Position Size Calculator, Crypto Risk Management

The formula behind position sizing

Never risk more than you intend again. Enter your account balance, the percentage you're willing to lose on a trade, your entry price and your stop-loss, and this calculator returns the precise position size, in both coins and dollars, that keeps your loss capped at your chosen risk. It also shows the margin required, reward-to-risk to your target and an approximate liquidation price for leveraged trades.

Position size is the one variable that keeps a single bad trade from ending your account. The formula is simple: position size (in coins) = amount you're willing to risk ÷ the distance from your entry to your stop-loss. If you'll risk $100 and your stop is $500 below entry, you buy 0.2 coins: because a move to your stop loses exactly $100 regardless of the coin's price. This calculator does that maths instantly and also converts the result into a dollar position value and the margin required.

Features

Risk-based sizing by % or fixed dollar amount
Long and short position support
Margin and liquidation price for leverage
Built-in reward-to-risk to your target

How to use Position Size Calculator

1
Enter your account balance
Type the total trading capital you're sizing from, the calculator uses this to translate a risk percentage into a dollar amount.
2
Set your risk per trade
Choose a percentage (most pros risk 1-2%) or a fixed dollar figure you're comfortable losing if the stop is hit.
3
Add entry and stop-loss
Enter your planned entry price and the stop-loss where your trade idea is invalidated. Use the live-price shortcut for the current market price.
4
Pick direction and leverage
Toggle long or short, then drag the leverage slider to see the margin required and an estimated liquidation price.
5
Read your position size
Get the exact size in coins and dollars, your stop distance in %, and, if you set a take-profit, the reward-to-risk ratio of the trade.

Common use cases

A day trader sizes every Bitcoin trade to risk exactly 1% of the account.
A swing trader confirms a wide stop-loss won't blow past their risk limit.
A futures trader checks the margin needed and liquidation price before opening a 5× long.
A short-seller sizes a position with the stop above entry.
A new trader learns why a tighter stop allows a larger position at the same risk.
An investor keeps risk constant across coins with very different prices.

Detailed guide

Why risk a fixed percentage

Professional traders rarely risk more than 1-2% of their account on any single trade. Fixed-fractional risk means a losing streak shrinks your position sizes automatically, protecting your capital, while wins compound your base. Risking 1% means you'd need roughly 100 consecutive losses to be wiped out, statistically almost impossible with any real edge. Switch between percentage and fixed-dollar risk depending on how you plan your trades.

Stop distance drives everything

The closer your stop-loss is to your entry, the larger the position you can take for the same dollar risk, and vice versa. That's why a tight, well-placed stop is so powerful: it lets you take meaningful size without increasing risk. The calculator shows your stop distance as a percentage so you can compare setups. Just remember that a stop placed too tight gets hit by normal volatility, so balance size against a stop that gives the trade room to work.

Leverage, margin and liquidation

Leverage doesn't change how much you risk on a properly-sized trade, your stop-loss still caps the loss, but it does change the margin you must post and introduces liquidation risk. The tool shows the margin required for your position and an approximate liquidation price (isolated margin, excluding exchange maintenance buffers). If required margin exceeds your balance, you're over-leveraged for that size and the calculator warns you.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate position size for a crypto trade?

Divide the dollar amount you're willing to risk by the distance between your entry and your stop-loss. For example, risking $100 with a $500 stop distance gives a 0.2-coin position. This calculator does it automatically and also shows the position's dollar value and required margin.

How much should I risk per trade?

Most professional traders risk 1-2% of their account per trade. Risking a small, fixed percentage means no single loss, or even a long losing streak, can seriously damage your account, while your winners still compound. You can enter either a percentage or a fixed dollar amount.

Does it work for short positions?

Yes. Toggle to 'short/sell' and place your stop-loss above your entry. The calculator validates that your stop is on the correct side and sizes the position the same way, capping your loss at your chosen risk.

What does the liquidation price show?

For leveraged trades it estimates the price at which your position would be force-closed, based on isolated-margin assumptions. It excludes each exchange's maintenance-margin buffer, so your actual liquidation may trigger slightly earlier, treat it as a guide.

Does leverage change my risk?

If you size by stop-loss, your dollar risk stays the same regardless of leverage, the stop still caps your loss. Leverage only changes the margin you must post and your liquidation price. The tool warns you if the required margin exceeds your balance.

Is anything I enter stored?

No. Everything runs locally in your browser. Only anonymous public price data is fetched from CoinGecko for the optional live-price feature.

How much of my account should I risk per trade?

Many traders risk 1-2% of their account per trade so a losing streak cannot wipe them out; conservative beginners use 0.5-1%. Set your risk % and the calculator sizes the position accordingly.

Does it work for leveraged or futures positions?

Yes. Enter leverage to see the required margin alongside the notional position size, so you can size futures trades to the same fixed risk.

Position Size Calculator

The formula behind position sizing

Features

How to use Position Size Calculator

Enter your account balance

Set your risk per trade

Add entry and stop-loss

Pick direction and leverage

Read your position size

Common use cases