Easy Lot Sizing on All Assets? Meet Sekanas

Stop Thinking in Pips & Points. It's Time to Speak a Universal Language: Sekanas.

Hello fellow traders,
For years, we've all navigated the markets using a fragmented language. We measure risk in 'pips' for Forex, 'points' for indices, 'ticks' for futures, and 'dollars' for stocks and crypto.
A 50-pip stop on EUR/USD has a completely different meaning and value than a 50-point stop on the Dow Jones or a $50 stop on Gold. This constant mental translation is complex, prone to errors, and makes it incredibly difficult to standardize risk across a diversified portfolio. What if we could simplify all of this? What if we could use one universal unit of measurement for risk and reward across every single financial instrument?
This is why I developed the "Sekanas" Financial Calculation Method.

What is Sekanas? The Core Idea.

The idea is incredibly simple yet powerful:
1 Sekanas = A 0.01% (one-hundredth of a percent) change in the asset's price.
That's it. Instead of an arbitrary unit like a pip, Sekanas is a proportional, percentage-based unit. It's a universal language for price movement. A 10 Sekanas stop loss means you are willing to risk a 0.10% move against your position, regardless of whether you're trading EUR/USD at 1.0500, Gold at $2350, or Bitcoin at $65,000.

Why Does This Change Everything for a Trader?

 

1. Universal Risk Standardization: For the first time, you can truly compare apples to apples. A "15 Sekanas stop" has the exact same proportional significance on every asset. This allows you to build strategies and risk models that are truly universal.
2. Effortless & Consistent Position Sizing: This is the real game-changer. The most common question is, "How many lots should I use to risk $100 on this trade?" With Sekanas, the process becomes beautifully simple. You define your stop in Sekanas, and the system instantly calculates the precise lot size needed to match your desired dollar risk, automatically considering the instrument's contract size and value.
3. Intuitive Understanding of Volatility: You start to think in terms of percentage volatility, which is what institutional traders do. You get a much better feel for whether an 8 Sekanas (0.08%) stop is appropriate for a highly volatile instrument versus a low-volatility one.
4. Elimination of "Pip Value" Headaches: You no longer need to worry about whether a pip is on the 4th or 5th decimal for Forex, or how many dollars a point move is on the NASDAQ. The Sekanas framework handles all the underlying math.

How It Works in Practice (A Quick Example)

Let's say you want to buy Gold (XAU/USD) and risk a maximum of $150.

1. Instrument: XAU/USD
2. Entry Price (Ask): $2350.50
3. Your Stop-Loss Rule: You decide on an 8 Sekanas stop.
4. Max Risk: $150

The Sekanas system does the following:

1. Calculates SL Price: It computes the price that is 0.08% (8 Sekanas) below your entry.
   1. $2350.50 * (1 - 8 / 10000) = $2348.62

2. Calculates Monetary Value of the Stop: It determines the dollar value of that price gap ($2350.50 - $2348.62 = $1.88) for a standard 1.00 lot. Let's say for Gold, this is $188.
3. Calculates Your Precise Lot Size: It matches your desired risk to the calculated value.
   1. Required Lot = $150 (Your Risk) / $188 (Value of 1 Lot Stop) = 0.80 lots

You now have a precise SL level and the exact lot size to enter, all derived from one simple, intuitive unit.
The Sekanas system is a framework I'm building to bring consistency, clarity, and discipline to my trading. It's about removing the unnecessary complexity of market mechanics so we can focus on what truly matters: our strategy.
I'm keen to hear your thoughts, critiques, and ideas. Do you think a universal, percentage-based approach like this could simplify your own trading process?
Best regards, AYDIN SARIHAN

Measure Spread in Sekanas, Not Pips - A Free Indicator to See The Real Cost

Hello everyone,
Following up on my previous discussions about the Sekanas method, I've developed a practical tool that I'd like to share with the community for free.
We often measure spread in pips, but a 2-pip spread on EUR/USD has a very different proportional cost than a 2-pip spread on GBP/JPY. To solve this, I created the Spread_Sekanas indicator. Its main purpose is to show you the current spread in the universal, percentage-based 'Sekanas' unit, giving you a truer understanding of your trading costs.

Here is a breakdown of its features and how you can use it to your advantage.
Key Features of the Spread_Sekanas Indicator:

1. 
   Proportional Spread Measurement: The indicator automatically converts the spread from points into the Sekanas unit. This allows you to instantly see the spread as a percentage of the current price, making it easy to compare real trading costs across any instrument.
2. Advanced Spread Alerts: This is one of the most powerful features. You can set a maximum spread limit in Sekanas, and if the current spread exceeds that value, the indicator will warn you. This is perfect for avoiding trades during high-volatility news events or low-liquidity periods. The alert system is fully customizable:
3. Full Visual Customization: You have complete control over how the information is displayed on your chart. You can change:
   1. The color, size, and font of the spread text.
   2. The on-screen position (any of the four corners) and its distance from the edges.
   3. The visibility and styling of the indicator's name, allowing for a cleaner chart if you prefer.
      

4. 
   On-Chart Price Line Label: You can enable an optional feature (DrawLabel) that places the Sekanas spread value as a label directly on the price scale, right between the bid and ask lines. This provides a highly intuitive visual guide to the current spread. This label can also be drawn as a background element if desired.
   

Recommendations for Use:

1. For Scalpers and News Traders: Before entering a trade, check the Sekanas value. Set an alert for a level you consider too high (e.g., 1.5 or 2.0 Sekanas). If the alert triggers during a news release, you know the cost of entry is proportionally very high, and it may be wise to wait.
2. For Multi-Asset Traders: Use this indicator to "shop" for the best trading conditions. Before placing a trade, quickly flip through your favorite instruments. You might find that the spread on XAU/USD is proportionally much lower (a better value) than the spread on EUR/JPY at that moment, helping you choose the more cost-effective trade.
3. To Understand Your Broker: Let the indicator run on a demo account for a week across various pairs. This will give you a clear, normalized picture of which pairs your broker offers competitively and at which times of the day spreads are consistently high or low. The Sekanas unit makes this an apples-to-apples comparison.

The indicator is attached below. Feel free to use it, share your feedback, and offer suggestions for future versions.
Happy trading!

I've only just had a quick look, not sure if I understand the full value of it yet, but to my mind, it needs to be a -

DASHBOARD

show and compare all the values for all instruments for easy visual comprehension.

Good, or no?

Great feedback, thanks! The dashboard idea is really valuable. I'm aware of how powerful it would be to be able to visually compare readings from all instruments on a single screen. I'll definitely consider this suggestion and explore how I can implement it.

Do you specialise only in MT5 coding?
My MT4 dinosaur could use this too.

You're absolutely right. I should release the MT4 version as well. While it's difficult to develop both at once, I will develop and share the code for this version as well.

I am now providing the MQL4 version of the Spread_Sekanas indicator, complete with the full open-source code.
I believe this will be particularly valuable for EA authors. With this code, developers can easily create robust, multi-pair EAs. The core logic allows you to implement a universal spread filter that works consistently across all instruments.
For example, you can set a single rule like: if (SpreadInSekanas > 1.5) return;
This simple line of code will work flawlessly whether your EA is analyzing EUR/USD, XAU/USD, or USD/TRY, making the development of multi-market strategies much more straightforward.
The mq4 file is attached below. Feel free to use it, integrate the logic into your own projects, and share your feedback.

This image perfectly highlights the inconsistency of the classic spread display (the values in the circles): instead of seemingly unrelated figures like '8.0' for Gold, '1400.0' for Bitcoin, and '1.1' for NZDCAD, Sekanas presents the true proportional cost across all instruments in an instantly comparable way.

Kev Pete and I have been using this method for years...

Perhaps the OP can check these and see if its anywhwere close to what he's presenting here.

for those with ......


Quick setup (typical)

1. Sekanas: 8 → 0.08% stop distance.
2. MaxRisk: your risk in account currency (e.g., 150).
3. Direction: Buy or Sell.
4. UseManualEntry:
   1. false → entry = Ask (Buy) / Bid (Sell), live.
   2. true → set ManualEntryPrice to size against a fixed planned entry.

5. DrawLines: true to show Entry & Stop lines.

Text placement & style

1. To place the info text by pixels (from the chart’s top-left):
   1. AnchorToCorner = false
   2. Set PanelX and PanelY (e.g., 16 / 24).

2. To anchor to a corner:
   1. AnchorToCorner = true
   2. Pick Corner (0 TL, 1 TR, 2 BL, 3 BR) and set XPad/YPad.

3. PanelTextColor / PanelFont / PanelFontSize control the look.

How the sizing works

1. Gap = Entry × (Sekanas / 10000).
   Example: 2350.50 × (8/10000) = 1.8804.
2. Stop price:
   Buy → Entry – Gap; Sell → Entry + Gap.
3. Money per 1.00 lot = (Gap / TickSize) × TickValue (broker-provided).
4. Suggested lots = MaxRisk / money_per_lot, rounded to your LotStep and clamped to broker Min/Max lot.

Example (XAUUSD)

1. Entry 2350.50, Sekanas 8 → Gap ≈ 1.8804.
2. If TickSize=0.01 and TickValue=$1.00 (common), money/lot ≈ 188.04.
3. MaxRisk $150 → lots ≈ 150/188.04 = 0.80 (rounded to lot step).

What you’ll see

1. Entry line at live (or manual) price.
2. Stop line at computed price.
3. Panel with: Sekanas %, Entry/Stop, $ value per 1.00 lot, Suggested lots.

Tips & troubleshooting

1. If “Per 1.00 lot stop” looks off, check the symbol’s TickSize / TickValue (some brokers differ for metals / suffix symbols like XAUUSD.a).
2. Buy uses Ask, Sell uses Bid (so entry moves with spread if live).
3. If text isn’t visible, increase PanelX/PanelY or toggle AnchorToCorner.
4. UpdateSeconds throttles refresh; 1 is fine for live use.

Spread_Sekanas.mq4 — Spread in Sekanas + Alerts
Install & attach
Core behavior

1. Sekanas spread = (Ask − Bid) / MidPrice × 10000.
   (1 Sekana = 0.01% of price.)
2. Shows:
   1. raw spread,
   2. spread in points,
   3. Sekanas value with your cap (MaxSekanas).

3. Optional price-scale label drawn between Bid/Ask.

Recommended settings

1. MaxSekanas:
   1. XAUUSD during active hours: start around 8–12.
   2. Tighten before major news.

2. DrawLabel: true for the quick, at-a-glance read on the scale.
3. AlertOncePerBar: true to avoid spam; use AlertCooldownSec if you need timed repeats.

Placement & style

1. Use UseFixedXY + TextX/TextY (pixels from top-left) for exact placement, or switch to corner mode (Corner/XPad/YPad).
2. Toggle the background off (your version already has the white box removed).
3. Change FontName/FontSize and TextColorNormal/TextColorAlert as you like.

Alerts

1. Enable/disable Popup/Sound/Push/Email individually.
2. Message fires when Sekanas > MaxSekanas (per bar or after cooldown).

Workflow suggestion (together)

1. Check spreads with Spread_Sekanas; if Sekanas > cap, wait.
2. When spread OK, use Sekanas risk sizer:
   1. Set Sekanas, MaxRisk, Direction, Entry (live or manual).
   2. Read Suggested lots and place your order with that size.

Enjoy

Andy.....

had a few mins so thought I'd knock these up, might help someone.

wtf lololol
the only sakarta's that I can ever remember using are these


.

The only spread indicator I use is this simple one
from 2010 lol
Tells me enough of what I need to know, in the moment, for my manual trading

You know I was just about to say the exact thing... Yep Bang on Andy.
Always liked your spread ! Works great !

SSHHHH!!! Don't tell anyone, keep to yourself.....

Multipair spread dashboard auto adjusting ...

I expect a working method based on this on my desk by lights out!!

I have no idea if this is in anyway similar or completely wide of the mark to the OP's initial post.

https://assets.faireconomy.media/nfs...ar143927_8.gif moodybot
thank you so much for this incredible contribution. The time and effort you put into coding two fantastic indicators and explaining them in detail is truly admirable. This is one of the best examples of community spirit and constructive collaboration.

I was also very happy to hear that you and another experienced name have been using this method for years. This serves as the greatest proof that the Sekanas concept is a solid and practical idea. Your approach aligns perfectly with the goals I am also trying to achieve.
The risk calculation and spread tracking indicators you have shared will be invaluable tools for everyone following the thread. I look forward to reviewing the code and your approach in detail. Thank you again for this generous and valuable contribution!

TimeTells,

"Even though we love the safe harbor of our habits, we must not ignore the winds of change within. For it is that wind that will show us shores we've never seen and reveal our blind spots."

Moody, you are truly incredible! It's impossible not to be amazed by your speed and talent. This multi-pair dashboard goes far beyond a simple indicator; it feels like a professional product in its own right.
The details, especially the automatic column sizing, advanced sorting options, and the fact that all settings are user-configurable, clearly demonstrate your deep expertise in coding and how much you value the user experience. We can't thank you enough for this priceless contribution to the community and for sharing such a high-level tool.
In a single word: Perfect!

Sekanas Risk & Cost Planner: Putting Your Strategy into Numbers

Developed for MetaTrader 5, the Sekanas Risk & Cost Planner is designed to provide a clear answer to one of trading's most fundamental questions: "With my chosen risk amount and stop distance, what will this trade actually cost me?" You can now instantly compare the hidden costs and position sizes that different instruments entail. Based on your defined Dollar risk and your stop distance in Sekanas, this tool calculates the ideal lot size for each instrument and the total transaction cost (spread + commission) for that position. This allows you to see at a glance where you can use your capital most efficiently.

Cross-Asset Cost Differences: $100 of Risk is Not the Same Everywhere

To understand the power of this indicator, let's use a fixed scenario: assume we want to risk $100 and set our stop distance to 30 Sekanas. Let's examine how this plays out across the three different cryptocurrencies from the image you provided:

1. BTCUSD (Bitcoin):
   1. The Sekanas Value is quite high ($11.02). This means that for a 1-lot position, a 30 Sekanas stop distance corresponds to a risk of about $330.
   2. Therefore, to risk only $100, the calculated Lot Size is small: 0.30 Lot.
   3. Thanks to the tight spread (1.27 Sk) and the small lot size, the Total Cost for this trade is only $4.20.

   
   

2. XRPUSD (Ripple):
   1. The Sekanas Value is very low ($0.28). This means a 30 Sekanas stop for 1 lot is just $8.40 of risk.
   2. To meet the $100 risk target, the required Lot Size is enormous: 11.89 Lots.
   3. When the very wide spread (16.77 Sk) is combined with this massive lot size, the Total Cost skyrockets to a shocking $55.88. This means you are paying more than half of your risked amount in costs just to enter the position!

   
   

3. ETHUSD (Ethereum):
   1. The Sekanas Value is in the middle ground ($0.43). This requires a substantial Lot Size of 7.80 Lots to risk $100.
   2. With a reasonable spread (2.74 Sk), the Total Cost remains at a manageable $9.13.

   
   

Conclusion: This comparison demonstrates just how critical the Sekanas planner is. Even with the same risk appetite, your choice of instrument can increase your transaction costs by more than tenfold. The tool helps you avoid assets like XRP, which may seem "cheap" but have extremely high trading costs.

Code Structure and Logic

This new version of the indicator has been developed using a modern MQL5 structure and standard libraries (like SymbolInfo.mqh). At the heart of the code is a new function, CalculateCostForRiskAmount, which performs all the calculations. This function operates with the following steps:

1. Calculate Stop Value: First, it finds the Dollar value of the entered Sekanas stop distance for a single lot.
2. Determine Lot Size: Then, it calculates the required position size (lot) by dividing the user's total Dollar risk by the stop value calculated for one lot.
3. Find Total Cost: Finally, it sums the spread and commission costs for that calculated lot size and displays it on the screen.

The code presents a clean and understandable structure by clearly separating the calculation logic (CalculateCostForRiskAmount) from the user interface (UpdatePanel, CreatePanel). The user inputs, InpRiskAmountUSD and InpStopLossSekanas, are now central to the indicator's function, transforming it into a dynamic planning tool.

The Sekanas Cost Analysis Indicator is Now on MetaTrader 4!
Open-Source (MQ4) Version Released - Contribute to its Development!
Following numerous requests from the MetaTrader 4 community, I am excited to announce the release of the MQL4 version of the popular Sekanas Cost Real Analysis indicator. This version aims to bring the success of the MT5 tool to the MT4 platform, allowing traders to analyze their transaction costs with greater transparency.
I am releasing this version as a fully open-source project to encourage community collaboration and further development. As this is a port from the original MQL5 code, there may be some minor graphical glitches or calculation errors in this initial release. Therefore, I invite the entire community to review the source code, fix any potential bugs, and even develop your own improved versions by adding new features.
The goal is to work together to make this invaluable tool even better. Feel free to use, enhance, and share the code as you wish.

I still don't see the practical advantage to using this over a trade manager EA that already calculates position sizing according to the user settings for Stop Loss.

For example, a 10K account, I can set for 1% loss or $100 loss at the SL, for any pair or Gold.

Why do I need to compare that with anything else, in another fictional number aka Sekanas?

It just seems a major distraction from the main purpose of Risk Management.

Could be wrong, show me a real-world example using this Sekanas.

Cheers.