Position sizing on smaller accounts: Is it just patience?

asked by u/yousef.sultan · 22h · 2 answers

Been trading forex for about six months now, mostly demo and a micro live account. The common advice is to risk 1-2% per trade, which makes sense in theory for capital preservation. But on a $1000 account, that's $10-20. Even with a good R:R, it feels like it takes forever to see meaningful gains, and commissions/spreads eat a chunk of that. I'm not looking to get rich quick, but I'm wondering if there's a point where that 1-2% rule is too restrictive on smaller capital, or if it's truly just a matter of grinding it out until the account grows to a point where those percentages become more impactful. Are others sticking strictly to 1-2% on smaller accounts, or is there a slightly higher but still responsible range to consider without blowing up?

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  • u/min_wu· 1 pts· 22h

    I hear you. It's a grind with small accounts. The 1-2% rule is crucial, but it does mean slow growth. Are you tracking your average commission/spread cost per trade relative to your $10-20 risk?

  • u/lopez_giulia· 1 pts· 20h

    It's a common dilemma with smaller accounts. While risking 1-2% is sound, the absolute dollar value can feel insignificant. Have you explored the option of using a slightly higher percentage on very high-conviction setups, or focusing on compounding even small gains consistently over time rather than chasing larger per-trade returns?

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