Risk-Per-Unit Position Size Reference Guide
This page is the generic position-size formula: cash risk divided by risk per unit. It intentionally does not assume forex lots, pip value, futures tick value, or index contract size.
Use this calculator only after you already know the dollar amount that one share, unit, contract, token or custom instrument will lose if the stop is reached. That risk-per-unit value may come from an exchange contract specification, broker quote, spreadsheet, order ticket, or a separate calculator.
For example, a $10,000 account risking 1% has $100 of cash risk. If each unit risks $2.50, the raw size is 40 units. If the valid unit step is 5, the final size should be rounded down to 40 units; if the raw size were 42, it should be rounded down to 40 rather than rounded up.
This calculator is deliberately different from the TradingView page. TradingView sizing starts with chart entry and stop prices. This generic page starts with a known dollar risk per unit. If you do not know the risk per unit yet, use the stock, futures, forex, XAUUSD, NAS100 or US30 calculators first.
Before placing an order, verify the final size against the broker order ticket. The calculator does not know account leverage, margin rules, market spread, slippage, commission, borrow fees, contract expiry, overnight financing, liquidity gaps or prop-firm daily drawdown limits.
These calculators are educational estimates. Spread, slippage, commission, fees and execution delay are excluded unless added manually.
Common mistakes
- Do not enter stop distance as risk per unit unless the instrument is priced one dollar per point.
- Do not round the result upward to meet a desired profit target; rounding up can exceed the selected risk budget.
- Do not use this generic model when a broker symbol has a special lot, tick, point or contract multiplier that has not been converted into dollar risk per unit.