CHICAGO, April 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE), the world's leading derivatives and securities exchange network, this year celebrates the 40th anniversary of The Options Institute, the company's educational division. To mark this milestone, Cboe is launching a year-long commemoration – beginning during National Financial Literacy Month – to honor The Options Institute's decades-long impact on options education and financial literacy worldwide, while looking ahead to its continued evolution in the years to come.
The Options Institute through the years
"Amid the evolving financial landscape and the growth in options investing, The Options Institute has remained steadfast in its goal of increasing investor knowledge through impactful education," said Alexandra Szakats, Vice President and Head of The Options Institute at Cboe Global Markets. "The Options Institute is proud to celebrate 40 years of guiding investors' understanding of derivatives products and markets, while also helping them develop the skills and mindset for confident, informed decision-making and investing. Our ongoing expansion into Europe, followed by Asia Pacific, demonstrates The Options Institute's continued commitment to being a trusted educational resource for market participants globally. The Cboe team and I are especially excited to kick off our celebrations during National Financial Literacy Month as a demonstration of The Options Institute's commitment to education for early investors. We see this as essential for helping to ensure the health and vibrancy of markets. The broader financial ecosystem benefits when future market participants – from retail traders to institutional partners – understand personal finance, managing risk and uncertainty, and the power of making informed choices."
From Trading Pits to Mainstream Education
Founded in 1985, The Options Institute provides best-in-class investor education through an array of resources that explain options and trading strategies for investors of all abilities. Initially launched to help professional traders on Cboe's Chicago trading floor become more equipped with options mechanics, The Options Institute led classes and mock trading sessions in Cboe's trading pits. Since then, The Options Institute has educated a wide range of students. Over the years, its programs have welcomed trading firms, advisors, regulators, and members of the press, as well as Fortune 500 CEOs, government officials and industry thought leaders.
The Options Institute has continued to evolve throughout the decades, most recently broadening its offerings to cater to the growing retail trader community. This evolution has included leveraging technology to offer more on-demand and online courses, as well as new trading and data analytics tools. Today's courses range from foundational to advanced levels including "Options 101," "Decision Theory," and "Practitioner's Perspectives: Options Strategies." All are taught by expert instructors and industry practitioners through the team's Adjunct Faculty Program.
Additionally, The Options Institute has expanded its collaboration with retail brokerages and other industry partners to refine and deliver more tailored investor learning experiences.
Chris Larkin, Head of Trading & Investing at E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley, said: "With more investors participating in the market, financial education has never been more critical. Especially when retail investors start exploring complex trading strategies using options. Before diving in, it's key for retail investors to build a strong financial foundation and understand the ins and outs of their trade. We look forward to continuing to work with Cboe to amplify this mission and educate the next generation of traders."
Michael Obucina, Head of Education at Robinhood, said: "At Robinhood, we're empowering the next generation of investors and traders by giving them the tools and education they need. Thanks to decades of work by Cboe and The Options Institute, as well as continued investment in educational content by platforms like Robinhood, retail investors and traders now have more information at their fingertips than ever before. We're proud to keep building on this foundation to help grow financial literacy worldwide."
Marty Mickey, CFO and Senior Vice President of Finance at National Louis University, said: "The educational resources provided by The Options Institute have been a valuable addition for National Louis University—benefiting our staff, faculty, and students through their financial literacy classes. Developing courses that resonate with an audience of diverse interests can be challenging, but The Options Institute collaborated closely with us to design a syllabus that addressed meaningful topics. Their partnership has supported our mission to enhance economic and social mobility for all members of our community."
Shaping the Future of Investor Education Globally
The Options Institute's mission is now part of a global vision. As more investors worldwide utilize options and seek access to the U.S. markets and Cboe's proprietary index options, the need for meaningful financial education has increased to an international scale. To meet this demand, The Options Institute launched educational efforts in Europe, where it now offers on-line courses and regionally adapted multilingual content developed to meet European retail investors where they are. The Options Institute is planning to take a similar approach in the Asia Pacific region later this year. This initiative will align The Options Institute's efforts with Cboe's to partner with local retail brokerages and other participants in the region to provide investors the data, access and knowledge they need. In addition to English, Spanish, Hindi, Russian, and Dutch content, the team is planning to launch German and French programs in the second half of 2025.
The Options Institute is also focused on educating the next generation to foster financial literacy and independence. This year, The Options Institute rolled out a financial literacy pilot program in partnership with schools and charitable organizations to help students of all ages and experience better understand the building blocks of finance. In this pilot program, students engaged in classes focused on financial topics such as saving, managing debt and investing. Staying true to Cboe's innovative spirit, The Options Institute's programming weaves in the key themes of effective decision-making and how to consider and manage risk.
"What began as a handful of classes on the trading floor has grown into a global education platform helping current and future investors of all backgrounds navigate modern markets," Szakats added. "We are standing on the shoulders of incredible teammates and partners who came before us in The Options Institute, and we're excited to build on this legacy in the years ahead."
To learn more about The Options Institute's educational resources and stay updated on upcoming programming, visit here.
About Cboe Global Markets Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE), the world's leading derivatives and securities exchange network, delivers cutting-edge trading, clearing and investment solutions to people around the world. Cboe provides trading solutions and products in multiple asset classes, including equities, derivatives and FX, across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Above all, we are committed to building a trusted, inclusive global marketplace that enables people to pursue a sustainable financial future. To learn more about the Exchange for the World Stage, visit www.cboe.com.
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