Basics, updated 8 October 2026
Gold lot sizes explained (standard, mini, micro)
A standard gold lot is 100 ounces. What mini and micro lots are, what they're worth per pip, and how to choose a lot size for your account.
One standard lot of XAUUSD is 100 troy ounces. Brokers let you trade in steps of 0.01 lots, so the smallest trade is 1 ounce.
| Lot size | Name | Ounces | Value per pip | Value of a $10 move |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 | Standard | 100 | $10 | $1,000 |
| 0.10 | Mini | 10 | $1 | $100 |
| 0.01 | Micro | 1 | $0.10 | $10 |
Why gold lots feel bigger than forex lots
On EURUSD, one standard lot also moves about $10 per pip, but EURUSD might move 60 to 80 pips in a day. Gold often moves 300 to 800 pips ($30 to $80) in a day. The same lot size swings several times more money. Traders coming from currency pairs often over-size their first gold trades for exactly this reason.
Choosing a lot size
Don’t pick a lot size first. Pick your risk first:
- Decide the most you’ll lose on this trade, for example 1% of your account.
- Measure the stop loss in pips (signals give you the stop price).
- Lot size = risk in dollars ÷ (stop in pips × $10).
With a $2,000 account, 1% risk ($20) and a 100-pip stop: $20 ÷ (100 × $10) = 0.02 lots.
The lot size calculator and position size calculator do this for you, rounding down so you never risk more than you meant to.
Small accounts
With a very small account and a wide stop, the right size can be below 0.01 lots, the minimum. Then either skip the trade, accept a larger percentage of risk knowingly, or use a demo account until the account is bigger. See from demo to live.