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The Journal of Derivatives

Quantum Option Pricing and Quantum Finance

Sergio M. Focardi, Frank J. Fabozzi, Davide Mazza

Published May 28, 2020• 19 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In this article, the authors discuss the use of quantum probability, that is, the probability theory of quantum mechanics, for option pricing and for finance in general. The authors discuss the motivations for applying quantum probability to finance. The critical issues are replacing random variables with operators, self-reflexivity of markets, and the existence of incompatible observations. The authors outline quantum probability theory, quantum stochastic processes, and the pricing of options in a quantum context. TOPICS:Options, portfolio theory, portfolio construction Key Findings • Quantum probability theory is a probabilistic theory of observations. Observations can change the system and be incompatible. • Quantum probability offers a more empirically faithful handling of large events and of uncertainty. • A better theory of valuation is offered by quantum probability theory than classical probability theory.

DOI
10.3905/jod.2020.1.111

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In this article, the authors discuss the use of quantum probability, that is, the probability theory of quantum mechanics, for option pricing and for finance in general. The authors discuss the motivations for applying quantum probability to finance. The critical issues are replacing random variables with operators, self-reflexivity of markets, and the existence of incompatible observations. The authors outline quantum probability theory, quantum stochastic processes, and the pricing of options in a quantum context. TOPICS:Options, portfolio theory, portfolio construction Key Findings • Quantum probability theory is a probabilistic theory of observations. Observations can change the system and be incompatible. • Quantum probability offers a more empirically faithful handling of large events and of uncertainty. • A better theory of valuation is offered by quantum probability theory than classical probability theory.
A new paradigm based on quantum probability that can model stock markets and price options—and also upends classical quantitative finance. In The Quantum Stock Market, David Orrell combines theory and new empirical findings to argue for a new approach to finance based on quantum probability. The main finding, a property called q-variance, may be unique in finance in that it was discovered as the result of a prediction, affects financial markets in general, has no tunable parameter, and has important consequences for a range of topics including the pricing of financial options. The property, which somehow eluded detection for over a century, has been verified by experts in the field. And the fact that it is incompatible with classical finance—which is perhaps why it went undetected—suggests that the field must be reinvented. Orrell argues for nothing less than a paradigm shift in finance. As with any new work that challenges existing methods the ideas have already received pushback, from leaders in the field of finance to physicists skeptical of applying quantum probability outside its traditional domain. Written in an interdisciplinary style that mixes mathematical equations, data analysis, and informed comments on the field of finance, The Quantum Stock Market should be read by anyone who wants to be on the right side of a paradigm shift.
In this chapter the concept of the Hamiltonian is introduced in the pricing of options. Hamiltonians occur naturally in finance; to demonstrate this the analysis of the Black–Scholes equation is recast in the formalism of quantum mechanics. It is then shown how the Hamiltonian plays a central role in the general theory of option pricing. The Hamiltonian formulation provides new tools for obtaining solutions for option pricing; two key concepts related to the Hamiltonian are (a) eigenfunctions and (b) potentials. Knowledge of all the eigenfunctions of a Hamiltonian yields an exact solution for a large class of path-dependent and path-independent options. For example, barrier options can be modelled by placing constraints on the eigenfunctions of the Hamiltonian. The potentials are a means for defining new financial instruments, and for modelling path-dependent options. Essentials of quantum mechanics It is shown in this chapter that option pricing in finance has a mathematical description that is identical to a quantum system; hence the key features of quantum theory are briefly reviewed. Quantum theory is a vast subject that forms the bedrock of contemporary physics, chemistry and biology. Only those aspects of quantum mechanics are reviewed that are relevant for the analysis of option pricing. In classical mechanics the position of a particle at time t , denoted by x t , is a deterministic function of t , and is given by Newton's law of motion. Classical mechanics is analogous to the case of the evolution of a stock price with zero volatility (σ = 0) that yields a deterministic evolution of the stock price.
In this paper, we present a quantum version of some portions of Mathematical Finance, including theory of arbitrage, asset pricing, and optional decomposition in financial markets based on finite dimensional quantum probability spaces. As examples, the quantum model of binomial markets is studied. We show that this quantum model ceases to pose the paradox which appears in the classical model of the binomial market. Furthermore, we re-deduce the Cox-Ross-Rubinstein binomial option pricing formula by considering multi-period quantum binomial markets.
Quantum Finance represents the synthesis of the techniques of quantum theory (quantum mechanics and quantum field theory) to theoretical and applied finance. After a brief overview of the connection between these fields, we illustrate some of the methods of lattice simulations of path integrals for the pricing of options. The ideas are sketched out for simple models, such as the Black-Scholes model, where analytical and numerical results are compared. Application of the method to nonlinear systems is also briefly overviewed. More general models, for exotic or path-dependent options are discussed.
Quantum finance is a new paradigm in financial market operations, based on the principles of quantum computing in solving highly complex problems with efficiency. This chapter covers some basic ideas of quantum finance through its historical context and the role it has played in surmounting the limitations of classical financial models. The chapter commences with the basics, including the need for an introduction to quantum mechanics, qubits, quantum gates, and algorithms that can be applied in financial applications to demonstrate how quantum computing can change finance. We discuss some of those areas where this technology is bound to make an impact: in portfolio optimization, quantum computing considers several combinations of assets at a time; in risk management, improved models will allow for better predictions of market movements; in derivative pricing, the calculations are faster and more accurate; and in fraud detection, it enables one to execute better analysis of transactional data. The advancement of quantum finance is linked to the need to resolve ethical, legal, and technical obstacles while integrating with traditional financial institutions. The financial markets will be a key source of innovation that will drive efficiency, precision, and invention to previously unheard-of heights, given the direction that quantum computing technology is expected to take. Thus, the chapter ends with a call for more study and cooperation to fully grasp quantum finance's transformative potential.
Following system is investigated with its corresponding properties in detail: A Quantum Model Of Option Pricing: When Black–Scholes Meets Schrödinger And Its Semi-Classical Limit, Black–Scholes Option Pricing Model In A More General Quantum Physics Setting, Perfect Market Equilibrium State Postulated By The Black–Scholes Model Represents A Particular Case., Controlled Markov Processes And Mathematical Finance, Controlled Markov Processes And Mathematical Finance, Dynamic Optimization And Its Relation To Classical And Quantum Constrained Systems, Consistency Relation, Inter-Occurrence Times And Universal Laws In Finance, Earthquakes And Genomes, Quantum Cognition Beyond Hilbert Space Ii, Quantum Master Equation For Long-Term Prognosis.. The full paper: http://www.iiste.org/PDFshare/APTA-PAGENO-654991-661307.pdf