High volume traders of CME Futures products have the opportunity of reduced exchange fees by leasing a seat on the exchange. To view the complete breakdown of fees, please schedule a CME membership consultation with a personal broker by filling out the form below.
Our experts will calculate your total commissions to date and create a breakdown of the best membership structure for you. The process normally takes 15-30 minutes from start to finish.
Sample Membership Worksheet
Calculations do not take into consideration data fees. The information contained herein is believed to be accurate; however, Edge Clear makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information contained herein.
Divisions of Individual Membership
- CME Individual Membership
- CBOT Individual Membership
- Comex Individual Membership
- NYMEX Individual Membership
- How to Become a Member
There are four divisions of individual CME memberships representing the four levels of access to CME products. Individual memberships at CME became attached to a Class B share in Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. when the exchange de-mutualized and became a publicly traded company in 2002.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) (B1) membership
Trades: Any CME Exchange-listed contract
International Monetary Market (IMM) (B2) membership
Trades: Foreign Exchange, Interest Rate and Equity Index futures, and all IOM and GEM products
Index and Option Market (IOM) (B3) membership
Trades: Equity Index futures contracts, random length Lumber contracts, all options contracts, and all GEM products
Growth and Emerging Markets (GEM) (B4) membership
There are five levels of individual CBOT memberships. Each type determines eligibility for trading certain products at reduced rates and provides access to trading on the CME Group trading floor.
(B-1) Full Members (FULL)
Trades: All financial and Agricultural futures and options contracts
(B-2) Associate Members (AM)
Trades: All financial futures and options and Agricultural options only
(B-3) Government, Instruments Market (GIM) Members
Trades: Financial instrument futures
(B-4) Index, Debt and Energy Market (IDEM) Members
Trades: Fed Fund and index futures
(B-5) Commodity Options Market (COM) Members
There are two divisions of individual COMEX membership. Each type determines eligibility for trading certain products at reduced rates.
COMEX Members
Trades: All COMEX products
COMEX Option Members
To be an individual member of NYMEX, you must be at an adult possessing good moral character, a good reputation, business integrity, and adequate financial resources to assume the responsibilities and privileges of membership.
Before you begin trading as a member of NYMEX, you must be qualified to trade by a clearing member.
All applicants must satisfy Exchange educational requirements.
Applying for a CME Individual Membership:
Once you have decided a CME individual membership is right for you, apply for membership.
Each of the four levels of individual CME memberships involve the same application process.
To apply for CME membership you must submit:
- A typewritten application for membership, including answers to questions on education, employment, residential, and disciplinary history; and completion of a financial statement
- A $2,000 non-refundable fee made payable to CME Group
- Two 2 inch by 2 inch passport-quality color photographs
- A certified birth certificate or passport
During the application process, we list the name of each applicant in our Membership Bulletin.
If we approve your membership application, you have 30 days to acquire a membership.
You can acquire a membership via:
- Purchase
- Lease from a current member
- Firm transfer
Acquisitions
You may submit a bid to purchase a membership at any time, i.e., before you submit your application for membership, while your application is being processed, or after your application is approved.
You may also submit a lease agreement or transfer forms once you are approved for membership. You may lease a membership by paying a monthly rent to an owner of any division of membership.
You can find a member to lease from through your clearing firm or through a list of lessors posted on the Membership Pricing page.
