Variance Gamma Process

Calculation

The Variance Gamma process represents a continuous-time stochastic process frequently employed in quantitative finance as an alternative to standard Brownian motion, particularly for modeling asset prices exhibiting characteristics like skewness and kurtosis often observed in financial markets. It achieves this by subordinating Brownian motion to a Gamma process, effectively altering the time component and introducing jumps, which better reflects real-world price dynamics than a purely diffusive model. Within cryptocurrency derivatives, this process aids in more accurate option pricing, especially for exotic options where the distributional assumptions of Black-Scholes fall short, and is crucial for risk management strategies. Its application extends to calibrating models to observed market data, improving the precision of volatility surfaces and enhancing hedging effectiveness.