Lot Size and Contract Size

Standard, mini and micro lots; what a contract size is; and how volume decides how much a pip is worth.

PrincipianteArtículo1 minActualizado 3 de agosto de 2026

Volume is measured in lots

You do not buy "some euros". You buy a lot, a fixed block of the base currency. On forex pairs a standard lot is 100,000 units — that is the contract size, and you can find it for every instrument in the symbol specifications.

NameVolumeUnits of base currency
Standard lot1.00100,000
Mini lot0.1010,000
Micro lot0.011,000

MT5 lets you type any volume down to 0.01, so 0.35 lots is 35,000 units.

Why it matters

Volume decides two things at once: how much each pip is worth, and how much margin the position needs. Doubling the volume doubles both. A beginner who "just tries 1 lot" on a 500-dollar account has, without noticing, put on a position where a 50-pip move is the whole account.

Not every instrument is 100,000

Gold (XAUUSD) is typically 100 ounces per lot; indices and crypto CFDs each have their own contract size. The formula is the same everywhere; the number is not. Check the specification before you trade something new.

Summary

A lot is a fixed block of the base currency; 1.00 is 100,000 units on forex pairs. Volume sets both pip value and margin, so it is the risk decision in every trade.

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Lot Size and Contract Size