Notional principal contracts/ arrangements such as swaps, options, caps, floors, forward rate agreements (FRA), futures, or any similar instrument. The value of notionals is determined based on a notional face value that does not per se constitute an obligation of one of the parties to the contract to the other. For example, a futures contract has a notional value (known as contract notional value) calculated as the product of multiplying the contract unit by the futures price.

The opposite of notionals is actuals.