A derivative is a financial security with a value that is reliant upon or derived from, an underlying asset or group of assets—a benchmark. The derivative itself is a contract between two or more parties, and the derivative derives its price from fluctuations in the underlying asset.

The most common underlying assets for derivatives are stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, interest rates, and market indexes. These assets are commonly purchased through brokerages.

Most derivatives are not traded on exchanges and are used by institutions to hedge risk or speculate on price changes in the underlying asset.

The most common forms of derivative are- Futures, Options, Forwards, Swaps.