Lot Size Calculator โ Forex & Crypto Position Sizing
Calculate the correct lot size for any trade based on account balance, risk percentage, and stop loss price. Supports 76+ instruments across forex, crypto, metals, indices and commodities. Open price is auto-fetched live.
โ๏ธ Position Size Calculator
Fill in the fields and press Calculate.
Current: 100,000 units/lot ยท pip size: 0.0001
Position Sizing Tips
Rules professional traders follow.
Never risk more than 1โ2% of your account on a single trade. At 1% risk, you can absorb 50 consecutive losses before losing half your capital.
Place your stop loss at a technically valid level first (support, resistance, ATR), then calculate lot size from that distance. Never fit the stop to the position.
Lot size changes as your balance grows or shrinks. Recalculate before every trade โ not once per session.
Standard forex = 100,000 units. Gold (XAU/USD) is often 100 oz. Always confirm your broker's contract size before trading.
How to Calculate Lot Size
Lot size determines how many units of a currency pair or asset you are buying or selling. Correct position sizing ensures that a single losing trade never risks more than a predefined percentage of your account โ the foundation of professional risk management.
The formula for lot size is:
For example: $100 risk, 20 pip stop loss, $10 pip value per standard lot = 0.50 lots (50,000 units).
Stop Loss Price vs Stop Loss in Pips
This calculator uses a stop loss price rather than a pip distance. This is the more accurate method โ you enter the exact price level where you'd exit the trade, and the calculator converts the price difference into pips internally.
Enter your open price (e.g. 1.0850) and stop loss price (e.g. 1.0820). The calculator derives the 30-pip distance automatically โ no mental conversion needed.
Requires you to know the pip distance first (e.g. 30 pips). Introduces an extra manual step and is easier to miscalculate, especially on JPY pairs where 1 pip = 0.01.
Lot Size Types โ Units & Risk Reference
| Lot Type | Units | Pip Value (EUR/USD) | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Lot | 100,000 | $10.00 | Professional / large accounts |
| Mini Lot | 10,000 | $1.00 | Intermediate traders |
| Micro Lot | 1,000 | $0.10 | Beginners / small accounts |
| Nano Lot | 100 | $0.01 | Practice / cent accounts |
How Much Should You Risk Per Trade?
Recommended for beginners and prop firm challenges. Maximises longevity.
Standard for experienced retail traders with a tested strategy.
High risk. Increases returns but significantly raises ruin probability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a lot in forex trading?
A lot is the standard unit of measurement for trade size in forex. A standard lot equals 100,000 units of the base currency. Most retail brokers also offer mini lots (10,000 units) and micro lots (1,000 units) to allow smaller position sizes.
How do I calculate lot size from a percentage risk?
Use the formula: Lot Size = (Account Balance ร Risk %) รท (Stop Loss in Pips ร Pip Value). For a $10,000 account risking 1% with a 20-pip stop on EUR/USD: ($10,000 ร 0.01) รท (20 ร $10) = 0.50 lots.
Why does lot size change between currency pairs?
Pip value differs between pairs because it depends on the quote currency and current exchange rate. EUR/USD has a fixed $10 pip value per standard lot, but JPY pairs and cross pairs fluctuate. Always recalculate lot size when switching instruments.
What lot size should a beginner use?
Beginners should start with micro lots (0.01) while learning. This keeps dollar risk very low per trade (around $0.10 per pip) and allows you to practice position sizing without large losses during the learning phase.
What is the difference between open price and stop loss price?
The open price is the price at which you enter a trade. The stop loss price is the price at which you exit to limit your loss. The distance between them (converted internally to pips) determines how much of your account is at risk per lot. A tighter stop means you can trade a larger lot for the same dollar risk.