# GET /api/mcp/data/chain/{ticker}

> What does NVDA's options chain look like near the money for the nearest expiration?

One row per strike with call and put bid, ask, IV, delta, gamma, theta, vega, rho, volume and open interest for each requested expiration. Defaults to the nearest expiration and a window of strikes around spot; strike_window says when rows were trimmed.

- **Family:** Options chain (https://apexvol.com/developers/options-chain-api)
- **Plan:** Basic and above. Every call needs `Authorization: Bearer avmcp_<token>`; tokens are issued to paid and trial accounts under Account, then API Access.
- **Units:** Prices are dollars per share. IV Call and IV Put are decimals (0.2569 means 25.69%). Greeks are per share; volume and OI are contracts.
- **Basis:** Quotes are the parity-implied bid and ask from the data feed, not exchange NBBO. Spot is the nearest expiration's forward-implied price.
- **MCP tools:** `get_options_chain`
- **Background:** https://apexvol.com/learn/how-to-read-options-chain

## Parameters

| Name | In | Default | Range | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `ticker` (required) | path |  | any covered symbol | The underlying, upper case. Use /search to check coverage. |
| `expiration` | query | nearest | YYYY-MM-DD, a listed expiration | Which expiration to use. Defaults to the nearest one. |
| `num_expirations` | query | 1 | 1 to 10 | How many expirations when expiration is not set. |
| `strikes_around` | query | 20 | 0 for the full chain | Strikes per side of the money to keep. |

## Request

```bash
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer avmcp_YOUR_TOKEN" \
     "https://apexvol.com/api/mcp/data/chain/NVDA?num_expirations=1"
```

## Response (captured 2026-09-08)

Real response, lists cut to the rows nearest the money. The envelope is `{"success": true, "data": ...}`.

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "chains": {
      "2026-09-09": [
        {
          "Call Ask": 4.55,
          "Call Bid": 4.45,
          "Delta Call": 0.6607,
          "Delta Put": -0.3393,
          "Epsilon Call": -0.0208,
          "Epsilon Put": -0.0208,
          "Extrinsic Call": 1.7,
          "Extrinsic Put": 1.62,
          "Gamma Call": 0.0509,
          "Gamma Put": 0.0509,
          "IV Call": 0.266,
          "IV Put": 0.2645,
          "IVx Call": 0.7382,
          "IVx Put": 1.9192,
          "OI Call": 5032,
          "OI Put": 1774,
          "Put Ask": 1.64,
          "Put Bid": 1.61,
          "Rho Call": 0.0202,
          "Rho Put": -0.0109,
          "Strike": 227.5,
          "Theta Call": -0.2734,
          "Theta Put": -0.2734,
          "Vega Call": 0.1003,
          "Vega Put": 0.1003,
          "Volume Call": 5829,
          "Volume Put": 17517
        },
        {
          "Call Ask": 3.0,
          "Call Bid": 2.92,
          "Delta Call": 0.5266,
          "Delta Put": -0.4734,
          "Epsilon Call": -0.0166,
          "Epsilon Put": -0.0166,
          "Extrinsic Call": 2.66,
          "Extrinsic Put": 2.62,
          "Gamma Call": 0.0568,
          "Gamma Put": 0.0568,
          "IV Call": 0.258,
          "IV Put": 0.2594,
          "IVx Call": 1.155,
          "IVx Put": 1.2679,
          "OI Call": 20341,
          "OI Put": 1454,
          "Put Ask": 2.65,
          "Put Bid": 2.58,
          "Rho Call": 0.0162,
          "Rho Put": -0.0153,
          "Strike": 230.0,
          "Theta Call": -0.2871,
          "Theta Put": -0.2871,
          "Vega Call": 0.1074,
          "Vega Put": 0.1074,
          "Volume Call": 34581,
          "Volume Put": 35665
        },
        {
          "Call Ask": 1.85,
          "Call Bid": 1.81,
          "Delta Call": 0.3856,
          "Delta Put": -0.6144,
          "Epsilon Call": -0.0122,
          "Epsilon Put": -0.0122,
          "Extrinsic Call": 1.83,
          "Extrinsic Put": 1.75,
          "Gamma Call": 0.0552,
          "Gamma Put": 0.0552,
          "IV Call": 0.2561,
          "IV Put": 0.254,
          "IVx Call": 1.7499,
          "IVx Put": 0.7599,
          "OI Call": 7568,
          "OI Put": 226,
          "Put Ask": 4.0,
          "Put Bid": 3.9,
          "Rho Call": 0.0119,
          "Rho Put": -0.0199,
          "Strike": 232.5,
          "Theta Call": -0.2719,
          "Theta Put": -0.2719,
          "Vega Call": 0.1021,
          "Vega Put": 0.1021,
          "Volume Call": 46211,
          "Volume Put": 24057
        }
      ]
    },
    "data_type": "LIVE",
    "expirations": [
      "2026-09-09"
    ],
    "stock_price": 230.3,
    "strike_window": {
      "note": "Chain trimmed to strikes nearest the money; pass strikes_around=0 for the full chain.",
      "strikes_around": 20,
      "truncated": true
    },
    "ticker": "NVDA"
  }
}
```

## Fields

- `chains.<expiration>[]`: Rows keyed by expiration date.
- `Strike, Call Bid, Call Ask, Put Bid, Put Ask`: The quotes.
- `IV Call, IV Put`: Per-contract implied vol as a decimal.
- `Delta Call, Gamma Call, Theta Call, Vega Call, and the Put twins`: Per-share Greeks.
- `Volume and OI columns`: Contracts traded today and open.
- `stock_price, strike_window`: Spot used and how the rows were trimmed.

## Errors

- `401`: no or revoked token
- `429`: Retry-After seconds
- `424`: data feed unavailable, retry
- Full list: https://apexvol.com/developers/errors

## Ask it in an MCP client

- Show me the NVDA options chain for the nearest expiration.
- What are the 30-delta strikes on AAPL for October?
- Pull the SPY chain with 5 strikes either side of spot.

Conventions for units, bases and timestamps: https://apexvol.com/developers/conventions