Effective January 26, 2026, Nasdaq is expanding the Short-Term Option Series Program to include Monday and Wednesday expirations for select high-volume securities. This update adds more expiration choices to existing option chains—your current Friday weekly and monthly contracts remain unchanged.
Qualifying Securities
Nine tickers currently meet Nasdaq's eligibility criteria:
Large-Cap Tech ("Magnificent 7"): AAPL, AMZN, GOOGL, META, MSFT, NVDA, TSLA
Additional Securities: Broadcom (AVGO), iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT)
Key Rules
Physical Settlement — Unlike cash-settled index options (SPX, NDX), these contracts settle into actual shares. Short options positions can be assigned at any time, including near-the-money positions, and in-the-money positions held through expiration will result in assignment or delivery.
Earnings Blackouts — Nasdaq may skip a Wednesday expiration if the company reports earnings that day. For example, GOOGL will not list a February 4, 2026 expiration due to its scheduled earnings release.
No Duplicate Listings — If a Monday or Wednesday falls on a standard monthly or quarterly expiration, only the existing contract will be available.
First Available Expirations
Monday, February 2, 2026
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 (except GOOGL)
Monday, February 9, 2026
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
FAQ
Are these the same as SPX daily options?
No. These are equity and ETF options with physical settlement, meaning assignment results in shares rather than cash.
Will more tickers be added?
Nasdaq reviews eligibility quarterly based on market capitalization, options volume, and liquidity thresholds.
Where can I find these expirations?
They appear directly in the options chain for each eligible ticker, listed alongside existing expiration dates.
Disclosures
Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk. Firstrade does not guarantee favorable investment outcomes and there is always the potential of losing money when you invest in securities or other financial products. Investors should consider their investment objectives and risks carefully before investing. To learn more about the risks associated with options, please read the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before you begin trading options. Please also be aware of the risks listed in the following documents: Day Trading Risk Disclosure Statement. Examples contained in this article are for illustrative purposes only. Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be provided upon request.