Index Options Trading

Trade a variety of index options to diversify your investment portfolio.

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Option trading entails significant risks and is not suitable for all investors. Only eligible accounts may trade options. Investors can rapidly lose their entire investment in a short period of time and incur permanent loss beyond their initial deposit. Please read the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before trading options. Regulatory and Exchange fees apply to options trades. If you want to know more details related to options trading, please go to Options Trading FAQ of Help Center.
Why trade index options with us?
Lower Fees
$0.00 commission, lower contract fees. No added platform fees or account minimums.
From Large to Small
With standard, mini, and nano contracts, choose a size that matches your investing goals.
Multi-Platform Accessibility
Trade index options on a secure, fast, and reliable platform. Get instant access to markets and customize your trading with our free trading tools.
Free Real-Time Quotes
Get free Cboe Global Indices Feed data to track market changes in real-time after registration.
One-Stop Trading Hub
Trade stocks, ETFs, options, index options, and more, with one Alpha Core account.
Grow Your Knowledge
Level up your market knowledge and learn about investing with free online courses on Alpha Core Learning Center.
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Tradable index options and fee structure

When trading index options with Alpha Core, the fee structure is different from other products. Familiarize yourself with the fees and costs of trading index options:

Ticker
Description
Tier Schedule
Exchange Proprietary Fee
Alpha Core Contract Fee
SPX
S&P 500
<$1
$0.57
$0.50
S&P 500
>=$1
$0.66
$0.50
SPXW
S&P 500
<$1
$0.50
$0.50
S&P 500
>=$1
$0.59
$0.50
VIX and VIXW (Simple Order)
CBOE Market Volatility Index
<=$0.10
$0.10
$0.50
CBOE Market Volatility Index
$0.11-$0.99
$0.25
$0.50
CBOE Market Volatility Index
$1-$1.99
$0.40
$0.50
CBOE Market Volatility Index
$2+
$0.45
$0.50
VIX and VIXW (Complex Order)
CBOE Market Volatility Index
<=$0.10
$0.05
$0.50
CBOE Market Volatility Index
$0.11-$0.99
$0.17
$0.50
CBOE Market Volatility Index
$1-$1.99
$0.30
$0.50
CBOE Market Volatility Index
$2+
$0.45
$0.50
XSP
Mini-SPX Index
<10 contracts >=10 contracts
$0.00/$0.07
$0.50
DJX
Dow Jones Industrial Average Index
--
$0.18
$0.50
NDX
NASDAQ-100 Index
Single-Leg Order, Premium < $25
$0.25
$0.50
NASDAQ-100 Index
Single-Leg Order, Premium >= $25
$0.50
$0.50
NASDAQ-100 Index
Multi-Leg Order, Premium < $25
$0.50
$0.50
NASDAQ-100 Index
Multi-Leg Order, Premium >= $25
$0.75
$0.50
NDXP
NASDAQ-100 Index
Single-Leg Order, Premium < $25
$0.25
$0.50
NASDAQ-100 Index
Single-Leg Order, Premium >= $25
$0.50
$0.50
NASDAQ-100 Index
Multi-Leg Order, Premium < $25
$0.50
$0.50
NASDAQ-100 Index
Multi-Leg Order, Premium >= $25
$0.75
$0.50
For simple VIX, a priority surcharge is assessed on contracts executed electronically that are Maker and not Market Turner by $0.20 more. There is no exchange proprietary index options fee for Nanos, SPIKEs, and XND. Exchange proprietary fees will be calculated based on execution price, not average price at order entry.
* Relevant regulatory and exchange fees may apply. Please refer to our
Fee Schedule
for more details.
Free real-time market data​

Alpha Core partnered with CBOE to provide users with the Cboe Indices Feed (CGIF), which offers real-time index values for over 400 products. ​Utilize real-time market data indicators to track market moves and make more informed decisions.

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Apply for a trading account in a few steps
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Fund your account and start trading
Apply for options trading permission
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Frequently asked questions
Q: What is an index option?​
If you have fractional shares positions, the shares number and price of the position will be affected when a split or reverse occurs for the company. For example, if you have 1.5 shares of XYZ at $10 per share. If XYZ performed a 2 for 1 (2:1) forward split, you’ll have 3 shares of XYZ at $5 per share. If XYZ performed a 1 for 2 (1:2) reverse split, you’ll have 0.75 shares of XYZ at $20 per share.
Q: Why trade index options?​
Q: How to place an index option trade on Alpha Core