Position Sizing
Simple sizing using a fixed risk budget. No advice - just mechanics.
Diversificatie, positiegrootte en portfoliodenken voor beginners.
Why Size Matters More Than Entry
Most beginners obsess over when to enter a trade. Professionals obsess over how much to risk. Position sizing is arguably the single most important risk management tool because it determines how much damage a wrong trade can do.
A great entry with terrible sizing can blow up your account. A mediocre entry with proper sizing keeps you in the game.
The Fixed Percentage Method
The simplest and most common approach: risk a fixed percentage of your account on each trade.
Risk Budget = Account Size × Risk Percentage
Position Size = Risk Budget ÷ Stop Distance (per unit)
Example
- Account: $10,000
- Risk per trade: 1% = $100
- Entry price: $50.00
- Stop-loss: $48.00 (stop distance = $2.00 per share)
- Position size: $100 ÷ $2.00 = 50 shares
If you're wrong and get stopped out, you lose $100 - exactly 1% of your account. This is controlled, predictable risk.
Why Smaller Size Survives Noise
Markets are noisy. Even good trades often go against you temporarily before working out. If your position is too large:
- Normal noise triggers your stop-loss unnecessarily.
- The emotional pressure of a large unrealized loss causes panic exits.
- A string of losses (which is statistically normal) can devastate your account.
Smaller positions give your trades room to breathe and give you the emotional space to follow your plan.
Stop Distance Changes Size
This is a critical insight: wider stops require smaller positions to maintain the same dollar risk.
| Stop Distance | Risk Budget ($100) | Position Size |
|---|---|---|
| $1.00 | $100 | 100 shares |
| $2.00 | $100 | 50 shares |
| $5.00 | $100 | 20 shares |
| $10.00 | $100 | 10 shares |
If you use a wide stop but don't reduce your size, you're risking far more than intended.
Common Sizing Mistakes
- "I'll just buy 100 shares every time" - ignores volatility and stop distance. 100 shares of a $5 stock is very different from 100 shares of a $500 stock.
- "I'm confident in this trade, so I'll size up" - confidence is not edge. The market doesn't care about your feelings.
- "I'll add to a losing position to average down" - this increases risk on a trade that's already going wrong.
Practice
Sizing Calculator
Calculate the position size for each scenario (1% risk on a $10,000 account):
- Entry $100, Stop $98 → Stop distance $2 → Size = ?
- Entry $50, Stop $45 → Stop distance $5 → Size = ?
- Entry $200, Stop $190 → Stop distance $10 → Size = ?
Answers: 50 shares, 20 shares, 10 shares.
Key Takeaways
- Position sizing determines how much a wrong trade costs you.
- Risk a fixed percentage (e.g., 1%) per trade for consistency.
- Size = Risk Budget ÷ Stop Distance.
- Wider stops require smaller positions.
- Confidence is not a reason to increase size.
Wat is een portfolio?
Een portfolio is je totale verzameling van beleggingen. Portfoliodenken betekent dat je niet naar individuele trades kijkt, maar naar het geheel.
Diversificatie
Diversificatie betekent je geld spreiden over verschillende assets om risico te verminderen.
- Niet al je geld in één aandeel of crypto stoppen.
- Verschillende assetklassen (aandelen, obligaties, crypto) bewegen niet altijd samen.
- Diversificatie elimineert risico niet, maar vermindert de impact van één slechte belegging.
Positiegrootte
Positiegrootte (position sizing) bepaalt hoeveel je in elke trade investeert. Het is misschien wel de belangrijkste risicobeslissing.
- Riskeer nooit meer dan 1-2% van je totale kapitaal per trade.
- Pas je positiegrootte aan op basis van volatiliteit.
- Grotere overtuiging rechtvaardigt niet altijd een grotere positie.
Belangrijkste punten
- Denk in portfolio's, niet in individuele trades.
- Diversificatie vermindert risico maar elimineert het niet.
- Positiegrootte is je belangrijkste risicotool.
- Bescherm je kapitaal — herstel van grote verliezen is exponentieel moeilijker.
Les afgerond
Je hebt afgerond: Position Sizing.