Crypto position size calculator
Size a trade from how much you are willing to lose, not from leverage. Enter your account, risk, entry and stop-loss — and get the position size, margin, and risk:reward before you place the order.
Common range: 0.5% – 2%
Leverage changes the margin you need to hold a position — it does not change your dollar risk. Your loss if the stop is hit stays fixed.
How position size is calculated
Position sizing starts with risk, not profit. First decide how much of your account you are willing to lose if the trade goes wrong — usually 0.5% to 2%. That gives your risk amount:
- Risk amount = account equity × risk %
- Position size = risk amount ÷ stop-loss distance
- Notional value = position size × entry price
- Margin = notional value ÷ leverage
Example: a $10,000 account risking 1% has a $100 risk budget. Buying at $60,000 with a stop at $59,000 gives a $1,000 distance, so the position is $100 ÷ $1,000 = 0.1 BTC — worth $6,000, needing $600 margin at 10×.
Why leverage doesn't change your risk
Leverage only controls how much margin the exchange locks up, not how much you can lose. Whether you use 1× or 50×, a stop-loss $1,000 away from entry on a 0.1 BTC position still loses $100 when hit. The danger of leverage is that it tempts you into a bigger position — so always size from your risk, then let leverage fall wherever it falls.
How to read the results
- Risk amount — the most you lose if your stop is hit.
- Position size — how many units to buy or sell.
- Notional value — the total value of the position.
- Margin required — the collateral you need at your leverage.
- Risk : reward — how much you stand to gain per $1 risked, if you set a target.
Frequently asked questions
How is position size calculated?
Risk dollars equals your account size times your risk percentage. Position size equals risk dollars divided by the distance between your entry and stop-loss. Notional value is position size times entry, and margin is notional value divided by leverage.
Does leverage change how much I risk?
No. Leverage changes the margin required to hold the position, not the dollar amount you lose if your stop-loss is hit. Position size should be set from risk, never from leverage.
What risk percentage should I use per trade?
Most risk-first traders risk 0.5% to 2% of their account per trade. Smaller risk keeps you in the game through losing streaks; risking more than 2% per trade is aggressive.
Trade with proper risk management
Put this sizing into practice on a real exchange. Open a Binance account and start with small, correctly-sized positions.
This calculator is educational only and is not financial advice. Results are estimates; actual margin and liquidation depend on your exchange's mark price, maintenance margin, and risk tiers. Trading with leverage can lose more than your margin.