What is a lot?
A lot is a unit used to count the size of an order. How much 1 lot stands for depends on the instrument. This page explains lots, contract size and trading volume.
The sizes below follow the Exness Help Centre (checked 2026-10-13). They can change without notice, and other brokers can use different sizes. For the same price move, a larger order means larger gains and larger losses.
How big is 1 lot?
It depends on the instrument. At Exness, 1 lot of a forex pair is 100,000 units of the base currency, while 1 lot of gold is 100 troy ounces. Check the size for the instrument you plan to trade.
Lot, contract size and trading volume
What is the difference between a lot and a contract size?
At Exness, a lot measures order size, contract size is the amount represented by 1 lot, and trading volume is lots x contract size, expressed in the base currency.
- Lot. A unit for counting the size of an order. The CFTC glossary describes a lot as a unit of trading.
- Contract size. The CFTC glossary describes it as the actual amount of a commodity that one contract represents. At Exness it is the fixed amount that 1 lot represents.
- Trading volume. At Exness, lots x contract size, always counted in the base currency.
Example from Exness: 3 lots of EURUSD is a trading volume of 300,000 EUR.
Sources: CFTC glossary, which is written for futures, so details can differ for forex and CFDs, and Exness Help Centre, Common trading terms and trading volume article (checked 2026-10-13).
Size of one lot at Exness
| Instrument | Size of 1 lot at Exness |
|---|---|
| Forex pairs | 100,000 units of the base currency |
| Gold | 100 troy ounces |
| Silver | 5,000 troy ounces |
| Cryptocurrencies | 1 coin |
| Indices | 1 contract |
| Oil (UKOIL, USOIL) | 1,000 barrels |
Source: Exness Help Centre, Common trading terms (checked 2026-10-13).
Smallest and largest order
- At Exness the minimum trading volume for forex is 0.01 lot. The forex specifications and the Standard account description show the same value.
- The minimum differs by instrument. It is 0.01 lot for forex and commodities, but the official lists for cryptocurrencies and indices show minimums that differ by instrument, from 0.01 up to 3 lots.
- The maximum size of one order changes with the account type, the time of day and the instrument. If an order is above the limit, MetaTrader shows an "Invalid trade volume" error.
Check the minimum and maximum for your instrument and account type on the platform. Sources: Exness Help Centre, Forex, Cryptocurrencies and Indices (checked 2026-10-13).
Cent lots
At Exness, a Standard Cent account counts in cent lots. 1 cent lot is 1,000 USD, which is 0.01 of a standard lot (100,000 USD). The unit is different, so check which kind of lot your platform shows before you place an order.
Source: Exness Help Centre, Standard Cent article (checked 2026-10-13).
Lot size and the value of a pip
Does a bigger lot change how much a pip is worth?
Yes. At Exness the value of a pip is lots x contract size x pip size, so it grows with the number of lots. A larger order gains or loses more for the same price move.
At Exness the value of a pip is lots x contract size x pip size. For 1 lot of EURUSD this gives 100,000 x 0.0001 = 10 in the quote currency (a calculation from Exness's formula). The number of lots is part of the formula, so a larger order is worth proportionally more per pip, in both directions.
To turn a loss amount into a lot size, use the lot size calculator. To see what a pip is worth for your order, use the pip value calculator. See also what is a pip.
What is the smallest lot size?
At Exness the minimum trading volume for forex is 0.01 lot. The minimum differs by instrument, so check the one you plan to trade.Is 1 lot always 100,000 units?
No. At Exness 100,000 units of the base currency is the size of 1 lot of a forex pair. Gold, silver, cryptocurrencies, indices and oil use other sizes, shown in the table above.How do I work out trading volume?
At Exness it is the number of lots x the contract size, counted in the base currency. For example, 3 lots of EURUSD is 300,000 EUR.What is a cent lot?
At Exness a Standard Cent account counts in cent lots. 1 cent lot is 1,000 USD, which is 0.01 of a standard lot.Last reviewed 2026-10-13