David Katz of New York Stringer Magazine makes the following observation regarding the regulated trading of binaries at Hedgestreet.com.
The option premium…represents the investor’s view of the odds that the event will occur. HedgeStreet is careful to avoid the use of the terms “bet”, “odds”and “winnings”; as a regulated exchange, they are eager to avoid being mistaken for a gambling enterprise. Their mission is, in fact, to bring the advantage of hedging instruments, previously only available in large denominations, to the retail market
The implications of offering these type of derivatives teeters on that edge of gambling when such short-term (2 hour) options are “trading” at-the-money. “Trading” is in quotes because, at this time, the volume in binaries is thin or non-existent. Binaries are virtually indistinguishable from a wager when, say, a 1.3325 10am strike binary is at $50 at 9.55 am when the EUR/USD is at 1.3325. At worst, if the underlying was for a small-traded stock with light volume, this would be manipulation; at best, even in FX, its a gamble.
So how does Hedgestreet’s regulated binaries overcome this perception? Its only a matter of time. In the late 1970’s when the first equity indicies were traded, and also in the 1980’s when the International Swaps and Derivatives Association came out with their contracts, the same gambling-mentality existed. As most people in the ISDA and managed-money know, derivatives are merely risk-management tools fitted to achieve certain objectives in one’s portfolio. Those institutions, too, endured the same challenges that Hedgestreet.com is experiencing.
Anyone in the financial world will depict — in hindsight — the higher rate of return equities provided over bonds and money markets going back 50 years. However, go back 50 years ago, were those money managers making the same observations? Those who cite history merely underscore the need for equities — the beginning, crude form of derivatives — in ones portfolio. And as the 1980’s and 1990’s showed, mutual funds, hedge funds, equity options and ETFs were developed along the way. Hedgestreet.com seems no more different than the outgrowth of these products and services. The chasm they have yet to bridge is the retail suitability. As Katz points out, this indeed presents itself as a “mission.” And in that respect, naysayers will eventually dismiss the exchange as “gambling”, especially in its present form.
Filed under: Forex, hedgestreet