Can I trade a continuous futures contract (e.g. ES1!, ES2!)?

You can trade 1! continuous contracts. However, this applies only to futures from the CME exchange. Placing an order using a 1! continuous contract is enough to select it on the chart and place an order as usual. It is important to understand that the order will be set for the front contract, i.e., for the contract with the nearest expiration month, which is currently included in the 1! contract.

We also show exactly which contract the order will be placed in for you to look at. You can see this in the Order Panel, in the DOM, and next to the Buy/Sell buttons (when instant order placement is enabled).

Please note that trading with 2! continuous contracts is not available, and they are mainly used for technical analysis.

You can learn more about continuous futures contracts in this article.