Position Size Calculator
Precision risk management for every trade — forex, stocks, crypto, and futures.
Tick size varies by exchange — enter manually
Calculate Position
Results
Educational use only. Always verify with your broker. Leverage, commissions, and spread not accounted for.
Scenario Comparison
| Risk % | $ Risked | Position Size | Pos. Value |
|---|
How to use the position size calculator
This position size calculator covers forex, stocks, crypto, indices, and futures in a single tool. Select your instrument type, enter your account balance, risk percentage, entry price, and stop loss, and the calculator returns the exact number of units, shares, or lots to trade. This is position sizing forex traders use alongside stock and crypto traders — the same risk formula applies across all markets.
Position sizing and lot sizing follow the same logic: divide your maximum acceptable loss by the price distance to your stop loss. The difference is how the result is expressed. For forex it is lots or units; for stocks it is shares; for crypto it is coins; for futures it is contracts. The quick presets in this calculator auto-configure the pip size and instrument type for common markets so you do not need to look up those figures manually.
The scenario comparison table lets you see how different risk percentages change your position size side by side. This is useful when evaluating a setup at various confidence levels — you might use a full 1% risk on a high-conviction trade and a reduced 0.5% on a lower-probability entry. The tool also calculates your R:R ratio if you enter a take profit price, giving you a complete picture of the trade before you place it.
Frequently asked questions
What is position sizing in trading?
Position sizing determines how many units, shares, or contracts to trade so that your maximum potential loss stays within a predefined risk limit. It applies to every market — forex, stocks, crypto, futures — and is one of the most important components of a consistent trading process.
How much of my account should I risk per trade?
Most professional traders risk between 0.5% and 2% of their account per trade. Risking more than 2% per trade significantly increases the chance of an account-damaging drawdown during a normal losing streak, which is a routine part of any trading strategy.
How is position sizing different from lot size?
Lot size is a forex-specific term for standardised contract sizes — standard (100,000), mini (10,000), or micro (1,000) units. Position sizing is the broader concept that applies to any market. Both use the same risk-based formula; the output is just expressed in different units depending on the instrument.
Does position sizing work for stocks and crypto?
Yes. The formula divides your risk amount by the price distance to your stop loss and works for any traded instrument. This calculator returns results in shares for stocks, coins for crypto, and contracts for futures — you just select the correct instrument type before calculating.
What happens if I don't use proper position sizing?
Without it, traders regularly over-risk on individual trades. A normal string of losses at oversized positions can produce a drawdown that requires extraordinary gains just to recover. Consistent position sizing is one of the clearest practical differences between traders who survive long-term and those who do not.