Bermuda Swaption

A derivative financial instrument that gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to enter into an interest rate swap on any one of a number of predetermined dates. The holder may only exercise the option on one of these dates. By contrast, a plain vanilla swaption would give the holder the option to enter into an interest rate swap on the expiration date of the derivative.

Swaptions are one of four basic methods for exiting a swap before its termination date. The swaption basically allows the investor to offset the swap he or she wishes to exit. Bermuda swaptions function in a similar manner to Bermuda options which can only be exercised on predetermined dates and thus have to often be valued using Monte Carlo Simulation rather than other, more common, option pricing models.