When you step into commodity trading, one of the first things you need to understand is the lot size for commodity F&O contracts. This one detail plays a major role in how much margin you’ll need, how profits or losses are calculated, and even what tick size applies to your trade. In futures and options trading, lot size refers to the minimum quantity you can trade of a commodity—set and standardised by the exchange. And yes, this varies from gold to crude oil to natural gas.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how lot size for commodity F&O contracts works, how it connects to strike prices, and why it matters whether you’re trading options or futures. You’ll also learn how tick size, margin, and price movement all fit into the picture—so you can make better-informed trading decisions.
Understanding Lot Sizes
A lot size refers to the fixed quantity of a commodity that must be bought or sold in a single futures or options trading contract. You cannot choose your own quantity. Instead, exchanges such as MCX define this lot size to ensure uniformity in trades.
For Futures Contracts
Product
| Lot Size
| Margin Required*
| Tick Size
| P/L per Tick
|
Gold
| 1kg
| 7.25%
| ₹1
| ₹100
|
Gold Mini
| 100gm
| 7.25%
| ₹1
| ₹10
|
Gold Ten
| 10gm
| 7.25%
| ₹1
| ₹1
|
Gold Guinea
| 8gm
| 7.25%
| ₹1
| ₹1
|
Gold Petal
| 1gm
| 7.25%
| ₹1
| ₹1
|
Silver
| 30kg
| 14.25%
| ₹1
| ₹30
|
Silver Mini
| 5kg
| 14.25%
| ₹1
| ₹5
|
Silver Micro
| 1kg
| 14.25%
| ₹1
| ₹1
|
Crude Oil
| 100 bbl
| 34.25%
| ₹1
| ₹100
|
Crude Oil Mini
| 10 bbl
| 34.25%
| ₹1
| ₹10
|
Natural Gas
| 1250 MMBTU
| 26.68%
| 10p
| ₹125
|
Natural Gas Mini
| 250 MMBTU
| 24.81%
| 10p
| ₹25
|
*As of 4th July 2025.
For Options Contracts
Product
| Lot Size
| Tick Size
| P/L per Tick
|
Gold
| 1kg
| 50p
| ₹50
|
Gold Mini
| 100gm
| 50p
| ₹5
|
Silver
| 30kg
| 50p
| ₹15
|
Silver Mini
| 5kg
| 50p
| ₹2.5
|
Crude Oil
| 100 bbl
| 10p
| ₹1
|
Crude Oil Mini
| 10 bbl
| 5p
| ₹0.5
|
Natural Gas
| 1250 MMBTU
| 5p
| ₹62.5
|
Natural Gas Mini
| 250 MMBTU
| 5p
| ₹12.5
|
Foundation of Standardised Trading
Standard lot sizes create consistency in commodity trading. For example, when the lot size for crude oil is set at 100 barrels, every trade must happen in multiples of 100. This helps you clearly understand how much you're trading, makes order matching easier, and avoids confusion during execution. It also ensures that your profits or losses are easy to calculate and track.
Influence on the Options Market
In futures and options trading, lot size also matters when you’re dealing with strike prices. Since options are based on futures contracts—and those futures have fixed lot sizes—the strike price needs to reflect how many units of the commodity each contract covers. If you are trading options, knowing the lot size helps you understand how much exposure you're taking and how price changes will affect your gains or losses.
Enhancing Market Accessibility
Lot size has a direct impact on how easy it is for regular retail investors to enter the market. If the lot size for commodity contracts is too large, it raises the capital you need to get started. That can make it hard for smaller investors to participate. But when lot sizes are smaller, you can access the market with less money and take more control of your position sizing. This also helps you manage your margin better and apply smarter risk strategies. Tools like margin calculators can help you estimate how much capital is needed.
Understanding the Concept of Strike Prices
In options trading, the strike price is the agreed-upon rate at which you have the right to buy (for calls) or sell (for puts) the underlying commodity. This price is agreed upon when the contract is made. Once the option reaches expiry, this strike price is used to calculate your profit or loss based on where the market price ends up.
Importance of Strike Prices in Options Trading
Strike prices play a big role in whether your options trade makes money or not. If you’re holding a call option, you want the market price to go above your strike price. If it’s a put option, you want the market price to fall below the strike price. Choosing the right strike price helps you trade more efficiently. Pick the wrong one, and you might miss out on potential profits—or worse, face losses.
Relationship Between Strike Prices and Lot Sizes
Lot size and strike price go hand in hand in futures and options trading. Lot size tells you the minimum quantity you must trade, and strike price tells you at what price the trade will be settled. Together, they determine your total gain or loss. You calculate this by multiplying the price difference between the market and strike price with the lot size for commodity contracts.
Exchanges decide both lot sizes and strike prices based on market trends, price volatility, and how liquid the asset is. This standardisation ensures everyone follows the same rules, which makes trading fair and clear for all. Knowing how these two pieces work together helps you take better control of your trades.
Final Thoughts
Lot size and strike price are the backbone of commodity trading in the derivatives segment. As a trader, you must understand how the lot size for commodity F&O contracts is defined and how it links to tick size, margin, and strike price.
This knowledge helps you manage risks, plan trades, and decide your capital needs. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced trader, knowing your lot sizes and strike price selection process will help you make more informed trading choices.