26, roll by 10 Dec 2026 | M2KZ26, roll by 10 Dec 2026 |
| Trading hours | CME Globex. Sunday open 17:00 CT, Friday close 16:00 CT, 60-minute daily maintenance break. | CME Globex. Sunday open 17:00 CT, Friday close 16:00 CT, 60-minute daily maintenance break. |
How they compare
E-mini Russell 2000 (RTY) and Micro E-mini Russell 2000 (M2K) track the same underlying on Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The difference is size. One point is worth $50 on RTY and $5 on M2K, so one RTY carries the same exposure as 10 M2K contracts. Ticks are 0.1 on RTY, worth $5, and 0.1 on M2K, worth $0.50.
Exchange initial margin is $11,939.40 for RTY and $1,193.50 for M2K, a ratio of 10.0 to 1. Margins are set product by product, so they don't always scale exactly with contract size. Both trade the same hours (CME Globex. Sunday open 17:00 CT, Friday close 16:00 CT, 60-minute daily maintenance break).
The practical difference is granularity. With M2K, position size moves in steps of $0.50 per tick rather than $5, which matters when the amount you are prepared to lose at a given stop isn't a whole number of RTY contracts. Commissions and exchange fees are charged per contract, so 10 M2K usually cost more to trade than one RTY; check both with your broker, along with liquidity at the times you trade.
Size a position on either with the RTY calculators or the M2K calculators.
Questions
- How many M2K equal one RTY?
- 10. One RTY point is worth $50; one M2K point is worth $5.
- What is the margin difference between RTY and M2K?
- Exchange initial margin is $11,939.40 for RTY and $1,193.50 for M2K (as of 27 Oct 2026).
- Do RTY and M2K trade the same hours?
- Yes.