Assignment
Assignment occurs when an option writer is required to fulfill the obligations of a contract that has been exercised by the holder. When an option holder decides to exercise, the clearinghouse or protocol randomly assigns that exercise notice to an option writer who has a short position in the same contract.
The writer must then sell the underlying asset (if a call) or buy the underlying asset (if a put) at the strike price. In the context of cash-settled crypto derivatives, assignment involves the writer paying the settlement amount to the holder.
Assignment is a fundamental risk for option sellers, as it can occur at any time for American-style options, though it is most common near expiration. It requires writers to maintain sufficient margin or collateral to cover potential obligations.