A GEX bubble map is a gamma exposure (GEX) chart that draws exposure as bubbles, by strike and over time. Each row is a strike, each column is a slice of the trading day, and each bubble shows how much gamma exposure sits at that strike at that moment. The bigger the bubble, the more exposure; green is positive and red is negative. Quant Data launched the Interval Map, its GEX bubble map, on March 26, 2025.
Every chart here is real: Quant Data’s Interval Map on SPX (the S&P 500 index) on October 21, 2026, and on SPY on March 25, 2025, from Quant Data’s launch post on March 26, 2025. All times are Eastern (ET).
Key takeaways
A GEX bubble map draws gamma exposure as bubbles, across strikes and through the session. It lines the moments up side by side, so you can see where exposure grows and fades. Like any exposure chart, it’s context, not a signal.
Quant Data designed the first GEX bubble map, the Interval Map, to show gamma exposure over time in an easy-to-read view.
Quant Data shows the bubble map on options and futures. The Interval Map updates live on 6,000+ tickers, and on futures the GEX Interval Map indicator brings the bubble view to ES and NQ charts.
Quant Data’s Interval Map shows gamma exposure at each strike over time as bubbles. Shown: SPX on October 21, 2026, 5-minute columns from about 12:15 to 3:45 PM ET, with SPX every 5 minutes as the blue line. The largest bubbles are on the 7,770 row, halfway between the $7,760 and $7,780 labels.
See the GEX bubble map on your tickers. The Interval Map covers 6,000+ tickers, from SPX, SPY and QQQ to single stocks, and you can try it with a free trial.
What is a GEX bubble map?
A GEX bubble map is a gamma exposure chart that draws a bubble at each strike for each slice of the trading day. Some traders call this kind of chart a GEX strike map or a GEX map. You can see both where exposure sits and how it changes. It has five parts:
Rows are strikes. Each horizontal row is one strike price.
Columns are time. Each column is a slice of the session.
Bubble size is the amount. A bigger bubble means more gamma exposure at that strike at that time.
Bubble color is the sign. Green bubbles are positive exposure and red bubbles are negative.
The line is price. The underlying’s price runs across the chart, so you can see where it trades against the bubbles.
How do you read a GEX bubble map?
Read a GEX bubble map by finding the biggest bubbles near price, then watching how they change as the session goes on. Traders commonly look at four things:
Where the largest bubbles sit. Rows with large bubbles mark strikes with heavy gamma exposure, and traders watch them as areas where price may react.
Which rows grow or shrink. A row whose bubbles keep growing shows more exposure at that strike as the day goes on, and a row whose bubbles shrink shows less.
Green versus red. Color shows whether the exposure at that strike is positive or negative, not which way price will go. For what positive and negative gamma mean, I suggest reading What is Gamma Exposure (GEX)?
Price against the bubbles. The price line shows whether price is pressing into a large row, stalling there or moving away from it.
No bubble is a signal. The exposure shown is an estimate, because dealer positions aren’t published. Price can stall at a large row or trade straight through it, and news or large orders can overwhelm any exposure picture. It’s never suggested to rely solely on one tool for making trading decisions. Tools should be used in confluence with each other.
Who created the GEX bubble map?
Quant Data designed the first GEX bubble map, the Interval Map, to show gamma exposure over time in an easy-to-read view. Quant Data launched the Interval Map on March 26, 2025.
March 24, 2025. Quant Data previewed the Interval Map on X with a TSLA example.
March 26, 2025. Quant Data’s launch post on X showed the Interval Map as a bubble chart of exposure by strike through the session, for gamma, delta, vanna and charm.
April 25, 2025. Quant Data published its guide, Mastering the Interval Map.
October 11, 2026. Quant Data brought the bubble view to ES and NQ futures charts as the GEX Interval Map.
Quant Data’s Interval Map shows gamma exposure at each strike over time as bubbles, here as it looked at launch. Shown: SPY on March 25, 2025, the full session in 5-minute columns, cropped from Quant Data’s launch post on X on March 26, 2025.
Why did Quant Data create the Interval Map?
Quant Data created the Interval Map so traders could follow gamma exposure through the day on one chart, as bubbles.
At Nasdaq, Quant Data founder Andrew Hiesinger built a bubble map for tracking large transaction flows, where the biggest flows stood out at a glance. At Quant Data, he applied that idea to gamma exposure over time.
When and where. You can see when exposure built at a strike, how long it stayed and when it faded.
Read at a glance. The strikes with the most exposure stand out as the biggest bubbles, without reading numbers.
Price in context. The price line sits on the same chart, so you can see how price behaved around each strike.
About the author. Andrew Hiesinger is the founder of Quant Data and a former options specialist at Nasdaq. Forbes Under 30. TEDx speaker.
What did the SPX GEX bubble map show on October 21, 2026?
On October 21, 2026, the SPX GEX bubble map showed exposure building at the 7,770 strike while SPX rallied into it, then fading while SPX dropped. The 7,770 strike was also SPX’s Call Wall, a key level where call positioning is concentrated, when SPX stalled there. The chart at the top of this article shows the move through 3:45 PM.
The build. The green bubbles on the 7,770 row grew through the early afternoon while SPX climbed toward that strike.
The stall. The bubbles were largest from about 2:15 to 2:40 PM, while SPX held near 7,770 for about half an hour.
The drop and the return. The bubbles shrank while SPX fell to its afternoon low just after 3 PM, then grew again while SPX climbed back late in the day.
This is one session, and the bubbles didn’t show when, or whether, price would turn. For the Call Wall side of the same day, see Call Wall, Put Wall and Gamma Flip (Zero Gamma) Explained.
Why use Quant Data for a GEX bubble map?
Quant Data launched the Interval Map in early 2025 and has kept building on it since. Quant Data started as an options platform and has spent six years delivering licensed options data. The data is exchange-grade and comes from all US options exchanges, including Cboe.
On options and futures. Read the bubbles on options tickers with the Interval Map and, since October 2026, on ES and NQ futures charts with the GEX Interval Map.
Four exposures in one tool. The Interval Map is Quant Data’s bubble chart of options exposure across strikes through the session. Switch between gamma (GEX), delta (DEX), vanna (VEX) and charm (CHEX) exposure.
Live on 6,000+ tickers. The Interval Map updates live through the session, from SPX, SPY and QQQ to single stocks.
Levels on the same tickers. The Exposure Forecast draws the Call Wall, Put Wall and Zero Gamma, so you can read the bubbles next to those levels.
An API for builders. The data behind the Interval Map is also available through the Quant Data API.
A data company traders already use. Quant Data has been used both on the NYSE and at Nasdaq and has 20,000+ members in its community.
Where can I find the GEX bubble map in Quant Data?
In Quant Data, you can find the GEX bubble map in two places: the Interval Map for options and the GEX Interval Map on ES and NQ futures charts.
On options. Log in to v3.quantdata.us, click the “+” icon at the top of any tool, open the Options tab and add the Interval Map. Then type a ticker such as SPX, SPY or QQQ and choose Gamma (GEX) to see the bubble map. For the full steps, I suggest reading How to Add Tools to Built-in and Custom Pages on Quant Data.
For every setting, see Mastering the Interval Map, or watch Quant Data’s video How to use the Interval Map to analyze Options Gamma and Delta Exposure on YouTube.
On ES and NQ futures. The GEX Interval Map is included in the Options + Futures plan. Log in to v3.quantdata.us, go to Built-in Pages > Futures, click the Indicators button and add the GEX Interval Map. For the full steps, see GEX Levels for ES and NQ Futures.
FAQ
Is a GEX bubble map the same as a GEX heatmap?
No. A GEX bubble map and a GEX heatmap show the same kind of information, gamma exposure across strikes, but draw it differently. A GEX heatmap shades each cell by color. A bubble map draws a bubble at each strike and time, so its size shows how much exposure is there and its color shows whether it’s positive or negative. Quant Data designed the Interval Map as a GEX bubble map, not a GEX heatmap, and it shows SPX, SPY and other tickers this way through the session.
When did Quant Data launch the Interval Map?
Quant Data launched the Interval Map on March 26, 2025, two days after previewing it on X. Quant Data’s guide, Mastering the Interval Map, followed on April 25, 2025.
Is a GEX bubble map a buy or sell signal?
No. A GEX bubble map shows where gamma exposure sits and how it changes, not where price goes next. Price can stall at a large row or move straight through it.
Can I see a GEX bubble map on ES and NQ futures?
Yes. On Quant Data Futures, the GEX Interval Map draws the bubble view on ES and NQ charts as rows of beads by strike through the session. The beads are Quant Data’s estimates from SPX options on ES and NDX options on NQ. The GEX Interval Map is included in the Options + Futures plan. For how to read it, see GEX Levels for ES and NQ Futures.
Can I get GEX bubble map data through an API?
Yes, for options tickers. The Quant Data API has an Interval Map endpoint that returns gamma, delta, vanna or charm exposure for one ticker, bucketed over time. It returns the data behind the Interval Map, not the chart. The API is sold as a separate plan. For a worked example in Python, see Gamma Exposure (GEX) API: Python Quickstart + Dealer Positioning Guide.
I have not signed up for Quant Data. How do I?
If you want the Interval Map for your tickers, along with options flow, GEX and dark pool data, click here to start your free trial. Click on Learn More if you would like to learn more about what we offer.
Would you like further assistance?
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Quant Data team at support@quantdata.us or via our live chat located on the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. We are available on our live chat between 9:30 AM and 5:00 PM (eastern time), Monday through Friday.