What type of financial instrument is defined as a derivative?

A derivative is fundamentally a financial instrument whose value is derived from the performance of an underlying asset, index, or interest rate. This underlying entity can be anything from stocks and bonds to commodities and market indices. The essence of a derivative lies in its contractual nature, where the agreement is tied to the future performance of that underlying asset.

For instance, a popular type of derivative includes options and futures contracts, which give parties the right (in the case of options) or the obligation (in the case of futures) to buy or sell an asset at a predefined price on a specific date. Therefore, understanding that derivatives are contracts that derive their value from something else clarifies why this particular definition is accurate.

In contrast, fixed income investments, equity stakes, and government bonds do not fit the definition of derivatives as they represent direct investments in securities with intrinsic value rather than contracts speculating on the future values of those assets.