NAS100 Point Value — How It Works
NAS100 (also called NASDAQ 100 or US100) is an index, not a currency pair, so it moves in index points rather than pips. The point value depends on your broker's contract specification. At most CFD brokers including FxPro, 1 standard lot = 10 index contracts, giving a point value of approximately $1.00 per full index point per standard lot.
Always verify in your MT4/MT5 platform: right-click the NAS100 symbol → Specification → check the contract size and tick value for your specific account.
| Lot Size | Point value (USD) | Point value (ZAR @ 18.00) | 100-point move | 300-point move (typical day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.01 (micro) | ~$0.01 | ~R0.18 | ~R18 | ~R54 |
| 0.10 (mini) | ~$0.10 | ~R1.80 | ~R180 | ~R540 |
| 1.00 (standard) | ~$1.00 | ~R18.00 | ~R1,800 | ~R5,400 |
All values indicative. Verify contract size with your broker before trading.
| Instrument class | Index CFD |
|---|---|
| One point | 1 |
| Standard lot | 1 index unit |
| Value of one point per lot | $1.00 |
| Typical spread | 0.4 points — · FxPro verified |
| Notional value of one lot | — |
| Margin on one lot at 1:30 / 1:100 / 1:500 | — |
The last two rows move with the market and are filled in from the live rate; everything above them is fixed by the contract. Leverage available to you depends on your regulator and account type — check it in the platform before you size a position.
Why NAS100 Is Popular Among SA Traders
The Nasdaq 100 is the most widely traded index among South African retail forex traders. Key reasons: concentrated exposure to the world's largest technology companies (Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon), high daily volatility of 200–500 points (creating large potential moves for leveraged traders), and USD-denominated profit that hedges ZAR holders against rand depreciation. No JSE-listed equivalent offers comparable tech-sector exposure.
Position Sizing for NAS100
With a 300-point typical daily range and a ~R18/point standard lot value, a 100-point stop-loss on 1 lot = R1,800 at risk. On a R50,000 account (1% risk = R500), your maximum lot size for a 100-point stop = R500 ÷ (100 × R0.18 per micro-lot point) = approximately 0.028 lots.
| Currency | Central bank | Policy rate | What moves it |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAS100 | Nasdaq-100 index | No policy rate | earnings · FOMC · real US yields |
Trading Hours (SAST)
NAS100 trades on CFD platforms during US market hours: approximately 15:30–22:00 SAST for cash market sessions (when underlying futures are most active). Pre-market and after-hours sessions exist but with wider spreads. The most liquid and lowest-spread window is 15:30–17:00 SAST (US market open).
Spreads are tightest when two sessions are open at once and widest when one desk has gone home and the next has not arrived. The shaded band is the overlap.
Pip values sourced from ECB reference data (Frankfurter API). Live BTC/ETH prices from CoinGecko. All values are indicative and for educational purposes — not live trading quotes. See full pip value table →
