Notice2025-10530

Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend Its Fee Schedule To Increase Its Fees for Certain Cboe Legacy Silexx Platform Versions

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Published
June 11, 2025

Issuing agencies

Securities and Exchange Commission

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 111 (Wednesday, June 11, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 111 (Wednesday, June 11, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24680-24682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-10530]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-103200; File No. SR-CBOE-2025-041]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe Exchange, Inc.; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend 
Its Fee Schedule To Increase Its Fees for Certain Cboe Legacy Silexx 
Platform Versions

June 5, 2025.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(the ``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given 
that on June 2, 2025, Cboe Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or ``Cboe 
Options'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 
``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, 
and III below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The 
Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the 
proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    Cboe Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or ``Cboe Options'') proposes 
to amend fees for specific Cboe Legacy Silexx platform versions. The 
text of the proposed rule change is provided in Exhibit 5.
    The text of the proposed rule change is also available on the 
Exchange's website (<a href="https://www.cboe.com/us/options/regulation/rule_filings/">https://www.cboe.com/us/options/regulation/rule_filings/</a>), at the Exchange's Office of the Secretary, and at the 
Commission's Public Reference Room.

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

    In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements 
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and 
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The 
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in 
Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in 
sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such 
statements.

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

1. Purpose
    The Exchange proposes to amend fees for specific Cboe Legacy Silexx 
platform versions (collectively, the ``Legacy Platforms'' as further 
described herein), effective June 2, 2025. By way of background, the 
Exchange offers several versions of its Silexx platform. Originally, 
the Exchange offered the following versions of the Silexx platform: 
Basic, Pro, Pro Plus Risk and Buy-Side Manager (``Legacy Platforms''). 
The Legacy Platforms are designed so that a User may enter orders into 
the platform to send to the executing broker, including TPHs, of its 
choice with connectivity to the platform. The executing broker can then 
send orders to Cboe Options (if the broker-dealer is a TPH) or other 
U.S. exchanges (and trading centers) in accordance with the User's 
instructions. Users cannot directly route orders through any of the 
Legacy Platforms to an exchange or trading center nor is the platform 
integrated into or directly connected to Cboe Option's System. In 2019, 
the Exchange made available a new version of the Silexx platform, 
Silexx FLEX, which supports the trading of FLEX Options and allows 
authorized Users with direct access to the Exchange to establish 
connectivity and submit orders directly to the Exchange.\3\ In 2020, 
the Exchange made an additional version of the Silexx platform 
available, Cboe Silexx, which supports the trading of non-FLEX Options 
and allows authorized Users with direct access to the Exchange to 
establish connectivity and submit orders directly to the Exchange.\4\ 
Cboe Silexx is essentially the same platform as Silexx FLEX, with the 
same applicable functionality, except that it additionally supports 
non-FLEX trading. As noted in previous filings, the Exchange is in the 
process of transitioning the Legacy Platforms to the current version of 
Cboe Silexx and

[[Page 24681]]

Silexx FLEX.\5\ As the Exchange is actively transitioning away from the 
Legacy Platforms, and in the meantime is expending time and resources 
to maintain both platforms, the Exchange previously proposed to 
increase the fees for the Legacy Platforms.\6\ For this same reason, 
the Exchange now proposes to increase the fees again for the Legacy 
Platforms.
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    \3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 87028 (September 19, 
2019) 84 FR 50529 (September 25, 2019) (SR-CBOE-2019-061). Only 
Users authorized for direct access and who are approved to trade 
FLEX Options may trade FLEX Options via Cboe Silexx. Only authorized 
Users and associated persons of Users may establish connectivity to 
and directly access the Exchange, pursuant to Rule 5.5 and the 
Exchange's technical specifications.
    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 88741 (April 24, 
2020) 85 FR 24045 (April 30, 2020) (SR-CBOE-2020-040). Only 
authorized Users and associated persons of Users may establish 
connectivity to and directly access the Exchange, pursuant to Rule 
5.5 and the Exchange's technical specifications.
    \5\ See Securities Exchange Release No. 98722 (October 11, 2023) 
88 FR 71619 (October 17, 2023) (SR-CBOE-2023-060). Only authorized 
Users and associated persons of Users will continue to be able to 
establish connectivity to and directly access the Exchange, pursuant 
to Rule 5.5 and the Exchange's technical specifications. 
Unauthorized Users will not be able to connect directly to the 
Exchange. The new Cboe Silexx platform will function in the same 
manner as the Legacy Platforms versions currently available to 
Users: it will be completely voluntary; orders entered through the 
platform will receive no preferential treatment as compared to 
orders electronically sent to Cboe Options in any other manner; 
orders entered through the platform will be subject to current 
trading rules in the same manner as all other orders sent to the 
Exchange, which is the same as orders that are sent through the 
Exchange's System today; the Exchange's System will not distinguish 
between orders sent from Silexx and orders sent in any other manner; 
and Silexx will provide technical support, maintenance and user 
training for the new platform version upon the same terms and 
conditions for all Users. The Exchange plans to decommission the 
Legacy Platforms at a future to-be-determined date, at which time 
the Legacy Platforms will be unavailable to users.
    \6\ See Securities Exchange Release No. 102185 (January 14, 
2025) 90 FR 7200 (January 21, 2025) (SR-CBOE-2025-001); Securities 
Exchange Release No. 102398 (February 11, 2025) 90 FR 9781 (February 
18, 2025) (SR-CBOE-2025-005); and Securities Exchange Release No. 
102724 (March 25, 2025) 90 FR 14288 (March 31, 2025) (SR-CBOE-2025-
016).
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    The Exchange currently charges the following monthly fees per Login 
ID for the following platforms: $625 for Basic, $625 for Pro, $950 for 
Pro Plus Risk and $475 for Buy-Side Manager. The Exchange proposes to 
amend these fees to the following monthly fee per Login ID: $938 for 
Basic, $938 for Pro, $950 for Pro Plus Risk and $715 for Buy-Side 
Manager. As explained further herein, the Exchange will not be 
increasing the monthly price for the Pro Plus Risk Users.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with 
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act'') and the rules and 
regulations thereunder applicable to the Exchange and, in particular, 
the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.\7\ Specifically, the 
Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
Section 6(b)(5) \8\ requirements that the rules of an exchange be 
designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to 
promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation 
and coordination with persons engaged in regulating, clearing, 
settling, processing information with respect to, and facilitating 
transactions in securities, to remove impediments to and perfect the 
mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system, and, 
in general, to protect investors and the public interest. Additionally, 
the Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
Section 6(b)(5) \9\ requirement that the rules of an exchange not be 
designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, 
brokers, or dealers. Additionally, the Exchange also believes the 
proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b)(4) of the Act, 
which requires that Exchange rules provide for the equitable allocation 
of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among its Trading Permit 
Holders and other persons using its facilities.
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
    \9\ Id.
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    In particular, the Exchange believes the proposed fee increases for 
the Legacy Platforms are reasonable, equitable, and not unfairly 
discriminatory because the fee will apply to all users of the Legacy 
Platforms. The Exchange notes that it is not increasing the price for 
Pro Plus Risk at this time, as many Pro Plus Risk Users have not moved 
yet due to managing other users. Pro Plus Risk Users are unable to 
``turn-off'' their logins until all of its Basic, Pro, and/or Buy-Side 
Managers users are no longer active on the Legacy Platforms. To account 
for this nuance and to mitigate costs for Pro Plus Risk Users, the 
Exchange is proposing to leave the cost as is at this time.
    Additionally, the Exchange believes the proposed fee is reasonable 
as it accounts for administrative costs that Cboe Silexx is incurring, 
but not charging users, to maintain support for Legacy Platforms while 
Cboe Silexx transitions away from the Legacy Platforms. The Exchange 
still maintains fixed overhead costs for maintain two technology stacks 
(e.g., server space and rack space) even as there are fewer users on 
the Legacy Platforms. The Exchange is also dedicating increased 
personnel resources as it supports these optional platforms. As noted 
earlier, the Exchange is in the process of transitioning the Legacy 
Platforms to the current version of Cboe Silexx and Silexx FLEX. The 
Exchange believes that increasing the fees for the Legacy Platforms 
also serves as an incentive to market participants to transition to the 
current version of Cboe Silexx from the Legacy Platforms.\10\ The 
Exchange believes that increasing the fees for the Legacy Platforms, as 
opposed to announcing a hard cut-off date at this time, is a better 
practice to not over exhaust personnel resources that are assisting 
with the migration to prevent an influx of users transitioning coming 
in at the last minute prior to a cut-over date. The Exchange notes that 
use of Cboe Silexx and the Legacy Platforms are entirely optional--this 
is simply one method to connect to the Exchange and there are a wide 
variety of alternative order entry management systems (both offered by 
other exchange and non-exchanges alike) to access the Exchange.\11\
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    \10\ The Exchange has previously introduced incentives to assist 
in the migration from the Legacy Platforms to the current version of 
Cboe Silexx and Silexx Flex by introducing a Data Management fee for 
users of Legacy Platforms and waiving duplicative Login ID and 
Market Data Feed fees for Cboe Silexx during a user's transition 
period. See Securities Exchange Release No. 99111 (December 7, 2023) 
88 FR 86411 (December 13, 2023) (SR-CBOE-2023-064) and Securities 
Exchange Release No. 98722 (October 11, 2023) 88 FR 71619 (October 
17, 2023) (SR-CBOE-2023-060).
    \11\ See e.g., Trafix, WEX, Fidessa, Bloomberg Dash OMS.
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    Finally, the Exchange reiterates that use of the platform is 
discretionary and not compulsory, as users can choose to route orders, 
including to Cboe Options, without the use of the platform. Indeed, the 
Legacy Platforms are not an exclusive means of trading, and if market 
participants believe that other products, vendors, front-end builds, 
etc. available in the marketplace are more beneficial or cost effective 
than the Legacy Platforms (or the current version of Cboe Silexx and 
Silexx FLEX), they may simply use those products instead, including for 
routing orders to the Exchange (indirectly or directly if they are 
authorized Users). The Exchange makes the platform available as a 
convenience to market participants, who will continue to have the 
option to use any order entry and management system available in the 
marketplace to send orders to the Exchange and other exchanges; the 
platform is merely an alternative offered by the Exchange.

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

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will 
impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate 
in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The proposed change will not 
impose any burden on intramarket competition that is not necessary or 
appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act because the 
proposed rule change will

[[Page 24682]]

apply to similarly situated participants uniformly, as described in 
detail above.
    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule changes will 
impose any burden on intermarket competition that is not necessary or 
appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act because the 
proposed change applies only to Cboe Options. Additionally, as noted 
herein, the Legacy Platforms are similar to types of products that are 
widely available throughout the industry, including from some exchanges 
and the current version of Cboe Silexx and Silexx FLEX, at similar 
prices. Further, the proposed rule change relates to an optional 
platform--access to the Exchange is not contingent accessing any 
version of Cboe Silexx. As discussed, the use of the platform continues 
to be completely voluntary and market participants will continue to 
have the flexibility to use any entry and management tool that is 
proprietary or from third-party vendors, and/or market participants may 
choose any executing brokers to enter their orders. The Legacy 
Platforms are not an exclusive means of trading, and if market 
participants believe that other products, vendors, front-end builds, 
etc. available in the marketplace are more beneficial than the Legacy 
Platforms (or the current version of Cboe Silexx and Silexx FLEX), they 
may simply use those products instead, including for routing orders to 
the Exchange (indirectly or directly if they are authorized Users). Use 
of the functionality is completely voluntary. In fact, some Users may 
choose at this time to switch to a different vendor for order entry 
management system at this time as opposed to choosing to migrate.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    The Exchange neither solicited nor received comments on the 
proposed rule change.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 
Commission Action

    The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \12\ and paragraph (f) of Rule 19b-4 \13\ 
thereunder. At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed 
rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule 
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or 
appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or 
otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission 
takes such action, the Commission will institute proceedings to 
determine whether the proposed rule change should be approved or 
disapproved.
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    \12\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \13\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f).
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IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule 
change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of 
the following methods:

Electronic Comments:

    <bullet> Use the Commission's internet comment form (<a href="https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml">https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml</a>); or
    <bullet> Send an email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b2c0c7ded79fd1dddfdfd7dcc6c1f2c1d7d19cd5ddc4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2a585f464f07494547474f445e596a594f49044d455c">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. Please include 
file number SR-CBOE-2025-041 on the subject line.

Paper Comments:

    <bullet> Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities 
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to file number SR-CBOE-2025-041. This file 
number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help 
the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's internet website (<a href="https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml">https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml</a>). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all 
written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are 
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to 
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other 
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for website viewing and 
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10 
a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for 
inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. Do not 
include personal identifiable information in submissions; you should 
submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. We 
may redact in part or withhold entirely from publication submitted 
material that is obscene or subject to copyright protection. All 
submissions should refer to file number SR-CBOE-2025-041 and should be 
submitted on or before July 2, 2025.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\14\
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    \14\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Sherry R. Haywood,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-10530 Filed 6-10-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on June 11, 2025.

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