US30 lot size calculator
Your cash risk, stop distance in points and broker's point value let the US30 lot size calculator determine your trade size. US30 follows 30 large companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange, where quick price swings can multiply your profit or your loss fast. Line your lot size up with your stop distance and one losing trade stays within the amount you can afford.
US30 and Wall Street lot point values
Brokers list the Dow using names such as US30 or Wall Street. Each contract sets your gain or loss per point. A point means the index price moves by 1 unit. The lot is the standard unit brokers use to measure CFD trade size.
Your broker's exact point value for 1 full lot is what a Dow Jones lot size calculator needs. At IG, 1 pip on the Wall Street CFD equals 1 index point. For every full contract you pay or receive USD 10 per point, and IG quotes that as GBP 7.45.
A small account doesn't mean you must trade a full contract. IG's smallest trade is 0.01 lots, and it asks for a stop at least 10 index points away.
| Trade size | Risk on a 10 point stop | Risk on a 20 point stop | Risk on a 50 point stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.01 lots | USD 1 | USD 2 | USD 5 |
| 0.5 lots | USD 50 | USD 100 | USD 250 |
| 1 lot | USD 100 | USD 200 | USD 500 |
Information taken from: Indices trading – FTSE 100, US500 & more, checked 2 Nov 2026. Dow Jones Index Overview: Wall Street Futures Prices and New, checked 2 Nov 2026. Index Trading, checked 2 Nov 2026.
How to work out your US30 lot size
Stop distance counts the points from your entry price to the stop order that puts a cap on your loss. We size the trade using how much cash you risk, the distance to your stop in points, and the point value your broker applies.
Divide your cash risk by the number of points to your stop, then divide the result by the point value for 1 lot. Formula: Lot size is calculated by dividing Cash risk by Stop distance in points and Value per point for 1 lot.
When you do this, make sure the point value and your account currency match. If your balance is in pounds, take the pound value per point, such as the GBP 7.45 IG quotes.
Source (read 2 Nov 2026): Dow Jones Index Overview: Wall Street Futures Prices and New.
How to size an example US30 trade step by step
Suppose you want to risk USD 50 with a dollar account on a Wall Street CFD trade. For 1 full lot, your broker assigns a value of USD 10 per point, while your stop sits 10 points from your entry price.
- Choose the largest cash loss you'll accept, which is USD 50 in this example.
- Read your stop distance off the chart, which is 10 index points.
- Work out how much you could lose from each 1 point move. With a 10 point stop, this is USD 5 per point.
- Compare the USD 5 per point amount with the USD 10 full lot value from your broker, and you get 0.5 lots.
After finding your lot size, make sure your available cash covers the margin. Margin is the deposit your broker holds to keep a leveraged trade open, set at 5% on IG's Wall Street CFD. Margin deposits don't cap your loss, so a stop order is still needed to keep your balance safe.
Information taken from: Indices trading – FTSE 100, US500 & more, checked 2 Nov 2026. Dow Jones Index Overview: Wall Street Futures Prices and New, checked 2 Nov 2026. Index Trading, checked 2 Nov 2026.
Are lots used for US30 in UK spread betting?
In UK spread betting, lots aren't used at all when you trade the Dow. In CFD trading you buy or sell contract units, while spread betting means you stake a cash sum per point.
At CMC Markets, you might stake £5 per point on an index rather than choose a lot fraction. To risk £50 on a spread bet with a 10 point stop, type a £5 stake per point.
Information taken from: Indices trading – FTSE 100, US500 & more, checked 2 Nov 2026. Dow Jones Index Overview: Wall Street Futures Prices and New, checked 2 Nov 2026. Index Trading, checked 2 Nov 2026.