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Swaption

An option to enter an interest-rate swap on a specified future date. A payer swaption gives the holder the right (not the obligation) to enter a swap as the FIXED-RATE PAYER, profitable if rates have risen above the swaption strike. A receiver swaption gives the right to enter as the FIXED-RATE RECEIVER, profitable if rates have fallen below the strike. Swaptions are used to hedge contingent rate exposure -- a borrower who might refinance into a swap, an asset manager who might convert fixed-rate holdings to floating -- and preserve optionality that a forward-starting swap would lock in.

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Related terms

American Option · Asian Option · Barrier Option · Basket Option · Butterfly Spread · Calendar Spread

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