Crypto Position Size Calculator (Spot and Leverage)
Crypto sizing is the same arithmetic as anywhere else, with two differences: fractional units, and leverage that can end the trade before your stop is ever touched.
Units to buy equal your account multiplied by your risk percentage, divided by the distance from entry to stop, and the answer is usually fractional. Leverage does not change that size; it changes your margin and how close liquidation sits. If liquidation is nearer than your stop, the exchange closes the trade before your stop is ever reached.
Crypto position size calculator
Units = (account × risk%) ÷ |entry − stop|. The liquidation figure is an approximation (entry ÷ leverage from entry, before fees and maintenance margin) and every venue calculates it differently — check your exchange's own formula.
The formula
Units = (account × risk%) ÷ |entry − stop|
Crypto trades in fractions, so the answer is rarely a whole number - 0.0143 BTC is a perfectly normal position. The position value (units × entry) is the number that matters for margin and fees.
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Play free, no signup →Leverage changes what can end the trade
With leverage, two things can close a position: your stop, and the exchange's liquidation. The calculator shows an approximate distance to liquidation next to your stop distance. If liquidation sits closer than your stop, your stop is decorative - the exchange decides the outcome first.
When the calculation misleads you
- Weekend and thin-hours volatility. Crypto trades all the time, and the same stop distance is a very different bet at 3am on a Sunday.
- Exchange outages and wicks. Stops can fill far from their level during a violent move.
- Funding costs on perpetuals accumulate against a position held for days; they are not in this maths.
- Altcoin liquidity. A size that is fine on BTC can move a small-cap market by itself.
- Correlation. Most alts move with BTC, so several "small" positions are often one large one.
Next
How to read crypto charts covers the chart side, and the risk of ruin calculator shows what your chosen risk percentage does over a long run of trades.
Frequently asked questions
How do I size a crypto trade?
Divide the money you are willing to risk by the distance from entry to stop. The answer is in units of the coin and is usually fractional.
Does leverage change the position size?
No. Leverage changes the margin you post and how close liquidation sits, not the risk defined by your stop. Sizing from the stop is what keeps the two separate.
What is the liquidation distance?
Roughly how far price can move against you before the exchange closes the position. If it is nearer than your stop, the stop will never be reached.
Is the calculator exact for my exchange?
No. Maintenance margin, fees and funding vary by venue and margin mode, so treat the liquidation figure as an approximation and check your exchange's own formula.
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