Calculator

Forex position size calculator

Punch in account equity, risk %, and stop distance. Get the exact MT5 lot size that keeps your loss inside the number you picked — works for XAUUSD, EURUSD, GBPJPY, and every major forex pair.

Position size (lots)
Risk in cash
Pip value per lot
Pip value at this size
Micro lots equivalent

What this calculator does

The forex position size calculator computes the MT5 lot size that exposes exactly the cash you chose to risk, given your stop distance. It uses the same formula every serious prop-firm-compliant Expert Advisor uses internally — lots = (equity × risk%) / (stop pips × pip value) — so the math ties out.

How to use it

  1. Equity — the cash balance of your live or prop firm account in USD. If your account is EUR-denominated, convert first.
  2. Risk per trade — professional EAs cap this at 0.25 - 1.0%. On a funded account, 0.25-0.5% keeps you well inside FTMO and MyFundedFX daily drawdown rules.
  3. Pair — the symbol you'll trade. XAUUSD (gold) and XAGUSD (silver) use different contract sizes than FX majors — the calculator handles both.
  4. Stop distance — measured in pips, from entry to stop-loss. For XAUUSD, 1 pip = 10 points. For JPY pairs, 1 pip = 0.01.
Heads up: This calculator assumes the pair's quote currency is USD (or USD-hedged via the margin currency). For pairs like EURGBP on a USD account, multiply the result by the current EURUSD or GBPUSD rate — or switch to a conservative under-estimate and round down.

Position sizing examples

Example 1 — $10,000 account, 1% risk, 30 pip stop on EURUSD

Risk = $100. Pip value per lot on EURUSD = $10. Stop value per lot = $10 × 30 = $300. Position size = $100 / $300 = 0.33 lots.

Example 2 — $100k prop firm account, 0.5% risk, 500 point stop on XAUUSD

500 points = 50 pips on gold. Risk = $500. Pip value per lot on XAUUSD = $10. Position size = $500 / (50 × $10) = 1.0 lots. Stays well under FTMO 5% daily drawdown.

Why fixed-fractional beats fixed-lot sizing

Fixed-lot sizing (e.g., "always trade 0.1 lots") dilutes your risk as the account grows and over-levers it when the account shrinks — the exact inverse of what you want. Fixed-fractional sizing, which this calculator implements, scales position size with equity so a 5-loss streak never turns into account death.

Related reading

Frequently asked questions

What's a safe risk per trade for a prop firm challenge?

0.25% to 0.5% per trade. At 1% you can bust the FTMO 5% daily drawdown on a single bad news-hour. At 0.25% you have room for 5-8 consecutive losers before hitting the daily cap.

How do I use this for XAUUSD (gold)?

Enter pair = XAUUSD. A 'pip' on gold in MT5 is 10 points (the second decimal). If your EA reports stops in points, divide by 10 to get pips.

Does this work for JPY pairs?

Yes. For JPY quotes 1 pip = 0.01. The calculator auto-adjusts pip size — just enter the stop in pips, not price units.

What if my account is not in USD?

Convert your equity to USD first, or accept a small error. The calculator assumes a USD account; for EUR or GBP accounts, multiply the lot result by the inverse of USD/base.

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