Define the ‘Risk-Free Rate’ Input in the Model.
The risk-free rate is the theoretical rate of return of an investment with zero risk, often proxied by the yield on short-term government securities, such as US Treasury bills, that mature close to the option's expiration date. In the Black-Scholes model, this rate is used to discount the expected future payoff of the option back to its present value.
A higher risk-free rate generally increases the value of a call option and decreases the value of a put option.
Glossar
Higher Risk-Free Rate
Volatility Premium ⎊ ⎊ A higher risk-free rate directly impacts the volatility premium demanded by option sellers, increasing the cost of hedging and consequently, the price of options across all strike prices.
Risk-Free Rate
Rate ⎊ The risk-free rate represents the theoretical return on an investment with zero risk, serving as a critical input in option pricing models to calculate the cost of carrying an asset forward in time, particularly relevant for valuing longer-dated crypto options.