XAU/USD (Gold) Position Size Calculator
Gold is quoted like a forex pair but moves like nothing else: a $1 move is 100 pips, and one pip (0.01) is worth $1 per standard 100-ounce lot. Enter your numbers above — and if your account is not in USD, enter the conversion rate manually.
Results
Fill in the inputs to see your results.
Gold pip value and lot size
Industry convention: one XAU/USD standard lot is 100 troy ounces, and a pip is a $0.01 move, worth exactly $1 per lot. A $1.00 move in price is 100 pips, worth $100 per lot. So a stop 5 dollars wide — 2,650.00 to 2,645.00 — is 500 pips and risks $500 per standard lot.
Worked example: a $10,000 account risking 1% ($100) with a $5 stop gives $100 ÷ $500 = 0.20 standard lots, i.e. 20 ounces. Some brokers use different contract sizes (1 oz or 10 oz per lot) — verify with yours, and use the units result above if so.
Why gold punishes oversized positions
Gold routinely moves $20–50 in a day — 2,000–5,000 pips. A position sized by habit rather than formula can lose 5–10% of an account on an ordinary session. Stops on gold need real width: $2–5 for intraday trades, $10+ for swings. Wide stops are fine as long as the lot size shrinks to keep money risk constant — that is exactly what the calculator enforces.
Note on conversion: no free rate feed covers metals, so if your account currency is not USD, enter the USD-to-your-currency rate manually in the conversion field.
Frequently asked questions
How much is one pip worth on XAU/USD?
At the standard 100-ounce lot: $1 per 0.01 pip, so a full $1 price move is worth $100 per lot. Mini (10 oz) and micro (1 oz) lots are worth $0.10 and $0.01 per pip respectively.
What lot size for gold with a $5,000 account?
At 1% risk ($50) with a $4 stop (400 pips × $1): $50 ÷ $400 = 0.125 standard lots — 12.5 ounces. Enter your exact stop above; gold stops vary widely.
Why do I have to enter the conversion rate manually for gold?
Free exchange-rate APIs cover fiat currencies only. If your account is in EUR or another currency, enter the current USD conversion rate in the field provided — the sizing math then stays exact.