VIX Expiration Calendar 2026
Standard VIX options expirations are tied to the SPX option cycle 30 days later. After the May 2026 Tuesday exception, the next standard VIX date is Wednesday, June 17, 2026, tied to the July SPX monthly cycle.
Next VIX standard date
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
This is the next standard VIX monthly expiration after the May 19 cycle.
May 2026 exception
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Past row tied to the holiday-adjusted June SPX cycle.
Usual standard pattern
Wednesday
Most standard VIX monthly expirations fall on a Wednesday.
Last trading day
Prior business day
Expiring standard VIX options typically stop trading before the settlement morning.
Current VIX and SPX expiration handoff
The May VIX date has passed, so current VIX date lookups should move forward to the June 17 standard VIX expiration while still keeping the related SPX monthly cycle explicit.
| Lookup | Current answer | Page ownership |
|---|---|---|
| next VIX expiration date | Wednesday, June 17, 2026; last trading day typically Tuesday, June 16. | This VIX calendar page owns standard VIX date lookups. |
| June 2026 SPX / equity OpEx | Thursday, June 18, 2026 because Friday, June 19 is Juneteenth. | Use the next OpEx page for SPX/equity OpEx searches. |
| May 2026 VIX expiration | Tuesday, May 19, 2026; now a historical row tied to the June SPX cycle. | Keep May as historical context rather than the forward-looking answer. |
2026 VIX expiration calendar
The last-trade note is included because VIX options are AM-settled and should not be treated like regular PM-settled ETF options.
| Date | Cycle | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, January 21, 2026 | VIX standard | Standard VIX monthly expiration. Last trading day: January 20, 2026. |
| Wednesday, February 18, 2026 | VIX standard | Standard VIX monthly expiration. Last trading day: February 17, 2026. |
| Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | VIX standard | Standard VIX monthly expiration. Last trading day: March 17, 2026. |
| Wednesday, April 15, 2026 | VIX standard | Standard VIX monthly expiration. Last trading day: April 14, 2026. |
| Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | VIX standard | Tuesday exception because the related standard SPX cycle is holiday-adjusted. Last trading day: May 18, 2026. |
| Wednesday, June 17, 2026 | VIX standard | Standard VIX monthly expiration. Last trading day: June 16, 2026. |
| Wednesday, July 22, 2026 | VIX standard | Standard VIX monthly expiration. Last trading day: July 21, 2026. |
| Wednesday, August 19, 2026 | VIX standard | Standard VIX monthly expiration. Last trading day: August 18, 2026. |
| Wednesday, September 16, 2026 | VIX standard | Standard VIX monthly expiration. Last trading day: September 15, 2026. |
| Wednesday, October 21, 2026 | VIX standard | Standard VIX monthly expiration. Last trading day: October 20, 2026. |
| Wednesday, November 18, 2026 | VIX standard | Standard VIX monthly expiration. Last trading day: November 17, 2026. |
| Wednesday, December 16, 2026 | VIX standard | Standard VIX monthly expiration. Last trading day: December 15, 2026. |
VIX vs SPX vs SPXW expiration mechanics
These products can appear in the same OpEx research workflow, but they should not be modeled as interchangeable expiration events.
| Product | Typical date logic | Settlement / workflow caveat |
|---|---|---|
| VIX standard options | Calculated from the standard SPX option cycle 30 calendar days later. | AM-settled; track the last trading day separately from the settlement date. |
| SPX standard monthly options | Standard monthly cycle, generally the third Friday, with holiday adjustments. | Index product; settlement rules differ from ETF options and should be stored explicitly. |
| SPXW weekly options | Short-dated SPX weekly series with more frequent expiration dates. | Do not collapse SPXW short-dated dates into the standard monthly SPX row. |
VIX expiration dates relative to SPX OpEx
Standard VIX options are dated from the standard SPX options cycle 30 days later. This table makes the 2026 calendar relationship explicit.
| VIX month | VIX expiration | Related SPX monthly OpEx | Calendar logic |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Wednesday, January 21, 2026 | Friday, February 20, 2026 | The standard VIX date falls 30 calendar days before the related SPX monthly expiration. |
| February | Wednesday, February 18, 2026 | Friday, March 20, 2026 | The standard VIX date falls 30 calendar days before the related SPX monthly expiration. |
| March | Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | Friday, April 17, 2026 | The standard VIX date falls 30 calendar days before the related SPX monthly expiration. |
| April | Wednesday, April 15, 2026 | Friday, May 15, 2026 | The standard VIX date falls 30 calendar days before the related SPX monthly expiration. |
| May | Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | Thursday, June 18, 2026 | The related SPX monthly expiration is holiday-adjusted, so the VIX date moves to Tuesday. |
| June | Wednesday, June 17, 2026 | Friday, July 17, 2026 | The standard VIX date falls 30 calendar days before the related SPX monthly expiration. |
| July | Wednesday, July 22, 2026 | Friday, August 21, 2026 | The standard VIX date falls 30 calendar days before the related SPX monthly expiration. |
| August | Wednesday, August 19, 2026 | Friday, September 18, 2026 | The standard VIX date falls 30 calendar days before the related SPX monthly expiration. |
| September | Wednesday, September 16, 2026 | Friday, October 16, 2026 | The standard VIX date falls 30 calendar days before the related SPX monthly expiration. |
| October | Wednesday, October 21, 2026 | Friday, November 20, 2026 | The standard VIX date falls 30 calendar days before the related SPX monthly expiration. |
| November | Wednesday, November 18, 2026 | Friday, December 18, 2026 | The standard VIX date falls 30 calendar days before the related SPX monthly expiration. |
| December | Wednesday, December 16, 2026 | Friday, January 15, 2027 | The standard VIX date falls 30 calendar days before the related SPX monthly expiration. |
Direct answer
Why VIX dates can differ from equity OpEx
Equity and ETF monthly options normally anchor to the third Friday. Standard VIX options use a different rule: the expiration is calculated from the SPX option cycle 30 days later, and VIX options are AM-settled. That is why a VIX expiration lookup should include the related SPX OpEx date and the last trading day, not only the VIX date.
Last verified
Date-sensitive calendar references on this page were checked on May 28, 2026. Calendar math is useful for planning, but listed contracts and exchange calendars should still be verified before production workflows run.
VIX expiration FAQ
What is the next standard VIX expiration after May 2026?
The next standard VIX options expiration after the May 19 cycle is Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The last trading day is typically Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
When is the May 2026 VIX expiration?
The May 2026 standard VIX options expiration is Tuesday, May 19, 2026, because the related June standard SPX expiration is holiday-adjusted.
Why do VIX options expire before equity options?
Standard VIX expirations are tied to the SPX option cycle 30 days later, so the date is usually a Wednesday before the following month’s standard SPX expiration.
Do expiring VIX options trade on expiration morning?
VIX options are AM-settled and the last trading day is typically the business day before expiration. Verify the listed contract before trading.
Related pages
Why VIX expires before SPX OpEx
Read the 30-day rule and how VIX dates map to related SPX monthly cycles.
VIX behavior around SPX OpEx
Review event-window measurement ideas for VIX behavior around monthly SPX expiration.
2026 OpEx dates
Compare June quarterly OpEx with the full 2026 monthly table.
Next OpEx date
See the holiday-adjusted June 18 monthly and quarterly OpEx answer.
SPX options dates
Review standard SPX dates, SPXW context, and settlement mechanics.