Browse Financial Instruments

Asset and Index Options

Bond, currency, equity, gold, index, OEX, and VIX option terms organized by underlying type.

Asset and Index Options is the financial-instruments landing page for option rights, holders, writers, calls, exercise prices, expiration dates, moneyness, contract styles, listed options, option classes, chains, underlyings, warrants, and real options. It keeps related terms in one branch so readers can move from a broad instrument question to the article that owns the contract evidence.

Use this page when an option contract term changes rights, obligations, exercise timing, moneyness, or underlying exposure. Use the parent Underlying Assets, Indexes, and Rate Options page when you need the broader instrument map. For an individual decision, confirm the contract, term sheet, prospectus, confirmation, exchange specification, or disclosure record before relying on the term.

Use the table below to move from this landing page into the term page that best matches the instrument evidence.

Key Terms in This Branch

TermUse it for
Bond OptionsBond Options clarifies option rights, obligations, payoff shape, exercise timing, or strategy risk.
Currency OptionCurrency Option clarifies option rights, obligations, payoff shape, exercise timing, or strategy risk.
Equity OptionEquity Option clarifies option rights, obligations, payoff shape, exercise timing, or strategy risk.
Gold OptionGold Option clarifies option rights, obligations, payoff shape, exercise timing, or strategy risk.
Index OptionIndex Option clarifies option rights, obligations, payoff shape, exercise timing, or strategy risk.
OEX S&P 100 Index OptionsOEX S&P 100 Index Options clarifies option rights, obligations, payoff shape, exercise timing, or strategy risk.
VIX OptionsVIX Options clarifies option rights, obligations, payoff shape, exercise timing, or strategy risk.

Example in Use

A call option gives the holder a right to buy, but the call writer may have an obligation if the holder exercises.

What to Check

  • Underlying, call or put type, strike price, expiration date, exercise style, contract size, and settlement method.
  • Holder right, writer obligation, premium, margin, moneyness, early-exercise terms, and assignment risk.
  • Listed or OTC venue, option class, option chain, liquidity, corporate action, and underlying reference asset.
  • Effect on payoff, leverage, hedging, volatility exposure, and risk of loss.

Common Mistakes

  • Confusing the option holder right with the writer obligation.
  • Ignoring expiration, exercise style, contract adjustments, and margin before evaluating risk.
  • Assuming every option is exchange-traded, standardized, liquid, or suitable for every investor.

Asset Options content is educational and does not provide personalized investment, tax, legal, accounting, valuation, derivatives, or securities advice.

In this section

Choose a subsection first. Deeper term pages live inside each subsection, which keeps large topic hubs readable.

Bond Options

Bond options give the holder option exposure to a bond or bond-related instrument, often used for rate views or fixed-income hedging.

Currency Option

A currency option gives the holder the right to buy or sell one currency for another at a specified exchange rate.

Equity Option

An equity option is a call or put whose underlying is a stock, equity index, ETF, or other equity-linked security.

Gold Option

A gold option gives option exposure to gold prices, usually through futures, exchange contracts, or other gold-linked underlyings.

Index Option

An index option is an option whose payoff is based on the level of a stock, bond, volatility, or other financial index.

OEX S&P 100 Index Options

OEX S&P 100 Index options are listed index options tied to the S&P 100, used for large-cap equity exposure and hedging.

VIX Options

VIX options provide option exposure to expected equity-market volatility through contracts linked to the Cboe Volatility Index framework.

Revised on Sunday, June 21, 2026