Position size calculator
Risking 1% of a $10,000 account with a 25-pip stop on EUR/USD gives a position of 40,000 units — 0.4 standard lots (EUR/USD at 1.1382, 12:33 UTC on 30 September 2026).
How large a position to open so that hitting your stop loses exactly the amount you chose to risk.
Position size calculator
Position size by stop and risk
Standard lots of EUR/USD for a 10,000 USD account
| Stop | 0.5% risk | 1% risk | 2% risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 pips | 0.5 | 1 | 2 |
| 20 pips | 0.25 | 0.5 | 1 |
| 30 pips | 0.17 | 0.33 | 0.67 |
| 50 pips | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| 100 pips | 0.05 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
For a pair quoted in US dollars the size does not depend on the price — only on the stop distance. Scale linearly for other balances.
How it works
Position sizing starts from the loss you are prepared to take, not from the position you would like to hold. Multiply the account balance by the percentage risked to get the amount at risk, then divide it by the distance between the entry and the stop. The answer is the number of units at which a move from entry to stop costs exactly that amount.
For a forex pair the stop distance is in the pair's quote currency, so an account held in another currency is converted first: a euro account trading USD/JPY converts its euro risk into yen before dividing by a stop measured in yen. Kinzan converts using the live rates on its board and states the rate it used. Forex positions are also shown in standard lots of 100,000 units of the base currency.
The calculation assumes the stop is filled at its price. In fast markets and over weekends a stop can be filled worse — slippage — and the loss can exceed the planned amount.
Formula: Units = (Balance × Risk %) ÷ |Entry − Stop|, with the risk converted into the quote currency first.
Questions
How do I calculate position size in forex?
Divide the amount you are willing to lose on the trade by the distance to your stop, both in the pair's quote currency. For example, risking $100 with a 50-pip stop on EUR/USD (0.0050) gives 20,000 units, or 0.2 standard lots.
What is a standard lot?
A standard lot is 100,000 units of the base currency. A mini lot is 10,000 units and a micro lot 1,000.
Why does my account currency matter?
Because the loss at the stop is incurred in the pair's quote currency. If your account is held in a different currency, the planned risk has to be converted into the quote currency before the size is worked out.
Does position size depend on leverage?
No. Leverage determines how much margin a position ties up, not how much it loses when the stop is hit. The margin calculator covers that side.
For information only. These are calculations on the figures entered, not advice or a recommendation to trade. Leveraged products can lose more than the planned amount when prices gap through a stop.