Option Focus | Taiwan Semiconductor’s $2 Million ITM Call Buy on the 400 Strike Signals High-Conviction Bullish Conviction Through 2026

Option Witch08-03

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company ended the latest session at $404.25 per share, reflecting a 0.23% increase. The options market flashed a powerful bullish signal with a dominant $2.03 million in-the-money call purchase, dwarfing all other activity and setting a decisively constructive tone for the session.

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Options Indicators

TSM’s implied volatility is 50.37%, and with an IV percentile of 70.52%, current volatility is sitting in the elevated zone, indicating that options are priced on the expensive side relative to the stock’s own recent history. At the same time, the IV/HV ratio of 1.04 suggests implied volatility is only modestly above realized volatility, so while option premiums are rich on a historical percentile basis, they are not dramatically overstretched versus actual recent movement. The Call/Put volume ratio is 1.05.

Large Trades

A CALL buy worth $2.03 million was the standout large trade, with 1,500 contracts purchased on the 400.00 strike expiring on 2026-08-07. With TSM referenced at $404.25, the option was already in the money at execution, which makes this a relatively high-conviction bullish position rather than a low-probability upside lottery ticket. The buyer is securing leveraged upside exposure while also benefiting from intrinsic value support, suggesting an expectation that TSM can continue advancing over the coming year.

Overall, the large-trade flow was clearly bullish. The activity was entirely dominated by call buying, with no meaningful bearish large-trade presence, which points to constructive institutional sentiment and a willingness to pay premium for upside participation. In short, the large-order tape suggests traders are positioning for further strength in TSM rather than hedging against downside.

Strategy Reference

For a lower-capital alternative, a bullish trader could sell a cash-secured put on the 370.00 strike, which currently sits well out of the money and presents a low assignment probability while capturing elevated premium.

Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.

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