Realized Volatility Signature

Calculation

Realized volatility signatures represent a time-series of historical volatility estimates, computed from high-frequency price data, offering a quantifiable measure of past price fluctuations. These signatures are crucial for options pricing and risk management, particularly in cryptocurrency markets where volatility regimes can shift rapidly. The construction typically involves summing squared returns over specified lookback periods, providing a discrete approximation of the continuous volatility process. Accurate calculation demands robust data cleaning and consideration of microstructure effects, such as bid-ask bounce, to avoid spurious volatility estimates.