Start with the full cost of the position
Quantity is the number of tokens in this position. Use CAD per token for both the buy and sell prices. Percentage fees apply to the full purchase or sale value. A fixed CAD fee is then added to the buying cost or deducted from the amount you receive when selling.
The return percentage is profit divided by your full purchase cost, including buy fees. It differs from the change in token price alone. A positive result is a profit, zero is break even, and a negative result is a loss.
Entry cost = quantity × entry × (1 + buy fee / 100) + fixed buy fee. Net exit = quantity × exit × (1 − sell fee / 100) − fixed sell fee. Net profit = net exit − entry cost.
For prices that begin in USD, include the currency change when constructing consistent CAD inputs.
A 50% price gain becomes a 46.06% return
Buy 10,000 tokens at $0.05 and assume an exit at $0.075. Before fees, the purchase costs $500 and the sale brings in $750. With a 1% fee and $2 fixed fee on each side, the full purchase cost is $507 and you receive $740.50 after selling fees.
The $250 gross gain becomes $233.50 net profit. Dividing by the $507 entry cost gives a 46.06% return. To net $250 with the same fee assumptions, the required exit is approximately $0.07666667 per token.
Choose Price gain and select Add to comparison, then do the same with Price loss. Change only the sell fee and add a third example to see its effect. These comparisons are temporary. Reloading the page clears them.
After a loss scenario, work out the recovery percentage from the lower starting balance.
Breaking even includes both sets of fees
Selling at the buy price leaves you out of pocket when fees apply. To break even, the amount received after selling fees must cover the full purchase cost. In the default case, the required sell price is about $0.05141414 per token.
You can enter a target loss if a sell price of zero or more can produce it. The calculator rejects a target below the result of selling at zero. It also rejects a sell fee of 100%, because no sale price could cover the purchase cost after that fee.
Required exit = (entry cost + fixed sell fee + target net profit) ÷ [quantity × (1 − sell fee / 100)]. Set target profit to zero for break-even.
A position calculation, not a tax return
This tool covers one buy and one sale. It does not calculate Canadian tax or adjusted cost base across several purchases. It also leaves out leverage, liquidation, borrowing costs and charges you have not entered. Fees are treated as CAD costs, and the result assumes you can sell all the entered tokens at the entered price.
At an exit price of zero, a fixed sell fee is still deducted if you leave one entered. The resulting return can therefore fall below −100%. Clear that fee if your scenario has no sale. Slippage, price impact and the price your trade actually gets remain outside the calculation.
Questions about this calculator
Why is net return lower than the price increase?
Buy fees increase what the position costs, and sell fees reduce what you receive. The return is profit after fees divided by the full purchase cost. It is not just the percentage change in the token price.
Can I calculate the sell price needed for a target profit?
Yes. Enter a profit target and the calculator works out the sell price needed after your buy and sell fees. That is the price required by your numbers, not a prediction that the token will reach it.
Can I compare three different sets of fees?
Yes. Change the inputs, name the example and select Add to comparison. Each example keeps its original inputs and result while you change the next one. You can compare up to three. They are temporary, and reloading the page clears them.
Where do I find the correct fees?
Use the fees shown in your purchase and sale quotes. Check whether each percentage applies to the full amount and whether a fixed fee also applies. If fees are deducted in tokens or included in the quoted rate, account for them in your token amount, price or CAD fee inputs. Do not count the same cost twice.
Sources and calculation details / reviewed 1 October 2026
How this calculator works
The formulas above show how this position is calculated. The linked source explains market valuation; it is not a source for exchange fees.