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Lot Size Calculator — Forex, Metals, Indices & Crypto

Position sizing for all instruments in rand. R:R scenarios, losing streak simulator, live ECB rates. No sign-up required.

LotDesk ZA — Position Sizing & Streak Simulator Fetching rates…
Instrument & Account
R
Risk Parameters
%
pips
R:R Scenarios
trades
Recommended Lot Size
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—
Amount at risk
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Per-pip value
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% of balance
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Spread cost
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R:R Scenarios at this position
R:RTarget pipsIf winWin rate needed
Losing streak simulation — 10 trades
#LotsLostBalance after
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Lot Size Calculators by Instrument

USD/ZAR
R10/pip fixed
EUR/ZAR
Rate-variable
GBP/ZAR
Most volatile ZAR
AUD/ZAR
Commodity-linked
NZD/ZAR
RBNZ-driven
CAD/ZAR
Oil-sensitive
CHF/ZAR
Safe-haven cross
JPY/ZAR
0.01 pip size
XAU/USD — Gold
$1.00/pip/lot
XAG/USD — Silver
$50/pip/lot
NAS100
~$1/point
US30 — Dow
~$1/point
EUR/USD
R185/pip/lot
GBP/USD
R185/pip/lot
ZAR account advantage

With FxPro's ZAR account, your risk amount goes in as rand and stays as rand. No bank conversion on deposit: a R50,000 transfer arrives as R50,000. With a USD account funded from ZAR, your bank takes 1–3% on every transfer — R500–R1,500 lost before you place a single trade.

FSCA FSP 45052 — client funds segregated, FAIS Ombud access for South African clients.

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How to use this calculator

01

Select your instrument

Choose from forex pairs (all ZAR crosses included), metals (XAU/USD gold, XAG/USD silver), indices (NAS100, US30) or crypto (BTC/USD). The calculator uses the correct pip size and contract specifications for each instrument class.
02

Set account balance and risk %

Your balance is the full account equity. Risk % is the portion you plan to lose if stopped out. Most professionals use 1%. The calculator converts this to an exact rand amount at risk, then works backwards to the lot size.
03

Enter your stop-loss distance

The distance in pips (or points for indices) from your entry to your stop-loss level. The calculator divides your risk amount by the pip value to find the correct lot size. Wider stop = smaller position.
04

Review R:R scenarios and streak simulation

The R:R table shows how much you make at 1:1, 1:1.5, 1:2 and 1:3 risk-reward with this position size. The streak simulation stress-tests your account across consecutive losses — the most important risk management check.

Frequently asked questions

What is position sizing?

Position sizing is determining how many lots to trade so a losing trade costs exactly the rand amount you planned. Correct sizing makes risk consistent regardless of which pair you trade or where your stop-loss is.

How does the lot size formula work?

Lots = (Account Balance × Risk%) ÷ (Stop-Loss pips × Pip Value per lot). For USD/ZAR with a ZAR account, pip value is fixed at R10/lot, making the calculation straightforward. For other pairs, the pip value depends on the current exchange rate — the calculator fetches this live from ECB.

How does this work for gold (XAU/USD)?

Gold uses 100 troy ounces per standard lot, pip size $0.01. Pip value = $1.00 per standard lot (fixed). At USD/ZAR 18.00, that's R18.00/pip/lot. For a R500 risk with a 50-pip stop: lots = R500 ÷ (50 × R18.00) = 0.0056 lots. Use micro-lots (0.001) for gold on smaller accounts.

Why does lot size change on each losing trade in the simulator?

The simulator uses proportional risk — each trade risks the same percentage of the current balance, not the same fixed rand amount. As balance falls after losses, the rand at risk falls proportionally and lot sizes shrink. This is how professional traders prevent a losing streak from becoming catastrophic.

What does 'spread cost' mean?

The spread cost is the rand cost of entering the trade from your lot size: spread pips × pip value per lot. This is money paid to the broker on entry, before price has moved. A 15-pip spread on USD/ZAR with 0.5 lots costs R75 immediately — this must be overcome before the trade is profitable.

What is the break-even win rate in the R:R table?

The minimum percentage of trades you need to win to be profitable at that R:R ratio. At 1:2 R:R, you only need to win 33% of trades to break even. At 1:3 R:R, just 25%. This is why R:R matters more than win rate alone.
The toolkit

More calculators

Every tool runs in rand and recalculates as you type. Pick one to jump straight to it.

Lot Size

Size every position to a fixed % risk and stop-loss in pips.

Open →

Margin

See the margin a trade locks up at 1:50 to 1:500 leverage.

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Profit & Loss

Model entry, exit and direction to project the rand outcome.

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Compound

Project account growth from a monthly return over time.

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Swap / Overnight

Calculate the overnight fee cost for holding a position past midnight.

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Calculate → Trade.

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