If you know me as @OptionsButterflyQueen, you know I do not chase headlines. I watch the tape, I follow flow, and I build trades with defined risk. Flow tells me where the smart money is leaning. My structures — butterflies, spreads, broken wings — let me capture that move without gambling.

Today I want to walk you through DXCM and show you how unusual options activity (UOA) plus Barchart’s tools shape my trade ideas.

What Unusual Options Activity Means

Barchart flags unusual activity when volume explodes relative to open interest. That means new money, not just rolling or hedging.

When I see a trade flagged, I do three things:
1. Check Options Flow — where are the big prints?
2. Map Gamma Exposure — are we in long or short gamma territory?
3. Cross-check Skew & Max Pain — where is volatility rich and where might price be pulled?
That framework keeps me grounded.

What the DXCM Tape Is Saying

Today I noticed unusual call options activity in DXCM. 

1. Big Calls Hit the Tape

On Barchart’s Options Flow, I saw heavy call buying in Jan 2026 75C. That is not retail noise. That is a directional bet. When I see that, I pay attention.

2. Gamma Map = Volatility Zone

Next stop: Gamma Exposure. The gamma flip is ~71.70. DXCM trades below at ~66.44. Below the flip, dealers are short gamma. That means they chase price — selling into weakness, buying into strength — and that amplifies moves.

3. Skew & Max Pain Create a Range

On the Volatility Skew chart, far OTM calls are more expensive. The market is pricing upside risk. On Max Pain, the clustering is between 68–72. That is where option sellers prefer to pin the stock at expiration. Think of it as gravity.

📊 Placeholder: Insert Screenshot 5 - DXCM Max Pain Chart

How I Turn Flow Into a Trade

- Validate Flow: Jan 2026 75C call buying is real.
- Bias Check: Put/Call ratios lean bullish.
- Map Levels: Gamma flip 71.70, Max Pain 68–72.
- Structure Choice:
  1. Buy Calls — follow the exact Jan 2026 75C trade that came through as unusual flow.
  2. Broken-Wing Butterfly (70/80/85) — cheapen the trade, define risk, and target upside while leaving room if DXCM overshoots. The broken-wing butterfly is taking advantage of higher volatility skew for OTM strikes. 

Payoff Diagrams

To make it clear, here is what the payoff looks like at expiration:

- Orange line = Long Jan 2026 75 Call (unusual flow trade).
- Blue line = Broken-Wing Butterfly (70/80/85).

You can see the difference:
- Buying the call has unlimited upside, but you need a push above ~80 for profit.
- The broken-wing butterfly defines risk, lowers cost, and targets the 80 zone while still leaving a window for upside participation.

Closing Thoughts

Unusual options flow is not magic. It is not always right. But it is early information. DXCM’s tape is alive right now — with big calls, amplified volatility under the gamma flip, and a max pain zone that could pull price higher.

My edge is combining that flow with defined-risk structures. That is why I follow it. That is why I trade it. And that is why I share it.

📌 Follow me on Twitter/X at @OptionsButterflyQueen for daily insights. If you want to go deeper, check out www.archnatrades.com for my Trade Alerts service and Options Mentoring program, where I teach traders how to apply these strategies with discipline and clarity.