(a) The System operates and shall be available to accept bids and offers and orders from the time prior to market open specified by the Exchange on its website to market close on each business day, unless modified by BX Options. Orders and bids and offers shall be open and available for execution as of 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time and shall close as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time except for option contracts on certain fund shares or broad-based indexes which will close as of 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time.

(b) Except for unusual conditions as may be determined by the Board, hours during which transactions in options on individual stocks may be made on BX Options shall correspond to the normal business days and hours for business set forth in the rules of the primary market trading the securities underlying BX Options. Notwithstanding the foregoing, transactions may be effected in options contracts on Exchange-Traded Fund Shares, as defined in Options 4, Section 3(h); and in options contracts on exchange-traded notes including Index-Linked Securities, as defined in Options 4, Section 3(k), on BX Options until 4:15 p.m.

(c) BX Options shall not be open for business as provided within General 3, Section 1030.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended December 22, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-054), operative January 24, 2022.

(a) Units of Trading. The unit of trading in each series of options traded on BX Options shall be the unit of trading established for that series by the Clearing Corporation pursuant to the Rules of the Clearing Corporation and the agreements of BX with the Clearing Corporation.

(b) Meaning of Premium Quotes and Orders. Except as provided in paragraph (c), orders shall be expressed in terms of dollars per unit of the underlying security. For example, a bid of "5" shall represent a bid of $500 for an options contract having a unit of trading consisting of 100 shares of an underlying security, or a bid of $550 for an options contract having a unit of trading consisting of 110 shares of an underlying security.

(c) Special Cases. Orders for an options contract for which BX Options has established an adjusted unit of trading in accordance with Options 3, Section 2 shall be expressed in terms of dollars per 1/100 part of the total securities and/or other property constituting such adjusted unit of trading. For example, an offer of "3" shall represent an offer of $300 for an options contract having a unit of trading consisting of 100 shares of an underlying security plus ten (10) rights.

(d) All options on foreign currencies where the underlying foreign currency is not the U.S. dollar shall have a minimum increment of $.01.

(e) In the case of options on foreign currencies, all bids or offers shall be expressed in terms of U.S. dollars per unit of the underlying foreign currency. E.g., a bid of "3.25" for a premium on a $170 strike price option on the British pound shall represent a bid to pay $325 per option contract.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended January 29, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-001).

(a) The following minimum quoting increments shall apply to options contracts traded on the Exchange:

(1) If the options series is trading at less than $3.00, five (5) cents;

(2) If the options series is trading at $3.00 or higher, ten (10) cents; and

(3) For options series traded pursuant to the Penny Interval Program as described in Supplementary Material .01 to Options 3, Section 3:

(A) one cent ($0.01) for all options series in QQQ, SPY, and IWM;

(B) one cent ($0.01) for all other options series included in the Penny Interval Program that are trading at less than $3.00; and

(C) five cents ($0.05) for all other options series included in the Penny Interval Program that are trading at or above $3.00.

(b) The minimum trading increment for options contracts traded on BX Options will be one (1) cent for all series.

Supplementary Material to Options 3, Section 3:

.01 Requirements for Penny Interval Program. The Exchange will list option classes for the Penny Interval Program (“Penny Program”) with minimum quoting requirements (“penny increments”) of one cent ($0.01) and five cents ($0.05), as set forth in Options 3, Section 3(a)(3)(A) - (C). The list of the option classes included in the Penny Program will be announced by the Exchange via Options Trader Alert and published by the Exchange on its website.

(a) Initial Selection. On the first trading day of the third full calendar month after April 1, 2020, the Penny Program will apply only to the 363 most actively traded multiply listed option classes, based on OCC’s National Cleared Volume in the six full calendar months ending in the month of approval, that (i) currently quote in penny increments, or (ii) overlie securities priced below $200, or any index at an index level below $200. Eligibility for inclusion in the Penny Program will be determined at the close of trading on the monthly Expiration Friday of the second full month following April 1, 2020.

(b) Annual Review. Commencing in December 2020 and each December thereafter, OCC will rank all multiply listed option classes based on National Cleared Volume for the six full calendar months from June 1 through November 30 for determination of the most actively traded option classes.

(1) Addition to the Penny Program. Based on the Annual Review, any option class not in the Penny Program that is among the 300 most actively traded multiply listed option classes overlying securities priced below $200, or an index at an index level below $200, will be added to the Penny Program on the first trading day of January.

(2) Removal from the Penny Program. Except as provided in (c), (d), (e) and (f) below, based on the Annual Review, any option class in the Penny Program that falls outside the 425 most actively traded multiply listed option classes will be removed from the Penny Program on the first trading day of April. 

(c) Newly listed Option Classes. The Exchange may add to the Penny Program a newly listed option class provided that (i) it is among the 300 most actively traded multiply listed option classes, as ranked by National Cleared Volume at OCC, in its first full calendar month of trading and (ii) the underlying security is priced below $200 or the underlying index is at an index level below $200. Any option class added under this provision will be added on the first trading day of the month after it qualifies and will remain in the Penny Program for one full calendar year, after which it will be subject to the Annual Review stated in section (b) above. 

(d) Classes with Significant Growth in Activity. The Exchange may add any option class to the Penny Program, provided that (i) it is among the 75 most actively traded multiply listed option classes, as ranked by National Cleared Volume at OCC, in the past six full calendar months of trading and (ii) the underlying security is priced below $200 or the underlying index is at an index level below $200. Any option class added under this provision will be added on the first trading day of the second full month after it qualifies and will remain in the Penny Program for the rest of the calendar year, after which it will be subject to the Annual Review stated in section (b) above.

(e) Corporate Actions.  If a corporate action involves one or more option classes in the Penny Program, all adjusted and unadjusted series of the option class will be included in the Penny Program. Any new option class added to the Penny Program under this provision will remain in the Penny Program for at least one full calendar year, after which it will be subject to the Annual Review stated in section (b) above.  

(f) Delisted or Ineligible Option Classes. Any series in an option class participating in the Penny Program in which the underlying security has been delisted, or are identified by OCC as ineligible for opening customer transactions, will continue to quote pursuant to the terms of the Penny Program until all such options have expired. 

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended Dec. 12, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-046); amended January 29, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-001); amended June 23, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-013).

(a) All bids or offers made and accepted on BX Options in accordance with the BX Options Rules shall constitute binding contracts, subject to applicable requirements of the Rules of the Exchange and the Rules of the Clearing Corporation.

(b) Quotes are subject to the following requirements and conditions:

(1) Market Makers may generate and submit option quotations.

(2) The System shall time-stamp a quote which shall determine the time ranking of the quote for purposes of processing the quote.

(3) Market Makers may enter bids and/or offers in the form of a two-sided quote. Only one quote may be submitted at a time for an option series. Quotes may be submitted as a bulk message.

(i) A "bulk message" means a single electronic message submitted to the Exchange which may contain a specified number of quotations as designated by the Exchange. The bulk message, submitted via SQF, may enter, modify, or cancel quotes. Bulk messages are handled by the System in the same manner as it handles a single quote message.

(4) The System accepts quotes beginning at a time specified by the Exchange and communicated on the Exchange's web site.

(5) Firm Quote. When quotes in options on another market or markets are subject to relief from the firm quote requirement set forth in the SEC Quote Rule, orders and quotes will receive an automatic execution at or better than the NBBO based on the best bid or offer in markets whose quotes are not subject to such relief. Such determination may be made by way of notification from another market that its quotes are not firm or are unreliable; administrative message from the Option Price Reporting Authority ("OPRA"); quotes received from another market designated as "not firm" using the appropriate indicator; and/or telephonic or electronic inquiry to, and verification from, another market that its quotes are not firm. The Exchange shall maintain a record of each instance in which another exchange's quotes are excluded from the Exchange's calculation of NBBO, and shall notify such other exchange that its quotes have been so excluded. Where quotes in options on another market or markets previously subject to relief from the firm quote requirement set forth in the Quote Rule are no longer subject to such relief, such quotations will be included in the calculation of NBBO for such options. Such determination may be made by way of notification from another market that its quotes are firm; administrative message from OPRA; and/or telephonic or electronic inquiry to, and verification from, another market that its quotes are firm.

(6) Trade-Through Compliance and Locked or Crossed Markets. A quote will not be executed at a price that trades through another market or displayed at a price that would lock or cross another market. If, at the time of entry, a quote would cause a locked or crossed market violation or would cause a trade-through, violation, it will be re-priced to the current national best offer (for bids) or the current national best bid (for offers) as non-displayed, and displayed at one minimum price variance above (for offers) or below (for bids) the national best price.

(7) The System automatically executes eligible quotes using the Exchange's displayed best bid and offer (“BBO”) or the Exchange’s non-displayed order book (“internal BBO”) if the best bid and/or offer on the Exchange has been repriced pursuant to Options 3, Section 5(d) below and subsection (6) above.

(8) Quotes submitted to the System are subject to the following: minimum increments provided for in Options 3, Section 3 and risk protections provided for in Options 3, Section 15.

(c) Quotes will be displayed in the System as described in Options 3, Section 23.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended January 29, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-001); amended May 16, 2023 (SR-BX-2023-013), operative Jun. 15, 2023.

(a) Participants can enter orders into the System, subject to the following requirements and conditions:

(1) Participants shall be permitted to transmit to the System multiple orders at single as well as multiple price levels.

(2) The System accepts orders beginning at a time specified by the Exchange and communicated on the Exchange's web site.

(3) The System shall time-stamp an order which shall determine the time ranking of the order for purposes of processing the order.

(4) Orders submitted to the System are subject to minimum increments provided for in Options 3, Section 3, risk protections within Options 3, Section 15 and the restrictions of order types within Options 3, Section 7. Orders may execute at multiple prices.

(5) Nullification by Mutual Agreement. Trades may be nullified if all parties participating in the trade agree to the nullification. In such case, one party must notify the Exchange and the Exchange promptly will disseminate the nullification to OPRA. It is considered conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade for a party to use the mutual adjustment process to circumvent any applicable Exchange rule, the Act or any of the rules and regulations thereunder.

(b) NBBO Price Protection. Orders, other than Intermarket Sweep Orders (as defined in Rule Options 5, Section 1(9)) will not be automatically executed by the System at prices inferior to the NBBO (as defined in Options 5, Section 1(11)). There is no NBBO price protection with respect to any other market whose quotations are Non-Firm (as defined in Options 5, Section 1(12)).

(c) The System automatically executes eligible orders using the Exchange's displayed best bid an offer ("BBO") or the Exchange's non-displayed order book ("internal BBO") if the best bid and/or offer on the Exchange has been repriced pursuant to subsection (d) below and Options 3, Section 4(b)(6) above.

(d) Trade-Through Compliance and Locked or Crossed Markets. An order will not be executed at a price that trades through another market or displayed at a price that would lock or cross another market. An order that is designated by the member as routable will be routed in compliance with applicable Trade-Through and Locked and Crossed Markets restrictions. An order that is designated by a member as non-routable will be re-priced in order to comply with applicable Trade-Through and Locked and Crossed Markets restrictions. If, at the time of entry, an order that the entering party has elected not to make eligible for routing would cause a locked or crossed market violation or would cause a trade-through violation, it will be re-priced to the current national best offer (for bids) or the current national best bid (for offers) as non-displayed, and displayed at one minimum price variance above (for offers) or below (for bids) the national best price.

(e) Orders will be displayed in the System as described in Options 3, Section 23.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended July 23, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-017), operative September 14, 2020; amended May 16, 2023 (SR-BX-2023-013), operative Jun. 15, 2023.

(a) BX Options staff may determine that the level of trading activities or the existence of unusual market conditions is such that BX Options is incapable of collecting, processing, and making available to quotation vendors the data for the option in a manner that accurately reflects the current state of the market on BX Options. Upon making such a determination, BX Regulation shall designate the market in such option to be "fast." When a market for an option is declared fast, BX Regulation will provide notice that BX Options quotations are not firm by appending an appropriate indicator to the BX Options quotations.

(b) If a market is declared fast, BX Regulation shall have the power to do one or more of the following with respect to the class or classes involved:

(1) Suspend the minimum size requirement as permitted under Options 2, Section 5 (Market Maker Quotations) of these Rules.

(2) Take such other actions as are deemed in the interest of maintaining a fair and orderly market.

(c) BX Regulation will monitor the activity or conditions that caused a fast market to be declared, and shall review the condition of such market at least every thirty (30) minutes. Regular trading procedures shall be resumed when BX Options determines that the conditions supporting a fast market declaration no longer exist. BX Regulation will provide notice that its quotations are once again firm by removing the indicator from the BX Options quotations.

(d) If the conditions supporting a fast market declaration cannot be managed utilizing one or more of the procedures contained in this Rule, then BX Regulation, shall instruct BX operations to halt trading in the class or classes so affected.

(e) BX Regulation shall instruct BX operations to halt trading in all options whenever a market-wide trading halt is initiated on the New York Stock Exchange (commonly known as a "circuit breaker") in response to extraordinary market conditions.

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

The Exchange may determine to make certain order types and time-in-force, respectively, available on a class or System basis.

(a) The term "Order" shall mean a single order submitted to the System by a Participant that is eligible to submit such orders. The term "Order Type" shall mean the unique processing prescribed for designated orders that are eligible for entry into the System, and shall include:

(1) "Cancel-Replacement Order" is a single message for the immediate cancellation of a previously received order and the replacement of that order with a new order with new terms and conditions. If the previously placed order is already filled partially or in its entirety, the replacement order is automatically canceled or reduced by the number of contracts that were executed. The replacement order will retain the priority of the cancelled order, if the order posts to the Order Book, provided the price is not amended, and the size is not increased. If the replacement portion of a Cancel-Replacement Order does not satisfy the System's price or other reasonability checks (e.g. Order Price Protection and Market Order Spread Protection within Options 3, Section 15(a)(1) and (a)(2), respectively); the existing order shall be cancelled and not replaced.

(2) "Directed Order" is an order to buy or sell which has been directed, provided it is properly marked as such, to a particular Market Maker ("Directed Market Maker"). Directed Orders are handled within the System pursuant to Options 3, Section 10. Directed Orders may be available only in certain options.

(3) "Limit Order" is an order to buy or sell an option at a specified price or better. A marketable limit order is a limit order to buy (sell) at or above (below) the best offer (bid) on the Exchange.

(4) "Minimum Quantity Order" is an order that requires that a specified minimum quantity of contracts be obtained, or the order is cancelled. Minimum Quantity Orders are treated as having a time-in-force designation of Immediate or Cancel. Minimum Quantity Orders received prior to the opening cross or after market close will be rejected.

(A) Contingency Orders. A Contingency Order shall mean the following order types: (1) Minimum Quantity Orders and (2) All-or-None Orders.  Contingency Orders will only execute against multiple, aggregated orders if the executions would occur simultaneously.

(5) "Market Order" is an order to buy or sell at the best price available at the time of execution. Participants can designate that their Market Orders not executed after a pre-established period of time, as established by the Exchange, will be cancelled back to the Participant, once an option series has opened for trading. Market Orders on the Order Book would be immediately cancelled if an options series halted, provided the Participant designated the cancellation of Market Orders.

(6) "Intermarket Sweep Order" or "ISO" is a Limit Order that meets the requirements of Options 5, Section 1(8). Orders submitted to the Exchange as ISO are not routable and will ignore the ABBO and trade at allowable prices on the Exchange. ISOs may be entered on the Order Book or into the PRISM Mechanism pursuant to Options 3, Section 13(ii)(K). ISOs must have a time-in-force designation of Immediate-or-Cancel. ISO Orders may not be submitted during the opening.

(7) "All-or-None Order" is a market or limit order which is to be executed in its entirety or not at all. All-or-None Orders are treated as having a time-in-force designation of Immediate or Cancel. All-or-None Orders received prior to the opening or after market close will be rejected.

(8) “Opening Sweep” is a one-sided order entered by a Market Maker through SQF for execution against eligible interest in the System during the Opening Process. This order type is not subject to any protections listed in Options 3, Section 15, except for Automated Quotation Adjustments and Market Wide Risk Protection. The Opening Sweep will only participate in the Opening Process pursuant to Options 3, Section 8 and will be cancelled upon the open if not executed.

(9) "PRISM Order" is as described in Options 3, Section 13.

(10) "Customer Cross Order" is as described in Options 3, Section 12(a).

(11) A "Block Order" is an order entered into the Block Order Mechanism as described in Options 3, Section 11(a).

(12) An “Add Liquidity Order” is a limit order that is to be executed in whole or in part on the Exchange (i) only after being displayed on the Exchange’s limit order book; and (ii) without routing any portion of the order to another market center. Participants may specify whether an Add Liquidity Order shall be cancelled or re-priced to the minimum price variation above the national best bid price (for sell orders) or below the national best offer price (for buy orders) if, at the time of entry, the order (i) is executable on the Exchange; or (ii) the order is not executable on the Exchange but would lock or cross the national best bid or offer. If at the time of entry, an Add Liquidity Order would lock or cross one or more non-displayed orders or quotes on the Exchange, the Add Liquidity Order shall be cancelled or re-priced to the minimum price variation above the best non-displayed bid price (for sell orders) or below the best non-displayed offer price (for buy orders). Notwithstanding the aforementioned, if an Add Liquidity Order would not lock or cross an order or quote on the System but would lock or cross the NBBO, the order will be handled pursuant to Options 3, Section 5(d). An Add Liquidity Order will be ranked in the Exchange’s limit order book in accordance with Options 3, Section 10. Add Liquidity Orders may only be submitted when an options series is open for trading.

(b) The term "Time in Force" or "TIF" shall mean the period of time that the System will hold an order for potential execution, and shall include:

(1) An Opening Only order (“OPG”) is entered with a TIF of “OPG”. This order can only be executed in the Opening Process pursuant to Options 3, Section 8. This order type is not subject to any protections listed in Options 3, Section 15, except Size Limitation and Market Wide Risk Protection. Any portion of the order that is not executed during the Opening Process is cancelled. OPG orders may not route.

(2) "Immediate-or-Cancel" or "IOC" is a Market Order or Limit Order to be executed in whole or in part upon receipt. Any portion not so executed is cancelled.

(A) Orders entered with a TIF of IOC are not eligible for routing.

(B) IOC orders may be entered through FIX or SQF, provided that an IOC Order entered by a Market Maker through SQF is not subject to the Order Price Protection, the Market Order Spread Protection, or Size Limitation in Options 3, Section 15(a)(1), (a)(2), and (b)(2), respectively;

(C) Block Orders, Customer Cross Orders, and PRISM Orders are considered to have a TIF of IOC. By their terms, these orders will be: (1) executed either on entry or after an exposure period, or (2) cancelled.

(3) "DAY" is an order entered with a TIF of "Day" that expires at the end of the day on which it was entered, if not executed. All orders by their terms are Day Orders unless otherwise specified. Day orders may be entered through FIX.

(4) "Good Til Cancelled" or "GTC" is an order entered with a TIF of "GTC" that, if not fully executed, will remain available for potential display and/or execution unless cancelled by the entering party, or until the option expires, whichever comes first. GTC Orders shall be available for entry from the time prior to market open specified by the Exchange until market close.

(c) Routing Strategies. Orders may be entered on the Exchange with a routing strategy of FIND, SRCH or Do-Not-Route ("DNR") as provided in Options 5, Section 4 through FIX only.

(d) The term "Order Size" shall mean the number of contracts up to 999,999 associated with the Order.

(e) Entry and Display of Orders and Quotes. Participants may enter orders and quotes into the System as specified below.

(1) The Exchange offers Participants the following protocols for entering orders and quotes respectively:

(A) "Financial Information eXchange" or "FIX" is an interface that allows Participants and their Sponsored Customers to connect, send, and receive messages related to orders and auction orders and responses to and from the Exchange. Features include the following: (1) execution messages; (2) order messages; and (3) risk protection triggers and cancel notifications.  In addition, a BX Participant may elect to utilize FIX to send a message and PRISM Order, as defined within Options 3, Section 13, to all BX Participants that opt in to receive Requests for PRISM requesting that it submit the sender’s PRISM Order with responder’s Initiating Order, as defined within Options 3, Section 13, into the Price Improvement Auction (“PRISM”) mechanism, pursuant to Options 3, Section 13 (“Request for PRISM”).

(1) With respect to a Request for PRISM:

(a) BX Participants must “opt in” to receive Requests for PRISM.  A Participant who opts in to receive Requests for PRISM will receive all requests from a Participant submitting a Request for PRISM.

(b) The Exchange will set a certain time period up to one second within which a recipient of a Request for PRISM may utilize FIX to submit the sender’s PRISM Order, along with an Initiating Order (a “response”) into the System for execution into PRISM pursuant to Options 3, Section 13.  The System will permit the first responder to start a PRISM Auction and will send a reject message to subsequent responders. A response must match the PRISM Order and may not improve the price, or the response will be rejected.  A response may be configured to improve the PRISM Order stop price pursuant to Options 3, Section 13(ii)(A)(1)(c); the configuration would apply if this response initiated a PRISM auction.  If no BX Participant responds to the Request for PRISM, the PRISM Order would be placed on the Order Book as a Limit Order or cancelled, consistent with the sending Participant’s instruction.

(c) A Request for PRISM will be sent simultaneously to all BX Participants who opted in to receive Requests for PRISM.  

(d) Once the recipient of a Request for PRISM has responded to the Request for PRISM by adding the Initiating Order, the PRISM may not be cancelled.  

(e) The sender may not cancel a Request for PRISM once that Request for PRISM has been sent. 

(f) The identity of the sender and recipients will not be known to any party.  The Exchange will not disclose a list of Participants that opted in to receive Requests for PRISM.

(g) It would be deemed conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade and a violation of Options 9, Section 1, and other Exchange Rules, to utilize non-public information in connection with a Request for PRISM to a Participant’s economic advantage.

(B) "Specialized Quote Feed" or "SQF" is an interface that allows Market Makers to connect, send, and receive messages related to quotes, Immediate-or-Cancel Orders, and auction responses into and from the Exchange. Features include the following: (1) options symbol directory messages (e.g., underlying instruments); (2) system event messages (e.g., start of trading hours messages and start of opening); (3) trading action messages (e.g., halts and resumes); (4) execution messages; (5) quote messages; (6) Immediate-or-Cancel Order messages; (7) risk protection triggers and purge notifications; (8) opening imbalance messages; (9) auction notifications; and (10) auction responses. The SQF Purge Interface only receives and notifies of purge requests from the Market Maker. Market Makers may only enter interest into SQF in their assigned options series. Immediate-or-Cancel Orders entered into SQF are not subject to the Order Price Protection, Market Order Spread Protection, or Size Limitation Protection in Options 3, Section 15(a)(1), (a)(2), and (b)(2) respectively.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended February 6, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-002); amended July 23, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-017), operative September 14, 2020; amended August 21, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-023), operative September 14, 2020; amended September 1, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-016), operative September 14, 2020; amended February 17, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-003), operative March 19, 2021; amended April 29, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-020); amended May 4, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-022), operative June 3, 2021; amended October 14, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-048); amended December 22, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-054), operative January 24, 2022; amended Feb. 12, 2021 (SR-BX-2020-033), operative Jun. 7, 2022; amended May 16, 2023 (SR-BX-2023-013), operative Jun. 15, 2023; amended Feb. 15, 2024 (SR-BX-2024-006), operative Mar. 16, 2024.

(a) Definitions. The Exchange conducts an opening for all option series traded on the Exchange using its System.

(1) An "Away Best Bid or Offer" or "ABBO" is the displayed National Best Bid or Offer not including the Exchange's Best Bid or Offer.

(2) An "imbalance" is the number of unmatched contracts priced through the Potential Opening Price.

(3) A "market for the underlying security" is either the primary listing market or an alternative market designated by the primary market. In the event that the primary market is unable to open and an alternative market is not designated by the primary market and/or the alternative market designated by the primary market does not open, the Exchange may utilize a non-primary market to open all underlying securities from the primary market. The Exchange will select the non-primary market with the most liquidity in the aggregate for all underlying securities that trade on the primary market for the previous two calendar months, excluding the primary and alternative markets.

(4) An Opening Price is described herein in sections (i) and (k).

(5) An Opening Process is described herein in section (d).

(6) A Potential Opening Price is described herein in section (h).

(7) A Pre-Market BBO is the highest bid and the lowest offer among Valid Width Quotes.

(8) A "Valid Width National Best Bid or Offer" or "Valid Width NBBO" is the combination of all away market quotes and Valid Width Quotes received over the SQF. The Valid Width NBBO will be configurable by the underlying security, and tables with valid width differentials, which will be posted by the Exchange on its website. Away markets that are crossed will void all Valid Width NBBO calculations. If any Market Maker quotes on the Exchange are crossed internally, then all Exchange quotes will be excluded from the Valid Width NBBO calculation.

(9) A "Valid Width Quote" is a two-sided electronic quotation, submitted by a Market Maker, quoted with a difference not to exceed $5 between the bid and offer regardless of the price of the bid. However, respecting in-the-money series where the market for the underlying security is wider than $5, the bid/ask differential may be as wide as the quotation for the underlying security on the primary market, or its decimal equivalent rounded down to the nearest minimum increment. The Exchange may establish differences other than the above for one or more series or classes of options.

(10) A "Zero Bid Market" is where the best bid for an options series is zero.

(b) Eligible interest during the Opening Process includes Valid Width Quotes, Opening Sweeps and orders. Quotes, other than Valid Width Quotes, will not be included in the Opening Process.

(1) Opening Sweep. An Opening Sweep is defined at Options 3, Section 7(a)(9).

(A) A Market Maker assigned in a particular option may only submit an Opening Sweep if, at the time of entry of the Opening Sweep, the Market Maker has already submitted and maintained a Valid Width Quote. All Opening Sweeps in the affected series entered by a Market Maker will be cancelled immediately if that Market Maker fails to maintain a continuous quote with a Valid Width Quote in the affected series.

(B) Opening Sweeps may be entered at any price with a minimum price variation applicable to the affected series, on either side of the market, at single or multiple price level(s), and may be cancelled and re-entered. A single Market Maker may enter multiple Opening Sweeps, with each Opening Sweep at a different price level. If a Market Maker submits multiple Opening Sweeps, the System will consider only the most recent Opening Sweep at each price level submitted by such Market Maker in determining the Opening Price. Unexecuted Opening Sweeps will be cancelled once the affected series is open.

(2) The System will allocate interest pursuant to Options 3, Section 10.

(c) Reserved.

(d) Market Maker Valid Width Quotes and Opening Sweeps received starting at 9:25 AM are included in the Opening Process. Orders entered at any time before an option series opens are included in the Opening Process.

(1) The Opening Process for an option series will be conducted pursuant to paragraphs (f)- (k) below, on or after 9:30 AM, when the System has received an opening trade or quote on the market for the underlying security in the case of equity options or in the case of index options.

(2) For all options, the underlying security, including indexes, must be open on the market for the underlying security for a certain time period, as determined by the Exchange, for the Opening Process to commence. The time period shall be no less than 100 milliseconds and no more than 5 seconds.

(3) The Opening Process will stop and an option series will not open, if the ABBO becomes crossed. Once this condition no longer exists, the Opening Process in the affected option series will start again pursuant to paragraphs (f) - (k) below.

(4) The Opening Process will stop and an options series will not open, if a Valid Width NBBO is no longer present pursuant to paragraph (i)(2). Once this condition no longer exists, the Opening Process in the affected options series will start again pursuant to paragraphs (j) and (k) below.

(e) Reopening After a Trading Halt. The procedure described in this Rule will be used to reopen an option series after a trading halt. If there is a trading halt or pause in the underlying security, the Opening Process will start again irrespective of the specific times listed in paragraph (d).

(f) Opening with a BBO (No Trade). If there are no opening quotes or orders that lock or cross each other, and no routable orders locking or crossing the ABBO, the System will open with an opening quote by disseminating the Exchange's best bid and offer among quotes and orders ("BBO") that exist in the System at that time, if any of the below conditions are satisfied:

(1) a Valid Width NBBO is present;

(2) a certain number of other options exchanges (as determined by the Exchange) have disseminated a firm quote on OPRA; or

(3) a certain period of time (as determined by the Exchange) has elapsed.

(g) Pre-Market BBO Calculation. If there are opening Valid Width Quotes or orders that lock or cross each other, the System will calculate the Pre-Market BBO.

(h) Potential Opening Price. The Potential Opening Price indicates a price where the System may open once all other Opening Process criteria are met. To calculate the Potential Opening Price, the System will take into consideration all Valid Width Quotes and orders (including Opening Sweeps) for the option series and identify the price at which the maximum number of contracts can trade ("maximum quantity criterion"). In addition, paragraphs (i)(1)(C) and (j)(5) - (7) below contain additional provisions related to the Potential Opening Price.

(1) More Than One Potential Opening Price. When two or more Potential Opening Prices would satisfy the maximum quantity criterion and leave no contracts unexecuted, the System takes the highest and lowest of those prices and takes the mid-point; if such mid-point is not expressed as a permitted minimum price variation, it will be rounded up to the minimum price variation .

(2) If two or more Potential Opening Prices for the affected series would satisfy the maximum quantity criterion and leave contracts unexecuted, the Opening Price will be either the lowest executable bid or highest executable offer of the largest sized side.

(3) The Opening Price is bounded by the better away market price that may not be satisfied with the Exchange routable interest.

(i) Opening with Trade.

(1) The Exchange will open the option series for trading with a trade on Exchange interest only at the Opening Price, if any of these conditions occur:

(A) the Potential Opening Price is at or within the best of the Pre-Market BBO and the ABBO, which is also a Valid Width NBBO;

(B) the Potential Opening Price is at or within the non-zero bid ABBO, which is also a Valid Width NBBO, if the Pre-Market BBO is crossed; or

(C) where there is no ABBO, the Potential Opening Price is at or within the Pre-Market BBO, which is also a Valid Width NBBO.

(2) If there is more than one Potential Opening Price, which meets the conditions set forth in subparagraph (1) above, where:

(A) no contracts would be left unexecuted and

(B) any value used for the mid-point calculation (which is described in subparagraph (g) above) would cross either:

(i) the Pre-Market BBO, or

(ii) the ABBO,

then, for the purposes of calculating the midpoint, the Exchange will use the better of the Pre-Market BBO or ABBO as a boundary price and will open the option series for trading with an execution at the resulting Potential Opening Price. If these conditions are not met, but a Valid Width NBBO is present, an Opening Quote Range will be calculated pursuant to paragraph (j) below and, thereafter, the Price Discovery Mechanism in paragraph (k) below will commence.

(j) The System will calculate an Opening Quote Range ("OQR") for a particular option series that will be utilized in the Price Discovery Mechanism described below, if the Exchange has not opened subject to any of the provisions above. OQR is constrained by the least aggressive limit prices within the broader limits of OQR. The least aggressive buy order or Valid Width Quote bid and least aggressive sell order or Valid Width Quote offer within the OQR will further bound the OQR.

(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4) below, to determine the minimum value for the OQR, an amount, as defined in a table to be determined by the Exchange, will be subtracted from the highest quote bid among Valid Width Quotes on the Exchange and on the away market(s), if any.

(2) Except as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4) below, to determine the maximum value for the OQR, an amount, as defined in a table to be determined by the Exchange, will be added to the lowest quote offer among Valid Width Quotes on the Exchange and on the away market(s), if any.

(3) If one or more away markets are disseminating a BBO that is not crossed (the Opening Process will stop and an options series will not open if the ABBO becomes crossed pursuant to (d)(3)) and there are Valid Width Quotes on the Exchange that cross each other or cross the ABBO:

(A) the minimum value for the OQR will be the highest away bid.

(B) the maximum value for the OQR will be the lowest away offer.

(4) If there is more than one Potential Opening Price possible, where no contracts would be left unexecuted, any price used for the mid-point calculation (which is described in subparagraph (h) above) that is wider than the OQR will be restricted to the OQR price on that side of the market for the purposes of the mid-point calculation.

(5) If there is more than one Potential Opening Price possible, where no contracts would be left unexecuted pursuant to paragraph (h)(3) above when contracts will be routed, the System will use the away market price as the Potential Opening Price.

(6) If the Exchange determines that non-routable interest can execute the maximum number of contracts against Exchange interest, after routable interest has been determined by the System to satisfy the away market, then the Potential Opening Price is the price at which the maximum number of contracts can execute, excluding the interest which will be routed to an away market, which may be executed on the Exchange as described in paragraph (h) above. The System will route all routable interest pursuant to Options 3, Section 10(a)(1).

(k) Price Discovery Mechanism. If the Exchange has not opened pursuant to paragraphs (f) or (i) above, after the OQR calculation in paragraph (j), the Exchange will conduct the following Price Discovery Mechanism.

(1) First, the System will broadcast an Imbalance Message for the affected series (which includes the symbol, side of the imbalance, size of matched contracts, size of the imbalance, and Potential Opening Price bounded by the Pre-Market BBO) to participants, and begin an “Imbalance Timer,” not to exceed three seconds. The Imbalance Timer will be for the same number of seconds for all options traded on the Exchange. Each Imbalance Message is subject to an Imbalance Timer.

(A) An Imbalance Message will be disseminated showing a "0" volume and a $0.00 price if no executions are possible, but routable interest is priced at or through the ABBO. Where the Potential Opening Price is through the ABBO, an imbalance message will display the side of interest priced through the ABBO.

(2) Any new interest received by the System will update the Potential Opening Price. If during or at the end of the Imbalance Timer, the Opening Price is at or within the OQR, the Imbalance Timer will end and the System will open with a trade at the Opening Price if the executions consist of Exchange interest only without trading through the ABBO and without trading through the limit price(s) of interest within OQR, which is unable to be fully executed at the Opening Price. If no new interest comes in during the Imbalance Timer, and the Potential Opening Price is at or within OQR and does not trade through the ABBO, the Exchange will open with a trade at the end of the Imbalance Timer at the Potential Opening Price.

(3) Next, provided the option series has not opened pursuant to (k)(2) above, the System will:

(A) send a second Imbalance Message with a Potential Opening Price that is bounded by the OQR (and would not trade through the limit price(s) of interest within OQR, which is unable to be fully executed at the Opening Price) and includes away market volume in the size of the imbalance to participants; and concurrently

(B) initiate a Route Timer, not to exceed one second. The Route Timer operates as a pause before an order is routed to an away market. If during the Route Timer, interest is received by the System, which would allow the Opening Price to be within OQR without trading through away markets and without trading through the limit price(s) of interest within OQR, which is unable to be fully executed, the System will open with trades and the Route Timer will simultaneously end. The System will monitor quotes and orders received during the Route Timer period and make ongoing corresponding changes to the permitted OQR and Potential Opening Price to reflect them.

(C) If no trade occurred pursuant to (B) above, when the Route Timer expires, and if the Potential Opening Price is within OQR (and would not trade through the limit price(s) of interest within OQR, which is unable to be fully executed at the Opening Price), the System will determine if the total number of contracts displayed at better prices than the Exchange's Potential Opening Price on away markets ("better priced away contracts") would satisfy the number of marketable contracts available on the Exchange. The Exchange will open the option series by routing and/or trading on the Exchange, pursuant to (i)-(iii) below.

(i) If the total number of better priced away contracts would satisfy the number of marketable contracts available on the Exchange on either the buy or sell side, the System will route all marketable contracts on the Exchange to such better priced away markets as an Intermarket Sweep Order ("ISO") designated as an Immediate-or-Cancel ("IOC") Order(s), and determine an opening BX Best Bid/Offer ("BBO") that reflects the interest remaining on the Exchange. The System will price any contracts routed to away markets at the Exchange's Opening Price; or

(ii) If the total number of better priced away contracts would not satisfy the number of marketable contracts the Exchange has, the System will determine how many contracts it has available at the Exchange Opening Price. If the total number of better priced away contracts, plus the number of contracts available at the Exchange Opening Price, would satisfy the number of marketable contracts on the Exchange, on either the buy or sell side, the System will contemporaneously route, based on price/time priority of routable interest, a number of contracts that will satisfy interest at away markets at prices better than the Opening Price, and trade available contracts on the Exchange at the Exchange Opening Price. The System will price any contracts routed to away markets at the better of the Exchange Opening Price or the order's limit price pursuant to this sub-paragraph; or

(iii) If the total number of better priced away contracts, plus the number of contracts available at the Exchange Opening Price, plus the contracts available at away markets at the Exchange Opening Price would satisfy the number of marketable contracts the Exchange has, on either the buy or sell side, the System will contemporaneously route, based on price/time priority of routable interest, a number of contracts that will satisfy interest at away markets at prices better than the Exchange Opening Price (pricing any contracts routed to away markets at the better of the Exchange Opening Price or the order's limit price), trade available contracts on the Exchange at the Exchange Opening Price, and route a number of contracts that will satisfy interest at away markets at prices equal to the Exchange Opening Price.

(D) The System may send up to two additional Imbalance Messages (which may occur while the Route Timer is operating) bounded by OQR and reflecting away market interest in the volume. After the Route Timer has expired, the processes in paragraph (C) will repeat (except no new Route Timer will be initiated).

(E) Forced Opening. After all additional Imbalance Messages have occurred pursuant to paragraph (D) above, the System will open the series by executing as many contracts as possible, by routing to away markets at prices better than the Exchange Opening Price for their disseminated size, trading available contracts on the Exchange at the Exchange Opening Price bounded by OQR (without trading through the limit price(s) of interest within OQR which is unable to be fully executed at the Opening Price), and routing contracts to away markets at prices equal to the Exchange Opening Price at their disseminated size. In this situation, the System will price any contracts routed to away markets at the better of the Exchange Opening Price or the order's limit price. Any unexecuted interest from the imbalance not traded or routed will be cancelled back to the entering participant, if they remain unexecuted and priced through the Opening Price. All other interest will be eligible for trading after opening, if consistent with the Participant's instruction.

(F) The System will execute non-routable orders, such as a "Do Not Route"; or "DNR" Orders, to the extent possible. The System will only route non-contingency orders.

(4) Pursuant to Options 3, Section 8(k)(3)(F), the System will re-price Do Not Route Orders (that would otherwise have to be routed to the exchange(s) disseminating the ABBO for an opening to occur) to the current away best offer (for bids) or the current away best bid (for offers) as non-displayed, and display at a price that is one minimum trading increment inferior to the ABBO, and disseminate the re-priced DNR Order as part of the new BBO.

(5) The System will cancel any order or quote that is priced through the Opening Price. All other interest will be eligible for trading after opening.

(6) During the opening of the option series, where there is an execution possible, the System will give priority to Market Orders first, then to resting Limit Orders and quotes. The allocation provisions of Options 3, Section 10 will apply.

(7) Upon opening of an option series, regardless of an execution, the System disseminates the price and size of the Exchange's best bid and offer (BBO).

(8) Remaining contracts, which are not priced through the Exchange Opening Price after routing a number of contracts to satisfy better priced away contracts, will be posted to the Order Book at the better of the away market price or the order's limit price.

(l) Opening Process Cancel Timer. The Opening Process Cancel Timer represents a period of time since the underlying market has opened, and shall be established and disseminated by the Exchange on its website. If an option series has not opened before the conclusion of the Opening Process Cancel Timer, a Participant may elect to have orders returned by providing written notification to the Exchange. These orders include all non-Good Til Cancelled Orders received over the FIX protocol.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended January 29, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-001); amended September 1, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-016), operative September 14, 2020; amended May 16, 2023 (SR-BX-2023-013), operative Jun. 15, 2023; amended Feb. 15, 2024 (SR-BX-2024-006), operative Mar. 16, 2024.

(a) Halts. BX Regulation may halt trading in any option contract in the interests of a fair and orderly market. The following are among the factors that shall be considered in determining whether the trading in an option contract should be halted:

(1) trading in the underlying security has been halted or suspended in the primary market.

(2) the opening of such underlying security has been delayed because of unusual circumstances.

(3) occurrence of an act of God or other event outside BX Options's control;

(4) a Trading System technical failure or failures including, but not limited to, the failure of a part of the central processing system, a number of Options Participant trading applications, or the electrical power supply to the system itself or any related system; or;

(5) other unusual conditions or circumstances are present.

(6) Trading Pauses. Trading on the Exchange in any option contract shall be halted whenever trading in the underlying security has been paused by the primary listing market.

(A) Trading in such options contracts may be resumed upon a determination by the Exchange that the conditions that led to the pause are no longer present and that the interests of a fair and orderly market are best served by a resumption of trading, which in no circumstances will be before the Exchange has received notification that the underlying security has resumed trading on at least one exchange. If, however, trading has not been resumed on the primary listing market for the underlying security after ten minutes have passed since the underlying security was paused by the primary listing market, trading in such options contracts may be resumed by the Exchange if the underlying security has resumed trading on at least one exchange.

(B) During the halt, the Exchange will maintain existing orders on the book, accept orders, and process cancels, except that Market Maker interest entered pursuant to the obligations contained in Options 2, Section 4 is not maintained. Auction orders and responses are rejected during a halt.

(b) In the event BX Regulation determines to halt trading, all trading in the effected classes of options shall be halted. BX Options shall disseminate through its trading facilities and over OPRA a symbol with respect to classes of options indicating that trading has been halted, and a record of the time and duration of the halt shall be made available to vendors.

(c) No Options Participant or person associated with a Participant shall effect a trade on BX Options in any options class in which trading has been halted under the provisions of this Rule during the time in which the halt remains in effect.

(d) Capitalized terms used in this paragraph shall have the same meaning as provided for in the Plan to Address Extraordinary Market Volatility Pursuant to Rule 608 of Regulation NMS, as it may be amended from time to time ("LULD Plan"). During a Limit State and Straddle State in the Underlying NMS stock:

(1) The System will not open an affected option.

(2) After the opening, the Exchange shall reject Market Orders, as defined in Options 3, Section 7, and shall notify Participants of the reason for such rejection.

(3) When evaluating whether a Market Maker has met the intra-day quoting obligations of Options 2, Section 5(d) in options overlying NMS stocks, the Exchange will not consider as part of the trading day the time that an NMS stock underlying an option was in a Limit State or Straddle State.

(4) Trades are not subject to an obvious error or catastrophic error review pursuant to Options 3, Sections 20(c) or (d). Nothing in this provision shall prevent trades from review on Exchange motion pursuant to Options 3, Section 20(c)(3), or subject to nullification or adjustment pursuant to Options 3, Section 20(e) - (j).

(e) The Exchange shall halt trading in all options whenever the equities markets initiate a market-wide trading halt commonly known as a circuit breaker in response to extraordinary market conditions.

(f) Resumption of Trading After a Halt. Trading in an option that has been the subject of a halt under this Rule shall be resumed upon the determination by BX Regulation, that the conditions which led to the halt are no longer present or that the interests of a fair and orderly market are best served by a resumption of trading. Trading shall resume according to the process set forth in Options 3, Section 8 of these rules.

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

(a) System Orders shall be executed through the BX Book Process set forth below:

(1) Execution Algorithm - The Exchange will determine to apply, for each option, one of the following execution algorithms described in paragraphs (A) or (B). The Exchange will issue an Options Alert specifying which execution algorithm will govern which options any time it is modified.

(A) Price/Time - The System shall execute trading interest within the System in price/time priority, meaning it will execute all trading interest at the best price level within the System before executing trading interest at the next best price. Within each price level, if there are two or more quotes or orders at the best price, trading interest will be executed in time priority.

(B) Size Pro-Rata - The System shall execute trading interest within the System in price priority, meaning it will execute all trading interest at the best price level within the System before executing trading interest at the next best price. Within each price level, if there are two or more quotes or orders at the best price, trading interest will be executed based on the size of each Participant's quote or order as a percentage of the total size of all orders and quotes resting at that price. If the result is not a whole number, it will be rounded up to the nearest whole number.

(C) Priority Overlays

(1) Priority Overlays Applicable to Price/Time Execution Algorithm: the Exchange may apply the following designated Participant priority overlays, when the Price/Time execution algorithm is in effect:

(a) Public Customer Priority: the highest bid and lowest offer shall have priority except that Public Customer orders shall have priority over non-Public Customer orders at the same price. If there are two or more Public Customer orders for the same options series at the same price, priority shall be afforded to such Public Customer orders in the sequence in which they are received by the System. Public Customer Priority is always in effect when the Price/Time execution algorithm is in effect.

(b) Lead Market Maker ("LMM") Priority: An LMM may be assigned by the Exchange in each option class in accordance with Options 2, Section 3. LMM participant entitlements shall only be in effect when the Public Customer Priority Overlay is also in effect. After all Public Customer orders have been fully executed, upon receipt of an order, provided the LMM's quote is at or improves on the better of the NBBO or internal BBO, the LMM will be afforded a participation entitlement. The LMM shall not be entitled to receive a number of contracts that is greater than the displayed size associated with such LMM. LMM participation entitlements will be considered after the Opening Process. The LMM participation entitlement is as follows:

(1) A BX Options LMM shall receive the greater of:

(a) contracts the LMM would receive if the allocation was based on time priority pursuant to subparagraph (C)(1)(a) above with Public Customer priority;

(b) 50% of remaining interest if there is one other non-Public Customer Order or Market Maker order or quote at that price;

(c) 40% of remaining interest if there are two other non-Public Customer Order or Market Maker orders or quotes at that price;

(d) 30% of remaining interest if there are more than two other non-Public Customer Order or Market Maker orders or quotes at that price; or

(e) the Directed Market Maker ("DMM") participation entitlement, if any, set forth in subsection (C)(1)(d) below (if the order is a Directed Order and the LMM is also the DMM).

Rounding will be up to the nearest integer.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, when a Directed Order is received and the DMM's quote is at or improves on the better of the NBBO or internal BBO and the LMM is at the same price level and is not the DMM, the LMM participation entitlement set forth in this subsection (C)(1)(b)(1) will not apply with respect to such Directed Order. 

(c) Entitlement for Orders of 5 contracts or fewer. This Entitlement for Orders of 5 contracts or fewer shall be allocated to the Lead Market Maker as described below.  The allocation will only apply after the Opening Process and shall not apply to auctions.  A Lead Market Maker is not entitled to receive a number of contracts that is greater than the size that is associated with its quote.  On a quarterly basis, the Exchange will evaluate what percentage of the volume executed on the Exchange is comprised of orders for 5 contracts or fewer allocated to Lead Market Makers, and will reduce the size of the orders included in this provision if such percentage is over 40%.

(1) A Lead Market Maker is entitled to priority with respect to Orders of 5 contracts or fewer, including when the Lead Market Maker is also the Directed Market Maker, if the Lead Market Maker has a quote at the better of the internal BBO or the NBBO, with no other Public Customer or Directed Market Maker interest with a higher priority.

(2) If the Lead Market Maker's quote is at the better of the internal BBO or the NBBO, with other Public Customer (including when the Lead Market Maker is also the Directed Market Maker) or other Directed Market Maker interest with a higher priority at the time of execution, a Lead Market Maker is not entitled to priority with respect to Orders of 5 contracts or fewer; thereafter orders will be allocated pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)(C)(1)(e).

(d) DMM Priority: A Market Maker which receives a Directed Order is a DMM with respect to that Directed Order. DMM participant entitlements shall only be in effect when the Public Customer Priority Overlay is also in effect. After all Public Customer orders have been fully executed, upon receipt of a Directed Order, provided the DMM's quote is at or improves on the better of the internal BBO or the NBBO, the DMM will be afforded a participation entitlement. The DMM shall not be entitled to receive a number of contracts that is greater than the size at a given price point associated with such DMM. DMM participation entitlements will be considered after the Opening Process. Pursuant to the DMM participation entitlement, the DMM shall receive, with respect to a Directed Order, the greater of:

(1) contracts the DMM would receive if the allocation was based on time priority pursuant to subparagraph (C)(1)(a) above with Public Customer priority;

(2) 40% of remaining interest; or

(3) the LMM participation entitlement (if the DMM is also the LMM).

If there are multiple DMM quotes at the same price which are at or improve the better of the internal BBO or the NBBO when the Directed Order is received, the DMM participation entitlement shall apply only once to the DMM quote which has the highest time priority at the last price executed upon receipt of the Directed Order which is equal to or better than the better of the internal BBO or the NBBO. Rounding will be up to the nearest integer.

(e) All Other Remaining Interest: If there are contracts remaining, after LMM or DMM participation entitlements have been applied, such contracts shall be executed based on the Price/Time execution algorithm.

(f) Only one participation entitlement, LMM or DMM, may be applied on a given order.

(2) Priority Overlays Applicable to Size Pro-Rata Execution Algorithm: the Exchange may apply the following designated Participant priority overlays, when the Size Pro-Rata execution algorithm is in effect.

(i) Public Customer Priority: the highest bid and lowest offer shall have priority except that Public Customer orders shall have priority over non-Public Customer orders at the same price. If there are two or more Public Customer orders for the same options series at the same price, priority shall be afforded to such Public Customer orders in the sequence in which they are received by the System. Public Customer Priority is always in effect when Size Pro-Rata execution algorithm is in effect.

(ii) LMM Priority: An LMM may be assigned by the Exchange in each option class in accordance with Options 2, Section 3. After all Public Customer orders have been fully executed, upon receipt of an order, provided the LMM's quote is at or improves on the better of the NBBO or internal BBO, the LMM will be afforded a participation entitlement. The LMM shall not be entitled to receive a number of contracts that is greater than the displayed size associated with such LMM. LMM participation entitlements will be considered after the Opening Process. The LMM participation entitlement is as follows:

(1) A BX Options LMM shall receive the greater of:

(a) the LMM's Size Pro-Rata share under (1)(C)(2)(iv) below;

(b) 50% of remaining interest if there is one other Market Maker order or quote at that price;

(c) 40% of remaining interest if there are two other Market Maker orders or quotes at that price;

(d) 30% of remaining interest if there are more than two other Market Maker orders or quotes at that price; or

(e) the DMM participation entitlement, if any, set forth in subsection (C)(2)(iv) below (if the LMM is also the DMM).

Rounding will be up to the nearest integer.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, when a Directed Order is received and the DMM's quote is at or improves on the better of the internal BBO or the NBBO and the LMM is at the same price level and is not the DMM, the LMM participation entitlement set forth in this subsection (C)(2)(ii)(1) will not apply with respect to such Directed Order.

(iii) Entitlement for Orders of 5 contracts or fewer. This Entitlement for Orders of 5 contracts or fewer shall be allocated to the Lead Market Maker as described below.  The allocation will only apply after the Opening Process and shall not apply to auctions.  A Lead Market Maker is not entitled to receive a number of contracts that is greater than the size that is associated with its quote.  On a quarterly basis, the Exchange will evaluate what percentage of the volume executed on the Exchange is comprised of orders for 5 contracts or fewer allocated to Lead Market Makers, and will reduce the size of the orders included in this provision if such percentage is over 40%.

(1) A Lead Market Maker is entitled to priority with respect to Orders of 5 contracts or fewer, including when the Lead Market Maker is also the Directed Market Maker, if the Lead Market Maker has a quote at the better of the internal BBO or the NBBO, with no other Public Customer or Directed Market Maker interest with a higher priority.

(2) If the Lead Market Maker's quote is at the better of the internal BBO, excluding All-or-None Orders that cannot be satisfied, or the NBBO, with other Public Customer (including when the Lead Market Maker is also the Directed Market Maker) or other Directed Market Maker interest with a higher priority at the time of execution, a Lead Market Maker is not entitled to priority with respect to Orders of 5 contracts or fewer, however the Lead Market Maker is eligible to receive such contracts pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)(C)(2)(v); thereafter orders will be allocated pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)(C)(2)(vi).

(iv) DMM Priority: A Market Maker which receives a Directed Order is a DMM with respect to that Directed Order. After all Public Customer orders have been fully executed, upon receipt of a Directed Order, provided the DMM's quote is at or improves the better of the internal BBO or the NBBO, the DMM will be afforded a participation entitlement. The DMM shall not be entitled to receive a number of contracts that is greater than the displayed size at a given price point associated with such DMM. DMM participation entitlements will be considered after the Opening Process. Pursuant to the DMM participation entitlement, the DMM shall receive, with respect to a Directed Order, the greater of:

(1) the DMM's Size Pro-Rata share under (1)(C)(2)(iv) below;

(2) 40% of remaining interest; or

(3) the LMM participation entitlement (if the DMM is also the LMM).

If there are multiple DMM quotes at the same price which are at or improve on the better of the internal BBO or the NBBO when the Directed Order is received, the DMM participation entitlement shall apply only to the DMM quote which has the highest time priority at the last price executed upon receipt of the Directed Order which is equal to or better than the better of the internal BBO or the NBBO; additional DMM quotes at such price will receive no further allocation of the Directed Order. Rounding will be up to the nearest integer.

(v) Market Maker Priority: After all Public Customer orders have been fully executed and LMM or DMM participation entitlements applied, if applicable, BX Options Market Makers shall have priority over all other Participant orders at the same price. If there are two or more BX Options Market Maker quotes and orders for the same options series at the same price, those shall be executed based on the Size Pro-Rata execution algorithm.

(vi) All Other Remaining Interest: If there are contracts remaining after all Market Maker interest has been fully executed, such contracts shall be executed based on the Size Pro-Rata execution algorithm.  

(vii) Only one participation entitlement, LMM or DMM, may be applied on a given order.

(2) Decrementation - Upon execution, an order shall be reduced by an amount equal to the size of that execution.

(3) Price Improvement - any potential price improvement resulting from an execution in the System shall accrue to the party that is removing liquidity previously posted to the Book.

(4) BX-listed options that are the subject of a trading halt initiated pursuant to Options 3, Section 9, shall open for trading at the time specified by BX pursuant to Options 3, Section 9. When the System opens, orders shall be added to the book in time priority and executed as described above in subsection (1).

(5) Zero-Bid Option Series. In the case where the bid price for any options contract is $0.00, a market order accepted into the System to sell that series shall be considered a limit order to sell at a price equal to the minimum trading increment as defined in Options 3, Section 3. Orders will be placed on the limit order book in the order in which they were received by the System. With respect to market orders to sell which are submitted prior to the Opening and persist after the Opening, those orders are posted at a price equal to the minimum trading increment as defined in Options 3, Section 3.

(6) Routing - All System Orders entered by Participants directing or permitting routing to other market centers shall be routed for potential display and/or execution as set forth in Options 5, Section 4.

(7) Market Access. In addition to the Exchange Rules regarding routing to away trading centers, Nasdaq Execution Services, LLC, as defined in Options 5, Section 4(a)(ii)(A) has, pursuant to Rule 15c3-5 under the Act, implemented certain tests designed to mitigate risks associated with providing the Exchange's Members with access to such away trading centers. Pursuant to the policies and procedures developed by Nasdaq Execution Services to comply with Rule 15c3-5, if an order or series of orders are deemed to be violative of applicable pre-trade requirements under Rule 15c3-5, the order will be rejected prior to routing and/or NES will seek to cancel the order if it has been routed.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended July 23, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-017), operative September 14, 2020; amended February 17, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-003), operative March 19, 2021; amended April 7, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-013).

For purposes of this Rule, a "broadcast message" means an electronic message that is sent by the Exchange to all Participants, and a "Response" means an electronic message that is sent by Participants in response to a broadcast message. Responses submitted by Participants shall not be visible to other auction participants during the exposure period and can be modified or deleted before the exposure period has ended. Also for purposes of this Rule, the time given to Participants to enter Responses for any of the below auction mechanisms shall be designated by the Exchange via an Options Trader Alert, but no less than 100 milliseconds and no more than 1 second.

(a) Block Order Mechanism. The Block Order Mechanism is a process by which a Participant can obtain liquidity for the execution of block-size orders ("Block Order"). The Block Order Mechanism is for single leg transactions only. Block-size orders are orders for fifty (50) contracts or more.

(1) Upon the entry of an order into the Block Order Mechanism, a broadcast message will be sent that includes the series, and may include price, size and/or side, as specified by the Participant entering the Block Order, and Participants will be given an opportunity to enter Responses with the prices and sizes at which they would be willing to trade with the Block Order.

(2) At the conclusion of the time given to Participants to enter Responses, either an execution will occur automatically, or the Block Order will be cancelled.

(A) Responses, orders, and quotes will be executed at a single block execution price that is the price for the Block Order at which the maximum number of contracts can be executed consistent with the Participant's instruction. Bids (offers) on the Exchange at the time the Block Order is executed that are priced higher (lower) than the block execution price, as well as Responses that are priced higher (lower) than the block execution price, will be executed in full at the block execution price up to the size of the Block Order.

(B) At the block execution price, Public Customer Orders and Public Customer Responses will be executed first in price time priority, and then quotes, non-Public Customer Orders, and non-Public Customer Responses will participate in the execution of the Block Order based upon the percentage of the total number of contracts available at the block execution price that is represented by the size of the quote, non-Public Customer Order, or non-Public Customer Response.

(3) If a trading halt is initiated after an order is entered into the Block Order Mechanism, such auction will be automatically terminated without execution.

(4) Penny Prices. Orders and Responses may be entered into the Block Order Mechanism and receive executions at penny increments. Orders and quotes in the market that receive the benefit of the block execution price under paragraph (a)(2)(A) may also receive executions at penny increments.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended August 21, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-023), operative September 14, 2020"; amended May 16, 2023 (SR-BX-2023-013), operative Jun. 15, 2023.

(a) Customer Cross Orders. Public Customer-to-Public Customer Cross Orders are automatically executed upon entry provided that the execution is at or between the best bid and offer on the Exchange and (i) is not at the same price as a Public Customer Order on the Exchange's limit order book and (ii) will not trade through the NBBO. Public Customer-to-Public Customer Cross Orders must be entered through FIX.

(1) Public Customer-to-Public Customer Cross Orders will be rejected if they cannot be executed.

(2) Public Customer-to-Public Customer Cross Orders may only be entered in the regular trading increments applicable to the options class under Options 3, Section 3.

(3) Options 3, Section 22(a)(1) applies to the entry and execution of Customer Cross Orders.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended July 23, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-017), operative September 14, 2020; amended Feb. 15, 2024 (SR-BX-2024-006), operative Mar. 16, 2024.

A Participant may electronically submit for execution an order it represents as agent on behalf of a Public Customer, broker dealer, or any other entity ("PRISM Order") against principal interest or against any other order (except as provided in sub-paragraph (i)(F) below) it represents as agent (an "Initiating Order") provided it submits the PRISM Order for electronic execution into the PRISM Auction ("Auction") pursuant to this Rule.

(i) Auction Eligibility Requirements. All options traded on the Exchange are eligible for PRISM. A Participant (the "Initiating Participant") may initiate an Auction provided all of the following are met:

(A) If the PRISM Order is for less than 50 option contracts, and if the difference between the National Best Bid and National Best Offer ("NBBO") or the internal BBO is $0.01, the Initiating Participant must stop the entire PRISM Order at a price that is:

(1) $0.01 better than the NBBO or the internal BBO on the opposite side of the market from the PRISM Order, and

(2) on the same side of the market as the PRISM Order,

(a) equal to or better than the NBBO, and

(b) better than any Limit Order or quote on the Limit Order book.

(B) If the PRISM Order is for the account of a Public Customer and such order is for 50 option contracts or more, or if the difference between the NBBO or the internal BBO is greater than $0.01, the Initiating Participant must stop the entire PRISM Order at a price that is:

(1) equal to or better than the internal BBO and NBBO on the opposite side of the market from the PRISM Order, and

(2) on the same side of the market as the PRISM Order,

(a) at least $0.01 better than any Limit Order or quote on the Limit Order book, and

(b) equal to or better than the NBBO.

(C) If the PRISM Order is for the account of a broker dealer or any other person or entity that is not a Public Customer and such order is for 50 option contracts or more, or if the difference between the NBBO or the internal BBO is greater than $0.01, the Initiating Participant must stop the entire PRISM Order at a price that is:

(1) equal to or better than the internal BBO and NBBO on the opposite side of the market from the PRISM Order, and

(2) on the same side of the market as the PRISM Order,

(a) at least $0.01 better than any Limit Order or quote on the Limit Order book, and

(b) equal to or better than the NBBO.

(D) PRISM Orders that do not comply with the requirements of subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) above are not eligible to initiate an Auction and will be immediately cancelled.

(E) PRISM Orders submitted at or before the opening of trading are not eligible to initiate an Auction and will be rejected.

(F) An Initiating Order may not be a solicited order for the account of any BX Options Market Maker assigned in the affected series.

If any of the above criteria are not met, the PRISM Order will be rejected. The Exchange will continue to reject a PRISM Order to buy (sell) if the NBBO is only $0.01 wide and the Agency order is stopped on the bid (offer) if there is a resting order or quote on the bid (offer).

(ii) Auction Process. Only one Auction may be conducted at a time in any given series. Once commenced, an Auction may not be cancelled and shall proceed as follows:

(A) Auction Period and PRISM Auction Notification ("PAN").

(1) To initiate the Auction, the Initiating Participant must mark the PRISM Order for Auction processing, and specify either: (a) a single price at which it seeks to execute the PRISM Order (a "stop price"); (b) that it is willing to automatically match as principal or as agent on behalf of an Initiating Order the price and size of all PAN responses, and trading interest ("auto-match") in which case the PRISM Order will be stopped at the NBBO on the Initiating Order side; or (c) that it is willing to either: (i) stop the entire order at a single stop price and auto-match PAN responses and trading interest at a price or prices that improve the stop price to a specified price (a "No Worse Than" or "NWT" price); (ii) stop the entire order at a single stop price and auto-match all PAN responses and trading interest at or better than the stop price; or (iii) stop the entire order at the NBBO on the Initiating Order side, and auto-match PAN responses and trading interest at a price or prices that improve the stop price up to the NWT price. In all cases, if the BX BBO on the same side of the market as the PRISM Order represents a limit order or quote on the book, the stop price must be at least $0.01 or better than the booked limit order's limit price. Once the Initiating Participant has submitted a PRISM Order for processing pursuant to this subparagraph, such PRISM Order may not be modified or cancelled. Under any of the circumstances described in sub-paragraphs (a)-(c) above, the stop price or NWT price may be improved to the benefit of the PRISM Order during the Auction, but may not be cancelled. Under no circumstances will the Initiating Participant receive an allocation percentage, at the final price point, of more than 50% with one competing quote, order or PAN response or 40% with multiple competing quotes, orders or PAN responses, except for rounding, when competing quotes, orders or PAN responses have contracts available for execution.

For purposes of this Rule, Surrender shall mean the target allocation percentage the contra-side requests to be allocated from 0% to 39%. If the Participant requests 40%, then the Participant would receive its full priority and trade allocation provisions that it would be entitled to pursuant to Section 13(ii)(E)(2)(a) and Section 13(ii)(F)(2)(a).
When starting an Auction, the Initiating Participant may submit the Initiating Order with a percentage designation (a percentage from 0% up to 40% as noted above) of "Surrender", which will result in the Initiating Participant being allocated its designated percentage pursuant to Section 13(ii)(E)(2)(a) and Section 13(ii)(F)(2)(a). If zero (0%) is specified, the Initiating Order will only trade if there is not enough interest available to fully execute the PRISM Order at prices which are equal to or improve upon the stop price. The Surrender function will never result in more than the maximum allowable allocation percentage to the Initiating Participant than that which the Initiating Participant would have otherwise received in accordance with the allocation procedures set forth in this Rule. Surrender will not be applied if both the Initiating Order and PRISM Order are Public Customer orders. Surrender information will not be available to other market participants and may not be modified.

(2) When the Exchange receives a PRISM Order for Auction processing, a PAN detailing the price, side, size, and options series of the PRISM Order will be sent over the BX Depth feed and the Exchange's Specialized Quote Feed.

(3) The Auction will last for a period of time, as determined by the Exchange and announced on the Nasdaq Trader website. The Auction period will be no less than one hundred milliseconds and no more than one second.

(4) Any person or entity may submit responses to the PAN, provided such response is properly marked specifying price, size and side of the market.

(5) PAN responses will not be visible to Auction participants, and will not be disseminated to OPRA.

(6) The minimum price increment for PAN responses and for an Initiating Participant's stop price and/or NWT price shall be $0.01.

(7) A PAN response size will be considered for any size up to the size of the PRISM Order.

(8) A PAN response must be equal to or better than the displayed NBBO at the time of receipt of the PAN response. PAN responses may be modified or cancelled during the Auction. A PAN response submitted with a price that is outside the NBBO will be rejected.

(9) PAN responses on the same side of the market as the PRISM Order are considered invalid and will be rejected.

(10) Multiple PAN responses from the same Participant may be submitted during the Auction. Multiple orders at a particular price point submitted by a Participant in response to a PAN may not exceed, in the aggregate, the size of the PRISM Order.

(B) Conclusion of Auction. The PRISM Auction shall conclude at the earlier to occur of (1) through (3) below, with the PRISM Order executing pursuant to paragraph (C)(1) or (C)(2) below if it concludes pursuant to (2) or (3) of this paragraph.

(1) The end of the Auction period;

(2) For a PRISM Auction any time the BX BBO improves beyond the PRISM Order stop price on the same side of the market as the PRISM Order;

(3) Any time there is a trading halt on the Exchange in the affected series.

(C) If the situations described in sub-paragraphs (B)(2) or (3) above occur, the entire PRISM Order will be executed at: (1) in the case of the BX BBO crossing the PRISM Order stop price, the best response price(s) or, if the stop price is the best price in the Auction, at the stop price, unless the best response price is equal to or better than the price of a limit order resting on the Order Book on the same side of the market as the PRISM Order, in which case the PRISM Order will be executed against that response, but at a price that is at least $0.01 better than the price of such limit order at the time of the conclusion of the Auction; or (2) in the case of a trading halt on the Exchange in the affected series, the stop price, in which case the PRISM Order will be executed solely against the Initiating Order. Any unexecuted PAN responses will be cancelled.

(D) Unrelated market or marketable interest (against the BX BBO) on the opposite side of the market from the PRISM Order received during the Auction will not cause the Auction to end early and will execute against interest outside of the Auction. If contracts remain from such unrelated interest at the time the auction ends, they will be considered for participation in the order allocation process described in sub-paragraphs (E) and (F) below.

(E) Order Allocation - Size Pro-Rata. At the conclusion of the Auction, the PRISM Order will be allocated at the best price(s) as follows for underlying symbols which are designated as Size Pro-Rata, as described in Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(C)(2) with the following priority:

(1) Public Customer orders shall have time priority at each price level.

(2) The Initiating Participant shall be allocated after Public Customer orders as follows:

(a) If the Initiating Participant selected the single stop price option of the PRISM Auction, PRISM executions will occur at prices that improve the stop price, and then at the stop price with up to 40% (or such lower percentage requested by the Initiating Participant) of the initial size of the PRISM Order after Public Customer interest is satisfied being allocated to the Initiating Participant at the stop price. However, if only one other quote, order or PAN response matches the stop price, then the Initiating Participant may be allocated up to 50% of the contracts executed at such price, provided the Initiating Participant had not designated a percentage designation of "Surrender" when initiating the Auction. Remaining contracts shall be allocated, pursuant to Options 3, Section 13(ii)(E)(3) through (5) below, among remaining quotes, orders and PAN responses at the stop price. Thereafter, remaining contracts, if any, shall be allocated to the Initiating Participant. The allocation will account for Surrender, if applicable.

(b) If the Initiating Participant selected the auto-match option of the PRISM Auction the Initiating Participant shall be allocated an equal number of contracts as the aggregate size of all other quotes, orders and PAN responses at each price point until a price point is reached where the balance of the order can be fully executed, except that the Initiating Participant shall be entitled to receive up to 40% (multiple competing quotes, orders or PAN responses) or 50% (one competing quote, order or PAN response) of the initial size of the PRISM Order at the final price point (including situations where the stop price is the final price) after Public Customer interest has been satisfied but before remaining interest. If there are other quotes, orders and PAN responses at the final price point the contracts will be allocated to such interest pursuant to Options 3, Section 13(ii)(E)(3) through (5) below. Any remaining contracts shall be allocated to the Initiating Participant.

(c) If the Initiating Participant selected the "stop and NWT" option of the PRISM Auction, contracts shall be allocated as follows:

(i) first to quotes, orders and PAN responses at prices better than the NWT price (if any), beginning with the best price, pursuant to Options 3, Section 13(ii)(E)(3) through (5) below, at each price point;

(ii) next, to quotes, orders and PAN responses at prices at the Initiating Participant's NWT price and better than the Initiating Participant's stop price, beginning with the NWT price. The Initiating Participant shall be allocated an equal number of contracts as the aggregate size of all other quotes, orders and PAN responses at each price point, except that the Initiating Participant shall be entitled to receive up to 40% (multiple competing quotes, orders or PAN responses) or 50% (one competing quote, order or PAN response) of the initial size of the PRISM Order at the final price point (including situations where the final price is the stop price), after Public Customer interest has been satisfied but before remaining interest. In the case of an Initiating Order with a NWT price at the market, the Initiating Participant shall be allocated an equal number of contracts as the aggregate size of all other quotes, orders and PAN responses at all price points, except that the Initiating Participant shall be entitled to receive up to 40% (multiple competing quotes, orders or PAN responses) or 50% (one competing quote, order or PAN response) of the initial size of the PRISM Order at the final price point (including situations where the final price is the stop price), after Public Customer interest has been satisfied but before remaining interest. If there are other quotes, orders and PAN responses at the final price point the contracts will be allocated to such interest pursuant to Options 3, Section 13(ii)(E)(3) through (5) below. Any remaining contracts shall be allocated to the Initiating Participant.

(3) BX Options Market Makers that were at a price that is equal to the NBBO on the opposite side of the market from the PRISM Order at the time of initiation of the PRISM Auction ("Priority Market Makers") shall have priority up to their quote size in the NBBO which was present when the PRISM Auction was initiated ("Initial NBBO") at each price level at or better than such Initial NBBO after Public Customers and the Initiating Participant have received allocations. Priority Market Maker quotes and PAN responses will be allocated pursuant to the Size Pro-Rata algorithm set forth in Exchange Rules at Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(B). Priority Market Maker status is only valid for the duration of the particular PRISM auction.

(4) Non-Priority Market Makers and Priority Market Maker interest which exceeded their size in the Initial NBBO shall have priority at each price level at or better than the Initial NBBO after Public Customer, the Initiating Participant and Priority Market Makers have received allocations. Non-Priority Market Maker and Priority Market Maker interest which exceeded their size in the Initial NBBO will be allocated pursuant to the Size Pro-Rata algorithm set forth in Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(B).

(5) All other interest will be allocated, after subparagraph (ii)(E)(1) through (4) have been satisfied. Such interest will be allocated pursuant to the Size Pro-Rata algorithm set forth in Exchange Rules at Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(B).

(F) Order Allocation - Price/Time. At the conclusion of the Auction, the PRISM Order will be allocated at the best price(s) as indicated below for underlying symbols designated as Price/Time as described in Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(C)(1).

(1) Public Customer orders shall have time priority at each price level.

(2) Initiating Participant shall be allocated after Public Customer orders as follows:

(a) If the Initiating Participant selected the single stop price option of the PRISM Auction, PRISM executions will occur at prices that improve the stop price, and then at the stop price with up to 40% (or such lower percentage requested by the Initiating Participant) of the initial size of the PRISM Order after Public Customer interest is satisfied being allocated to the Initiating Participant at the stop price. However, if only one other quote, order or PAN response matches the stop price, then the Initiating Participant may be allocated up to 50% of the contracts executed at such price, provided the Initiating Participant had not designated a percentage designation of "Surrender" when initiating the Auction. Remaining contracts shall be allocated pursuant to Options 3, Section 13(ii)(F)(3) through (4) below, among remaining quotes, orders and PAN responses at the stop price. Thereafter, remaining contracts, if any, shall be allocated to the Initiating Participant. The allocation will account for Surrender, if applicable.

(b) If the Initiating Participant selected the auto-match option of the PRISM Auction the Initiating Participant shall be allocated an equal number of contracts as the aggregate size of all other quotes, orders and PAN responses at each price point until a price point is reached where the balance of the order can be fully executed, except that the Initiating Participant shall be entitled to receive up to 40% (multiple competing quotes, orders or PAN responses) or 50% (one competing quote, order or PAN response) of the initial size of the PRISM Order at the final price point (including situations where the stop price is the final price), after Public Customer interest has been satisfied but before remaining interest. If there are other quotes, orders and PAN responses at the final price point the contracts will be allocated to such interest pursuant to Options 3, Section 13(ii)(F)(3) through (4) below. Any remaining contracts shall be allocated to the Initiating Participant.

(c) If the Initiating Participant selected the "stop and NWT" option of the PRISM Auction, contracts shall be allocated as follows:

(i) first to quotes, orders and PAN responses at prices better than the NWT price (if any), beginning with the best price, pursuant to Options 3, Section 13(ii)(F)(3) through (4) below, at each price point;

(ii) next, to quotes, orders and PAN responses at prices at the Initiating Participant's NWT price and better than the Initiating Participant's stop price, beginning with the NWT price. The Initiating Participant shall be allocated an equal number of contracts as the aggregate size of all other quotes, orders and PAN responses at each price point, except that the Initiating Participant shall be entitled to receive up to 40% (multiple competing quotes, orders or PAN responses) or 50% (one competing quote, order or PAN response) of the initial size of the PRISM Order at the final price point (including situations where the final price is the stop price), after Public Customer interest has been satisfied but before remaining interest. In the case of an Initiating Order with a NWT price at the market, the Initiating Participant shall be allocated an equal number of contracts as the aggregate size of all other quotes, orders and PAN responses at all price points, except that the Initiating Participant shall be entitled to receive up to 40% (multiple competing quotes, orders or PAN responses) or 50% (one competing quote, order or PAN response) of the initial size of the PRISM Order at the final price point (including situations where the final price is the stop price), after Public Customer interest has been satisfied but before remaining interest. If there are other quotes, orders and PAN responses at the final price point the contracts will be allocated to such interest pursuant to Options 3, Section 13(ii)(F)(3) through (4) below. Any remaining contracts shall be allocated to the Initiating Participant.

(3) Priority Market Makers that were at a price that is equal to the NBBO on the opposite side of the market from the PRISM Order at the time of initiation of PRISM Auction shall have priority up to their quote size in the Initial NBBO at each price level better than the Initial NBBO, after Public Customers and the Initiating Participant have received allocations. Priority Market Maker interest at prices better than the Initial NBBO will be allocated pursuant to the Size Pro-Rata algorithm set forth in Exchange Rules at Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(B). Priority Market Maker interest at a price equal to or inferior to the Initial NBBO will not have priority over other participants and will be allocated pursuant to the Price/Time algorithm set forth in Exchange Rules at Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(A).

(4) All other interest will be allocated, after Options 3, Section 13(ii)(F)(1) through (3) have been satisfied. Such interest will be allocated pursuant to the Price/Time algorithm set forth in Exchange Rules at Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(A).

(G) A single quote, order or PAN response shall not be allocated a number of contracts that is greater than its size. Rounding will be up to the nearest integer.

(H) If there are PAN responses that cross the NBBO at time of execution (provided such NBBO is not crossed), such PAN responses will be executed, if possible, at their limit price(s).

(I) If the execution price of the PRISM Auction would be the same or better than an order on the limit order book on the same side of the market as the PRISM Order, the PRISM Order may only be executed at a price that is at least $0.01 better than the resting order's limit price. If such resting order's limit price is equal to or crosses the stop price, then the entire PRISM Order will trade at the stop price with all better priced interest being considered for execution at the stop price.

(J) Any unexecuted PAN responses will be cancelled.

(K) PRISM ISO Orders. A PRISM ISO Order is the transmission of two orders for crossing pursuant to this Rule without regard for better priced Protected Bids or Protected Offers (as defined in Options 5, Section 1) because the Participant transmitting the PRISM ISO to the Exchange has, simultaneously with the routing of the PRISM ISO, routed one or more ISOs, as necessary, to execute against the full displayed size of any Protected Bid or Protected Offer that is superior to the starting PRISM Auction price and has swept all interest in the Exchange’s Order Book priced better than the proposed auction starting price. Any execution(s) resulting from such sweeps shall accrue to the PRISM Order. If a PRISM Auction is initiated for an order designated as a PRISM ISO Order, all executions which are at a price inferior to the Initial NBBO (on the contra-side of the PRISM Order) shall be allocated pursuant to the Size Pro-Rata execution algorithm, as described in Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(B), or Price/Time execution algorithm, as described in Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(A), and the aforementioned priority in Options 3, Section 13(ii)(E) and (F) shall not apply, with the exception of allocating to the Initiating Participant which will be allocated in accordance with the priority as specified in Options 3, Section 13(ii)(E) and (F).

(iii) The PRISM Auction may be used only where there is a genuine intention to execute a bona fide transaction. It will be considered a violation of this Rule and will be deemed conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade and a violation of General 9, Section 1 if an Initiating Participant submits a PRISM Order (initiating an Auction) and also submits its own PAN response in the same Auction.

(iv) A pattern or practice of submitting multiple orders in response to a PAN at a particular price point that exceed, in the aggregate, the size of the PRISM Order, will be deemed conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade and a violation of General 9, Section 1.

(v) A pattern or practice of submitting unrelated orders or quotes that cross the stop price, causing a PRISM Auction to conclude before the end of the PRISM Auction period will be deemed conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade and a violation of General 9, Section 1. It will also be deemed conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade and a violation of General 9, Section 1 to engage in a pattern of conduct where the Initiating Participant breaks up a PRISM Order into separate orders for the purpose of gaining a higher allocation percentage than the Initiating Participant would have otherwise received in accordance with the allocation procedures contained in subparagraph (ii)(E) and (ii)(F) above.

(vi) There will be no minimum size requirement for orders to be eligible for the Auction.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended July 23, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-017), operative September 14, 2020; amended December 22, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-054), operative January 24, 2022; amended May 16, 2023 (SR-BX-2023-013), operative Jun. 15, 2023; amended Aug. 30, 2023 (SR-BX-2023-021), operative Sep. 29, 2023.

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

(a) The following are order risk protections on BX:

(1) Order Price Protection ("OPP"). OPP is a feature of the System that prevents limit orders at prices outside of pre-set standard limits from being accepted by the System.

(A) OPP is operational each trading day after the opening until the close of trading, except during trading halts. OPP may be temporarily deactivated on an intra-day basis at the Exchange's discretion.

(B) OPP will reject incoming orders that exceed certain parameters according to the following algorithm:

(i) If the better of the NBBO or the internal market BBO (the "Reference BBO") on the contra-side of an incoming order is greater than $1.00, orders with a limit more than the greater of the below will cause the order to be rejected by the System upon receipt.

(A) 50% through such contra-side Reference BBO; or

(B) a configurable dollar amount not to exceed $1.00 through such contra-side Reference BBO as specified by the Exchange announced via an Options Trader Alert.

(ii) If the Reference BBO on the contra-side of an incoming order is less than or equal to $1.00, orders with a limit more than the greater of the below will cause the order to be rejected by the System upon receipt.

(A) 100% through such contra-side Reference BBO; or

(B) a configurable dollar amount not to exceed $1.00 through such contra-side Reference BBO as specified by the Exchange announced via an Options Trader Alert.

(2) Market Order Spread Protection. System Orders that are Market Orders will be rejected if the best of the NBBO and the internal market BBO (the "Reference BBO") is wider than a preset threshold at the time the order is received by the System. Market Order Spread Protection shall not apply to the Opening Process or during a trading halt. The Exchange may establish different thresholds for one or more series or classes of options.

(3) Market Wide Risk Protection. All Participants must provide parameters for the order entry and execution rate protections as described herein. The Exchange will also establish default values for each of these parameters that apply to Participants that do not submit the required parameters, and will announce these default values in an Options Trader Alert to be distributed to Participants. The System will maintain one or more counting programs for each Participant that count orders entered and contracts traded on BX. Participants can use multiple counting programs to separate risk protections for different groups established within the Participant. The counting programs will maintain separate counts, over rolling time periods specified by the Participant for each count, of: (1) the total number of orders entered in the order book; and (2) the total number of contracts traded. The minimum and maximum duration of the applicable time period will be established by the Exchange and announced via an Options Trader Alert.

(A) If, during the applicable time period, the Participant exceeds thresholds that it has set for any of the order entry or execution counts described above on BX, the System will automatically reject all subsequent incoming orders entered by the Participant.

(B) Participants may also choose to have the System automatically cancel all of their existing orders on BX when the Market Wide Risk Protection is triggered.

(C) The Market Wide Risk Protection will remain engaged until the Participant manually notifies the Exchange to enable the acceptance of new orders. For Participants that still have open orders on the order book that have not been cancelled pursuant to subparagraph (B) above, the System will continue to allow those Participants to interact with existing orders entered before the protection was triggered, including sending cancel order messages and receiving trade executions for those orders.

(b) The following are order and quote risk protections on BX:

(1) Acceptable Trade Range. After the Opening Process, the system will calculate an Acceptable Trade Range to limit the range of prices at which an order or quote will be allowed to execute. The Acceptable Trade Range is calculated by taking the reference price, plus or minus a value to be determined by the Exchange. (i.e., the reference price - (x) for sell orders/quotes and the reference price + (x) for buy orders/quotes). Upon receipt of a new order/quotes, the reference price is the better of the NBB or internal best bid for sell orders/quotes and the better of the NBO or internal best offer for buy orders/quotes or the last price at which the order/quote is posted whichever is higher for a buy order/quote or lower for a sell order/quote. The Acceptable Trade Range will not be available for All-or-None Orders or Minimum Quantity Orders.

(A) If an order/quote reaches the outer limit of the Acceptable Trade Range (the "Threshold Price") without being fully executed, it will be posted at the Threshold Price for a brief period, not to exceed one second ("Posting Period"), to allow more liquidity to be collected. Upon posting, either the current Threshold Price of the order/quote or an updated NBB for buy orders/quotes or the NBO for sell orders/quotes (whichever is higher for a buy order/quote or lower for a sell order/quotes) then becomes the reference price for calculating a new Acceptable Trade Range. If the order/quote remains unexecuted after the Posting Period, a new Acceptable Trade Range will be calculated and the order/quote will execute, route, or post up to the new Threshold Price. This process will repeat until either (i) the order/quote is executed, cancelled, or posted at its limit price or (ii) the order/quote has been subject to a configurable number of instances of the Acceptable Trade Range as determined by the Exchange (in which case it will be returned).

(B) During the Posting Period, the Exchange will disseminate as a quotation: (i) the Threshold Price for the remaining size of the order/quote triggering the Acceptable Trade Range and (ii) on the opposite side of the market, the best price will be displayed using the "non-firm" indicator message in accordance with the specifications of the network processor. Following the Posting Period, the Exchange will return to a normal trading state and disseminate its best bid and offer.

(C) There will be three categories of options for Acceptable Trade Range: (1) Penny Interval Program Options trading in one cent increments for options trading at less than $3.00 and increments of five cents for options trading at $3.00 or more, (2) Penny Interval Program Options trading in one-cent increments for all prices, and (3) Non-Penny Interval Program Options.

(2) Size Limitation. There is a limit on the number of contracts an incoming order or quote may specify. Orders or quotes that exceed the maximum number of contracts are rejected. The maximum number of contracts, which shall not be less than 10,000, is established by the Exchange from time-to-time.

(c) The following are quote risk protections on BX:

(1) Anti-Internalization. Quotes and orders entered by Options Market Makers will not be executed against quotes and orders entered on the opposite side of the market by the same Market Maker using the same Market Maker identifiers, or alternatively, if selected by the Participant, the same Exchange account number or Participant firm identifier. In such a case, the System will cancel the oldest of the quotes or orders back to the entering party prior to execution. This functionality shall not apply in any auction or during an Opening Process.

(2) Quotation Adjustments.

(A) Rapid Fire. Market Makers are required to utilize the Percentage or Volume Threshold, each a Threshold, described in (i) and (ii) below. In addition, Market Makers may utilize the Delta and Vega Thresholds, each a Threshold, described in (iii) and (iv) below. For each of these features, the System will automatically remove a Market Maker’s quotes in all series in an options class when any of the Percentage Threshold, Volume Threshold, Delta Threshold or Vega Threshold, as described below, has been exceeded. A Market Maker is required to specify a period of time not to exceed 30 seconds (“Specified Time Period”) during which the System will automatically remove a Market Maker’s quotes in all series of an options class. The Specified Time Period will commence for an options class every time an execution occurs in any series in such option class and will continue until the System removes quotes as described in paragraphs (D) and (E) below or the Specified Time Period expires. The Specified Time Period operates on a rolling basis among all series in an options class in that there may be Specified Time Periods occurring simultaneously for each Threshold and such Specified Time Periods may overlap. The Specified Time Periods will be the same value for each protection described in (i) - (iv) below.

(i) Percentage Threshold. A Market Maker must provide a specified percentage ("Percentage Threshold"), of not less than 1%, by which the System will automatically remove a Market Maker’s quotes in all series of an options class. For each series in an options class, the System will determine (1) during a Specified Time Period and for each side in a given series, a percentage calculated by dividing the size of a Market Maker's quote size executed in a particular series (the numerator) by the Marker Maker's quote size available at the time of execution plus the total number of the Market Marker's quote size previously executed during the unexpired Specified Time Period (the denominator) ("Series Percentage"); and (2) the sum of the Series Percentage in the options class ("Issue Percentage") during a Specified Time Period. The System tracks and calculates the net impact of positions in the same options class; long call percentages are offset by short call percentages, and long put percentages are offset by short put percentages in the Issue Percentage. If the Issue Percentage exceeds the Percentage Threshold the System will automatically remove a Market Maker's quotes in all series of the options class during the Specified Time Period.

(ii) Volume Threshold. A Market Maker must provide a Volume Threshold by which the System will automatically remove a Market Maker's quotes in all series of an options class when the Market Maker executes a number of contracts which exceeds the designated number of contracts in all series in an options class.

(iii) Delta Threshold. A Market Maker may provide a Delta Threshold by which the System will automatically remove a Market Maker's quotes in all series of an options class. For each class of options, the System will maintain a Delta counter, which tracks the absolute value of the difference between (1) purchased call contracts plus sold put contracts and (2) sold call contracts plus purchased put contracts. If the Delta counter exceeds the Delta Threshold established by the Member, the System will automatically remove a Market Maker's quotes in all series of the options class.

(iv) Vega Threshold. A Market Maker may provide a Vega Threshold by which the System will automatically remove a Market Maker's quotes in all series of an options class. For each class of options, the System will maintain a Vega counter, which tracks the absolute value of purchased contracts minus sold contracts. If the Vega counter exceeds the Vega Threshold established by the Member, the System will automatically remove a Market Maker's quotes in all series of the options class.

(B) Active Quote Protection. In lieu of Rapid Fire, a Market Maker may provide an executed contract limit (“Contract Limit”) that, if exceeded, the System will automatically remove the Market Maker’s quotes in all series of an options class submitted through SQF. The System will apply the Contract Limit for the duration of the trading day. For each class of options, the System will maintain an active limit counter that will track the current number of contracts executed through the Market Maker’s quotes (“Limit Counter”). If the Limit Counter exceeds the Contract Limit established by the Market Maker, the System will automatically remove the Market Maker’s quotes as described in paragraph (D) below. Market Makers may submit a request (i) to decrement their Limit Counter by a specified number of contracts, or (ii) to fully decrement their Limit Counter to zero, including to re-enter the System as described in paragraph (F) below.

(C) Multi-Trigger. A BX Market Maker or BX Market Maker Group (multiple affiliated BX Market Makers is a "Group" as defined by a BX Participant and provided by such Participant to the Exchange) may provide a specified time period and number of allowable triggers by which the Exchange will automatically remove quotes in all options series in all underlying issues submitted through designated BX protocols as specified by the Exchange ("Multi-Trigger Threshold"). During a specified time period established by the BX Market Maker not to exceed 30 seconds ("Multi-Trigger Specified Time Period"), the number of times the System automatically removes the BX Market Maker's or Group's quotes in all options series will be based on the number of triggers of the Percentage Threshold described in paragraph (A)(i) above, the Volume Threshold described in paragraph (A)(ii) above, the Delta Threshold described in paragraph (A)(iii) above, the Vega Threshold described in paragraph (A)(iv) above, and the Contract Limit described in paragraph (B) above. Once the System determines that the number of triggers exceeds a number established by either the BX Market Maker or Group, during a Multi-Trigger Specified Time Period, the System will automatically remove all quotes in all options series in all underlying issues for that BX Market Maker or Group. A trigger is defined as the event which causes the System to automatically remove quotes in all options series in an underlying issue. A Multi-Trigger Specified Time Period will commence after every trigger of the Percentage Threshold, Volume Threshold, Delta Threshold, Vega Threshold, or Contract Limit, and will continue until the System removes quotes as described in paragraph (D) below or the Multi-Trigger Specified Time Period expires. The System counts triggers within the Multi-Trigger Specified Time Period across all triggers for the BX Market Maker or Group. A Multi-Trigger Specified Time Period operates on a rolling basis in that there may be multiple Multi-Trigger Specified Time Periods occurring simultaneously and such Multi-Trigger Specified Time Periods may overlap.

(D) The System will automatically remove quotes in all series of an options class in an underlying security when the Percentage Threshold, Volume Threshold, Delta Threshold, Vega Threshold, or the Contract Limit has been exceeded. The System will automatically remove quotes in all series of an options class in all underlying securities when the Multi-Trigger Threshold has been exceeded. The System will send a Purge Notification Message to the BX Market Maker for all affected options when the above thresholds have been exceeded.

(i) The Percentage Threshold, Volume Threshold, Delta Threshold, Vega Threshold, Contract Limit, and Multi-Trigger Threshold are considered independently of each other.

(ii) The System will execute any marketable orders or quotes that are executable against a Market Maker’s quote and received prior to the time the Percentage Threshold, Volume Threshold, Delta Threshold, Vega Threshold, or Contract Limit is triggered up to the size of the Market Maker’s quote, even if such execution results in executions in excess of the Market Maker’s applicable Threshold or Contract Limit with respect to any parameter.

(E) If a BX Market Maker requests the System to remove quotes in all options series in an underlying issue, the System will automatically reset the Specified Time Period(s) for the Percentage, Volume, Delta, or Vega Threshold. The Multi-Trigger Specified Time Period(s) will not automatically reset for the Multi-Trigger Threshold.

(F) When the System removes quotes as a result of exceeding the Percentage Threshold, Volume Threshold, Delta Threshold, or Vega Threshold, the BX Market Maker must send a re-entry indicator to re-enter the System. When the System removes quotes as a result of exceeding the Contract Limit, the Market Maker must submit a request to fully decrement their Limit Counter to zero in order to re-enter the System. When the System removes quotes as a result of the Multi-Trigger Threshold, the System will not accept quotes through designated protocols until the BX Market Maker or Group manually requests re-entry. After quotes are removed as a result of the Multi-Trigger Threshold, Exchange staff must set a re-entry indicator in this case to enable re-entry, which will cause the System to send a Reentry Notification Message to the BX Market Maker or Group for all options series in all underlying issues. The Market Maker's Clearing Firm will be notified regarding the trigger and re-entry into the System after quotes are removed as a result of the Multi-Trigger Threshold, provided the Market Maker's Clearing Firm has requested to receive such notification.

(G) The Exchange will require BX Market Makers to utilize the Percentage Threshold, the Volume Threshold, or the Contract Limit. For Market Makers that elect to utilize the Contract Limit, the Percentage Threshold, Volume Threshold, Delta Threshold, and Vega Threshold will not be available for use on the Market Maker’s badge. The Delta, Vega and Multi-Trigger Thresholds are optional.

(3) Post-Only Quoting Protection. BX Market Makers may elect to configure their SQF protocols to prevent their quotes from removing liquidity (“Post-Only Quote Configuration”). A Post-Only Quote Configuration would re-price or cancel a BX Market Maker’s quote that would otherwise lock or cross any resting order or quote on the BX order book upon entry. When configured for re-price, quotes would be re-priced to one minimum price variation below the current low offer (for bids) or above the current best bid (for offers) and displayed by the System at one minimum price increment below the current low offer (for bids) or above the current best bid (for offers). Notwithstanding the aforementioned, if a quote with a Post-Only Quote Configuration would not lock or cross an order or quote on the System but would lock or cross the NBBO, the quote will be handled pursuant to Options 3, Section 4(b)(6). When configured for cancel, Participants will have their quotes returned whenever the quote would lock or cross the NBBO or be placed on the book at a price other than its limit price. This functionality shall not apply during an Opening Process.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended August 21, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-023), operative September 14, 2020; amended February 17, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-003), operative March 19, 2021; amended April 29, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-020); amended December 22, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-054), operative January 24, 2022; amended May 16, 2023 (SR-BX-2023-013), operative Jun. 15, 2023; amended Aug. 11, 2023 (SR-BX-2023-019), operative Apr. 1, 2024.

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

(a) BX Options Kill Switch is an optional tool that enables BX Participants to initiate a message(s) to the System to promptly cancel orders. Participants may submit a request to the System to cancel orders based on certain identifier(s) on either a user or group level ("Identifier"). Permissible groups must reside within a single broker-dealer. The System will send an automated message to the BX Participant when a Kill Switch request has been processed by the Exchange's System.

(i) If orders are cancelled by the BX Participant utilizing the Kill Switch, it will result in the cancellation of all orders requested for the Identifier(s). The BX Participant will be unable to enter additional orders for the affected Identifier(s) until re-entry has been enabled pursuant to section (a)(ii).

(ii) After orders are cancelled by the BX Participant utilizing the Kill Switch, the BX Participant will be unable to enter additional orders for the affected Identifier(s) until the BX Participant has made a verbal request to the Exchange and Exchange staff has set a re-entry indicator to enable re-entry. Once enabled for re-entry, the System will send a Re-entry Notification Message to the BX Participant. The applicable Clearing Participant also will be notified of the re-entry into the System after orders are cancelled as a result of the Kill Switch, provided the Clearing Participant has requested to receive such notification.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended September 2, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-037), operative November 1, 2021; amended Feb. 15, 2024 (SR-BX-2024-006), operative Mar. 16, 2024.

(a) When the SQF Port detects the loss of communication with a Participant's Client Application because the Exchange's server does not receive a Heartbeat message for a certain time period ("nn" seconds), the Exchange will automatically logoff the Participant's affected Client Application and automatically cancel all of the Participant's open quotes. Quotes will be cancelled across all Client Applications that are associated with the same BX Options Market Maker ID and underlying issues.

(1) A "Heartbeat" message is a communication which acts as a virtual pulse between the SQF or FIX Port and the Client Application. The Heartbeat message sent by the Participant and subsequently received by the Exchange allows the SQF or FIX Port to continually monitor its connection with the Participant.

(2) SQF Port is the Exchange's System component through which Participants communicate their quotes from the Client Application.

(3) FIX Port is the Exchange's System components through which Participants communicate their orders from the Client Application.

(4) Client Application is the System component of the Participant through which the Exchange Participant communicates its quotes and orders to the Exchange.

(b) When the FIX Port detects the loss of communication with a Participant's Client Application because the Exchange's server does not receive a Heartbeat message for a certain time period ("nn" seconds), the Exchange will automatically logoff the Participant's affected Client Application and if the Participant has elected to have its orders cancelled pursuant to subparagraph (d) automatically cancel all open orders posted.

(c) The default time period ("nn" seconds) for SQF Ports shall be fifteen (15) seconds. A Participant may determine another time period of "nn" seconds of no technical connectivity, as required in paragraph (a) above, to trigger the disconnect and must communicate that time to the Exchange. The period of "nn" seconds may be modified to a number between one hundred (100) milliseconds and 99,999 milliseconds for SQF Ports prior to each session of connectivity to the Exchange. This feature is enabled for each Participant and may not be disabled.

(1) If the Participant systemically changes the default number of "nn" seconds, that new setting shall be in effect throughout the current session of connectivity and will then default back to fifteen seconds. The Participant may change the default setting systemically prior to each session of connectivity.

(2) If a time period is communicated to the Exchange by calling Exchange operations, the number of "nn" seconds selected by the Participant shall persist for each subsequent session of connectivity until the Participant either contacts Exchange operations and changes the setting or the Participant systemically selects another time period prior to the next session of connectivity.

(d) The default period of "nn" seconds for FIX Ports shall be thirty (30) seconds for the disconnect and, if elected, the removal of orders. If the Participant elects to have its orders removed, in addition to the disconnect, the Participant may determine another time period of "nn" seconds of no technical connectivity, as required in paragraph (b) above, to trigger the disconnect and removal of orders and communicate that time to the Exchange. The period of "nn" seconds may be modified to a number between one (1) second and thirty (30) seconds for FIX Ports prior to each session of connectivity to the Exchange. This feature may be disabled for the removal of orders, however the Participant will be disconnected.

(1) If the Participant systemically changes the default number of "nn" seconds, that new setting shall be in effect throughout the current session of connectivity and will then default back to thirty seconds. The Participant may change the default setting systemically prior to each session of connectivity.

(2) If the time period is communicated to the Exchange by calling Exchange operations, the number of "nn" seconds selected by the Participant shall persist for each subsequent session of connectivity until the Participant either contacts Exchange operations and changes the setting or the Participant systemically selects another time period prior to the next session of connectivity.

(e) The trigger for the SQF and FIX Ports is event and Client Application specific. The automatic cancellation of the BX Options Market Maker's quotes for SQF Ports and open orders for FIX Ports entered into the respective SQF or FIX Ports via a particular Client Application will neither impact nor determine the treatment of the quotes of other BX Options Market Makers entered into SQF Ports or orders of the same or other Participants entered into the FIX Ports via a separate and distinct Client Application.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended May 16, 2023 (SR-BX-2023-013), operative Jun. 15, 2023; amended Feb. 15, 2024 (SR-BX-2024-006), operative Mar. 16, 2024.

An Options Participant may cancel any bids, offers, and orders in any series of options by requesting BX Market Operations staff to effect such cancellation as per the instructions of the Options Participant.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended January 29, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-001).

The Exchange may nullify a transaction or adjust the execution price of a transaction in accordance with this Rule. However, the determination as to whether a trade was executed at an erroneous price may be made by mutual agreement of the affected parties to a particular transaction. A trade may be nullified or adjusted on the terms that all parties to a particular transaction agree, provided, however, that such agreement to nullify or adjust must be conveyed to the Exchange in a manner prescribed by the Exchange prior to 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on the first trading day following the execution. It is considered conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade for any Participant to use the mutual adjustment process to circumvent any applicable Exchange rule, the Act or any of the rules and regulations thereunder.

(a) Definitions.

(1) Customer. For purposes of this Rule, a Customer shall not include any broker-dealer or Professional.

(2) Erroneous Sell/Buy Transaction. For purposes of this Rule, an "erroneous sell transaction" is one in which the price received by the person selling the option is erroneously low, and an "erroneous buy transaction" is one in which the price paid by the person purchasing the option is erroneously high.

(3) Official. For purposes of this Rule, the term "Official" shall mean an Exchange staff member or contract employee designated as such by the Chief Regulatory Officer. A list of individual Officials shall be displayed on the Exchange website. The Chief Regulatory Officer shall maintain the list of Officials and update the website each time a name is added to, or deleted from, the list of Officials. In the event no Official is available to rule on a particular matter, the Chief Regulatory Officer or his/her designee shall rule on such matter.

(4) Size Adjustment Modifier. For purposes of this Rule, the Size Adjustment Modifier will be applied to individual transactions as follows:

(b) Theoretical Price. Upon receipt of a request for review and prior to any review of a transaction execution price, the "Theoretical Price" for the option must be determined. For purposes of this Rule, if the applicable option series is traded on at least one other options exchange, then the Theoretical Price of an option series is the last NBB just prior to the trade in question with respect to an erroneous sell transaction or the last NBO just prior to the trade in question with respect to an erroneous buy transaction unless one of the exceptions in sub-paragraphs (b)(1) through (3) below exists. For purposes of this provision, when a single order received by the Exchange is executed at multiple price levels, the last NBB and last NBO just prior to the trade in question would be the last NBB and last NBO just prior to Exchange's receipt of the order. The Exchange will rely on this paragraph (b) and Supplementary Material .03 of this Rule when determining Theoretical Price.

(1) Transactions at the Open. For a transaction occurring as part of the Opening Process (as defined in Options 3, Section 8) the Exchange will determine the Theoretical Price if there is no NBB or NBO for the affected series just prior to the erroneous transaction or if the bid/ask differential of the NBB and NBO just prior to the erroneous transaction is equal to or greater than the Minimum Amount set forth in the chart contained in sub-paragraph (b)(3) below. If the bid/ask differential is less than the Minimum Amount, the Theoretical Price is the NBB or NBO just prior to the erroneous transaction.

(2) No Valid Quotes. The Exchange will determine the Theoretical Price if there are no quotes or no valid quotes for comparison purposes. Quotes that are not valid are:

(A) all quotes in the applicable option series published at a time where the last NBB is higher than the last NBO in such series (a "crossed market");

(B) quotes published by the Exchange that were submitted by either party to the transaction in question;

(C) quotes published by another options exchange if either party to the transaction in question submitted the quotes in the series representing such options exchange's best bid or offer, provided that the Exchange will only consider quotes invalid on other options exchanges in up to twenty-five (25) total options series that the party identifies to the Exchange the quotes which were submitted by such party and published by other options exchanges; and

(D) quotes published by another options exchange against which the Exchange has declared self-help.

(3) Wide Quotes.

(A) The Exchange will determine the Theoretical Price if the bid/ask differential of the NBB and NBO for the affected series just prior to the erroneous transaction was equal to or greater than the Minimum Amount set forth below and there was a bid/ask differential less than the Minimum Amount during the 10 seconds prior to the transaction. If there was no bid/ask differential less than the Minimum Amount during the 10 seconds prior to the transaction then the Theoretical Price of an option series is the last NBB or NBO just prior to the transaction in question, as set forth in paragraph (b) above.

(B) Customer Transactions Occurring Within 10 Seconds or Less After an Opening or Re-Opening:

(i) The Exchange will determine the Theoretical Price if the bid/ask differential of the NBB and NBO for the affected series just prior to the Customer’s erroneous transaction was equal to or greater than the Minimum Amount set forth in paragraph (A) above and there was a bid/ask differential less than the Minimum Amount during the 10 seconds prior to the transaction.

(ii) If there was no bid/ask differential less than the Minimum Amount during the 10 seconds prior to the transaction, then the Exchange will determine the Theoretical Price if the bid/ask differential of the NBB and NBO for the affected series just prior to the Customer’s erroneous transaction was equal to or greater than the Minimum Amount set forth in paragraph (A) above and there was a bid/ask differential less than the Minimum Amount anytime during the 10 seconds after an opening or re-opening.

(iii) If there was no bid/ask differential less than the Minimum Amount during the 10 seconds following an Opening or Re-Opening, then the Theoretical Price of an option series is the last NBB or NBO just prior to the Customer transaction in question, as set forth in paragraph (b) above.

(iv) Customer transactions occurring more than 10 seconds after an opening or re-opening are subject to paragraph (A) above.

(c) Obvious Errors.

(1) Definition. For purposes of this Rule, an Obvious Error will be deemed to have occurred when the Exchange receives a properly submitted filing where the execution price of a transaction is higher or lower than the Theoretical Price for the series by an amount equal to at least the amount shown below:

(2) Time Deadline. A party that believes that it participated in a transaction that was the result of an Obvious Error must notify the Exchange's Official in the manner specified from time to time by the Exchange in a notice distributed to Participants. Such notification must be received by the Exchange's Officials within the timeframes specified below:

(A) Customer Orders. For an execution of a Customer order, a filing must be received by the Exchange within thirty (30) minutes of the execution, subject to sub-paragraph (C) below; and

(B) "Non-Customer" Orders. For an execution of any order other than a Customer order, a filing must be received by the Exchange within fifteen (15) minutes of the execution, subject to sub-paragraph (C) below.

(C) Linkage Trades. Any other options exchange will have a total of forty-five (45) minutes for Customer orders and thirty (30) minutes for non-Customer orders, measured from the time of execution on the Exchange, to file with the Exchange for review of transactions routed to the Exchange from that options exchange and executed on the Exchange ("linkage trades"). This includes filings on behalf of another options exchange filed by a third-party routing broker if such third-party broker identifies the affected transactions as linkage trades. In order to facilitate timely reviews of linkage trades the Exchange will accept filings from either the other options exchange or, if applicable, the third-party routing broker that routed the applicable order(s). The additional fifteen (15) minutes provided with respect to linkage trades shall only apply to the extent the options exchange that originally received and routed the order to the Exchange itself received a timely filing from the entering participant (i.e., within 30 minutes if a Customer order or 15 minutes if a non-Customer order).

(3) Acting on Own Motion. The President or designee thereof, who is an officer of the Exchange (collectively "Exchange officer") may review a transaction believed to be erroneous on his/her own motion in the interest of maintaining a fair and orderly market and for the protection of investors. A transaction reviewed pursuant to this paragraph may be nullified or adjusted only if it is determined by the Exchange officer that the transaction is erroneous in accordance with the provisions of this Rule, provided that the time deadlines of sub-paragraph (c)(2) above shall not apply. The Exchange officer shall act as soon as possible after becoming aware of the transaction, and ordinarily would be expected to act on the same day that the transaction occurred. In no event shall the Exchange officer act later than 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on the next trading day following the date of the transaction in question. A party affected by a determination to nullify or adjust a transaction pursuant to this provision may appeal such determination in accordance with paragraph (k) below; however, a determination by an Exchange officer not to review a transaction or determination not to nullify or adjust a transaction for which a review was conducted on an Exchange officer's own motion is not appealable. If a transaction is reviewed and a determination is rendered pursuant to another provision of this Rule, no additional relief may be granted under this provision.

(4) Adjust or Bust. If it is determined that an Obvious Error has occurred, the Exchange shall take one of the actions listed below. Upon taking final action, the Exchange shall promptly notify both parties to the trade electronically or via telephone.

(A) Non-Customer Transactions. Where neither party to the transaction is a Customer, the execution price of the transaction will be adjusted by the Official pursuant to the table below. Any non-Customer Obvious Error exceeding 50 contracts will be subject to the Size Adjustment Modifier defined in subparagraph (a)(4) above.

(B) Customer Transactions. Where at least one party to the Obvious Error is a Customer, the execution price of the transaction will be adjusted by the Official pursuant to the table immediately above.  Any Customer Obvious Error exceeding 50 contracts will be subject to the Size Adjustment Modifier defined in sub-paragraph (a)(4) above.  However, if such adjustment(s) would result in an execution price higher (for buy transactions) or lower (for sell transactions) than the Customer’s limit price, the trade will be nullified, subject to subparagraph (C) below.

(C) If any Participant submits requests to the Exchange for review of transactions pursuant to this Rule, and in aggregate that Participant has 200 or more Customer transactions under review concurrently and the orders resulting in such transactions were submitted during the course of 2 minutes or less, where at least one party to the Obvious Error is a non-Customer, the Exchange will apply the non-Customer adjustment criteria set forth in sub-paragraph (A) above to such transactions.

(d) Catastrophic Errors.

(1) Definition. For purposes of this Rule, a Catastrophic Error will be deemed to have occurred when the execution price of a transaction is higher or lower than the Theoretical Price for the series by an amount equal to at least the amount shown below:

(2) Time Deadline. A party that believes that it participated in a transaction that was the result of a Catastrophic Error must notify the Exchange's Officials in the manner specified from time to time by the Exchange on its website. Such notification must be received by the Exchange's Officials by 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on the first trading day following the execution. For transactions in an expiring options series that take place on an expiration day, a party must notify the Exchange's Officials within 45 minutes after the close of trading that same day.

(3) Adjust or Bust. If it is determined that a Catastrophic Error has occurred, the Exchange shall take action as set forth below. Upon taking final action, the Exchange shall promptly notify both parties to the trade electronically or via telephone. In the event of a Catastrophic Error, the execution price of the transaction will be adjusted by the Official pursuant to the table below. Any Customer order subject to this sub-paragraph will be nullified if the adjustment would result in an execution price higher (for buy transactions) or lower (for sell transactions) than the Customer's limit price.

(e) Significant Market Events.

(1) Definition. For purposes of this Rule, a Significant Market Event will be deemed to have occurred when: criterion (A) below is met or exceeded or the sum of all applicable event statistics, where each is expressed as a percentage of the relevant threshold in criteria (A) through (D) below, is greater than or equal to 150% and 75% or more of at least one category is reached, provided that no single category can contribute more than 100% to the sum and any category contributing more than 100% will be rounded down to 100%. All criteria set forth below will be measured in aggregate across all exchanges.

(A) Transactions that are potentially erroneous would result in a total Worst-Case Adjustment Penalty of $30,000,000, where the Worst-Case Adjustment Penalty is computed as the sum, across all potentially erroneous trades, of:

(i) $0.30 (i.e., the largest Transaction Adjustment value listed in subparagraph (e)(3)(A) below); times

(ii) the contract multiplier for each traded contract; times

(iii) the number of contracts for each trade; times

(iv) the appropriate Size Adjustment Modifier for each trade, if any, as defined in sub-paragraph (e)(3)(A) below.

(B) Transactions involving 500,000 options contracts are potentially erroneous;

(C) Transactions with a notional value (i.e., number of contracts traded multiplied by the option premium multiplied by the contract multiplier) of $100,000,000 are potentially erroneous;

(D) 10,000 transactions are potentially erroneous.

(2) Coordination with Other Options Exchanges. To ensure consistent application across options exchanges, in the event of a suspected Significant Market Event, the Exchange shall initiate a coordinated review of potentially erroneous transactions with all other affected options exchanges to determine the full scope of the event. When this paragraph is invoked, the Exchange will promptly coordinate with the other options exchanges to determine the appropriate review period as well as select one or more specific points in time prior to the transactions in question and use one or more specific points in time to determine Theoretical Price. Other than the selected points in time, if applicable, the Exchange will determine Theoretical Price in accordance with paragraph (b) above.

(3) Adjust or Bust. If it is determined that a Significant Market Event has occurred then, using the parameters agreed as set forth in sub-paragraph (e)(2) above, if applicable, an Official will determine whether any or all transactions under review qualify as Obvious Errors. The Exchange shall take one of the actions listed below with respect to all transactions that qualify as Obvious Errors pursuant to sub-paragraph (c)(1) above. Upon taking final action, the Exchange shall promptly notify both parties to the trade electronically or via telephone.

(A) The execution price of each affected transaction will be adjusted by an Official to the price provided below unless both parties agree to adjust the transaction to a different price or agree to bust the trade. In the context of a Significant Market Event, any error exceeding 50 contracts will be subject to the Size Adjustment Modifier defined in subparagraph (a)(4) above.

(B) Where at least one party to the transaction is a Customer, the trade will be nullified if the adjustment would result in an execution price higher (for buy transactions) or lower (for sell transactions) than the Customer's limit price.

(4) Nullification of Transactions. If the Exchange, in consultation with other options exchanges, determines that timely adjustment is not feasible due to the extraordinary nature of the situation, then the Exchange will nullify some or all transactions arising out of the Significant Market Event during the review period selected by the Exchange and other options exchanges consistent with this paragraph. To the extent the Exchange, in consultation with other options exchanges, determines to nullify less than all transactions arising out of the Significant Market Event, those transactions subject to nullification will be selected based upon objective criteria with a view toward maintaining a fair and orderly market and the protection of investors and the public interest.

(5) Final Rulings. With respect to rulings made pursuant to this paragraph, the number of affected transactions is such that immediate finality is necessary to maintain a fair and orderly market and to protect investors and the public interest. Accordingly, rulings by the Exchange pursuant to this paragraph are non-appealable.

(f) Trading Halts. The Exchange shall nullify any transaction that occurs during a trading halt in the affected option on the Exchange pursuant to Supplementary Material .02 of this Rule.

(g) Erroneous Print in Underlying. A trade resulting from an erroneous print(s) disseminated by the underlying market that is later nullified by that underlying market shall be adjusted or busted as set forth in sub-paragraph (c)(4) of this Rule, provided a party notifies the Exchange's Officials in a timely manner as set forth below. For purposes of this paragraph, a trade resulting from an erroneous print(s) shall mean any options trade executed during a period of time for which one or more executions in the underlying security are nullified and for one second thereafter. If a party believes that it participated in an erroneous transaction resulting from an erroneous print(s) pursuant to this paragraph it must notify the Exchange's Officials within the timeframes set forth in sub-paragraph (c)(2) above, with the allowed notification timeframe commencing at the time of notification by the underlying market(s) of nullification of transactions in the underlying security. If multiple underlying markets nullify trades in the underlying security, the allowed notification timeframe will commence at the time of the first market's notification.

(h) Erroneous Quote in Underlying. A trade resulting from an erroneous quote(s) in the underlying security shall be adjusted or busted as set forth in subparagraph (c)(4) this Rule, provided a party notifies the Exchange's Officials in a timely manner as set forth below. An erroneous quote occurs when the underlying security has a width of at least $1.00 and has a width at least five times greater than the average quote width for such underlying security during the time period encompassing two minutes before and after the dissemination of such quote. For purposes of this paragraph, the average quote width shall be determined by adding the quote widths of sample quotations at regular 15-second intervals during the four-minute time period referenced above (excluding the quote(s) in question) and dividing by the number of quotes during such time period (excluding the quote(s) in question). If a party believes that it participated in an erroneous transaction resulting from an erroneous quote(s) pursuant to this paragraph it must notify the Exchange's Officials in accordance with sub-paragraph (c)(2) above.

(i) Linkage Trades. If the Exchange routes an order pursuant to the Plan (as defined in Options 5, Section 1(16)) that results in a transaction on another options exchange (a "Linkage Trade") and such options exchange subsequently nullifies or adjusts the Linkage Trade pursuant to its rules, the Exchange will perform all actions necessary to complete the nullification or adjustment of the Linkage Trade.

(j) Verifiable Disruption or Malfunction of Exchange Systems. Parties to a trade may have a trade nullified or its price adjusted if it resulted from a verifiable disruption or malfunction of Exchange execution, dissemination, or communication systems that caused a quote/order to trade in excess of its disseminated size (e.g. a quote/order that is frozen, because of an Exchange system error, and repeatedly traded). Parties to a trade may have a trade nullified or its price adjusted if it resulted from a verifiable disruption or malfunction of an Exchange dissemination or communication system that prevented a Member from updating or canceling a quote/order for which the Member is responsible where there is Exchange documentation providing that the Member sought to update or cancel the quote/order.

(k) Appeals. A party to a transaction affected by a decision made under this section may appeal that decision to the Exchange Review Council. An appeal must be made in writing, and must be received by BX within thirty (30) minutes after the person making the appeal is given the notification of the determination being appealed, except that if such notification is made after 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, either party has until 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on the next trading day to request a review. The Exchange Review Council panel shall review the facts and render a decision on the day of the transaction, or the next trade day in the case where a request is properly made after 3:30 p.m. on the day of the transaction or where the request is properly made the next trade day. The Exchange Review Council may review any decision appealed, including whether a complaint was timely, whether an Obvious Error or Catastrophic Error occurred, whether the correct Theoretical Price was used, and whether an adjustment was made at the correct price.

(1) A Exchange Review Council panel will be comprised minimally of representatives of one (1) member engaged in Market Making and two (2) industry representatives not engaged in Market Making. At no time should a review panel have more than 50% members engaged in Market Making.

(2) The Exchange Review Council, pursuant to the standards set forth in this Rule, shall affirm, modify, or reverse the determination.

(3) The decision of the Exchange Review Council pursuant to an appeal, or a determination by a BX Official that is not appealed, shall be final and binding upon all parties and shall constitute final BX action on the matter in issue. Any determination by a BX Official or the Exchange Review Council shall be rendered without prejudice as to the rights of the parties to the transaction to submit their dispute to arbitration.

(4) The party initiating the appeal shall be assessed a $500.00 fee if the Exchange Review Council upholds the decision of the BX Official. In addition, in instances where BX, on behalf of an Options Participant, requests a determination by another market center that a transaction is clearly erroneous, BX will pass any resulting charges through to the relevant Options Participant.

Supplementary Material to Options 3, Section 20

.01 For the purposes of this Rule, to the extent the provisions of this Rule would result in the Exchange applying an adjustment of an erroneous sell transaction to a price lower than the execution price or an erroneous buy transaction to a price higher than the execution price, the Exchange will not adjust or nullify the transaction, but rather, the execution price will stand.

.02 Trading Halts. Trades on the Exchange will be nullified when:

(A) The trade occurred during a trading halt in the affected option on the Exchange;

(B) Respecting equity options (including options overlying ETFs), the trade occurred during a regulatory halt as declared by the primary market for the underlying security; or

(C) Respecting index options, the trade occurred during a trading halt on the primary market in underlying securities representing more than 10 percent of the current index value for stock index options.

.03 Exchange Determining Theoretical Price. For purposes of this Rule, when the Exchange must determine Theoretical Price pursuant to sub-paragraphs (b)(1)-(3) of this Rule (i.e., at the open, when there are no valid quotes or when there is a wide quote), then the Exchange will determine Theoretical Price as follows.

(A) The Exchange will request Theoretical Price from the third party vendor defined in paragraph (d) below ("TP Provider") to which the Exchange and all other options exchanges have subscribed. The Exchange will apply the Theoretical Price provided by the TP Provider, except as otherwise described below.

(B) To the extent an Official of the Exchange believes that the Theoretical Price provided by the TP Provider is fundamentally incorrect and cannot be used consistent with the maintenance of a fair and orderly market, the Official shall contact the TP Provider to notify the TP Provider of the reason the Official believes such Theoretical Price is inaccurate and to request a review and correction of the calculated Theoretical Price. The Exchange shall also promptly provide electronic notice to other options exchanges that the TP Provider has been contacted consistent with this paragraph and include a brief explanation of the reason for the request.

(C) An Official of the Exchange may determine the Theoretical Price if the TP Provider has experienced a systems issue that has rendered its services unavailable to accurately calculate Theoretical Price and such issue cannot be corrected in a timely manner.

(D) The current TP Provider to which the Exchange and all other options exchanges have subscribed is: CBOE Livevol, LLC. Neither the Exchange, the TP Provider, nor any affiliate of the TP Provider (the TP Provider and its affiliates are referred to collectively as the "TP Provider"), makes any warranty, express or implied, as to the results to be obtained by any person or entity from the use of the TP Provider pursuant to this Supplementary Material .03. The TP Provider does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the calculated Theoretical Price. The TP Provider disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to such Theoretical Price. Neither the Exchange nor the TP Provider shall have any liability for any damages, claims, losses (including any indirect or consequential losses), expenses, or delays, whether direct or indirect, foreseen or unforeseen, suffered by any person arising out of any circumstance or occurrence relating to the use of such Theoretical Price or arising out of any errors or delays in calculating such Theoretical Price.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended Mar. 8, 2022 (SR-BX-2022-004), operative Apr. 7, 2022; amended Jan. 26, 2022 (SR-BX-2022-003), operative Jul. 1, 2022.

(a) Access to Exchange. Unless otherwise provided in the Rules, no one but a Participant or a person associated with a Participant shall effect any BX Options Transactions. The Exchange may share any Participant-designated risk settings in the Trading System with the Clearing Participant that clears transactions on behalf of the Participant.

(b) Exchange Conduct. Participants and persons employed by or associated with any Participant, while using the facilities of Exchange, shall not engage in conduct: (i) inconsistent with the maintenance of a fair and orderly market; (ii) apt to impair public confidence in the operations of the Exchange; or (iii) inconsistent with the ordinary and efficient conduct of business. Activities that shall violate the provisions of this paragraph (b) include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) failure of a Market Maker to provide quotations in accordance with Options 2, Section 5 of these Rules;

(2) failure of a Market Maker to bid or offer within the ranges specified by Options 2, Section 4 of these Rules;

(3) failure of a Participant to supervise a person employed by or associated with such Participant adequately to ensure that person's compliance with this paragraph (b).

(4) failure to maintain adequate procedures and controls that permit the Options Participant to effectively monitor and supervise the entry of orders by users to prevent the prohibited practices set forth in this paragraph (b) and Options 9, Section 2 of these Rules;

(5) failure to abide by a determination of BX Regulation;

(6) effecting transactions that are manipulative as provided in General 9, Section 1 or any other rule of the Exchange;

(7) refusal to provide information requested by BX Regulation; and

(8) failure to abide by the provisions of the sections of this Options 3, Section 22 related to limitations on orders.

(c) Subject to the Rules, BX Options will provide access to the Trading System to Options Participants in good standing that wish to conduct business on BX Options.

(d) Pursuant to the Rules and the arrangements referred to in this Rule, BX Regulation may:

(1) suspend an Options Participant's access to the Trading System following a warning which may be made in writing or verbally (and subsequently confirmed in writing); or

(2) terminate an Options Participant's access to the Trading System by notice in writing.

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

(a) Limitations on Principal Transactions. With respect to orders routed to BX Options, Options Participants may not execute as principal orders they represent as agent unless (i) agency orders are first exposed on BX Options for at least one (1) second or (ii) the Options Participant has been bidding or offering on BX Options for at least one (1) second prior to receiving an agency order that is executable against such bid or offer (iii) orders entered into BX PRISM pursuant to Options 3, Section 13; or (iv) the Participant utilizes a Customer Cross Order pursuant to Options 3, Section 12(a).

(1) This Rule prevents Options Participants from executing agency orders to increase its economic gain from trading against the order without first giving other trading interest on BX Options an opportunity to either trade with the agency order or to trade at the execution price when the Options Participant was already bidding or offering on the book. However, the Exchange recognizes that it may be possible for an Options Participant to establish a relationship with a customer or other person to deny agency orders the opportunity to interact on BX Options and to realize similar economic benefits as it would achieve by executing agency orders as principal. It will be a violation of this Rule for an Options Participant to be a party to any arrangement designed to circumvent this Rule by providing an opportunity for a customer to regularly execute against agency orders handled by the Options Participant immediately upon their entry into BX Options. Further, it would be a violation of this Rule for an Options Participant to circumvent this Rule by providing an opportunity for (A) a Public Customer affiliated with the Participant, or (B) a Public Customer with whom the Participant has an arrangement that allows the Participant to realize similar economic benefits from the transaction as the Participant would achieve by executing agency orders as principal, to regularly execute against agency orders handled by the firm immediately upon their entry as Public Customer-to-Public Customer immediate crosses.

(b) Limit Orders. Options Participants shall not enter Public Customer limit orders into the System in the same options series, for the account or accounts of the same or related beneficial owners, in such a manner that the beneficial owner(s) effectively is operating as a market maker by holding itself out as willing to buy and sell such options contract on a regular or continuous basis. In determining whether a beneficial owner effectively is operating as a market maker, the Exchange will consider, among other things: the simultaneous or near-simultaneous entry of limit orders to buy and sell the same options contract and the entry of multiple limit orders at different prices in the same options series.

(c) Limitations on Solicitation Orders. An Options Participant may not execute an order it represents as agent on BX Options against orders solicited from members and non-member broker-dealers, whether such solicited orders are entered into BX Options directly by the Options Participant or by the solicited party (either directly or through another Options Participant), if the Options Participant fails to expose orders on BX Options as required by this Rule unless (i) the unsolicited order is first exposed on the Exchange for at least one (1) second, (ii) the Options Participant orders entered into BX PRISM pursuant to Options 3, Section 13; or (iii) the Participant utilizes a Customer Cross Order pursuant to Options 3, Section 12(a).

(d) Prior to or after submitting an order to BX Options, an Options Participant cannot inform another Options Participant or any other third party of any of the terms of the order for purposes of violating this Rule.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended July 23, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-017), operative September 14, 2020.

(a) The following data feeds are offered by BX:

(1) BX Depth of Market (BX Depth) is a data feed that provides full order and quote depth information for individual orders and quotes on the BX Options book and last sale information for trades executed on BX Options. The data provided for each options series includes the symbols (series and underlying security), put or call indicator, expiration date, the strike price of the series, and whether the option series is available for trading on BX and identifies if the series is available for closing transactions only. The feed also provides order imbalances on opening/re-opening (size of matched contracts and size of the imbalance), auction and exposure notifications.

(2) BX Top of Market (BX Top) calculates and disseminates BX's best bid and offer and last sale information for trades executed on BX Options. The feed also provides last trade information and for each options series includes the symbols (series and underlying security), put or call indicator, expiration date, the strike price of the series, and whether the option series is available for trading on BX and identifies if the series is available for closing transactions only.

(b) The following order and execution information is available to Participants:

(1) Clearing Trade Interface ("CTI") is a real-time clearing trade update message that is sent to a Participant after an execution has occurred and contains trade details specific to that Participant. The information includes, among other things, the following: (i) The Clearing Member Trade Agreement or "CMTA" or The Options Clearing Corporation or "OCC" number; (ii) Exchange badge or house number; (iii) the Exchange internal firm identifier; (iv) an indicator which will distinguish electronic and non-electronically delivered orders; (v) liquidity indicators and transaction type for billing purposes; and (vi) capacity.

(2) Reserved.

(3) FIX DROP is a real-time order and execution update message that is sent to a Participant after an order has been received/modified or an execution has occurred and contains trade details specific to that Participant. The information includes, among other things, the following: (i) executions; (ii) cancellations; (iii) modifications to an existing order and (iv) busts or post-trade corrections.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended July 23, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-017), operative September 14, 2020; amended September 9, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-027).

The price at which an order is executed shall be binding notwithstanding that an erroneous report in respect thereto may have been rendered, or no report rendered. A report shall not be binding if an order was not actually executed but was reported to have been executed in error.

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

(a) The transaction reports produced by the System will indicate the details of the transactions, and shall not reveal contra party identities.

(b) BX shall reveal a Participant's identity in the following circumstances:

(1) when a registered clearing agency ceases to act for a participant, or the Participant's clearing firm, and the registered clearing agency determines not to guarantee the settlement of the Participant's trades;

(2) for regulatory purposes or to comply with an order of an arbitrator or court;

(3) if both Participants to the transaction consent;

(4) Unless otherwise instructed by a Member, BX will reveal to a member, no later than the end of the day on the date an anonymous trade was executed, when the member's Order has been decremented by another Order submitted by that same member.

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

(a) The Exchange shall disseminate an updated bid and offer price, together with the size associated with such bid and offer, when:

(1) the Exchange's disseminated bid or offer price increases or decreases;

(2) the size associated with the Exchange's disseminated bid or offer decreases; or

(3) the size associated with the Exchange’s bid (offer) increases by an amount greater than or equal to a percentage (never to exceed 20%) of the size associated with previously disseminated bid (offer).  Such percentage, which shall never exceed 20%, will be determined by the Exchange on an issue-by-issue basis and posted on the Exchange’s website.

Adopted Oct. 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended Sep. 14, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-041).

(a) Except as provided for in Equity 2, Section 17, BX Options and its affiliates shall not be liable for any losses, damages, or other claims arising out of the BX Options Trading System or its use. Any losses, damages, or other claims, related to a failure of the BX Options Trading System to deliver, display, transmit, execute, compare, submit for clearance and settlement, adjust, retain priority for, or otherwise correctly process an order, message, or other data entered into, or created by, the BX Options Trading System shall be absorbed by the Member, or the Member sponsoring the customer, that entered the order, message, or other data into the BX Options Trading System.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended Sep. 14, 2021 (SR-BX-2021-041).

(a) The following are optional risk protections:

(1) Notional dollar value per order (quantity x limit price x number of underlying shares);

(2) Aggregate notional dollar value;

(3) Quantity per order; and

(4) Aggregate quantity

(b) Participants may elect one or more of the above optional risk protections by contacting Market Operations and providing a per order and/or daily aggregate value for an order protection. Participants may modify their settings through Market Operations.

(c) The System will reject all incoming aggregated Participant orders through FIX if the value configured by the Participant, for any of the above-referenced risk protections, is exceeded.

(d) If a Participant sets a notional dollar value, a Market Order would not be accepted from that Participant.

Adopted October 23, 2019 (SR-BX-2019-039); amended August 21, 2020 (SR-BX-2020-023), operative September 14, 2020.