The original futures trading developed from spot forward trading. The initial spot forward transaction is a verbal commitment by both parties to deliver a certain amount of goods at a certain time. Later, with the expansion of the scope of transactions, oral promises were gradually replaced by sales contracts. This kind of contract behavior is becoming more and more complicated, which requires the guarantee of intermediary agencies to supervise the timely delivery and payment of goods. Therefore, the Royal Exchange, the world's first commodity forward contract exchange, opened in London on 157 1. In order to adapt to the continuous development of commodity economy, improve transportation and storage conditions and provide information for members, 1848, 82 businessmen initiated and organized the Chicago Board of Trade (Board 185 1 Chicago Board of Trade to launch forward contracts; 1865, Chicago Grain Exchange introduced a standardized agreement called "futures contract" to replace the previous long-term contract. This standardized contract allows manual contract trading, and gradually improves the margin system, thus forming a futures market specializing in standardized contract trading, and futures become investors' investment and financial management tools. 1882 exchange allows hedging to be exempted from performance obligations, which increases the liquidity of futures trading.

The background of China futures market is the reform of grain circulation system. With the cancellation of the policy of unified purchase and marketing of agricultural products and the liberalization of most agricultural products prices, the market is playing an increasingly important role in regulating the production, circulation and consumption of agricultural products. The ups and downs of agricultural products prices, the undisclosed and distorted spot prices, the ups and downs of agricultural production, and the lack of value-preserving mechanism of grain enterprises have attracted the attention of leaders and scholars. Whether we can establish a mechanism that can not only provide price signals to guide future production and business activities, but also prevent market risks caused by price fluctuations has become the focus of attention. 1February, 988, the leaders of the State Council instructed relevant departments to study the foreign futures market system and solve the problem of domestic agricultural product price fluctuation. 1In March, 1988, the government work report of the First Session of the Seventh National People's Congress proposed: actively develop various wholesale trade markets and explore futures trading. It started the research and construction of China futures market.