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- US options market activity is skyrocketing
US options market activity is skyrocketing
Investors are piling into call and put options at a historic pace
Global Markets Investor
May 11, 2026
In partnership with
GLOBAL MARKETS INVESTOR’S PORTFOLIO IS 🔥UP +100%🔥SINCE JANUARY 2024
DURING THE MARCH-APRIL 2025 MARKET TURMOIL, MAJOR US INDEXES FELL NEARLY 20%, WHILE THE GMI PORTFOLIO GAINED OVER 5%, FIND OUT HOW BELOW:
The 1-month daily average of total call volume has surged to ~41 million contracts, the 2nd-highest level on record.
This is more than 4 times the average seen between 2006 and 2019.
At the same time, the 1-month daily average of total put volume stands at ~29 million contracts, also near record levels.
Market Volatility Exposes Weak Delegation
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Furthermore, assets under management (AUM) in leveraged and inverse single-stock ETFs have surged to a record ~$38 billion. This value has quadrupled since 2024.
These products allow investors to bet on individual stocks moving up or down by 2 or 3 times in a single day, making them among the most speculative instruments available to retail investors.
Interestingly, there are now 355 leveraged single-stock ETFs listed in the US, 80 of which have been launched since January 2025, according to Morningstar Direct.
Never in history have traders been speculating in the market this much.
This level of two-sided speculation is also historically consistent with a sharp increase in market volatility.
In case you missed it, I launched a new format on YouTube. I will comment on select market developments every few weeks, and I will improve it over time. In the first video, I covered some wild market stats.
Full insight, however, can be found in the article below and in Sunday’s market recap.
If you find it informative and helpful, consider a paid subscription or become a Founding Member, and follow me on Twitter or Nostr:
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