OIC 2026 - Retail 3.0: Rise of the Self-Directed Quant

We are wrapping up a massive day on the option block—featuring the "call pump scan." Today, we are breaking down a highly active session where a whopping 780,000 contracts were required just to crack the Top 10 list. In this episode, host Mark Longo dives deep into the massive options volume lighting up the tape, including: Nvidia (NVDA): Shaking off its recent lull and surging over 6% on new PC chip announcements. Micron (MU): Leaving the 1000 strike in the dust and exploding toward a wild new 1200 strike target. Software Revivals: Oracle (ORCL) and Microsoft (MSFT) catch a massive bid, proving the sector is back with a vengeance. High-Volume Movers: Breaking down the wild flows in Palantir (PLTR), Nokia (NOK), Tesla (TSLA), Meta (META), Apple (AAPL), and Amazon (AMZN). Want to track all 225 names that lit up today's call pump scan? Head over to TheHotOptionsReport.com to kick the tires and light the fires on today's data!

What role will perpetual futures play in the next evolution of crypto trading? On this episode of The Crypto Rundown, Mark Longo sits down with Nirup Ramalingam, CEO and Co-Founder of Bridgeport, to discuss the rise of crypto perps, institutional demand, counterparty risk, custody challenges, capital efficiency, tokenization, 24/7 markets, and the growing influence of traditional finance in digital assets. Plus, we break down the latest action in Bitcoin, Ethereum, IBIT, Hyperliquid (HYPE), Solana, XRP, Dogecoin, Circle, BitMine and more as crypto markets navigate another volatile stretch.

The S&P 500 hits fresh all-time highs while options traders unleash record-setting volume across the market. On this episode of The Option Block, Mark "The Voice of Options" Longo, Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi and "Uncle" Mike Tosaw examine the resurgence in software stocks, the speculative boom in space-related names, massive moves in Micron, Oracle, Microsoft, Palantir and Nvidia, plus unusual options activity in Virgin Galactic and Taseko Mines. The team also discusses VIX below 16, new highs in the market, earnings season, copper demand, AI-driven rallies and the elimination of the Pattern Day Trader rule. Other topics in this episode included: 🔹 Record options volume 🔹 Space stock speculation 🔹 AI and software resurgence 🔹 Micron options frenzy 🔹 Virgin Galactic unusual activity 🔹 VIX analysis 🔹 Earnings preview 🔹 Strategy Block with Uncle Mike

The options market is entering a new era. Quantitative strategies are no longer confined to institutional desks — they're being deployed by a new class of self-taught, tech-enabled participants leveraging data analytics, APIs, and algorithmic execution. This panel explores how this shift is reshaping intermediation, liquidity, and education. Moderator: Jermal Chandler, Head of Options Strategy, tastylive Panelists: Jessica Inskip, Director of Investor Research, Stockbroker.com Brent Kochuba, Founder, SpotGamma Steve Quirk, Chief Brokerage Officer, Robinhood This panel is proudly sponsored by Theta Data.

The options tape is noisy. Intraday volatility cycles, 0DTE reflexes, ETF-driven options growth, and increasingly granular expiration schedules are reshaping how liquidity forms, migrates, and occasionally disappears. This session examines where activity is truly concentrating across index and single-stock products, including the continued expansion of daily expirations into select equities, and how that evolution is influencing spreads, hedging behavior, market-maker capacity, and risk transfer. Panelists will explore how product design is steering flow through defined outcome ETFs, single-stock ETFs, cash-settled index expansion, and targeted daily expirations and discuss what these structural shifts imply for market stability, education, and liquidity quality over the next 12–24 months. Moderator: Henry Schwartz, Vice President, Market Intelligence, Cboe Global Markets Panelists: Annabelle Baldwin, Chief Revenue Officer, SpiderRock Shelly Brown, Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, MIAX Geralyn Endo, Head of Options Business Development, MEMX This panel is proudly sponsored by OCC.

Volatility continued its retreat this week as equities marched higher and the VIX flirted with the 15 handle. On this episode, Mark Longo, Russell Rhoads, and Mark Sebastian break down the latest volatility landscape, including unusual VIX weekly trades, the ongoing debate around SVIX options liquidity, heavy put buying in semiconductor ETFs, Robinhood's AI-fueled rally, and what changing day-trading rules could mean for options volume. The crew also examines VIX term structure, volatility ETP opportunities, and whether a billion-contract options week is closer than many traders think. Plus, another round of Russell's Weekly Rundown and the Crystal Ball. Looking for a new brokerage? Volatility Views listeners can earn a double commission rebate of up to $3,000 on stock and ETF option trades for 30 days. Learn more at tastytrade.com/insider.

AI stocks, chip names, and momentum favorites dominated the options market to close out the week. Join Mark Longo as he breaks down the most active options trades, unusual flow, and key market movers including NVIDIA (NVDA), Tesla (TSLA), Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL), Palantir (PLTR), Robinhood (HOOD), Micron (MU), SoFi (SOFI), SMCI, and Intel (INTC). The episode also dives into a remarkable surge in stocks hitting fresh one-year highs and what that could mean for traders heading into next week. Get even more options data, scans, unusual activity, and market intelligence at TheHotOptionsReport.com.

Welcome to The Hot Options Report, your premier source for insight into the fast-moving options market. In this episode, host Mark Longo breaks down an incredibly active day on the options tape where it took massive volume just to break into the top ten countdown. First, we dive into the latest Congressional scans from the House Yay Scan, highlighting recent stock purchases from Representatives Thomas Kean (TXN) and Jonathan Jackson (SPG). Then, we track down the heavy-hitting order flow dominating the chains ahead of Friday's weekly expirations. From active retail plays in Robinhood and Amazon to massive institutional positioning in Apple, Palantir, and Micron, we break down whether paper was buying or selling the hot strikes. Finally, we analyze the heavy volume leading the tape in Microsoft, Tesla, and Nvidia. Find out which trades are burning up the tape and impacting your trading account! Get More Data & Scans: Visit TheHotOptionsReport.com

Dan Gramza joins Mark Longo on TWIFO 499 to break down a wild week across futures options. Equities continue to rally, nat gas lights up the tape, crude oil and Brent tumble, and metals remain stuck in a choppy range. Plus, a look at hot options activity in Russell 2000, natural gas, WTI crude, gold and silver.

The market is hitting brand new all-time highs, but the options landscape is flashing some highly unusual signals. In this episode of The Option Block, Mark Longo, Uncle Mike Tosaw, and Henry "The Flowmaster" Schwartz break down the wild, speculative environment driving the latest sea of green. The panel dives deep into the upcoming, historic SpaceX IPO—discussing what traders can expect from its highly anticipated options debut, potential volume records, and the structural listing criteria. Plus, the team breaks down a massive, inexplicable 1.55 million contract open interest anomaly in the Global X Defense Tech ETF (SHLD), and a massive post-earnings call option explosion in Snowflake (SNOW). On the Docket: The Trading Block: The market pushes north of 7,500 while VIX and VVIX get their legs cut out from under them. What does an inverted put/call skew in 55% of tech names tell us about current market frothiness? The SpaceX Countdown: Anticipating the June IPO. Will SpaceX options instantly usurp Tesla and Nvidia at the top of the volume charts? The Odd Block: Massive call buying and vertical spreads in Snowflake (SNOW) ahead of its monster 40% post-earnings move. Weird OI Anomalies: Breaking down a multi-million contract data glitch in the Global X Defense Tech ETF (SHLD) and heavy bullish rolls in ASP Isotopes (ASPI). Around the Block: Flatlining put demand in the SPX, a look at silver (SLV) channeling at the 70 level, and why Mike is keeping a close eye on his massive Palantir (PLTR) holdings.