Learn Derivatives with CFI

Derivatives are financial contracts whose value is linked to the value of an underlying asset. They are complex financial instruments with a wide variety of purposes, including hedging and getting access to additional assets or markets. Whether you’re completely new to capital markets or a seasoned professional, understanding complex financial instruments like derivatives is vital to your career.

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Derivatives are powerful tools in the financial system, but they carry risk and must be understood to leverage them effectively. Mastering derivatives is important for students and finance professionals looking to build careers in capital markets. CFI's derivatives courses are 100% online and self-paced. Using proprietary technology and leading instructors, CFI promotes the ideal learning environment for real-world skills and retention.

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Consisting of over 700 lessons

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Learn by doing with guided simulations

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Start Your Derivatives Learning Path

Ranging from beginner courses to advanced courses and case studies, derivatives courses at CFI develop the full range of skills to prepare for a career in capital markets, such as investment banking, treasury, sales and trading, and more. Many derivatives courses are required for CFI’s Capital Markets & Securities Analyst (CMSA)® Program, which teaches strategies used in the finance and capital markets industries.

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Called Away

An event where a monetary contract is terminated when a delivery obligation or redemption is completed

derivatives fixed-income articles capital_markets

Inflation Swap

A derivative contract between two counterparties to transfer inflation risk by exchanging fixed cash flows

derivatives fixed-income articles

Call Warrant

Gives the holder of the investment the right, not the obligation, to purchase the underlying financial securities at a specific price on or before a...

derivatives equities articles

Equity Futures Contract

A financial arrangement between two counterparties to buy or sell equity at a specified date, amount, and price

derivatives equities articles

Fixed Income Forward Contract

An agreement between two counterparties to buy or sell a fixed income instrument at a specified date, price, and amount in the future

derivatives fixed-income articles

Interest Rate Derivatives (IRD)

A derivative based on a benchmark interest rate or group of interest rates

derivatives fixed-income articles

Index Option

A financial derivative contract whose value is derived from an underlying stock market index

derivatives equities articles

Implied Rate

The difference between the forward/future rate and the spot rate

derivatives articles

Interest Rate Options

A type of derivative that is based on the value of interest rates

derivatives fixed-income articles

Interest Rate Collar

A specialized option that can be used to hedge against shifts in the interest rate

derivatives fixed-income articles

Interest Rate Call Option

An option that can be used to profit off of a rise in interest rates

derivatives fixed-income articles

Herrick Payoff Index

A forward-looking technical analysis tool that uses price, volume, and open interest to find trends and reversals

derivatives capital-markets articles

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Why Learn Derivatives with CFI?

Created with the guidance of professional Wall Street trainers with over 20 years of experience training new hires at investment firms, CFI’s courses are designed for success in finance careers. Courses blend theory with real-world application to build valuable skill sets for finance professionals.

Using innovative design and a fully online format, the courses at CFI give learners the flexibility to build their skill sets anywhere, at any time, and prepare for a career on their own schedule and pace.

Over 75% of CFI learners report improved productivity or competency within weeks.

With our derivatives courses, you will learn:

About futures and forwards and how they work

About options and how we use them in the markets

About swaps and their uses

How professional traders use derivatives to express their views on the markets

How to hedge exposures using derivatives

The theories and models traders use to price and value derivatives

How to spot arbitrage opportunities between derivatives and their underlying assets

Who is professional derivatives training for?

CFI’s derivatives courses cover basic, intermediate, and advanced topics to help both students and professionals develop skills to prepare for careers in investing and trading, sales, and other finance disciplines.

Investment professionals

Management consultants

Financial analysts

Registered provider: National Association of State Boards of Accountancy

All courses are accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), CPA Institutions in Canada, and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) in the US. Most courses qualify for verified CPE credits for CPA charter holders.

Courses include video lessons, quizzes, and final assessments.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you haven’t found your answer from our FAQ, please send us a message.

What is a derivative in finance?

A derivative is a contract between two or more parties whose value is based on underlying financial assets like commodities, currencies, bonds, interest rates, or stocks. Derivatives take the form of futures, forwards, swaps, and options, and are used to either mitigate or assume risk.

What is a derivative market?

Most derivatives are traded over-the-counter (OTC). Some contracts, including options and futures, are traded on specialized exchanges. The biggest derivative exchanges include the CME Group (Chicago Mercantile Exchange and Chicago Board of Trade), the Korea Exchange, and Eurex.

What are futures and forwards?

Futures and forwards are financial contracts that obligate the buyers of the contract to purchase an asset at a pre-agreed price on a specified time in the future. The seller of the contract is obligated to sell or deliver an asset at a pre-agreed price on a specified time in the future. Both forwards and futures are essentially the same in their nature, with a few nuances in flexibility.

What are options?

Options give buyers the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an underlying asset for an agreed-upon price on an agreed-upon date. Call and put options are the bases for a range of options strategies for hedging and speculation.

What are swaps?

A swap is a derivative contract that involves two parties exchanging cash flows or liabilities from two different financial instruments. Swaps typically involve cash flows based on loans or bonds. The most popular types of swaps are interest rate swaps, commodity swaps, and currency swaps.

If you haven’t found your answer from our FAQ, please send us a message.