A series designed to help all the new people flooding into & entering Crypto/Investments daily who get thrown into the rabbit hole so to speak and everything is new to them.
Bitshares 101 Focus/Resources Section for New Crypto Folks now included near the end of each post - starting just prior to Christmas 2017. BTS is a Decentralized Exchange and much more. Very undervalued!
It is a TLDR / Short Form Series, covering ONLY one thing each episode in blue collar, easy to understand language to give a SHORT OVERVIEW of the term or lesson of the day.
It is specifically designed this way to keep it short and simple.
People can then search out extra info if they wish.
I've never seen a regular series or resource running on Steemit to continually address this basic need so I decided to do it.
TERM OF THE DAY:
What is....
' Derivative ' ?
--
A derivative is a financial security with a value that is reliant upon or derived from an underlying asset or group of assets. The derivative itself is a contract between two or more parties based upon the asset or assets. Its price is determined by fluctuations in the underlying asset. The most common underlying assets include stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, interest rates and market indexes.
Derivatives can either be traded over-the-counter (OTC) or on an exchange. OTC derivatives constitute the greater proportion of derivatives in existence and are unregulated, whereas derivatives traded on exchanges are standardized. OTC derivatives generally have greater risk for the counterparty than do standardized derivatives.
--
Breaking Down...
' Derivative ' :
--
Originally, derivatives were used to ensure balanced exchange rates for goods traded internationally. With differing values of national currencies, international traders needed a system of accounting for these differences. Today, derivatives are based upon a wide variety of transactions and have many more uses. There are even derivatives based on weather data, such as the amount of rain or the number of sunny days in a particular region.
Because a derivative is a category of security rather than a specific kind, there are several types of derivatives. As such, derivatives hold a variety of functions and applications, based on type. Certain kinds of derivatives can be used for hedging, or insuring against risk on an asset.
Derivatives can also be used for speculation in betting on the future price of an asset or in circumventing exchange rate issues. For example, a European investor purchasing shares of an American company off of an American exchange (using U.S. dollars) would be exposed to exchange-rate risk while holding that stock. To hedge this risk, the investor could purchase currency futures to lock in a specified exchange rate for the future stock sale and currency conversion back into euros. Additionally, many derivatives are characterized by high leverage.
Common Forms of 'Derivative'
Futures contracts are one of the most common types of derivatives. A futures contract (or simply futures, colloquially) is an agreement between two parties for the sale of an asset at an agreed upon price. One would generally use a futures contract to hedge against risk during a particular period of time. For example, suppose that on August 1, 2016, Diana owned 10,000 shares of Walmart (WMT) stock, which were then valued at $73.78 per share. Fearing that the value of her shares would decline, Diana decides to arrange a futures contract to protect the value of her stock. Jerry, a speculator predicting a rise in the value of Walmart stock, agrees to a futures contract with Diana, dictating that in one year’s time Jerry will buy Diana’s 10,000 Walmart shares at their agreed-upon value of $73.78.
The futures contract can be considered a sort of bet between the two parties. If the value of Diana’s stock declines, her investment is protected because Jerry has agreed to buy them at their August 2016 value, and if the value of the stock increases, Jerry earns greater value on the deal, as he is paying August 2016 prices for stock in August 2017. A year later, August 1 rolls around and Walmart is valued at $80.50 per share. Jerry has benefited from the futures contract, purchasing shares at $6.72 less per share than if he would have simply waited until August 2017 to buy stock. While this might not seem like much, this difference of $6.72 per share translates to a discount of $67,200 when considering the 10,000 shares that Jerry buys. Diana, on the other hand, has speculated poorly and lost a sizable sum.
Forward contracts are an important kind of derivative similar to futures contracts, the key difference being that unlike futures, forward contracts (or “forwards”) are not traded on exchange, rather only over-the-counter.
Swaps are another common type of derivative. A swap is most often a contract between two parties agreeing to trade loan terms. One might use an interest rate swap to switch from a variable interest rate loan to a fixed interest rate loan, or vice versa. If someone with a variable interest rate loan were trying to secure additional financing, a lender might deny him or her a loan because of the uncertain future bearing of the variable interest rates upon the individual’s ability to repay debts, perhaps fearing that the individual will default. For this reason, he or she might seek to switch their variable interest rate loan with someone else, who has a loan with a fixed interest rate that is otherwise similar. Although the loans will remain in the original holders’ names, the contract mandates that each party will make payments toward the other’s loan at a mutually agreed upon rate. Yet this can be risky, because if one party defaults or goes bankrupt, the other will be forced back into their original loan. Swaps can be made using interest rates, currencies or commodities.
Options are another common form of derivative. An option is similar to a futures contract in that it is an agreement between two parties granting one the opportunity to buy or sell a security from or to the other party at a predetermined future date. The key difference between options and futures is that with an option, the buyer is not obligated to make the transaction if he or she decides not to, hence the name “option.” The exchange itself is, ultimately, optional. Like with futures, options may be used to hedge the seller’s stock against a price drop and to provide the buyer with an opportunity for financial gain through speculation. An option can be short or long, as well as a call or put.
[Options are one of the most common forms of derivatives for retail traders since they can be easily traded on most large equities. If you're new to options trading, Investopedia's Options for Beginners Course provides everything you need to get started with over five hours of on-demand video, exercises and interactive content. You'll learn how calls serve as a down payment, how puts can be used for insurance, why option values fluctuate, how to calculate breakeven points and much more.]
A credit derivative is a loan sold to a speculator at a discount to its true value. Though the original lender is selling the loan at a reduced price, and will therefore see a lower return, in selling the loan the lender will regain most of the capital from the loan and can then use that money to issue a new and (ideally) more profitable loan. If, for example, a lender issued a loan and subsequently had the opportunity to engage in another loan with more profitable terms, the lender might choose to sell the original loan to a speculator in order to finance the more profitable loan. In this way, credit derivatives exchange modest returns for lower risk and greater liquidity.
Another kind of derivative is a mortgage-backed security, which is a broad category defined by the fact that the assets underlying the derivative are mortgages.
Limitations of Derivatives
As mentioned above, derivative is a broad category of security, so using derivatives in making financial decisions varies by the type of derivative in question. Generally speaking, the key to making a sound investment is to fully understand the risks associated with the derivative, such as the counterparty, underlying asset, price and expiration. The use of a derivative only makes sense if the investor is fully aware of the risks and understands the impact of the investment within a portfolio strategy.
Your Friend in Liberty, Barry.
Trading Candle Cheat Sheet:
--
Further Reading/Source/Resources
Friend of the People -- Enemy of the State.
--
Bitshares 101 Focus/Resources Section:
for New Crypto Folks.
https://bitshares.org/
--
-- Bitshares is a Trading platform, and a LOT more.... designed by blockchain wizard here Dan Larimer - @dan / @dantheman.
I've blogged on him, and BTS many many times.
It's a place you can use that is decentralized, with an active community, to use trading lessons like this, that we are learning together.
Just a few of my past $BTS blogs....
to help you apply lessons today!
--
Thanks for reading, have a nice day.
PixaBay has tons of free pictures for us all to use!!!
Super Easy/Fast Picture Edits / Resizing at: http://www.picresize.com/ and also https://www298.lunapic.com/editor/
If you liked this blog post - please Resteem it and share good content with others!
--
Some of my recent blogs:
--
Most Images: Gif's - via Giphy.com , Funny or Die.com / Pixabay. Today:
If you feel my posts are undervalued or you want to donate to tip me - I would appreciate it very much.
--
LiteCoin (LTC) - LKdsnvSXk9JW99EiNicFMGKc1FXiBo9tUE
EOS (EOS) - 0xD37bEFf5bf07E3aa432de00cE0AaA8df603A4fB0
Ethereum (ETH) - 0x3Ad69Ff057C9533ca667B2d7E3E557F5eeFd4477
Ethereum Classic (ETC) - 0x5ab2b08d4ce8d454eb9d1ecc65c6d8b0c5f9784c
Bitcoin (BTC) - 18J6RRuzX4V7b2CDbx7tWZYNBLkkGWsvWX
DASH - XgZvsvSZgPkNbmGbRhc3S1Pt2JAc7QHwiS
PIVX - DA3azxQqJiX9t7EviuacpamfNhMi2zGAUh
Stratis (STRAT) - SNsJp6v1jXvKWy4XcXSXfNQ9zhSJJppJgv
ZCash (ZEC) - t1aCPEYELkGaf3GtgGTiCEDo7XfPm4QEwmL
Please note -- I will have limited internet access for awhile -- so PLEASE do not be upset that I cannot reply right away, or to everyone. I am dealing with some changes, and will have limited time online and will be happy if I get a few blog posts up a week.
This has really upset some people but I do not force my opinions on others, or need to communicate every detail of my life or issues, most people do not care anyways. I invested around 10 hours or more a day on Steemit most of my first 13 mths here, trying to build community, put out content and engage people, help and donate to people, and I just do not have that time in my life right now, and that includes for replies and voting/curation.
I have done my best, sorry if you do not understand like some are clearly having a problem with. It's a blogging platform, and I will do my best at everything, and to keep blogging.
Carry On.
A series designed to help all the new people flooding into & entering Crypto/Investments daily who get thrown into the rabbit hole so to speak and everything is new to them.
Bitshares 101 Focus/Resources Section for New Crypto Folks now included near the end of each post - starting just prior to Christmas 2017. BTS is a Decentralized Exchange and much more. Very undervalued!
It is a TLDR / Short Form Series, covering ONLY one thing each episode in blue collar, easy to understand language to give a SHORT OVERVIEW of the term or lesson of the day.
It is specifically designed this way to keep it short and simple.
People can then search out extra info if they wish.
I've never seen a regular series or resource running on Steemit to continually address this basic need so I decided to do it.
TERM OF THE DAY:
What is....
' Derivative ' ?
--
A derivative is a financial security with a value that is reliant upon or derived from an underlying asset or group of assets. The derivative itself is a contract between two or more parties based upon the asset or assets. Its price is determined by fluctuations in the underlying asset. The most common underlying assets include stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, interest rates and market indexes.
Derivatives can either be traded over-the-counter (OTC) or on an exchange. OTC derivatives constitute the greater proportion of derivatives in existence and are unregulated, whereas derivatives traded on exchanges are standardized. OTC derivatives generally have greater risk for the counterparty than do standardized derivatives.
--
Breaking Down...
' Derivative ' :
--
Originally, derivatives were used to ensure balanced exchange rates for goods traded internationally. With differing values of national currencies, international traders needed a system of accounting for these differences. Today, derivatives are based upon a wide variety of transactions and have many more uses. There are even derivatives based on weather data, such as the amount of rain or the number of sunny days in a particular region.
Because a derivative is a category of security rather than a specific kind, there are several types of derivatives. As such, derivatives hold a variety of functions and applications, based on type. Certain kinds of derivatives can be used for hedging, or insuring against risk on an asset.
Derivatives can also be used for speculation in betting on the future price of an asset or in circumventing exchange rate issues. For example, a European investor purchasing shares of an American company off of an American exchange (using U.S. dollars) would be exposed to exchange-rate risk while holding that stock. To hedge this risk, the investor could purchase currency futures to lock in a specified exchange rate for the future stock sale and currency conversion back into euros. Additionally, many derivatives are characterized by high leverage.
Common Forms of 'Derivative'
Futures contracts are one of the most common types of derivatives. A futures contract (or simply futures, colloquially) is an agreement between two parties for the sale of an asset at an agreed upon price. One would generally use a futures contract to hedge against risk during a particular period of time. For example, suppose that on August 1, 2016, Diana owned 10,000 shares of Walmart (WMT) stock, which were then valued at $73.78 per share. Fearing that the value of her shares would decline, Diana decides to arrange a futures contract to protect the value of her stock. Jerry, a speculator predicting a rise in the value of Walmart stock, agrees to a futures contract with Diana, dictating that in one year’s time Jerry will buy Diana’s 10,000 Walmart shares at their agreed-upon value of $73.78.
The futures contract can be considered a sort of bet between the two parties. If the value of Diana’s stock declines, her investment is protected because Jerry has agreed to buy them at their August 2016 value, and if the value of the stock increases, Jerry earns greater value on the deal, as he is paying August 2016 prices for stock in August 2017. A year later, August 1 rolls around and Walmart is valued at $80.50 per share. Jerry has benefited from the futures contract, purchasing shares at $6.72 less per share than if he would have simply waited until August 2017 to buy stock. While this might not seem like much, this difference of $6.72 per share translates to a discount of $67,200 when considering the 10,000 shares that Jerry buys. Diana, on the other hand, has speculated poorly and lost a sizable sum.
Forward contracts are an important kind of derivative similar to futures contracts, the key difference being that unlike futures, forward contracts (or “forwards”) are not traded on exchange, rather only over-the-counter.
Swaps are another common type of derivative. A swap is most often a contract between two parties agreeing to trade loan terms. One might use an interest rate swap to switch from a variable interest rate loan to a fixed interest rate loan, or vice versa. If someone with a variable interest rate loan were trying to secure additional financing, a lender might deny him or her a loan because of the uncertain future bearing of the variable interest rates upon the individual’s ability to repay debts, perhaps fearing that the individual will default. For this reason, he or she might seek to switch their variable interest rate loan with someone else, who has a loan with a fixed interest rate that is otherwise similar. Although the loans will remain in the original holders’ names, the contract mandates that each party will make payments toward the other’s loan at a mutually agreed upon rate. Yet this can be risky, because if one party defaults or goes bankrupt, the other will be forced back into their original loan. Swaps can be made using interest rates, currencies or commodities.
Options are another common form of derivative. An option is similar to a futures contract in that it is an agreement between two parties granting one the opportunity to buy or sell a security from or to the other party at a predetermined future date. The key difference between options and futures is that with an option, the buyer is not obligated to make the transaction if he or she decides not to, hence the name “option.” The exchange itself is, ultimately, optional. Like with futures, options may be used to hedge the seller’s stock against a price drop and to provide the buyer with an opportunity for financial gain through speculation. An option can be short or long, as well as a call or put.
[Options are one of the most common forms of derivatives for retail traders since they can be easily traded on most large equities. If you're new to options trading, Investopedia's Options for Beginners Course provides everything you need to get started with over five hours of on-demand video, exercises and interactive content. You'll learn how calls serve as a down payment, how puts can be used for insurance, why option values fluctuate, how to calculate breakeven points and much more.]
A credit derivative is a loan sold to a speculator at a discount to its true value. Though the original lender is selling the loan at a reduced price, and will therefore see a lower return, in selling the loan the lender will regain most of the capital from the loan and can then use that money to issue a new and (ideally) more profitable loan. If, for example, a lender issued a loan and subsequently had the opportunity to engage in another loan with more profitable terms, the lender might choose to sell the original loan to a speculator in order to finance the more profitable loan. In this way, credit derivatives exchange modest returns for lower risk and greater liquidity.
Another kind of derivative is a mortgage-backed security, which is a broad category defined by the fact that the assets underlying the derivative are mortgages.
Limitations of Derivatives
As mentioned above, derivative is a broad category of security, so using derivatives in making financial decisions varies by the type of derivative in question. Generally speaking, the key to making a sound investment is to fully understand the risks associated with the derivative, such as the counterparty, underlying asset, price and expiration. The use of a derivative only makes sense if the investor is fully aware of the risks and understands the impact of the investment within a portfolio strategy.
Your Friend in Liberty, Barry.
Trading Candle Cheat Sheet:
--
Further Reading/Source/Resources
Friend of the People -- Enemy of the State.
--
Bitshares 101 Focus/Resources Section:
for New Crypto Folks.
https://bitshares.org/
--
-- Bitshares is a Trading platform, and a LOT more.... designed by blockchain wizard here Dan Larimer - @dan / @dantheman.
I've blogged on him, and BTS many many times.
It's a place you can use that is decentralized, with an active community, to use trading lessons like this, that we are learning together.
Just a few of my past $BTS blogs....
to help you apply lessons today!
--
Thanks for reading, have a nice day.
PixaBay has tons of free pictures for us all to use!!!
Super Easy/Fast Picture Edits / Resizing at: http://www.picresize.com/ and also https://www298.lunapic.com/editor/
If you liked this blog post - please Resteem it and share good content with others!
--
Some of my recent blogs:
--
Most Images: Gif's - via Giphy.com , Funny or Die.com / Pixabay. Today:
If you feel my posts are undervalued or you want to donate to tip me - I would appreciate it very much.
--
LiteCoin (LTC) - LKdsnvSXk9JW99EiNicFMGKc1FXiBo9tUE
EOS (EOS) - 0xD37bEFf5bf07E3aa432de00cE0AaA8df603A4fB0
Ethereum (ETH) - 0x3Ad69Ff057C9533ca667B2d7E3E557F5eeFd4477
Ethereum Classic (ETC) - 0x5ab2b08d4ce8d454eb9d1ecc65c6d8b0c5f9784c
Bitcoin (BTC) - 18J6RRuzX4V7b2CDbx7tWZYNBLkkGWsvWX
DASH - XgZvsvSZgPkNbmGbRhc3S1Pt2JAc7QHwiS
PIVX - DA3azxQqJiX9t7EviuacpamfNhMi2zGAUh
Stratis (STRAT) - SNsJp6v1jXvKWy4XcXSXfNQ9zhSJJppJgv
ZCash (ZEC) - t1aCPEYELkGaf3GtgGTiCEDo7XfPm4QEwmL
Please note -- I will have limited internet access for awhile -- so PLEASE do not be upset that I cannot reply right away, or to everyone. I am dealing with some changes, and will have limited time online and will be happy if I get a few blog posts up a week.
This has really upset some people but I do not force my opinions on others, or need to communicate every detail of my life or issues, most people do not care anyways. I invested around 10 hours or more a day on Steemit most of my first 13 mths here, trying to build community, put out content and engage people, help and donate to people, and I just do not have that time in my life right now, and that includes for replies and voting/curation.
I have done my best, sorry if you do not understand like some are clearly having a problem with. It's a blogging platform, and I will do my best at everything, and to keep blogging.
Carry On.
--
LiteCoin (LTC) - LKdsnvSXk9JW99EiNicFMGKc1FXiBo9tUE
EOS (EOS) - 0xD37bEFf5bf07E3aa432de00cE0AaA8df603A4fB0
Ethereum (ETH) - 0x3Ad69Ff057C9533ca667B2d7E3E557F5eeFd4477
Ethereum Classic (ETC) - 0x5ab2b08d4ce8d454eb9d1ecc65c6d8b0c5f9784c
Bitcoin (BTC) - 18J6RRuzX4V7b2CDbx7tWZYNBLkkGWsvWX
DASH - XgZvsvSZgPkNbmGbRhc3S1Pt2JAc7QHwiS
PIVX - DA3azxQqJiX9t7EviuacpamfNhMi2zGAUh
Stratis (STRAT) - SNsJp6v1jXvKWy4XcXSXfNQ9zhSJJppJgv
ZCash (ZEC) - t1aCPEYELkGaf3GtgGTiCEDo7XfPm4QEwmL
Please note -- I will have limited internet access for awhile -- so PLEASE do not be upset that I cannot reply right away, or to everyone. I am dealing with some changes, and will have limited time online and will be happy if I get a few blog posts up a week.
This has really upset some people but I do not force my opinions on others, or need to communicate every detail of my life or issues, most people do not care anyways. I invested around 10 hours or more a day on Steemit most of my first 13 mths here, trying to build community, put out content and engage people, help and donate to people, and I just do not have that time in my life right now, and that includes for replies and voting/curation.
I have done my best, sorry if you do not understand like some are clearly having a problem with. It's a blogging platform, and I will do my best at everything, and to keep blogging.
Carry On.
@barrydutton, Bitcoin and other crypto investment are the highest market risk investment with lots of uncertainty, Yet Crypto future is bright for long term Players.
So crypto investors should have lots of patience.
Because no one knows what will happen within next 60 minutes.
And always enter in this market when investors are capable to bear loss and profit.
I researched on Crypto and found that Crypto might be below $15,000 for next 1-2 years.
And investors who enter in this market Nov-Dec. last year when Bitcoin and others coins are on pick might be lost a lot of their money, no no they already lost their hard earn money.
So Mr. Dutton if you compared the chart between Nov. 2013 to Feb. 2014 and Nov. 2017 to Feb. 2018. What do you find similarities???
Because Market was in deep From Feb. 2014 to Jan 2017.
and I think same thing happening again..
i'm into trading now and do you think bitcoin trading is safe? what is your advice?
I don't advise people.
Use your charts and do your best.
Thanks for your good work
Thanks @barrydutton! Already had an opportunity today to need to know what a derivative is. Your post really helped!
@bitsy
Did you happen to catch my post earlier than this on the Long Weekend statist opinion piece? LOL
I am sure you would like it and it was not a long piece.
Solid anti-statist propaganda hit piece of course with some truth.
(:
Just went over to read it. Left you an upvote:) Keep up the good fight!