Crypto Position Size Calculator
Work out exactly how much to buy or short so a stop-loss hit costs only what you planned to risk. Spot or futures, fees included.
Your trade
Direction is worked out from your prices: a stop below the entry is a long, above it is a short.
Position size
Enter your entry and stop-loss prices to see the position size.
How the calculation works
The size of a trade should come from your risk, not from a round number of coins. Decide the most you are prepared to lose, measure the distance to your stop-loss, and the position size follows:
position size = (balance × risk %) ÷ (entry − stop)
example: ($10,000 × 1%) ÷ ($60,000 − $58,800)
= $100 ÷ $1,200
= 0.0833 BTCFees are deducted from that figure so that if the stop is hit, the total loss including trading fees equals the amount you chose to risk. Leverage is applied afterwards: it decides how much margin the exchange holds, not how many coins you should trade.
Position sizing FAQ
How is position size calculated?
Position size = (account balance × risk %) ÷ distance from entry to stop-loss. For example, risking 1% of a $10,000 account ($100) with a $1,200 gap between a $60,000 entry and a $58,800 stop gives 100 ÷ 1,200 = 0.0833 BTC. This calculator also subtracts trading fees from that figure so the loss at your stop, fees included, never exceeds the amount you chose to risk.
How much should I risk per trade?
Most risk-management frameworks suggest 1-2% of the account per trade. At 1% you can take 20 losing trades in a row and still have over 80% of your capital. Risking 5% or more per trade means a normal losing streak can wipe out a large part of the account.
Does leverage change my position size?
No. Leverage changes how much margin you post, not how much you should buy. Your position size is set by the distance to your stop and the amount you are willing to lose. Higher leverage only reduces the margin required - and moves the liquidation price closer to your entry.
What does the liquidation estimate mean?
It is a simple isolated-margin estimate: entry × (1 − 1/leverage) for longs and entry × (1 + 1/leverage) for shorts. Real exchanges add a maintenance-margin buffer, so actual liquidation happens slightly before this price. If your stop-loss sits beyond it, the exchange will close the trade before your stop ever triggers.
Does this work for spot as well as futures?
Yes. Leave leverage at 1 for spot trades. The position size and risk figures are identical; the only difference is that with leverage of 1 the margin required equals the full position value.
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Futures P&L Calculator
Gross and net profit on a perpetual futures trade after exchange fees, funding and leverage.
Track whether your sizing actually works
The Trnd Tools trade journal records every position with its risk, R-multiple and outcome, so you can see your real win rate and expectancy over time. Free for up to 10 trades a month.
See the trade journal