Free trader tool
Forex Compounding Calculator
See what a fixed percentage gain compounds to over any number of trades, days, weeks or months — with optional deposits and the full growth schedule. Works the same for forex, indices, gold and crypto.
- Profit from compounding
- $6,245
- Total return
- 624.5%
- Growth multiple
- 7.24×
| trade | Balance |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,020 |
| 11 | $1,243 |
| 21 | $1,516 |
| 31 | $1,848 |
| 41 | $2,252 |
| 51 | $2,745 |
| 61 | $3,347 |
| 71 | $4,080 |
| 81 | $4,973 |
| 91 | $6,062 |
| 100 | $7,245 |
Sampled every 10 trades.
This is arithmetic, not a forecast.
No edge returns the same percentage every period. Find what yours actually does — backtest it on real history, free.
Backtest it free →How compounding actually works
Compounding means each period's return is calculated on the balance you finished the last period with, not on your original deposit. Gain 2% on $1,000 and you make $20. Gain 2% again and you make $20.40, because the second gain works on $1,020. Small difference at first — the whole story after a hundred periods.
That's the entire mechanism, and it cuts both ways: losses compound on a shrinking balance too, which is why a 50% drawdown needs a 100% gain to recover. The calculator shows the upside curve, but the arithmetic underneath is the same argument for keeping your risk per trade small.
Using it without fooling yourself
A compounding calculator projects arithmetic, not returns. No trading edge produces the same percentage every period — real results arrive in winning runs, losing runs and long flat stretches, and the curve on this page assumes none of that exists. Treat the output as a target-setting tool, not a forecast.
The honest way to use it is backwards. Decide the balance you want and the timeframe you'll accept, then read off the per-period return that demands. If that number is only reachable by tripling your risk, the plan is what's wrong — stretch the timeframe rather than the position size. Work out what you should actually be risking with the position size calculator, and check the payoff on each setup with the risk/reward calculator.
Where the per-period number comes from
The input everyone guesses at is the gain percentage — and guessing is exactly what makes these projections fiction. That number is knowable: it's your average return per trade across a large enough sample, which you get by testing your setup on real history rather than estimating from the handful of trades you remember.
Run your setup through a few hundred occurrences, log every outcome, and you'll have a real average R and win rate to feed into this calculator instead of a hopeful 2%. That's what the CRTLAB simulator is for — replay real market history candle by candle and let the numbers come from your own results.
Frequently asked questions
How does compounding work in forex trading?
Each period's gain is calculated on the balance you finished the last period with, not on your original deposit. So a 2% gain on $1,000 is $20, but the next 2% is calculated on $1,020. Reinvesting profit that way makes growth curve upward instead of running in a straight line.
Is a 2% gain per trade realistic?
As an average across many trades, sustained indefinitely — no. Real returns are lumpy: winning runs, losing runs, and flat stretches. Use the calculator to understand the arithmetic of compounding and to set targets, not as a prediction of your account. The only way to know your real numbers is to test your setup across a few hundred trades.
How do I use a compounding calculator for a trading plan?
Work backwards. Pick the balance you want and the timeframe you'll accept, then see what per-period return that demands. If the required number looks absurd, the plan is wrong rather than you being behind — adjust the timeframe before you adjust the risk.
Does the calculator handle deposits?
Yes. Add a fixed amount per period and it's added after that period's return, so a deposit never compounds money that wasn't in the account. The results separate profit from compounding out of the deposits you paid in.
Is the compounding calculator free?
Yes — completely free, no signup, no limits. It works for forex, indices, gold and crypto alike, since it compounds a percentage rather than an instrument.
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<iframe src="https://crtlab.pro/embed/forex-compounding-calculator" width="100%" height="780" style="border:0;max-width:720px" title="Forex Compounding Calculator by CRTLAB" loading="lazy"></iframe>
<p style="max-width:720px;font:14px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif;opacity:.7;margin:.5rem 0 0">
<a href="https://crtlab.pro/tools/forex-compounding-calculator">Forex Compounding Calculator</a> by <a href="https://crtlab.pro">CRTLAB</a>
</p>A curve on paper isn't an edge.
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