02 market guides
Equity markets
Benchmark exposure, stock-specific risk, and the mechanics behind an index.
Market guide directory
The independent derivatives field guide
Understand
the market.
Know the risk.
From equity indices to bitcoin. Explore the contracts, costs, and mechanics behind the world of derivatives—without the trading hype.
New to derivatives? Start with the essentials →18Market topic guides
10In-depth articles
01Research-first mindset
Go beyond the headline. Read the contract.
📉 Educational content only. No accounts, execution, or investment advice.Understand the risks ↗
Your starting point
A world of markets.
One clearer perspective.
Choose an underlying or a contract family. Each guide connects market terminology to the questions worth asking.
05 market guides
Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin, ether, SOL, and the contract structures around digital assets.
04 market guides
Futures & options
Expiry, funding, premiums, and the obligations attached to each contract.
02 market guides
Forex & currencies
Base and quote currencies, future payments, and settlement timing.
03 market guides
Metals & commodities
Gold, silver, energy, and physical-market specifications that matter.
02 market guides
Rates & fixed income
Bonds, rate sensitivity, yield curves, duration, and delivery.
Compare the mechanics
The contract. Not the hype.
Start with time horizon and cash-flow structure, then investigate the specific terms that change the risk.
Different contracts. Different mechanics.
Structural comparison · Not live prices or a venue ranking
| Contract family | Time horizon | Cash-flow questions | Risk to investigate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dated futures ↗ | Specified maturity | Margin, fees, settlement, and any roll | Losses and cash calls can exceed initial expectations. |
| Perpetuals ↗ | Usually no scheduled expiry | Funding, collateral, liquidation, and termination | No standard expiry does not mean no forced closure. |
| Options ↗ | Defined exercise and expiry terms | Premium, multiplier, exercise, and assignment | Holder and writer risk profiles differ substantially. |
| Currency forwards ↗ | Agreed future date | Exchange terms, credit, collateral, and unwind | Amount or date mismatches can leave exposure. |
| Rate-linked contracts ↗ | Contract-specific | Reference rate, sensitivity, collateral, and settlement | Equal notional does not mean equal rate risk. |
Terms vary by product, provider, and jurisdiction. Confirm current specifications in official documentation. Source library ↗
The Derivatives Journal
Ideas worth understanding.
Original, long-form guides with worked examples, practical research questions, and primary-source references.
Options contracts: read the obligation behind the premium
Work through calls, puts, payoff versus profit, exercise, assignment, and the risks hidden behind a premium.
7 min read · GuideRead guide ↗
Bitcoin derivatives: understand the whole arrangement
Separate bitcoin price exposure from coin ownership, and compare collateral, reference prices, and settlement.
7 min read · GuideRead guide ↗
Gold, silver, and commodity derivatives: read the specification
Translate commodity units into exposure and examine futures curves, delivery, and physical-market mismatches.
7 min read · GuideRead guide ↗
Forex and currency derivatives: get the direction right
Map the currency, quotation direction, quantity, and payment date before comparing futures, forwards, or options.
7 min read · GuideRead guide ↗
Equity index derivatives: from benchmark to contract
Understand stock market benchmarks, contract multipliers, settlement, and the limits of an index hedge.
7 min read · GuideRead guide ↗
Fixed income and bond derivatives: duration, DV01, and delivery
Distinguish notional size from rate sensitivity and learn why curve exposure, delivery, and cash timing matter.
7 min read · GuideRead guide ↗
Build a better research habit
Start with the contract.
Not the noise.
Learn the language, read the specification, and understand what can go wrong before comparing access to a market.
A few useful answers
Less mystery.
More understanding.
What this site does, how to use it, and why the fine print deserves a closer look.
Our editorial approach ↗Is DerivativesMarketplace.com a trading exchange?
No. This is an educational and editorial website. It does not open trading accounts, accept deposits, hold assets, execute orders, or provide personalized investment advice.
How should I compare two derivatives contracts?
Start with the underlying, contract unit, payoff formula, settlement currency, and expiry or funding mechanism. Then compare collateral requirements, costs, execution, and the events that can close a position.
Are the prices in the social cards live?
No. The supplied artwork contains decorative charts, prices, and slogans. They are not live quotes, historical performance records, forecasts, or promises about any asset or venue.
Can a derivative lose more than its initial margin?
Yes, some derivative positions can create losses exceeding initial margin. Long options, short options, futures, and perpetuals have different risk profiles. Read the exact contract and account terms rather than treating a deposit as a universal loss limit.
Where do the articles get their information?
Each full article contains one direct primary-source reference and links to relevant internal learning material. The source library collects exchange education, regulator resources, protocol documentation, and research used for the site.