How to Calculate Pips in Gold (XAU/USD)
On XAU/USD, calc.forex treats one pip as a $0.10 move in the gold price. At the usual 100 oz per lot, that pip is worth $10 per standard lot — so a $1.00 move is 10 pips and $100 per lot.
Written by the calc.forex Editorial Team. Last reviewed . · 4 min read · How we check our numbers
Key takeaways
- calc.forex counts a gold pip as $0.10 on XAU/USD. Some platforms call $0.01 a pip instead — the lot size stays consistent only if you do not mix conventions.
- Pip value per lot = pip size × ounces per lot. With $0.10 × 100 oz = $10 per pip per standard lot on a USD account.
- A $1.00 move is 10 pips of $0.10 (or 100 pips of $0.01) and is worth $100 per 100 oz lot.
- Contract size is a broker setting. If your gold CFD is 1 oz or 10 oz per lot, scale the pip value accordingly under Contract specs.
- Use the XAUUSD pip calculator for live conversion and the gold lot size calculator to size from risk.
On this page
What counts as one pip on gold?
Gold CFDs (XAU/USD) are quoted in US dollars per troy ounce. Unlike EUR/USD, there is no universal market convention that everyone labels "one pip" the same way.
| Convention | Price move for 1 pip | Pips in a $1.00 move | Value per pip per 100 oz lot |
|---|---|---|---|
| calc.forex default | $0.10 | 10 | $10 |
| Alternate (some platforms) | $0.01 | 100 | $1 |
Both conventions describe the same price change. Trouble starts when you measure a stop in one convention and feed it into a calculator that uses the other. A $5.00 stop is 50 pips at $0.10, or 500 pips at $0.01 — same dollars of risk if the pip value matches.
The broader pip guide covers forex pairs; this page is the gold-specific companion: what is a pip in forex.
Gold pip value formula
Then convert into your account currency if needed
With the defaults on calc.forex:
| Lots | Ounces | Value per $0.10 pip | Value per $1.00 move |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 | 100 | $10.00 | $100.00 |
| 0.10 | 10 | $1.00 | $10.00 |
| 0.01 | 1 | $0.10 | $1.00 |
If your account is in EUR, convert the dollar pip value at EUR/USD — for example $10 ÷ 1.10 ≈ €9.09 per pip per lot. The XAUUSD pip calculator does that conversion for 23 account currencies.
Worked examples
How many pips is a $1 move in gold?
At the $0.10 pip convention: $1.00 ÷ $0.10 = 10 pips. At the $0.01 convention: 100 pips. On 1.00 lot (100 oz) either way is a $100 change in position value.
Sizing a $100 risk with a $5.00 stop
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Stop in pips ($0.10 convention) | $5.00 ÷ $0.10 | 50 pips |
| Pip value per lot | $0.10 × 100 oz | $10 |
| Lot size | $100 ÷ (50 × $10) | 0.20 lots |
| Same stop as $0.01 pips | $5.00 ÷ $0.01 = 500 pips at $1/pip | Still 0.20 lots |
Open the XAUUSD position size calculator with a 50-pip stop to see the same result with live reference prices.
Profit on a 25-pip gold move
Long 0.50 lots, +25 pips of $0.10 ($2.50 per ounce): 25 × $10 × 0.50 = +$125. Check it in the XAUUSD profit calculator.
When the contract is not 100 oz
Retail gold CFDs often use 100 oz per lot, matching the familiar COMEX-sized round number, but brokers also offer 1 oz, 10 oz or mini contracts. Pip value scales linearly:
At 10 oz per lot, a $0.10 pip is worth $1 per lot. Always open Specification in MT4/MT5 (or your platform's contract specs) and set the same figures under Contract specs on calc.forex.
Exchange-traded gold futures (GC) use ticks set by CME, not CFD lots — use the GC futures calculator for that product.
Common mistakes calculating gold pips
- Using forex pip size (0.0001) on gold. Gold is quoted in dollars per ounce; a 0.0001 move is meaningless for XAU/USD pricing.
- Mixing $0.10 and $0.01 pip labels between the chart, the stop field and the calculator.
- Assuming every broker's lot is 100 oz.
- Confusing CFD gold with GC futures ticks.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate pips in gold?
Decide the pip size your platform uses ($0.10 or $0.01), then pip value per lot = pip size × ounces per lot. With $0.10 and 100 oz, one pip is $10 per lot. Divide a price move by the pip size to count pips.
How many pips is $1 in gold?
At a $0.10 pip size, $1.00 is 10 pips. At a $0.01 pip size, $1.00 is 100 pips. On a 100 oz lot both equal a $100 change per lot.
What is the pip value of XAUUSD?
With calc.forex defaults, $10 per standard lot, $1 per mini lot (0.10) and $0.10 per micro lot (0.01) for a USD account. Convert at the FX rate for other account currencies.
Is a gold pip the same as a forex pip?
No. A forex pip on EUR/USD is usually 0.0001 in price. A gold pip is a dollar-and-cents move in the metal price — commonly $0.10 on calc.forex — not a fourth decimal place.
How do I calculate XAUUSD pips for position size?
Convert your stop into pips with your chosen pip size, multiply by pip value per lot, and divide the dollar risk by that product. Risking $100 with a 50-pip ($5.00) stop at $10 per pip gives 0.20 lots.
