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MCL position size calculator

1 MCL tick = 0.01 points = $1.00. Type your stop and risk to see how many CL or MCL contracts to trade.

Contract
Stop
Risk per trade ($)
Your size

20 ticks = 0.2 pts

CL · Crude Oil

1 CL contract

Risk $200.00, outside your range

No whole size lands between $225.00 and $275.00. 1 contract risks $200.00.

★ Best pick

MCL · Micro Crude Oil

13 MCL contracts

Risk $260.00

Leave any risk box blank. Target alone gives the size closest to it.

MCL contract specs

ContractMicro Crude Oil (MCL)
Tick size0.01 points
Tick value$1.00 per contract
1 full point (1.00)$100.00
Standard versionCL (10× bigger, $10.00 per tick)

Tick sizes and values follow the exchange contract specs. Check your broker before trading, since fees and margins vary.

CL and MCL stop size cheat sheet

Risk per contract for common stops, and the size closest to $250 of risk (standard contract preferred when it fits).

Stop1 CL1 MCLSize for ~$250
5 ticks (0.05 pts)$50.00$5.005 CL ($250.00)
10 ticks (0.1 pts)$100.00$10.0025 MCL ($250.00)
20 ticks (0.2 pts)$200.00$20.0013 MCL ($260.00)
30 ticks (0.3 pts)$300.00$30.008 MCL ($240.00)
40 ticks (0.4 pts)$400.00$40.006 MCL ($240.00)
60 ticks (0.6 pts)$600.00$60.004 MCL ($240.00)

How to calculate MCL position size

  1. Pick your stop: 20 ticks is 0.2 points.
  2. Risk per contract = ticks × tick value = 20 × $1.00 = $20.00.
  3. Contracts = your risk ÷ risk per contract, rounded to a whole number that stays inside your range.

Entering prices instead? The stop distance is entry minus stop, divided by the tick size (0.01) to get ticks. See the full guide: how to calculate futures position size.

Questions

What is the tick value of MCL?

One MCL tick is 0.01 points and is worth $1.00 per contract. A full 1.00-point move is worth $100.00.

How many MCL contracts should I trade?

Divide the dollars you are willing to lose by the risk of one contract. With a 20-tick stop, one MCL risks $20.00. For a $500 risk and a 40-tick stop, the calculator suggests 13 MCL ($520.00).

What is the micro version of CL?

MCL (Micro Crude Oil) is the micro contract. It is 1/10 the size of CL: 10 MCL move the same dollars as 1 CL. One MCL tick is worth $1.00.

Should I trade CL or MCL?

Use CL when its size lands inside your risk range, because one standard contract usually costs less in commissions than 10 micros. Use MCL when a single CL would risk more than your maximum, or when you need finer steps. The calculator marks the best fit as “Best pick”.

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