Unrealized vs realized P&L: what's the difference?
Unrealized P&L is the paper profit or loss on positions you still hold — it moves with the market every second. Realized P&L is profit or loss you locked in by closing a position — it never changes again.
The distinction matters because unrealized gains aren't yours yet. A position up 40% can round-trip to a loss if you never take it — 'it was up so much' is the most expensive sentence in trading. Watching the two numbers separately teaches you whether you're actually converting good entries into banked results.
Every Poshkan account header shows both, plus today's P&L (how much your holdings moved since yesterday's close) — three different lenses on the same portfolio, because each answers a different question: how's it going right now, how did today go, and what have I actually banked?
Learn it by doing — on virtual money
Poshkan is a free paper-trading simulator for stocks, crypto, and forex. Every trade, every stop-loss, every pip is 100% virtual — so mistakes cost nothing while the lessons stick.
Create a free accountEducational content, not financial advice. Poshkan is a paper-trading simulator — all money, trades, and returns are 100% virtual.