Hello,
I just wanted to know more about the position sizes using a trading platform (e.g. FXCM)
If I had $20000 to trade and wanted to buy $80000 (4 leverage)of EUR/USD, would I need to convert that $80000 to EUR to make it exactly equal 4:1 leverage?
Thanks:)
Yes. If you want to trade $80,000 on EUR/USD you need to convert that into euros then trade whatever lot size equals that amount.
If it’s 54,000EUR then you need to trade .54 standard lots to equal $80,000.
The real question is why you want to calculate your trades in such a confusing manner? 
Ahh… thanks:)
I just thought that that was the way to calculate my trades. Does mostly everyone else do that as well?
No, most people risk a percentage of their account per trade. The most common percentage is 2%, meaning if your trade hits its stoploss you should lose 2% of your money.
Trading a flat amount without regard to risk will blow your account.
I see
Thanks!
2% of my total money or 2% of my leveraged-usable money?
WEll… I do the same… Is there any smarter way?
Yes I think we can do that:)
We just need to make sure that the position we’re taking agrees with our stop-loss order.
It’s the 2% of your total money you deposited in your account. Let say you deposited $1000 and you trade standard lots (100 K).
1 Pip = $10
So 2 % of your total deposit would be $20.
$20 / $10(per pip) = 20 pips
you would set your stop loss at 20 pips every time you trade.
is the calculation method the same in direct quote and indirect quote?
Technically the 2% calculation will be off a little because we’re not factoring in the current exchange rate, but that doesn’t matter.
Your trade will always be somewhere between 1-4%, and usually between 1.5% and 2.5%, so it’s in a perfectly safe range.
If you want to bother with exchange rates and getting your trade to be exactly 2% you can, but it’s certainly not necessary.