2023-21939. Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend Its Rules To Adopt Monthly Options Series

September 28, 2023.

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”),^[1] and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,^[2] notice is hereby given that on September 27, 2023, Cboe Exchange, Inc. (“Exchange” or “Cboe Options”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.

I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

Cboe Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange” or “Cboe Options”) proposes to amend its Rules to adopt Monthly Options Series. The text of the proposed rule change is provided in Exhibit 5.

The text of the proposed rule change is also available on the Exchange's website ( http://www.cboe.com/​AboutCBOE/​CBOELegalRegulatoryHome.aspx), at the Exchange's Office of the Secretary, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose

The Exchange proposes to amend its Rules to accommodate the listing of option series that would expire at the close of business on the last business day of a calendar month (“Monthly Option Series”). Pursuant to proposed Rules 4.5(g)(1) and 4.13(a)(2)(C)(i), the Exchange may list Monthly Option Series for up to five currently listed option classes that are either index options or options on exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”).^[3] In addition, the Exchange may also list Monthly Option Series on any options classes that are selected by other securities exchanges that employ a similar program under their respective rules.^[4] The Exchange may list 12 expirations for Monthly Option Series. Monthly Option Series need not be for consecutive months; however, the expiration date of a nonconsecutive expiration may not be beyond what would be considered the last expiration date if the maximum number of expirations were listed consecutively.^[5] Other expirations in the same class are not counted as part of the maximum numbers of Monthly Option Series expirations for a class.^[6] Monthly Options Series will be P.M.-settled.^[7]

The strike price of each Monthly Options Series will be fixed at a price per share, with at least two, but no more than five, strike prices above and at least two, but no more than five, strike prices below the value of the underlying index or price of the underlying security at about the time that a Monthly Options Series is opened for trading on the Exchange. The Exchange will list strike prices for Monthly Options Series that are reasonably related to the current price of the underlying security or current index value of the underlying index to which such series relates at about the time such series of options is first opened for trading on the Exchange. The term “reasonably related to the current price of the underlying security or index value of the underlying index” means that the exercise price is within 30% of the current underlying security price or index value.^[8] Additional Monthly Options Series of the same class may be open for trading on the Exchange when the Exchange deems it necessary to maintain an orderly market, to meet customer demand, or when the market price of the underlying security moves substantially from the initial exercise price or prices. To the extent that any additional strike prices are listed by the Exchange, such additional strike prices will be within 30% above or below the closing price of the underlying index or security on the preceding day. The Exchange may also open additional strike prices of Monthly Option Series that are more than 30% above or below the current price of the underlying security, provided that demonstrated customer interest exists for such series, as expressed by institutional, corporate, or individual customers or their brokers. Market-Makers trading for their own account will not be considered when determining customer interest under this provision. The opening of the new Monthly Options Series will not affect the series of options of the same class previously opened.^[9] The interval between strike prices on Monthly Options Series will be the same as the interval for strike prices for series in that same options class that expire in accordance with the normal monthly expiration cycle.^[10]

By definition, Monthly Option Series can never expire in the same week as a standard expiration series (which expire on the third Friday of a month) in the same class expires. The same, however, is not the case with regards to Short Term Options Series or Quarterly Options Series. Therefore, to avoid any confusion in the marketplace, the Exchange proposes to amend Rules 4.5(d) and 4.13(a)(2)(A) to provide the Exchange will not list a Short Term Options Series in a class on a date on which a Monthly Options Series or Quarterly Options Series expires.^[11] Similarly, proposed Rules 4.5(g)(2) and 4.13(a)(2)(C)(ii) provide that no Monthly Options Series may expire on a date that coincides with an expiration date of a Quarterly Options Series in the same index or ETF class. In other words, the Exchange will not list a Short Term Options Series on an index or ETF if a Monthly Options Series on that index or ETF were to expire on the same date, nor will the Exchange list a Monthly Options Series on an ETF or index if a Quarterly Options Series on that index or ETF were to expire on the same date to prevent the listing of series with concurrent expirations.^[12]

With respect to Monthly Options Series added pursuant to proposed Rules 4.5(g)(1) through (6) and 4.13(a)(2)(C)(i) through (iv), the Exchange will, on a monthly basis, review series that are outside a range of five strikes above and five strikes below the current price of the underlying index or security, and delist series with no open interest in both the put and the call series having a: (i) strike higher than the highest strike price with open interest in the put and/or call series for a given expiration month; and (ii) strike lower than the lowest strike price with open interest in the put and/or call series for a given expiration month. Notwithstanding this delisting policy, customer requests to add strikes and/or maintain strikes in Monthly Options Series in series eligible for delisting will be granted. In connection with this delisting policy, if the Exchange identifies series for delisting, the Exchange will notify other options exchanges with similar delisting policies regarding eligible series for delisting and will work with such other exchanges to develop a uniform list of series to be delisted, so as to ensure uniform series delisting of multiply listed Monthly Options Series.^[13]

The Exchange believes that Monthly Options Series will provide investors with another flexible and valuable tool to manage risk exposure, minimize capital outlays, and be more responsive to the timing of events affecting the securities that underlie option contracts. The Exchange believes limiting Monthly Options Series to five classes will ensure the addition of these new series will have a negligible impact on the Exchange's and the Options Price Reporting Authority's (“OPRA's”) quoting capacity. The Exchange represents it has the necessary systems capacity to support new options series that will result from the introduction of Monthly Options Series.

The Exchange also proposes to amend Rules 8.30 through 8.34 to provide that positions in Monthly Options Series will be aggregated with positions in options contracts on the same underlying security or index.^[14] This is consistent with how position (and exercise) limits are currently imposed on series with other expirations (Short Term Options Series, Quarterly Options Series, and Delayed Start Options Series). Therefore, positions in options within class of index or ETF options, regardless of their expirations, would continue to be subject to existing position (and exercise) limits. The Exchange believes this will address potential manipulative schemes and adverse market impacts surrounding the use of options.

The Exchange also represents its current surveillance programs will apply to Monthly Options Series and will properly monitor trading in the proposed Monthly Options Series. The Exchange currently lists Quarterly Options Series in certain index ^[15] and ETF classes, which expire at the close of business at the end of four calendar months ( i.e., the end of each calendar quarter), and has not experienced any market disruptions nor issues with capacity. The Exchange's surveillance programs currently in place to support and properly monitor trading in these Quarterly Options Series, as well as Short Term Option Series and standard expiration series, will apply to the proposed Monthly Options Series. The Exchange believes its surveillances continue to be designed to deter and detect violations of its Rules, including position and exercise limits and possible manipulative behavior, and these surveillances will apply to Monthly Options Series that the Exchange determines to list for trading. Ultimately, the Exchange does not believe the proposed rule change raises any unique regulatory concerns because existing safeguards—such as position and exercise limits (and the aggregation of options overlying the same index or ETF) and reporting requirements—would continue to apply.

2. Statutory Basis

The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”) and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to the Exchange and, in particular, the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.^[16] Specifically, the Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the Section 6(b)(5) ^[17] requirements that the rules of an exchange be designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in regulating, clearing, settling, processing information with respect to, and facilitating transactions in securities, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest. Additionally, the Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the Section 6(b)(5) ^[18] requirement that the rules of an exchange not be designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers, or dealers.

In particular, the Exchange believes the introduction of Monthly Options Series will remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system by expanding hedging tools available to market participants. The Exchange believes the proposed monthly expirations will allow market participants to transact in the index and ETF options listed pursuant to the proposed rule change based on their timing as needed and allow them to tailor their investment and hedging needs more effectively. Further, the Exchange believes the availability of Monthly Options Series would protect investors and the public interest by providing investors with more flexibility to closely tailor their investment and hedging decisions in these options, thus allowing them to better manage their risk exposure.

The Exchange believes the Quarterly Options Series Program has been successful to date and the proposed Monthly Options Series program simply expands the ability of investors to hedge risk against market movements stemming from economic releases or market events that occur at months' ends in the same way the Quarterly Options Series Program has expanded the landscape of hedging for quarter-end news. Monthly Options Series will also complement Short Term Options Series, which allow investors to hedge risk against events that occur throughout a month. The Exchange believes the availability of additional expirations should create greater trading and hedging opportunities for investors, as well as provide investors with eh ability to tailor their investment objectives more effectively.

The Exchange notes the proposed terms of Monthly Options Series, including the limitation to five index and ETF option classes, are substantively the same as the current terms of Quarterly Options Series.^[19] Quarterly Options Series expire on the last business day of a calendar quarter, which is the last business day of every third month. The proposed Monthly Options Series would fill the gaps between Quarterly Options Series expirations by permitting series to expire on the last business day of every month, rather than every third month. The proposed Monthly Options Series may be listed in accordance with the same terms as Quarterly Options Series, including permissible strikes.^[20] As is the case with Quarterly Options Series, no Short Term Options Series may expire on the same day as a Monthly Options Series. Similarly, as proposed, no Monthly Options Series may expire on the same day as a Quarterly Options Series. The Exchange believes preventing listing series with concurrent expirations in a class will eliminate potential investors confusion and thus protect investors and the public interest. Given that Quarterly Options Series the Exchange currently lists are essentially Monthly Options Series that can expire at the end of only certain calendar months, the Exchange believes it is reasonable to list Monthly Options Series in accordance with the same terms, as it will promote just and equitable principles of trade. The Exchange believes limiting Monthly Options Series to five classes will ensure the addition of these new series will have a negligible impact on the Exchange's and OPRA's quoting capacity. The Exchange represents it has the necessary systems capacity to support new options series that will result from the introduction of Monthly Options Series.

The Exchange further believes the proposed rule change regarding the treatment of Monthly Options Series with respect to determining compliance with position and exercise limits is designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices and promote just and equitable principles of trade. Monthly Options Series will be aggregated with options overlying the same ETF or index for purposes of compliance with position (and exercise) limits, which is consistent with how position (and exercise) limits are currently imposed on series with other expirations (Short Term Options Series, Quarterly Options Series, and Delayed Start Options Series). Therefore, options positions within ETF or index option classes for which Monthly Options Series are listed, regardless of their expirations, would continue to be subject to existing position (and exercise) limits. The Exchange believes this will address potential manipulative schemes and adverse market impacts surrounding the use of options. The Exchange also represents its current surveillance programs will apply to Monthly Options Series and will properly monitor trading in the proposed Monthly Options Series. The Exchange currently trades Quarterly Options Series in certain index and ETF classes, which expire at the close of business at the end of four calendar months ( i.e., the end of each calendar quarter), and has not experienced any market disruptions nor issues with capacity. The Exchange's surveillance programs currently in place to support and properly monitor trading in these Quarterly Options Series, as well as Short Term Option Series and standard expiration series, will apply to the proposed Monthly Options Series. The Exchange believes its surveillances continue to be designed to deter and detect violations of its Rules, including position and exercise limits and possible manipulative behavior, and these surveillances will apply to Monthly Options Series that the Exchange determines to list for trading. Ultimately, the Exchange does not believe the proposed rule change raises any unique regulatory concerns because existing safeguards—such as position and exercise limits (and the aggregation of options overlying the same ETF or index) and reporting requirements—would continue to apply.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The Exchange does not believe the proposed rule change to list Monthly Option Series will impose any burden on intramarket competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act, as any Monthly Options Series the Exchange lists for trading will be available in the same manner for all market participants who wish to trade such options. The Exchange notes the proposed terms of Monthly Options Series, including the limitation to five index and ETF option classes, are substantively the same as the current terms of Quarterly Options Series.^[21] Quarterly Options Series expire on the last business day of a calendar quarter, which is the last business day of every third month, making the concept of Monthly Options Series in a limited number of index and ETF options not novel. The proposed Monthly Options Series will fill the gaps between Quarterly Options Series expirations by permitting series to expire on the last business day of every month, rather than every third month. The proposed Monthly Options Series may be listed in accordance with the same terms as Quarterly Options Series, including permissible strikes.^[22] Monthly Options Series will trade on the Exchange in the same manner as other options in the same class.

The Exchange does not believe the proposed rule change to list Monthly Option Series will impose any burden on intermarket competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act, as nothing prevents other options exchanges from proposing similar rules. As discussed above, the proposed rule change would permit listing of Monthly Options Series in five index or ETF options, as well as any other classes that other exchanges may list under similar programs. To the extent that the availability of Monthly Options Series makes the Exchange a more attractive marketplace to market participants at other exchanges, market participants are free to elect to become market participants on the Exchange.

The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change may relieve any burden on, or otherwise promote, competition. Similar to Short Term Options Series and Quarterly Options Series, the Exchange believes the introduction of Monthly Options Series will not impose an undue burden on competition. The Exchange believes that it will, among other things, expand hedging tools available to market participants. The Exchange believes Monthly Options Series will allow market participants to purchase options based on their timing as needed and allow them to tailor their investment and hedging needs more effectively.

The Exchange does not believe the proposed rule change to provide that positions in Monthly Options Series will be aggregated with positions in options contracts on the same underlying index or security for purposes of determining compliance with position (and exercise) limits will impose any burden on intramarket competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act, as it will apply in the same manner to all market participants. The Exchange proposes to apply position (and exercise) limits to Monthly Options Series in the same manner it applies position limits to series with other expirations (Short Term Options Series, Quarterly Options Series, and Delayed Start Options Series). Therefore, positions in options in a class of ETF or index options, regardless of their expirations, would continue to be subject to existing position (and exercise) limits. Additionally, the Exchange does not believe this proposed rule change will impose any burden on intermarket competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act, because it will address potential manipulative schemes and adverse market impacts surrounding the use of options.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

The Exchange neither solicited nor received comments on the proposed rule change.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action

Within 45 days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register or within such longer period up to 90 days (i) as the Commission may designate if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which the Exchange consents, the Commission will:

A. by order approve or disapprove such proposed rule change, or

B. institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

Electronic Comments

• Use the Commission's internet comment form ( https://www.sec.gov/​rules/​sro.shtml); or

• Send an email to [e-mail]. Please include file number SR–CBOE–2023–049 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

• Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549–1090.

All submissions should refer to file number SR–CBOE–2023–049. This file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission's internet website ( https://www.sec.gov/​rules/​sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for website viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. Do not include personal identifiable information in submissions; you should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. We may redact in part or withhold entirely from publication submitted material that is obscene or subject to copyright protection. All submissions should refer to file number SR–CBOE–2023–049 and should be submitted on or before October 25, 2023.

For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.^[23]

Sherry R. Haywood,

Assistant Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).

2.  17 CFR 240.19b–4.

3.  The Exchange proposes to amend Rule 4.5(a) and (b) to provide that proposed Rule 4.5(g) will describe how the Exchange will fix a specific expiration date and exercise price for Monthly Option Series and that proposed Rule 4.5(g) will govern the procedures for opening Monthly Options Series, respectively. This is consistent with language in current Rules 4.5(a) and (b) for other Short Term Option Series, Quarterly Options Series, and Delayed Start Option Series.

4.  The Exchange is unaware of any other options exchanges that currently have a similar program but expect other options exchanges may adopt similar programs in the future.

5.  The Exchange notes this provision considers consecutive monthly listings. In other words, as other expirations (such as Quarterly Option Series) are not counted as part of the maximum, those expirations would not be considered when considering when the last expiration date would be if the maximum number were listed consecutively. For example, if it is January 2024 and the Exchange lists Quarterly Options Series in class ABC with expirations in March, June, September, December, and the following March, the Exchange could also list Monthly Options Series in class ABC with expirations in January, February, April, May, July, August, October, and November 2024 and January and February of 2025. This is because, if Quarterly Option Series, for example, were counted, the Exchange would otherwise never be able to list the maximum number of Monthly Option Series. This is consistent with the listing provisions for Quarterly Options Series, which permit give calendar quarter expirations. The need to list series with the same expiration in the current calendar year and the following calendar year (whether Monthly or Quarterly expiration) is to allow market participants to execute one-year strategies pursuant to which they may roll their exposures in the longer-dated options ( e.g. January 2025) prior to the expiration of the nearer-dated option ( e.g. January 2024).

6.   See proposed Rules 4.5(g)(2) and 4.13(a)(2)(C)(ii).

7.   See proposed Rule 4.5(g)(3) and 4.13(a)(2)(C)(iii).

8.   See proposed Rule 4.5(g)(4) and 4.13(a)(2)(C)(iv). The Exchange notes these proposed provisions are consistent with the initial series provision for the Quarterly Options Series program in Rule 4.13(a)(2)(B)(iv). While different than the initial strike listing provision for the Quarterly Options Series program in current Rule 4.5(e)(4), the Exchange believes the proposed provision is appropriate, as it contemplates classes that may have strike intervals of $5 or greater. For consistency, the Exchange also proposes to amend Rule 4.5(e)(4) to incorporate the same provision for initial series.

9.   See proposed Rule 4.5(g)(5) and 4.13(a)(2)(C)(v).

10.   See proposed Rule 4.5(g)(6) and 4.13(a)(2)(C)(vi); see also Rule 4.5, Interpretations and Policies .01 and .04–.07 (permissible strike prices for ETF classes) and Rules 4.5, Interpretations and Policies .06, .09, .10, .12, .13, .15 and 4.13, Interpretations and Policies .01, .04, .10, and .11 (permissible strike prices for index options).

11.  The Exchange also proposes to make a nonsubstantive change to Rules 4.5(d) and 4.13(a)(2)(A) to change current references to “monthly options series” to “standard expiration options series” ( i.e., series that expire on the third Friday of a month), to eliminate potential confusion. The current references to “monthly options series” are intended to refer to those series that expire on the third Friday of a month, which are generally referred to in the industry as standard expirations.

12.  The Exchange notes this would not prevent the Exchange from listing a P.M.-settled Monthly Options Series on an index with the same expiration date as an A.M.-settled Short Term Options Series on the same index, both of which may expire on a Friday. In other words, the Exchange may list a P.M-settled Monthly Options Series on an index concurrent with an A.M.-settled Short Term Options Series on that index and both of which expire on a Friday. The Exchange believes this concurrent listing would provide investors with yet another hedging mechanism and is reasonable given these series would not be identical (unlike if they were both P.M-settled). This could not occur with respect to ETFs, as all Short Term Options Series on ETFs are P.M.-settled.

13.   See proposed Rules 4.5(g)(7) and 4.13(a)(2)(C)(vii). Pursuant to Rule 8.42, exercise limits for impacted index and ETF classes would be equal to the applicable position limits.

14.   See proposed Rules 8.30, Interpretation and Policy .09 (regarding position limits for options on stocks and ETFs), 8.31(e) (regarding position limits for broad-based index options), 8.32(f) (regarding position limits for industry index options), 8.33(c) (regarding position limits for micro narrow-based indexes), and 8.34(c) (regarding position limits for individual stock or ETF based volatility index options). The Exchange notes the proposed rule change adds Interpretation and Policy .09 to Rule 8.30 to state that with respect to options on stocks or ETFs, positions in Short Term Option Series, Monthly Options Series, and Quarterly Options Series shall be aggregated with positions in options contracts on the same underlying security. This is currently true with respect to Short Term Option Series and Quarterly Options Series but was inadvertently omitted from Rule 8.30.

15.  The Exchange notes it currently lists quarterly expirations on index options pursuant to Rule 4.13(c) (regarding quarterly index expirations or “QIXs”).

16.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b).

17.  15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

18.   Id.

19.   Compare proposed Rules 4.5(g) and 4.13(a)(2)(C) to Rules 4.5(e) and 4.13(a)(2)(B), respectively.

20.  The Exchange notes the proposed maximum number of expirations is consistent with the maximum number of expirations permitted for end-of-month series in index classes. See Rule 4.13(e)(2) (which references Rule 4.13(a)(2), which permits up to 12 standard monthly expirations on the majority of index options currently listed on the Exchange).

21.   See Rules 4.5(e) and 4.13(a)(2)(B).

22.  The Exchange notes the proposed maximum number of expirations is consistent with the maximum number of expirations permitted for end-of-month series in index classes. See Rule 4.13(e)(2) (which references Rule 4.13(a)(2), which permits up to 12 standard monthly expirations on the majority of index options currently listed on the Exchange).

23.  17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).