Definition · updated 2026-10-21
Options flow
Options flow is the stream of executed options trades, each print showing the contract, size, premium and whether it traded at the bid or the ask. Traders read it to see where large participants are positioning before the stock reacts. A sweep is one order split across exchanges to fill fast.
See it live: the live unusual activity tape.
Prints, sweeps and blocks
A print is any executed trade. A sweep is an order routed across several exchanges at once, which usually means urgency. A block is a large single print, often negotiated. Premium (contracts × price × 100) is the honest measure of size.
Reading the tape
Aggregate by ticker and strike, separate bought from sold, and compare with open interest to tell opening from closing. Flow tells you what was done; the GEX profile tells you how dealers will have to react to it.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between options flow and unusual options activity?
- Flow is every trade; unusual activity is the subset that is abnormally large relative to the contract's history or open interest.
- Is options flow delayed?
- On OptionScout the tape is polled every 30 seconds from the Massive.com options feed, which is not a streaming socket but is far faster than end-of-day data.