Risk management is an essential aspect of trading, and it involves taking steps to minimize the potential for losses and protect your capital. As a new trader, it's important to have a solid understanding of risk management techniques and to be disciplined in implementing them.
Here are five examples of position sizing techniques that new traders can use to manage risk:
1) Fixed fractional: In this method, you determine the maximum percentage of your account that you are willing to risk on a trade and then calculate the trade size based on that. For example, if you are willing to risk 1% of your account and you have a $10,000 account, you would risk $100 on each trade. To use this method, you first need to determine your risk tolerance and how much of your account you are willing to risk on each trade. Then, you can calculate your position size using the following formula:
Position size = (Risk per trade / Account size) x Account size
For example, if you are willing to risk 1% of your $10,000 account on each trade, your position size would be (0.01 / $10,000) x $10,000 = $100.
2) Fixed dollar: This method involves setting a fixed dollar amount that you will risk on each trade, regardless of the trade size. For example, you might decide to risk $100 on each trade. To use this method, you simply need to determine the fixed dollar amount that you are willing to risk on each trade and then calculate your position size based on the trade's stop loss and the dollar amount that you are willing to risk.
For example, if you are willing to risk $100 on a trade and the stop loss is $200 away from your entry point, you would take a position size of $100 / $200 = 0.5 lots.
3) Risk-based: This method involves calculating the trade size based on the potential loss on the trade. For example, if you are willing to risk a maximum of $100 on a trade and the potential loss on the trade is $200, you would take a position size of $50. To use this method, you need to determine your risk tolerance and the potential loss on the trade (which can be calculated by subtracting the stop loss from the entry point). Then, you can calculate your position size using the following formula:
Position size = (Risk per trade / Potential loss) x Account size
For example, if you are willing to risk $100 on a trade with a potential loss of $200, your position size would be ($100 / $200) x $10,000 = $50.
4) Volatility-based: This method involves calculating the trade size based on the volatility of the security being traded. For example, you might decide to take a larger position in a less volatile security and a smaller position in a more volatile security. To use this method, you need to measure the volatility of the security (using a metric such as the average true range) and then use that to determine your position size.
For example, if you are trading a security with an average true range of $1 and you are willing to risk 1% of your account on each trade, you would take a position size of $100 / $1 = 100 shares.
5) Correlation-based: This method involves taking into account the correlation between different securities when determining position sizes. For example, if you are long one security and short another that is highly correlated, you might take a smaller position in the long security to balance out the risk. To use this method, you need to measure the correlation between the securities and use that information to adjust your position sizes accordingly.
For example, if you are long on a stock and short on a bond that is highly correlated with the stock, you might decide to take a smaller position in the stock to balance out the risk. This could involve taking a position size of 50% of what you would normally take if you were only long on the stock.
It's important to note that correlation can change over time, so it's important to continually monitor the correlations between different securities and adjust your position sizes as needed.
Consider to join the More Crypto Online private community, in which we share additional tips and tricks and you can stay up to date with latest developments. In the video below, you can find out what is included in the membership.
Also, consider to join our Twitter and Instagram channels for regular content and insights around trading and investing as well as cryptocurrencies.