Feasibility of Making $200/day Trading MCL Futures: Analysis & Key Considerations

On 2025-11-15 (EST), a Reddit user posted a question about the feasibility of earning $200/day trading Micro WTI Crude Oil (MCL) futures with a $50k account using 10 contracts. The user sought insights into drawdowns, slippage, and live vs. backtest performance to set realistic expectations before live trading.

• Size
  : 100 barrels per contract (1/10th of standard CL contract) [1]
• Tick Value
  : $1 per $0.01 price move per contract (100 barrels × $0.01 = $1) [1]
• Trading Hours
  : Sunday 6:00 PM ET to Friday5:00 PM ET [1]

• Initial Margin
  : $578-$1,372 per contract (10 contracts: $5,780-$13,720, 11.56%-27.44% of $50k account) [2][3]
• Maintenance Margin
  : $166.50-$510 per contract (10 contracts: $1,665-$5,100) [2][3]

• Monthly Range
  : $55.97-$62.59 (6.62 point range over 1 month) [4]
• Required Move
  : $0.20 price change to earn $200 with10 contracts ($200 / ($10 per $0.01 move) =20 ticks × $0.01) [5]
• Daily Volatility
  : Feasible to capture $0.20 moves (consistent with crude oil’s intraday volatility) [5]

• Typical Slippage
  :1-2 ticks per trade (adds $10-$20 per trade for10 contracts) [6][7]
• Mitigation
  : Use limit orders, trade high-volume hours, avoid news releases [7]

• Normalization Needed
  : Drawdown percentage depends on account size and contract count (e.g., $10k drawdown =20% of $50k vs.10% of $100k) [8]
• Risk Management
  :10 contracts with $0.10 stop loss =$100 risk per trade (2% of $50k account) [5]

Making $200/day is

with a robust strategy:

1. Strategy Requirements
   : Capture $0.20 price moves with10 contracts (20 ticks × $10 per tick)
2. Risk-Reward
   : Ideal2:1 ratio ($0.20 target vs.$0.10 stop loss) [5]
3. Win Rate
   :50% win rate with4 trades/day (accounting for slippage/commissions) needed to reach $200/day

• Account for Costs
  : Include slippage ($10-$20 per trade) and commissions ($20 per trade for10 contracts) in backtests [7][9]
• Margin Management
  : Maintain account balance above maintenance margin to avoid liquidation [2]
• Volatility Timing
  : Trade during high-volume hours (9:00 AM-4:15 PM EST) to reduce slippage [6]
• Strategy Testing
  : Validate backtests with simulated trading that includes slippage and commissions [6]

1. Volatility Spikes
   : Unexpected news (OPEC decisions, geopolitical events) can lead to5-10 tick slippage and larger losses [6][4]
2. Margin Calls
   : Account balance drops below maintenance margin may trigger forced liquidation [2]
3. Strategy Decay
   : Live performance often lags backtests due to unmodeled market conditions [8]
4. Cost Impact
   : Slippage and commissions can reduce net profits by10-20% [7][9]

[1] NinjaTrader. “Trading Crude Oil Futures Contracts”. https://ninjatrader.com/futures/futures-contracts/energy/crude-oil/
[2] Charles Schwab. “Micro Crude Futures Offer Lower-Cost Oil Trading”. https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/micro-crude-futures-offer-lower-cost-oil-trading
[3] Tradestation. “Open more doors with attractive futures margin rates”. https://www.tradestation.com/pricing/futures-margin-requirements/
[4] Barchart.com. “Crude Oil WTI Micro Dec '25 (CYZ25)”. https://www.barchart.com/futures/quotes/CYZ25
[5] Global Market Raiders. “2025 WTI Crude Oil Futures Day Trading Guide”. https://www.globalmarketraiders.com/crude-oil-wti-trading-guide
[6] Topstep Help Center. “Understanding Slippage in the Futures Market”. https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8765442-understanding-slippage-in-the-futures-market-causes-and-mitigation-strategies
[7] Pickmytrade. “Slippage in Futures Trading: How to Estimate and Reduce It”. https://blog.pickmytrade.trade/slippage-in-futures-trading/
[8] Quant Savvy. “Drawdown is Misleading Metric in Futures Trading”. https://quantsavvy.com/drawdown-is-misleading-metric-in-futures-trading/
[9] MetroTrade. “Day Trading Futures: A Beginner’s Guide”. https://www.metrotrade.com/day-trading-futures/

: This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Futures trading involves substantial risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Always consult a licensed financial professional before trading.