Position Size Calculator
Work out the lot size for a trade before you place it. Set your balance, risk percentage, and stop loss distance.
For 1:30, enter 30. Use the leverage in your MT5 instrument specifications. Estimates use this assumption; available leverage varies by account and instrument.
Risk amount: $10.00
Calculated Position Size
0.02
lots
Risk Amount
$10.00
1% of balance
Pip Value
$10.00
per pip per lot
Estimated margin
—
—
Stop Loss
50 pips
Current price: 1.15979
Min Lot
0.01
Max Lot
30.00
Lot Step
0.01
How Position Sizing Works
The Formula
Position size = risk budget ÷ (stop distance × value per pip or point for one lot). The result estimates the loss at that stop before costs and slippage.
Risk Management
Risk percentage determines how much of your account is at stake on a single trade. Lower percentages reduce the impact of consecutive losses on your overall balance.
Adjust to Fit
The calculator rounds down to the permitted lot step and applies the instrument’s volume limits. If the minimum lot exceeds your calculated size, the displayed risk will be higher than your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you show a lot-size calculation?
For an illustrative EUR/USD trade, a $1,000 balance and 1% risk budget give $10 of planned risk. With a 50-pip stop and $10 per pip for one lot, the calculation is $10 ÷ (50 × $10) = 0.02 lots. The calculator rounds down to the permitted lot step. If the minimum lot is larger than the calculated size, the displayed risk can exceed your budget. Trading costs and slippage can increase the actual loss.
How do I enter a gold stop measured in dollars?
Distinguish a price change from the pip or point unit shown by the calculator. For an illustrative XAU/USD contract of 100 ounces per lot, a $2 price move changes the value of one lot by $200. A $10 risk budget therefore gives $10 ÷ ($2 × 100) = 0.05 lots before costs and slippage. Convert your price distance to the calculator’s displayed unit using the symbol specification; do not enter 2 pips just because the price stop is $2. Contract size and point definitions can differ by symbol.
How do I calculate lot size for gold, indices, or crypto?
The formula is the same across instruments: divide your risk budget by the stop distance multiplied by the value per pip or point for one lot. Contract sizes and pip or point definitions vary. Select the instrument and check its specifications in MT5 before using the result. The estimate excludes trading costs and slippage.
Does leverage affect my position size?
No. Leverage determines how much margin your broker requires to hold a position, but it does not change the position size itself. A 0.10-lot trade on EUR/USD risks the same dollar amount per pip whether your leverage is 1:30 or 1:500. What changes is the margin locked up. Position size should always be driven by how much you're willing to risk on the trade, not by how much leverage is available.
Can I use the same risk percentage on volatile and stable instruments?
The math works the same way, but the practical effect differs. A 50-pip stop on EUR/USD is a normal daily range, while 50 points on US30 might get hit within minutes during a volatile session. The calculator adjusts the lot size accordingly: a wider stop produces a smaller position, keeping the dollar risk constant. The stop loss still needs to reflect how the instrument actually moves.
How does position sizing work on a 10X Capital Account?
On a 10X account, trading credit increases your buying power. Base your risk calculations on your own funds, not the credit-inclusive balance. A $500 deposit gives $5,000 of buying power, but the extra credit does not make a larger position less risky. The account is designed to cap losses at your deposit. In fast markets, slippage on closing fills can cause losses to exceed that amount. Negative balance protection is not offered.
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This calculator is for educational purposes only and provides estimates based on current market data. Actual pip values, margin requirements, and execution prices may differ due to market conditions, spreads, slippage, and other factors. Always verify position sizes in your trading platform before placing trades. Trading CFDs carries significant risk and you may lose more than your initial deposit. Past performance is not indicative of future results.