How to Calculate Crypto Profit and Loss (Without Getting Confused)

Profit and loss (PnL) is the first thing every trader looks at, but it’s also one of the most confusing parts of crypto trading. Different entry prices, multiple buys, trading fees and volatility can make it hard to know if you actually made money or not.

The basic PnL formula

At its core, profit and loss is simply:

PnL = (Sell Price − Buy Price) × Quantity

For example, if you bought 0.5 BTC at $30,000 and sold at $38,000:

PnL = (38,000 − 30,000) × 0.5 = $4,000

What most traders forget to include

In real trading, your “true” PnL usually isn’t that clean. You often need to adjust for:

• Exchange trading fees (maker/taker)
• Multiple buy orders at different prices (average entry)
• Partial sells instead of one full exit
• Differences between mark price and last traded price

Why using a calculator is easier

Manually calculating this every time is slow and easy to mess up. A profit/loss calculator can:

• Handle average entry price for you
• Include fees in both entry and exit
• Show ROI and percentage gain/loss instantly
• Let you test “what if I exit at this price?” scenarios

Try it with SatsTally

Instead of guessing your PnL in a spreadsheet, you can plug your trade into the SatsTally Profit/Loss Calculator and see your:

• Net profit or loss after fees
• Percentage gain/loss
• Return on investment (ROI)
• Break-even price

The more trades you run through a calculator, the better your intuition becomes for sizing positions and setting realistic targets.