Position Size Calculator
Work out the lot size for a trade before you place it. Set your balance, risk percentage, and stop loss distance.
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
Margin Required
$4.57
1:500
Stop Loss
50 pips
Current price: 1.14194
Min Lot
0.01
Max Lot
30.00
Lot Step
0.01
How Position Sizing Works
The Formula
Position size equals your risk amount divided by stop loss distance times pip value. This ensures each trade risks the same dollar amount regardless of the instrument.
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 to the nearest valid lot step and stays within the minimum and maximum volume for each instrument.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate lot size for gold, indices, or crypto?
The formula is the same (risk amount divided by stop loss times value per point) but the inputs differ. For gold (XAU/USD), one lot represents 100 ounces, so a $1 price move equals $100 per lot. For US30, one lot represents 10 contracts, so a 1-point index move equals $10 per lot. For Bitcoin, one lot is 1 BTC, so a $1 move equals $1 per lot. The calculator pulls the contract size for each of the 297 instruments directly from the MT5 server.
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, your buying power is 10 times your deposit, so you can meet larger margin requirements. But risk per trade should still be based on your actual deposit, not the amplified balance. If you deposit $500, your maximum drawdown is $500. Sizing against $5,000 of buying power instead of the $500 you actually put up can wipe the account faster than most traders expect.
Want to Put This Into Practice?
Open a StoicFX account and trade 297 instruments on MetaTrader 5.
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.