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Position size calculator
How much should you buy? Enter your account, your risk per trade and your stop – the calculator shows the exact position size for stocks, forex, crypto and futures.
Educational tool – not financial advice. Check contract specifications with your broker.
How it works
1. Fixed risk in %
Decide how much of your account you risk per trade – most professionals use 0.5–1 %. With 10,000 and 1 %, that is 100 per trade.
2. Stop distance
The distance between entry and stop is your risk per share, pip or point. It comes from the chart, not from your wish.
3. Size = risk ÷ stop distance
100 ÷ 2.00 risk per share = 50 shares. The position size adapts to the stop – your risk in money stays the same.
FAQ
How do I calculate position size?
Position size = (account × risk %) ÷ (stop distance × value per unit). Example: 10,000 account, 1 % risk = 100. Entry 50, stop 48 → 2 per share → 50 shares.
What risk per trade is sensible?
Most professional traders risk 0.5–1 % per trade. Even after 10 losses in a row, you lose only about 10 % of the account.
How is the forex lot size calculated?
Lots = risk ÷ (stop in pips × pip value per lot). For EURUSD a standard lot is worth about $10 per pip: 100 ÷ (25 × 10) = 0.4 lots.
Does leverage change my risk?
No. Leverage only changes the margin you need. Your risk is defined by position size and stop.
Track every trade automatically
The Trading Performance Pro journal calculates position size, R-multiple and 12 key metrics for every trade – in Excel or Google Sheets.
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