Can You Lose More Than You Invest in Options?
The answer hinges on whether you're buying or selling. If you buy a call or a put, your loss caps out at the premium you paid. Even if the option expires worthless, it never becomes a debt hanging over your head.
Selling is where things get risky. Sell a naked call and your losses can theoretically spiral without bound, since stocks can climb infinitely. A naked put can crater all the way to zero. Brokers understand this, which is why they lock uncovered selling behind the strictest approval levels.
There's a middle option, though. Spreads let you buy one option to cover the one you sold, which caps your maximum loss at a fixed number you know going in. For most people starting out, buying options or using defined-risk spreads means you're never blindsided — you see the worst-case scenario before you commit.
Solo per uso didattico. Le quotazioni sono ritardate di circa 15 minuti e nulla di ciò che è riportato qui è consulenza finanziaria. Il trading di opzioni comporta un rischio sostanziale di perdita. Privacy · Terms.