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Options 3 Options Trading Rules
Section 1. Hours of Business

(a) General 3, Rule 1030 governs the days the Exchange will be open for business. This rule will govern the hours of such days during which transactions may be made on the Exchange.

(b) Options on any series of Exchange-Traded Fund Shares, as defined in Options 4, Section 3(h), so designated by the Exchange, options on exchange-traded notes including Index-Linked Securities, as defined in Options 4, Section 3(k)(1), and options on Alpha Indexes, as defined in Options 4A, Section 3(f), may be traded on the Exchange until 4:15 P.M. Eastern Time each business day.

(c) Options on a broad-based index, as defined in Options 4A, Section 12, Supplementary Material .01, may be traded on the Exchange until 4:15 p.m. each business day, except that on the last trading day, transactions in expiring p.m.-settled broad-based index options and the Nasdaq-100 Volatility Index Options may be effected on the Exchange between the hours of 9:30 a.m. (Eastern time) and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

(d) Except under unusual conditions as may be determined by the Board (or the Exchange official or officials designated by the Board) foreign currency option trading sessions shall be conducted at such times as the Board of Directors shall specify between 6:00 P.M. Eastern Time Sundays and 3:00. P.M. Eastern Time Fridays, provided that U.S. dollar-settled foreign currency options shall trade during the same hours as narrow-based index options.

(e) Options on a sector index as provided for within Options 4A, Section 12 may be traded on the Exchange until 4:00 p.m. each business day.

Supplementary Material .01 to Options 3, Section 1

.01 Options Trading after 4:00 P.M. Eastern Time. A trading rotation in any class of option contracts may be effected even though employment of the rotation will result in the transaction on the Exchange after 4:00 P.M. Eastern Time provided such rotation is conducted pursuant to Options 3, Section 9 or Options 4A, Section 18. The Exchange may close trading at an early time to coincide with the close of trading in a related futures contract on the last business day of the month, or any other day when a related futures contract closes earlier than 4:15 P.M. Eastern Time.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended December 23, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-76).

Section 2. Units of Trading

The unit of trading in each series of options dealt in on the Exchange shall be the unit of trading established for that series by The Options Clearing Corporation pursuant to the rules of The Options Clearing Corporation.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03).

Section 3. Minimum Increments

(a) Except as provided in Supplementary Material to Options 3, Section 3 below, all options on stocks, index options, and Exchange Traded Fund Shares trading at a price of $3.00 or higher shall have a minimum increment of $.10, and all options on stocks and index options trading at a price under $3.00 shall have a minimum increment of $.05.

(1) An order received at a price expressed in other than the appropriate minimum trading increment described in this Rule shall be rejected by the System.

(2) Different minimum trading increments for dealings in option contracts other than those specified in paragraph (a) may also be fixed by the Exchange from time to time for option contracts of a particular 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 this Supplementary Material .01 to Options 3, Section 3.  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) For options contracts traded pursuant to the Penny Program as described in this Supplementary Material .01, the following minimum increments will apply:

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

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

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

(b) 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.

(c) 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 (d), (e), (f) and (g) 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. 

(d) 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 (c) above. 

(e) 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 (c) above.

(f) 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 (c) above.  

(g) 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.

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

.03 Nasdaq 100 Micro Index Options (XND) (as long as QQQ options (“QQQ”) participate in the Penny Interval Program) shall have a minimum increment of $.01.

.04 All options on Alpha Indexes shall have a minimum increment of $.01 if options on either component of the index have a minimum increment of $.01.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended Mar. 5, 2020 (20-08), operative April 4, 2020; amended Jun. 23, 2020 (20-32); amended Apr. 9, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-07), operative Apr. 15, 2021; amended Mar. 15, 2022 (SR-Phlx-2022-13); amended May. 5, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2020-41), operative Jun. 14, 2022; amended Jun. 6, 2022 (SR-Phlx-2022-25), operative Jun. 14, 2022.

Section 4. Entry and Display of Quotes

(a) All bids or offers for option contracts dealt in on the Exchange made and accepted in accordance with these Rules shall constitute binding contracts between the parties thereto but shall be subjected to applicable requirements and the rules of the Clearing Corporation.

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

(1) RSQTs or Remote Lead 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) Lead Market Makers, Remote Lead Market Makers and 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 for the Opening Process as specified in Options 3, Section 8.

(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 increment provided for in Options 3, Section 3, risk protections provided for in Options 3, Section 15 and Quote Exhaust provided for in Options 3, Section 6.

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

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended Jun. 27, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-27), operative Jul. 27, 2023.

Section 5. Entry and Display of Orders

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

(1) Members shall be permitted to transmit to the System multiple orders at a 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 the following: minimum increments provided for in Options 3, Section 3, risk protections provided for in Options 3, Section 15, and the restrictions of any order type as provided for in Options 3, Section 7(b). 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 Exchange Act or any of the rules and regulations thereunder.

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

(c) The System automatically executes eligible orders using the Exchange's displayed best bid and offer ("PBBO") or the Exchange's non-displayed order book ("internal PBBO") if there are non-displayed orders on the order book or the best bid and/or offer on the Exchange has been repriced pursuant to subsection (d) below or 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 Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended Jun. 27, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-27), operative Jul. 27, 2023.

Section 6. Firm Quotations

(a) Definitions.

(1) The term "disseminated price" shall mean the bid (or offer) price for an options series that is made available by the Exchange and displayed by a quotation vendor on a terminal or other display device.

(2) The term "disseminated size" shall mean with respect to the disseminated price for any quoted options series:

(A) Except as provided in sub-paragraph (a)(ii)(C)(3) below, at least the sum of the size associated with Limit Orders, Lead Market Makers' quotations, SQTs' quotations, and RSQTs' (as defined in Options 1, Sections 1(b)(54) and (49), respectively) quotations.

(B)

(1) If an SQT or RSQT's (other than a Directed SQT or RSQT) quotation size in a particular series in a Streaming Quote Option is exhausted or removed by the Automated Quotation Adjustments pursuant to Options 3, Section 15(c)(2), such SQT or RSQT's quotation shall be deleted from the Exchange's disseminated quotation until the time the SQT or RSQT revises his/her quotation.

(2) Quote Exhaust. Respecting options that are traded on the System, Quote Exhaust occurs when the Exchange's disseminated market at a particular price level includes a quote, and such market is exhausted by an inbound contra-side quote or order ("initiating quote or order"), and following such exhaustion, contracts remain to be executed from the initiating quote or order through the initial execution price. The initial execution price that gives rise to Quote Exhaust is known as the "reference price." Under Quote Exhaust, any order volume that is routed to away markets will be marked as an ISO.

(a) Quote Exhaust Timer. When a Quote Exhaust occurs, the System will initiate a "Quote Exhaust Timer" that will apply to all options traded on the System, not to exceed one second, during which any participant (including any participant(s) whose size was exhausted) may submit quotes, sweeps or orders at any price level.

(b) During the Quote Exhaust Timer, the Exchange will disseminate the reference price for the remaining size, provided that such price does not lock an away market, in which case, the Exchange will disseminate a bid and offer that is one Minimum Price Variation ("MPV") from the away market price. The Exchange will disseminate, on the opposite side of the market from remaining unexecuted contracts: (i) a non-firm bid for the price and size of the next available bid(s) on the Exchange if the remaining size is a seller, or (ii) a non-firm offer for the price and size of the next available offer(s) on the Exchange if the remaining size is a buyer.

If the remaining contracts in the initiating quote or order are either traded or cancelled during the Quote Exhaust Timer, the Quote Exhaust Timer will be terminated and normal trading will resume.

(c) New Interest on the Opposite Side of the Market. If the Exchange receives an order, quote or sweep on the opposite side of the market from the initiating quote or order during the Quote Exhaust Timer that locks or crosses the reference price at any time during the Quote Exhaust Timer, it will execute immediately against the initiating quote or order at the reference price. If the initiating quote or order that caused the Quote Exhaust is exhausted, the Quote Exhaust Timer will be terminated. With respect to any order, quote or sweep received on the opposite side of the market from the initiating quote or order during the Quote Exhaust Timer that is inferior to the reference price, the system will place any non-IOC order onto the book. Such non-IOC order on the book will be included in the first PBBO calculation following the end of the Quote Exhaust Timer. All non-marketable sweeps and IOC orders will be cancelled immediately if not executed and will not participate in the Quote Exhaust process.

(d) New Interest on the Same Side of the Market. If the Exchange receives an order, quote or sweep on the same side of the market as the initiating quote or order during the Quote Exhaust Timer, the System will cancel any such sweep or IOC order. If such new quote or order, other than an IOC order, is a market or marketable Limit Order or marketable quote (i.e., priced at or through the reference price) the System will display it at the reference price, with a disseminated size that is the sum of such order and/or quote plus the remaining contracts in the initiating order or quote.

(e) End of the Quote Exhaust Timer. At the end of the Quote Exhaust Timer, if there are still unexecuted contracts remaining in the initiating quote or order or any new interest on the same side of the market, the System will calculate a new Phlx Best Bid/Offer ("PBBO"). The PBBO will include the remaining unexecuted portion of the initiating quote or order plus any new interest received on the same side of the market at the reference price, or if locking or crossing the ABBO, at one minimum trading increment away from the ABBO, for the full available size. The other side of the PBBO will be the actual Exchange interest at the best price.

The System will conduct an Acceptable Range price "test" (as described below) to determine whether there is a valid next available price at which the System may execute the remaining unexecuted contracts.

(f) Acceptable Range Test. The System will conduct an Acceptable Range Test to determine if the next available price on the Exchange is within an Acceptable Range. The System will calculate the Acceptable Range for the next available price 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 and the reference price + (x) for buy orders).

(g) Quote Exhaust Resolution. The System will first determine whether to trade at the next available Phlx price by comparing it to the Acceptable Range price (defined as, with respect to an initiating buy order, the highest price of the Acceptable Range, and, with respect to an initiating sell order, the lowest price of the Acceptable Range) and the Away Best Bid/Offer ("ABBO") price to establish a "Best Price."

(1) With respect to an initiating buy order, the Best Price is the lowest price of: (A) the next available Exchange offer; (B) the ABBO offer; or (C) the Acceptable Range price on the offer side of the market. With respect to an initiating sell order, the Best Price is the highest price of (D) the next available Exchange bid; (E) the ABBO bid; or (F) the Acceptable Range price on the bid side of the market.

(2) Initiating quote or order does not lock or cross Best Price. If the price of the initiating quote or order (if a Limit Order) does not lock or cross the Best Price, the System will post the remaining portion of the initiating quote or order at its limit price and normal trading will resume.

(3) Initiating quote or order locks Best Price. If the initiating quote or order locks the Best Price, the system will execute, route if a routable order, and/or post, the initiating quote or order as follows:

(A) If the Best Price is the Exchange's next available price:

(1) standing alone, the system will execute the initiating quote or order at the Exchange's next available price up to the Exchange's disseminated size

(2) and is equal to the ABBO price, any remaining unexecuted routable order volume from the execution on the Exchange will be routed away. After such routing, any remaining unexecuted contracts will be posted on the Exchange at the ABBO price;

(3) and is equal to the Acceptable Range price, any remaining unexecuted contracts from the execution on the Exchange will be posted at the Acceptable Range price;

(4) and is equal to both the ABBO price and the Acceptable Range price, any remaining order volume from the execution on the Exchange will be routed away and, after such routing, any remaining unexecuted contracts will be posted on the Exchange at the Acceptable Range price.

(B) If the Best Price is the ABBO where the ABBO is not equal to the next Phlx price:

(1) standing alone, the initiating order will be routed away up to the size of the ABBO and, after routing, any remaining unexecuted contracts from the initiating order will be posted on the Exchange at the ABBO price;

(2) and is equal to the Acceptable Range price, the initiating order will be routed away and, after such routing, any remaining unexecuted contracts will be posted on the Exchange at the ABBO price;

(3) if the Best Price is the Acceptable Range Price standing alone, the initiating quote or order will be posted on the Exchange at the Acceptable Range Price.

(4) Initiating quote or order crosses Best Price. If the initiating quote or order crosses the Best Price, the System will execute, route order volume, and/or post the initiating quote or order as set forth below:

(A) If the Best Price is the Exchange's next available price

(1) standing alone, the System will execute the initiating quote or order at the Exchange's next available price up to the Exchange's disseminated size;

(2) and is equal to the ABBO price, the System will execute the initiating quote or order at the Exchange's next available price up to the Exchange's disseminated size, and any remaining order volume from the execution on the Exchange will be routed away to the ABBO market(s);

(3) and is equal to the Acceptable Range price, the System will execute the initiating quote or order at the Exchange's next available price up to the Exchange's disseminated size, and any remaining volume from the execution on the Exchange will be posted at the Acceptable Range price for the remaining size, for a period of time not to exceed ten seconds and then cancelled after such period of time has elapsed, unless the member that submitted the original order has instructed the Exchange in writing to re-enter the remaining size, in which case the remaining size will be automatically submitted as a new order. During this up to ten second period, the System will disseminate on the opposite side of the market from remaining unexecuted contracts: (i) a non-firm bid for the price and size of the next available bid(s) on the Exchange if the remaining size is a seller, or (ii) a non-firm offer for the price and size of the next available offer(s) on the Exchange if the remaining size is a buyer.

(4) and is also equal to both the ABBO price and the Acceptable Range price, any remainder order volume from the execution on the Exchange will be routed away, and if after such routing, there still remain unexecuted contracts, the unexecuted contracts would post to the Order Book at their Limit Order price, with a new timestamp, subject to order entry price checks.

(B) If the Best Price is the ABBO:

(1) standing alone, the initiating order will be routed away to the ABBO market(s);

(2) and is equal to the Acceptable Range price, the initiating order will be routed away and if after routing there remain unexecuted contracts, the remainder of the order will be posted on the Phlx at the ABBO price for a period not to exceed ten seconds, and cancelled after this time has elapsed, unless the member that submitted the original order has instructed the Exchange in writing to re-enter the remaining size, in which case the remaining size will be automatically submitted as a new order. During this period, the System will disseminate, on the opposite side of the market from remaining unexecuted contracts: (i) a non-firm bid for the price and size of the next available bid(s) on the Exchange if the remaining size is a seller, or (ii) a non-firm offer for the price and size of the next available offer(s) on the Exchange if the remaining size is a buyer.

(C) If the Best Price is the Acceptable Range Price standing alone, the initiating quote or order will be posted on the Exchange at the Acceptable Range Price for a period of time not to exceed ten seconds, and cancelled after this time has elapsed, unless the member that submitted the original order has instructed the Exchange in writing to re-enter the remaining size, in which case the remaining size will be automatically submitted as a new order. During this up to ten second period, the System will disseminate, on the opposite side of the market from remaining unexecuted contracts: (i) a non-firm bid for the price and size of the next available bid(s) on the Exchange if the remaining size is a seller, or (ii) a non-firm offer for the price and size of the next available offer(s) on the Exchange if the remaining size is a buyer.

(5) Non-routable orders. If the initiating order is non-routable when the order would otherwise be routed according to the process described above, the order will be posted on the Exchange at a price that is one minimum trading increment inferior to the Best Price so as not to lock an away market.

(6) If, after trading at the Phlx and/or routing, there is a remainder of the initiating order, and such remainder is still marketable, the entire process of evaluating the Best Phlx price and the ABBO will be repeated until: (A) the order size is exhausted, or (B) the order reaches its limit price. If there still remain unexecuted contracts after routing but the order has reached its limit price, the remainder will be posted at the order's limit price, except that, when the limit price crosses the Acceptable Range Price, the remainder will be posted at the Acceptable Range Price for a period of time not to exceed ten seconds. During this up to ten second period, the System will disseminate on the opposite side of the market from remaining unexecuted contracts: (i) a non-firm bid for the price and size of the next available bid(s) on the Exchange if the remaining size is a seller, or (ii) a non-firm offer for the price and size of the next available offer(s) on the Exchange if the remaining size is a buyer. After such time period, the Acceptable Range Price becomes the Reference Price and Acceptable Trade Range (pursuant to Options 3, Section 15) is applied to the remaining size of the order.

(3)

(a) If there are no offers both on the Exchange and on away markets in the affected series, Market Orders to buy in the affected series will be rejected, and an electronic report of such cancellation will be transmitted to the sender.

(b) If there are no offers on the Exchange and there are offers on away markets in the affected series, Market Orders to buy will be handled pursuant to Exchange Options 5, Section 4.

(c) If there are no bids or a zero priced bid on the Exchange and there are no bids on away markets in the affected series, the Exchange will disseminate a bid price of zero, and Market Orders to sell will be handled pursuant to Options 3, Section 10(b).

(d) If there are no bids or a zero priced bid on the Exchange and there are bids on away markets in the affected series, Market Orders to sell will be handled pursuant to Options 5, Section 4.

(C) 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%, shall be determined on an issue-by-issue basis by the Exchange and announced to membership via Exchange circular.

(3) The term "SEC Quote rule" shall mean rule 602 of Regulation NMS under the Exchange Act, as amended.

(4) The terms "customer," "responsible broker or dealer," and "specified persons" shall have the meaning set forth in the SEC Quote rule.

(b)

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this Rule, all quotations made available by the Exchange and displayed by quotation vendors shall be firm for customer and broker-dealer orders at the disseminated price in an amount up to the disseminated size. If the responsible broker or dealer is representing (as agent) a Limit Order, such responsible broker or dealer shall be responsible (as agent) up to the size of such Limit Order, but may be responsible as principal for all or a portion of the excess of the disseminated size over the size of such Limit Order to the extent provided in General 2, Section 17.

(2) In the event an SQT, RSQT or Lead Market Maker in a Streaming Quote Option has electronically submitted on the Exchange bids or offers for a Streaming Quote Option, each such SQT, RSQT or Lead Market Maker member shall be considered a "responsible broker or dealer" for that bid or offer, up to the size associated with such responsible broker or dealer's bid or offer.

(c) The requirements of paragraph (b) or (d) of this Rule shall not apply to displayed quotations: (i) when the level of trading activities or the existence of unusual market conditions is such that the Exchange is incapable of collecting, processing, and making available to quotation vendors the data for a subject security required to be made available pursuant to the SEC Quote Rule in a manner that accurately reflects the current market on the Exchange as determined by an Options Exchange Official; (ii) during a trading rotation; (iii) if any of the circumstances provided in paragraph (c)(3) of the SEC Quote Rule exist; or (iv) on a case by case basis where it is determined that an exemption is warranted for an obvious error in the posting of the disseminated price or disseminated size due to reporter error or system malfunction. The Exchange shall immediately notify all specified persons of such a determination. Regular trading procedures shall be resumed when an Options Exchange Official determines that the conditions supporting that declaration no longer exist. The Exchange shall immediately notify all specified persons of such a determination.

Any exemption granted pursuant to paragraph (c)(iv) shall be in writing and shall set forth the basis upon which the exemption is granted.

(d) If responsible brokers or dealers receive an order to buy or sell a listed option at the disseminated price in an amount greater than the disseminated size, such responsible broker or dealer shall, within thirty (30) seconds of receipt of the order, (i) execute the entire order at the disseminated price (or better), or (ii) execute that portion of the order equal to the disseminated size at the disseminated price (or better), and revise its bid or offer.

Supplementary Material to Options 3, Section 6

.01 For purposes of this Rule, the term "broker-dealer orders" includes orders for the account(s) of market makers on another exchange and Market Makers on the Exchange.

.02 Locked Markets. In the event that an SQT, RSQT, and/or Lead Market Maker's electronically submitted quotations interact with the electronically submitted quotations of other SQTs, RSQTs and/or the Lead Market Maker, the locked quotations will automatically execute against each other in accordance with the allocation algorithm set forth in Options 3, Section 10.

.03 Crossed Markets. The Exchange will not disseminate an internally crossed market (e.g., $1.10 bid, 1.00 offer). If an SQT, RSQT or Lead Market Maker electronically submits a quotation ("incoming quotation") that would cross an existing quotation ("existing quotation"), the Exchange will change the incoming quotation such that it locks the existing quotation and automatically execute the locked quotations against each other in accordance with the allocation algorithm set forth in Options 3, Section 10.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended January 26, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-05).

Section 7. Types of Orders and Order and Quote Protocols

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

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

(i) The Exchange offers members the following protocols for entering orders and quotes respectively:

(A) "Financial Information eXchange" or "FIX" is an interface that allows members 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.

(B) "Specialized Quote Feed" or "SQF" is an interface that allows Lead Market Makers, Streaming Quote Traders ("SQTs") and Remote Streaming Quote Traders ("RSQTs") 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 and complex 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 Lead Market Maker, SQT or RSQT. Lead Market Makers, SQTs and RSQTs 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, the Market Order Spread Protection, or Size Limitation in Options 3, Section 15(a)(1), (a)(2) and (b)(2), respectively.

(C) Options Floor Based Management System or ("FBMS") is a component of the System designed to enable members and/or their employees to enter, route and report transactions stemming from options orders received on the Exchange. The FBMS also is designed to establish an electronic audit trail for options orders negotiated, represented and executed by members on the Exchange, to the extent permissible pursuant to Options 8, Section 22(a), such that the audit trail provides an accurate, time-sequenced record of electronic and other orders, quotations and transactions on the Exchange, beginning with the receipt of an order by the Exchange, and further documenting the life of the order through the process of execution, partial execution, or cancellation of that order. The features of FBMS are described in Options 8, Sections 28(e) and 29. In addition, a non-member or member may utilize an FBMS FIX interface to create and send an order into FBMS to be represented by a Floor Broker for execution.

(b) Order Types. The following order types may be submitted to the System:

(1) Market Order. A Market Order is an order to buy or sell a stated number of options contracts that is to be executed at the best price obtainable when the order reaches the Exchange. Lead Market Makers, Market Makers and Off-Floor Broker-Dealers may not submit Market Orders.

(2) Limit Order. A Limit Order is an order to buy or sell a stated number of options contracts at a specified price or better.

(3) Intermarket Sweep Order. An Intermarket Sweep Order (ISO) is a Limit Order that meets the requirements of Options 5, Section 1. 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 regular order book or into the Price Improvement XL Mechanism ("PIXL") pursuant to Options 3, Section 13 (b)(11). ISO Orders may not be submitted during the Opening Process pursuant to Options 3, Section 8.

(4) Stop Order. A Stop Order is a Limit Order or Market Order to buy or sell at a limit price when interest on the Exchange for a particular option contract reaches a specified price. A Stop Order shall be cancelled if it is immediately electable upon receipt. A Stop Order shall not be elected by a trade that is reported late or out of sequence or by a Complex Order trading with another Complex Order. Lead Market Makers and Maker Makers may not submit a Stop Order. Off-Floor Broker-Dealers may not enter a Stop Market Order.

(A) A Stop-Limit Order to buy becomes a Limit Order executable at the limit price or better when the option contract trades or is bid on the Exchange at or above the stop-limit price. A Stop-Limit Order to sell becomes a Limit Order executable at the limit price or better when the option contract trades or is offered on the Exchange at or below the stop-limit price.

(B) A Stop Market Order is similar to a stop-limit except it becomes a Market Order when the option contract reaches a specified price.

(C) A Stop Order is a non-displayed, contingency order until elected.

(5) All-or-None Order. An All-or-None Order is a Limit Order or Market Order that is to be executed in its entirety or not at all. An All-or None Order may only be submitted by a Public Customer as an Immediate-or-Cancel Order. The Acceptable Trade Range protection in Options 3, Section 15(a) is not applied to All-Or-None Orders.

(6) Opening Sweep. An Opening Sweep is a one-sided order entered by a Lead Market Maker or 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. 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.

(7) Cancel-Replacement Order. A 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 result in a loss of priority.

(8) Qualified Contingent Cross Order or QCC Order. A QCC Order is as that term is defined in Options 3, Section 12.

(9) PIXL Order. A PIXL Order is as described in Options 3, Section 13.

(10) Legging Order. A Legging Order is a Limit Order on the regular order book in an individual series that represents one leg of a two-legged Complex Order (which improves the cPBBO) that is to buy or sell an equal quantity of two options series resting on the CBOOK. Legging Orders are firm orders that are included in the Exchange's displayed best bid or offer. Legging Orders are not routable and are Limit Orders with a time-in-force of DAY, as they represent an individual component of a Complex Order.

(A) A Legging Order may be automatically generated for one leg of a Complex Order at a price: (i) that matches or improves upon the best Phlx displayed bid or offer; and (ii) at which the net price can be achieved when the other leg is executed against the best displayed bid or offer (other than Legging Orders). Legging Orders will not be generated if the Exchange or a particular option has not opened, is halted or is otherwise not available for trading. Similarly, the particular Complex Order Strategy must be available for trading.

(B) A Legging Order will not be created: (i) at a price that locks or crosses the best bid or offer of another exchange, (ii) if there is an auction on either side or a Posting Period under Options 3, Section 15 regarding Acceptable Trade Range on the same side in progress in the series, (iii) the price of the Complex Order is outside of the ACE Parameter of paragraph (i), (iv) if there is already a Legging Order in that series on the same side of the market at the same price (unless it has priority based on the participant type, under existing Exchange rules), or (v) for a Complex Order if the generated Legging Order would immediately cause resting Legging Orders to be removed pursuant to section (f)(iii)(C)(4)(ix) below. Legging Orders may be generated and executed in an increment other than the minimum increment for that series and will be ranked on the order book at its generated price and displayed at a price that is rounded to the nearest minimum increment for that series. Two Legging Orders relating to the same Complex Order can be generated, but only one of those can execute as part of the execution of a particular Complex Order.

(C) A Legging Order is executed only after all other executable orders (including any non-displayed size) and quotes at the same price are executed in full. When a Legging Order is executed, the other leg of the Complex Order will be automatically executed against the displayed best bid or offer on the Exchange and any other Legging Order based on that Complex Order will be removed.

(D) A Legging Order is automatically removed from the regular order book: (i) if the price of the Legging Order is no longer at the Exchange's displayed best bid or offer on the regular Limit Order book, (ii) if execution of the Legging Order would no longer achieve the net price of the Complex Order when the other leg is executed against the Exchange's best displayed bid or offer on the regular Limit Order book (other than another Legging Order), (iii) if the Complex Order is executed in full or in part, (iv) if the Complex Order is cancelled or modified, (v) if the price of the Complex Order is outside the ACE Parameter of paragraph (i), (vi) upon receipt of a Qualified Contingent Cross Order which includes a component in which there is a Legging Order, an order that will trigger an auction under Exchange rules in a component in which there is a Legging Order (whether a buy order or a sell order), or pursuant to Options 3, Section 13(f) a PIXL Order for the account of a public customer paired with an order for the account of a public customer, (vii) if a Legging Order is generated by a different Complex Order in the same leg at a better price or the same price for a participant with a higher priority, (viii) if a Complex Order is marketable against the cPBBO where a Legging Order is present and has more than one leg in common with the existing Complex Order that generated the Legging Order, (ix) if a Complex Order becomes marketable against multiple Legging Orders, (x) if a Complex Order consisting of an unequal quantity of components is marketable against the cPBBO where a Legging Order is present but cannot be executed due to insufficient size in at least one of the components in the cPBBO, or (xi) when the Legging Order is on the book at a price which is not at the minimum price increment and which is more aggressive than the same side PBBO, and an away market moves to lock the PBBO (which is also the NBBO).

(11) Directed Orders. A Directed Order is as described in Options 2, Section 10.

(12) Complex Orders. A Complex Order is as described in Options 3, Section 14(a)(i).

(13) Stock-Option Order. A Stock-Option Order is as described in Options 3, Section 14(a)(i).

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

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

(2) Immediate-or-Cancel. An Immediate-or-Cancel ("IOC") Order entered with a TIF of "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 or Lead 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, or Size Limitation within Options 3, Section 16(e).

(C) Orders entered into the Price Improvement XL ("PIXL") Mechanism and Qualified Contingent Cross ("QCC") Mechanism 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) Opening Only. An Opening Only ("OPG") order 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. Any portion of the order that is not executed during the Opening Process is cancelled. OPG orders may not route.

(4) Good Til Cancelled. A Good Til Cancelled ("GTC") Order entered with a TIF of GTC, 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.

(d) 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.

(e) Off-Floor Broker-Dealer Order. An off-floor broker-dealer order may be entered for a minimum size of one contract. Off-floor broker-dealers may enter all order types defined in Options 3, Section 7(b) except for All-or-None Orders, Market Orders, Stop Market Orders, and public customer-to-public customer cross orders subject to Options 3, Section 13(a) and (f).

(f) Orders may not be unbundled, nor may a firm solicit a customer to unbundle an order for this purpose.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended Feb. 14, 2020 (20-05); amended Mar. 4, 2020 (20-07); amended January 26, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-05); amended May 24, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-32); amended Jun. 27, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-27), operative Jul. 27, 2023; amended Aug. 3, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-34), operative Jan. 29, 2024.

Section 8. Options Opening Process

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

(i) The ABBO is the Away Best Bid or Offer.

(ii) The "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.

(iii) The Opening Price is described herein in sections (i) and (k).

(iv) The Opening Process is described herein in section (d).

(v) A Phlx Electronic Market Maker is a Lead Market Maker, Streaming Quote Trader ("SQT") or Remote SQT ("RSQT") who is required to submit two sided electronic quotations pursuant to Options 3, Section 5.

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

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

(viii) A Quality Opening Market is a bid/ask differential applicable to the best bid and offer from all Valid Width Quotes defined in a table to be determined by the Exchange and published on the Exchange's web site. The calculation of Quality Opening Market is based on the best bid and offer of Valid Width Quotes. The differential between the best bid and offer are compared to reach this determination. The allowable differential, as determined by the Exchange, takes into account the type of security (for example, Penny versus non-Penny Interval Program issue), volatility, option premium, and liquidity. The Quality Opening Market differential is intended to ensure the price at which the Exchange opens reflects current market conditions.

(ix) A Valid Width Quote is a two-sided electronic quotation submitted by a Phlx Electronic Market Maker that meets the following requirements: options on equities and index options bidding and/or offering so as to create differences of no more than $5, provided that, in the case of equity options, the bid/ask differential stated above shall not apply to in-the-money series where the market for the underlying security is wider than the differential set forth above. For such series, the bid/ask differentials 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. Such differences will be posted by the Exchange on its website.

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

(xi) The term "imbalance" means the number of unmatched contracts priced through the Potential Opening Price.

(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. Non-SQT Market Makers may submit orders.

(i) Opening Sweep. An Opening Sweep is defined at Options 3, Section 7(b)(6).

(A) A Phlx Electronic Market Maker assigned in a particular option may only submit an Opening Sweep if, at the time of entry of the Opening Sweep, that Phlx Electronic Market Maker has already submitted and maintained a Valid Width Quote. All Opening Sweeps in the affected series entered by a Phlx Electronic Market Maker will be cancelled immediately if that Phlx Electronic 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 Phlx Electronic Market Maker may enter multiple Opening Sweeps, with each Opening Sweep at a different price level. If a Phlx Electronic Market Maker submits multiple Opening Sweeps, the System will consider only the most recent Opening Sweep at each price level submitted by such Phlx Electronic Market Maker in determining the Opening Price. Unexecuted Opening Sweeps will be cancelled once the affected series is open.

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

(c) Orders Represented by Floor Brokers. To be considered in the Opening Process, orders represented by Floor Brokers must be entered electronically.

(d) Phlx Electronic 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.

(i) The Opening Process for an option series will be conducted pursuant to paragraphs (f) - (k) below on or after 9:30 AM Eastern Time if: the ABBO, if any, is not crossed; and the System has received, within two minutes (or such shorter time as determined by the Exchange and disseminated to membership on the Exchange's web site) of the opening trade or quote on the market for the underlying security in the case of equity options or, in the case of index options, within two minutes of the receipt of the opening price in the underlying index (or such shorter time as determined by the Exchange and disseminated to membership on the Exchange's web site), or within two minutes of market opening for the underlying security in the case of U.S. dollar-settled FCO (or such shorter time as determined by the Exchange and disseminated to membership on the Exchange's web site) any of the following:

(A) the Lead Market Maker's Valid Width Quote; or

(B) the Valid Width Quote of at least one Phlx Electronic Market Maker other than the Lead Market Maker.

(ii) 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.

(iii) The Lead Market Maker assigned in a particular equity or index option must enter a Valid Width Quote, in 90% of their assigned series, not later than one minute following the dissemination of a quote or trade by the market for the underlying security or, in the case of index options, following the receipt of the opening price in the underlying index. The Lead Market Maker assigned in a particular U.S. dollar-settled FCO must enter a Valid Width Quote, in 90% of their assigned series, not later than 30 seconds after the announced market opening. The Lead Market Maker must promptly enter a Valid Width Quote in the remainder of their assigned series, which did not open within one minute following the dissemination of a quote or trade by the market for the underlying security or, in the case of index options, following the receipt of the opening price in the underlying index or, with respect to a U.S. dollar-settled FCO, following the announced market opening.

(iv) A Phlx Electronic Market Maker other than a Lead Market Maker that submits a quote pursuant to this Options 3, Section 8 in any option series when the Lead Market Maker's quote has not been submitted shall be required to submit continuous, two-sided quotes in such option series until such time as the Lead Market Maker submits his/her quote, after which the Phlx Electronic Market Maker that submitted such quote shall be obligated to submit quotations pursuant to Options 2, Section 5.

(v) The Opening Process will stop and an option series will not open if the ABBO becomes crossed or when a Valid Width Quote(s) pursuant to paragraph (d)(i) is no longer present. Once each of these conditions no longer exist, the Opening Process in the affected option series will start again pursuant to paragraphs (f) - (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 PBBO (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 ("PBBO") that exist in the System at that time, unless all three of the following conditions exist: (i) a Zero Bid Market; (ii) no ABBO; and (iii) no Quality Opening Market. If all of these conditions exist, the Exchange will calculate an Opening Quote Range pursuant to paragraph (j) and conduct the Price Discovery Mechanism pursuant to paragraph (k) below.

(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 is 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)(A)(iii) and (j)(5) - (7) below contain additional provisions related to Potential Opening Price.

(A) 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 to the minimum price variation that is closest to the closing price for the affected series from the immediately prior trading session. If there is no closing price from the immediately prior trading session, the System will round up to the minimum price variation to determine the Opening Price.

(B) 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.

(C) 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. (A) 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:

(i) the Potential Opening Price is at or within the best of the Pre-Market BBO and the ABBO;

(ii) the Potential Opening Price is at or within the non-zero bid ABBO if the Pre-Market BBO is crossed; or

(iii) where there is no ABBO, the Potential Opening Price is at or within the Pre-Market BBO which is also a Quality Opening Market.

(B) If there is more than one Potential Opening Price which meets the conditions set forth in (A) above where:

(1) no contracts would be left unexecuted and

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

(a) the Pre-Market BBO, or

(b) 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, 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 such that the least aggressive buy order or Valid Width Quote bid and least aggressive sell order or Valid Width Quote offer within the OQR further bounds 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)(v)) 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 are Valid Width Quotes on the Exchange that cross each other, and there is no away market disseminating a BBO in the affected option series:

(a) The minimum value for the OQR will be the lowest quote bid among Valid Width Quotes on the Exchange.

(b) The maximum value for the OQR will be the highest quote offer among Valid Width Quotes on the Exchange.

(5) 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.

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

(7) 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 routable Public Customer and Professional interest pursuant to Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(A).

(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.

(A) 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.

(1) An Imbalance Message will be disseminated showing a "0" volume and a $0.00 price if: (i) no executions are possible but routable interest is priced at or through the ABBO; (ii) internal quotes are crossing each other; or (iii) there is a Valid Width Quote, but there is no Quality Opening Market. Where the Potential Opening Price is through the ABBO, an imbalance message will display the side of interest priced through the ABBO.

(2)

(B) 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.

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

(1) 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

(2) 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.

(3) If no trade occurred pursuant to (2) above, when the Route Timer expires, if the Potential Opening Price is within OQR (and would not trade through the limit price(s) of interest within OQR that 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 Phlx Best Bid/Offer ("PBBO") 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.

(4) 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 (3) will repeat (except no new Route Timer will be initiated).

(5) Forced Opening. After all additional Imbalance Messages have occurred pursuant to paragraph (4) 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, unless the member that submitted the original order has instructed the Exchange in writing to reenter the remaining size, in which case the remaining size will be automatically submitted as a new order. All other interest will be eligible for trading after opening, if consistent with the member's instructions.

(6) The System will execute orders at the Opening Price that have contingencies and non-routable orders, such as a "Do Not Route" or "DNR" Orders, to the extent possible. The System will only route non-contingency Public Customer and Professional orders.

(D) Pursuant to Options 3, Section 8(k)(C)(6), 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 PBBO.

(E) 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.

(F) 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 (PBBO).

(G) 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 Phlx on its website. If an option series has not opened before the conclusion of the Opening Process Cancel Timer, a member 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 Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended Mar. 23, 2020 (20-14); amended April 14, 2020 (20-20), operative June 22, 2020; amended Jun. 23, 2020 (20-32); amended July 19, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-42); amended Jun. 27, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-27), operative Jul. 27, 2023; amended Aug. 3, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-34), operative Jan. 29, 2024.

Section 9. Trading Halts

(a) Automated Trading Halts. Trading will automatically be halted by the System in an option when:

(1) trading in the underlying stock or Exchange-Traded Fund Share has been halted or suspended in the primary market or is subject to a regulatory halt on the primary market;

(2) the opening of such underlying stock or Exchange-Traded Fund Share has been delayed because of unusual circumstances; or

(3) trading in the underlying stock or Exchange-Traded Fund Share has been paused by the primary market.

(b) Manual Trading Halt. Trading on the Exchange in any class of option contracts shall be halted whenever an Options Exchange Official deems such action appropriate in the interests of a fair and orderly market and to protect investors. Among the factors that may be considered are that:

(1) occurrence of an act of God or other event outside the Exchange's control;

(2) a Trading System (for purposes of this Rule, "Trading System" or "System" is defined as the Exchange's current automated System or any other Exchange quotation, transaction reporting, execution, order routing or other Systems for trading options) technical failure or failures including, but not limited to, the failure of a part of the central processing System, a number of member or member organization trading applications, or the electrical power supply to the System itself or any related System; or

(3) other unusual conditions or circumstances are present.

Manual Authority. An Options Exchange Official shall have the authority, respecting a particular class or series of options, to delay the opening, to halt and reopen after a halt, to open where the underlying stock or Exchange-Traded Fund Share has not opened or current quotations are unavailable for any foreign currency, and to conduct a closing rotation on the business day of expiration, or, in the case of an option contract expiring on a day that is not a business day, on the trading day prior to expiration where the underlying stock or Exchange-Traded Fund Share did not open or was halted, whenever such action is deemed necessary in the interests of maintaining a fair and orderly market in such class or series of options and to protect investors.

(c) In the event the Exchange halts trading pursuant to paragraphs (a) or (b) above, all trading in the affected option shall be halted. The Exchange shall disseminate through its trading facilities and over OPRA a symbol with respect to such option indicating that trading has been halted, and a record of the time and duration of the halt shall be made available to vendors.

No member or member organization or person associated with a member or member organization shall effect a trade on the Exchange in any option 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 Exchange will not open an affected option.

(2) After the opening, the Exchange shall reject Market Orders, as defined in Options 8, Section 32(a) (including Complex Orders, as defined in Options 3, Section 14), and shall notify Participants of the reason for such rejection. The Exchange shall cancel Complex Orders that are Market Orders residing in the System if they are about to be executed by the System.

(3) After the opening, the Exchange shall elect Stop Orders, as defined in Options 8, Section 32(c)(2), and, because they become Market Orders, shall cancel them back and notify Participants of the reason for such rejection.

(4) When evaluating whether a Market Maker or Lead Market Maker has met the continuous quoting obligations of Options 2, Section 5(c)(2)(A) and (B), respectively, 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.

(5) Electronic trades are not subject to an obvious error or catastrophic error review pursuant to Options 3, Section 20(c) or (d). Nothing in this provision shall prevent electronic 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) - (k).

(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) During a halt, the Exchange will maintain existing orders on the book (but not existing quotes), except as noted in Options 5, Section 4, accept orders and quotes, and process cancels. During a halt, existing quotes are cancelled and auction orders and auction responses, as well as Crossing Orders, are rejected.

(g) Resumption of Trading After a Halt. Trading in an option that has been the subject of a halt under this rule shall be resumed: (A) in the case of a manual halt, upon the determination by an Options Exchange Official 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; or (B) in the case of an automatic trading halt, the conditions which led to the halt are no longer present, and, in either case, in no circumstances will trading be resumed before the Exchange has received notification that the underlying stock or Exchange-Traded Fund Share has resumed trading on at least one exchange. If, however, trading has not been resumed on the primary market for the underlying stock or Exchange-Traded Fund Share after ten minutes have passed since the underlying stock or Exchange-Traded Fund Share was paused by the primary market, trading in such options contracts may be resumed by the Exchange if the underlying stock or Exchange-Traded Fund Share has resumed trading on at least one exchange. Trading shall resume according to the process set forth in Options 3, Section 8.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03).

Section 10. Electronic Execution Priority and Processing in the System

(a) Execution Algorithm - The Exchange will apply a Size Pro-Rata execution algorithm to electronic orders, unless otherwise specified. 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. If the result is not a whole number, it will be rounded down to the nearest whole number, unless otherwise specified. Size Pro-Rata Priority shall mean that resting orders and quotes in the order book are prioritized according to price. If there are two or more resting orders or quotes at the same price, the System allocates contracts from an incoming order or quote to resting orders and quotes proportionally according to size, based on the total number of contracts available to be executed at that price.

(1) Priority Overlays Applicable to Size Pro-Rata Execution Algorithm: the Exchange will apply the following designated market participant priority overlays. No participant shall be entitled to receive a number of contracts that is greater than the displayed size that is associated with their quotation or order.

(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 interest at the same price, provided the Public Customer order is an executable order. 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.

(B) Enhanced Lead Market Maker Priority: A Lead Market Maker may be assigned by the Exchange in each option class in accordance with Options 2, Section 12. After all Public Customer orders have been fully executed, provided the Lead Market Maker's quote is at the better of the internal PBBO or the NBBO the Lead Market Maker may be afforded a participation entitlement. The Lead Market Maker shall not be entitled to receive a number of contracts that is greater than the displayed size associated with such Lead Market Maker. The Lead Market Maker shall be entitled to receive the allocation described in this paragraph (a)(1)(B)(i), unless the order is a Directed Order and the Lead Market Maker is not the Directed Market Maker.

(i) When the Lead Market Maker is at the same price as an SQT, RSQT or non-SQT Market Maker (collectively "Market Makers") and the number of contracts is greater than 5, the Lead Market Maker shall receive the greater of:

(a) (i) 60% of remaining interest if there is one other Market Maker at that price;(ii) 40% of remaining interest if there are two other Market Makers at that price; or (iii) 30% of remaining interest if there are more than two other Market Makers at that price ( the "Lead Market Maker Participation Entitlement"); or

(b) the Lead Market Maker's Size Pro-Rata share under subparagraph (a)(1)(E) ("Market Maker Priority"); or

(c) the Directed Market Maker participation entitlement, if any, set forth in subparagraph (a)(1)(C) below (if the order is a Directed Order and the Lead Market Maker is also the Directed Market Maker) ("Directed Market Maker Priority").

When the Lead Market Maker is also the DROT the Lead Market Maker/Directed Market Maker does not participate in the below Market Maker Priority at (a)(i)(E).

(C) Directed Market Maker Priority: After all Public Customer orders have been fully executed, upon receipt of a Directed Order pursuant to Options 2, Section 10, provided the Directed Market Maker's quote or market maker order is at the better of the internal PBBO or the NBBO, the Directed Market Maker will be afforded a participation entitlement. This participation entitlement will be considered after the Opening Process.

(i) When the Directed Market Maker is at the same price as an SQT, RSQT or non-SQT Market Maker (collectively "Market Makers"), pursuant to the Directed Market Maker participation entitlement, the Directed Market Maker shall receive, with respect to a Directed Order, the greater of:

(a) 40% of remaining interest; or

(b) the Directed Market Maker's Size Pro-Rata share under subparagraph (a)(1)(E) ("Market Maker Priority"); or

(c) the Lead Market Maker Participation Entitlement in subparagraph (a)(1)(B), if the Directed Market Maker is also the Lead Market Maker

When a Directed Market Maker Priority is applied, the Directed Market Maker does not participate in the below Market Maker Priority at (a)(i)(E).

If there are multiple quotes or orders for the same Directed Market Maker at the same price which are at the better of the internal PBBO or the NBBO when the Directed Order is received, the Directed Market Maker participation entitlement shall apply only to the Directed Market Maker quote or order which has the highest priority. The Directed Market Maker quote or order that received the Directed Order may not receive any further allocation of the Directed Order, except as noted in subparagraph (a)(1)(E) below. If rounding would result in an allocation of less than one contract, the Directed Market Maker shall receive one contract.

(D) 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 25%.

(i) 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 PBBO or the NBBO, with no other Public Customer or Directed Market Maker interest with a higher priority.

(ii) If the Lead Market Maker's quote is at the better of the internal PBBO 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)(E); thereafter orders will be allocated pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)(F).

(E) Market Maker Priority: After all Public Customer orders have been fully executed, provided the Public Customer order is an executable order, and Lead Market Maker Participation Entitlement or Directed Market Maker Priority are applied, if applicable, remaining Market Maker interest shall have priority over all other orders at the same price. If there are two or more Market Maker quotes or orders for the same options series at the same price, those shall be executed based on the Size Pro-Rata execution algorithm.

(F) Odd Lot Allocation: If there are contracts remaining after Market Maker Priority is applied, such contracts shall be allocated by randomly assigning all Market Makers (including the Lead Market Maker or Directed Market Maker) an order of allocation each trading day, and allocating orders, quotes and sweeps in accordance with the trading day's order assignment, provided the Market Maker, is at the best price at which the order, quote or sweep is being traded.

(G) 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. In the event that there are remaining contracts to be allocated for interest after rounding, which includes orders of all remaining market participants, such remaining contracts will be allocated in time priority provided the interest is at the best price at which the order is being traded.

(2) A market maker is entitled only to an Enhanced Lead Market Maker Allocation pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)(B) or the Entitlement for Orders of 5 contracts or fewer pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)(D) on a quote or the Directed Market Maker Priority pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)(C) on a quote or market maker order.

(b) Zero-Bid Option Series. In the case where the bid price for any options series 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 Process and persist after the Opening Process, those orders are posted at a price equal to the minimum trading increment as defined in Options 3, Section 3.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended January 26, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-05); amended Jun. 27, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-27), operative Jul. 27, 2023; amended Aug. 3, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-34), operative Jan. 29, 2024.

Section 11. Reserved

 

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03).

Section 12. Electronic Qualified Contingent Cross Order

(a) A Qualified Contingent Cross Order is comprised of an originating electronic order to buy or sell at least 1,000 contracts that is identified as being part of a qualified contingent trade, as that term is defined in subsection (3) below, coupled with a contra-side order or orders totaling an equal number of contracts.

(1) Qualified Contingent Cross Orders are immediately executed upon entry into the System by an Order Entry Firm provided that (i) no Public Customer orders are at the same price on the Exchange's Limit Order book and (ii) the price is at or between the better of the PBBO and the NBBO.

(A) Qualified Contingent Cross Orders will be automatically cancelled if they cannot be executed.

(B) Qualified Contingent Cross Orders may only be entered in the regular trading increments applicable to the options class under Options 3, Section 3.

(2) Qualified Contingent Cross Orders shall only be submitted electronically from off the Floor to the System. Order Entry Firms must maintain books and records demonstrating that each Qualified Contingent Cross Order was routed to the Exchange System from off of the Floor. Any Qualified Contingent Cross Order that does not have a corresponding record required by this subsection shall be deemed to have been entered from on the Floor in violation of this Rule.

(3) A "qualified contingent trade" is a transaction consisting of two or more component orders, executed as agent or principal, where:

(A) At least one component is an NMS Stock, as defined in Rule 600 of Regulation NMS under the Exchange Act;

(B) all components are effected with a product or price contingency that either has been agreed to by all the respective counterparties or arranged for by a broker-dealer as principal or agent;

(C) the execution of one component is contingent upon the execution of all other components at or near the same time;

(D) the specific relationship between the component orders (e.g., the spread between the prices of the component orders) is determined by the time the contingent order is placed;

(E) the component orders bear a derivative relationship to one another, represent different classes of shares of the same issuer, or involve the securities of participants in mergers or with intentions to merge that have been announced or cancelled; and

(F) the transaction is fully hedged (without regard to any prior existing position) as a result of other components of the contingent trade.

Supplementary Material to Options 3, Section 12

.01 Stop orders which have not been elected are not protected orders and are thus not considered for the acceptance or execution of QCC Orders.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended Mar. 5, 2020 (20-08), operative April 4, 2020; amended Aug. 3, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-34), operative Jan. 29, 2024.

Section 13. Price Improvement XL ("PIXL")

A member may electronically submit for execution an order it represents as agent on behalf of a Public Customer, broker-dealer, or any other entity ("PIXL Order") against principal interest or against any other order (except as provided in sub-paragraph (a)(6) below) it represents as agent (an "Initiating Order") provided it submits the PIXL Order for electronic execution into the PIXL Auction ("Auction") pursuant to this Rule. The execution of a PIXL Order that is comprised of a Public Customer order to buy and a Public Customer to sell at the same price and for the same quantity will be governed by Options 3, Section 13(a) and (f) ("Public Customer-to-Public Customer Cross Order").

(a) Auction Eligibility Requirements. All options traded on the Exchange are eligible for PIXL. A member (the "Initiating Member") may initiate an Auction provided all of the following are met:

(1) If the PIXL Order (except if it is a Complex Order) is for less than 50 option contracts, and if the difference between the National Best Bid and National Best Offer ("NBBO") is $0.01, the Initiating Member must stop the entire PIXL Order at a price that is:

(A) $0.01 better than the NBBO on the opposite side of the market from the PIXL Order, and

(B) on the same side of the market as the PIXL Order,

(i) equal to or better than the NBBO and

(ii) better than any Limit Order on the Limit Order book. If the PIXL Order is for a Non-Public Customer, the PIXL Order must also be better than any quote on the same side of the market as the PIXL Order.

(2) If the PIXL Order (except if it is a Complex 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 is greater than $0.01, the Initiating Member must stop the entire PIXL Order (except if it is a Complex Order) at a price that is:

(A) equal to or better than the NBBO and the internal market PBBO (the "Reference BBO") on the opposite side of the market from the PIXL Order, and

(B) on the same side of the market as the PIXL Order,

(i) at least $0.01 better than any Limit Order on the Limit Order book,

(ii) at or better than the PIXL Order’s limit price (if the order is a Limit Order), and

(iii) equal to or better than the NBBO.

(3) If the PIXL Order (except if it is a Complex 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 is greater than $0.01, the Initiating Member must stop the entire PIXL Order (except if it is a Complex Order) at a price that is:

(A) equal to or better than the NBBO and the internal market PBBO (the “Reference BBO”) on the opposite side of the market from the PIXL Order, and

(B) on the same side of the market as the PIXL Order, the better of:

(i) the Reference BBO price improved by at least $0.01,

(ii) the PIXL Order's limit price (if the order is a Limit Order), or

(iii) equal to or better than the NBBO.

(4) If the PIXL Order is a Complex Order and of a conforming ratio, as defined in Options 3, Section 14(a)(i) and (a)(ix), the Initiating Member must stop the entire PIXL order at a price that is better than the best net price (debit or credit)

(A) available on the Complex Order book regardless of the Complex Order book size, and

(B) achievable from the best Phlx bids and offers for the individual options (an "improved net price"), provided in either case that such price is equal to or better than the PIXL Order's limit price. Complex Orders consisting of a ratio other than a conforming ratio will not be accepted. This subparagraph (4) shall apply to all Complex Orders submitted into PIXL.

(5) PIXL Orders that do not comply with the requirements of sub-paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) above are not eligible to initiate an Auction and will be rejected.

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

(7) PIXL Orders submitted during the final two seconds of the trading session in the affected series are not eligible to initiate an Auction and will be rejected.

(8) An Initiating Order may not be a solicited order for the account of any Exchange Lead Market Maker, SQT, RSQT or non-streaming Market Maker assigned in the affected series.

If any of the above criteria are not met, the PIXL Order will be rejected. Pursuant to paragraph (f), the Exchange will allow a Public Customer-to-Public Customer PIXL Order to trade on either the bid or offer, if the NBBO is $0.01 wide, provided (1) the execution price is equal to or within the NBBO, (2) there is no resting Public Customer at the execution price, and (3) $0.01 is the Minimum Price Variation (MPV) of the option. The Exchange will continue to reject a PIXL 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 on the bid (offer).

(b) Auction Process. Only one Auction may be conducted at a time in the same series or same strategy, otherwise the orders will be rejected. Once commenced, an Auction may not be cancelled and shall proceed as follows:

(1) Auction Period and PIXL Auction Notification ("PAN").

(A) To initiate the Auction (except if it is a Complex Order), the Initiating Member must mark the PIXL Order for Auction processing, and specify either: (i) a single price at which it seeks to execute the PIXL Order (a "stop price"); (ii) 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 PIXL Order will be stopped at the better of the NBBO or the Reference BBO on the Initiating Order side; or (iii) that it is willing to either: a) 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 "Not Worse Than" or "NWT" price); b) 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 c) stop the entire order at the better of the NBBO or Reference BBO 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 PBBO on the same side of the market as the PIXL Order represents a Limit Order on the book, the stop price must be at least $0.01 better than the booked Limit Order's limit price. Once the Initiating Member has submitted a PIXL Order for processing pursuant to this subparagraph, such PIXL Order may not be modified or cancelled. Under any of the circumstances described in subparagraphs (i)-(iii) above, the stop price or NWT price may be improved to the benefit of the PIXL Order during the Auction, but may not be cancelled. Under no circumstances will the Initiating Member 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, when competing quotes, orders or PAN responses have contracts available for execution.

When starting an Auction, the Initiating Member may submit the Initiating Order with a designation of "surrender" to the other PIXL participants ("Surrender") which will result in the Initiating Member forfeiting the priority and trade allocation privileges which he is otherwise entitled to as per paragraph (b)(5)(B)(i). If Surrender is specified the Initiating Order will only trade if there is not enough interest available to fully execute the PIXL 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 Member than that which the Initiating Member 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 PIXL Order are Public Customer orders. Surrender information will not be available to other market participants and may not be modified.

(B) To initiate the PIXL Complex Order Auction, the Initiating Member must mark the PIXL Order for Auction processing, and specify either: (i) a single price at which it seeks to execute the PIXL Order (a "stop price"); or (ii) that it is willing to either: a) 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 "Not Worse Than" or "NWT" price); or (b) 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. Once the Initiating Member has submitted a PIXL Complex Order for processing pursuant to this subparagraph, such PIXL Order may not be modified or cancelled. Under any of the circumstances described in sub-paragraphs (i)-(ii) above, the stop price or NWT price may be improved to the benefit of the PIXL Order during the Auction, but may not be cancelled.

When starting a PIXL Complex Order Auction, the Initiating Member may submit the Initiating Order with a designation of "surrender" to the other PIXL participants ("Surrender") which will result in the Initiating Member forfeiting the priority and trade allocation privileges which he is otherwise entitled to as per paragraph (b)(5)(B)(iv). If Surrender is specified the Initiating Order will only trade if there is not enough interest available to fully execute the PIXL 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 Member than that which the Initiating Member 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 PIXL Complex Order are Public Customer orders. Surrender information will not be available to other market participants and may not be modified.

(C) When the Exchange receives a PIXL Order for Auction processing, a PAN detailing the side and size and option series of the PIXL Order will be sent over the Exchange's TOPO data feed pursuant to Options 3, Section 23(a)(1) and Specialized Quote Feed pursuant to Options 3, Section (a)(i)(B).

(D) 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.

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

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

(G) (i) The minimum price increment for PAN responses and for an Initiating Member's stop price and/or NWT price (except if it is a Complex Order) shall be $0.01.

(ii) The minimum price increment for PAN responses and for an Initiating Member's stop price and/or NWT price in the case of a Complex Order shall be $0.01.

(H) A PAN response size at any given price point may not exceed the size of the PIXL Order. A PAN response with a size greater than the size of the PIXL Order will be immediately cancelled.

(I) A PAN response (except if it is a Complex Order) must be equal to or better than the NBBO and the Reference BBO at the time of receipt of the PAN response. A Complex Order PAN response must be equal to or better than the cPBBO, as defined in Options 3, Section 14(a) at the time of receipt of the PAN response. PAN responses may be modified or cancelled during the Auction. A PAN response (except if it is a Complex Order) submitted with a price that is outside the better of the NBBO or Reference BBO will be immediately cancelled. A Complex Order PAN response submitted with a price that is outside the cPBBO will be rejected. A PAN or Complex Order PAN response which is inferior to the stop price of the PIXL order will be cancelled.

(J) PAN responses on the same side of the market as the PIXL Order are considered invalid and will be immediately cancelled.

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

(2) Conclusion of Auction. The PIXL Auction shall conclude at the earlier to occur of (A) through (D) below, with the PIXL Order executing pursuant to paragraph (2)(A) through (D) below.

(A) The end of the Auction period;

(B) For a PIXL Auction (except if it is a Complex Order), any time the Reference BBO crosses the PIXL Order stop price on the same side of the market as the PIXL Order;

(C) For a Complex Order PIXL Auction, any time the cPBBO including Reference BBO or the Complex Order book crosses the PIXL Order stop price on the same side of the market as the PIXL Order (defined for these purposes as a "Complex PIXL Order" or, as the context requires, a "PIXL Order"); or

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

(3) If the situations described in sub-paragraphs (2)(B), (C), or (D) above occur, the entire PIXL Order will be executed at: (A) in the case of the Reference BBO crossing the PIXL 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 PHLX book on the same side of the market as the PIXL Order, in which case the PIXL 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; (B) in the case of the cPBBO or the Complex Order book crossing the Complex PIXL Order stop price on the same side of the market as the Complex PIXL Order, the stop price against executable PAN responses and executable Complex Orders using the allocation algorithm in subparagraph (5)(B)(iv)(a) through d); or (C) in the case of a trading halt on the Exchange in the affected series, the stop price, in which case the PIXL Order will be executed solely against the Initiating Order. Any unexecuted PAN responses will be cancelled.

(4) Unrelated market or marketable interest (against the PBBO) on the opposite side of the market from the PIXL Order received during the Auction will not cause the Auction to end early and will execute against interest outside of the Auction. In the case of a Complex PIXL Auction, an unrelated market or marketable limit Complex Order on the opposite side of the market from the Complex PIXL Order as well as interest for the individual components of the Complex 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-paragraph (5) below.

(5) Order Allocation. At the conclusion of the Auction, the PIXL Order will be allocated at the best price(s) as follows:

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

(B) After Public Customer interest at a particular price level has been satisfied, remaining contracts will be allocated among all Exchange quotes, orders and PAN responses as follows:

(i) If the Initiating Member selected the single stop price option of the PIXL Auction (except if it is a Complex Order), PIXL executions will occur at prices that improve the stop price, and then at the stop price with up to 40% of the remaining contracts after Public Customer interest is satisfied being allocated to the Initiating Member at the stop price. However, if only one other participant matches the stop price, then the Initiating Member may be allocated up to 50% of the contracts executed at such price. Remaining contracts shall be allocated pursuant to the algorithm set forth in Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(G) among remaining quotes, orders and PAN responses at the stop price. Thereafter, remaining contracts, if any, shall be allocated to the Initiating Member. The allocation will account for Surrender, if applicable.

(ii) If the Initiating Member selected the auto-match option of the PIXL Auction (except if it is a Complex Order), the Initiating Member 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 Member shall be entitled to receive up to 40% (if there are multiple competing quotes, orders or PAN responses) or 50% (if there is only one competing quote, order or PAN response) of the contracts remaining 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 the algorithm set forth in paragraph (a)(1). Any remaining contracts shall be allocated to the Initiating Member.

(iii) In the case of a PIXL (except if it is a Complex Order), if the Initiating Member selected the "stop and NWT" option of the PIXL Auction, contracts shall be allocated as follows:

a. first to quotes, orders and PAN responses at prices better than the NWT price (if any), beginning with the best price, pursuant to the algorithm set forth in Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(A) and (E) – (G) at each price point;

b. next, to quotes, orders and PAN responses at prices at the Initiating Member's NWT price and better than the Initiating Member's stop price, beginning with the NWT price. The Initiating Member 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 Member shall be entitled to receive up to 40% (if there are multiple competing quotes, orders or PAN responses) or 50% (if there is only one competing quote, order or PAN response) of the contracts remaining 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 Member 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 Member shall be entitled to receive up to 40% (if there are multiple competing quotes, orders or PAN responses) or 50% (if there is only one competing quote, order or PAN response) of the contracts remaining 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 the algorithm set forth in paragraph Options 3, Section 10(a)(1)(E) – (G). Any remaining contracts shall be allocated to the Initiating Member.

(iv) In the case of a Complex Order PIXL, if the Initiating Member selected the single stop price option of the PIXL Auction, PIXL executions will occur at prices that improve the stop price, and then at the stop price with up to 40% of the remaining contracts after Public Customer complex interest is satisfied being allocated to the Initiating Member at the stop price. If only one other participant matches the stop price, then the Initiating Member may be allocated up to 50% of the contracts executed at such price. Complex Orders on the PHLX Complex Order Book, PAN responses, and quotes and orders which comprise the cPBBO at the end of the Auction will be considered for allocation against the Complex PIXL order. Such interest will be allocated at a given price in the following order: a) to Public Customer Complex Orders and PAN responses in time priority; b) to SQT, RSQT, and Floor Market Maker Complex Orders and PAN responses on a size pro-rata basis; c) to non-market maker off-floor broker-dealer Complex Orders and PAN responses on a size pro-rata basis, and d) to quotes and orders which comprise the cPBBO at the end of the Auction with Public Customer interest being satisfied first in time priority, then to SQT, RSQT, and Floor Market Maker interest satisfied on a size pro-rata basis, and lastly to non-market maker off-floor broker-dealers on a size pro-rata basis. If the final price point is equal to the stop price, the Initiating Member will be allocated 40% (or 50% if matching only one other participant) after Public Customer Complex Orders and PAN responses have been satisfied, thereafter the allocation will continue as stipulated in b) through d) of this sub-paragraph. Thereafter, remaining contracts, if any, shall be allocated to the Initiating Member. The allocation will account for Surrender, if applicable.

(v) In the case of a Complex Order PIXL, if the Initiating Member selected the "stop and NWT" option of the PIXL Auction, contracts shall be allocated as follows:

a. First to Complex Orders and PAN responses at prices better than the NWT price, as well as to quotes and orders which comprise the cPBBO at the end of the Auction, if such cPBBO is better than the NWT price, pursuant to the algorithm set forth above in (b)(5)(B)(iv)(a) through d) of this rule;

b. Next, to Complex Orders and PAN responses, as well as to quotes and orders which comprise the cPBBO at the end of the Auction, at the Initiating Member's NWT price and at prices better than or equal to the Initiating Member's stop price, beginning with the NWT price. The Initiating Member shall be allocated an equal number of contracts as the aggregate size of all other interest at each price point, except that the Initiating Member shall be entitled to receive up to 40% (or 50% if matching only one other participant) of the contracts remaining, after Public Customer Complex Orders and PAN responses have been satisfied, at the final price point (including situations where the final price is the stop price). In the case of an Initiating Order with a NWT price at the market, the Initiating Member shall be allocated an equal number of contracts as the aggregate size of all other interest at all price points, except that the Initiating Member shall be entitled to receive up to 40% (or 50% if matching only one other participant) of the contracts remaining, after Public Customer Complex Orders and PAN responses have been satisfied, at the final price point (including situations where the final price is the stop price). If there is other interest at the final price point the contracts will be allocated to such interest pursuant to the algorithm set forth in (b)(5)(B)(iv)a) through d) of this rule. Any remaining contracts shall be allocated to the Initiating Member.

(vi) A single quote, order or PAN response shall not be allocated a number of contracts that is greater than its size. Where the allocation of contracts results in remaining amounts, the number of contracts to be allocated shall be rounded down to the nearest integer. If rounding would result in an allocation of less than one contract, then one contract will be allocated to the Initiating Member only if the Initiating Member did not otherwise receive an allocation. If there are contracts remaining, such contracts shall be allocated for simple interest after rounding by randomly assigning all Market Makers an order of allocation each trading day, and allocating orders, quotes and sweeps in accordance with the trading day's order assignment, provided the Market Maker is at the best price at which the order, quote or sweep is being traded, except with respect to Complex Orders, which allocation is described in Options 3, Section 14. In the event that there are remaining contracts to be allocated for interest after rounding, such remaining contacts will be allocated in time priority, provided the off-floor broker-dealers are at the best price at which the order is being traded. Remaining shares will be allocated in time priority for Complex Orders. The allocation will account for Surrender, if applicable.

(vii) A Complex PIXL Order consisting of a stock/ETF component will not execute against interest comprising the cPBBO at the end of the Auction.

(6) If there are PAN responses (except if it is a Complex Order) that cross the then existing better of the Reference BBO and NBBO (provided such NBBO is not crossed) or Complex Order PAN responses that cross the cPBBO at the time of the conclusion of the Auction, such PAN responses will be executed, if possible, at their limit price(s).

(7) If the execution PIXL Auction price (except if it is a Complex Order) would be the same or better than an order on the Limit Order book represented in the PBBO on the same side of the market as the PIXL Order, the PIXL 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 PIXL Order will trade at the stop price with all better priced interest being considered for execution at the stop price.

(8) If the execution Complex Order PIXL Auction price would be the same or better than a Complex Order on the Complex Order Book on the same side of the market as the PIXL Order, the PIXL 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 PIXL Order will trade at the stop price with all better priced interest being considered for execution at the stop price.

(9) Any unexecuted PAN responses will be cancelled.

(10) Complex PIXL Orders with stock/ETF components.

(i) Member organizations may only submit Complex PIXL Orders, Initiating Orders, Complex Orders, and/or PAN responses with a stock/ETF component if such orders/responses comply with the Qualified Contingent Trade Exemption from Rule 611(a) of Regulation NMS. Member organizations submitting such orders with a stock/ETF component represent that such orders comply with the Qualified Contingent Trade Exemption. Members of FINRA or The Nasdaq Stock Market ("Nasdaq") are required to have a Uniform Service Bureau/Executing Broker Agreement ("AGU") with Nasdaq Execution Services, LLC ("NES") in order to trade orders containing a stock/ETF component; firms that are not members of FINRA or Nasdaq are required to have a Qualified Special Representative ("QSR") arrangement with NES in order to trade orders containing a stock/ETF component.

(ii) Where one component of a Complex PIXL Order, Initiating Order, Complex Order, or PAN response is the underlying security, the Exchange shall electronically communicate the underlying security component of a Complex PIXL Order (together with the Initiating Order, Complex Order, or PAN response, as applicable) to NES, its designated broker-dealer, for immediate execution. Such execution and reporting will occur otherwise than on the Exchange and will be handled by NES pursuant to applicable rules regarding equity trading.

(iii) When the short sale price test in Rule 201 of Regulation SHO is triggered for a covered security, NES will not execute a short sale order in the underlying covered security component of a Complex PIXL Order, Initiating Order, Complex Order, or PAN response if the price is equal to or below the current national best bid. However, NES will execute a short sale order in the underlying covered security component of a Complex PIXL Order, Initiating Order, Complex Order, or PAN response if such order is marked "short exempt," regardless of whether it is at a price that is equal to or below the current national best bid. If NES cannot execute the underlying covered security component of a Complex PIXL Order, Initiating Order, Complex Order, or PAN response in accordance with Rule 201 of Regulation SHO, the Exchange will cancel back the Complex PIXL Order, Initiating Order, Complex Order, and/or PAN response to the entering member organization. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "covered security" shall have the same meaning as in Rule 201(a)(1) of Regulation SHO.

(11) PIXL ISO Order. A PIXL ISO order (PIXL ISO) is the transmission of two orders for crossing pursuant to this Rule without regard for better priced Protected Bids/Offers (as defined in Options 5, Section 1) because the member transmitting the PIXL ISO to the Exchange has, simultaneously with the routing of the PIXL ISO, routed one or more ISOs, as necessary, to execute against the full displayed size of any Protected Bid/Offer that is superior to the starting PIXL Auction price and has swept all interest in the Exchange's book priced better than the proposed Auction starting price. Any execution(s) resulting from such sweeps shall accrue to the PIXL Order.

(c) The PIXL 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(c) if an Initiating Member submits a PIXL Order (initiating an Auction) and also submits its own PAN response in the same Auction.

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

(e) A pattern or practice of submitting unrelated orders or quotes that cross the stop price, causing a PIXL Auction to conclude before the end of the PIXL Auction period will be deemed conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade and a violation of General 9, Section 1(c). It will also be deemed conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade and a violation of General 9, Section 1(c) to engage in a pattern of conduct where the Initiating Member breaks up a PIXL Order into separate orders for the purpose of gaining a higher allocation percentage than the Initiating Member would have otherwise received in accordance with the allocation procedures contained in subparagraph (b)(5) above.

(f) In lieu of the procedures in paragraphs (a) - (b) above, an Initiating Member may enter a PIXL Order for the account of a Public Customer paired with an order for the account of a Public Customer and such paired orders will be automatically executed without a PIXL Auction, provided there is not currently an Auction in progress in the same series or same strategy, in which case the orders will be rejected. The execution price for such a PIXL Order (except if it is a Complex Order) must be expressed in the quoting increment applicable to the affected series. Such an execution may not trade through the better of the NBBO or Reference BBO or at the same price as any resting Public Customer order. The execution price for such a Complex Order PIXL may be in .01 increments and may not trade at a price equal to or through the cPBBO including Reference BBO or at the same price as a resting Public Customer Complex Order.

Options 3, Section 22(b)(1) prevents an Order Entry Firm from executing agency orders to increase its economic gain from trading against the order without first giving other trading interests on the Exchange an opportunity to either trade with the agency order or to trade at the execution price when the member was already bidding or offering on the book. However, the Exchange recognizes that it may be possible for a firm to establish a relationship with a customer or other person to deny agency orders the opportunity to interact on the Exchange and to realize similar economic benefits as it would achieve by executing agency orders as principal. It would be a violation of Options 3, Section 22(b)(1) for a firm to circumvent Options 3, Section 22(b)(1) by providing an opportunity for (i) a customer affiliated with the firm, or (ii) a customer with whom the firm has an arrangement that allows the firm to realize similar economic benefits from the transaction as the firm would achieve by executing agency orders as principal, to regularly execute against agency orders handled by the firm immediately upon their entry as PIXL customer-to-customer immediate crosses.

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

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended Mar. 5, 2020 (20-08), operative April 4, 2020; amended January 26, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-05); amended August 23, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-48); amended Aug. 30, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-41), operative Sep. 29, 2023; amended Aug. 3, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-34), operative Jan. 29, 2024.

Section 14. Complex Orders

(a) Definitions

(i) Complex Order. For purposes of the electronic trading of Complex Orders, a Complex Order is an order involving the simultaneous purchase and/or sale of two or more different options series in the same underlying security, priced as a net debit or credit based on the relative prices of the individual components, for the same account, for the purpose of executing a particular investment strategy.

A Complex Order can also be a stock-option order, which is an order to buy or sell a stated number of units of an underlying security (stock or Exchange Traded Fund Share ("ETF")) coupled with the purchase or sale of options contract(s). The underlying security must be the deliverable for the options component of that Complex Order and represent exactly 100 shares per option for regular way delivery. Stock-option orders can only be executed against other stock-option orders and cannot be executed by the System against orders for the individual components. Member organizations may only submit Complex Orders with a stock/ETF component if such orders comply with the Qualified Contingent Trade Exemption from Rule 611(a) of Regulation NMS. Member organizations submitting such Complex Orders with a stock/ETF component represent that such orders comply with the Qualified Contingent Trade Exemption. Members of FINRA or The Nasdaq Stock Market ("Nasdaq") are required to have a Uniform Service Bureau/Executing Broker Agreement ("AGU") with Nasdaq Execution Services, LLC ("NES") in order to trade Complex Orders containing a stock/ETF component; firms that are not members of FINRA or Nasdaq are required to have a Qualified Special Representative ("QSR") arrangement with NES in order to trade Complex Orders containing a stock/ETF component.

The maximum number of components of a Complex Order is six. A stock-option order may include up to five options components (legs).

(ii) Complex Order Strategy. The term "Complex Order Strategy" means a particular combination of components of a Complex Order and their ratios to one another. The Exchange will calculate both a bid price and an offer price for each Complex Order Strategy based on the current PBBO (as defined below) for each component of the Complex Order. Each Complex Order Strategy will be assigned a strategy identifier by the System.

(iii) PBBO. The term "PBBO" means the Phlx Best Bid and/or Offer for individual option series.

(iv) cPBBO. The term "cPBBO" means the best net debit or credit price for a Complex Order Strategy based on the PBBO for the individual options components of such Complex Order Strategy, and, where the underlying security is a component of the Complex Order, the National Best Bid and/or Offer for the underlying security.

(v) NBBO. The term "NBBO" means the National Best Bid and/or Offer for an individual option series.

(vi) cNBBO. The term "cNBBO" means the best net debit or credit price for a Complex Order Strategy based on the NBBO for the individual options components of a Complex Order Strategy, and, where the underlying security is a component of the Complex Order, the National Best Bid and/or Offer for the underlying security.

(vii) Participant, Phlx market maker and Phlx electronic market maker. The term "participant" means SQTs, RSQTs, Floor Market Makers, Lead Market Makers and non-Phlx market makers on another exchange; Public Customers, Professionals, Firms and non-market-maker off-floor broker-dealers; and Floor Brokers using the Options Floor Based Management System. The term "Phlx market maker" means SQTs, RSQTs, Lead Market Makers and Floor Market Maker. The term "Phlx electronic market maker" means SQTs, RSQTs and Lead Market Makers.

(viii) Do Not Auction. The term "Do Not Auction" means that this Complex Order is not "COLA-eligible," as defined in (d)(ii)(B) below and thus prevents it from triggering a Complex Order Live Auction, pursuant to paragraph (e) below, or joining one that is in progress.

(A) DNA Orders received prior to the opening or when the Complex Order Strategy is not available for trading will be cancelled.

(B) DNA Orders are cancelled if not immediately executed.

(C) DNA Orders will initially only be available for Complex Orders consisting of more than two options components or where the underlying security is a component; once the Exchange has fully rolled out its enhanced Complex Order System, which will be announced in an Options Trader Alert, DNA Orders will also become available for Complex Orders consisting of two options components.

(ix) Conforming ratio. The term "conforming ratio" is where the ratio between the sizes of the options components of a Complex Order is equal to or greater than one-to-three (.333) and less than or equal to three-to-one (3.00). For example, a one-to-two (.5) ratio, a two-to-three (.667) ratio, or a two-to-one (2.00) ratio is a conforming ratio, whereas a one-to-four (.25) ratio or a four-to-one (4.0) ratio is not; where one component of the Complex Order is the underlying security, the ratio between any options component and the underlying security component must be less than or equal to eight contracts to 100 shares of the underlying security.

(x) Firm. The term "Firm" means a broker-dealer trading for its own (proprietary) account that is: a member of The Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC") or maintains a Joint Back Office ("JBO") arrangement with an OCC member. Unless otherwise specified, Firms are included in the category of non-market-maker off-floor broker-dealer.

(b) Complex orders may be entered in increments of $0.01 with certain "time in force" designations and as certain order types with certain contingencies as follows:

(i) Public Customers and Professionals and non-market maker off-floor broker-dealers may enter the Complex Orders listed in paragraph (a) above as Day, Good Til Cancelled ("GTC") or Immediate or Cancel ("IOC") as those terms are defined in Options 3, Section 7(c).

(ii) SQTs, RSQTs, Floor Market Makers, Lead Market Makers and non-Phlx market makers on another exchange may enter the Complex Orders listed in paragraph (a) above as IOC only. In addition, for Complex Orders consisting of more than two options components or where the underlying security is a component, SQTs, RSQTs, non- SQT Market Makers, Lead Market Makers and non-Phlx market makers on another exchange may enter the Complex Orders listed in paragraph (a) above as Day orders; once the Exchange has fully rolled out its enhanced Complex Order System, which will be announced in an Options Trader Alert, Day orders will also become available for Complex Orders consisting of two options components.

(iii) Floor Brokers using the Options Floor Based Management System may enter the Complex Orders listed in paragraph (a) above as Day, GTC or IOC on behalf of Public Customers, Professionals and non-market-maker off-floor broker-dealers, and as IOC only on behalf of SQTs, RSQTs, Floor Market Makers, Lead Market Makers, non- Phlx market makers on another exchange and Firms.

(iv) Member organizations must mark the stock/ETF component of a Complex Order "long,""short," or "short exempt" in compliance with Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act.

(v) Complex Orders may be submitted as: All-or-None Orders, Cancel-Replacement Orders, Directed Orders, Limit Orders or Market Orders as those terms are defined in Options 3, Section 7(b).

(c)(i) A Complex Order is eligible to trade on the System only when each options component of the Complex Order is open for trading on the Exchange, and where the underlying security is a component of the Complex Order, such underlying security is open for trading on its primary market. Complex Orders may be executed against the Complex Order Book (as defined below) or placed on the Complex Order Book. Certain Complex Orders will be entered into a Complex Order Live Auction (as defined below) either following a Complex Order Opening Process (as defined below) or when a Complex Order improves the cPBBO.

(ii) Complex Orders will not trade on the System under the following conditions:

(A) the Complex Order is received prior to the opening on the Exchange of any options component of the Complex Order;

(B) during an opening rotation for any options component of the Complex Order;

(C) during a trading halt for any options component of the Complex Order;

(D) Reserved.

(E) when an automatic removal of quotes occurs in any options component of the Complex Order that represents all or a portion of the PBBO; or

(F) when the Exchange's market for any options component of the Complex Order is disseminated pursuant to Options 3, Section 6(a)(ii)(B).

Once the condition(s) set forth in sub-paragraphs (A) - (F) above have terminated, the System will begin a Complex Order Opening Process.

(iii) Spread Priority. (A) Complex Orders consisting of a conforming ratio may be executed at a total credit or debit price without giving priority to individual bids or offers established in the marketplace that are not better than the bids or offers comprising such total credit or debit, provided that if any of the bids or offers established in the marketplace consist of a Public Customer order, at least one option leg is executed at a better price than the established bid or offer for that option contract by the minimum trading increment and no option leg is executed at a price outside of the established bid or offer for that option contract.

(B) Where a Complex Order in a conforming ratio consists of the underlying security (stock or ETF) and one options leg, such options leg has priority over bids or offers established in the marketplace, except over bids or offers established by Public Customer orders. However, where a Complex Order in a conforming ratio consists of the underlying stock or ETF and more than one options leg, the options legs have priority over bids and offers established in the marketplace, including Public Customer orders, if at least one options leg improves the existing market for that option.

(C) Options 5, Section 2 shall apply to all Complex Order executions. Accordingly, Complex Orders with conforming ratios are eligible for the exception contained in Options 5, Section 2(b)(viii) and therefore may trade through the NBBO for that option.

(D) This paragraph (c) shall apply to all Complex Order executions, whether executed in a Complex Order Live Auction or otherwise.

(d) Complex Order Opening Process ("COOP").

(i) The System will accept pre-opening Complex Orders, and will accept Complex Orders prior to re-opening following a halt in trading on the Exchange. Complex Orders received prior to the opening or during a trading halt will reside on the CBOOK (as defined below). There will be one such COOP per Complex Order Strategy.

(ii) Once trading in each option component of a Complex Order Strategy has opened or reopened following a trading halt for a certain configurable time not to exceed 60 seconds (and none of the conditions described in paragraph (c)(ii) above exist), the System will initiate the COOP for that Complex Order Strategy, provided that a COOP will only be conducted for any Complex Order Strategy that has a Complex Order received before the opening of that Complex Order Strategy, unless that Complex Order Strategy is already open as a result of another electronic auction process or another electronic auction involving the same Complex Order Strategy is in progress. Following a trading halt, a COOP will be conducted for any Complex Order Strategy that has a Complex Order present or had previously opened prior to the trading halt. The COOP will be conducted in two phases, the "COOP Timer" (as defined below) and the "COOP Evaluation" (as defined below).

(A) COOP Timer.

(1) The Exchange will send a broadcast message indicating that a COOP has been initiated for that Complex Order Strategy. The broadcast message will identify the Complex Order Strategy, the opening price (based on the maximum number of contracts that can be executed at one particular price, except if there is no price at which any orders can be executed), and the imbalance side and volume, if any ("Complex Order Opening Auction Notification").

The Complex Order Opening Auction Notification starts a COOP Timer ("COOP Timer"), which will begin counting a number of seconds during which the Complex Order, if any, may not be traded. The COOP Timer is configurable to a period ranging from 0 to 600 seconds as determined by the Exchange and communicated to Exchange membership on the Exchange's website. The COOP Timer will be configured for the same number of seconds for all options trading on the Exchange. Participants can submit responses to the Complex Order Opening Auction Notification pursuant to subparagraph (B) below.

(2) Reserved.

(3) Complex Orders in such a Complex Order Strategy that are received during the COOP Timer and COOP Evaluation (as described below) will reside on the CBOOK (as defined below).

(4) Complex Orders received prior to the COOP Timer and Complex Orders received during the COOP Timer (other than COOP Sweeps and Complex Order Responses marked as a response) will be visible to participants upon receipt.

(5) Complex Orders in a Complex Order Strategy marked as IOC received during a COOP will join the COOP and be treated like any other Complex Order, except such orders will be cancelled at the end of the COOP Timer if not executed. DNA Orders received during a COOP will be cancelled and will not participate in the COOP. Complex Orders marked as IOC and DNA Orders received before the initiation of the COOP in that Complex Order Strategy will be cancelled and will not participate in the COOP; however, a COOP will occur in that Complex Order Strategy.

(B) Responses. In response to a Complex Order Opening Auction Notification, participants may bid and/or offer on either or both side(s) of the market during the COOP Timer by submitting one or more Complex Orders in increments of $0.01 ("Complex Order Response").

Phlx electronic market makers may also bid and/or offer on either or both side(s) of the market during the COOP Timer by submitting one or more bids and/or offers known as COOP Sweeps. A COOP Sweep is a one-sided electronic order (IOC) entered by a Lead Market Maker or Market Maker through SQF at a particular price submitted for execution against opening trading interest in a particular Complex Order Strategy.

(1) A Phlx electronic market maker may submit multiple COOP Sweeps at different prices (but not multiple COOP Sweeps at the same price, except as provided in subparagraph (2) below) in increments of $0.01 in response to a Complex Order Opening Auction Notification, regardless of the minimum trading increment applicable to the specific series.

(2) Phlx electronic market makers may change the size of a previously submitted COOP Sweep during the COOP Timer. The System will use the Phlx electronic market maker's most recently submitted COOP Sweep at each price level as that market maker's response at that price level, unless the COOP Sweep has a size of zero. A COOP Sweep with a size of zero will remove a Phlx electronic market maker's COOP Sweep from that COOP at that price level.

(3) COOP Sweeps and Complex Order Responses marked as a response will not be visible to any participant and will not be disseminated by the Exchange. Any COOP Sweeps which remain unexecuted at the end of the COOP Timer once all executions are complete will expire. A Complex Order Response will expire if unexecuted at the end of the COOP Timer once all executions are complete, but a Complex Order submitted during the COOP Timer which is not marked as a response will be available to be traded after the opening of a Complex Order Strategy unless it is marked IOC. Such Complex Order will be placed on the CBOOK if not executed during the opening.

(C) COOP Evaluation. Upon expiration of the COOP Timer, the System will conduct a COOP Evaluation to determine, for a Complex Order Strategy, the price at which the maximum number of contracts can trade. The Exchange will open the Complex Order Strategy at that price, executing marketable trading interest, in the following order: first, to Public Customers in time priority; next to Phlx electronic market makers on a pro rata basis; and then to all other participants on a pro rata basis. The imbalance of Complex Orders that are unexecutable at that price are placed on the CBOOK.

(1) No trade possible. If at the end of the COOP Timer the System determines that no market or marketable limit Complex Orders or COOP Sweeps, Complex Orders or COOP Sweeps that are equal to or improve the cPBBO, and/or Complex Orders or COOP Sweeps that cross within the cPBBO exist in the System, all Complex Orders received during the COOP Timer will be placed on the CBOOK, as described in paragraph (f) below.

(2) Trade is possible. If at the end of the COOP Timer the System determines that there are market or marketable limit Complex Orders or COOP Sweeps, Complex Orders or COOP Sweeps that are equal to or improve the cPBBO, and/or Complex Orders or COOP Sweeps that cross within the cPBBO in the System, the System will do the following: if such interest crosses and does not match in size, the execution price is based on the highest (lowest) executable offer (bid) price when the larger sized interest is offering (bidding), provided, however, that if there is more than one price at which the interest may execute, the execution price when the larger sized interest is offering (bidding) is the midpoint of the highest (lowest) executable offer (bid) price and the next available executable offer (bid) price rounded, if necessary, down (up) to the closest minimum trading increment. If the crossing interest is equal in size, the execution price is the midpoint of lowest executable bid price and the highest executable offer price, rounded, if necessary, up to the closest minimum trading increment. Executable bids/offers include any interest which could be executed at the net price without trading through residual interest or the cPBBO or without trading at the cPBBO where there is Public Customer interest at the best bid or offer for any leg, consistent with paragraph (c)(iii).

If there is any remaining interest and there is no component that consists of the underlying security such interest may "leg" whereby each options component may trade at the PBBO with existing quotes and/or Limit Orders on the Limit Order book for the individual components of the Complex Order; provided that remaining interest may execute against any eligible Complex Orders received before legging occurs. If the remaining interest has a component that consists of the underlying security, such Complex Order will be placed on the CBOOK (as defined below).

(3) The Complex Order Strategy will be open after the COOP even if no executions occur.

(e) Process for Complex Order Live Auction ("COLA"). Complex Orders on the Complex Order Book ("CBOOK," as defined below) may be subject to an automated auction process.

(i) For purposes of paragraph (e):

(A) COLA is the automated Complex Order Live Auction process. A COLA may take place upon identification of the existence of a COLA-eligible order during normal trading if the System receives a Complex Order that improves the cPBBO.

(B) (1) A "COLA-eligible order" means a Complex Order that is not for a market maker, as specified in paragraph (b)(ii) or for a Firm, as defined in paragraph (a)(x). If the System identifies the existence of a COLA-eligible order, such COLA-eligible order will initiate a COLA, during which participants may bid and offer against the COLA-eligible order pursuant to this rule. COLA-eligible orders will be executed without consideration of any prices that might be available on other exchanges trading the same options contracts.

(2) Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Complex Order that would otherwise be a COLA-eligible order that is received in a strategy where there is currently a Complex Order PIXL auction in progress or by the System during the final seconds of any trading session shall not be COLA-eligible. The Exchange shall establish the number of seconds, not to exceed 10 seconds, in an Options Trader Alert.

(ii) Initiation of a COLA. Upon the identification of the COLA-eligible order by the System, the Exchange will send a broadcast message to participants indicating that a COLA has been initiated. The broadcast message will identify the Complex Order Strategy, and the size, side and price of the COLA-eligible order.

(iii) COLA Timer. The COLA will begin with a timing mechanism (a "COLA Timer"), which is a counting period not to exceed five (5) seconds during which participants may submit bids or offers that improve the cPBBO. The COLA Timer will be set for the same number of seconds for all options trading on the Exchange as determined by the Exchange and communicated to membership on the Exchange's website. Complex Orders may be cancelled at any time prior to the commencement of a COLA.

(iv) Bidding and Offering in Response to a COLA. Participants may bid and/or offer on either or both side(s) of the market during the COLA Timer by submitting one or more Complex Orders in increments of $0.01. Electronic market makers may also bid and/or offer on either or both side(s) of the market during the COLA Timer by submitting one or more bids or offers, known as a "COLA Sweep." A COLA Sweep is a one-sided electronic order (IOC) entered by a Lead Market Maker or Market Maker through SQF submitted for execution against other trading interest in a particular Complex Order Strategy. Any COLA Sweeps which remain unexecuted at the end of the COLA Timer once all executions are complete will expire.

(A) COLA Sweep Price. A single participant may submit multiple COLA Sweeps at different prices (but not multiple COLA Sweeps at the same price, except as provided in sub-paragraph (B) below) in increments of $0.01 in response to a COLA broadcast, regardless of the minimum trading increment applicable to the specific series.

(B) Participants may change the size of a previously submitted COLA Sweep at the previously submitted COLA price during the COLA Timer. The System will use the participant's most recently submitted COLA Sweep at each price level as that participant's response at that price level, unless the COLA Sweep has a size of zero. A COLA Sweep with a size of zero will remove a participant's COLA Sweep from the COLA at that price level.

(C) COLA Sweeps and Complex Orders marked as a response will not be visible to any participant and will not be disseminated by the Exchange. A Complex Order marked as a response will expire if unexecuted at the end of the COLA Timer once all executions are complete, but a Complex Order submitted during the COLA Timer which is not marked as a response will be available to be traded unless it is marked IOC. Such Complex Order will be placed on the CBOOK if not executed in the COLA.

(D) The provisions of Options 3, Section 22 shall apply to Complex Orders and COLA Sweeps submitted under this rule.

(v) Execution of COLA-Eligible Orders. Upon the expiration of the COLA Timer, COLA Sweeps and/or any Complex Orders received during the COLA Timer that improve the cPBBO may be executed against the COLA-eligible order. The COLA-eligible order will receive the best price or prices available for the Complex Order Strategy represented by the COLA-eligible order. The components of a COLA-eligible order may be executed in one cent increments, regardless of the minimum quoting increments otherwise appropriate to the individual legs of the order. Executions in the COLA will comply with the requirements of Options 8, Section 24(e).

(vi) Allocation and Priority. As stated above, COLA-eligible orders, COLA Sweeps, and responsive Complex Orders will trade first based on the best price or prices available at the end of the COLA Timer.

(A) (1) "Legging." If no COLA Sweeps or responsive Complex Orders for the same Complex Order Strategy as the COLA-eligible order were received during the COLA Timer and there is no component that consists of the underlying security, each options component of the COLA-eligible order may trade at the PBBO with existing quotes and/or Limit Orders on the Limit Order book for the individual components of the Complex Order, provided that each component is executed such that the components comprise the Complex Order Strategy with the correct ratio for the desired net debit or credit. Trades pursuant to this paragraph will be allocated in accordance with Options 3, Section 10.

(2) If the markets for the individual components of a Complex Order Strategy independently improve during the COLA Timer and match the best price of COLA Sweep(s) and/or responsive Complex Order(s), the System will execute such COLA Sweep(s) and/or responsive Complex Orders before executing the individual components of the Complex Order Strategy.

(3) A Public Customer Complex Order will have priority over Lead Market Makers, SQTs and RSQTs and off-floor broker-dealers bidding for and/or offering any options component(s) of the Complex Order Strategy at the same price, but not over Public Customer orders representing any options component(s) of the Complex Order Strategy at the same price.

(B) If multiple Complex Orders and COLA Sweeps are eligible for execution against the COLA-eligible order at the same price, the trade will be allocated among participants submitting electronic Complex Orders and COLA Sweeps as set forth below. Executions in the COLA will comply with the requirements of paragraph (c)(iii) above.

(1) First, to Public Customer marketable Complex Orders on the CBOOK (as defined below) in the order in which they were received;

(2) Second, to COLA Sweeps and SQTs, RSQTs, and Floor Market Makers who have submitted Complex Orders that are marketable against the COLA-eligible order, on a size pro-rata basis; and

(3) Third, to non-market maker off-floor broker-dealers on a size pro-rata basis.

(C) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Lead Market Maker submits a COLA Sweep during the COLA Timer and such COLA Sweep is for the same price as other COLA Sweeps that are eligible for execution against the COLA-eligible order, after Public Customer marketable Complex Orders have been executed against the COLA-eligible order, the Lead Market Maker shall be entitled to receive the greater of:

(1) the proportion of the aggregate size associated with such Lead Market Maker's COLA Sweep, SQT and RSQT COLA Sweeps, and Floor Market Maker Complex Orders on the CBOOK; or

(2) the Enhanced Lead Market Maker Participation as described in Options 8, Section 25.

(3) The Lead Market Maker is not entitled to receive an allocation that would exceed the size of the Lead Market Maker's COLA Sweep.

(D) If a COLA-eligible order cannot be filled in its entirety, any remaining balance will be placed on the CBOOK, subject to other instructions (i.e., cancel balance).

(vii) Firm Quote Requirement for COLA-Eligible Orders. COLA Sweeps in response to a COLA broadcast represent non-firm interest that can be modified at any time prior to the end of the COLA Timer. At the end of the COLA Timer, COLA Sweeps shall be firm only with respect to the COLA-eligible order for which it is submitted, provided that COLA Sweeps that exceed the size of a COLA-eligible order are also eligible to trade with other incoming COLA-eligible orders, COLA Sweeps and any other interest received during the COLA Timer after the initial COLA-eligible order has been executed to the fullest extent possible. Remaining interest trades as described in subparagraph (viii)(C)(3). Any COLA Sweeps not accepted in whole or in a permissible ratio will expire at the end of the COLA Timer once all executions are complete.

(viii) Complex Orders resting on the CBOOK, and incoming electronic Complex Orders and COLA Sweeps that are received prior to the expiration of the COLA Timer, (collectively, for purposes of this rule, "incoming Complex Orders") representing the same Complex Order Strategy as a COLA-eligible order will impact the original COLA as follows:

(A) At the end of the COLA Timer, the System will determine the price and size of COLA Sweeps and any orders that were received during the COLA Timer that are unrelated to the COLA but nonetheless are eligible to participate in the COLA in the priority determined paragraph 1098(e)(vi) above and based on the price determined as set forth below.

(B) Incoming Complex Orders on the same side of the market as the COLAeligible order. Incoming Complex Orders that were received during the COLA Timer for the same Complex Order Strategy as the COLA-eligible order that are on the same side of the market will join the COLA. The original COLAeligible order has priority at all price points (i.e., multiple COLA Sweep Prices) over the incoming Complex Order(s), regardless of the price of the incoming Complex Order. The incoming Complex Order shall not be eligible for execution against interest on the opposite side of the market from the COLA-eligible order until the COLA-eligible order is executed to the fullest extent possible. If the incoming Complex Order is not executed in its entirety, the System will not initiate a new COLA. Any remaining contracts, other than COLA Sweeps, will be placed on the CBOOK, subject to other instructions.

(C) Incoming Complex Orders on the opposite side of the market from the COLA-eligible order.

(1) Incoming Public Customer, Professional and non-market-maker off-floor broker-dealer (other than Firms)) Complex Orders that are received during the COLA Timer on the opposite side of the market from the COLA-eligible order with a price equal to or better than the best priced Complex Order or COLA Sweep will be executed against the COLA eligible order (which will be executed to the fullest extent possible first as described in sub-paragraph (B) above) or other Complex Orders or COLA Sweeps as follows:

(a) If such incoming Complex Order is a Limit Order at the same price as the best priced Complex Order or COLA Sweep, the incoming Complex Order will be executed at such price.

(b) If such incoming Complex Order is a Limit Order that improved the best priced Complex Order or COLA Sweep, the incoming Complex Order will be executed at the mid-point of the best priced Complex Order or COLA Sweep and the Limit Order price, rounded, if necessary, to the closest minimum trading increment to the benefit of the COLA-eligible order.

(c) If such incoming Complex Order is a Market Order or a Limit Order that crosses the cPBBO, the incoming Complex Order will be executed at the mid-point of the cPBBO on the same side of the market as the COLA-eligible order and the best priced Complex Order or COLA Sweep, rounded, if necessary, to the closest minimum trading increment to the benefit of the COLA-eligible order.

(d) If multiple Complex Orders are received on the opposite side of the market from the COLA-eligible order, Public Customer orders at the same price will be executed in the order in which they were received, whereas non-market-maker off-floor broker-dealer orders will be executed on a pro-rata basis at each price level.

(e) If the COLA-eligible order is executed to the fullest extent possible and there are remaining bids or offers from the incoming Complex Order(s), the System will execute such interest against other Complex Orders or COLA Sweeps in the COLA and subsequently place residual bids or offers, other than COLA Sweeps, onto the CBOOK, subject to other instructions.

(2) Incoming non-customer (Phlx market makers, Firms and non-Phlx market makers) Complex Orders that are received during the COLA Timer on the opposite side of the market from the COLA-eligible order with a price equal to or better than the best priced Complex Order or COLA Sweep will be executed against the COLA eligible order (which will be executed to the fullest extent possible first as described in subparagraph (B) above) or other Complex Orders or COLA Sweeps as follows:

(a) If such incoming non-customer Complex Order is a Limit Order at the same price as the best priced Complex Order or COLA Sweep, the incoming non-customer Complex Order will be executed at such price, subject to the provisions set forth sub-paragraph (e) above.

(b) If such incoming non-customer Complex Order is a Limit Order that improved the best priced Complex Order or COLA Sweep, the incoming non-customer Complex Order will be executed at the Limit Order price.

(c) If such incoming non-customer Complex Order is a Market Order or a Limit Order that crosses the cPBBO, the incoming non-customer Complex Order will be executed at a price of $0.01 better than the cPBBO on the same side of the market as the COLA-eligible order.

(d) If multiple non-customer Complex Orders are received on the opposite side of the market from the COLA-eligible order, Phlx market maker orders will be executed on a pro-rata basis and Firm and non-Phlx market maker orders will be executed on a pro-rata basis, at each price level.

(e) If the COLA-eligible order is executed to the fullest extent possible and there are remaining bids or offers from the incoming non-customer Complex Order(s), the System will execute such interest against other Complex Orders or COLA Sweeps in the COLA and subsequently place residual bids or offers, other than COLA Sweeps, onto the CBOOK, subject to other instructions.

(3) Incoming Complex Orders that were received during the COLA Timer on the opposite side of the market from the COLA-eligible order with a price inferior to any other COLA Sweep or Complex Order will be executed against the COLA-eligible order after all interest at the better price(s) has/have been executed. After the initial COLA-eligible order has been executed to the fullest extent possible, incoming Complex Orders remaining unexecuted shall be eligible to trade with other Complex Orders and COLA Sweeps at their entered price. If, after the COLA-eligible order has been executed, there exist Complex Orders and/or COLA Sweeps on the opposite side of the market from the COLA-eligible order which cross the price of other Complex Orders or COLA Sweeps on the same side of the market from the COLA-eligible order, and if such interest crosses and does not match in size, the execution price is based on the highest (lowest) executable offer (bid) price when the larger sized interest is offering (bidding), provided, however, that if there is more than one price at which the interest may execute, the execution price when the larger sized interest is offering (bidding) is the midpoint of the highest (lowest) executable offer (bid) price and the next available executable offer (bid) price rounded, if necessary, down (up) to the closest minimum trading increment. If the crossing interest is equal in size, the execution price is the midpoint of lowest executable bid price and the highest executable offer price, rounded, if necessary, up to the closest minimum trading increment. Executable bids/offers include any interest which could be executed without trading through residual Complex interest or the cPBBO, or without trading at the cPBBO where there is Public Customer interest.

If there is any remaining interest and there is no component that consists of the underlying security, such interest may "leg" whereby each options component may trade at the PBBO with existing quotes and/or Limit Orders on the Limit Order book for the individual components of the Complex Order; provided that remaining interest may execute against any eligible Complex Orders received before legging occurs. If the remaining interest has a component that consists of the underlying security, such Complex Order will be placed on the CBOOK.

The System will treat any unexecuted remaining contracts in the incoming Complex Order as a new Complex Order, and will not initiate a new COLA. Such unexecuted remaining contracts, other than COLA Sweeps, will be placed on the CBOOK, subject to other instructions.

(ix) Exchange members and participants quoting and trading in open outcry shall not be eligible to participate in the electronic Complex Order System. In order to participate, such members and participants must submit COLA Sweeps and/or responsive Complex Orders electronically.

(f) Complex Limit Order Book ("CBOOK")

(i) Complex Orders must be entered onto the CBOOK in increments of $0.01. The individual components of a Complex Order may be executed in minimum increments of $0.01, regardless of the minimum increments applicable to such components. Such orders will be placed on the CBOOK by the System when the following conditions exist:

(A) When the Complex Order does not price-improve upon the cPBBO upon receipt;

(B) When the order is received before the expiration of the Complex Order Opening Process;

(C) When the Complex Order is received during a trading halt on the Exchange for any component of the Complex Order;

(D) When the Complex Order is received while the Exchange's automated execution System is disengaged for any options component of such Complex Order;

(E) When any options component of the Complex Order is a pre-opening order; or

(F) When the Complex Order is received during the final configurable number of seconds of the trading session after any marketable portion of the Complex Order is executed.

(ii) Phlx electronic market makers may submit one or more bids and/or offers known as Sweeps. A Sweep is a one-sided electronic order entered by a Lead Market Maker or Market Maker through SQF at a particular price submitted for execution against existing interest in a particular Complex Order Strategy, including against interest on the CBOOK ("CBOOK Sweep"). Any CBOOK Sweeps which do not execute immediately will expire.

(iii) Execution of Complex Orders in the CBOOK. Complex orders in the CBOOK will be executed without consideration of any prices that might be available on other exchanges trading the same contracts.

(A) A Complex Order resting on the CBOOK will execute automatically against: (1) quotes, orders on the Limit Order book for the individual options components of the order, or sweeps, except if any of the components is the underlying security, and provided that the Complex Order can be executed in full or in a permissible ratio by such quotes or orders (allocated in accordance with Options 3, Section 10)); or (2) an incoming marketable Complex Order(s) that do(es) not trigger a COLA Timer, whichever arrives first.

(B) An incoming marketable Complex Order that does not trigger a COLA Timer will execute in the following order:

(1) First, against quotes or orders on the Limit Order book for the individual components of the order (provided that the Complex Order can be executed in full or in a permissible ratio by such quotes or orders), except if any of the components is the underlying security. Trades pursuant to this subparagraph (B)(1) will be allocated in accordance with Options 3, Section 10; and

(2) Second, against Public Customer Complex Orders and nonmarket maker broker-dealer Complex Orders resting in the CBOOK in price priority and, at the same price, against (i) non-broker-dealer customer Complex Orders in the order in which they were received; (ii) SQTs, RSQTs, Floor Market Makers, Lead Market Makers and non-Phlx market makers on another exchange on a size pro rata basis; and (iii) non-market-maker, broker-dealer and Professional Complex Orders on a size pro rata basis, provided that any execution pursuant to this paragraph (f)(iii)(B)(2) complies with the requirements of subparagraph (c)(iii) above.

(3) A Public Customer Complex Order will have priority over Lead Market Makers, SQTs and RSQTs, Professionals and off-floor broker-dealers bidding for and/or offering any options component(s) of the Complex Order Strategy at the same price, but not over Public Customer orders representing any options component(s) of the Complex Order Strategy at the same price.

(C) Legging Orders. Legging Orders may be automatically generated on behalf of Complex Orders resting on the top of the CBOOK at a price that improves the cPBBO so that they are represented at the best bid and/or offer on the Exchange for the individual legs. The System will evaluate the CBOOK when a Complex Order enters the CBOOK and at a regular time interval, to be determined by the Exchange (which interval shall not exceed 1 second), following a change in the national best bid and/or offer ("NBBO") or Phlx best bid and/or offer ("PBBO") in any component of a Complex Order eligible to generate Legging Orders, to determine whether Legging Orders may be generated. The Exchange may determine to limit the number of Legging Orders generated on an objective basis and may determine to remove existing Legging Orders in order to maintain a fair and orderly market in times of extreme volatility or uncertainty.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended Mar. 4, 2020 (20-07); amended Mar. 5, 2020 (20-08), operative April 4, 2020; amended Jun. 27, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-27), operative Jul. 27, 2023; amended Aug. 3, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-34), operative Jan. 29, 2024.

Section 15. Simple Order Risk Protections

The following order protections apply to Simple Orders.

(a) The following are order protections on Phlx:

(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. OPP applies to all options but does not apply to Stop-Limit Orders, Intermarket Sweep Orders or Complex Orders.

(A) OPP is operational each trading day after the Opening Process until the close of trading, except during trading halts.

(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 50% through such contra-side Reference BBO will be rejected by the System upon receipt.

(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 100% through such contra-side Reference BBO will be rejected by the System upon receipt.

(C) For purposes of this rule, the NBBO is defined as the PBBO for singly-listed issues.

(2) Market Order Spread Protection. Market Orders will be rejected if the best of the NBBO and the internal market PBBO (the "Reference PBBO") is wider than a preset threshold at the time the Market 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.

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

(1) Acceptable Trade Range.

(A) After the Opening Process, the System will calculate an Acceptable Trade Range to limit the range of prices at which an order or quote (except an All-or-None Order) 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/quote, the Reference Price is the better of the National Best Bid ("NBB") or internal best bid for sell orders/quotes and the National Best Offer ("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.

(B) 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, unless a Quote Exhaust has occurred, in which case the Quote Exhaust process in Options 3, Section 6(a)(ii)(B)(3) will ensue, triggering a new Reference Price. Upon posting, either the current Threshold Price of the order or an updated NBB for buy orders or the NBO for sell orders (whichever is higher for a buy order/lower for a sell order) 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 Acceptable Trade Range Threshold Price, unless a member organization has requested that their orders be returned if posted at the outer limit of the Acceptable Trade Range (in which case, the order will be returned). 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).

(C) 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.

(D) 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 protections apply to Lead Market Makers and Market Makers on Phlx:

(1) Anti-Internalization - Quotes and orders entered by Lead Market Makers and Market Makers (as defined in Options 2, Section 4) will not be executed against quotes and orders entered on the opposite side of the market by the same Lead Market Maker or Market Maker using the same identifier, or alternatively, if selected by the member, the same Exchange account identifier or member firm identifier. In such a case, the System will cancel the resting quote or order back to the entering party prior to execution. This functionality shall not apply in any auction, with respect to complex order transactions or during an Opening Process.

(2) Automated Quotation Adjustments.

(A) A Lead Market Maker, Streaming Quote Trader or Remote Streaming Quote Trader (collectively "Market Maker") may provide a specified time period and a specified percentage (as these terms are defined below) by which the Exchange's System ("System") will automatically remove a Market Maker's quotes and SQF interest in all series of an underlying security submitted through designated Phlx protocols, as specified by the Exchange, during a specified time period established by the Market Maker not to exceed 15 seconds ("Percentage-Based Specified Time Period"). For each series in an option, the System will determine: (i) the percentage that the number of contracts executed in that series represents relative to the disseminated size, the original size quoted by the Market Maker, of each side in that series ("Series Percentage"); and (ii) the sum of the Series Percentage in the option issue ("Issue Percentage"). The System tracks and calculates the net impact of positions in the same option issue; 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, rounded to the nearest integer, equals or exceeds a percentage established by a Market Maker, not less than 1% ("Specified Percentage"), the System will automatically remove a Market Maker's quotes and SQF interest in all series of the underlying security submitted through designated Phlx protocols, as specified by the Exchange, during the Percentage-Based Specified Time Period ("Percentage- Based Threshold"). A Percentage-Based Specified Time Period will commence for an option every time an execution occurs in any series in such option and will continue until the System removes quotes and SQF interest as described in (iv) or (v) or the Percentage-Based Specified Time Period expires. A Percentage -Based Specified Time Period operates on a rolling basis among all series in an option in that there may be multiple Percentage-Based Specified Time Periods occurring simultaneously and such Percentage-Based Specified Time periods may overlap.

(B) A Lead Market Maker, Streaming Quote Trader or Remote Streaming Quote Trader (collectively "Market Maker") may provide a specified time period and a volume threshold by which the Exchange's System will automatically remove a Market Maker's quotes and SQF interest in all series of an underlying security submitted through designated Phlx protocols, as specified by the Exchange, during a specified time period established by the Market Maker not to exceed 15 seconds ("Volume-Based Specified Time Period") when the Market Maker executes a number of contracts which equals or exceeds the designated number of contracts in all options series in an underlying security ("Volume-Based Threshold"). The Market Maker's Volume-Based Specified Time Period must be the same length of time as designated for purposes of the Percentage-Based Threshold. A Volume- Based Specified Time Period will commence for an option every time an execution occurs in any series in such option and will continue until the System removes quotes and SQF interest as described in (iv) or (v) or the Volume-Based Specified Time Period expires. A Volume-Based Specified Time Period operates on a rolling basis among all series in an option in that there may be multiple Volume-Based Specified Time Periods occurring simultaneously and such Volume-Based Specified Time periods may overlap.

(C) A Market Maker or Market Maker Group (multiple affiliated Market Makers is a "Group" as defined by a Phlx member and provided by such member to the Exchange) may provide a Specified Time Period and number of allowable triggers by which the Exchange will automatically remove quotes and SQF interest in all options series in all underlying issues submitted through designated Phlx protocols, as specified by the Exchange ("Multi-Trigger Threshold"). During a specified time period(s) established by the Market Maker not to exceed 15 seconds ("Multi- Trigger Specified Time Period"), the number of times the System automatically removes the Market Maker's or Group's quotes and SQF interest in all options series will be based on the number of triggers of the Percentage-Based Threshold, described in (i) above, as well as the Volume-Based Threshold described in (ii) above. Once the System determines that the number of triggers equals or exceeds a number established by either the Market Maker or Group, during a Multi-Trigger Specified Time Period, the System will automatically remove all quotes and SQF interest in all options series in all underlying issues for that Market Maker or Group. A trigger is defined as the event which causes the System to automatically remove in all options series in an underlying issue. A Multi- Trigger Specified Time Period will commence after every trigger of either the Percentage-Based Threshold or the Volume-Based Threshold and will continue until the System removes quotes and SQF interest as described in (iv) or the Multi-Trigger Specified Time Period expires. The System counts triggers within the Multi-Trigger Specified Time Period across all triggers for the 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 and SQF interest in all options in an underlying security when the Percentage-Based Threshold or Volume-Based Threshold has been reached. The System will automatically remove quotes and SQF interest in all options in all underlying securities when the Multi-Trigger Threshold has been reached. The System will send a Purge Notification Message to the Market Maker for all affected options when the above thresholds have been reached.

(i) The Percentage-Based Threshold or Volume-Based Threshold and Multi-Trigger Threshold, are considered independently of each other.

(ii) Quotes and SQF interest will be automatically executed up to the Market Maker's size regardless of whether the execution exceeds the Percentage-Based Threshold or Volume-Based Threshold.

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

(F) When the System removes quotes and SQF interest as a result of the Percentage-Based Threshold or Volume- Based Threshold, the Market Maker must send a re-entry indicator to re-enter the System. When the System removes quotes and SQF interest as a result of the Multi- Trigger Threshold, the System will not accept quotes and SQF interest through designated protocols until the Market Maker manually requests re-entry. After quotes and SQF interest 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 Market Maker 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 and SQF interest 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 Market Makers to utilize either the Percentage- Based Threshold or the Volume-Based Threshold. The Multi-Trigger Threshold is optional.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended January 26, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-05); amended May 24, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-32); amended Jun. 27, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-27), operative Jul. 27, 2023; amended Jul. 16, 2024 (SR-Phlx-2024-26), operative Aug. 15, 2024.

Section 16. Complex Order Risk Protections

(a) Strategy Price Protection ("SPP"). SPP is a feature of the System that prevents certain Complex Order Strategies from trading at prices outside of pre-set standard limits. SPP will apply only to Vertical Spreads (defined below) and Time Spreads (defined below).

(i) Vertical Spread. A Vertical Spread is a Complex Order Strategy consisting of the purchase of one call (put) option and the sale of another call (put) option overlying the same security that have the same expiration but different strike prices.

(A) The SPP will calculate the maximum possible value of a Vertical Spread by subtracting the value of the lower strike price from the value of the higher strike price as between the two components. For example, a Vertical Spread consisting of the purchase of one January 30 call and the sale of one January 35 call would have a maximum value of $5.00. The minimum possible value of a Vertical Spread is always zero.

(B) The SPP will ensure that a Vertical Spread will not trade at a net price of less than the minimum possible value (minus a pre-set value setting an acceptable range) or greater than the maximum possible value (plus a pre-set value setting an acceptable range).

(C) The pre-set value and acceptable range will be uniform for all options traded on the Exchange as determined by the Exchange and communicated to membership on the Exchange's website.

(ii) Time Spread. A Time Spread is a Complex Order Strategy consisting of the purchase of one call (put) option and the sale of another call (put) option overlying the same security that have different expirations but the same strike price.

(A) The maximum possible value of a Time Spread is unlimited. The minimum possible value of a Time Spread is zero.

(B) The SPP will ensure that a Time Spread will not trade at a price of less than zero (minus a pre-set value setting an acceptable range).

(iii) Protection. If the limits (on either side of the market) set forth in sub-paragraphs (i)(B) and (ii)(B) above would be violated by an execution, the System will cancel the order.

(b) Where one component of a Complex Order is the underlying security, the Exchange shall electronically communicate the underlying security component of a Complex Order to Nasdaq Execution Services, LLC ("NES"), its designated broker dealer, for immediate execution. Such execution and reporting will occur otherwise than on the Exchange and will be handled by NES pursuant to applicable rules regarding equity trading. The execution price must be within the high-low range for the day in that stock at the time the Complex Order is processed and within a certain price from the current market, which the Exchange will establish in an Options Trader Alert. If the stock price is not within these parameters, the Complex Order is not executable.

When the short sale price test in Rule 201 of Regulation SHO is triggered for a covered security, NES will not execute a short sale order in the underlying covered security component of a Complex Order if the price is equal to or below the current national best bid. However, NES will execute a short sale order in the underlying covered security component of a Complex Order if such order is marked "short exempt," regardless of whether it is at a price that is equal to or below the current national best bid. If NES cannot execute the underlying covered security component of a Complex Order in accordance with Rule 201 of Regulation SHO, the Exchange will cancel back the Complex Order to the entering member organization. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "covered security" shall have the same meaning as in Rule 201(a)(1) of Regulation SHO.

(i) Acceptable Complex Execution ("ACE") Parameter. The ACE Parameter defines a price range outside of which a Complex Order will not be executed. The ACE Parameter is either a percentage or number defined by the Exchange and may be set at a different percentage or number for Complex Orders where one of the components is the underlying security. The ACE Parameter price range is based on the cNBBO at the time an order would be executed. A Complex Order to sell will not be executed at a price that is lower than the cNBBO bid by more than the ACE Parameter. A Complex Order to buy will not be executed at a price that is higher than the cNBBO offer by more than the ACE Parameter. A Complex Order or a portion of a Complex Order that cannot be executed within the ACE Parameter pursuant to this rule will be placed on the CBOOK. The Exchange will issue an Options Trader Alert ("OTA") to membership indicating the issue-by-issue ACE Parameters. The Exchange will also maintain a list of ACE Parameters on its website.

(c) Butterfly Spread Protection. The Butterfly Spread Protection will apply to a butterfly spread. A butterfly spread is a three legged Complex Order with the following: (1) two legs to buy (sell) the same number of calls (puts); (2) one leg to sell (buy) twice the number of calls (puts) with a strike price at mid-point of the two legs to buy (sell); (3) all legs have the same expiration; and (4) each leg strike price is equidistant from the next sequential strike price.

(i) A Butterfly Spread including an order being auctioned and auction responses, that is priced higher than the Maximum Value or lower than the Minimum Value will be cancelled. A Butterfly Spread entered as a Market Order will be accepted but will be restricted from trading at a price higher than the Maximum Value or lower than the Minimum Value.

(a) The Initial Maximum Value is the distance between the strike price of the leg with the mid-point strike and either of the outer leg strike prices. The Maximum Value Buffer is the lesser of a configurable absolute dollar value or percentage of the Initial Maximum Value set by the Exchange and announced via a notice to members. The Maximum Value is calculated by adding the Initial Maximum Value and Maximum Value Buffer.

(b) The Initial Minimum Value is zero. The Minimum Value Buffer is a configurable absolute dollar value set by the Exchange and announced via a notice to members. The Minimum Value is calculated by subtracting the Minimum Value Buffer from the Initial Minimum Value of zero.

(ii) The Butterfly Spread Protection applies throughout the trading day, including pre-market, during the Opening Process and during Halts.

(d) Box Spread Protection. The Box Spread Protection will apply to a box spread. A box spread is a four legged Complex Order with the following: (1) one pair of legs with the same strike price with one leg to buy a call (put) and one leg to sell a put (call); (2) a second pair of legs with a different strike price from the pair described in (1) with one leg to sell a call (put) and one leg to buy a put (call); (3) all legs have the same expiration; and (4) all legs have equal volume.

(i) A Box Spread including an order being auctioned and auction responses, that is priced higher than the Maximum Value or lower than the Minimum Value will be cancelled. A Box Spread entered as a Market Order will be accepted but will be restricted from trading at a price higher than the Maximum Value or lower than the Minimum Value.

(a) The Initial Maximum Value is the distance between the strike prices of each pair of leg strike prices. The Maximum Value Buffer is the lesser of a configurable absolute dollar value or percentage of the Initial Maximum value set by the Exchange and announced via a notice to members. The Maximum Value is calculated by adding the Initial Maximum Value and Maximum Value Buffer.

(b) The Initial Minimum Value is zero. The Minimum Value Buffer is a configurable absolute dollar value set by the Exchange and announced via a notice to members. The Minimum Value is calculated by subtracting the Minimum Value Buffer from the Initial Minimum Value of zero.

(ii) The Box Spread Protection applies throughout the trading day, including premarket, during the Opening Process and during Halts.

(e) Size Limitation. There is a limit on the number of contracts (and shares in the case of a stock-option order) any single leg of an incoming Complex Order may specify. Orders that exceed the maximum number of contracts (or shares) are rejected. The maximum number of contracts (or shares), which shall not be less than 10,000 contracts (or 100,000 shares), is established by the Exchange from time-to-time.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended May 24, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-32).

Section 17. Kill Switch

(a) Phlx Options Kill Switch is an optional tool that enables Phlx members and member organizations (hereinafter collectively "member") to initiate a message(s) to the Exchange's System to promptly cancel orders. Members 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 Phlx member when a Kill Switch request has been processed by the Exchange's System.          

(1) If orders are cancelled by the Phlx member utilizing the Kill Switch, it will result in the cancellation of all orders requested for the Identifier(s). The Phlx member will be unable to enter additional orders for the affected Identifier(s) until re-entry has been enabled pursuant to section (a)(2).

(2) After orders are cancelled by the Phlx member utilizing the Kill Switch, the Phlx member will be unable to enter additional orders for the affected Identifier(s) until the Phlx member 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 Phlx member. The applicable Clearing Member 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 Member has requested to receive such notification.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended September 2, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-51), operative November 1, 2021.

Section 18. Detection of Loss of Communication

(a) When the SQF Port detects the loss of communication with a member'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 member's affected Client Application and automatically cancel all of the member's open quotes. Quotes will be cancelled across all Client Applications that are associated with the same Lead Market Maker or Market Maker (collectively "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 member and subsequently received by the Exchange allows the SQF or FIX Port to continually monitor its connection with the member.

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

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

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

(b) When the FIX Port detects the loss of communication with a member'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 member's affected Client Application and if the member has elected to have its orders cancelled pursuant to paragraph (d) automatically cancel all open orders posted.

(c) The default time period ("nn" seconds) for SQF Ports shall be fifteen (15) seconds. A Phlx member may determine another time period of "nn" seconds of no technical connectivity, as required in paragraph (i) 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 member and may not be disabled.

(1) If the member 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 member 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 member shall persist for each subsequent session of connectivity until the member either contacts Exchange operations and changes the setting or the member 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 Phlx member elects to have its orders removed, in addition to the disconnect, the Phlx member may determine another time period of "nn" seconds of no technical connectivity, as required in paragraph (ii) 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 member will be disconnected.

(1) If the member 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 member 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 member shall persist for each subsequent session of connectivity until the member either contacts Exchange operations and changes the setting or the member 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 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 Market Makers entered into SQF Ports or orders of the same or other members entered into the FIX Ports via a separate and distinct Client Application.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03).

Section 19. Mass Cancellation of Trading Interest

A member or member organization may cancel any bids, offers, and orders in any series of options by requesting Phlx Market Operations staff to effect such cancellation as per the instructions of the member or member organization.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03).

Section 20. Nullification and Adjustment of Options Transactions including Obvious Errors

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 member or member organization 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, an Official is an Options Exchange Official as defined in Options 1, Section 1(b)(38).

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

 

 


Number of Contracts per Execution

Adjustment - Theoretical Prices TP Plus/Minus


1-50

N/A


51-250

2 times adjustment amount


251-1000

2.5 times adjustment amount


1001 or more

3 times adjustment amount


(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 subparagraphs (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 .05 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.

 

 


Bid Price at Time of Trade

Minimum Amount


Below $2.00

$0.75


$2.00 to $5.00

$1.25


Above $5.00 to $10.00

$1.50


Above $10.00 to $20.00

$2.50


Above $20.00 to $50.00

$3.00


Above $50.00 to $100.00

$4.50


Above $100.00

$6.00


(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:

 

 


Theoretical Price

Minimum Amount


Below $2.00

$0.25


$2.00 to $5.00

$0.40


Above $5.00 to $10.00

$0.50


Above $10.00 to $20.00

$0.80


Above $20.00 to $50.00

$1.00


Above $50.00 to $100.00

$1.50


Above $100.00

$2.00


(2) Time Deadline. A party that believes that it participated in a transaction that was the result of an Obvious Error must notify an Official in the manner specified from time to time by the Exchange in a notice distributed to members and member organizations. Such notification must be received by an Official 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 (l) 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 sub-paragraph (a)(4) above.

 

 

 


Theoretical Price (TP)

Buy Transaction Adjustment - TP Plus

Sell Transaction Adjustment - TP Minus


Below $3.00

$0.15

$0.15


At or above $3.00

$0.30

$0.30


(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 member or member organization submits requests to the Exchange for review of transactions pursuant to this rule, and in aggregate that member or member organization 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:

 

 


Theoretical Price

Minimum Amount


Below $2.00

$0.50


$2.00 to $5.00

$1.00


Above $5.00 to $10.00

$1.50


Above $10.00 to $20.00

$2.00


Above $20.00 to $50.00

$2.50


Above $50.00 to $100.00

$3.00


Above $100.00

$4.00


(2) Time Deadline. A party that believes that it participated in a transaction that was the result of a Catastrophic Error must notify an Official in the manner specified from time to time by the Exchange in a notice distributed to members and member organizations. Such notification must be received by an Official 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 an Official 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.

 

 

 


Theoretical Price (TP)

Buy Transaction Adjustment - TP Plus

Sell Transaction Adjustment - TP Minus


Below $2.00

$0.50

$0.50


$2.00 to $5.00

$1.00

$1.00


Above $5.00 to $10.00

$1.50

$1.50


Above $10.00 to $20.00

$2.00

$2.00


Above $20.00 to $50.00

$2.50

$2.50


Above $50.00 to $100.00

$3.00

$3.00


Above $100.00

$4.00

$4.00


(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 sub-paragraph (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 subparagraph (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.

 

 

 


Theoretical Price (TP)

Buy Transaction Adjustment - TP Plus

Sell Transaction Adjustment - TP Minus


Below $3.00

$0.15

$0.15


At or above $3.00

$0.30

$0.30


(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 .03 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 an Official 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 an Official within the timeframes set forth in subparagraph (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 an Official 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 an Official in accordance with sub-paragraph (c)(2) above.

(i) Stop (and Stop-Limit) Order Trades Triggered by Erroneous Trades. Transactions resulting from the triggering of a Stop or Stop-Limit Order by an erroneous trade in an option contract shall be nullified by the Exchange, provided a party notifies an Official in a timely manner as set forth below. If a party believes that it participated in an erroneous transaction pursuant to this paragraph it must notify an Official within the timeframes set forth in sub-paragraph (c)(2) above, with the allowed notification timeframe commencing at the time of notification of the nullification of transaction(s) that triggered the Stop or Stop-Limit Order.

(j) Linkage Trades. If the Exchange routes an order pursuant to the Plan (as defined in Options 5, Section 1(n)) 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.

(k) 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 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.

(l) Appeals. If a party affected by a determination made under this Rule so requests within the time permitted, the Exchange Review Council will review decisions made under this Rule. A request for review under this paragraph must be made within 30 minutes after a party receives verbal notification of a final determination by an Official under this Rule, 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. Such a request for review must be in writing or otherwise documented. The Exchange Review Council 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. Any determination by an 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. The party initiating the appeal shall be assessed a $500.00 fee if the Exchange Review Council upholds the decision of the Official. In addition, in instances where the Exchange, on behalf of a member or member organization, requests a determination by another market center that a transaction is clearly erroneous, the Exchange will pass any resulting charges through to the relevant member or member organization.

Supplementary Material to Options 3, Section 20

.01 Complex Order Executions. If both parties to a trade that is one component of a complex order execution are parties to all of the trades that together comprise the execution of a complex order at a single net debit or credit, then if one of those component trades can be nullified under this Rule, all component trades that were part of the same complex order shall be nullified as well.

.02 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.

.03 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) with respect to equity options (including options overlying ETFs), the trade occurred during a regulatory halt as declared by the primary market for the underlying security; (C) Respecting index options, the trade occurred during a trading halt on the primary market in (y) underlying securities representing more than 10 percent of the current index value for stock index options, or (z) either component security of an Alpha Index for Alpha Index options; or (D) Respecting Treasury security options, the trade occurred during a trading halt of the underlying Treasury security instituted by the United States Government.

.04 Complex Orders and Stock-Option Orders.

(a) If a complex order executes against individual legs and at least one of the legs qualifies as an Obvious Error under paragraph (c)(1) or a Catastrophic Error under paragraph (d)(1), then the leg(s) that is an Obvious or Catastrophic Error will be adjusted in accordance with paragraphs (c)(4)(A) or (d)(3), respectively, regardless of whether one of the parties is a Customer. However, any Customer order subject to this paragraph (a) 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 on the complex order or individual leg(s). If any leg of a complex order is nullified, the entire transaction is nullified.

(b) If a complex order executes against another complex order and at least one of the legs qualifies as an Obvious Error under paragraph (c)(1) or a Catastrophic Error under paragraph (d)(1), then the leg(s) that is an Obvious or Catastrophic Error will be adjusted or busted in accordance with paragraph (c)(4) or (d)(3), respectively, so long as either: (i) the width of the National Spread Market for the complex order strategy just prior to the erroneous transaction was equal to or greater than the amount set forth in the wide quote table of paragraph (b)(3) or (ii) the net execution price of the complex order is higher (lower) than the offer (bid) of the National Spread Market for the complex order strategy just prior to the erroneous transaction by an amount equal to at least the amount shown in the table in paragraph (c)(1). If any leg of a complex order is nullified, the entire transaction is nullified. For purposes of this Rule, the National Spread Market for a complex order strategy is determined by the National Best Bid/Offer of the individual legs of the strategy.

(c) If the option leg of a stock-option order qualifies as an Obvious Error under paragraph (c)(1) or a Catastrophic Error under paragraph (d)(1), then the option leg that is an Obvious or Catastrophic Error will be adjusted in accordance with paragraph (c)(4)(A) or (d)(3), respectively, regardless of whether one of the parties is a Customer. However, the option leg of any Customer order subject to this paragraph (c) 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 on the stock-option order, and the Exchange will attempt to nullify the stock leg. Whenever a stock trading venue nullifies the stock leg of a stock option order or whenever the stock leg cannot be executed, the Exchange will nullify the option leg upon request of one of the parties to the transaction or in accordance with paragraph (c)(3).

.05 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 .05. 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 Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended Jan. 26, 2022 (SR-Phlx-2022-04), operative Jul. 1, 2022.

Section 21. Exchange Sharing of Participant-Designated Risk Settings

The Exchange may share any Phlx participant-designated risk settings in the System with the Clearing Member that clears transactions on behalf of the participant. For purposes of this rule, a participant is any Phlx Lead Market Maker, Streaming Quote Trader or Remote Streaming Quote Trader.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03).

Section 22. Limitations on Order Entry

(a) Limit Orders. Members 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.

(b) Limitations on Principal Transactions. Members may not execute as principal against orders on the Limit Order book they represent as agent unless: (i) agency orders are first exposed on the Limit Order book for at least 1 second; (ii) the member has been bidding or offering on the Exchange for at least 1 second prior to receiving an agency order that is executable against such order; (iii) the orders are entered into Price Improvement XL or "PIXL" pursuant to Options 3, Section 13; (iv) the orders are entered into the Complex Order Live Auction or "COLA" pursuant to Options 3, Section 14(e); or (v) the orders are entered into the Qualified Contingent Cross or "QCC" mechanism pursuant to Options 3, Section 12 or Options 8, Section 30(e).

(1) This Rule prevents a member from executing agency orders to increase its economic gain from trading against the order without first giving other trading interest on the Exchange an opportunity to either trade with the agency order or to trade at the execution price when the Member was already bidding or offering on the book. However, the Exchange recognizes that it may be possible for an member to establish a relationship with a customer or other person (including affiliates) to deny agency orders the opportunity to interact on the Exchange 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 a member to be a party to any arrangement designed to circumvent this Rule by providing an opportunity for a customer or other person (including affiliates) to regularly execute against agency orders handled by the member immediately upon their entry into the System.

(c) Limitations on Solicitation Orders. Members may not execute orders they represent as agent on the Exchange against orders solicited from Members and non-Member broker-dealers to transact with such orders unless (i) the unsolicited order is first exposed on the Exchange for at least one (1) second; (ii) the member has been bidding or offering on the Exchange for at least 1 second prior to receiving an agency order that is executable against such order; (iii) the orders are entered into Price Improvement XL or "PIXL" pursuant to Options 3, Section 13; (iv) the orders are entered into the Complex Order Live Auction or "COLA" pursuant to Options 3, Section 14(e); or (v) the orders are entered into the Qualified Contingent Cross or "QCC" mechanism pursuant to Options 2, Section 12 or Options 8, Section 30(e).

(d) Prior to or after submitting an order to Phlx, a member cannot inform another member or any other third party of any of the terms of the order for purposes of violating Options 3, Section 22.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03).

Section 23. Data Feeds and Trade Information

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

(1) Top of PHLX Options ("TOPO") is a direct data feed product that includes the Exchange's best bid and offer price, with aggregate size, based on displayable order and quoting interest on Phlx and last sale information for trades executed on Phlx. The data contained in the TOPO data feed is identical to the data simultaneously sent to the processor for the OPRA and subscribers of the data feed. 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 Phlx and identifies if the series is available for closing transactions only.

(2) PHLX Orders is a real-time full Limit Order book data feed that provides pricing information for orders on the PHLX Order book for displayed order types as well as market participant capacity. PHLX Orders is currently provided as part of the TOPO Plus Orders data product. PHLX Orders provides real-time information to enable users to keep track of the single and complex order book(s). 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, leg information on complex strategies and whether the option series is available for trading on Phlx and identifies if the series is available for closing transactions only. The feed also provides auction and exposure notifications and order imbalances on opening/reopening (size of matched contracts and size of the imbalance).

(3) PHLX Depth of Market is a data product that provides: (i) order and quotation information for individual quotes and orders on the order book; (ii) last sale information for trades executed on Phlx; (iii) auction; and (iv) an Imbalance Message which includes the symbol, side of the market, size of matched contracts, size of the imbalance, and price of the affected series. 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 Phlx and identifies if the series is available for closing transactions only. The feed also provides order imbalances on opening/reopening (size of matched contracts and size of the imbalance) and exposure notifications, with market participant capacity.

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

(1) Clearing Trade Interface ("CTI") is a real-time clearing trade update message that is sent to a member after an execution has occurred and contains trade details specific to that member. The information includes, among other things, the following: (i) The Clearing Member Trade Agreement or "CMTA" 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) TradeInfo PHLX Interface, a user interface, permits a member to: (i) search all orders submitted in a particular security or all orders of a particular type, regardless of their status (open, canceled, executed, etc.); (ii) cancellation of open orders at the order, port or firm mnemonic level; (iii) a view of orders and executions; and (iv) download of orders and executions for recordkeeping purposes.

(c) The following trade information is available on an End of Day, Intra-Day, and historical basis:

(1) PHLX Options Trade Outline provides aggregate quantity and volume information for trades on the Exchange for all series during a trading session. Information is provided in the following categories: (i) total exchange volume for Intra-Day information and total exchange and industry volume for End of Day information for each reported series; (ii) open interest for the series; (iii) aggregate quantity of trades and aggregate trade volume effected to open a position, characterized by origin type (Customer, Broker-Dealer, Market Maker, Firm, and Professional), and for Customers and Professionals, further subdivided by trade size buckets; and (iv) aggregate quantity of trades and aggregate trade volume effected to close a position, characterized by origin type (Customer, Broker-Dealer, Market Maker, Firm, and Professional), and for Customers and Professionals, further subdivided by trade size buckets.

PHLX Options Trade Outline End of Day will also provide opening buy, closing buy, opening sell and closing sell information, which shall include option first trade price, option high trade price, option low trade price, and option last trade price.

End of Day information will be available the next business day. Intra-Day information is updated at 10-minute intervals over the course of the trading day. Historical information will be available upon request.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended January 26, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-05); amended Aug. 3, 2023 (SR-Phlx-2023-34), operative Jan. 29, 2024; amended Sep. 6, 2024 (SR-Phlx-2024-48).

Section 24. Price of Execution Binding

The price at which an order is executed on the Exchange shall be binding, notwithstanding the fact that an erroneous report in respect thereto may have been rendered.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03).

Section 25. Reserved

 

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03).

Section 26. Message Traffic Mitigation

(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 Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03); amended August 23, 2021 (SR-Phlx-2021-48).

Section 27. Limitation of Exchange Liability and Reimbursement of Certain Expenses

(a) The Exchange, including for purposes of this Rule its officers, directors and employees, shall not be liable for any damages sustained by a member, member organization, or person associated with any of the foregoing, arising out of or relating to the use or enjoyment by such person or entity of the facilities afforded by the Exchange to members for the conduct of their business.

(b) The cost to the Exchange of producing, pursuant to court order or other legal process, records relating to the business or affairs of a member, member organization, or person associated with any of the foregoing, may, in the discretion of the Exchange, be required to be paid to the Exchange by such person or entity, whether such production is required at the instance of such person or entity, or at the instance of any other party.

(c) In the event any action or proceeding is brought, or claim made, to impose liability on the Exchange for an alleged failure on its part to prevent or to require action by a member, member organization, or person associated with any of the foregoing, such person or entity may, in the discretion of the Exchange, be required to reimburse the Exchange for:

(1) all expenses, including counsel fees, incurred by the Exchange in connection with said action, proceeding, or claim, (2) the recovery, if any, adjudged against the Exchange upon a final determination that the Exchange was liable for the damage sustained, and (3) any payment made by the Exchange with the approval of the member, member organization, or person associated with any of the foregoing in connection with any settlement of any such action, proceeding, or claim; provided, however, that no member, member organization, or person associated with any of the foregoing shall be required to reimburse the Exchange for any fine or any other civil penalty imposed on the Exchange by the SEC or any other governmental entity for a violation by the Exchange of any provision of the Act or of any Commission regulation, or where indemnification would otherwise be prohibited by law.

(2) Each member organization that physically conducts a business on the Exchange's trading floor is required, at its sole cost, to procure and maintain liability insurance that provides defense and indemnity coverage for itself, any person associated with it and the Exchange for any action or proceeding brought, or claim made, to impose liability upon such member organization, associated person or the Exchange resulting from, relating to, or arising out of the conduct of the member organization or associated person (hereinafter, "Insurance"). The Insurance shall further provide defense and indemnity coverage to the Exchange for the Exchange's sole, concurrent, or contributory negligence, or other wrongdoing, relating to or in connection with such claim. The Exchange shall be expressly named by endorsement as an Additional Insured under the Insurance. The Exchange's status and rights to coverage under the Insurance shall be the same rights of the named insured of the Insurance, including, without limitation, rights to the full policy limits. In addition:

(i) The limits for the Insurance shall be not less than $1,000,000 without erosion by defense costs, but under no circumstance shall the Exchange be entitled to less than the full policy limits of such Insurance.

(ii) The Insurance shall state that it is primary to any insurance maintained by the Exchange.

(iii) Each member organization annually shall cause a certificate of insurance to be issued directly to the Exchange demonstrating that insurance compliant with this Rule has been procured and is maintained. Each member organization also shall furnish a copy of the Insurance to the Exchange for review upon the Exchange's request at any time.

(a) This section (2) is the only section of this Rule specifically limited to member organizations physically located on the Exchange's trading floor.

(d) In the event that a member, member organization, or person associated with any of the foregoing fails to remit any amount due the Exchange under this Rule or General 2, Section 3, such person shall be responsible for all costs of collection incurred by the Exchange, including counsel fees. This subsection does not apply to any objection or appeal by a member, member organization, or person associated with any of the foregoing considered by the Exchange or the Commission, or any appeal from a decision of the Commission.

(e) Paragraphs(a), (b) & (c) shall apply to any action, proceeding, claim, or other legal process brought, made, or asserted on or after the date of the filing of this Rule with the Commission. Paragraph (d) shall apply to any costs incurred by the Exchange upon approval of this Rule.

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03).

Section 28. Reserved

 

Adopted Feb. 3, 2020 (20-03).

 
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