Welcome to Swaps 101, a foundational course designed to introduce you to the world of swaps, including both over-the-counter and listed derivatives. This comprehensive introductory course demystifies the world of swaps by exploring their structure, market dynamics, key participants, and the tools used to manage risk and gain exposure.

The session will detail key differences between OTC and listed markets, and between cleared and uncleared products, highlighting areas such as product customization, bilateral negotiation, collateralization, typical risk factors, and trading mechanisms.  Attendees will gain insight into the evolution of these products and will examine important market trends and emerging areas, including smart contracts, tokenization, and the deployment of artificial intelligence.

Whether you're new to the sector or looking to deepen your understanding of how swaps are traded, this course offers the essential knowledge and context to navigate today's complex markets.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the fundamental structure and purpose of swaps markets.
• Differentiate between OTC and listed derivatives products.
• Explain the evolution of environmental, inflation, cryptocurrency, and DeFI derivatives.
• Understand the differences in collateralization methods.
• Identify typical counterparty and market risk factors.
• Distinguish between OTC and standardized documentation and trading practices.
• Describe the roles of the primary swaps market participants.
• Recognize emerging trends in product innovation and technology, including tokenization and artificial intelligence.

Who Should Attend

This course is ideal for:

• Professionals new to swaps markets or transitioning from other asset classes.
• Market participants seeking a foundational understanding of swaps markets.
• Risk, legal, compliance, and operations professionals engaging with swaps in any context.
• Regulators and policymakers who oversee swaps markets.
• Technology and data professionals building or maintaining swaps trading platforms.

Level:  Basic

Duration and Format:  This virtual instructor-led workshop is delivered in 90-minute sessions on two consecutive dates from 10:00 to 12:30 Eastern Time.

Qualify for a discount? FIA Member firms and their employees are eligible for discounts on courses. FIA members include more than 300 financial services firms as well as fund managers, commercial hedgers, global exchanges, technology vendors, and legal and other professional services providers.