Retail investors are driving a significant increase in volume of options trading, with traders clearing roughly 110 million options contracts on Oct. 10, 2025, surpassing the prior daily volume record. The strategy involves selling a call option against 100 shares you already own to generate a predictable income stream without leverage. Charles Schwab has published a detailed guide on this strategy, outlining the mechanics and examples. Short-dated contracts have also contributed to the boom, accounting for about 24% of all U.S.-listed options volume in 2025, up from 21.5% the previous year. Covered call ETFs have become a popular entry point for investors who prefer not to manage individual option contracts on their own shares.