Swaptions: Guide to Swap Options, With Types and Styles

A swaption, also known as a swap option, refers to an option to enter into an interest rate swap or some other type of swap. In exchange for an option's premium, the buyer gains the right but not the obligation to enter into a specified swap agreement with the issuer on a specified future date.

Swaptions are over-the-counter contracts and are not standardized, like equity options or futures contracts. Thus, the buyer and seller need to both agree to the price of the swaption, the time until expiration of the swaption, the notional amount and the fixed/floating rates.

Since swaptions are custom contracts, more creative, personalized and/or unique terms can be included in the terms.

Types of Swaptions

There are two (2) types of swaptions, payer swaptions and receiver swaptions. Each has its purpose and largely depends on the user's expectations and objectives regarding future changes in interest rates.

Both types of swaptions are used as strategic tools by investors and traders to hedge interest rate risk and for speculative purposes. Through strategic positioning using swaptions, entities can align their financial strategies with their market expectations and risk management needs.

Payer Swaption

A payer swaption gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to enter into a swap as the fixed-rate payer and the float and the floating rate receiver. When it comes to the payer swaption, the entity benefits when it anticipates a rise in interest rates. By entering the swap, the payer locks in the ability to pay a fixed rate while receiving a potentially higher floating rate that adjusts with rising rates.

Receiver Swaption

On the other hand, a receiver swaption gives the holder the right to enter into a swap as the fixed rate receiver and the floating rate payer. The structure works well when the holder expects interest rates to fall. The holder will receive a higher fixed interest rate while paying a lower floating rate that decreases with the market rate. This option is often used by pension funds and insurance companies that require stable, predictable income streams and would like to capitalize on favorable rate adjustments.

Who Uses Swaptions?

Swaptions are used by various financial participants, mainly for managing interest rate risk, speculating on future interest rate movements as well as optimizing portfolio strategy. Some users include financial institutions such as insurance companies and banks, treasurers, funds, hedgers, speculators and traders.

Indeed, these users have swaptions at their disposal for mostly financial risk management, allowing for better alignment to their investment and financial strategies as well as risk tolerance levels.

How Do Swaptions Work?

Purchasing a swaption gives the holder the right to decide at a later date whether to enter into a swap agreement under predetermined terms. The process involves the buyer of the swaption and the seller of the swaption.

The buyer pays a premium to the seller for the swaption. This premium is the cost of having the option to enter into the swap at a later date. The agreement details, such as the duration of the swap, the notional amount, and the fixed and floating rates, are specified at the time of the swaption purchase.

When the swaption moves closer to expiring, the buyer can choose to exercise the option if it is beneficial. If exercised, the swap agreement begins according to the terms of the swaption contract. If market conditions make the swap unattractive, or it no longer suits the buyer's strategy, the buyer can let the swaption expire unexercised, losing only the premium paid.

How are Swaptions Exercised?

There are three (3) ways in which swaptions can be exercised. The exercise type is either European, American or Bermudan and the conditions are specified at the time of purchase.

When the swaption approaches its respective expiration date or dates, the holder must decide whether to exercise the option based on the current market conditions compared to the terms agreed upon in the swaption contract.

If the conditions are favorable, the holder can exercise the option to enter into the swap agreement. If the conditionals are unattractive, or if it no longer suits the holder's strategic needs, the holder might also choose not to exercise the swaption. In this case, the option expires worthless, and the holder loses the premium paid for the swaption but avoids entering into a potentially disadvantageous swap.

European Style Swaptions

This swaption can only be exercised on the expiration date specified in the contract. This is arguably the most common type used in interest rate swaptions.

American Style Swaptions

This type of swaption can be exercised at any time on or before the expiration date. This flexibility allows the holder to take advantage of favorable movements in interest rates at any point during the contact period.

Bermudan Style Swaptions

A Bermuda Swaption is a hybrid of European and American swaptions. This allows the swaption to be exercised on specific dates before the finance expiration date, providing more opportunities to enter into the swap than the European style but less flexibility than the American style.

Example of a Swaption

A hypothetical situation involves a corporation that wants to manage its future interest rate exposure using a swaption. This corporation anticipates that it will need to borrow $10 million in six (6) months. The length of this loan would be five (5) years.

Currently, the fixed rate for a loan like this is 5%. However, the CFO expects that interest rates might be higher due to economic changes. Thus, the corporation buys a payer swaption to hedge against this risk.

The details of the swaption are as follows:

• Notional Amount: $10 million
• Swaption Type: European
• Fixed Rate: 5%
• Premium: $50,000
• Maturity: 6 months
• Underlying Swap Terms: 5 years

There are two anticipated scenarios: (i) an interest rate increase and (ii) an interest rate decrease. For scenario (i), in six (6) months, if the fixed rate for a similar duration loan increases to 6%, the swaption becomes valuable. Exercising this swaption will allow the corporation to enter into a swap where it pays the lower fixed rate of 5% and receives the higher floating rate, effectively saving on interest costs compared to current market conditions. Thus, the corporation will exercise the swaption, enter into the swap, and benefit from lower borrowing costs.

The other side of the coin involves a 100 bps decrease to 4%, whereby the swaption will be out of the money. Exercising the option would mean agreeing to pay a higher rate than the current market rate of 4%, which would be uneconomical. Hence, the corporation would decide not to exercise the swaption, forfeiting the premium paid of $50,000 but avoiding the higher interest payments.

Based on the example above, the corporation uses a payer swaption to hedge against rising interest rates. The decision to exercise the swaption depends on actual interest rate conditions at the expiration of the swaption as it is a European-style swaption. If interest rates rise above the strike rate of the swaption, it would be economical to exercise. If rates fell below the strike rate, it would be more cost-effective to let the swaption expire and finance at the lower interest rate, with the loss limited to the premium paid. This use of swaptions helps manage financial risks related to interest rate movements in an effective manner.

The Bottom Line

Swaptions serve as versatile derivatives that provide avenues for managing interest rate risks, allowing holders to enter into a swap agreement as a fixed rate payer or receiver based on their views of future interest rate changes.

The two main types of swaptions, payer and receiver, cater to different hedging and speculative needs. At the same time, the styles of options, such as European, American, and Bermudan, offer varied levels of flexibility regarding exercise opportunities. These instruments allow companies, financial institutions, investors, and traders to tailor their interest rate exposure according to their economic outlooks and strategies, enhancing their overall risk management frameworks and potential financial performance.