MidasGold Lot Size Calculator (XAUUSD Position Size)
Lot size at 1% risk: account size × stop distance
Each cell is the largest lot whose loss at the stop stays within 1% of the balance on a standard account (1 lot = 100 oz, so a $1 move is $100 per lot), rounded down to 0.01. “Below 0.01 lot” means even the smallest lot would risk more than 1% with that stop.
| Balance (1% risk) | $2 stop | $3 stop | $5 stop | $10 stop | $20 stop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 (1% = $1) | below 0.01 lot | below 0.01 lot | below 0.01 lot | below 0.01 lot | below 0.01 lot |
| $250 (1% = $2.50) | 0.01 | below 0.01 lot | below 0.01 lot | below 0.01 lot | below 0.01 lot |
| $500 (1% = $5) | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 | below 0.01 lot | below 0.01 lot |
| $1 000 (1% = $10) | 0.05 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.01 | below 0.01 lot |
| $2 500 (1% = $25) | 0.12 | 0.08 | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| $5 000 (1% = $50) | 0.25 | 0.16 | 0.10 | 0.05 | 0.02 |
11 orders, $3.50 step: at $3,675 — no blow-up since January 2025
We ran this grid on real gold ticks from many different start days since January 2025 and took the worst start.
The hardest period for the grid
the slow gold decline of 26–28 May 2026: about −$195 in three days with no pullback. To survive it too, you need exactly this $3,675. The crash of 29 Jan–2 Feb 2026 (up to $771 of range in a day) this grid survives from $1,554.
In the model, on real gold ticks since January 2025; not a guarantee. Midas default settings, 0.01 lot, no top-ups. Not the income of a live account. Methodology
How to calculate lot size for gold
Lot size for gold (XAUUSD) follows from three things: the money you accept to lose on the trade, the distance from entry to stop-loss in dollars of price, and how many ounces one lot holds.
lot = money at risk ÷ (stop distance in $ × contract size)
Contract size is the number of ounces in 1.00 lot: 100 oz on a standard XAUUSD contract. The result is rounded down to the lot step, usually 0.01, never up, so the real risk does not exceed the amount you set.
The method in three steps
- Money at risk. Balance × risk percent, or a fixed amount. For a $1,000 balance and 1% that is $10.
- Stop distance in dollars. Entry price minus stop price. Gold at 4,000.00 with a stop at 3,995.00 is $5.00, or 500 points on a 2-digit quote (1 point = $0.01).
- Divide and round down. Money at risk ÷ (stop × contract size), rounded down to the lot step: 10 ÷ (5 × 100) = 0.02 lot.
Worked example: $1,000 account
Standard account, contract 100 oz, lot step 0.01.
| Balance | $1,000 |
| Risk 1% | 1,000 × 1% = $10 |
| Stop distance | $5.00 (500 points on a 2-digit quote) |
| Lot | 10 ÷ (5 × 100) = 0.02 lot |
| Check | 0.02 × 100 oz × $5 = $10 lost at the stop |
Worked example: cent account
A cent account counts the balance in US cents (USC): 100 USC = $1. Many cent accounts list a contract of 1 oz per lot in the symbol Specification (yours may differ, so read the number there and enter it as Contract size). If your Specification shows 1 oz:
| Balance | 100,000 USC = $1,000 |
| Risk 1% | 1,000 USC = $10 |
| Stop distance | $5.00 |
| Lot | 10 ÷ (5 × 1) = 2.00 lots |
| Check | 2.00 × 1 oz × $5 = $10 = 1,000 USC |
The money at risk is the same $10, but the lot is 100 times larger because the contract is 100 times smaller. If the Specification of your account shows 100 oz, the standard example above applies.
Gold lot size table: stop distance and risk
Lots for a 100 oz contract, rounded down to a 0.01 lot step. Read across for the money you risk and down for the stop distance in dollars of price.
| Lot | Risk $10 | Risk $20 | Risk $50 | Risk $100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stop $2 | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.25 | 0.50 |
| Stop $5 | 0.02 | 0.04 | 0.10 | 0.20 |
| Stop $10 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.05 | 0.10 |
| Stop $20 | <0.01 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.05 |
“<0.01” means the risk is smaller than the smallest position allows: 0.01 lot at a $20 stop already loses $20. A calculated 0.025 lot ($50 risk, $20 stop) is rounded down to 0.02, which loses $40 at the stop, not $50.
How much is 1 lot of gold (XAUUSD)?
On a standard contract, 1.00 lot of XAUUSD is 100 troy ounces. A $1 change in the gold price then changes the result by $100 for 1.00 lot, $10 for 0.10 lot and $1 for 0.01 lot.
| Lot | Ounces | Value of a $1 move |
|---|---|---|
| 1.00 | 100 oz | $100 |
| 0.10 | 10 oz | $10 |
| 0.01 | 1 oz | $1 |
Contract sizes differ by broker and account type. Mini, micro and cent accounts can use 10, 1 or fewer ounces per lot, so the same lot can be worth much less. Read Contract size in the symbol Specification in MT5 and enter that number in the calculator.
Position value is lots × contract size × price: 1.00 lot of 100 oz at $4,000 per ounce is $400,000 of gold. Leverage decides how much of that must be held as margin; the margin calculator shows it.
Which calculator to use
This page sizes one position from a stop-loss. If you run a martingale grid and need the start lot and the number of orders a balance can carry, use the martingale lot size calculator instead, or check a whole basket with the grid calculator.
For the margin a position needs and the room to stop-out use the margin calculator; to convert cents to dollars and compare a cent account with a standard one use the cent account calculator.
Guides: what a cent account is and margin call versus stop-out.
Formulas and worked example
Gold lot size = risk in $ ÷ (stop distance in $ × 100), because 1 lot of XAUUSD is 100 oz. On a $500 account risking 1% ($5) with a $5 stop, that is 0.01 lot; with a $2 stop, 0.02 lot.
Reviewed
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate lot size for XAUUSD?
Divide the money you accept to lose by the stop distance in dollars times the contract size, then round down to the lot step: lot = risk ÷ (stop × contract size). With $10 at risk, a $5 stop and a 100 oz contract: 10 ÷ (5 × 100) = 0.02 lot.
What is the XAUUSD contract size?
At most brokers, 1.00 standard lot of XAUUSD is 100 troy ounces. Contract sizes differ by broker and account type: mini, micro and cent accounts can use a smaller contract, so read Contract size in the symbol Specification in MT5 and enter that number in the calculator.
How much is a $1 move or 1 pip worth on XAUUSD?
On a 100 oz contract a $1 move is worth $100 per 1.00 lot, $10 per 0.10 lot and $1 per 0.01 lot (lots × contract size × price move). A pip is not fixed: if your broker counts it as $0.10, one pip is $10 on 1.00 lot and $0.10 on 0.01 lot, while a point of $0.01 is $1 on 1.00 lot. Because brokers use the word pip differently, it is safest to measure the move in dollars of price and take Contract size from the symbol Specification.
What is a pip or a point in gold?
A point is the smallest price step of the quote: $0.01 on a 2-digit quote and $0.001 on a 3-digit one. Brokers and traders use the word pip for different amounts, often $0.10, so it is clearer to measure a stop in dollars of price. A $5 stop is 500 points on a 2-digit quote and 5,000 points on a 3-digit one.
What lot size for a $100 or a $1,000 account?
With 1% risk and a $5 stop on a 100 oz contract it is 0.02 lot on $1,000 ($10 at risk) and 0.002 lot on $100 ($1 at risk), which is below the usual 0.01 minimum; the lot follows from risk and stop, not from the balance alone. A 0.01 lot at a $5 stop already risks $5, or 5% of a $100 balance. Enter your own numbers above.
Does the calculator work for MT4 and MT5?
Yes. The arithmetic is the same on both platforms and with any broker. Take Contract size, lot step, minimum lot and digits from the symbol Specification of your account and enter them above. The calculator does not connect to your terminal and does not place orders.
What is the lot size on a cent account?
The same way as on a standard account, once the balance is in USC (100 USC = $1): with a 1 oz contract, 100,000 USC, 1% risk and a $5 stop give 10 ÷ (5 × 1) = 2.00 lots; with a 100 oz contract the same numbers give 0.02 lot. Choose Cent (USC) above and enter the balance as the terminal shows it; the lot depends on Contract size in your symbol Specification. Compare with the result your terminal shows for a $1 move on 1.00 lot.
About this calculator
Lot size for gold = the money you accept to lose ÷ (stop-loss distance in dollars × contract size). For example, a $1,000 balance, 1% risk ($10) and a $5 stop on a 100 oz contract give 0.02 lot. Enter your numbers below; the page also has the formula, worked examples and a lookup table.
Formulas and worked example
In short: how is the lot size for gold calculated from risk?
Lot size = money at risk ÷ (stop distance in $ × contract size), rounded down to the lot step: 2% of $500 with a $4 stop on a 100 oz contract is 0.02 lot. Rounding down keeps the real loss at the stop at or below the plan: $8 here instead of $10.
lot = ⌊risk ÷ (stop × contract) ÷ step⌋ × stepRisk in dollars, stop distance in dollars of gold price, contract size in ounces per 1.00 lot (100 on a standard XAUUSD contract), lot step usually 0.01.real loss at the stop = lot × contract × stopWhat the rounded lot loses if price reaches the stop (before slippage and gaps).
Worked example: $500 balance, 2% risk, $4 stop
Standard account, contract 100 oz, lot step 0.01, minimum lot 0.01.
| Money at risk | 500 × 2 ÷ 100 = $10 |
| Lot before rounding | 10 ÷ (4 × 100) = 0.025 |
| Lot, rounded down | 0.025 → 0.02 |
| Real loss at the stop | 0.02 × 100 × 4 = $8 |
| Real risk, % of the balance | 8 ÷ 500 × 100 = 1.6 |
| Value of a $1 move | 0.02 × 100 = $2 |
Lot size by balance at 1% and 2% risk
At a fixed percent the lot grows with the balance and shrinks as the stop widens: 1% of $1 000 is 0.02 lot with a $5 stop and 0.01 lot with a $10 stop.
| Balance | Risk 1% | Lot, 1%, $5 stop | Lot, 1%, $10 stop | Lot, 2%, $5 stop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $5 | 0.01 | <0.01 | 0.02 |
| $1 000 | $10 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.04 |
| $2 000 | $20 | 0.04 | 0.02 | 0.08 |
| $5 000 | $50 | 0.10 | 0.05 | 0.20 |
| $10 000 | $100 | 0.20 | 0.10 | 0.40 |
“<0.01”: the exact lot (0.005) is below the minimum lot; 0.01 lot would lose $10 at a $10 stop, which is 2% of $500. A stop can be filled worse than set, so a real loss can be larger.
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This calculator is free and works with any broker or trading robot.Midas is a paid grid Expert Advisor for gold on MT5; its help center explains the settings and the risks.