Why a tight stop loss loses more than your budget
PerpScale · Updated · how we check numbers
In short
Most traders size a trade as risk ÷ (stop distance × lot size). That leaves out the fees, and on Delta Exchange fees are charged on the whole position value — 0.05% taker on each leg plus 18% GST — however close the stop is. With a tight stop the price loss per lot is tiny but the fees are not, so the fees become most of the loss. Example: BTCUSD long at 100,000, stop 99,950, ₹2,000 risk, taker both ways. Sizing on price alone gives 470 lots and a ₹6,710.42 loss at the stop — 3.36× the budget. Counting fees and GST gives 140 lots and a ₹1,998.85 loss.
Why it happens
The loss at your stop has two parts: the price move and the fees. The price part shrinks as the stop gets tighter. The fee part doesn't — it is a percentage of the position value, paid on entry and again on exit.
price loss per lot = |entry − stop| × lot size fees per lot = (entry × entry rate + stop × exit rate) × lot size × (1 + 0.18) loss per lot = price loss per lot + fees per lot lots = floor(risk ÷ loss per lot)
On BTCUSD with a 50-point stop, one lot loses $0.050 on price and $0.118 on fees and GST — the fees are the bigger part.
The gap at different stop distances
BTCUSD long from 100,000, ₹2,000 risk, taker in and out:
| Stop distance | Lots (price only) | Loss (price only) | Lots (fees counted) | Loss | Fees share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 pts | 470 | ₹6,710.42 (3.36×) | 140 | ₹1,998.85 | 70.2% |
| 250 pts | 94 | ₹2,939.14 (1.47×) | 63 | ₹1,969.85 | 32.0% |
| 1000 pts | 23 | ₹2,184.54 (1.09×) | 21 | ₹1,994.58 | 10.5% |
At 50 points fees are 70.2% of the loss; at 1000 points they are 10.5%. The tighter the stop, the more sizing without fees overshoots.
How to size so the stop stays within budget
Include both fees and GST in the loss per lot, then round down. That is what the lot size calculator does; it also shows what sizing on price alone would have cost, so you can see the gap for your own trade. Every number in this article matches Delta's own fee calculator — see the methodology.
FAQ
Why did I lose more than my stop loss amount on Delta Exchange?
Usually because the size was worked out on price distance only. Fees of 0.05% per taker leg plus 18% GST are charged on the full position value, so with a tight stop they can be larger than the price loss.
Does a maker stop order fix it?
It lowers the exit fee, but stop orders usually fill as taker, and the entry fee is still charged on the full position value. Counting fees in the size is the reliable fix.
Does leverage make the gap bigger?
No. The loss at the stop depends on lots, stop distance and fees. Leverage only changes the margin you post — though it does pull the liquidation price closer.
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PerpScale is independent and not affiliated with Delta Exchange. Education only, not investment or tax advice.