Foreign Exchange Option Transaction (2024)

Introduction

Foreign exchange option transaction refers to the buying and selling of a right. After paying a certain amount of option fees, the buyer has a right to exchange a particular currency at the agreed rate on a pre-determined settlement date in the future. In the mean time, the seller of right is also entitled to refuse to perform the above-mentioned transaction contract.

Features

1. If the payment for goods prescribed in the corporate import and export trade contract takes place on one day in the future, it's always expected to avoid the losses due to foreign exchange rate fluctuation on one hand, and to gain the benefits brought by foreign exchange rate fluctuation on the other hand. After paying a certain amount of option fees, customers shall have the right to buy an agreed amount of currency from the bank and sell another type of currency in accordance with the contracted foreign exchange rate at the specific time in the future, or to gain the earnings of option fees by putting the option on the trading date.

2. The buyer of foreign exchange option can choose a beneficial foreign exchange rate from the contracted exchange rate and the spot exchange rate upon maturity to conduct settlement, and the seller of foreign exchange option can gain the income from option fees at the beginning of the transaction. Bank of China can provide customers with option portfolio and "zero option fees" product to avoid foreign exchange rate risk, and also provide portfolio of options with different terms to meet customers' demands for term matching.

Term

A specific trading period is determined on the basis of customers' needs.

Target Customers

Customers who have the need to buy and sell foreign exchange option, and have opened foreign currency accounts in Bank of China.

Process

1. Agreement signing: before conducting option trading with Bank of China, customers need to sign the Master Agreement of Derivative Transactions.

2. Deposit implementation: in case the customer wants to put the option, customers engaging in such a product must have credit supports or provide a certain amount of cash as the security deposit to the customer relations department.

3. Inquiry: customers shall inquire from Bank of China about the price by providing all the details of option dealings in the form of written applications.

4. Completion of the transaction: once the transaction is concluded, Bank of China shall provide transaction confirmation to the customer.

5. Settlement: the option buyer shall pay the option fees to the option seller on the value date. If the buyer chooses actual settlement on the maturity date, the transaction shall be settled in line with the option terms. The customer can, if needed, require Bank of China to unwind the transaction during the trading period.

Cases

A company exported agricultural products to Japan, with the earnings in JPY. It was estimated that the company can guarantee the principal when the exchange ratio from JPY to USD was 118.00. The company anticipated that there would be a JPY income after three months and hoped to lock up the profits. But in case of JPY appreciation, the company could sell JPY in accordance with the market price. The business staff of Bank of China suggested the company could buy the JPY/USD forward foreign exchange option. After calling the option, the company had the right to sell JPY 1.45 billion at the ratio of 116.90 after three months. But if the market price was higher upon maturity, the company can give up the right. Since this right enables the company to gain benefits no matter the market price falls or rises, the company needs to pay the option fees of USD 130,000 to buy the right.

Foreign Exchange Option Transaction (2024)

FAQs

Foreign Exchange Option Transaction? ›

Foreign exchange option transaction refers to the buying and selling of a right. After paying a certain amount of option fees, the buyer has a right to exchange a particular currency at the agreed rate on a pre-determined settlement date in the future.

What is a foreign exchange option? ›

In finance, a foreign exchange option (commonly shortened to just FX option or currency option) is a derivative financial instrument that gives the right but not the obligation to exchange money denominated in one currency into another currency at a pre-agreed exchange rate on a specified date.

Can you trade options on FX? ›

FX option contracts are typically traded through the over-the-counter (OTC)​ market so are fully customisable and can expire at any time. In the spot options market, when you buy a 'call', you also buy a 'put' simultaneously.

What is a foreign exchange transaction? ›

The forex is a global marketplace for exchanging national currencies. Foreign exchange venues comprise the largest securities market in the world by nominal value, with trillions of dollars changing hands each day. Foreign exchange trading uses currency pairs, priced in terms of one versus the other.

What is a currency option transaction? ›

Currency option transaction (FX OTC option) is a transaction giving the option purchaser, who has paid a fixed premium to its seller, the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a fixed amount of foreign exchange at a fixed price per unit in the future.

Who trades foreign currency options? ›

Investment Managers and Hedge Funds

An investment manager with an international portfolio will have to purchase and sell currencies to trade foreign securities. Investment managers may also make speculative forex trades, while some hedge funds execute speculative currency trades as part of their investment strategies.

How do options exchanges work? ›

Options trading means buying or selling an asset at a pre-negotiated price by a certain future date. You can get started trading options by opening an account, choosing to buy or sell puts or calls, and choosing an appropriate strike price and timeframe.

What is an FX option for dummies? ›

What are forex/currency options? Forex/currency options are derivatives that give you the right, but not the obligation to buy and sell FX on a specific date (called the expiry) at a specific price (called the strike price). There are two types of forex options: puts and calls.

Why buy an FX option? ›

One of the most common reasons for using FX options is for short-term hedges of spot FX or foreign stock market positions. For example, if you were buying EUR/USD but you thought there might be a short-term decline in the price, you could also buy a euro put option to profit from the decline while maintaining your buy.

What is an example of a forex option? ›

For example, you would buy a GBP/USD call option if you thought GBP would rise in value against USD. Your potential profit would be unlimited in this case, and your losses would be limited to your options premium. You can also sell FX call options – if you believe the quote will rise against the base currency.

How are FX options settled? ›

Prior to expiration, traders have a number of options to either close out or extend their open positions without holding the trade to expiration. For those traders who want to take their contract to expiration, there are two ways an FX contract can be settled: cash settlement or physical delivery of the currency.

What is an example of a foreign transaction? ›

Foreign Transactions made in United States Dollar

You will have to pay this amount as the Forex Mark-up Fee. For example, if you purchased an item worth 100 USD and the exchange rate is 1 USD = INR 70. In this case, the payable amount in INR will be Rs. 7,000.

What is an example of a foreign exchange trade? ›

Example of Forex Transactions

Assume a trader believes that the EUR will appreciate against the USD. Another way of thinking of it is that the USD will fall relative to the EUR. The trader buys the EUR/USD at 1.2500 and purchases $5,000 worth of currency. Later that day the price has increased to 1.2550.

How do foreign currency options work? ›

An FX option is a contract that confers on the holder the right (but not the obligation) to exchange an amount of one currency for another at a pre-agreed rate (strike rate) on or before a pre-agreed date.

What is an option transaction? ›

An options contract is an agreement between two parties to facilitate a potential transaction involving an asset at a preset price and date. Call options can be purchased as a leveraged bet on the appreciation of an asset, while put options are purchased to profit from price declines.

How do FX transactions work? ›

Foreign exchange, or forex, traders speculate on changing exchange rates by converting large sums of money from currency to currency, much like stock traders buy and sell different stocks. Forex traders essentially attempt to buy low and sell high for a profit, but the asset they are trading is currency.

What is an example of a foreign exchange? ›

The foreign exchange market assists international trade and investments by enabling currency conversion. For example, it permits a business in the United States to import goods from European Union member states, especially Eurozone members, and pay Euros, even though its income is in United States dollars.

What are exchange options? ›

An FX option provides you with the right to but not the obligation to buy or sell currency at a specified rate on a specific future date. A vanilla option combines 100% protection provided by a forward foreign exchange contract with the flexibility of benefitting for improvements in the FX market.

What is foreign exchange explained simply? ›

The foreign exchange (forex or FX) market is a global marketplace for exchanging national currencies. Because of the worldwide reach of trade, commerce, and finance, forex markets tend to be the world's largest and most liquid asset markets. Currencies trade against each other as exchange rate pairs.

What are the three types of foreign exchange? ›

What are the Different Types of Foreign Exchange Markets?
  • Spot Forex Market.
  • Forward Forex Market.
  • Futures Forex Market.
Jun 1, 2023

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