Volatility Views 286: Bitcoin Futures vs VIX Options

Volatility Review: Looking back on 2017, the year without volatility. VIX has been under 10 for about 45 days this year, and under 12 for a little over 200 days.

The numbers:

• VIX Cash - 9.56
• VVIX - 92
• CBOE Skew Index - 132.5

Russell's Weekly Rundown:

• VIX Options: ADV - 721k
• VIX call/put: - 4, Total 9.38m (7.51m Calls, 1.88m Puts)
• Commodities: Volatility is low but ambiguity is sky high.

Volatility Voicemail: Options question of the week.

Now it's a party! Bitcoin futures are live on both CME Group & CBOE. But everyone's asking us the $1M question - "When will we get Bitcoin Options?" So we thought we'd ask you: When will we be able to trade options on these futures?

• Q1 2018
• Q2 2018
• Q3 2018
• Q4 2018

Listener questions and comments:

• Comment from FContangotrader - You should call #optionblockchain... forget Bitcoin, if you short $vxx since 2011 now you own an island at the Bahamas, if you own gamma and hedge with vol products, now you own 2 islands.
• Question from Javier - Is there a Bitcoin VIX from the CBOE?
• Question from JediGuy - What were your favorite volatility events and trades from 2017?
• Question from Taj Penaso - Hi, will there be options for bitcoin once the futures are traded?? Or just the futures until there are tradeable ETFs available? Thanks

Crystal Ball: Wild and reckless prognostication

Last week:

• Mark S. - 10
• Russell - 9.74
• Bill - 8.99

This week:

• Mark L. - 9.65
• Andrew - 8.99
• Russell - 9.25