Trading volume is simply the size of your trade. We use a standard unit called a lot for measuring trade size in the financial market. It allows everyone to know exactly how much exposure they have to an instrument. Choosing the right volume is one of the most important ways to manage your risk.
Tradin's MT5 platform offer three main types of lots:
| Lot Name | Volume in MT5 | Units of Currency |
| Standard Lot | 1.00 | 100,000 |
| Mini Lot | 0.10 | 10,000 |
| Micro Lot | 0.01 | 1,000 |
How Volume Affects Your Profit and Loss
The volume you choose directly controls how much money you can make or lose. This happens because volume determines the value of a pip, which is the smallest step a price can move.
A larger volume means each change in price (pip) is worth more money.
Here is a simple example showing the approximate value of one pip when trading a Forex pair like EUR/USD:
| Lot Type | Volume in MT5 | Pip Value (approx.) | Why This Matters |
| Standard Lot | 1.00 | $10.00 | If the price moves 1 pip in your favor, you make $10. If it moves against you, you lose $10. |
| Mini Lot | 0.10 | $1.00 | If the price moves 1 pip in your favor, you make $1. If it moves against you, you lose $1. |
| Micro Lot | 0.01 | $0.10 | If the price moves 1 pip in your favor, you make 10 cents. If it moves against you, you lose 10 cents. |
As you can see, a mistake made with a Standard Lot can be 100 times more expensive than the same mistake with a Micro Lot. Starting small is key to protecting your capital.
Setting Your Trade Volume on MT5
When you are ready to open a trade, your Tradin MT5 platform helps you set the volume correctly.
- On your MT5 platform, click New Order (or press F9 on desktop).
- Locate the box labeled Volume at the top of the order window.
- Type the decimal number corresponding to your desired lot size:
- For the smallest size (Micro Lot), type 0.01.
- For a Mini Lot, type 0.10.
- For a Standard Lot, type 1.00.
- Before clicking Buy or Sell, always double-check the volume number. This setting is the biggest factor controlling the risk of your trade.
