What is the lot size for MCX Crude Oil?

MCX offers two main crude oil contracts: The regular (Mega) contract has a lot size of 100 barrels. The Mini (CRUDEOILM) contract has a lot size of 10 barrels. A 1-point move equals ₹100 profit/loss in the Mega contract and ₹10 in the Mini contract.

How is the margin calculated for crude oil?

Margin requirements fluctuate based on market volatility (VIX). Typically, exchanges block SPAN margin plus an exposure margin. For crude oil, this usually translates to approximately 15% - 25% of the total contract value. Always check your broker's exact margin requirements before trading.

Why does the calculator suggest 0 lots?

If the calculator suggests 0 lots, it means taking even 1 lot would exceed your defined risk percentage, or you do not have enough capital to meet the margin requirements for a single lot. You must either increase your risk percentage, increase your stop loss (tighten it), or add capital.

What is position sizing?

Position sizing is the most critical risk management tool in trading. It tells you exactly how many lots you should trade so that if your stop loss hits, you only lose a predetermined, safe percentage of your capital (usually 1-2%).

MCX Crude Oil Position Sizer

Calculate exactly how many crude oil lots to trade based on your stop loss and risk tolerance. Protect your capital in highly volatile commodity markets.

Updated: April 2026·By Rajat

Risk Parameters

Trading Account Capital

₹

Risk per Trade (%)

0.1%10.0%

Entry Price

₹

Stop Loss Price

₹

Max Allowed Risk

₹ 7,500

Stop Loss Points

30 pts

Mega Contract (100 bbl)

₹100 risk per point, per lot

Allowed Lots

Actual Risk

₹ 6,000

Margin Needed

₹2.60 L

Mini Contract (10 bbl)

₹10 risk per point, per lot

Allowed Lots

Actual Risk

₹ 7,500

Margin Needed

₹3.25 L

How to use this calculator

1Enter your total trading account capital.
2Set your risk tolerance per trade (professional traders risk 1% to 2% max).
3Enter your planned Entry Price for the crude oil contract.
4Enter your strict Stop Loss Price.
5The calculator will instantly show how many Mega or Mini lots you can safely trade.

The Definitive Guide to MCX Crude Oil Position Sizing

MCX Crude Oil is notorious for violent price swings, especially during US market hours and inventory data releases. While it offers unparalleled intraday trends, many retail traders blow up their entire accounts in this segment because they focus on margin availability rather than risk capital.

Margin Limits vs. Risk Limits

Never trade based on margin alone. Just because your broker provides enough margin to buy 5 lots of crude oil does not mean you should. If your account size is ₹5,00,000 and you buy 5 mega lots, a sudden 50-point spike against you results in a ₹25,000 loss — 5% of your total capital wiped out in a single trade. If you take 3 such trades in a week, you are down 15%. Recovering from a 15% drawdown requires a massive winning streak just to break even.

By using our position sizer, you constrain your trade size mathematically. If your technical analysis requires a wide 60-point stop loss on a particular trade to avoid market noise, the calculator will force you to drop down from Mega to Mini contracts so your maximum loss never exceeds your safe 1-2% threshold.

Mega vs Mini Contracts Explained

The Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) provides two primary contracts to cater to different capital sizes:

Mega Contract (CRUDEOIL): The lot size is 100 barrels. Every 1-point move in the price results in a ₹100 profit or loss. It requires high margin (₹1L - ₹1.3L per lot) and is designed for highly capitalized professional traders.
Mini Contract (CRUDEOILM): The lot size is 10 barrels. Every 1-point move is a ₹10 profit or loss. It requires significantly less margin (₹10k - ₹13k per lot) and is perfect for beginners or traders testing new strategies.

The 2% Professional Risk Rule

Professional traders live by the 1% or 2% rule. This means on any single trade setup, the maximum amount of money they are willing to lose if their stop-loss gets hit is exactly 1% or 2% of their total trading capital.

If your capital is ₹3,00,000, a 2% risk means your absolute maximum loss on a trade is ₹6,000. If your setup demands a 40-point stop loss, 1 Mega lot would risk ₹4,000 (which is safe). However, if your setup demands an 80-point stop loss, 1 Mega lot would risk ₹8,000 (which violates your rule). In this scenario, our calculator will immediately tell you to shift to the Mini contract and buy exactly 7 Mini lots (risking ₹5,600).

Learn the US Session Strategy

To maximize your edge in Crude Oil, you should focus your trading during the highly liquid US market hours. Read our deep-dive MCX Crude Oil Intraday Trading Strategy guide to learn how to trade the Wednesday EIA inventory reports effectively.