[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 212 (Friday, November 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61340-61344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-24169]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-93500; File No. SR-CBOE-2021-064]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe Exchange, Inc.; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Relating 
To Extend the Operation of Its Flexible Exchange Options (``FLEX 
Options'') Pilot Program Regarding Permissible Exercise Settlement 
Values for FLEX Index Options

November 1, 2021.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(the ``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given 
that on October 29, 2021, Cboe Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or 
``Cboe Options'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(the ``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I 
and II below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The 
Exchange filed the proposal as a ``non-controversial'' proposed rule 
change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \3\ and Rule 
19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\4\ The Commission is publishing this notice to 
solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 extend the operation of its Flexible Exchange Options (``FLEX 
Options'') pilot program regarding permissible exercise settlement 
values for FLEX Index Options. The text of the proposed rule change is 
provided below.

(additions are italicized; deletions are [bracketed])
* * * * *
Rules of Cboe Exchange, Inc.
* * * * *

Rule 4.21. Series of FLEX Options

    (a) No change.
    (b) Terms. When submitting a FLEX Order for a FLEX Option series to 
the System, the submitting FLEX Trader must include one of each of the 
following terms in the FLEX Order (all other terms of a FLEX Option 
series are the same as those that apply to non-FLEX Options), provided 
that a FLEX Index Option with an index multiplier of one may not be the 
same type (put or call) and may not have the same exercise style, 
expiration date, settlement type, and exercise price as a non-FLEX 
Index Option overlying the same index listed for trading (regardless of 
the index multiplier of the non-FLEX Index Option), which terms 
constitute the FLEX Option series:
    (1)-(4) No change.
    (5) settlement type:
    (A) No change.
    (B) FLEX Index Options. FLEX Index Options are settled in U.S. 
dollars, and may be:
    (i) No change.
    (ii) p.m.-settled (with exercise settlement value determined by 
reference to the reported level of the index derived from the reported 
closing prices of the component securities), except for a FLEX Index 
Option that expires on any business day that falls on or within two 
business days of a third Friday-of-the-month expiration day for a non-
FLEX Option (other than a QIX option) may only be a.m.-settled; 
however, for a pilot period ending the earlier of [November 1, 2021]May 
2, 2022 or the date on which the pilot program is approved on a 
permanent basis, a FLEX Index Option with an expiration date on the 
third-Friday of the month may be p.m.-settled;
    (iii)-(iv) No change.
* * * * *
    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.

[[Page 61341]]

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

1. Purpose
    On January 28, 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 
``Commission'') approved a Cboe Options rule change that, among other 
things, established a pilot program regarding permissible exercise 
settlement values for FLEX Index Options.\5\ The Exchange has extended 
the pilot period numerous times, which is currently set to expire on 
the earlier of November 1, 2021 or the date on which the pilot program 
is approved on a permanent basis.\6\ The purpose of this rule change 
filing is to extend the pilot program through the earlier of May 2, 
2022 or the date on which the pilot program is approved on a permanent 
basis. This filing simply seeks to extend the operation of the pilot 
program and does not propose any substantive changes to the pilot 
program.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 61439 (January 28, 
2010), 75 FR 5831 (February 4, 2010) (SR-CBOE-2009-087) (``Approval 
Order''). The initial pilot period was set to expire on March 28, 
2011, which date was added to the rules in 2010. See Securities 
Exchange Act Release No. 61676 (March 9, 2010), 75 FR 13191 (March 
18, 2010) (SR-CBOE-2010-026).
    \6\ See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 64110 (March 23, 
2011), 76 FR 17463 (March 29, 2011) (SR-CBOE-2011-024); 66701 (March 
30, 2012), 77 FR 20673 (April 5, 2012) (SR-CBOE-2012-027); 68145 
(November 2, 2012), 77 FR 67044 (November 8, 2012) (SR-CBOE-2012-
102); 70752 (October 24, 2013), 78 FR 65023 (October 30, 2013) (SR-
CBOE-2013-099); 73460 (October 29, 2014), 79 FR 65464 (November 4, 
2014) (SR-CBOE-2014-080); 77742 (April 29, 2016), 81 FR 26857 (May 
4, 2016) (SR-CBOE-2016-032); 80443 (April 12, 2017), 82 FR 18331 
(April 18, 2017) (SR-CBOE-2017-032); 83175 (May 4, 2018), 83 FR 
21808 (May 10, 2018) (SR-CBOE-2018-037); 84537 (November 5, 2018), 
83 FR 56113 (November 9, 2018) (SR-CBOE-2018-071); 85707 (April 23, 
2019), 84 FR 18100 (April 29, 2019) (SR-CBOE-2019-021); 87515 
(November 13, 2020), 84 FR 63945 (November 19, 2019) (SR-CBOE-2019-
108); 88782 (April 30, 2020), 85 FR 27004 (May 6, 2020) (SR-CBOE-
2020-039); 90279 (October 28, 2020), 85 FR 69667 (November 3, 2020) 
(SR-CBOE-2020-103); and 91782 (May 5, 2021), 86 FR 25915 (May 11, 
2021) (SR-CBOE-2021-031) (extending the pilot program through the 
earlier of November 1, 2021 or the date on which the pilot program 
is approved on a permanent basis). At the same time the permissible 
exercise settlement values pilot was established for FLEX Index 
Options, the Exchange also established a pilot program eliminating 
the minimum value size requirements for all FLEX Options. See 
Approval Order, supra note 5. The pilot program eliminating the 
minimum value size requirements was extended twice pursuant to the 
same rule filings that extended the permissible exercise settlement 
values (for the same extended periods) and was approved on a 
permanent basis in a separate rule change filing. See id; and 
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67624 (August 8, 2012), 77 FR 
48580 (August 14, 2012) (SR-CBOE-2012-040) (Order Granting Approval 
of Proposed Rule Change Related to Permanent Approval of Its Pilot 
on FLEX Minimum Value Sizes).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under Rule 4.21(b), Series of FLEX Options (regarding terms of a 
FLEX Option),\7\ a FLEX Option may expire on any business day 
(specified to day, month and year) no more than 15 years from the date 
on which a FLEX Trader submits a FLEX Order to the System.\8\ FLEX 
Index Options are settled in U.S. dollars, and may be a.m.-settled 
(with exercise settlement value determined by reference to the reported 
level of the index derived from the reported opening prices of the 
component securities) or p.m.-settled (with exercise settlement value 
determined by reference to the reported level of the index derived from 
the reported closing prices of the component securities).\9\ 
Specifically, a FLEX Index Option that expires on, or within two 
business days of, a third Friday-of-the-month expiration day for a non-
FLEX Option (other than a QIX option), may only be a.m. settled.\10\ 
However, under the exercise settlement values pilot, this restriction 
on p.m.-settled FLEX Index Options was eliminated.\11\ As stated, the 
exercise settlement values pilot is currently set to expire on the 
earlier of November 1, 2021 or the date on which the pilot program is 
approved on a permanent basis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ In 2019, prior Rule 24A.4.01, covering the pilot program, 
was relocated to current Rule 4.21(b)(5). See Securities Exchange 
Act Release No. 87235 (October 4, 2019), 84 FR 54671 (October 10, 
2019) (SR-CBOE-2019-084).
    \8\ Except an Asian-settled or Cliquet-settled FLEX Option 
series, which must have an expiration date that is a business day 
but may only expire 350 to 371 days (which is approximately 50 to 53 
calendar weeks) from the date on which a FLEX Trader submits a FLEX 
Order to the System.
    \9\ See Rule 4.21(b)(5)(B); see also Securities Exchange Act 
Release No. 87235 (October 4, 2019), 84 FR 54671 (October 10, 2019) 
(SR-CBOE-2019-084). The rule change removed the provision regarding 
the exercise settlement value of FLEX Index Options on the NYSE 
Composite Index, as the Exchange no longer lists options on that 
index for trading, and included the provisions regarding how the 
exercise settlement value is determined for each settlement type, as 
how the exercise settlement value is determined is dependent on the 
settlement type.
    \10\ For example, notwithstanding the pilot, the exercise 
settlement value of a FLEX Index Option that expires on the Tuesday 
before the third Friday-of-the-month could be a.m. or p.m. settled. 
However, the exercise settlement value of a FLEX Index Option that 
expires on the Wednesday before the third Friday-of-the-month could 
only be a.m. settled.
    \11\ No change was necessary or requested with respect to FLEX 
Equity Options. Regardless of the expiration date, FLEX Equity 
Options are settled by physical delivery of the underlying.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Cboe Options is proposing to extend the pilot program through the 
earlier of May 2, 2022 or the date on which the pilot program is 
approved on a permanent basis. Cboe Options believes the pilot program 
has been successful and well received by its Trading Permit Holders and 
the investing public for the period that it has been in operation as a 
pilot. In support of the proposed extension of the pilot program, and 
as required by the pilot program's Approval Order, the Exchange has 
submitted to the Commission pilot program reports regarding the pilot, 
which detail the Exchange's experience with the program. Specifically, 
the Exchange provided the Commission with annual reports analyzing 
volume and open interest for each broad-based FLEX Index Options class 
overlying a third Friday-of-the-month expiration day, p.m.-settled FLEX 
Index Options series.\12\ The annual reports also contained information 
and analysis of FLEX Index Options trading patterns. The Exchange also 
provided the Commission, on a periodic basis, interim reports of volume 
and open interest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \12\ The annual reports also contained certain pilot period and 
pre-pilot period analyses of volume and open interest for third 
Friday-of-the-month expiration days, a.m.-settled FLEX Index series 
and third Friday-of-the-month expiration day Non-FLEX Index series 
overlying the same index as a third Friday-of-the-month expiration 
day, p.m.-settled FLEX Index option.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Exchange believes there is sufficient investor interest and 
demand in the pilot program to warrant its extension. The Exchange 
believes that, for the period that the pilot has been in operation, the 
program has provided investors with additional means of managing their 
risk exposures and carrying out their investment objectives. 
Furthermore, the Exchange believes that it has not experienced any 
adverse market effects with respect to the pilot program, including any 
adverse market volatility effects that might occur as a result of large 
FLEX exercises in FLEX Option series that expire near Non-FLEX 
expirations and use a p.m. settlement (as discussed below).
    In that regard, based on the Exchange's experience in trading FLEX 
Options to date and over the pilot period, Cboe Options continues to 
believe that the restrictions on exercise settlement values are no 
longer necessary to insulate Non-FLEX expirations from the potential 
adverse market impacts of FLEX expirations.\13\

[[Page 61342]]

To the contrary, Cboe Options believes that the restriction actually 
places the Exchange at a competitive disadvantage to its OTC 
counterparts in the market for customized options, and unnecessarily 
limits market participants' ability to trade in an exchange environment 
that offers the added benefits of transparency, price discovery, 
liquidity, and financial stability.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \13\ In further support, the Exchange also notes that the p.m. 
settlements are already permitted for FLEX Index Options on any 
other business day except on, or within two business days of, the 
third Friday-of-the-month. The Exchange is not aware of any market 
disruptions or problems caused by the use of these settlement 
methodologies on these expiration dates (or on the expiration dates 
addressed under the pilot program). The Exchange is also not aware 
of any market disruptions or problems caused by the use of 
customized options in the over-the-counter (``OTC'') markets that 
expire on or near the third Friday-of-the-month and are p.m. 
settled. In addition, the Exchange believes the reasons for limiting 
expirations to a.m. settlement, which is something the SEC has 
imposed since the early 1990s for Non-FLEX Options, revolved around 
a concern about expiration pressure on the New York Stock Exchange 
(``NYSE'') at the close that are no longer relevant in today's 
market. Today, the Exchange believes stock exchanges are able to 
better handle volume. There are multiple primary listing and 
unlisted trading privilege (``UTP'') markets, and trading is 
dispersed among several exchanges and alternative trading systems. 
In addition, the Exchange believes that surveillance techniques are 
much more robust and automated. In the early 1990s, it was also 
thought by some that opening procedures allow more time to attract 
contra-side interest to reduce imbalances. The Exchange believes, 
however, that today, order flow is predominantly electronic and the 
ability to smooth out openings and closes is greatly reduced (e.g., 
market-on-close procedures work just as well as openings). Also, 
other markets, such as the NASDAQ Stock Exchange, do not have the 
same type of pre-opening imbalance disseminations as NYSE, so many 
stocks are not subject to the same procedures on the third Friday-
of-the-month. In addition, the Exchange believes that NYSE has 
reduced the required time a specialist has to wait after 
disseminating a pre-opening indication. So, in this respect, the 
Exchange believes there is less time to react in the opening than in 
the close. Moreover, to the extent there may be a risk of adverse 
market effects attributable to p.m. settled options that would 
otherwise be traded in a non-transparent fashion in the OTC market, 
the Exchange continues to believe that such risk would be lessened 
by making these customized options eligible for trading in an 
exchange environment because of the added transparency, price 
discovery, liquidity, and financial stability available.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Exchange also notes that certain position limit, aggregation 
and exercise limit requirements continue to apply to FLEX Index Options 
in accordance with Rules 8.35, Position Limits for FLEX Options, 
8.42(g) Exercise Limits (in connection with FLEX Options) and 8.43(j), 
Reports Related to Position Limits (in connection with FLEX Options). 
Additionally, all FLEX Options remain subject to the general position 
reporting requirements in Rule 8.43(a).\14\ Moreover, the Exchange and 
its Trading Permit Holder organizations each have the authority, 
pursuant to Rule 10.9, Margin Required is Minimum, to impose additional 
margin as deemed advisable. Cboe Options continues to believe these 
existing safeguards serve sufficiently to help monitor open interest in 
FLEX Option series and significantly reduce any risk of adverse market 
effects that might occur as a result of large FLEX exercises in FLEX 
Option series that expire near Non-FLEX expirations and use a p.m. 
settlement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \14\ Rule 8.43(a) provides that ``[i]n a manner and form 
prescribed by the Exchange, each Trading Permit Holder shall report 
to the Exchange, the name, address, and social security or tax 
identification number of any customer who, acting alone, or in 
concert with others, on the previous business day maintained 
aggregate long or short positions on the same side of the market of 
200 or more contracts of any single class of option contracts dealt 
in on the Exchange. The report shall indicate for each such class of 
options, the number of option contracts comprising each such 
position and, in the case of short positions, whether covered or 
uncovered.'' For purposes of Rule 8.43, the term ``customer'' in 
respect of any Trading Permit Holder includes ``the Trading Permit 
Holder, any general or special partner of the Trading Permit Holder, 
any officer or director of the Trading Permit Holder, or any 
participant, as such, in any joint, group or syndicate account with 
the Trading Permit Holder or with any partner, officer or director 
thereof.'' Rule 8.43(d).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Cboe Options is also cognizant of the OTC market, in which similar 
restrictions on exercise settlement values do not apply. Cboe Options 
continues to believe that the pilot program is appropriate and 
reasonable and provides market participants with additional flexibility 
in determining whether to execute their customized options in an 
exchange environment or in the OTC market. Cboe Options continues to 
believe that market participants benefit from being able to trade these 
customized options in an exchange environment in several ways, 
including, but not limited to, enhanced efficiency in initiating and 
closing out positions, increased market transparency, and heightened 
contra-party creditworthiness due to the role of the Options Clearing 
Corporation as issuer and guarantor of FLEX Options.
    If, in the future, the Exchange proposes an additional extension of 
the pilot program, or should the Exchange propose to make the pilot 
program permanent, the Exchange will submit, along with any filing 
proposing such amendments to the pilot program, an annual report 
(addressing the same areas referenced above and consistent with the 
pilot program's Approval Order) to the Commission at least two months 
prior to the expiration date of the program. The Exchange is required 
to submit an annual report at least yearly. Currently, the Exchange 
provides annual reports that cover the period from August 1st to July 
31st of the applicable year. The Exchange will continue to provide 
reports covering this period annually and any additional report at 
least two months prior to the expiration date of the program covering 
the full prior year in the case that the Exchange is requesting 
permanent approval of the program.\15\ The Exchange will also continue, 
on a periodic basis, to submit interim reports of volume and open 
interest consistent with the terms of the exercise settlement values 
pilot program as described in the pilot program's Approval Order.\16\ 
Additionally, the Exchange will provide the Commission with any 
additional data or analyses the Commission requests because it deems 
such data or analyses necessary to determine whether the pilot program 
is consistent with the Exchange Act. The Exchange is in the process of 
making public on its website all data and analyses previously submitted 
to the Commission under the pilot program, and will make public any 
data and analyses it submits to the Commission under the pilot program 
in the future.\17\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \15\ For example, if the Exchange plans on submitting a proposal 
in April 2022 requesting permanent approval of the pilot program 
expiring May 2, 2022, the Exchange would have to submit an annual 
report no later than March 2, 2022 covering the full prior year.
    \16\ The Exchange is required to submit the interim reports on a 
quarterly basis within 15 days of the end of each calendar quarter 
that the pilot is in effect.
    \17\ Available at https://www.cboe.com/aboutcboe/legal-regulatory/national-market-system-plans/pm-settlement-flex-pm-data.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As noted in the pilot program's Approval Order, any positions 
established under the pilot program would not be impacted by the 
expiration of the pilot program.\18\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \18\ For example, a position in a p.m.-settled FLEX Index Option 
series that expires on the third Friday-of-the-month in January 2020 
could be established during the exercise settlement values pilot. If 
the pilot program were not extended (or made permanent), then the 
position could continue to exist. However, the Exchange notes that 
any further trading in the series would be restricted to 
transactions where at least one side of the trade is a closing 
transaction. See Approval Order at footnote 3, supra note 5.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.\19\ Specifically, the 
Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
Section 6(b)(5) \20\ 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

[[Page 61343]]

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) \21\ requirement that the rules of an exchange not be designed 
to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers, or 
dealers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \19\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \20\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
    \21\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In particular, the Exchange believes that the proposed extension of 
the pilot program, which permits an additional exercise settlement 
value, would provide greater opportunities for investors to manage risk 
through the use of FLEX Options. Further, the Exchange believes that it 
has not experienced any adverse effects from the operation of the pilot 
program, including any adverse market volatility effects that might 
occur as a result of large FLEX exercises in FLEX Option series that 
expire near Non-FLEX expirations and are p.m.-settled. The Exchange 
also believes that the extension of the exercise settlement values 
pilot does not raise any unique regulatory concerns. In particular, 
although p.m. settlements may raise questions with the Commission, the 
Exchange believes that, based on the Exchange's experience in trading 
FLEX Options to date and over the pilot period, market impact and 
investor protection concerns will not be raised by this rule change. 
The Exchange also believes that the proposed rule change would continue 
to provide Trading Permit Holders and investors with additional 
opportunities to trade customized options in an exchange environment 
(which offers the added benefits of transparency, price discovery, 
liquidity, and financial stability as compared to the over-the-counter 
market) and subject to exchange-based rules, and investors would 
benefit as a result.

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

    Cboe Options 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 believes there 
is sufficient investor interest and demand in the pilot program to 
warrant its extension. The Exchange believes that, for the period that 
the pilot has been in operation, the program has provided investors 
with additional means of managing their risk exposures and carrying out 
their investment objectives. Furthermore, the Exchange believes that it 
has not experienced any adverse market effects with respect to the 
pilot program, including any adverse market volatility effects that 
might occur as a result of large FLEX exercises in FLEX Option series 
that expire near Non-Flex expirations and use a p.m. settlement. Cboe 
Options believes that the restriction actually places the Exchange at a 
competitive disadvantage to its OTC counterparts in the market for 
customized options, and unnecessarily limits market participants' 
ability to trade in an exchange environment that offers the added 
benefits of transparency, price discovery, liquidity, and financial 
stability. Therefore, the Exchange does not believe that the proposed 
rule change will impose any burden on competition.

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

    Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i) 
Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) 
become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or 
such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become 
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \22\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) thereunder.\23\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \22\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \23\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) 
requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission 
written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change, along 
with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change, at 
least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed 
rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. 
The Exchange has satisfied this requirement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \24\ normally 
does not become operative for 30 days after the date of filing. 
However, pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii),\25\ the Commission may 
designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the 
protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has asked 
the Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay so that the proposal 
may become operative immediately upon filing. The Exchange states that 
such waiver will allow the Exchange to extend the pilot program and 
maintain the status quo, thereby reducing market disruption.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \24\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \25\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay is 
consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest, as 
it will allow the pilot program to continue uninterrupted, thereby 
avoiding investor confusion that could result from a temporary 
interruption in the pilot program. For this reason, the Commission 
designates the proposed rule change to be operative upon filing.\26\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \26\ For purposes only of waiving the operative delay for this 
proposal, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact 
on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 
78c(f).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule 
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule 
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or 
appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or 
otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission 
takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to 
determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or 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 (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
     Send an email to [email protected]. Please include 
File Number SR-CBOE-2021-064 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-2021-064. 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 (http://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

[[Page 61344]]

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 10:00 a.m. and 
3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection 
and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments 
received will be posted without change. Persons submitting comments are 
cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying 
information from comment submissions. You should submit only 
information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions 
should refer to File Number SR-CBOE-2021-064, and should be submitted 
on or before November 26, 2021.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\27\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \27\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-24169 Filed 11-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P