What is a standard lot in forex?
In one line: A standard lot is 100,000 units of the base currency, written as 1.00 on most platforms. On pairs quoted in US dollars, one pip is worth about $10.
The short answer
A standard lot is the full-size forex trade: 100,000 units of the first currency in the pair.
On a platform it's 1.00. A Mini lot is 0.10 and a Micro lot is 0.01.
What one standard lot controls
On EUR/USD at 1.1000, one standard lot is 100,000 euros. In dollars, that's:
100,000 × 1.1000 = $110,000 of currency.
You don't need $110,000 to open it. You put up Margin, a deposit, and the broker covers the rest with Leverage.
- At 50:1, the US cap on major pairs: $110,000 ÷ 50 = $2,200 margin.
Check it for any pair with the margin calculator.
What one pip is worth
On pairs quoted in US dollars, like EUR/USD, GBP/USD and AUD/USD, one Pip on a standard lot is worth exactly $10.
So a 30-pip move is $300, up or down. A 100-pip move is $1,000.
For pairs like USD/JPY, the dollar value of a pip changes with the price. Use the pip value calculator.
A simple example
Two traders open 1 standard lot of EUR/USD with a 30-pip stop.
- Trader A has $50,000. Risk: $300, which is 0.6% of the account.
- Trader B has $3,000. Risk: $300, which is 10% of the account.
Same trade, same stop. Trader B could lose a tenth of the account on one idea. A math example, not a promise.
Why it matters
The margin to open a trade and the risk you take on it are different numbers. Margin tells you if you can open it. Your stop and size tell you what you can lose.
That gap is where many accounts get into trouble. Our guide to leverage and margin covers it in plain words.
A common mistake
Sizing by margin instead of by risk. "I have enough margin for 1 standard lot, so I'll trade 1 standard lot." That ignores the stop.
Start from risk instead. Pick your risk, like 1% of the account, find the stop on the chart, then work out the size with the lot size calculator. For most small accounts, the answer is micro or mini lots.
Questions
How much is 1 lot in forex?
One standard lot is 100,000 units of the base currency. On EUR/USD that's about $10 per pip.
How much money do you need to trade 1 standard lot?
The margin depends on price and leverage. The bigger question is risk: with a 30-pip stop, one standard lot risks about $300 on a dollar-quoted pair.
Is 1.0 lot the same as a standard lot?
Yes, on most platforms. Some brokers use other contract sizes, so check the contract specs.
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