What it means

A pip (percentage in point) is the standard unit for measuring price changes in forex. For most currency pairs, one pip equals 0.0001 (the fourth decimal place). For JPY pairs, one pip equals 0.01. A “pipette” is one-tenth of a pip (the fifth decimal place). Pip values vary depending on lot size and the currency pair being traded.

Why it matters

Pips standardize how traders discuss price movement regardless of which currency pair they’re trading. They are essential for calculating profit/loss, determining stop loss distances, and comparing spreads across brokers. Understanding pip value is fundamental to proper position sizing.

Example

EUR/USD moves from 1.1050 to 1.1075. That’s a 25-pip move. If you’re trading 1 standard lot ($100,000), each pip is worth approximately $10, so a 25-pip move equals $250 profit or loss.

Visual Example

EUR/USD 1.10503 Pips Pipette 1 pip = 0.0001 25 pips = $250 (at 1 standard lot)

The highlighted digits show pips (4th decimal) and the smaller digit is a pipette (5th decimal).

Related concepts