Position size calculator for forex, gold, indices and stocks
Position size is the amount to buy or sell so that, if your stop loss is hit, you lose only what you decided to risk. The formula is: position size = risk amount ÷ (stop distance × value of one point per lot). For example, risking $100 on EUR/USD with a 30-pip stop, where a pip is worth $10 per standard lot, gives 100 ÷ (30 × 10) = 0.33 lots. The calculator below handles forex pairs, gold, indices, crypto and stocks, including accounts held in other currencies.
Calculate your position size
Pick the instrument, then enter your account, your risk and the entry and stop prices. As an example, it starts with 1% risk on a $10,000 account, buying EUR/USD at 1.1200 with the stop at 1.1170 and the target at 1.1260.
- Risk budget (1%)
- $100.00
- Actual risk at this size
- $99.00
- Stop distance
- 30 pips
- Loss per lot at the stop
- $300.00
- Position value
- $36,960.00
- Risk-reward
- 1:2
- Profit at the target
- $198.00
Lots are rounded down to 0.01, the step most brokers use. Contract sizes vary by broker, so check yours. Spreads, commissions and slippage are not included.
How position size is calculated
- Set the risk amount: your account size times the percentage you are prepared to lose on this trade. 1% of $10,000 is $100.
- Measure the stop distance: the gap between the entry and the stop loss. From 1.1200 to 1.1170 is 0.0030, or 30 pips.
- Work out what that distance costs on one lot: the stop distance times the contract size, converted to your account currency. On EUR/USD, 0.0030 × 100,000 = $300 per lot.
- Divide the risk amount by the loss per lot: $100 ÷ $300 = 0.33 lots, rounded down so the risk never goes over budget.
Contract sizes by market
| Market | Typical size of 1 lot | Value of a move, per lot |
|---|---|---|
| Pairs quoted in USD (EUR/USD, GBP/USD) | 100,000 units of the base currency | $10 per pip (0.0001) |
| USD/JPY and other yen pairs | 100,000 units of the base currency | 1,000 yen per pip (0.01), converted to your account currency |
| Gold (XAUUSD) | 100 ounces | $100 per $1 move |
| Silver (XAGUSD) | 5,000 ounces | $50 per $0.01 move |
| Index CFDs (US30, NAS100) | Varies, often $1 per point | Depends on your broker's contract |
| Bitcoin CFDs (BTCUSD) | Often 1 BTC | $1 per $1 move at 1 BTC |
| Stocks and ETFs | 1 share | $1 per $1 move, per share |
Mistakes that throw the size off
- Choosing the size first and the stop second. The stop belongs where the trade idea is proven wrong, and the size follows from it.
- Rounding up. Going from 0.33 to 0.34 lots quietly raises the risk, so round down instead.
- Forgetting the currency conversion. On USD/JPY or a cross such as GBP/JPY a pip is not worth $10, so a size worked out as if it were EUR/USD would be wrong.
- Ignoring costs. Spreads, commissions and slippage add to the loss if the stop is hit, especially around news.
- Moving the stop further away after entering. That changes the risk the size was built for.
Let Wick find the entry, stop and target
The calculator needs three prices: the entry, the stop and the target. Wick reads them from a screenshot of your chart. It marks support and resistance, weighs an upside and a downside case, and turns the stronger one into a ready plan: when to enter, where the stop goes and where to take profit, with the risk-reward included. Bring those numbers here and size the trade in seconds.
Related guides
- Entry, stop loss and target: how to read a trade planWhat the trigger, entry, stop loss, target and risk-reward ratio mean in a trade plan, with a worked gold example and the arithmetic behind 1:1.5.
- XAUUSD lot size calculator: position size for goldWork out your gold (XAUUSD) lot size from your account, risk, entry and stop. How gold lots work, worked examples, and the formula behind the result.
- How to analyze a trading chart with AIHow AI chart analysis works: screenshot any trading chart, upload it, and read the trend, key levels, both scenarios and a trade plan. With real examples.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate position size?
Multiply your account size by the percentage you want to risk to get the risk amount, then divide that by what one lot would lose between your entry and your stop: the stop distance times the contract size, converted to your account currency. The result is the number of lots, which you round down.
How much should I risk per trade?
Many traders limit the risk on a single trade to around 1% of the account, and few go above 2%. Smaller percentages give an account more room to survive a losing streak. The right figure depends on you: this is a common rule of thumb, not advice.
What is a lot in forex?
A standard lot is 100,000 units of the base currency. A mini lot is 10,000 units (0.10 lots) and a micro lot is 1,000 units (0.01 lots). On pairs quoted in US dollars, one pip is worth $10 per standard lot.
Does position size change with the timeframe?
Only through the stop. A day trade usually has a tighter stop than a swing trade, which allows a larger size for the same risk. The amount at risk can stay the same on any timeframe.
Does the calculator include spreads and commissions?
No, only the distance between your entry and stop goes into the size. Costs come on top, so allow a margin, especially when spreads widen around news or outside the main trading hours.
Educational content, not financial advice. Trading involves risk, including the loss of your capital. AI analysis can be wrong; always do your own research. Read the full disclaimer.