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Building a cash digital from vanilla options

Question

Using only vanilla options, how would you replicate a digital call that pays 11 if the spot ends above KK?

Short answer

Use a narrow call spread scaled by its width. Buy 1/ε1/\varepsilon calls struck at K−εK-\varepsilon (or KK) and sell 1/ε1/\varepsilon calls at KK (or K+εK+\varepsilon). The payoff is 00 below the lower strike, 11 above the upper one and linear in between; as ε→0\varepsilon\to0 it tends to the digital, so its price is −∂C/∂K-\partial C/\partial K. Traders keep ε\varepsilon finite and choose the side that over-hedges.

Adapted from Joshi, Denson & Downes, Quant Job Interview Questions and Answers, Q2.40, p.20; question and answer rewritten by SelfMadeQuant.com.

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