Hedging is a strategic approach employed by actors, primarily states, to manage risk and uncertainty in their external environment. It involves diversifying options and balancing engagement with potential countermeasures to avoid over-reliance or full opposition. The concept investigates how actors navigate complex security and economic landscapes, particularly concerning power transitions, technological shifts, and evolving threats, by maintaining flexibility and strategic autonomy. It is characterized by the simultaneous pursuit of seemingly contradictory policies (e.g., cooperation and deterrence), building redundant capabilities, and cultivating multiple relationships to prepare for various future scenarios. Its significance lies in understanding the foreign policy behavior of states seeking to maximize security and prosperity in uncertain international systems, offering an alternative to rigid alliance or pure balancing strategies, especially relevant in domains involving high stakes and complex interdependencies.