Derivatives

Boosting Binomial Exotic Option Pricing with Tensor Networks ArXiv ID: 2505.17033 “View on arXiv” Authors: Maarten van Damme, Rishi Sreedhar, Martin Ganahl Abstract Pricing of exotic financial derivatives, such as Asian and multi-asset American basket options, poses significant challenges for standard numerical methods such as binomial trees or Monte Carlo methods. While the former often scales exponentially with the parameters of interest, the latter often requires expensive simulations to obtain sufficient statistical convergence. This work combines the binomial pricing method for options with tensor network techniques, specifically Matrix Product States (MPS), to overcome these challenges. Our proposed methods scale linearly with the parameters of interest and significantly reduce the computational complexity of pricing exotics compared to conventional methods. For Asian options, we present two methods: a tensor train cross approximation-based method for pricing, and a variational pricing method using MPS, which provides a stringent lower bound on option prices. For multi-asset American basket options, we combine the decoupled trees technique with the tensor train cross approximation to efficiently handle baskets of up to $m = 8$ correlated assets. All approaches scale linearly in the number of discretization steps $N$ for Asian options, and the number of assets $m$ for multi-asset options. Our numerical experiments underscore the high potential of tensor network methods as highly efficient simulation and optimization tools for financial engineering. ...

Convergence of the Markovian iteration for coupled FBSDEs via a differentiation approach ArXiv ID: 2504.02814 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract In this paper, we investigate the Markovian iteration method for solving coupled forward-backward stochastic differential equations (FBSDEs) featuring a fully coupled forward drift, meaning the drift term explicitly depends on both the forward and backward processes. An FBSDE system typically involves three stochastic processes: the forward process $X$, the backward process $Y$ representing the solution, and the $Z$ process corresponding to the scaled derivative of $Y$. Prior research by Bender and Zhang (2008) has established convergence results for iterative schemes dealing with $Y$-coupled FBSDEs. However, extending these results to equations with $Z$ coupling poses significant challenges, especially in uniformly controlling the Lipschitz constant of the decoupling fields across iterations and time steps within a fixed-point framework. To overcome this issue, we propose a novel differentiation-based method for handling the $Z$ process. This approach enables improved management of the Lipschitz continuity of decoupling fields, facilitating the well-posedness of the discretized FBSDE system with fully coupled drift. We rigorously prove the convergence of our Markovian iteration method in this more complex setting. Finally, numerical experiments confirm our theoretical insights, showcasing the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed methodology. ...

The deep multi-FBSDE method: a robust deep learning method for coupled FBSDEs ArXiv ID: 2503.13193 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract We introduce the deep multi-FBSDE method for robust approximation of coupled forward-backward stochastic differential equations (FBSDEs), focusing on cases where the deep BSDE method of Han, Jentzen, and E (2018) fails to converge. To overcome the convergence issues, we consider a family of FBSDEs that are equivalent to the original problem in the sense that they satisfy the same associated partial differential equation (PDE). Our algorithm proceeds in two phases: first, we approximate the initial condition for the FBSDE family, and second, we approximate the original FBSDE using the initial condition approximated in the first phase. Numerical experiments show that our method converges even when the standard deep BSDE method does not. ...

Adaptive Nesterov Accelerated Distributional Deep Hedging for Efficient Volatility Risk Management ArXiv ID: 2502.17777 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract In the field of financial derivatives trading, managing volatility risk is crucial for protecting investment portfolios from market changes. Traditional Vega hedging strategies, which often rely on basic and rule-based models, are hard to adapt well to rapidly changing market conditions. We introduce a new framework for dynamic Vega hedging, the Adaptive Nesterov Accelerated Distributional Deep Hedging (ANADDH), which combines distributional reinforcement learning with a tailored design based on adaptive Nesterov acceleration. This approach improves the learning process in complex financial environments by modeling the hedging efficiency distribution, providing a more accurate and responsive hedging strategy. The design of adaptive Nesterov acceleration refines gradient momentum adjustments, significantly enhancing the stability and speed of convergence of the model. Through empirical analysis and comparisons, our method demonstrates substantial performance gains over existing hedging techniques. Our results confirm that this innovative combination of distributional reinforcement learning with the proposed optimization techniques improves financial risk management and highlights the practical benefits of implementing advanced neural network architectures in the finance sector. ...

Integrating the implied regularity into implied volatility models: A study on free arbitrage model ArXiv ID: 2502.07518 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract Implied volatility IV is a key metric in financial markets, reflecting market expectations of future price fluctuations. Research has explored IV’s relationship with moneyness, focusing on its connection to the implied Hurst exponent H. Our study reveals that H approaches 1/2 when moneyness equals 1, marking a critical point in market efficiency expectations. We developed an IV model that integrates H to capture these dynamics more effectively. This model considers the interaction between H and the underlying-to-strike price ratio S/K, crucial for capturing IV variations based on moneyness. Using Optuna optimization across multiple indexes, the model outperformed SABR and fSABR in accuracy. This approach provides a more detailed representation of market expectations and IV-H dynamics, improving options pricing and volatility forecasting while enhancing theoretical and pratcical financial analysis. ...

A nested MLMC framework for efficient simulations on FPGAs ArXiv ID: 2502.07123 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract Multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC) reduces the total computational cost of financial option pricing by combining SDE approximations with multiple resolutions. This paper explores a further avenue for reducing cost and improving power efficiency through the use of low precision calculations on configurable hardware devices such as Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). We propose a new framework that exploits approximate random variables and fixed-point operations with optimised precision to generate most SDE paths with a lower cost and reduce the overall cost of the MLMC framework. We first discuss several methods for the cheap generation of approximate random Normal increments. To set the bit-width of variables in the path generation we then propose a rounding error model and optimise the precision of all variables on each MLMC level. With these key improvements, our proposed framework offers higher computational savings than the existing mixed-precision MLMC frameworks. ...

Perpetual Demand Lending Pools ArXiv ID: 2502.06028 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract Decentralized perpetuals protocols have collectively reached billions of dollars of daily trading volume, yet are still not serious competitors on the basis of trading volume with centralized venues such as Binance. One of the main reasons for this is the high cost of capital for market makers and sophisticated traders in decentralized settings. Recently, numerous decentralized finance protocols have been used to improve borrowing costs for perpetual futures traders. We formalize this class of mechanisms utilized by protocols such as Jupiter, Hyperliquid, and GMX, which we term~\emph{“Perpetual Demand Lending Pools”} (PDLPs). We then formalize a general target weight mechanism that generalizes what GMX and Jupiter are using in practice. We explicitly describe pool arbitrage and expected payoffs for arbitrageurs and liquidity providers within these mechanisms. Using this framework, we show that under general conditions, PDLPs are easy to delta hedge, partially explaining the proliferation of live hedged PDLP strategies. Our results suggest directions to improve capital efficiency in PDLPs via dynamic parametrization. ...

Finite Element Method for HJB in Option Pricing with Stock Borrowing Fees ArXiv ID: 2501.02327 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract In mathematical finance, many derivatives from markets with frictions can be formulated as optimal control problems in the HJB framework. Analytical optimal control can result in highly nonlinear PDEs, which might yield unstable numerical results. Accurate and convergent numerical schemes are essential to leverage the benefits of the hedging process. In this study, we apply a finite element approach with a non-uniform mesh for the task of option pricing with stock borrowing fees, leading to an HJB equation that bypasses analytical optimal control in favor of direct PDE discretization. The time integration employs the theta-scheme, with initial modifications following Rannacher`s procedure. A Newton-type algorithm is applied to address the penalty-like term at each time step. Numerical experiments are conducted, demonstrating consistency with a benchmark problem and showing a strong match. The CPU time needed to reach the desired results favors P2-FEM over FDM and linear P1-FEM, with P2-FEM displaying superior convergence. This paper presents an efficient alternative framework for the HJB problem and contributes to the literature by introducing a finite element method (FEM)-based solution for HJB applications in mathematical finance. ...

Simulation of square-root processes made simple: applications to the Heston model ArXiv ID: 2412.11264 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract We introduce a simple, efficient and accurate nonnegative preserving numerical scheme for simulating the square-root process. The novel idea is to simulate the integrated square-root process first instead of the square-root process itself. Numerical experiments on realistic parameter sets, applied for the integrated process and the Heston model, display high precision with a very low number of time steps. As a bonus, our scheme yields the exact limiting Inverse Gaussian distributions of the integrated square-root process with only one single time-step in two scenarios: (i) for high mean-reversion and volatility-of-volatility regimes, regardless of maturity; and (ii) for long maturities, independent of the other parameters. ...

Isogeometric Analysis for the Pricing of Financial Derivatives with Nonlinear Models: Convertible Bonds and Options ArXiv ID: 2412.08987 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract Computational efficiency is essential for enhancing the accuracy and practicality of pricing complex financial derivatives. In this paper, we discuss Isogeometric Analysis (IGA) for valuing financial derivatives, modeled by two nonlinear Black-Scholes PDEs: the Leland model for European call with transaction costs and the AFV model for convertible bonds with default options. We compare the solutions of IGA with finite difference methods (FDM) and finite element methods (FEM). In particular, very accurate solutions can be numerically calculated on far less mesh (knots) than FDM or FEM, by using non-uniform knots and weighted cubic NURBS, which in turn reduces the computational time significantly. ...