Heston Models

Model

Heston models represent a class of stochastic volatility models, initially proposed by Heston in 1992, designed to capture the empirically observed volatility smile or skew often seen in options markets. These models extend the Black-Scholes framework by introducing a mean-reverting process for the variance, allowing for a more realistic representation of asset price dynamics and the time-dependent nature of implied volatility. Within the cryptocurrency context, Heston models are increasingly employed to price and hedge derivatives on volatile assets, accounting for the potential for rapid shifts in market sentiment and liquidity. Calibration to observed option prices is crucial for accurate risk management and trading strategy development.