(a) Subject to the restrictions set forth in Options 9, Section 15 of these Rules (Exercise Limits) and to such restrictions as may be imposed pursuant to Options 9, Section 19 of these Rules (Other Restrictions on Options Transactions and Exercises) or pursuant to the Rules of the Clearing Corporation, an outstanding options contract may be exercised during the time period specified in the Rules of the Clearing Corporation by the tender to the Clearing Corporation of an exercise notice in accordance with the Rules of the Clearing Corporation. An exercise notice may be tendered to the Clearing Corporation only by the Clearing Participant in the account of which such options contract is carried with the Clearing Corporation. Participants may establish fixed procedures as to the latest time they will accept exercise instructions from customers.

(b) Special procedures apply to the exercise of equity options on the business day of their expiration, or in the case of option contracts expiring on a day that is not a business day, on the last business day before their expiration ("expiring options"). Unless waived by The Options Clearing Corporation (also known in this Rule as the Clearing Corporation), expiring options are subject to the Exercise-by-Exception ("Ex-by-Ex") procedure under Clearing Corporation Rule 805. This Rule provides that, unless contrary instructions are given, option contracts that are in-the-money by specified amounts shall be automatically exercised. In addition to the Rules of the Clearing Corporation, the following Exchange requirements apply with respect to expiring options. Option holders desiring to exercise or not exercise expiring options must either:

(1) take no action and allow exercise determinations to be made in accordance with the Clearing Corporation's Ex-by-Ex procedure where applicable; or

(2) submit a "Contrary Exercise Advice" to the Exchange as specified in paragraph (d) below.

(c) Exercise cut-off time. Option holders have until 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the business day of expiration, or, in the case of an option contract expiring on a day that is not a business day, on the business day immediately prior to the expiration date, to make a final decision to exercise or not exercise an expiring option. Participants may not accept exercise instructions for customer or non-customer accounts after 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

(d) Submission of Contrary Exercise Advices. A Contrary Exercise Advice is a communication either: (i) to not exercise an option that would be automatically exercised under the Clearing Corporation's Ex-by-Ex procedure, or (ii) to exercise an option that would not be automatically exercised under the Clearing Corporation's Ex-by-Ex procedure.

A Contrary Exercise Advice may be submitted by a Participant by using the Clearing Corporation's ENCORE system, a Contrary Exercise Advice form of any other national securities exchange of which the firm is a Participant and where the option is listed, or such other method as the Exchange may prescribe. A Contrary Exercise Advice may be canceled by filing an Advice Cancel at any time up to the submission cut-off times specified below.

For customer accounts, Participants have until 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time to submit a Contrary Exercise Advice to the Exchange.

For noncustomer accounts, Participants have until 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time to submit a Contrary Exercise Advice to the Exchange if such Participant employs an electronic submission procedure with time stamp for the submission of exercise instructions by option holders. Participants are required to manually submit a Contrary Exercise Advice by 5:30 p.m. for non-customer accounts if such Participants do not employ an electronic submission procedure with time stamp for the submission of exercise instructions by option holders.

(e) If the Clearing Corporation has waived the Ex-by-Ex procedure for an options class, Participants must either:

(1) submit to the Exchange, a Contrary Exercise Advice, in a manner specified by the Exchange, within the time limits specified in paragraph (d) above if the holder intends to exercise the option; or

(2) take no action and allow the option to expire without being exercised. In cases where the Ex-by-Ex procedure has been waived, the Rules of the Clearing Corporation require that Participants wishing to exercise such options must submit an affirmative Exercise Notice to the Clearing Corporation, whether or not a Contrary Exercise Advice has been filed with the Exchange.

(f) A Participant that has accepted the responsibility to indicate final exercise decisions on behalf of another Participant or non-Participant broker-dealer shall take the necessary steps to ensure that such decisions are properly indicated to the Exchange. Such Participant may establish a processing cut-off time prior to the Exchange's exercise cutoff time at which it will no longer accept final exercise decisions in expiring options from option holders for whom it indicates final exercise decisions. Each Participant that indicates final exercise decisions through another broker-dealer is responsible for ensuring that final exercise decisions for all of its proprietary (including market maker) and public customer account positions are indicated in a timely manner to such broker-dealer.

(g) Notwithstanding the foregoing, Participants may make final exercise decisions after the exercise cutoff time but prior to expiration without having submitted a Contrary Exercise Advice in the circumstances listed below. A memorandum setting forth the circumstance giving rise to instructions after the exercise cutoff time shall be maintained by the Participant and a copy thereof shall be filed with the Exchange no later than 12:00 noon Eastern Time on the first business day following the respective expiration. An exercise decision after the exercise cut-off time may be made:

(1) in order to remedy mistakes or errors made in good faith; or

(2) where exceptional circumstances have restricted an option holder's ability to inform a Participant of a decision regarding exercise, or a Participant's ability to receive an option holder's decision by the cut-off time. The burden of establishing any of the above exceptions rests solely on the Participant seeking to rely on such exceptions.

(h) In the event the Exchange provides advance notice on or before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the business day immediately prior to the business day of their expiration, or, in the case of an option contract expiring on a day that is not a business day, the second business day immediately prior to the expiration date indicating that a modified time for the close of trading in equity options on such business day of expiration, or, in the case of an option contract expiring on a day that is not a business day, such last business day before expiration will occur, then the deadline to make a final decision to exercise or not exercise an expiring option shall be 1 hour 30 minutes following the time announced for the close of trading on that day instead of the 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time deadline found in paragraph (c) of this Rule. However, Participants have until 7:30 Eastern Time to deliver a Contrary Exercise Advice or Advice Cancel to the Exchange for customer accounts and noncustomer accounts where such Participant employs an electronic submission procedure with time stamp for the submission of exercise instructions. For non-customer accounts, Participants that do not employ an electronic procedure with time stamp for the submission of exercise instructions are required to deliver a Contrary Exercise Advice or Advice Cancel within 1 hour and 30 minutes following the time announced for the close of trading on that day instead of the 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time deadline found in paragraph (d) of this Rule.

(i) Modification of cut-off time.

(1) The Exchange may establish extended cut-off times for decision to exercise or not exercise an expiring option and for the submission of Contrary Exercise Advices on a case-by-case basis due to unusual circumstances. For purposes of this subparagraph (i)(1), an "unusual circumstance" includes, but is not limited to, increased market volatility; significant order imbalances; significant volume surges and/or systems capacity constraints; significant spreads between the bid and offer in underlying securities; internal system malfunctions affecting the ability to disseminate or update market bids and offers and/or execute or route orders; or other similar occurrences.

(2) The Exchange with at least one (1) business day prior advance notice, by 12:00 noon on such day, may establish a reduced cut-off time for the decision to exercise or not exercise an expiring option and for the submission of Contrary Exercise Advices on a case-by-case basis due to unusual circumstances; provided, however, that under no circumstances should the exercise cut-off time and the time for submission of a Contrary Exercise Advice be before the close of trading. For purposes of this subparagraph (i) (2), an "unusual circumstance" includes, but is not limited to, a significant news announcement concerning the underlying security of an option contract that is scheduled to be released just after the close on the business day the option contract expires, or, in the case of an option contract expiring on a day that is not a business day, the business day immediately prior to expiration.

(j) Submitting or preparing an exercise instruction, contrary exercise advice or advice cancel after the applicable exercise cut-off time in any expiring options on the basis of material information released after the cut-off time is activity inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade.

(k) The failure of any Participant to follow the procedures in this Rule may result in the assessment of a fine, which may include but is not limited to disgorgement of potential economic gain obtained or loss avoided by the subject exercise, as determined by the Exchange.

(l) Clearing Participants must follow the procedures of the Clearing Corporation when exercising American-style cash-settled index options contracts issued or to be issued in any account at the Clearing Corporation. Options Participants must also follow the procedures set forth below with respect to American-style cash-settled index options:

(1) For all contracts exercised by the Options Participant or by any customer of the Options Participant, an "exercise advice" must be delivered by the Options Participant in such form or manner prescribed by the Exchange no later than 4:20 p.m. Eastern Time, or if trading hours are extended or modified in the applicable options class, no later than five (5) minutes after the close of trading on that day.

(2) Subsequent to the delivery of an "exercise advice," should the Options Participant or a customer of the Options Participant determine not to exercise all or part of the advised contracts, the Options Participant must also deliver an "advice cancel" in such form or manner prescribed by the Exchange no later than 4:20 p.m. Eastern Time, or if trading hours are extended or modified in the applicable options class, no later than five (5) minutes after the close of trading on that day.

(3) The Exchange may determine to extend the applicable deadline for the delivery of "exercise advice" and "advice cancel" notifications pursuant to this paragraph (l) if unusual circumstances are present.

(4) No Options Participant may prepare, time stamp or submit an "exercise advice" prior to the purchase of the contracts to be exercised if the Options Participant knew or had reason to know that the contracts had not yet been purchased.

(5) The failure of any Options Participant to follow the procedures in this paragraph (l) may result in the assessment of a fine, which may include but is not limited to disgorgement of potential economic gain obtained or loss avoided by the subject exercise, as determined by the Exchange.

(6) Preparing or submitting an "exercise advice" or "advice cancel" after the applicable deadline on the basis of material information released after such deadline, in addition to constituting a violation of this Rule, is activity inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade.

(7) The procedures set forth in subparagraphs (1)-(2) of this subparagraph (l) do not apply (A) on the business day prior to expiration in series expiring on a day other than a business day or (B) on the expiration day in series expiring on a business day.

(8) Exercises of American-style, cash-settled index options (and the submission of corresponding "exercise advice" and "advice cancel" forms) shall be prohibited during any time when trading in such options is delayed, halted, or suspended, subject to the following exceptions:

(A) The exercise of an American-style, cash-settled index option may be processed and given effect in accordance with and subject to the rules of the Clearing Corporation while trading in the option is delayed, halted, or suspended if it can be documented, in a form prescribed by the Exchange, that the decision to exercise the option was made during allowable time frames prior to the delay, halt, or suspension.

(B) Exercises of expiring American-style, cash-settled index options shall not be prohibited on the business day of expiration, or in the case of index option contracts expiring on a day that is not a business day, the last business day prior to their expiration.

(C) Exercises of American-style, cash-settled index options shall not be prohibited during a trading halt that occurs at or after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. In the event of such a trading halt, exercises may occur through 4:20 p.m. Eastern Time. In addition, if trading resumes following such a trading halt (pursuant to the procedure described in Options 3, Section 8 (Opening Process)), exercises may occur during the resumption of trading and for five (5) minutes after the close of the resumption of trading. The provisions of this subparagraph 3 are subject to the authority of the Exchange to impose restrictions on transactions and exercises pursuant to Options 9, Section 18 (Limit on Outstanding Uncovered Short Positions).

(D) The Exchange may determine to permit the exercise of American-style, cash-settled index options while trading in such options is delayed, halted, or suspended.

Supplementary Material to Options 6B, Section 1

.01 For purposes of this Rule, the terms "customer account" and "non-customer account" have the same meaning as defined in the Clearing Corporation By-Laws Article I(C)(28) and Article I(N)(2), respectively

.02 Each Participant shall prepare a memorandum of every exercise instruction received showing the time when such instruction was so received. Such memoranda shall be subject to the requirements of SEC Rule 17a-4(b).

.03 Each Participant shall establish fixed procedures to insure secure time stamps in connection with their electronic systems employed for the recording of submissions to exercise or not exercise expiring options.

.04 The filing of a Contrary Exercise Advice required by this Rule does not serve to substitute as the effective notice to the Clearing Corporation for the exercise or non-exercise of expiring options.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended September 1, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-016), operative September 14, 2020.

(a) Each Options Participant shall establish fixed procedures for the allocation of exercise notices assigned in respect of a short position in such Options Participant's customers' accounts. The allocation shall be on a "first in, first out," or automated random selection basis that has been approved by the Exchange, or on a manual random selection basis that has been specified by the Exchange. Each Options Participant shall inform its customers in writing of the method it uses to allocate exercise notices to its customers' account, explaining its manner of operation and the consequences of that system.

(b) Each Options Participant shall report its proposed method of allocation to the Exchange and obtain the Exchange's prior approval thereof, and no Options Participant shall change its method of allocation unless the change has been reported to and approved by the Exchange. The requirements of this paragraph shall not be applicable to allocation procedures submitted to and approved by another SRO having comparable standards pertaining to methods of allocation.

(c) Each Options Participant shall preserve for a three-year period sufficient work papers and other documentary materials relating to the allocation of exercise notices to establish the manner in which allocation of such exercise notices is in fact being accomplished.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039).

(a) Delivery of the underlying security upon the exercise of an options contract, and payment of the aggregate exercise price in respect thereof, shall be in accordance with the Rules of the Clearing Corporation.

(b) As promptly as possible after the exercise of an options contract by a customer, the Options Participant shall require the customer to make full cash payment of the aggregate exercise price in the case of a call options contract, or to deposit the underlying security in the case of a put options contract, or to make the required margin deposit in respect thereof if the transaction is effected in a margin account, in accordance with the Rules of the Exchange and the applicable regulations of the Federal Reserve Board.

(c) As promptly as practicable after the assignment to a customer of an exercise notice the Options Participant shall require the customer to deposit the underlying security in the case of a call options contract if the underlying security is not carried in the customer's account, or to make full cash payment of the aggregate exercise price in the case of a put options contract, or in either case to deposit the required margin in respect thereof if the transaction is effected in a margin account, in accordance with the Rules of the Exchange, and the applicable regulations of the Federal Reserve Board.

(d) In accordance with the applicable rules of The Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"), upon exercise of an in-the-money U.S. Dollar-Settled Foreign Currency option structured as a call, the holder receives, from OCC, U.S. dollars representing the difference between the exercise strike price and the closing settlement value of the U.S. Dollar-Settled Foreign Currency options contract multiplied by the number of units of currency covered by the contract. For a U.S. Dollar-Settled Foreign Currency option structured as a put, the holder receives U.S. dollars representing the excess of the exercise price over the closing settlement value of the U.S. Dollar-Settled Foreign Currency option contract multiplied by the number of units of foreign currency covered by the contract.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039).