How to Open a Tradovate Trading Account
Need a live Tradovate account so you can trade real futures, or wire up automation like PickMyTrade? Here's the whole path in order: apply, verify your identity, fund the account.
Need a live Tradovate account so you can trade real futures, or wire up automation like PickMyTrade? Here's the whole path in order: apply, verify your identity, fund the account. Follow it step by step and you'll be approved and trading about as fast as Tradovate's review team can move.
What Is a Tradovate Account?
A Tradovate account is a live futures brokerage account. It lets you trade CME products, E-mini and Micro E-mini index contracts, plus energy, metals, and agricultural futures, from Tradovate's web, desktop, and mobile apps. To open one, you complete a regulated brokerage application (that's the KYC identity check) and fund it before any live order goes through.
Open a Tradovate Account: Step-by-Step
Create Your Tradovate User (or Log In With Your Demo)
New here? Head to Tradovate's "Open Your Trading Account" page and click REGISTER to set up a username and password. Already ran a Tradovate demo? Skip the sign-up, click LOGIN and start the application with the same credentials you use for the sim. There's no second account to create.
Select Your Trading Account Type
Pick the structure that matches how you'll trade: Individual, Joint, IRA, or an entity type like Corporate, LLC, Trust, or Partnership. Most people open an Individual account, and it's the quickest, usually just a few minutes start to finish. Going the retirement route? Choose IRA and enter the custodian Tradovate lists when it prompts you.
Complete the Account Application
Now the paperwork. Enter your personal details first, full legal name, address, and date of birth, then your financial background. Tradovate wants income details to confirm you're trading with risk capital: employer name and business type if you're employed, business details if you're self-employed, the investment types you hold, or your retirement income source. Inheritance, allowances, and plain savings don't count as valid income here.
Verify Your Identity (KYC)
Federal regulations require Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, so you'll upload a government-issued photo ID, driver's license, passport, or state ID. Make sure the image is clear and shows your full legal name, photo, and date of birth. Tradovate runs an automated verification system to speed this along. Depending on your situation, it may also ask for a current bank statement or a full-time trader statement.
Submit, Get Approved, and Fund Your Account
Hit submit and the application goes to Tradovate's New Accounts team. They usually review it within a couple of business days and email you the moment your account is approved. Once you're cleared, fund it by ACH, wire transfer, debit card, or mailed check, then place your first live trade. Funding minimums differ by account type and can change, so confirm Tradovate's current requirements before you deposit.
Why You'd Need This
- Move from simulated trading to a funded, live futures account
- Trade index, energy, metals, and agricultural futures on web, desktop, or mobile
- Meet the regulatory KYC requirements needed to route live orders
- Connect the account to TradingView or automation tools for hands-off trading
Automate This with PickMyTrade
Once your account is live, PickMyTrade links your TradingView alerts straight to Tradovate so your entries, stops, and targets fire automatically, no manual clicks, no missed fills.
Start Trading Automatically
Once your account is live, PickMyTrade links your TradingView alerts straight to Tradovate so your entries, stops, and targets fire automatically.
Start Your Free 5-Day TrialFrequently Asked Questions
Most applications are reviewed within roughly one to two business days. Tradovate's New Accounts team emails you as soon as processing is complete; some applications take longer if additional documents are requested.
No. You can complete and submit the application first. You'll need to deposit funds before placing live trades, check Tradovate's current minimums, which vary by account.
Yes. If you already have a Tradovate simulation account, log in with those credentials and start the live application directly, you don't need to create a new username.
This guide is for educational and informational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or trading advice. Trading futures and other leveraged products carries a substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. PickMyTrade is an independent third-party automation platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Tradovate, Inc. "Tradovate" and all related names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Platform features and steps change over time, so always confirm the current process in the official Tradovate platform and documentation before acting.