Impermanent loss is the value a liquidity provider gives up versus simply holding the two tokens, when their prices move apart. Enter your deposit and how much each token price has changed, plus any fee APR earned, and this calculator shows the impermanent loss percentage, the value of holding, the pool value and your net result after fees.
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How to Use the Impermanent Loss Calculator
- Enter the total value you deposited into the pool.
- Enter the price change of each token since you deposited, as a percentage. Use 0 for a stablecoin.
- Optionally add the fee APR of the pool and the days you have been in it.
- Read the loss percentage, the holding and pool values, and whether fees make up the difference.
| Result | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Impermanent loss | How much less the pool position is worth than holding, in percent. |
| Value if held | Your original tokens kept in a wallet at current prices. |
| Value in pool | Your share of the pool after it rebalanced, before fees. |
| Pool plus fees vs holding | The bottom line once trading fees are added. |
What Is Impermanent Loss?
When you add liquidity to an automated market maker such as Uniswap, you deposit two tokens of equal value. Traders then swap against the pool, and the pool keeps its balance by selling whichever token is rising and buying the one that is falling. As a result you end up holding more of the weaker token and less of the stronger one.
Impermanent loss is the gap between what your pool share is worth and what the same tokens would be worth if you had just held them. It is called impermanent because it disappears if prices return to where they were when you deposited. It becomes permanent the moment you withdraw at a different price ratio.
Liquidity providers accept this risk in exchange for a share of trading fees. Whether providing liquidity pays depends on whether those fees exceed the loss. For the profit on a simple buy and sell, the crypto profit calculator is the simpler tool.
How the Impermanent Loss Calculator Works
A constant-product pool keeps the product of its two token balances fixed, x times y equals k. That rule determines exactly how the pool rebalances as prices move.
IL = 2 x sqrt(r) / (1 + r) - 1, where r is the change in the price ratio of the two tokens.If the price of token A is multiplied by a and the price of token B by b, holding is worth V/2 x (a + b) while the pool is worth V x sqrt(ab). Their ratio simplifies to IL = 2 sqrt(r)/(1 + r) - 1 with r = a/b.
- Turn each percentage change into a multiplier.
- Value the held tokens at the new prices.
- Value the pool share as the deposit times the square root of the two multipliers.
- Add fees as deposit x APR x days / 365 and compare.
Impermanent Loss Example
You deposit 10,000 into an ETH and USDC pool, 5,000 of each. ETH then doubles while USDC stays at 1. Held, your tokens would be worth 15,000. In the pool, which has sold some ETH on the way up, your share is worth about 14,142.
That is an impermanent loss of about 5.72 percent, or roughly 858 less than holding. If the pool paid a 20 percent fee APR and you stayed a full year, you would earn about 2,000 in fees, leaving you around 1,142 ahead of simply holding.
Bigger moves hurt more. If the token rises fourfold against the stablecoin, the loss grows to 20 percent. If both tokens rise by the same percentage, the ratio does not change and there is no impermanent loss at all.
Impermanent Loss by Price Change: a Comparison
| Price ratio change | Impermanent loss |
|---|---|
| 1.25x or 0.8x | 0.6 percent |
| 1.5x or 0.67x | 2.0 percent |
| 2x or 0.5x | 5.7 percent |
| 3x or 0.33x | 13.4 percent |
| 4x or 0.25x | 20.0 percent |
| 5x or 0.2x | 25.5 percent |
The loss is symmetric: a 2x rise and a 50 percent fall of one token against the other produce the same percentage. It grows slowly for small moves and quickly for large ones.
Factors That Affect Impermanent Loss
Divergence of Prices
Only the change in the ratio between the tokens matters, not the direction of the market as a whole.
Pair Correlation
Pairs that move together, such as two stablecoins or ETH and staked ETH, suffer very little loss.
Fee Income
High-volume pools can pay enough fees to outweigh moderate losses.
Time in the Pool
Fees accumulate with time, while the loss depends only on the price ratio at exit.
Pool Design
Concentrated liquidity amplifies both fees and impermanent loss within the chosen range.
When to Use an Impermanent Loss Calculator
Before Providing Liquidity
Stress-test how far prices could move before fees stop covering the loss.
Reviewing an Open Position
See whether your LP position is ahead of or behind simply holding.
Choosing a Pair
Compare volatile pairs against correlated ones.
Judging a Yield Offer
A headline APR means little until you set it against the likely loss.
Common Impermanent Loss Mistakes
1. Looking Only at the APR
High yields often come with volatile pairs and large losses.
2. Comparing with the Deposit Instead of Holding
Your pool can gain in value and still underperform holding.
3. Using This Formula for Concentrated Pools
Uniswap v3 style ranges have larger losses than this model shows.
4. Forgetting Gas and Exit Costs
Deposit, claim and withdrawal fees reduce net returns.
5. Ignoring Reward Token Prices
Farm rewards paid in a falling token can be worth far less than quoted.
Accuracy and Limitations
What it calculates accurately
- Impermanent loss in a 50/50 constant-product pool
- Value of holding versus the pool share
- A simple estimate of fees earned
What it does not account for
- Concentrated, weighted or stable-swap pools
- Compounding or changing fee rates
- Gas costs, farm rewards and tax
- Smart-contract or depeg risk
How We Calculate Impermanent Loss
Frequently Asked Questions About Impermanent Loss
What is impermanent loss?
It is the value a liquidity provider loses compared with simply holding the two tokens, caused by the pool rebalancing when their prices move apart.
What is the impermanent loss formula?
For a 50/50 constant-product pool, IL = 2 x sqrt(r) / (1 + r) - 1, where r is the change in the price ratio between the two tokens.
Why is it called impermanent?
Because it disappears if prices return to their original ratio. It becomes permanent only when you withdraw at a different ratio.
How much is impermanent loss if the price doubles?
About 5.72 percent compared with holding. A fourfold move gives 20 percent.
Can trading fees offset impermanent loss?
Yes. If the fees earned exceed the loss, providing liquidity beats holding. Add the fee APR and days to check.
Do stablecoin pairs have impermanent loss?
Very little, as long as both coins keep their peg, because the price ratio barely changes.
Does this work for Uniswap v3?
Not exactly. Concentrated liquidity positions have larger losses within their range. This tool models full-range 50/50 pools.
Is impermanent loss the same as losing money?
No. Your position can still be up in value; impermanent loss only measures how it compares with holding.
Is anything I enter stored?
No. The calculation runs in your browser, and nothing you enter is sent anywhere unless you Save a result, which stays on this device only.
Sources
- Constant function market maker (Wikipedia).
- Impermanent loss explained (Investopedia).
- Uniswap v2 protocol overview (Uniswap documentation).
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Explore all AI and crypto calculatorsThis calculator is for general education, not financial advice. It models a standard 50/50 constant-product pool such as Uniswap v2; concentrated, weighted and stable pools behave differently. DeFi carries smart-contract and market risk. Spotted an error? Let us know.
Author
Shakeel Muzaffar is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of MultiCalculators.com, bringing over 15 years of experience in digital publishing, product strategy, and online tool development. He leads the platform's editorial vision, ensuring every calculator meets strict standards for accuracy, usability, and real-world value. Shakeel personally oversees content quality, formula verification workflows, and the platform's commitment to publishing tools that are genuinely useful for students, professionals, and everyday users worldwide.




