CQG — A futures trading infrastructure provider supplying order routing, market data, and risk controls to brokers and prop firms.
How CQG works in prop trading
CQG is the other major connectivity provider in futures prop trading, alongside Rithmic. It supplies exchange access, consolidated market data, charting, and the pre-trade risk controls that let a firm enforce contract caps and loss limits at the gateway rather than after the fact. Its Continuum service is the API layer most prop integrations use.
From a trader's point of view the choice between CQG and Rithmic is mainly a platform-compatibility question. CQG connects to a broad set of platforms including its own Desktop and Integrated Client, plus Quantower, Sierra Chart, and others. Confirm your intended platform is supported before choosing a firm on the strength of its rules.
Key points
- Supplies exchange connectivity, market data, and gateway-level risk controls.
- Continuum is the API layer most prop firm integrations connect through.
- Supports its own platforms plus a range of third-party ones.
- Which provider a firm uses determines your platform options more than your fill quality.
Also known as
- CQG data feed
- CQG connection
- Continuum
Frequently asked questions
Which prop firms use CQG?
Several futures firms offer CQG connectivity, sometimes alongside Rithmic or a platform-native option, and some let you choose per account. The supported connections are listed on each firm's account pages.
What is CQG Continuum?
CQG's API and connectivity service, used by brokers and prop firms to route orders, deliver market data, and apply pre-trade risk controls. Most prop integrations with CQG run through it.
Put this into practice
CQG is described here as a plain-language educational definition. Firms, platforms, and account programs may apply different conditions or calculations. Verify the current official terms before using this definition to make an account decision.