Gianluca Longinotti is an experienced trader, advisor, and financial analyst with over a decade of professional experience in the banking sector, trading, and investment services. Known for his rigorous approach and deep understanding of market dynamics, Gianluca specializes in derivatives and cyclical analysis, with a strong emphasis on options trading strategies and macroeconomic frameworks.
Gianluca is the founder of Cycle Quest, a project focused on applying cyclical models to financial markets, economic indicators, and more. With an international academic background and a passion for data-driven decision-making, Gianluca empowers traders and investors with expert insights, clear strategy frameworks, and cutting-edge tools.
Education
- Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Brescia (Italy)
- Two Master’s Degrees in Economics and Empirical Finance from Sorbonne University (France)
References
- Founder at Cycle Quest
- Contributor at Traders Union
- Author at Tokize.com
- Author at Crypto Adventure
Experience
- Over a decade of experience trading options, with a focus on defined-risk strategies such as vertical spreads, iron condors, and diagonals
- Deep understanding of options pricing models like Black-Scholes and binomial trees, applied daily to position evaluation
- Active user of the CBOE indices as a benchmark to build and test different trading strategies with options
- Expert in managing trades using the Greeks (Delta, Theta, etc.) to dynamically adjust risk
- I regularly post live trade setups and market reads on Gianluca’s Trades via the Option Samurai blog and my personal Stocktwits profile
- Skilled in building algorithmic strategies in Python and Pine Script, with a focus on short-term price action and event-driven plays
- Creator of backtesting environments tailored to options logic using Python’s Pandas and NumPy stack
- Daily use of TradingView, Interactive Brokers, and Databento for execution, charting, and data analysis
- Developed custom automated dashboards in Plotly and Streamlit for real-time tracking of trade performance and volatility curves
- Frequently design strategies aligned with FOMC and macroeconomic indicators for directional and volatility bias
- Strong foundation in fundamental analysis, with deep dives into financial statements and earnings behavior
- Implemented statistical arbitrage and volatility modeling techniques to detect mean-reverting edges
- Experienced in handling expiration risk, assignment logic, and optimizing trade timing around options cycles
- Advocate for integrating behavioral finance principles to mitigate biases and improve trader discipline
- Regularly consult with traders on strategy design, risk control, and automation to elevate their performance across market regimes
In the Money vs Out of the Money: What’s the Difference?
Confused by strike prices? We break down in the money vs out of the money options using simple logic and real-world examples.
Trade Idea - Long Call on AAPL
Today I bought a call on AAPL. IV was low, and price action was looking good.
Options Contract - Understanding What an Option Is
We break down the definition, provide a clear option contract example, and explain how these agreements work.
Single Leg Options Trading - The 4 Core Options Strategies to Know
The basics of single leg options explained: learn what they are, how they work, the four core strategies, and when to trade them.
Trade Idea - Riskless Butterfly on ORCL
Today I opened a zero-loss butterfly on Oracle (ORCL). Structurally, this is a bullish butterfly with a defined outcome: it cannot lose money at expiration.
Iron Condor vs Iron Butterfly Strategies - Two Different Ways to Trade a Sideways Market
Understand the difference between the iron condor vs iron butterfly strategies. These setups are 2 popular ways to trade a sideways market.
Options Portfolio Management: How to Build and Balance Positions
Master options portfolio management with strategies, risk controls, and practical examples. Learn how to diversify, size positions, and more.
Debit Spread vs Credit Spread - How To Choose The Right Vertical For Your Market View
A clear guide to debit spread vs credit spread strategies, how they work, when to use them, and how volatility and pricing shape your choice between the two.
Risk Reversal in Options - How to Trade Direction With Minimal Upfront Cost
Understand risk reversal options, how they provide low cost directional exposure, and how to trade them in bullish or bearish markets.
No Loss Option Strategies - How True Zero Risk Trades Really Work
Learn how no loss option strategies actually work using put call parity, synthetic pricing, and true zero risk structures like collars, box spreads, and butterflies.
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