What happens to options if a stock is delisted?

Asked by: Alize Berge  |  Last update: July 21, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (44 votes)

When a stock is delisted, options trading on that stock typically ceases. This means that options holders are no longer able to buy or sell their options on the open market. However, they still have the right to exercise their options if they choose to do so.

Do I lose my money if a stock is delisted?

The only thing delisting does is that the stock doesn't trade on whatever exchange it got delisted from. It would still exist and you would still own it. No one is going to pay you out. It would trade over the counter.

What happens to options when a stock is suspended?

Regardless of the reason, if a stock is halted, the options on the underlying stock will also be halted on the option exchanges on which it trades.

What can I do with a delisted stock?

Once a company delists its shares, you can no longer sell those shares on publicly listed exchanges. However, your stake in the company can be maintained until you choose to sell the shares through other avenues. These other avenues can be through finding a buyer using off-the-counter markets.

Should you keep a delisted stock?

If you have an offer from a company that is delisting, absolutely take it. If you don't, you are going to be left with a stock that will probably have no (or next-to-no at very best) liquidity.

What Happens When a Stock Gets Delisted?

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Is a delisted stock worthless?

You don't automatically lose money as an investor, but being delisted carries a stigma and is generally a sign that a company is bankrupt, near-bankrupt, or can't meet the exchange's minimum financial requirements for other reasons. Delisting also tends to prompt institutional investors to not continue to invest.

What happens if you own puts on a stock that gets delisted?

When a stock is delisted, options trading on that stock typically ceases. This means that options holders are no longer able to buy or sell their options on the open market. However, they still have the right to exercise their options if they choose to do so.

Can a stock come back after delisting?

Yes, a delisted stock can be re-listed on a major exchange like the NYSE or Nasdaq if the company subsequently meets all of the exchange's listing requirements. This typically involves getting the stock price above the minimum threshold, meeting financial benchmarks, and filing up-to-date financial reports.

How to get rid of a stock that no longer trades?

If the security cannot be sold in the market, it may be possible to dispose of the worthless security by gifting it to another person who can be related or unrelated to you. If you gift the worthless security to a family member, you will need to ensure that the person is not your spouse or minor child.

Can I claim delisted stock as a loss?

If you own securities, including stocks, and they become totally worthless, you have a capital loss but not a deduction for bad debt. Worthless securities also include securities that you abandon.

What happens if I don't sell my options?

An option contract, in contrast to stock, has an end date. It will lose much of its value if you can't buy, sell, or exercise your option before its expiration date. An option contract ceases trading at its expiration and is either exercised or worthless.

What happens to options if stock is halted?

A listing exchange decides to halt trading of an underlying security. Trading of options on these securities subsequently is halted across all listing option exchanges. The trading halt may be brief or long-term in duration. The listing exchange may eventually make the decision to resume trading.

Can a company take away your stock options?

If your resignation is due to an alleged violation of the term(s) of the stock option agreement, then your company may either have you forfeit any remaining vested stock option value, or worse, may ask you to payback the value of equity awards, through a "clawback" provision.

How do I recover money from delisted shares?

However, there is one way to claim the losses on shares which are delisted and still lying in your demat account. You can transfer these shares from your demat account through off market transaction for a very nominal price to any of your friends or relatives.

Do delisted stocks ever get relisted?

Well, yes. A delisted stock can be relisted only if SEBI permits it. The market regulator lays out different guidelines for relisting such shares. Relisting of voluntarily delisted stocks: Such shares will have to wait five years from their delisting date to get relisted again.

Do I lose my money if a stock is suspended?

If the suspended company complies with all regulations, the exchange might revoke the suspension, and the shares will start trading again. If the company gets suspended and eventually closes, shareholders will have to write it off as a loss.

What to do with worthless stock options?

Report any worthless securities on Form 8949. You'll need to explain to the IRS that your loss totals differ from those presented by your broker on your Form 1099-B and why. You need to treat securities as if they were sold or exchanged on the last day of the tax year.

What happens to shareholders when a stock is delisted?

If a company's stock is delisted from an exchange, shareholders still own their shares in the company, but the stock may trade over-the-counter, which could lead to decreased liquidity and less transparency for investors.

Can you write off 100% of stock losses?

If you own a stock where the company has declared bankruptcy and the stock has become worthless, you can generally deduct the full amount of your loss on that stock — up to annual IRS limits with the ability to carry excess losses forward to future years.

Do you lose all your money if a stock gets delisted?

The value of shares doesn't automatically rise or fall with a delisting, but when an involuntary listing takes place, it's often a sign that a company is approaching bankruptcy. In this case, there's a chance investors might lose their investment.

Is delisting a stock good or bad?

Delisting of shares can have significant consequences for shareholders, ranging from reduced liquidity to potential loss in value. It's essential for investors to stay informed about the reasons behind the delisting and how it may affect their investments.

Can I book loss on delisted shares?

Although the investment seems to be completely irrecoverable and is actual loss, you cannot claim this loss as the shares have neither been extinguished nor transferred by you.

Can you write off a delisted stock?

You can use a capital loss to offset ordinary income up to $3,000 per year If you don't have capital gains to offset the loss. You can take a total capital loss on the stock if you own stock that has become worthless because the company went bankrupt and was liquidated.

Can a delisted stock be sold?

If you still hold shares after they are delisted, you can sell them—just not on the exchange on which they traded before. Stock exchanges are very advantageous for buying and selling shares. When they delist and trade over the counter (OTC), selling shares and getting a reasonable price for them becomes much harder.