How to calculate lot size for gold (XAU/USD)
Quick answer
Lot size = money at risk ÷ (stop distance in pips × pip value per lot). On XAU/USD a pip is usually $0.01 and a standard lot is 100 oz, so one pip is $1 per lot. Risking 1% of $10,000 ($100) with a $5 (500-pip) stop: 100 ÷ (500 × 1) = 0.20 lots. The DO101 Position Size Calculator does this for gold and forex pairs.
Open the Forex & Gold Position Size Calculator — freeStep by step
- 1Open the Position Size Calculator and pick XAU/USD or your pair.
- 2Enter your account balance, account currency and the percentage you are willing to risk.
- 3Enter the stop-loss, in pips or as a price.
- 4Read the lot size, rounded down to 0.01 so the real risk stays under your limit.
Why size from the stop, not from a feeling
Most blown accounts come from positions that were too big for where the stop was. Fixing the loss you accept first — often 0.5% to 2% of the account per trade — and working back to the size means a wider stop automatically gets a smaller position, and no single trade can do serious damage.
Check your broker's contract size
100 oz per standard lot and a $0.01 pip are the common retail values, but brokers differ, and some quote gold to a different number of decimals. Check the contract specification in your trading platform before relying on any calculator's numbers.
What about leverage?
Leverage does not change what your stop costs — the lot size does. It only caps how large a position you are allowed to open. The calculator warns you when leverage, rather than your risk limit, is what limits the size, and it never suggests a leverage level.
Frequently asked questions
What if my account is not in dollars?
Pick your account currency and the pip value is converted at the ECB reference rate, or at your broker's rate if you type it in.
Is this trading advice?
No. It is arithmetic on the numbers you enter. It does not suggest trades or know your circumstances.
The tool for the job
The right lot size for your stop-loss and risk limit, in any account currency.