Balance vs Equity
Also known as: account balance, account equity, balance and equity, free margin
What is it?
Balance and equity are two numbers your trading platform shows side by side, and beginners often confuse them. Balance is the settled cash in your account from closed trades only - it is the figure that moves the moment you close a position and bank the result, and it sits still while a trade is open. Equity is balance plus or minus the floating profit or loss of any positions you currently have open, so it updates tick by tick as the market moves. When you have no open trades the two are identical.
| What you're reading | Balance | Equity |
|---|---|---|
| What it counts | Settled cash from closed trades only | Balance ± floating P&L of open trades |
| When it changes | Only when you close a trade | Every tick a position is open |
| No open trades | $1,000 | $1,000 (identical) |
| One trade +$40 | $1,000 (unchanged) | $1,040 |
| One trade −$40 | $1,000 (unchanged) | $960 |
| Used for margin call | No — hides open losses | Yes — the number to watch |
The instant you open a trade they can diverge. Say your balance is 1000 dollars and you open one trade; if that trade is currently 40 dollars in profit your equity reads 1040 dollars, and if it is 40 dollars under water your equity reads 960 dollars even though your balance still shows 1000 dollars. Equity, not balance, is the true real-time value of your account because it already includes what would happen if every open trade were closed right now, and it is the figure your broker measures margin and margin level against. The common pitfall is watching balance feel comfortable while equity quietly drops toward the level where the broker force-closes positions, the margin call and stop-out zone, because open losses do not touch balance until the trade is closed.
Reading equity, not balance, keeps you honest about where you actually stand. Floating numbers are estimates that change every second, no outcome is guaranteed, and your capital is at risk on every open position.
Why it matters: Equity is your real account value while trades are open, so reading balance instead of equity hides losses building up before a margin call hits.
Equity = Balance + (or -) floating P&L of open trades
Equity, not balance, drives margin and stop-out decisions, so misreading it can mean a forced liquidation you never expected.
Real-world example
With a 1000 dollars balance and one open trade running 40 dollars in the red, your balance still shows 1000 dollars but your equity reads 960 dollars - the truer picture.
How SignalBots handles it
Whether you trade through the SignalBots MT4/MT5 Connector, mobile app, or web dashboard, every account view reads live equity rather than stale balance, and any profit or drawdown figure shown is a historical estimate linked to /risk-warning.
Pro tip
Track equity and margin level, not balance, while positions are open - balance only tells you the past, equity tells you where you stand right now.
Common pitfalls
Feeling safe because the balance looks healthy while floating losses drag equity toward a margin call you did not see coming.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between balance and equity?
Balance is the settled cash from your closed trades and stays fixed while a trade is open; equity is that balance adjusted for the floating profit or loss of every open position, so it changes in real time.
Which number is my real account value?
Equity is the true real-time value because it already accounts for what would happen if you closed all open trades right now. Balance only reflects trades you have already closed.
Why is my equity lower than my balance?
Because you have one or more open trades currently sitting at a loss. That floating loss is subtracted from balance to give equity, but it does not touch balance until you actually close the trade.
Why do balance and equity match sometimes?
When you have no open positions there is no floating profit or loss to add or subtract, so balance and equity show the same figure.
Which figure does a margin call use?
Margin and margin level are measured against equity, not balance. If open losses pull your equity down to your broker's stop-out level, positions can be force-closed, so equity is the number to watch.
Trading involves substantial risk of loss. Historical and backtested results do not guarantee future performance. Read the full risk warning.