QQQ max pain
From the closing options book · October 20, 2026 · updated after every close
QQQ's max pain for the October 21, 2026 expiration was 720 at the October 20, 2026 close, +0.3% from QQQ's 717.63 close. Max pain is the price at which option holders' total intrinsic value at expiry would be smallest.
QQQ close vs max pain, last 20 sessions
| Session | Close | Max pain | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 20 | 717.63 | 720 | +0.3% |
| Oct 19 | 718.36 | 720 | +0.2% |
| Oct 16 | 709.80 | 730 | +2.8% |
| Oct 15 | 728.00 | 732 | +0.5% |
| Oct 14 | 728.95 | 744 | +2.1% |
| Oct 13 | 743.57 | 748 | +0.6% |
| Oct 12 | 746.04 | 751 | +0.7% |
| Oct 9 | 751.27 | 750 | −0.2% |
| Oct 8 | 747.58 | 752 | +0.6% |
| Oct 7 | 757.73 | 756 | −0.2% |
| Oct 6 | 759.66 | 750 | −1.3% |
| Oct 5 | 756.20 | 745 | −1.5% |
| Oct 2 | 749.58 | 740 | −1.3% |
| Oct 1 | 742.03 | 735 | −0.9% |
| Sep 30 | 739.77 | 738 | −0.2% |
| Sep 28 | 736.53 | 736 | −0.1% |
| Sep 25 | 744.50 | 737 | −1.0% |
| Sep 24 | 741.10 | 735 | −0.8% |
| Sep 23 | 741.21 | 732 | −1.2% |
| Sep 22 | 747.46 | 731 | −2.2% |
The session before, max pain sat at 720.
Open interest within 45 days stood at 403,541 calls and 579,788 puts, a put/call ratio of 1.44. On the day, 783,045 calls and 846,684 puts traded.
Max pain is a property of the open-interest book, not a forecast: price has no obligation to finish there, and on most days it does not. It is most useful as a reference for where the expiring book is balanced.
These are the October 20, 2026 closing numbers. Members see QQQ's map move live all session.
Common questions
720 for the October 21, 2026 expiration, from open interest at the October 20, 2026 close.
By open interest 1.44; by volume 1.08 on October 20, 2026.
Not reliably. Max pain describes where the expiring options book is balanced; it is a reference level, not a prediction.
Compare: max pain on other tickers
Measured from the closing options book and rebuilt after every close. Nothing on this page is live. Levels are where dealer hedging is concentrated, not targets or forecasts. Not investment advice.