Futures are not a natural place to start trading, but it surprises me when I talk to experienced equities and options traders that have never considered the benefits of trading futures. So, while futures may not be right for everyone’s portfolio, they’re right for mine. Here are five reasons why I trade futures.

Throughout my career in the markets, I've met an incredible number of smart and engaging traders, and beginning today we'll be holding Q&As with some of my favorites – thinking that you will find the discussions compelling and that you might even learn a thing or two about trading, the markets and what it takes to be successful.

This week CME announced that it will close most of its futures trading pits in Chicago and New York City by July 2, 2015 as electronic trading has become the dominant way futures contracts are bought and sold.

Have you noticed the level of innovation in retail stock and options trading these days?

We’re trading from apps. We’re trading for free. We’re letting robots manage our portfolios. We’re getting trading ideas from algorithms.

I’ve been in the online futures trading industry since 1997, and I love it. I love how futures offer one-stop exposure to virtually every meaningful asset class on earth and how futures traders are among the most engaged and interesting people you’ll ever meet.