Triple Witching 2026: Dates & Countdown

Frequently asked questions

What is triple witching?

Triple witching is the third Friday of March, June, September and December, when three families of derivativesFinancial instruments whose price depends on another asset: a stock, an index, a commodity… expire on the same day: index optionsA contract giving the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an index at a preset level until an expiration date., index futuresA contract committing you to buy or sell an index at a preset level on a preset date. and stock options. That concentration of expirations triggers exceptional volumes and sometimes sharp price moves, with no economic news to explain them.

Triple or quadruple witching: what is the difference?

“Triple witching” covers the simultaneous expiration of index options, index futures and stock options. “Quadruple witching” adds single-stock futures. Those have practically disappeared in the United States since the OneChicago exchange closed in 2020, so both terms now describe the same day.

When are the next triple witching dates?

The tracker above shows the next session with its countdown, plus every date for the current year and the next. The only exception to the 3rd Friday rule: when it falls on a market holiday, such as Good Friday in some years, expiration moves to the Thursday before.

What time does it happen (London time)?

The expirations are spread across the day: EurexEurope’s main derivatives exchange (Deutsche Börse group), where the DAX and EURO STOXX 50 contracts trade. index derivatives (DAX, EURO STOXX 50) expire at 12:00, US index derivatives settle on the Wall Street opening prices (14:30), and US stock options expire at the close (21:00). Note: for two to three weeks a year, when the US and Europe do not switch to summer time at the same moment, the US times shift by one hour. The tracker above always shows the exact times of the next session.

Should you trade on triple witching day?

Caution is warranted. The moves in these sessions are largely mechanical: they reflect expiration and rebalancing flows, not new information about the economy or companies. SpreadsThe gap between an asset’s buy and sell price: the wider it is, the more each round trip costs. can widen and technical breakoutsWhen price pushes through a level traders watch (support or resistance), often read as a trading signal. are less reliable than usual. Some very active traders seek out precisely this volatility, but if you are starting out, it is better to reduce your position sizes or stay away from the final US hour.