MediaAlpha, Inc. (MAX) Max Pain Analysis
Max pain is the strike price where aggregate option buyer payout is minimized at expiration. It represents the price at which option writers retain the most premium.
MediaAlpha, Inc. (MAX) operates in the Communication Services sector, specifically the Internet Content & Information industry, with a market capitalization near $467.1M, listed on NYSE, employing roughly 144 people, carrying a beta of 1.16 to the broader market. MediaAlpha, Inc. Led by Steven Yi, public since 2020-10-28.
Snapshot as of May 29, 2026.
- Spot Price
- $8.95
- Total OI
- 1.8K
How to read the MAX max-pain chart
The open-interest histogram above shows where MediaAlpha, Inc. call and put writers have stacked the most inventory. Strikes with elevated call OI act as overhead resistance when dealers are long-gamma (they sell rallies into the wall); strikes with elevated put OI act as support (dealers buy dips toward the wall). The max-pain strike is the single price at which the total cash payout to option holders is minimized - the lowest-pain price for the writers as a group. . Net dealer gamma is positive at $17.7K, so as spot moves dealers sell rallies and buy dips, mechanically dampening realized volatility.
MAX max-pain in context
Max pain is an end-of-cycle convergence signal, not an intraday compass. Cross-reference the level with the gamma-flip strike on the GEX page, the front-month ATM IV reading (currently 121.7%), and any catalyst risk on the calendar. Total listed OI on MAX sits at 1.8K contracts; pin strength generally scales with this number, since heavier OI means more delta to hedge as spot drifts toward the strike. A pin can fail - earnings, FDA decisions, central-bank surprises, and other vol catalysts can rip spot past max pain regardless of where dealers want it. Use max pain to size risk-defined structures, not as a directional thesis.
Reading MAX max-pain alongside dealer positioning
The clean version of the max-pain mechanism requires positive dealer gamma to enforce convergence; in a negative-gamma regime the same OI distribution can repel rather than attract spot. MAX is currently in a positive-gamma regime, so the max-pain pull mechanic is structurally active. The put/call OI ratio sits at 2.00; ratios above 1.0 indicate put-heavy positioning that typically marks supportive flow, ratios below 0.7 indicate call-heavy positioning often associated with breakouts. Combine the pin level with the gamma-flip level and the implied move to model out where spot is likely to anchor through expiration.