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What is CI Volatility?

CI Volatility is a trading intelligence platform focused entirely on volatility products. It provides real-time tracking, historical analysis, decay projections, backtesting, and structured courses for tickers like UVXY, UVIX, VXX, SQQQ, SPXU, SOXS, and more.

The platform is designed for traders who want data-driven tools rather than opinions.

How do I access the dashboard?

Go to the dashboard page and enter the email address linked to your CI Volatility subscription. The system verifies your membership, and once confirmed, you get full access to all tools, courses, and data.

Your login is remembered in your browser, so you won't need to re-enter your email every time unless you clear your browser data or switch devices.

What tickers does CI Volatility track?

The platform tracks leveraged and inverse ETFs across volatility, equity, and commodity sectors:

  • UVXY (1.5x VIX short-term futures)
  • UVIX (2x VIX short-term futures)
  • VXX (1x VIX short-term futures)
  • SQQQ (3x inverse Nasdaq-100)
  • SPXU (3x inverse S&P 500)
  • SOXS (3x inverse semiconductors)
  • ZSL (2x inverse silver)
  • BOIL (2x long natural gas)
  • KOLD (2x short natural gas)

Additionally, the VIX spot index, VIX futures term structure, and VX30 (the interpolated 30-day constant-maturity VIX futures level) are tracked in real time.

Some tools also allow custom ticker input beyond the default list.

How often is the data updated?

Live ticker charts and most dashboard data update in real time during market hours. Analytical tools that rely on daily candle data are refreshed after market close each day.

The VIX term structure, contango readings, and VX30 also update in real time throughout the trading session.

Can I use CI Volatility on my mobile?

The platform is primarily designed for desktop use. Most analytical tools, courses, and data tables are mobile-responsive and work on phones and tablets. However, the live ticker charts are not available on mobile devices due to the complexity of the charting interface. For the best experience with charts, use a desktop or laptop browser.

How do I navigate between the volatility and natural gas dashboards?

Use the navigation bar at the top of any page. Clicking the "More" dropdown reveals links to all tools, courses, and both dashboards. You can switch between the Volatility Dashboard and the Natural Gas Dashboard at any time without needing to re-authenticate.

Can I use my account on multiple devices?

Yes. You can log in on multiple devices and browsers using the same email address. Each device stores its own session independently, so logging in on one device does not log you out of another.

I'm a subscriber but my email isn't being recognized. What should I do?

Make sure you're entering the exact email address linked to your subscription. Common issues include typos, using a different email than the one you subscribed with, or having a lapsed subscription.

If you've confirmed the email is correct and still can't access the platform, reach out to us for support.

Why was I logged out?

Sessions are stored in your browser's local storage. Clearing your browser data, using incognito/private mode, or switching browsers will reset your session. Simply re-enter your email to log back in.

What is a "spike" in the context of leveraged ETFs?

A spike is a rally measured as a percentage above the ticker's all-time low (ATL). Because leveraged ETFs like UVXY constantly decay toward new lows, every significant rally is measured relative to the most recent ATL rather than from a fixed price level.

For example, if UVXY's ATL is $20 and it rallies to $30, that's a 50% spike above ATL.

What does "percent above all-time low" mean?

This is the core metric used across most CI Volatility tools. It measures how far a ticker's current price sits above its most recent all-time low. Since leveraged ETFs like UVXY, UVIX, and VXX are structurally designed to decay over time, measuring from the ATL provides a consistent reference point regardless of reverse splits or historical price levels.

A reading of 0% means the ticker is at a new all-time low. A reading of 100% means it has doubled from its ATL.

How does the Spike Analyzer define a spike episode?

An episode begins when a ticker crosses a specified spike threshold (e.g. 50% above ATL) and ends when the ticker sets a new all-time low. This captures the full lifecycle of each volatility event, from spike to full decay.

The tool uses intraday highs and lows (not just closing prices) to detect threshold crossings, so it captures spikes that may have been missed by close-to-close data alone.

What does the Spike Ladder measure?

The Spike Ladder answers the question: "If a ticker has already spiked to level X above its ATL, what is the probability that it continues to level Y before setting a new all-time low?"

For example, if UVXY is currently 50% above its ATL, the Spike Ladder can tell you historically how often it went on to reach 100%, 150%, or 200% above ATL within that same episode.

How should I use the Spike Ladder for profit targets?

If you're long a volatility ETF during a spike, the Spike Ladder helps you set realistic exit targets. A level with a 30% hit probability means the spike reached that level only 3 out of 10 times historically. A level with 80% probability was reached 8 out of 10 times.

The tool also shows average and median days to reach each target, so you can assess whether a target is realistic within your holding timeframe.

Why do leveraged ETFs decay over time?

Leveraged ETFs reset their exposure daily. This daily rebalancing creates a compounding effect that erodes value over time, especially during periods of choppy, sideways markets. This is known as "volatility drag" or "beta slippage."

For VIX-linked products like UVXY and UVIX, there's an additional source of decay: contango. When VIX futures are in contango (longer-dated contracts priced higher than near-term contracts), these products must continually sell cheap front-month futures and buy more expensive later-month futures, creating a persistent headwind.

How accurate are the decay projections?

The projections are based on historical medians and averages. They show what typically happened in the past under similar conditions. Actual outcomes can deviate significantly, especially during unusual market events.

Think of them as a data-driven baseline for position sizing and exit planning, not a prediction of what will happen.

What is VIX contango and backwardation?

Contango is when longer-dated VIX futures are priced higher than near-term futures. This is the normal state and creates a persistent drag on long volatility products like UVXY and VXX as they roll from cheaper expiring contracts into more expensive later ones.

Backwardation is when near-term futures are priced higher than longer-dated ones. This typically occurs during market stress when traders are willing to pay more for immediate volatility protection. Backwardation benefits long volatility holders.

What is VX30?

VX30 is the interpolated 30-day constant-maturity VIX futures level. It's calculated by blending the two nearest VIX futures contracts to represent a synthetic futures price that always has exactly 30 days to expiration. This is what products like VXX actually track, and it's displayed on the VIX Term Structure page.

What does the VIX Term Structure page show?

The VIX Term Structure page displays a real-time chart of VIX futures prices across all available contract months, along with VIX spot and VX30. It visually shows whether the market is in contango or backwardation, how steep the curve is, and how the structure has changed over time. This is essential context for understanding the forces acting on products like UVXY, UVIX, and VXX.

What is the difference between UVXY, UVIX, and VXX?

All three track short-term VIX futures, but with different leverage and structures:

  • UVXY provides 1.5x daily leveraged exposure (formerly 2x). It spikes the most during volatility events but also decays the fastest.
  • UVIX provides 2x daily leveraged exposure. Similar behavior to UVXY but with higher leverage.
  • VXX provides 1x (unleveraged) exposure. It decays more slowly than the leveraged products but also responds less dramatically to VIX spikes.
What are SQQQ, SPXU, and SOXS?

These are 3x leveraged inverse equity ETFs that profit when their underlying index falls:

  • SQQQ provides 3x inverse daily exposure to the Nasdaq-100.
  • SPXU provides 3x inverse daily exposure to the S&P 500.
  • SOXS provides 3x inverse daily exposure to the semiconductor sector.

Like the VIX ETFs, these products experience daily decay due to leverage rebalancing. They spike during market selloffs and decay during sustained rallies. The same spike-based analytical framework applies to these tickers.

What is the Natural Gas Dashboard?

The Natural Gas Dashboard is a dedicated section of the platform focused on natural gas markets and the leveraged ETFs that track them (BOIL and KOLD). It includes a live chart, snapshot sidebar, and specialized tools covering natural gas production, weather impacts, seasonality, and ETF comparison data.

What is the difference between BOIL and KOLD?

BOIL provides 2x daily leveraged long exposure to natural gas futures. It profits when natural gas prices rise.

KOLD provides 2x daily leveraged short (inverse) exposure to natural gas futures. It profits when natural gas prices fall.

Both products experience leveraged decay, and both are tracked on the NatGas ETF Comparison page with side-by-side seasonality, performance, and pricing data.

What does the NatGas Production tool show?

The Production tool tracks U.S. natural gas production data over time, including dry gas production volumes. It helps traders understand the supply side of the natural gas market, which is a key driver of pricing alongside weather demand and storage levels.

What is the Weather Impact Tool?

The Weather Impact Tool links historical weather data (average highs, average lows, and heating degree days) to natural gas ETF returns on a month-by-month basis. It includes a monthly overview with year-by-year breakdowns and a Reaction Finder where you can select a month, a weather metric, and a temperature range to see how BOIL, KOLD, and natural gas futures historically performed under those specific conditions.

What are heating degree days (HDD)?

Heating Degree Days measure how much colder a given period was compared to a 65°F baseline. Higher HDD values mean colder weather and more heating demand, which typically increases natural gas consumption. HDD is one of the key weather metrics available in the Weather Impact Tool.

Does the NatGas dashboard have its own seasonality and weekday tools?

Yes. The Natural Gas Dashboard has its own Seasonal Patterns and Weekday Patterns tools specifically focused on BOIL, KOLD, and natural gas futures. These work the same way as the volatility versions but with data tailored to the natural gas market. There's also a NatGas Heatmap and a NatGas Biggest Move Finder.

How many courses are available?

There are currently 8 courses covering everything from absolute beginner concepts to advanced volatility strategies. Topics include trading fundamentals, volatility basics, implied volatility mechanics, options strategies (30+ strategies), VIX behavior, volatility ETF deep dives, and a comprehensive technical indicators encyclopedia covering 120+ indicators.

What order should I take the courses in?

The courses are numbered 1 through 8 in a recommended learning path. Course 1 (Trading Concepts) and Course 2 (Volatility Trading for Beginners) are the starting points. From there, the courses progressively build on each other, moving from implied volatility mechanics to options strategies, then into VIX-specific behavior and advanced topics.

If you already have experience with options and volatility, you can skip ahead to the intermediate courses (3-5) or dive directly into the UVXY Deep Dive (Course 6) or VIX Behavior (Course 7).

Do the courses have quizzes?

Yes. Every course includes quiz questions to test your understanding. There are over 500 quiz questions across all 8 courses. The questions range from basic concept checks to scenario-based questions that test practical application.

What topics does the Options Strategies course cover?

The Options Strategies course covers over 30 individual strategies, from basic calls and puts to multi-leg structures like iron condors, butterflies, straddles, strangles, and calendar spreads. Each strategy includes an explanation of the setup, risk/reward profile, ideal market conditions, and example scenarios.

What is the Technical Indicators course?

The Technical Indicators course is a comprehensive encyclopedia covering 120+ technical indicators. Each entry explains how the indicator is calculated, how to interpret it, its strengths and weaknesses, and practical use cases. Indicators covered include moving averages, oscillators, volume-based indicators, momentum indicators, and many more.

Are new courses being added?

Yes. The courses page shows upcoming topics on the roadmap including Options Greeks Deep Dive, Volatility Skew & Surface, Portfolio Hedging, Earnings Volatility, and Advanced Vol Strategies. New courses are added periodically as part of the membership.

Where does the price data come from?

Price data is sourced from major financial data providers. Live charts use real-time market feeds, while analytical tools use end-of-day data for historical calculations. VIX futures data comes from CBOE-sourced feeds.

Can I download VX30 historical data?

Yes. Historical VX30 data is available as a CSV download. This contains the daily interpolated 30-day constant-maturity VIX futures level going back through the full available history. The download link is accessible from the VIX Term Structure page.

How far back does the historical data go?

Historical data coverage depends on the ticker. For UVXY, the data goes back to its inception in 2011. Newer products like UVIX have shorter histories. VIX data extends further back. The tools automatically use the full available history for each ticker, so you always get the maximum sample size for any analysis.

How does the platform handle reverse splits in the data?

Leveraged ETFs like UVXY frequently undergo reverse splits to keep their share price tradeable. The platform uses split-adjusted data, which means all historical prices are retroactively adjusted so the entire history reflects the current share count. This ensures that return calculations and spike measurements are continuous and accurate across split events.