Basic Knowledge to Invest
Lección 3 : Amount and Units (Invest)
Amount and Unit
Investing by Amount vs. Investing by Unit: What’s the Difference?
At IUX Invest, we offer two flexible investment options to match your trading style and goals—investing by Amount and investing by Unit. Whether you’re trading stocks, forex, or CFDs (contracts for difference), understanding how these options work can help you make better trading decisions.
But what exactly do these two terms mean? And how are they different when it comes to opening and managing your trading positions?
Let’s break it down with clear explanations and real-life investment examples.
What is “Amount”
In trading terms, Amount refers to the total amount of money you choose to invest in an asset. On the IUX Invest platform, all investments are made in USD as the base currency, whether you’re investing in forex pairs, commodities, or stock CFDs.
When you choose to invest by Amount, you are specifying how much capital (in USD) you are willing to allocate to a trade. This is ideal for traders who want to control their overall exposure or follow a fixed-budget strategy.
What Are “Units”
Units refer to the quantity or number of assets (e.g., shares, lots, or contracts) you are buying in a trade. For instance, buying 2 shares of AAPL means you are investing using 2 units.
This method is particularly useful in stock market investing or forex trading, where traders might want to focus on the number of assets rather than the total dollar value.
Whether you choose to invest by fixed amount or by units, IUX invest has something for every investment style, with easy-to-understand systems, automated calculation tools and platforms designed to help you make confident decisions across stocks, forex, and CFDs. Click Here and get started now.
Let’s Dive Into Examples of Both Calculation Methods
To better understand the difference, let’s go through how each method is calculated using real-world trading data.
Calculating the Investment Amount
When you choose to invest by Units, you’re not specifying the dollar amount—you’re choosing the number of units (shares, lots, etc.). To find out how much money will be used, apply this formula:
Amount = Units × Open Price
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Unit = the number of units you’re investing in
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Open Price = the current market price of the asset
Example:
Let’s say you decide to buy 5 units of AAPL (Apple Inc.), and the current price is $200 per unit. Your investment amount will be:
Amount = 5 × 200 = $1,000
So, you will be using $1,000 from your trading account.
Calculating the Number of Units
On the other hand, if you decide to invest a specific Amount of money, you won’t initially know how many units you’re buying. To find that out, use the following formula:
Units = Amount / Open Price
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Amount = the total money you’re investing
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Open Price = the current market price of the asset
Example:
You invest $1,000 in AAPL, and the price per unit is $200.
Units = 1,000 / 200 = 5 units
So, with $1,000, you’re buying 5 units of AAPL.
Trading Assets Not Priced in USD
Since IUX Invest uses USD as the base currency, trading non-USD assets (such as forex pairs like AUD/JPY) requires an exchange rate conversion. Let’s explore how this affects your investment calculation.
Calculating Amount with Currency Conversion
When trading foreign assets or currency pairs not priced in USD, use this updated formula:
Amount = (Units × Open Price) × Exchange Rate
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Exchange Rate = the rate for converting the quoted currency to USD
Example:
You buy 3,000 units of AUD/JPY at an open price of 100, and the exchange rate from JPY to USD is 0.0065.
Amount = (3,000 × 100) × 0.0065
Amount = 300,000 × 0.0065 = $1,950
You will need $1,950 USD for this investment.
Calculating Units with Currency Conversion
If you know the USD amount and want to calculate how many units you can get:
Units = (Amount × Exchange Rate) / Open Price
Example:
You invest $2,000 USD in AUD/JPY, where the exchange rate is 150 JPY/USD and the open price is 100.
Units = (2,000 × 150) / 100 = 300,000 / 100 = 3,000 units
So, with $2,000, you’re buying 3,000 units.
Don’t Forget About Leverage in CFD Trading
When trading with leverage, your actual capital requirement can be significantly lower than the full value of the position. For example, with 1:10 leverage, you only need 10% of the total amount to open a trade.
Example:
If you want to open a $1,000 position on an asset with 1:10 leverage, you only need $100 in your account.
This applies whether you’re calculating by Amount or by Units, making leverage a key consideration for CFD trading strategies.
Summary: Which Investment Option Should You Choose?
When investing with IUX Invest, you can choose between:
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Investing by Amount: Ideal for those who want to control their dollar exposure.
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Investing by Unit: Best if you’re targeting a specific number of shares, contracts, or lots.
Keep in mind:
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Always consider currency conversion when trading non-USD assets like forex pairs.
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Use leverage carefully to maximize your potential while managing your risk.
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Accurate investment calculations help you manage your trades efficiently in volatile markets.
By understanding both investment formats and how to calculate them, you’ll have a stronger foundation for your trading decisions, whether you’re active in the forex market, stock CFDs, or commodities trading.
Ready to start investing smartly? Choose your preferred method and explore real-time trading opportunities with IUX Invest—your trusted platform for intelligent online trading.
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