Examples at the BTC price read
How to calculate position size in crypto
Risking 1% of a $10,000 account on a BTC long from $77,538.27 with a stop at $75,987.50, 2% lower, the position is 0.06448409 BTC, worth $4,999.99. If the price reaches the stop, the trade loses $100.00; the size moves only with the risk and the stop distance.
Position size by stop distance
A $10,000 account, before fees. The position is the amount at risk divided by the stop distance, so it is the same for any coin at any price. The last column is the leverage below which the stop fills before liquidation, at a 0.5% maintenance rate.
0.5%
- Position at 0.5% risk ($50.00)
- $10,000.00
- Position at 1% risk ($100.00)
- $20,000.00
- Position at 2% risk ($200.00)
- $40,000.00
- Stop fills first below
- 100×
1%
- Position at 0.5% risk ($50.00)
- $5,000.00
- Position at 1% risk ($100.00)
- $10,000.00
- Position at 2% risk ($200.00)
- $20,000.00
- Stop fills first below
- 66.66×
2%
- Position at 0.5% risk ($50.00)
- $2,500.00
- Position at 1% risk ($100.00)
- $5,000.00
- Position at 2% risk ($200.00)
- $10,000.00
- Stop fills first below
- 40×
3%
- Position at 0.5% risk ($50.00)
- $1,666.67
- Position at 1% risk ($100.00)
- $3,333.33
- Position at 2% risk ($200.00)
- $6,666.67
- Stop fills first below
- 28.57×
5%
- Position at 0.5% risk ($50.00)
- $1,000.00
- Position at 1% risk ($100.00)
- $2,000.00
- Position at 2% risk ($200.00)
- $4,000.00
- Stop fills first below
- 18.18×
10%
- Position at 0.5% risk ($50.00)
- $500.00
- Position at 1% risk ($100.00)
- $1,000.00
- Position at 2% risk ($200.00)
- $2,000.00
- Stop fills first below
- 9.52×
20%
- Position at 0.5% risk ($50.00)
- $250.00
- Position at 1% risk ($100.00)
- $500.00
- Position at 2% risk ($200.00)
- $1,000.00
- Stop fills first below
- 4.87×
| Stop distance | Position at 0.5% risk ($50.00) | Position at 1% risk ($100.00) | Position at 2% risk ($200.00) | Stop fills first below |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5% | $10,000.00 | $20,000.00 | $40,000.00 | 100× |
| 1% | $5,000.00 | $10,000.00 | $20,000.00 | 66.66× |
| 2% | $2,500.00 | $5,000.00 | $10,000.00 | 40× |
| 3% | $1,666.67 | $3,333.33 | $6,666.67 | 28.57× |
| 5% | $1,000.00 | $2,000.00 | $4,000.00 | 18.18× |
| 10% | $500.00 | $1,000.00 | $2,000.00 | 9.52× |
| 20% | $250.00 | $500.00 | $1,000.00 | 4.87× |
Position size formula
Risk amount = account × risk %
Position = risk amount ÷ (|entry − stop| + fee × (entry + stop))
Position value = position × entry
Margin = position value ÷ leverage
Stop fills first below: 1 ÷ (stop distance + maintenance rate)
With a 2% stop and a 0.5% maintenance rate, that is 1 ÷ (2% + 0.5%) = 39.99×, before fees.
Does leverage change the position size?
No. Leverage sets the margin the position ties up, not its size or what the stop costs. The $4,999.99 position above needs $500.00 of margin at 10× and $250.00 at 20×, and loses $100.00 at the stop either way. What leverage changes is liquidation: with a 2% stop, the stop fills first only below 39.99×.
Questions
How much of my account should I risk per trade?
That is your choice; the calculator only sizes it. Many traders keep it between 0.5% and 2% of the account. The difference shows in a losing streak: at 1% a trade, 10 losses in a row leave $9,043.82 of $10,000; at 2%, $8,170.73.
Why does a wider stop make the position smaller?
Because the amount at risk stays the same. Risking $100.00 with a stop 2% from entry allows a $4,999.99 position; with a stop 5% away, $2,000.00. The stop goes where the trade idea would be wrong, and the size follows from it.
Does leverage change my position size?
No, it changes the margin. A $4,999.99 position needs $500.00 of margin at 10× and $250.00 at 20×; the loss at the stop is $100.00 either way. Leverage does bring liquidation closer: with a 2% stop, the stop fills before liquidation only below 39.99×.
Should fees count toward the risk?
If the limit is meant to hold, yes. At 0.05% a side, a fee is charged on the position's value at entry and again at the stop. Counting both, the same $100.00 buys a $4,764.16 position instead of $4,999.99, and the stop loses $100.00 in total.
What is the reward-to-risk ratio?
The result at the target divided by the loss at the stop. A target twice as far from entry as the stop is 1 : 2 before fees: risking $100.00, it makes $200.00 if reached. The ratio says nothing about how likely either price is.
This is analysis, not advice. Prices move; you can lose money.