Crypto Position Size Calculator
Work backwards from what you are willing to lose. Enter the account, the risk per trade and the stop — the position size follows.
Size is a consequence, not a choice
Most people decide how much to buy first and discover their risk afterwards. That is backwards. Fix the loss you are prepared to take, decide where the idea is proven wrong, and the position size is then arithmetic: risk in dollars divided by the distance to the stop.
The consequence is that a wide stop forces a small position and a tight stop permits a large one, at identical risk. This is why traders who "always buy $1,000 worth" have wildly inconsistent risk across trades without realising it — the same dollar amount on a coin with 2% daily range and one with 12% daily range are not comparable positions.
Choosing risk per trade
One percent is the common professional default. It means twenty consecutive losses cost about 18% of the account — survivable, and recoverable. At 5% per trade the same twenty losses take roughly 64%, which needs a 180% gain to undo. Because trend-following systems like the ones on this site win only 30–40% of trades by design, long losing streaks are expected, not exceptional.
The leverage figure in the result is descriptive, not an instruction. If it exceeds 1×, the position is larger than your account and needs margin — check the liquidation price before opening it, because a stop placed beyond the liquidation point does not exist.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I risk per trade?
One percent of account equity is the common default and one to two percent is a defensible range. Above that, ordinary losing streaks start doing damage that requires outsized gains to repair.
What if the calculated position needs leverage?
That means your stop is tight relative to your risk budget. Either widen the stop and accept a smaller position, or reduce risk per trade. Using leverage to force the size is the option that introduces liquidation risk.
Should the stop be based on ATR or on a chart level?
A structural level — below a swing low or a support zone — is usually better because it reflects where the idea is actually invalidated. ATR is the fallback when no clean level exists, and a sanity check on levels that sit inside daily noise.
Does this account for fees?
No. Round-trip fees of 0.1–0.2% are small relative to a typical stop distance but should be added to the loss you expect.
Calculations run in your browser. Prices come from the same daily Binance closes that generate the signals on this site, refreshed every day after the 00:00 UTC close. Nothing here is financial advice.