Skewness Risk
Skewness Risk refers to the danger posed by the asymmetry in the distribution of asset returns, where one tail of the distribution is longer or fatter than the other. In options markets, this is often manifested as a volatility skew, where puts are more expensive than calls because traders are more concerned about downside risk.
This phenomenon indicates that the market anticipates a higher probability of a sharp decline compared to a sharp rally. For cryptocurrency traders, skewness risk is a critical consideration because crypto assets are prone to sudden, violent sell-offs.
Managing this risk involves analyzing the relative pricing of puts and calls to ensure that the portfolio is not overly exposed to a sudden market crash. Failure to account for skewness can lead to under-hedging against directional risks.