XAUUSD Lot Size Calculator
An XAUUSD lot size calculator works out how many lots of gold to trade so a stop loss costs only the amount you chose to risk. Lots = money at risk ÷ (stop distance in $ × ounces per lot), so $50 of risk on a $10 stop with 100 ounces per lot is 0.05 lot.
How do you calculate lot size for gold?
Gold lot size = money at risk ÷ (stop distance in dollars × ounces per lot), where money at risk = balance × risk % ÷ 100. Many brokers set one XAUUSD lot at 100 ounces, so a $1 move in the gold price is worth $100 on 1.00 lot, $10 on 0.10 lot and $1 on 0.01 lot.
The stop distance is measured in dollars per ounce: a buy at 4,000.00 with a stop at 3,990.00 has a $10 stop. Working in dollars avoids the different meanings of pip and point for gold between platforms.
What lot size should I use for gold with $5,000?
With a $5,000 account, 1% risk and a $10 stop, the gold lot size is $50 ÷ ($10 × 100) = 0.05 lot, which is 5 ounces. If the stop is hit, 5 ounces × $10 = $50 is lost, exactly the 1% chosen. A wider stop means a smaller size for the same risk.
| Stop distance | Money at risk (1% of $5,000) | Lot size |
|---|---|---|
| $5 | $50 | 0.10 lot |
| $10 | $50 | 0.05 lot |
| $20 | $50 | 0.02 lot |
| $25 | $50 | 0.02 lot |
On the $25 stop the exact size is 0.02 lot, and on $20 it is 0.025 lot, rounded down to 0.02 so the size never risks more than you chose. How to choose the risk percentage is covered in position sizing.
How do you size gold in an account not in dollars?
Work the size out in dollars, then convert the money at risk into your account currency at today's rate; the lot size itself does not change. A $1 gold move is worth $100 on 1.00 lot, so lots = money at risk ÷ (stop in dollars × $100). The calculator converts with the rate you enter.
With $5,000, 1% risk ($50) and a $5 stop, the size is $50 ÷ (5 × $100) = 0.10 lot, whatever currency the account is held in. MT5 converts every result into your account currency at the live rate; the country guides show local examples. Choose your account currency in the calculator and enter the rate from your platform.
How big a gold stop should I use?
Set the stop where the trade idea is proven wrong, then let the lot size adjust to it, rather than tightening the stop to trade a bigger size. Gold often moves tens of dollars in a day, so a stop that sits inside its normal swings is hit by ordinary movement.
The ATR indicator shows gold's average range over recent candles, a common guide for how far away a stop needs to be. Where to place stops is covered in stop loss and take profit, and what a lot and a move are worth on gold in how to trade gold.
What does each input mean?
Enter your account currency, balance, risk percentage, stop distance in dollars and the contract size, and the calculator shows the gold lot size. The contract size is 100 ounces by default; check XAUUSD's Specification window in MetaTrader 5 for your account's figure.
- Account currency: the currency your account is held in. For an account not in dollars an exchange rate box appears.
- Account balance: the balance the risk percentage is taken from.
- Risk per trade (%): the share of the balance you are prepared to lose if the stop is hit.
- Stop distance ($ per ounce): the gap between your entry price and your stop loss, in dollars.
- Contract size: the number of ounces in 1.00 lot on your account.
The size is rounded down to 0.01 lot, the usual minimum step. Spread and commission are not included; the trading cost calculator adds them up. For forex pairs and indices, use the position size calculator. Nothing you enter is stored.
Frequently asked questions
How much is 0.01 lot of gold?
On a 100-ounce contract, 0.01 lot is 1 troy ounce of gold. Each $1 move in the XAUUSD price is worth $1 on that size, so a $10 stop costs $10.
How many pips is a $1 move on gold?
It depends on the platform. Some count a $0.01 move as one point, so $1 is 100 points; others count $0.10 as one pip, so $1 is 10 pips. This calculator takes the stop in dollars to avoid that difference.
What lot size is good for a $100 gold account?
At 1% risk, a $100 account risks $1. On 0.01 lot of a 100-ounce contract that covers a $1 stop, which ordinary gold movement often reaches. A wider stop at 1% would need a size below the 0.01 minimum, and the calculator flags that.
Why does the gold lot size come out so small?
Because each lot of gold is large. At 4,000.00, 1.00 lot of 100 ounces controls $400,000 of gold, and a $10 move on it is $1,000. Small lot sizes keep the risk on gold in line with forex trades.
Is a gold lot size calculator the same as a position size calculator?
Yes, for gold. It is the position size calculator with the gold contract size filled in and the stop entered in dollars, so both give the same lot size for the same inputs.
Sources
- MetaQuotes, MetaTrader 5 Help: Market Watch (accessed 27 October 2026): the symbol specification shows the contract size, tick size and the profit currency of each symbol. https://www.metatrader5.com/en/terminal/help/trading/market_watch
- LBMA, LBMA Gold Price (accessed 27 October 2026): the benchmark gold price is set in US dollars per troy ounce. https://www.lbma.org.uk/prices-and-data/lbma-gold-price/lbma-gold-price
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