I just realized that many of you are still confused between options, warrants, and futures. Today I will explain it clearly.

There are 3 things you need to understand: With options, you only have the right but are not obligated to execute. In contrast, futures require you to buy/sell obligatorily at maturity. Warrants can only be issued by securities companies.

Why are options good? Because you can make a profit even when prices go down. Buying Bitcoin at 28k USD but the price drops to 20k? No problem, you only lose the premium fee, not the entire capital. That’s how options protect you.

I often use 2 strategies:

The first is Protective Put – buying Put options as portfolio insurance. For example, holding 2 billion VND worth of bank stocks, worried about the State Bank raising interest rates, so I spend 40 million VND to buy VN30 Put options. If the market drops 15%, the portfolio loses 300 million VND but the Put options gain 400-500 million VND thanks to leverage. If the market continues to rise, I only lose the 40 million VND premium fee but the portfolio increases significantly. Very worthwhile.

The second is Covered Call – "rent out" your existing stocks. Holding 10k HPG shares, selling Call options at a price 10% above the market. If HPG doesn’t rise more than 10%, you enjoy the entire premium as an extra dividend. This is an optimal way for "sharks" to maximize profits when the market moves sideways.

The advantage of options is that there are hundreds of different strategies. But the downside is also clear – more complex, higher costs, and the option seller bears unlimited risk.

Currently in Vietnam, only VN30 futures trading is officially available. If you want to trade options, you must go through international platforms. The important thing is to choose a platform monitored by international financial organizations, with good risk management tools, and low transaction fees.

I advise you: if you’re just starting out, don’t rush. Learn thoroughly first, start small, focus on an asset you understand well. Have a clear strategy before entering. Options are powerful tools but require respect.