How to Count Pips on BTC/USD – A-Z Guide!

As a Forex trader, you will probably deal with various currency pairs , and it’s important to learn what pips are and how you’re supposed to count them. Today, we’re focusing on BTC/USD, but the same information typically applies for other cryptocurrencies and pairs with the USD cross.

What Is One Pip in BTC/USD?

One pip in Forex is the smallest possible price change that a currency pair could make. Generally, one pip for currency pairs is 0.0001. It’s calculated by looking at the last number past the decimal point, and most pairs focus on the last four decimal places. Therefore, the smallest change would be one percent.

However, when you are dealing with Japanese Yen, gold/silver, or cryptocurrency, one pip is just 0.01. Therefore, if the BTC/USD price sits at 1.23, that three in the second decimal place represents three pips.

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How to Measure Pips in BTC/USD

It’s important to understand the type of lot size you’re working with when measuring pips for BTC/USD. You must also know the pip value. However, you learned that earlier. The pip value for one unit of BTC/USD is $0.01. Therefore, in a standard lot of 100,000 units, the pip measurement is $1,000. That lowers to $100 for mini lots (10,000 units) and $10 for micro lots (1,000 units).

How to Calculate Pips for Bitcoin

Traditionally, pip values remain the same when trading USD currency and another pair. However, Bitcoin fluctuates, so the current market rate will change over time. Therefore, you should calculate the pip value with this formula: Pip value equals one pip divided by the exchange rate multiplied by the lot size.

Overall, it depends on how many BTC units there are in one lot. If one lot holds 10 BTC units, a pip is $0.10. However, if one lot holds 100 BTC units, one pip would be $1.

You can also look at it like this:

With a volume of 1 BTC, one pip equals $0.1. For each dollar movement in the pair, you see a 10-pip jump.

With a pip size of 0.01, Bitcoin’s price of 111.54169, and a standard lot size, you would have this formula: (0.01 / 111.54169) * 100,000, which equals a pip value of $8.97.

It’s often wise to use a pip calculator to determine the pip value because human error can mess things up significantly. For example, if you used the wrong Bitcoin price, you’re making Forex trades with incorrect information. This might lead you to significant losses instead of gains.

How to Count Pips in BTC/USD

You count pips for BTC/USD by knowing the pip change and checking the numbers. Since one pip change for this pair is 0.01, you must look at the second (last) number after the decimal point to tell you how many pips you have. For example, if things started at 1.00 and moved to 1.03, you have three pips.

Conclusion

Forex trading is often seen as complicated because there are so many formulas and calculations to make. However, it gets easier as you continue practicing, and you can even find pip calculators to help you find pip values and much more.

FAQs

How Do Pips Work with Bitcoin?

Pips are still the units that measure movement in Bitcoin prices, and it still focuses on a one-digit move in the price from a specific level. Usually, cryptocurrencies are traded on at the dollar level, so a change from $190.01 to $190.02 indicates one pip.

How Do You Calculate Pip in Crypto?

You calculate pips in crypto just like you would the Japanese Yen. It uses two decimal places instead of the traditional four. Likewise, you must know the current price of the crypto you’re calculating pips for to get accurate information.

Let’s say Bitcoin’s price is 111.54169, and the pip size for BTC/USD is 0.01. If you have a standard (100,000 unit) lot size, you would have 0.0000897 pips or a pip value of $8.97.

Are There Pips in Crypto?

Yes. The pip is still the unit of measurement showcasing the movement of price. In this case, it’s cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin. Some systems utilize the dollar level, which means the price would shift from $190 to $191. However, brokers and Forex trading platforms often use the 0.01 pip size, so you would see a one-pip change as 1.20 to 1.21.