Asymptotic Expansion as Prior Knowledge in Deep Learning Method for high dimensional BSDEs
Asymptotic Expansion as Prior Knowledge in Deep Learning Method for high dimensional BSDEs
This paper introduces a technique to accelerate the deep BSDE solver, a neural network-based method for high-dimensional backward stochastic differential equations (BSDEs), by incorporating asymptotic expansion (AE) as prior knowledge. The deep BSDE solver, proposed by E, Han, and Jentzen (2017), reformulates the BSDE as a control problem and uses deep learning to approximate the solution. However, it suffers from slow convergence and high loss functions, especially for non-smooth terminal conditions and drivers common in financial applications like funding valuation adjustments (FVA). The authors propose using the leading-order term of an asymptotic expansion of the BSDE around a linear driver to obtain an analytic approximation for the control variable Z (the delta hedging strategy). The neural network then learns only the residual Z^Res = Z - Z^AE, which is smaller and easier to approximate. This prior knowledge drastically reduces the loss function and accelerates convergence, as demonstrated on Bergman's model with different lending and borrowing rates, including high-dimensional examples up to 30 dimensions. The method is also extended to reflected BSDEs (RBSDEs) for American option pricing, where the reflecting process L_t is learned directly. Numerical experiments show that the AE-enhanced solver achieves faster convergence, lower loss, and more stable estimates compared to the baseline deep BSDE solver, even when hyperparameters like learning rate are tuned. The approach is particularly effective for problems with non-smooth payoffs and high dimensionality, making it a promising tool for practical quantitative finance applications.
Highlights
- 1Proposes using asymptotic expansion (AE) as prior knowledge to accelerate the deep BSDE solver for high-dimensional BSDEs.
- 2Demonstrates drastic reduction in loss function and faster convergence for Bergman's model with different lending/borrowing rates.
- 3Extends the deep BSDE solver to reflected BSDEs (RBSDEs) for American option pricing.
- 4Shows effectiveness for quadratic growth BSDEs, which are notoriously difficult to solve numerically.
- 5Provides numerical examples up to 30 dimensions, highlighting improved stability and accuracy over the baseline deep BSDE solver.
Methods
- MDeep BSDE solver: neural network-based method that treats BSDE as a control problem minimizing terminal squared error.
- MAsymptotic expansion (AE): perturbative expansion of the BSDE driver around a linear term to obtain an analytic approximation for Z.
- MResidual learning: using AE as prior, the neural network learns only the residual Z^Res = Z - Z^AE.
- MExtension to RBSDEs: directly learning the reflecting process L_t with a modified loss function including a penalty for barrier violations.
Results
- RFor 1D Bergman model with call option, AE reduces loss function by an order of magnitude and achieves relative error below 0.1% within 5,000 iterations.
- RFor 30D Bergman model with call options, AE yields stable convergence and lower loss compared to higher learning rates without AE.
- RFor 1D and 30D call spreads, AE provides faster convergence and smaller loss, with estimated Y0 close to reference values.
- RFor American basket options (RBSDE), AE as prior knowledge improves convergence speed and accuracy.
- RThe method handles quadratic growth BSDEs efficiently, overcoming typical numerical instability.
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