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

(a) No Options Participant shall engage in conduct in violation of the Exchange Act or Rules thereunder, the Rules of the Exchange or the Rules of the Clearing Corporation insofar as they relate to the reporting or clearance of any Exchange transaction, or any written interpretation thereof. Every Options Participant shall supervise persons associated with the Participant to assure compliance therewith.

(b) Each Options Participant shall be responsible for ensuring that all arrangements made and systems used in connection with business conducted on BX Options, and the transaction of such business itself, comply with the Options Participant's and associated persons' obligations under the Rules of the Exchange, the Rules of the Clearing Corporation and any other relevant laws, rules, interpretations and obligations. In accordance with the BX Options Rules and in connection with business conducted on BX Options, each Options Participant shall:

(1) have adequate arrangements to ensure that all staff involved in the conduct of business on BX Options are suitable, adequately trained and properly supervised;

(2) be responsible for the acts and conduct of each associated person,

(3) establish its trading arrangements such that each Participant is able to meet the requirements set out in subparagraph (a) and that all other relevant obligations contained in the Rules are complied with;

(4) implement suitable security measures such that only those individuals explicitly authorized by the Options Participant to trade may gain access to passwords and security keys;

(5) ensure that any trading access granted to individuals (whether employees of the Options Participant or otherwise), for example by way of order routing systems, is adequately controlled and supervised, including appropriate checks before any orders are submitted to the Trading System; and

(6) ensure that accurate information is input into the System, including, but not limited to, the Options Participant's capacity.

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

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

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended April 27, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-012).

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

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

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

No Options Participant or person associated with an Options Participant shall circulate, in any manner, rumors of a character which might affect market conditions in any security; provided, however, that this Rule shall not prohibit discussion of unsubstantiated information, so long as its source and unverified nature are disclosed.

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

(a) Every Options Participant shall establish, maintain and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed, taking into consideration the nature of the Participant's business, to prevent the misuse of material nonpublic information by such Participant or persons associated with such Participant in violation of the federal securities laws or the Rules thereunder, and the Rules of the Exchange.

(b) Misuse of material nonpublic information includes, but is not limited to:

(1) trading in any securities issued by a corporation, or in any related securities or related options or other derivative securities, while in possession of material nonpublic information concerning that corporation;

(2) trading in an underlying security or related options or other derivative securities, while in possession of material nonpublic information concerning imminent transactions in the underlying security or related securities; and

(3) disclosing to another person any material nonpublic information involving a corporation whose shares are publicly traded or disclosing an imminent transaction in an underlying security or related securities for the purpose of facilitating the possible misuse of such material nonpublic information.

(c) Each Options Participant shall establish, maintain and enforce the following policies and procedures as appropriate for the nature of each Participant's business:

(1) All associated persons must be advised in writing of the prohibition against the misuse of material nonpublic information.

(2) Signed attestations from the Participant and all associated persons affirming their awareness of, and agreement to abide by, the aforementioned prohibitions must be maintained for at least three (3) years, the first two (2) years in an easily accessible place.

(3) Records of all brokerage accounts maintained by the Participant and all associated persons must be acquired and maintained for at least three (3) years, the first two (2) years in an easily accessible place, and such brokerage accounts must be reviewed periodically by the Participant for the purpose of detecting the possible misuse of material nonpublic information.

(4) Any business dealings the Participant may have with any corporation whose securities are publicly traded, or any other circumstances that may result in the Participant receiving, in the ordinary course of business, material nonpublic information concerning any such corporation, must be identified and documented.

(d) Participants that are required to file Form X-17A-5 under the Exchange Act or Rules thereunder, with the Exchange on an annual basis only, shall, contemporaneously with those submissions, file attestations signed by such Participants stating that the procedures mandated by this Rule have been established, enforced and maintained.

(e) Any Options Participant or associated person who becomes aware of any possible misuse of material nonpublic information must promptly notify BX Regulation.

(f) It may be considered conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade for any Participant or person associated with a Participant who has knowledge of all material terms and conditions of:

(1) an order and a solicited order,

(2) an order being facilitated or submitted to BX Options for price improvement, or

(3) orders being crossed;

the execution of which are imminent, to enter, based on such knowledge, an order to buy or sell an option for the same underlying security as any option that is the subject of the order, or an order to buy or sell the security underlying such class, or an order to buy or sell any related instrument until (a) the terms and conditions of the order and any changes in the terms and conditions of the order of which the Participant or person associated with the Participant has knowledge are disclosed, or (b) the trade can no longer reasonably be considered imminent in view of the passage of time since the order was received. The terms of an order are "disclosed" to BX Options Participants when the order is entered into the BX Options Book. For purposes of this paragraph (f), an order to buy or sell a "related instrument" means, in reference to an index option, an order to buy or sell securities comprising 10% or more of the component securities in the index or an order to buy or sell a futures contract on an economically equivalent index.

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

Every Options Participant shall promptly notify BX Regulation in writing of any disciplinary action, including the basis therefore, taken by any national securities exchange or registered securities association, clearing corporation, commodity futures market or government regulatory body against the Options Participant or its associated persons who are directly involved in derivatives trading, and shall similarly notify BX Regulation of any disciplinary action taken by the Options Participant itself against any of its associated persons who are directly involved in derivatives trading involving suspension, termination, the withholding of commissions or imposition of fines in excess of $2,500, or any other significant limitation on activities.

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

Whenever the Exchange shall find that an Options Participant has failed to perform on its contracts or is insolvent or is in such financial or operational condition or is otherwise conducting business in such a manner that it cannot safely conduct business with Customers, creditors or the Exchange, the Exchange may summarily suspend the Options Participant in accordance with Chapter X (Summary Suspension) or may impose such conditions and restrictions upon the Options Participant as the Exchange considers reasonably necessary for the protection of the Exchange, BX Options, and the Customers of such Options Participant.

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

Significant Business Transactions of Options Clearing Participants shall be governed by this Rule and not by BX Rule 1017. All other Significant Business Transactions of Options Participants shall be subject to BX Rule 1017.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) below, a Participant that clears Options Market Maker trades is required to notify BX Regulation in writing fifteen (15) days prior to any of the following proposed significant business transactions ("SBT"):

(1) the combination, merger or consolidation between the Participant and another person engaged in the business of effecting, executing, clearing or financing transactions in securities or futures products;

(2) the transfer from another person, Market Maker, broker-dealer, or customer of securities or futures accounts that are significant in size or number to the business of the Participant;

(3) the assumption or guarantee by the Participant of liabilities of another person engaged in the business of effecting, executing, clearing or financing transactions in securities or futures products, in connection with a direct or indirect acquisition of all or substantially all of the person's assets; or

(4) termination of the Participant's clearing business or any material part thereof.

(b) Notification of any of the following SBTs shall be made in writing to BX Regulation, not later than five (5) business days from the date on which the SBT becomes effective:

(1) the sale by the Clearing Participant of a significant part of its assets to another person;

(2) a change in the identity of any general partner or a change in the beneficial ownership of ten percent (10%) or more of any class of the outstanding stock of any corporate general partner;

(3) a change in the beneficial ownership of twenty percent (20%) or more of any class of the outstanding stock of the Participant or the issuance of any capital stock of the Participant; or

(4) the acquisition by the Clearing Participant of assets of another person that would constitute a "business" that is "significant," as those terms are defined in Section 11-01 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act.

(c) A Clearing Participant is required to notify BX Regulation in writing thirty (30) days prior to a proposed SBT included in paragraph (a) of this Rule, and such SBT shall be subject to the prior approval of BX Regulation, if the Participant's Market Maker clearance activities exceed, or would exceed as a result of the proposed SBT, any of the following parameters:

(1) fifteen percent (15%) of cleared BX Options Market Maker contract volume for the most recent three (3) months;

(2) an average of fifteen percent (15%) of the number of BX Options Market Makers as of each month and for the most recent three (3) months; or

(3) twenty-five percent (25%) of BX Options Market Maker gross deductions (haircuts) defined by Rule 15c3-1(a)(6) or (c)(2)(x) under the Exchange Act carried by the Clearing Participant in relation to the aggregate of such haircuts carried by all other Clearing Participants for any month end within the most recent three (3) months.

(d) An SBT that comes within paragraph (c) of this Rule may be disapproved or conditioned within the thirty (30) day period if BX Regulation determines that such SBT has the potential to threaten the financial or operational integrity of Market Maker transactions. In making this determination, BX Regulation may consider, among other relevant matters, the following:

(1) The effect of the proposed SBT on the capital size and structure of the resulting Clearing Participant(s), the potential for financial failure and the consequences of any such failure on the BX Options market as a whole, and the potential for increased or decreased operational efficiencies arising from the proposed transaction.

(2) The effect of the proposed SBT upon overall concentration of Market Makers, including a comparison of the following measures before and after the proposed transaction:

(A) proportion of BX Options Market Maker contract volume cleared;

(B) proportion of BX Options Market Makers cleared; and

(C) proportion of Market Maker gross deductions (haircuts) as defined by Rule 15c3-1(a)(6) or (c)(2)(x) under the Exchange Act carried by the Clearing Participant(s) in relation to the aggregate of such deductions carried by other Participants that clear Market Maker transactions.

(3) The regulatory history of the affected Participants, specifically as it may indicate a tendency to financial or operational weakness.

(e) Transactions that come within paragraph (c) of this Rule shall be reviewed according to the following procedures:

(1) A Participant must provide promptly, in writing, all information reasonably requested by BX Regulation. Any information disclosed by Participants pursuant to the requirements of this Rule shall be kept confidential by BX Regulation until such information is otherwise publicly disclosed and shall be used only for purposes of reviewing the proposal.

(2) If BX Regulation determines, prior to the expiration of the thirty (30) day period, that a proposed SBT may be approved without conditions, BX Regulation shall promptly so advise the Participant.

(3) All decisions to disapprove or condition a proposed SBT or to impose extraordinary requirements shall be in writing, shall include a statement setting forth the grounds for the decision, and the Participant shall be promptly notified of any such decisions by BX Regulation.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provisions of the BX Options Rules, the Participant may appeal a decision to disapprove or condition a proposed SBT directly to the Board by filing an application for review with the Secretary of the Exchange within fifteen (15) days of the date of service of the decision. Appeal to the Board shall be the exclusive method of reviewing such a decision.

(5) An appeal to the Board of a decision to disapprove or condition a proposed SBT shall not operate as a stay of that decision during the pendency of the appeal.

(6) BX Regulation shall file notice with the SEC in accordance with the provisions of Section 19(d)(1) of the Exchange Act of all final decisions to disapprove or condition a proposed SBT.

(f) BX Regulation may impose additional financial and/or operational requirements on a Participant that clears Market Maker trades at any time when it determines that the Participant's continuance in business without such requirements has the potential to threaten the financial or operational integrity of Market Maker transactions.

(g) The provisions of this Rule do not preclude summary action under Chapter X, Discipline and Summary Suspensions, of these Rules, or other BX Regulation action pursuant to the BX Options Rules.

(h) BX Regulation, upon approval by the Chief Regulatory Officer of BX, may exempt a Participant from the requirements of this Rule, either generally or in respect of specific types of transactions, based on the limited proportion of Market Maker trades on BX Options that are cleared by the Participant or on the limited importance that the clearing of Market Maker trades bears to the total business of the Participant.

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

(a) No Options Participant shall make, for any account in which it has an interest or for the account of any customer, an opening transaction on any exchange if the Options Participant has reason to believe that as a result of such transaction the Options Participant or its customer would, acting alone or in concert with others, directly or indirectly:

(1) exceed the applicable position limit fixed from time to time by the Cboe Exchange, Inc. (“Cboe”) for any options contract traded on BX Options and Cboe, notwithstanding the foregoing options contracts overlying SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust (SPY) shall have a position limit of 3,600,000 contracts on the same side of the market; and contracts overlying iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (“IBIT”) shall have a position limit of 25,000 contracts on the same side of the market;

(2) exceed the position limit fixed by BX Options from time to time for any options contract traded on BX Options but not traded on the Cboe; or

(3) exceed the applicable position limit fixed from time to time by another exchange for an options contract not traded on BX Options, when the Options Participant is not a member of the other exchange on which the transaction was effected; or

(4) exceed the applicable position limit fixed from time to time by Phlx with respect to U.S. Dollar-Settled Foreign Currency Options.

(b) Should an Options Participant have reason to believe that a position in any account in which it has an interest or for the account of any customer of such Options Participant is in excess of the applicable limit, such Options Participant shall promptly take the action necessary to bring the position into compliance.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended June 17, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-012); amended Nov. 6, 2024 (SR-BX-2024-045).

An Options Participant may rely upon any available exemptions from applicable position limits granted from time to time by another Options Exchange for any options contract traded on BX Options provided that such Options Participant (1) provides BX Regulation with a copy of any written exemption issued by another Options Exchange or a written, description of any exemption issued by another Options Exchange other than in writing containing sufficient detail for BX Regulation to verify the validity of that exemption with the issuing Exchange, and (2) fulfills all conditions precedent for such exemption and complies at all times with the requirements of such exemptions with respect to its trading on BX Options.

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

(a) No Options Participant shall exercise, for any account in which it has an interest or for the account of any customer, a long position in any options contract where such Options Participant or customer, acting alone or in concert with others, directly or indirectly, has or will have:

(1) exceeded the applicable exercise limit fixed from time-to-time by Cboe Exchange, Inc. (“Cboe”) for any options contract traded on BX Options and Cboe, notwithstanding the foregoing options contracts overlying SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust (SPY) shall have an exercise limit of 3,600,000 contracts on the same side of the market; and contracts overlying iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (“IBIT”) shall have a position limit of 25,000 contracts on the same side of the market;

(2) exceeded the exercise limit fixed by BX Options from time to time for any options contract traded on BX Options but not traded on Cboe;

(3) exceeded the applicable exercise limit fixed from time to time by another exchange for an options contract not traded on BX Options, when the Options Participant is not a member of the other exchange on which the transaction was effected; or

(4) exceeded the applicable exercise limit fixed from time-to-time by Phlx with respect to U.S. Dollar-Settled Foreign Currency Options.

(b) an Options Market Maker that has been granted an exemption to position limits pursuant to Options 9, Section 14 (Exemption to Position Limits), the number of contracts which can be exercised over a five (5) business day period shall equal the Market Maker's exempted position.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended June 17, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-012); amended Nov. 6, 2024 (SR-BX-2024-045).

Each Options Participant shall maintain and furnish to BX Regulation all reports required by the applicable rule of any Options Exchange of which it is a Member with respect to reports related to position limits.

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

(a) Whenever BX Regulation shall find that a person or group of persons acting in concert holds or controls, or is obligated in respect of, an aggregate position (whether long or short) in all options contracts or one or more classes or series traded on BX Options in excess of the applicable position limit established pursuant to Options 9, Section 13 (Position Limits), it may order all Options Participants carrying a position in options contracts of such classes or series for such person or persons to liquidate such positions as expeditiously as possible, consistent with the maintenance of a fair and orderly market.

(b) Whenever such an order is given, no Options Participant shall accept any order to purchase, sell or exercise any options contract for the account of the person or persons named in the order, unless and until BX Regulation expressly approves such person or persons for options transactions.

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

(a) Whenever it is determined from the reports of uncovered short positions submitted pursuant to Options 6E, Section 2 of these Rules (Reports of Uncovered Short Positions), viewed in light of current market conditions in options and in underlying securities, that there are outstanding an excessive number of uncovered short positions in options contracts of a given class traded on BX Options or that an excessively high percentage of outstanding short positions in options contracts of a given class traded on BX Options are uncovered, BX Regulation may determine to prohibit Options Participants from any further opening writing transactions on any exchange in options contracts of that class unless the resulting short position will be covered, and BX Regulation may prohibit the uncovering of any existing covered short positions in one or more series of options of that class, as it deems appropriate in the interest of maintaining a fair and orderly market in options contracts or in underlying securities.

(b) BX Regulation may exempt transactions of Options Market Makers from restrictions imposed under this Rule. Such restrictions shall be rescinded upon a determination that they are no longer appropriate.

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

(a) BX may impose such restrictions on transactions or exercises in one or more series of options of any class traded on BX Options as BX Regulation in its judgment deems advisable in the interests of maintaining a fair and orderly market in options contracts or in underlying securities, or otherwise deems advisable in the public interest or for the protection of investors.

(1) During the effectiveness of such restrictions, no Options Participant shall, for any account in which it has an interest or for the account of any Customer, engage in any transaction or exercise in contravention of such restrictions.

(2) Notwithstanding the foregoing, during the ten (10) business days prior to the expiration date of a given series of options, other than index options, which shall include such expiration date for an option contract that expires on a business day, no restriction on exercise under this Rule may be in effect with respect to that series of options. With respect to index options, restrictions on exercise may be in effect until the opening of business on the business day of their expiration or, in the case of an option contract expiring on a day that is not a business day, on the last business day before the expiration date.

(3) Exercises of American-style, cash-settled index options 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 BX Regulation, 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 an option contract 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 9 of these Rules, 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 (a)(3)(C) are subject to the authority of the Board to impose restrictions on transactions and exercises pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Rule; and

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

(b) Whenever the issuer of a security underlying a call option traded on BX Options is engaged or proposes to engage in a public underwritten distribution ("public distribution") of such underlying security or securities exchangeable for or convertible into such underlying security, the underwriters may request that BX Options impose restrictions upon all opening writing transactions in such options at a "discount" where the resulting short position will be uncovered ("uncovered opening writing transactions").

(1) In addition to a request, the following conditions are necessary for the imposition of restrictions:

(A) less than a majority of the securities to be publicly distributed in such distribution are being sold by existing security holders;

(B) the underwriters agree to notify BX Regulation upon the termination of their stabilization activities; and

(C) the underwriters initiate stabilization activities in such underlying security on a national securities exchange when the price of such security is either at a "minus" or "zero minus" tick.

(2) Upon receipt of such a request and determination that the conditions listed above are met, BX Regulation shall impose the requested restrictions as promptly as possible but no earlier than fifteen (15) minutes after Participants shall have been notified and shall terminate such restrictions upon request of the underwriters or when BX Regulation otherwise discovers that stabilizing transactions by the underwriters has been terminated.

(3) For purposes of paragraph (b) of this Rule, an uncovered opening writing transaction in a call option will be deemed to be effected at a "discount" when the premium in such transaction is either:

(A) in the case of a distribution of the underlying security not involving the issuance of rights and in the case of a distribution of securities exchangeable for or convertible into the underlying security, less than the amount by which the underwriters' stabilization bid for the underlying security exceeds the exercise price of such option; or

(B) in the case of a distribution being offered pursuant to rights, less than the amount by which the underwriters' stabilization bid in the underlying security at the subscription price exceeds the exercise price of such option.

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

(a) Each Options Participant that BX designates as required to participate in a system test must conduct or participate in the testing of its computer systems to ascertain the compatibility of such systems with the Exchange's systems in the manner and frequency prescribed by the Exchange. BX will designate Options Participants as required to participate in a system test based on: (1) the category of the Participant (Market Maker and OEF); (2) the computer system(s) the Participant uses; and (3) the manner in which the Participant connects to the Exchange. BX will give Participants reasonable notice of any mandatory systems test, which notice will specify the nature of the test and Participants' obligations in participating in the test.

(b) Every Options Participant required by BX to conduct or participate in testing of computer systems shall provide to the Exchange such reports relating to the testing as the Exchange may prescribe. Participants shall maintain adequate documentation of tests required by this Rule and results of such testing for examination by the Exchange.

(c) An Options Participant that is subject to this Rule and that fails to conduct or participate in the tests, fails to file the required reports, or fails to maintain the required documentation, may be subject to a summary suspension or other action taken pursuant to Chapter X of these Rules and/or a disciplinary action pursuant to the Rule 9000 Series of the Rules of the Exchange (Disciplining of Members).

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

Each Options Participant shall comply with General 9, Section 37.

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

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

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

Adopted January 29, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-001).