This quantifies the aggregate sensitivity of a dealer’s or market’s total options portfolio to small changes in the price of the underlying asset, calculated by summing the gamma of all held options. A high positive or negative net gamma exposure indicates significant potential for the market maker to either buy or sell the underlying asset to maintain delta neutrality. Understanding this aggregate positioning provides insight into potential future market behavior.
Exposure
When market makers are short gamma, they are forced to buy into rallies and sell into dips, potentially exacerbating price movements and volatility clustering. This dynamic is a critical consideration for market analysis.
Consequence
Significant net gamma positioning across major crypto derivatives platforms can create self-fulfilling price pressure, particularly around strike prices with high concentrations of open interest.
