How do you read options flow as a beginner?

Start with one alert rather than the whole feed. Read it in four parts: the contract (ticker, strike, expiry), the size (premium paid and volume against open interest), the execution (whether it hit the ask, the bid, or crossed as a block), and the context (earnings, the chart, dealer gamma). Only when several of those agree is the print worth acting on.

What is unusual options activity?

Unusual options activity is an options trade that is large or aggressive relative to that contract's own history: heavy premium, volume well above existing open interest, and an execution that suggests urgency. TraderMatrix scores every trade on volume-to-open-interest, premium size, bid-ask execution and days to expiration, and flags those scoring 85 or above.

What is the difference between a sweep and a block trade?

A sweep is one order split across several exchanges at once to fill immediately, which signals urgency. A block is a single large trade negotiated off the public order book, which signals size and planning. A golden sweep is a sweep that is also large enough to qualify as a block.

How long does it take to learn to read the tape?

The mechanics take about an afternoon: the four parts of an alert, what volume against open interest means, and which prints are ordinary hedging. Recognising the patterns quickly enough to use them takes weeks of watching. Watch the feed without trading first.

Do I need a subscription to learn on TraderMatrix?

No. The learning hub, the trading glossary and the tool guides are open to everyone without an account. A subscription unlocks the live scanners and screeners themselves, and it starts with a seven-day free trial.

AVGO TJX NXPI CL CTSH FI LIN APH ON JNJ ACN WFC APD AAPL GEHC CB ELV NEE BIIB GEHC NDX NOW VRSK ADBE UNH CL MU MCK ROST ORCL AVGO TJX NXPI CL CTSH FI LIN APH ON JNJ ACN WFC APD AAPL GEHC CB ELV NEE BIIB GEHC NDX NOW VRSK ADBE UNH CL MU MCK ROST ORCL

CTSH CAT IWM ITW ON JNJ MA MU ANSS MCK ABT ROST XEL ROP TMO VIX VZ CI TJX AXP CRM ROST PLD PYPL HON KDP JPM MMC GOOGL AMD CTSH CAT IWM ITW ON JNJ MA MU ANSS MCK ABT ROST XEL ROP TMO VIX VZ CI TJX AXP CRM ROST PLD PYPL HON KDP JPM MMC GOOGL AMD

MAR MA ADBE ETN MSFT APH NDX DIS MRVL IBM DHR SYK QQQ GS SLB MDT CRM CL UNH FAST AMAT UNP AMZN EXC NKE AAPL CL BKNG ABT LIN MAR MA ADBE ETN MSFT APH NDX DIS MRVL IBM DHR SYK QQQ GS SLB MDT CRM CL UNH FAST AMAT UNP AMZN EXC NKE AAPL CL BKNG ABT LIN

KLAC KHC T PYPL JPM KO CPRT TSLA EA AEP TXN QQQ UNH HD ROST FAST RUT EXC CSX HON CI AEP CME PEP DXCM CVX CAT ADBE PLD VZ KLAC KHC T PYPL JPM KO CPRT TSLA EA AEP TXN QQQ UNH HD ROST FAST RUT EXC CSX HON CI AEP CME PEP DXCM CVX CAT ADBE PLD VZ

AXP CL SHW PANW ABBV MCK CL EXC FAST MU INTU BSX ADBE ODFL JNJ GE VRSK GOOG WFC KDP EQIX SYK AMD SLB KO AMAT BIIB AMZN PGR GE AXP CL SHW PANW ABBV MCK CL EXC FAST MU INTU BSX ADBE ODFL JNJ GE VRSK GOOG WFC KDP EQIX SYK AMD SLB KO AMAT BIIB AMZN PGR GE

CSCO MDLZ IDXX LMT AMD LIN CB MPC EXC META NOW COST QCOM TJX ELV NXPI MCK TMO FANG SPGI FAST BIIB PSX KDP SBUX MDLZ MMC VRSK KDP BKNG CSCO MDLZ IDXX LMT AMD LIN CB MPC EXC META NOW COST QCOM TJX ELV NXPI MCK TMO FANG SPGI FAST BIIB PSX KDP SBUX MDLZ MMC VRSK KDP BKNG

BRK.B INTU TSLA BKNG TXN CMG T GILD IDXX SHW QCOM EQIX LMT AMD ORLY TMO SO PFE T PAYX BRK.B REGN ISRG WMT ORLY PGR BAC AON TSLA GS BRK.B INTU TSLA BKNG TXN CMG T GILD IDXX SHW QCOM EQIX LMT AMD ORLY TMO SO PFE T PAYX BRK.B REGN ISRG WMT ORLY PGR BAC AON TSLA GS

SESSIONCLOSED X Instagram YouTube Discord

Glossary

Assignment

When a short put expires in the money and you are required to buy 100 shares at the strike.

What it is

Assignment happens when a put you sold expires in the money and the counterparty exercises it — you are now required to buy 100 shares of the underlying at the strike price. This is the intended outcome of the Cash-Secured Put (CSP) strategy.

Why it is not a loss

The CSP strategy is designed around willingness to own the shares at the strike. You collected premium when you sold the put, so your effective cost basis is: strike − premium received. Assignment means you now own the stock at a discount to the strike.

Next step: the Covered Call

Once assigned, the Wheel strategy continues: you sell covered calls against your new shares to collect additional premium until the calls are exercised (called away) or you choose to close. The Wheel Tracker manages this entire lifecycle — CSP open → assignment → covered call → repeat.

Where you will see it

Cash-Secured PutsPuts you would be happy to be assigned on, ranked by weekly return on capital with probability of profit and breakeven precalculated.
Wheel TrackerRun the wheel end-to-end: cash-secured put suggestions, assignment tracking, and covered-call income all in one place.
Dividend CalendarEx-dates, pay-dates, and yields in one view: time your income and dividend-capture trades without landing on the wrong side of an ex-date.

Assignment

When a short put expires in the money and you are required to buy 100 shares at the strike.

What it is

Why it is not a loss

Next step: the Covered Call

Where you will see it

Cash-Secured PutsPuts you would be happy to be assigned on, ranked by weekly return on capital with probability of profit and breakeven precalculated.

Wheel TrackerRun the wheel end-to-end: cash-secured put suggestions, assignment tracking, and covered-call income all in one place.

Dividend CalendarEx-dates, pay-dates, and yields in one view: time your income and dividend-capture trades without landing on the wrong side of an ex-date.