Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhang, Minghui, Li, Xun, Zhang, Xin
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.19299
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866918308059545600
author Zhang, Minghui
Li, Xun
Zhang, Xin
author_facet Zhang, Minghui
Li, Xun
Zhang, Xin
contents This paper studies the continuous-time q-learning (the continuous time counterpart of Q-learing) for Markov switching system under Tsallis entropy regularization. We address the difficulty in traditional RL algorithms where the Tsallis entropy regularization leads to an optimal policy distribution not necessarily a Gibbs measure, which often complicates algorithm design. Furthermore, to address the limited universality of current continuous time regime-switching RL algorithms (often restricted to the EMV framework), this study focuses on continuous-time q-learning for Markov regime-switching systems based on Tsallis entropy, aiming for a more universally applicable continuous-time RL method. We establish the martingale characterization of the q-function under Tsallis entropy for continuous-time Markov regime-switching systems. Based on this, we design two q-learning algorithms, distinguished by whether the Lagrange multiplier can be explicitly derived. We apply these algorithms to the continuous-time exploratory Mean-Variance (EMV) portfolio optimization problem in a regime-switching market. Numerical experiments demonstrate the satisfactory performance of our q-learning algorithms.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_19299
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Continuous-time q-learning for Markov regime switching system under Tsallis entropy
Zhang, Minghui
Li, Xun
Zhang, Xin
Optimization and Control
This paper studies the continuous-time q-learning (the continuous time counterpart of Q-learing) for Markov switching system under Tsallis entropy regularization. We address the difficulty in traditional RL algorithms where the Tsallis entropy regularization leads to an optimal policy distribution not necessarily a Gibbs measure, which often complicates algorithm design. Furthermore, to address the limited universality of current continuous time regime-switching RL algorithms (often restricted to the EMV framework), this study focuses on continuous-time q-learning for Markov regime-switching systems based on Tsallis entropy, aiming for a more universally applicable continuous-time RL method. We establish the martingale characterization of the q-function under Tsallis entropy for continuous-time Markov regime-switching systems. Based on this, we design two q-learning algorithms, distinguished by whether the Lagrange multiplier can be explicitly derived. We apply these algorithms to the continuous-time exploratory Mean-Variance (EMV) portfolio optimization problem in a regime-switching market. Numerical experiments demonstrate the satisfactory performance of our q-learning algorithms.
title Continuous-time q-learning for Markov regime switching system under Tsallis entropy
topic Optimization and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.19299