In trading, PNL stands for Profit and Loss a key metric that shows how much you’ve gained or lost on your trades. There are two types of PNL that every trader should understand:
1. Realised PNL
Realised PNL is the actual profit or loss you make after closing a position.
It is calculated when you sell or exit a trade.
The result is credited or debited to your trading wallet.
It reflects your locked-in gains or losses meaning it's final and cannot change.
Example:
You bought Bitcoin at $30,000 and sold it at $35,000.
Your realised PNL is +$5,000.
2. Unrealised PNL
Unrealised PNL is the potential profit or loss on your open (ongoing) positions.
It changes in real time as the market price fluctuates.
It is not final — it becomes realised only when the position is closed.
Used to monitor the current performance of your trade.
Example:
You bought Bitcoin at $30,000 and it's currently trading at $35,000.
Your unrealised PNL is +$5,000, but it may rise or fall as the market moves.
Important Note for Delta Exchange Users:
On Delta Exchange, if you want to calculate your net PNL, you must subtract the trading fees from your realised PNL.
The PNL Analytics section on Delta shows only your realised PNL.
It does not include fees by default.
To get your net PNL, manually deduct the fees listed in the same analytics section.
Was this article helpful?
That’s Great!
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry! We couldn't be helpful
Thank you for your feedback
Feedback sent
We appreciate your effort and will try to fix the article