Short answer: Divide the dollars you're willing to lose by your stop-loss distance in dollars × 100. With a $1,000 account, 1% risk and a $5 stop, that is $10 ÷ ($5 × 100) = 0.02 lots. Use our free gold lot size calculator to do it in one click.
FXRAID is an Exness partner and may earn a commission if you open an account through our links. Trading gold on margin is high risk and you can lose more than you expect. This guide is education, not financial advice.
Contents
- What one lot of gold means
- How much money moves per $1 in gold
- The 3-step XAUUSD lot size formula
- Worked examples
- Risk table by account size
- Margin: how much you need to open the trade
- Common lot size mistakes on gold
- FAQ
What one lot of gold (XAUUSD) means
On most MT4 and MT5 brokers, including Exness, 1.00 standard lot of XAUUSD = 100 troy ounces of gold. That makes gold much "bigger" than a forex pair at the same lot size.
| Lot size | Ounces of gold | Profit or loss per $1 move in price |
|---|---|---|
| 1.00 | 100 oz | $100 |
| 0.10 | 10 oz | $10 |
| 0.05 | 5 oz | $5 |
| 0.01 | 1 oz | $1 |
Always check the contract specification in your platform (right-click the symbol, then Specification). A few brokers use a different contract size, and cent accounts show balances in cents.
How much money moves per $1 in gold
Gold is quoted in US dollars per ounce, for example 2,400.50. When price moves from 2,400.50 to 2,401.50, that is a $1 move. At 0.01 lots you make or lose $1. At 1.00 lot you make or lose $100.
Traders argue about what a "pip" is on gold (some count $0.10, some $0.01). To avoid confusion, measure your stop loss in dollars of price, not pips. A stop from 2,400 to 2,395 is a $5 stop, whatever your platform calls it.
The 3-step XAUUSD lot size formula
Step 1: Decide your risk in dollars. Risk amount = account balance × risk %. Most professional traders risk 0.5% to 2% per trade.
Step 2: Measure your stop loss in dollars of price. Stop distance = entry price − stop-loss price (for a buy), or stop-loss price − entry price (for a sell).
Step 3: Calculate the lot size.
Lot size = Risk amount ÷ (Stop distance × 100)
Round down to the nearest 0.01 so you never risk more than planned.
Worked examples
Example 1: small account, tight stop
- Balance: $1,000. Risk: 1% = $10.
- Buy at 2,400, stop at 2,395, so the stop distance is $5.
- Lot size = 10 ÷ (5 × 100) = 0.02 lots.
- If the stop is hit, you lose about $10, plus spread and commission.
Example 2: medium account, wider stop
- Balance: $5,000. Risk: 2% = $100.
- Sell at 2,410, stop at 2,418, so the stop distance is $8.
- Lot size = 100 ÷ (8 × 100) = 0.125, rounded down to 0.12 lots.
Example 3: why "always 0.10" is dangerous
- Balance: $500. Fixed lot of 0.10. Stop distance: $15.
- Loss if stopped = 15 × 10 = $150, or 30% of the account on one trade.
- The correct lot at 1% risk would be 5 ÷ 1,500 = 0.003, which is below the minimum of 0.01. That tells you to skip this trade or wait for a setup with a tighter stop, not to force it.
Risk table by account size (1% risk)
Lot sizes for common gold stop distances, rounded down:
| Account | 1% risk | $3 stop | $5 stop | $10 stop | $20 stop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $200 | $2 | 0.01* | 0.01* | skip | skip |
| $500 | $5 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01* | skip |
| $1,000 | $10 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01* |
| $2,500 | $25 | 0.08 | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| $5,000 | $50 | 0.16 | 0.10 | 0.05 | 0.02 |
| $10,000 | $100 | 0.33 | 0.20 | 0.10 | 0.05 |
*At the 0.01 minimum lot, these trades risk more than 1%. Either accept a slightly higher risk knowingly, or wait for a setup with a tighter stop.
Margin: how much you need to open the trade
Margin is the deposit your broker holds while the trade is open. It is not your risk, which is set by your stop loss.
Margin = (Lot size × 100 × gold price) ÷ leverage
At an example price of $2,400 and 1:500 leverage, 0.10 lots needs (0.10 × 100 × 2,400) ÷ 500 = $48 of margin. Exness can apply fixed margin on gold around major news and weekends, so leave free margin to spare.
High leverage lowers the margin you need, but it does not make a trade safer. Your lot size and stop loss decide how much you can lose.
Common XAUUSD lot size mistakes
- Using forex lot habits on gold. 0.10 lots on EURUSD and 0.10 lots on gold carry very different risk per point.
- Stops that are too tight for gold's volatility. Gold often moves $10 to $30 in a day, and more around US news like CPI and NFP. A $2 stop gets hit by noise.
- Not counting spread and commission. On Raw Spread or Zero accounts, add the commission to your risk.
- Adding to losing trades. Doubling the lot after a loss is how small accounts blow up.
- Trading the London–New York overlap with full size. Volatility peaks then. See our best forex trading sessions guide for times in your country.
Get gold setups with the lot size already planned
Every FXRAID gold signal gives entry, two take-profit levels and a stop loss. The FXRAID Signals App calculates the lot size for your balance automatically, and VIP signals are free with a qualifying Exness account opened through FXRAID.
FAQ
What is 0.01 lot in gold? 0.01 lot of XAUUSD is 1 ounce of gold. Each $1 move in the gold price makes or loses about $1.
How much is 1 lot of gold worth? 1 standard lot is 100 ounces. At $2,400 an ounce that is $240,000 of gold, controlled with margin.
What lot size should I use for gold with $100? With $100 and 1% risk, you can only lose $1, which means a stop of $1 at 0.01 lots. That is too tight for gold. Many traders with small balances use a cent account or build the balance first.
Is a gold pip $0.01 or $0.10? It depends on the broker and the platform. To avoid mistakes, measure your stop in dollars of price and use the formula above.
Does leverage change my lot size? No. Leverage changes the margin you need, not the money you lose if your stop is hit.
Risk warning: CFDs and leveraged gold trading carry a high risk of losing money. Past performance of any signal does not guarantee future results. Updated: 23 October 2026.