Brokers & Accounts
Beginner
Equity (Account)
Account balance plus unrealised P&L on open positions — the true current value of the account.
Definition
Equity differs from balance whenever you have open trades. Balance updates only on closed trades; equity updates tick-by-tick with open P&L.
Margin checks (margin level, margin call, stop-out) are computed against equity, not balance.
Formula
Equity = Balance + Unrealised P&L on open positions