Portfolio definition

A portfolio is the full set of financial instruments a trader or investor holds. In trading, it shows your total exposure across markets, instruments, and strategies.

A trading portfolio can hold open positions, closed-position history, available cash, margin balances, and unrealised profit or loss. It shows how much capital sits in each asset class, market, or strategy.

A portfolio can be concentrated in a few positions or diversified across many. Portfolio management covers allocation, risk control, position sizing, and performance tracking, while portfolio trading means buying or selling a basket of securities in a single transaction.

Portfolio Example

You hold five positions in one trading account:

- EUR/USD forex position - Gold CFD position - S&P 500 index CFD position - Apple stock CFD position - Cash balance in USD

Together these form your portfolio. With heavy exposure to USD-linked instruments, one sharp move in the US dollar can hit several positions at once. Reviewing the portfolio lets you cut that concentration and manage total account exposure.