Glossary
Urgency
Sweeps and Golden Sweeps chased across exchanges signal someone who wants in now.
What it is
Urgency is the aggression behind how a trade was executed. Sweeps and Golden Sweeps were chased across exchanges — the buyer wanted in now and was willing to pay up to get filled. Low DTE (days to expiration) means they expect the move soon.
Why it matters
Patience is cheap; paying the spread across five exchanges is not. An order that sweeps multiple venues instantly is telling you the buyer thought waiting even a few minutes would cost them money. That is information about conviction and timing.
The urgency spectrum
- Golden Sweep — filled immediately across multiple exchanges, $1M+, near-the-money. Maximum urgency.
- Sweep — aggressive multi-exchange fill, slightly less extreme.
- Block — one large negotiated trade. Conviction over speed.
- Split — multiple smaller pieces over time. Least urgent.
The Heat Map's Urgency Score combines flow count, premium size, and aggressive fill type into a single composite.
Where you will see it
- Unusual ActivityProprietary scoring on volume-to-OI, premium size, and bid-ask execution flags the trades that matter: 85+ is significant, 95+ is institutional-grade.
- Live FlowThe raw tape as it prints. Filter by premium, score, DTE, and trade type to watch flow build on a single name in real time.
- Heat MapA visual grid of where premium is concentrating across the market right now, so rotation and crowding jump out at a glance.