Cboe’s Options Institute Launches Level Up Learning

In an era when financial literacy is more important than ever, Cboe Global Markets, known as the exchange for the world’s stage, and The Options Institute (OI) are building an innovative “Level Up Learning” curriculum designed to empower individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complex world of finance.  

At its core, the curriculum aims to foster a more transparent and inclusive marketplace. After more than 50 years of innovation in the financial markets, we understand the importance of transparency, efficiency and inclusivity.  

The most important role of any exchange is to provide a platform for all participants to trade in a fair and orderly way. To that end, Cboe’s education efforts through The Options Institute serve to empower participants by increasing investor IQ and providing superior learning journeys. The OI’s programming, anchored to a financial literacy competency model, scales and grows with learners.

The foundation for a sustainable financial future is rooted in key competencies; defining essential skills, knowledge and behaviours . The OI’s model is centred around 11 core competencies . These include: 

• Spending 
• Budgeting 
• Saving 
• Investing 
• Decision making 
• Risk management 
• Financial markets.  

A focus on risk and decision making is a powerful part of the curriculum. Understanding risk is fundamental to making informed financial decisions, and the OI’s curriculum emphasises this. Risk management and decision making underpin confident investing and trading. Across the curriculum, learners discover the “why” behind a decision and the “how” of execution after a decision is made. Each Level Up Learning program component maps learning objectives to behaviour and performance outcomes.  

Basic financial literacy is critical as the next generation of investors seek to make the best choices for themselves and their clients. Continued market growth depends on future investors being equipped with the essential tools and strategies for informed and confident decision making. The Level Up Learning curriculum not only catalyses learner behaviour change; it seeks to improve market perception and have a positive impact on the financial wellbeing of anyone choosing to engage in the marketplace.  

Leveraging more than 35 years of experience and an ever-evolving approach to education, The OI has tied key metrics and goals to track Level Up Learning program outcomes at an individual, team and market level. Through pre- and post- evaluation, The OI measures the efficacy of the Level Up Learning curriculum to continue innovating. The end result is a rich learning ecosystem that grows with learners as they continue to pursue a thriving financial future.  

As Cboe is the exchange for the world stage, powering markets across the globe, The OI is behind the curtain, educating market participants. The Level Up Learning curriculum is breaking down barriers and crossing borders to provide access to high-quality, unbiased financial education.

The OI’s team of instructors has a deep passion for education and a strong vision. We are shaping the future of the marketplace by creating a diverse offering of instruction and resources. This includes programming in multiple languages, regional adaptation of the material and partnerships with other leading exchanges operating in developing economies. The Level Up Learning curriculum infuses learning with real-world examples, case studies and assignments. With the rise in retail investor participation and the acceleration of change in the marketplace, it’s more important than ever to ensure every investor is properly educated and aware of the choices that are available to them. 

The OI was founded decades ago, during a time when retail investors were virtually non-existent and most institutions were focused on enhancing existing investment practices by adding new products and strategies. Since then, the market has evolved alongside the global economy and population, highlighting the need to return to fundamental concepts of personal finance and economics.  

In our experience, an early start is the best way to establish sound patterns. The OI is committed to leveraging meaningful partnerships to amplify its efforts in the financial-literacy landscape. That’s why we’re partnering with National Louis University to deliver financial-literacy education to junior-high, high-school and university students in the United States, with a larger vision of global initiatives to “Level Up” investor intelligence around the world. 

The OI recognises that financial literacy is a lifelong journey and has built a competency framework that supports continuous learning and development. By shaping a curriculum aligned to key competencies, The OI aims to democratise financial knowledge. This represents a significant step forward in the quest to increase investor IQ globally and make a lasting impact. 

Cboe and The Options Institute are proud of what’s been accomplished and look forward to continued global economic growth, driven by educated investors. We are excited to keep refining the Financial Literacy Competency Model as we welcome feedback from all our students, retail and institutional. After all, we believe curious minds are the future of market health and stability. 

For more information on The Options Institute and its financial-literacy programs, visit www.cboe.com/oi.