Notice2025-11873

Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Amendments No. 1 and No. 2, and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of a Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendments No. 1 and No. 2, To Amend Exchange Rule 11.25(e) To Allow Users To Utilize the Exchange's Match Trade Prevention Functionality When Entering Periodic Auction Orders Onto the Exchange for Execution

Primary source

Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.

Published
June 27, 2025

Issuing agencies

Securities and Exchange Commission

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 122 (Friday, June 27, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 122 (Friday, June 27, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27726-27734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-11873]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-103304; File No. SR-CboeBYX-2025-008]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe Exchange, Inc.; Notice of 
Filing of Amendments No. 1 and No. 2, and Order Granting Accelerated 
Approval of a Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendments No. 1 and 
No. 2, To Amend Exchange Rule 11.25(e) To Allow Users To Utilize the 
Exchange's Match Trade Prevention Functionality When Entering Periodic 
Auction Orders Onto the Exchange for Execution

June 24, 2025.
    On March 14, 2025, Cboe BYX Exchange, Inc. (``Exchange'') filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission''), pursuant 
to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act'' or 
``Exchange Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ a proposed rule 
change to amend Exchange Rule 11.25(e) to allow Users to utilize the 
Exchange's Match Trade Prevention (``MTP'') functionality when entering 
Periodic Auction Orders onto the Exchange for execution. The proposed 
rule change was published for comment in the Federal Register on March 
31, 2025.\3\ On May 7, 2025, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the 
Act,\4\ the Commission designated a longer period within which to 
approve the proposed rule change, disapprove the proposed rule change, 
or institute proceedings to determine whether to disapprove the 
proposed rule change.\5\ The Commission has not received comments 
regarding the proposal. On June 13, 2025, the Exchange filed Amendment 
No. 1 to the proposal, which supersedes and replaces the original 
proposal in its entirety.\6\ On

[[Page 27727]]

June 18, 2025, the Exchange filed Amendment No. 2 to the proposal.\7\ 
The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on 
Amendments No. 1 and No. 2 from interested persons and is approving the 
proposed rule change, as modified by Amendments No. 1 and No. 2, on an 
accelerated basis.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ See Exchange Act Release No. 102727 (Mar. 25, 2025), 90 FR 
14304.
    \4\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
    \5\ See Exchange Act Release No. 102997 (May 7, 2025), 90 FR 
20333 (May 13, 2025).
    \6\ Amendment No. 1 clarifies how Periodic Auction Orders with 
MTP instructions will be applied during and outside of Periodic 
Auctions, clarifies how MTP and Minimum Quantity instructions 
operate in the context of Periodic Auctions, and provides additional 
description and explanation justification for the proposal. 
Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule change is available at: <a href="https://www.sec.gov/comments/sr-cboebyx-2025-008/srcboebyx2025008.htm">https://www.sec.gov/comments/sr-cboebyx-2025-008/srcboebyx2025008.htm</a>.
    \7\ Amendment No. 2 partially amends the proposal as modified by 
Amendment No. 1 by correcting errors in the proposed rule text and 
filing.
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I. Description of the Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendments 
No. 1 and No. 2

    The Exchange filed with the Commission a proposed rule change, as 
modified by Amendment No. 1, to amend Exchange Rule 11.25(e) to (1) 
allow Users to utilize the Exchange's Match Trade Prevention 
functionality when entering Periodic Auction Orders onto the Exchange 
for execution; (2) add new rule text describing how the System will 
handle Periodic Auction Orders entered with MTP instructions when a 
Periodic Auction is not in progress; (3) add new rule text describing 
how the System will handle Periodic Auction Orders entered with MTP 
instructions when a Periodic Auction is in progress; and (4) add new 
rule text describing how System will handle inbound Periodic Auction 
Orders entered with both an MTP instruction and Minimum Quantity 
instruction, when a Periodic Auction is not in progress. 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/equities/membership/fee_schedule/byx/">https://www.cboe.com/us/equities/membership/fee_schedule/byx/</a>, at the 
Exchange's Office of the Secretary, and at the Commission's Public 
Reference Room.

II. The Exchange'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 Exchange Rule 11.25 to allow (1) 
Users to utilize the Exchange's Match Trade Prevention (``MTP'') \8\ 
functionality when entering Periodic Auction Orders \9\ onto the 
Exchange for execution; (2) add new rule text describing how the System 
\10\ will handle Periodic Auction Orders entered with MTP instructions 
when a Periodic Auction is not in progress; (3) add new rule text 
describing how the System will handle Periodic Auction Orders and 
Continuous Book Orders \11\ entered with MTP instructions when a 
Periodic Auction is in progress; and (4) add new rule text describing 
how System will handle Periodic Auction Orders entered with both an MTP 
instruction and Minimum Quantity \12\ instruction, when a Periodic 
Auction is not in progress.
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    \8\ See Rule 11.9(f).
    \9\ The term ``Periodic Auction Order'' shall mean a ``Periodic 
Auction Only Order'' (``PAO'') or ``Periodic Auction Eligible 
Order'' (``PAE'') as those terms are defined in Rules 11.25(b)(1)-
(2), and the term ``Periodic Auction Book'' shall mean the System's 
electronic file of such Periodic Auction Orders. See Rule 
11.25(a)(6).
    \10\ The term ``System'' shall mean the electronic 
communications and trading facility designated by the Board through 
which securities orders of Users are consolidated for ranking, 
execution and, when applicable, routing away. See Rule 1.5(aa).
    \11\ The term ``Continuous Book Order'' shall mean an order on 
the BYX Book that is not a Periodic Auction Order, and the term 
``Continuous Book'' shall mean System's electronic file of such 
Continuous Book Orders. See Rule 11.25(a)(2).
    \12\ Minimum Quantity Order. A limit order to buy or sell that 
will only execute if a specified minimum quantity of shares can be 
obtained. See Rule 11.9(c)(5).
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    By way of background, MTP is an existing process \13\ through which 
Users can prevent their incoming orders designated with a MTP modifier 
from executing against a resting opposite side order also designated 
with an MTP modifier and originating from the same market participant 
identifier (``MPID''), Exchange Member identifier, trading group 
identifier, Exchange Sponsored Participant identifier, affiliate 
identifier, or Multiple Access identifier (any such identifier, a 
``Unique Identifier'').\14\ Both the buy and the sell order must 
include the same Unique Identifier in order to prevent an execution 
from occurring and to effect a cancel instruction. MTP is a valuable 
tool for Exchange Users because it allows them to better manage their 
order flow to prevent undesirable trading activity such as wash sales 
\15\ or self-trades \16\ that may occur because of the high-speed 
nature of trading in today's marketplace. MTP is an optional order 
instruction, and Users are not required to utilize this functionality. 
Rather, the Exchange offers this optional functionality for Users as a 
supplementary tool which they may choose to utilize in helping them 
comply with relevant securities, rules, laws, or regulations.
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    \13\ The Exchange notes that previous proposals extending the 
functionality of MTP to other trading scenarios were effective upon 
filing with the Commission. See generally Securities and Exchange 
Act Release No. 53429 (December 3, 2010), 75 FR 76763 (December 9, 
2010) (SR-EDGX-2010-18); Securities and Exchange Act Release No. 34-
96292 (November 10, 2022), 87 FR 68766 (November 16, 2022) (SR-
CboeEDGX-2022-048).
    \14\ Supra note 7.
    \15\ A ``wash sale'' is generally defined as a trade involving 
no change in beneficial ownership that is intended to produce the 
false appearance of trading and is strictly prohibited under both 
the federal securities laws and FINRA rules. See, e.g., 15 U.S.C 
78i(a)(1); FINRA Rule 6140(b) (``Other Trading Practices'').
    \16\ Self-trades are ``transactions in a security resulting from 
the unintentional interaction of orders originating from the same 
firm that involve no change in beneficial ownership of the 
security.'' FINRA requires members to have policies and procedures 
in place that are reasonably designed to review trading activity 
for, and prevent, a pattern or practice of self-trades resulting 
from orders originating from a single algorithm or trading desk, or 
related algorithms or trading desks. See FINRA Rule 5210, 
Supplementary Material .02, available at: <a href="https://www.finra.org/rules-guidance/rulebooks/finra-rules/5210">https://www.finra.org/rules-guidance/rulebooks/finra-rules/5210</a>.
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Periodic Auctions Background
    Periodic Auctions are available on BYX during the Regular Trading 
Session (9:30 a.m. ET to 4:00 p.m. ET). Periodic Auction Orders \17\ 
are non-displayed, and Members may send PAOs \18\ or PAEs.\19\ PAOs 
will only execute in a Periodic Auction and are eligible to initiate a 
Periodic Auction when matched with a contra-side Periodic Auction 
Order. PAEs are eligible to

[[Page 27728]]

trade with Continuous Book orders and may also participate in Periodic 
Auctions. PAEs are eligible to initiate a Periodic Auction when matched 
with a contra-side Periodic Auction Order. PAEs may also trade 
immediately upon entry with a resting Continuous Book order instead of 
initiating a Periodic Auction. PAEs will be locked from trading in the 
Continuous Book upon initiation of a Periodic Auction. In addition, 
Continuous Book orders, both displayed and non-displayed (e.g., 
Midpoint Peg Orders) are not eligible to initiate a Periodic Auction 
but may be swept into the Periodic Auction at the end of the Periodic 
Auction Period.\20\ A Periodic Auction is initiated when a buy (sell) 
Periodic Auction Order is eligible to trade with a sell (buy) Periodic 
Auction Order within the Collar Price Range.\21\
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    \17\ Supra note 8.
    \18\ A ``Periodic Auction Only Order'' (``PAO'') is a non-
displayed limit order entered with an instruction to participate 
solely in Periodic Auctions pursuant to this Rule 11.25. Periodic 
Auction Only Orders are not eligible for execution on the Continuous 
Book. See Rule 11.25(b)(1).
    \19\ ``A `Periodic Auction Eligible Order' (``PAE'') is a non-
displayed limit order eligible to trade on the Continuous Book that 
is entered with an instruction to also initiate a Periodic Auction, 
if possible . . . Periodic Auction Eligible Orders will be ranked as 
Non-Displayed Limit Orders consistent with the priority of order 
outlined in Rule 11.12(a). An incoming Periodic Auction Eligible 
Order that is eligible both to trade on the Continuous Book and 
initiate a Periodic Auction against a Periodic Auction Only Order at 
the same price will trade immediately with the Continuous Book. 
Incoming Periodic Auction Eligible Orders will upon entry interact 
with Continuous Book Orders and other Periodic Auction Eligible 
Orders according to their rank under Rule 11.12(a). Periodic Auction 
Eligible Orders will not trade on the Continuous Book during a 
Periodic Auction Period in the security.'' See 11.25(b)(2).
    \20\ The term ``Periodic Auction Period'' shall mean the fixed 
time period of 100 milliseconds for conducting a Periodic Auction. 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Periodic Auction initiated pursuant 
to Rule 11.25(c) will be performed at the end of the Regular Trading 
Session if the Periodic Auction Period would otherwise end after the 
Regular Trading Session. See Rule 11.25(a)(8).
    \21\ The term ``Collar Price Range'' shall mean the more 
restrictive of the Midpoint Collar Price Range, as defined in Rule 
11.25(a)(1), and the Protected NBBO. Notwithstanding the foregoing, 
if the Collar Price Range calculated by the Exchange would be 
outside of the applicable Price Bands established pursuant to the 
Limit Up-Limit Down Plan, the Collar Price Range will be capped at 
such Price Bands. See Rule 11.25(a)(1).
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    Once a Periodic Auction is initiated, a Periodic Auction message 
will be generated and disseminated via the Exchange's proprietary depth 
of book market data feed at a randomized time prior to the end of the 
auction. All Periodic Auctions will run for a fixed time period of 100 
milliseconds (i.e., the Periodic Auction Period). The Periodic Auction 
Book Price \22\ will be the price where most shares will trade within 
the Collar Price Range.
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    \22\ The term ``Periodic Auction Book Price'' shall mean the 
price within the Collar Price Range at which the most shares from 
the Periodic Auction Book would match. In the event of a volume-
based tie at multiple price levels, the Periodic Auction Book Price 
will be the price that results in the minimum total imbalance. In 
the event of a volume-based tie and a tie in minimum total imbalance 
at multiple price levels, the Periodic Auction Book Price will be 
the price closest to the Volume Based Tie Breaker. The Periodic 
Auction Book Price will be expressed in the minimum increment for 
the security unless the midpoint of the NBBO establishes the 
Periodic Auction Book Price. See Rule 11.25(a)(5).
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    Periodic Auction Orders and Continuous Book Orders that are 
executable at the end of the Periodic Auction Period are executed at 
the Periodic Auction Book Price determined pursuant to Rule 11.25(d), 
as follow: First, any displayed Continuous Book Orders that are 
executable at the Periodic Auction Book Price are executed in price/
time priority. Second, any Periodic Auction Orders that are executable 
at the Periodic Auction Book Price are executed in size/time priority, 
beginning with the largest order. Finally, any non-displayed Continuous 
Book Orders that are executable at the Periodic Auction Book Price are 
executed as provided in Rule 11.9(a)(2)(B).
Proposed Rule Change
    Currently, Rule 11.25(e) states that all MTP modifiers (as defined 
in Rule 11.9(f)(1)-(5)) for Periodic Auction Orders will be ignored for 
executions occurring during a Periodic Auction. As part of the 
Exchange's prior Periodic Auction Rule filings,\23\ the Exchange 
reasoned that MTP is mainly designed for use on the Continuous Book, 
and use of MTP for PAE Orders and PAO Orders (collectively, Periodic 
Auction Orders) may complicate the Periodic Auction which requires the 
pooling and matching of multiple orders against other orders at the 
Periodic Auction Book Price. Based on User feedback, however, Users of 
Periodic Auctions desire the ability to utilize MTP for their Periodic 
Auction Orders (when the Periodic Auction is not in progress) to help 
better manage their order flow and regulatory risk by helping to 
prevent the execution of wash sales when a User's buy (sell) Periodic 
Auction Order or Continuous Book order inadvertently executes with its 
sell (buy) Periodic Auction Order or Continuous Book Order. By reducing 
their risk, Users may, in turn, increase their usage of Periodic 
Auctions, thereby providing more liquidity, including but not limited 
to block size transactions, thereby providing the marketplace with 
alternative to off-exchange venues where a growing percentage of such 
transactions are executed today.
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    \23\ See Securities and Exchange Act Release No 34-91423 (March 
26, 2021), 86 FR 17230 (April 1, 2021) (SR-CboeBYX-2020-021).
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    Accordingly, the Exchange now seeks to allow Users to enter onto 
the Exchange Periodic Auction Orders with MTP instructions (``MTP 
Order'').\24\ Importantly, allowing Users to enter MTP Orders will not 
impact how the Periodic Auction itself is conducted, and the proposed 
MTP functionality will not prevent the completion of a Periodic Auction 
once it has been initiated.
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    \24\ The Exchange notes that previous proposals extending the 
functionality of MTP to other trading scenarios were effective upon 
filing with the Commission. See Securities and Exchange Act Release 
No. 53429 (December 3, 2010), 75 FR 76763 (December 9, 2010) (SR-
EDGX-2010-18); see also Securities and Exchange Act Release No. 34-
96292 (November 10, 20220), 87 FR 68766 (November 16, 2022) (SR-
CboeEDGX-2022-048).
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    The Exchange also wishes to add rule text describing how the System 
will handle MTP Orders when a Periodic Auction is in progress. As 
proposed, when a Periodic Auction is in progress, there will be 
instances where the Exchange has elected to temporarily bypass \25\ the 
MTP instruction that a User has included on their MTP Order or apply 
MTP and cancel an inbound MTP Order even though such order would trade 
with a MTP Order participating in the Periodic Auction originating from 
the same Unique Identifier. As described below, when a Periodic Auction 
is in progress, how the System applies MTP will depend on whether the 
inbound MTP Order is a Continuous Book Order or a Periodic Auction 
Order. However, as discussed below, there are instances where the 
proposed MTP changes will not result in the System applying MTP 100% of 
the time, and indeed, the System may in certain circumstances 
temporarily bypass (discussed infra) a User's MTP instructions. While 
the proposed MTP design is not without limitations, it does improve 
upon the current rule text and System behavior, which do not currently 
permit MTP to be used for Periodic Auction Orders.\26\ Importantly, 
Users are aware of the limitations discussed below, and still believe 
that the proposal, even with its limitations, is a valuable tool for 
managing their regulatory risk and encouraging their use of Periodic 
Auctions.
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    \25\ Functionally, temporarily bypassing an MTP instruction that 
a User has included on their MTP Order represents scenarios where 
the System will choose to momentarily ignore an MTP instruction only 
when the Periodic Auction is in progress. Generally, the System will 
ignore an MTP Order's MTP instruction when a Periodic Auction is in 
progress, and application of the MTP instruction would disrupt the 
Periodic Auction (i.e., applying MTP would cancel an order 
participating in the Periodic Auction), and where applying the MTP 
instruction would result in the cancellation of a Continuous Book 
order that may or may not participate in the Periodic Auction, but 
while the Periodic Auction is in progress, could receive an 
execution on the Continuous Book. Notably, once the Periodic Auction 
Period has completed--i.e., the Periodic Auction has been 
completed--an order's MTP instructions will once again persist on 
that order.
    \26\ See Amendment No. 2, supra note 7.
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    The Exchange also notes that the proposed MTP functionality is 
intended as a supplementary risk tool that Members may voluntarily use 
to help them manage their risk and compliance with applicable 
securities rules. As registered broker-dealers, Members are ultimately 
responsible for compliance with applicable securities rules and should 
not rely on the proposed functionality as a sole means of

[[Page 27729]]

compliance. As such, while the proposed MTP functionality will, in some 
instances, operate differently than it does outside of the context of 
Periodic Auctions, its design as a supplementary risk tool will still 
benefit Members that choose to utilize this tool.
    First, proposed Rule 11.25(g)(1)(A) would state that if an Inbound 
MTP Continuous Book Order is marketable against a contra-side Resting 
MTP Periodic Auction Order participating in the Periodic Auction, the 
System will ignore the Inbound Continuous Book Order's MTP instruction 
with regards to the Resting MTP Periodic Auction Order both upon entry 
as well as at the end of the Periodic Auction Period, and the Inbound 
MTP Continuous Book Order will be handled as set forth in Rule 
11.25(a)-(e). For the sake of clarity, the end of the Periodic Auction 
Period refers to an active part of the Periodic Auction and describes 
the time period when the Periodic Auction Book Price has been struck, 
and the System has identified which orders are executable at the 
Periodic Auction Price. Additionally, the Exchange notes that the 
temporary bypassing of MTP the inbound MTP Continuous Book Order is due 
to the fact that upon entry the Inbound Continuous Book Order could 
receive an execution on the Continuous Book while the Periodic Auction 
is in progress. As such, rather than immediately cancel--depending on 
the relevant MTP instruction--either the inbound MTP Continuous Book 
Order that could execute on the Continuous Book while the Periodic 
Auction process is in progress, or the Periodic Auction Order 
participating in the Periodic Auction, the Exchange has elected to 
temporarily bypass the application of the Inbound Continuous Book 
Order's MTP instruction versus the Resting MTP Periodic Auction 
Order.\27\ Furthermore, it is only at the end of the Periodic Auction 
Period where the Periodic Auction Book Price has been struck, and the 
System deems the inbound MTP Continuous Book Order executable at the 
Periodic Auction Price, that the inbound MTP Continuous Book Order may 
or may not end up participating in the Periodic Auction. In this 
regard, the Exchange believes that cancelling the Inbound MTP 
Continuous Book order based on the fact that it might trade with the 
MTP Periodic Auction Order at the end of the Periodic Auction Period, 
is overly restrictive and could deny the User an execution they might 
receive on the Continuous Book while the Periodic Auction is in 
progress, or result in the cancelation of the resting Periodic Auction 
Order, thereby disrupting the completion of the Periodic Auction. To 
illustrate the functionality as described in proposed Rule 
11.25(g)(1)(A), consider the following example:
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    \27\ The temporary bypassing of MTP instructions would not apply 
where, upon entry of the inbound MTP Continuous Book Order there was 
also a resting MTP Continuous Book Order. In that scenario, based on 
the MTP instructions, either the inbound MTP Continuous Book Order 
or the resting MTP Continuous Book Order, would cancel.
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Example 1
    <bullet> Order 1--Firm A: PAE Order (MTP = Cancel Oldest),\28\ Buy 
1000 @10.02.
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    \28\ An incoming order marked with the MTP Cancel Oldest 
(``MCO'') modifier will not execute against opposite side resting 
interest marked with any MTP modifier originating from the same 
Unique Identifier. The resting order marked with the MTP modifier 
will be cancelled back to the originating User(s). The incoming 
order marked with the MCO modifier will remain on the BYX Book. See 
Rule 11.9(f)(2).
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    <bullet> Order 2--Firm B: PAE Order (MTP = Cancel Oldest), Sell 
500, @10.02.
    <bullet> Action: Order 2 initiates an auction with Order 1, because 
Firm A and Firm B are different entities.
    <bullet> Order 3--Inbound order (Firm A): Continuous Book Order 
(MTP = Cancel Oldest), Sell 200 @10.02.
    <bullet> Action: MTP modifier on Order 3 is temporarily bypassed.
    <bullet> Result: Order 3 posts to the BYX Book prior to the end of 
the auction; Order 1 and Order 2 trade in the Periodic Auction for 500 
@10.02; Order 3 then trades 200 @10.02 with Order 1 (bypassing MTP).
    Example 1 demonstrates how the System will temporarily bypass an 
inbound Continuous Book Order's MTP instruction when a Periodic Auction 
is in progress, despite the User adding MTP instructions to their 
Periodic Auction Order(s) and Continuous Book Order(s). Here, Firm B's 
Order 2, a PAE Order with an MCO modifier, initiates a Periodic Auction 
upon entry with Firm A's Order 1, a resting PAE Order with an MCO 
modifier. Firm A subsequently enters a Continuous Book Order (Hidden) 
with an MCO modifier. Here, the Exchange will temporarily bypass \29\ 
the inbound Continuous Book Order's (i.e., Order 3) MTP modifier versus 
the resting MTP PAE Order (i.e. Order 1) while the Periodic Auction is 
in progress, and such Continuous Book Order would post to the 
Continuous Book, and be eligible to participate in the Periodic Auction 
(if executable at the Periodic Auction Book Price), or alternatively 
receive an execution on the Continuous Book while the Periodic Auction 
is in progress.
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    \29\ The Exchange notes that the bypassing of the Continuous 
Book Order's MTP modifier in this scenario is temporary. Should the 
Periodic Auction complete and Order 3 does not have the opportunity 
to trade with Order 1 in the Periodic Auction, then Order 3 would 
remain posted on the Continuous Book with its MTP modifier and MTP 
will be enforced.
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    Based on the proposed MTP functionality, Order 3 will be posted to 
the BYX Book, and the System will temporarily bypass Order 3's MTP 
instruction.\30\ Order 1 and Order 2 will trade in the Periodic Auction 
for 500 shares 10.02. After trading with Order 2, Order 1 still has 500 
shares remaining. Order 3 which is executable at the Periodic Auction 
Price, will now be included in the Periodic Auction, and trade 200 
shares with Order 1 @10.02, bypassing the MCO modifier assigned by Firm 
A to its Order 1 and Order 3.
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    \30\ Id.
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    The Exchange believes that temporarily bypassing an MTP modifier in 
this scenario is necessary to ensure that a Periodic Auction completes 
once it is initiated. Additionally, bypassing Order 3's MTP instruction 
is also necessary to avoid disrupting trading in the Continuous Book, 
because Order 3 could receive an execution on the Continuous Book while 
the Periodic Auction is in progress. While Order 3 could end up 
becoming executable at the Periodic Auction Book Price and trade in the 
Periodic Auction, the Exchange believes that canceling Order based on 
the mere potential that it could trade in the Periodic Auction 
unnecessarily prevents a Member from potentially receiving a Continuous 
Book execution. While the proposed MTP functionality will explicitly 
and automatically temporarily bypass a Member's MTP modifier in this 
scenario, the Exchange believes that such behavior appropriately 
balances the dual goals of ensuring that Periodic Auctions operate as 
designed (i.e., once initiated they will complete, executing the 
maximum number of shares), and still provides Members the ability to 
utilize MTP for their Periodic Auction Orders in majority of trading 
scenarios.
    Second, proposed Rule 11.25(g)(1)(B) would state that if an Inbound 
MTP Periodic Auction upon entry would, but for the application of MTP, 
join the Periodic Auction, and there is a Resting MTP Continuous Book 
Order on the BYX Book, then the System will not apply MTP even if the 
Resting MTP Continuous Book Order becomes marketable versus the Inbound 
MTP Periodic Auction Order and participates in the Periodic Auction. 
The Inbound MTP Periodic Auction Order will be handled as set forth in 
Rule 11.25(a)-(e). Here, the Exchange believes that the temporarily 
bypassing MTP is warranted because the inbound MTP

[[Page 27730]]

Periodic Auction Only Order may or may not end up trading with the MTP 
Continuous Book order at the end of the Periodic Auction Period.\31\ 
Specifically, based on feedback from its Users, the Exchange believes 
that canceling the resting MTP Continuous Book Order in this scenario 
would be overly restrictive, and based only on a mere possibility that 
the MTP Periodic Auction Only Order might trade with the resting MTP 
Continuous Book Order.
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    \31\ Again, for the sake of clarity, end of the Periodic Auction 
Period. refers to an active part of the Periodic Auction, and 
describes the time period when the Periodic Auction Book Price has 
been struck, and the System has identified which orders are 
executable at the Periodic Auction Book Price.
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    Moreover, depending on the relevant MTP instructions, application 
of MTP could also result in the cancelation of the Inbound MTP Periodic 
Auction Order. However, the Exchange believes that canceling the 
Inbound MTP Periodic Auction Order would unnecessarily prevent a 
marketable order from participating in the Periodic Auction as a User 
might expect, based only a mere possibility that the MTP Periodic 
Auction Only Order might trade with the resting MTP Continuous Book 
Order at the end of the Periodic Auction Period.\32\ To illustrate the 
proposed functionality in Rule 11.25(g)(1)(B), consider the following 
example:
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    \32\ Id.
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Example 2
    <bullet> NBBO: 10.00 x 10.05.
    <bullet> Order X (Firm B): Buy 100 @10.03-Midpoint Peg PAO.\33\
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    \33\ A User may include an instruction on its Periodic Auction 
Only Orders to peg such orders to either the midpoint of the NBBO 
(``midpoint peg''), or the same side of the NBBO (``primary peg''). 
Periodic Auction Only Orders entered with a primary peg instruction 
can be pegged to the NBB or NBO, or a certain amount above the NBB 
or below the NBO (``offset''). See Rule 11.25(b)(1)(C).
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    <bullet> Order Y (Firm C): Sell 100 @10.02-Midpoint Peg PAO.
    <bullet> Auction is initiated between Order X and Order Y.
    <bullet> Order 1 (Firm A): Buy 100 @10.03-Midpoint Peg Continuous 
Book Order-MTP = Cancel Oldest.
    <bullet> Order 4 (Firm A): Sell 100 @10.02-Midpoint Peg PAE-MTP = 
Cancel Oldest.
    <bullet> MTP would be bypassed when Order 4 is entered and Order 4 
would join the Periodic Auction in progress.
    <bullet> Result: Order X and Order Y trade 100 @10.025 in Periodic 
Auction. Order 1 and Order Y trade 100 @10.025 in Periodic Auction.
    First, note that a Continuous Book Order cannot initiate a Periodic 
Auction.\34\ Therefore, to initiate a Periodic Auction in this example, 
assume that two Periodic Auction Orders arrived, from Firm B and Firm 
C, prior to Order 1 and Order 4--e.g., Order X (Firm B) and Order Y 
(Firm C). Further assume that Order X and Order Y are marketable versus 
each other and initiated a Periodic Auction. Additionally, assume that 
Order 1, a Continuous Book Order is entered prior to Order 4, and that 
Order 1 and Order 4 are designated with MTP modifiers originating from 
the same Unique Identifiers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \34\ See Rule 11.25(c), Initiation and Publication of Periodic 
Auction Information, ``A Periodic Auction will be initiated in a 
security during Regular Trading Hours when one or more Periodic 
Auction Orders to buy become executable against one or more Periodic 
Auction Orders to sell pursuant to this Rule 11.25.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Upon entry, Order 4, is marketable versus Order X and Order Y, 
which are Periodic Auction Orders participating in the Periodic 
Auction. As such, the System will temporarily bypass Order 4's MTP 
instruction and Order 4 will join the Periodic Auction, despite the 
fact that the System could determine that Order 1 is executable at the 
Periodic Auction Book Price and thereby participate in the Periodic 
Auction, potentially executing against Order 4. Specifically, the 
System will temporarily bypass \35\ Order 1's and Order 4's MTP 
instruction, and Order 4 will join the Periodic Auction. Order 1 will 
remain on the Continuous Book. If Order 1 did not execute in the 
Continuous Book while the Periodic Auction was in progress, then Order 
1 could potentially execute with Order 4 in the Periodic Auction, 
provided that Order 1 has priority as determined by Rule 11.25(f). The 
bypassing of the MTP modifiers in this scenario occurs only upon entry 
of Order 4 to prevent the cancelation of orders in situations where an 
immediate execution would not occur.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \35\ The Exchange notes that the bypassing of the MTP modifiers 
in this scenario is temporary. Should the Periodic Auction complete 
and Order 1 does not have the opportunity to trade with Order 4 in 
the Periodic Auction, then Order 1 would remain posted on the 
Continuous Book with its MTP modifier and be afforded the 
protections of MTP.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Here, even though Order 1 and Order 4 both originated from Firm A, 
and are designated with an MTP modifier, Order 1 is not canceled upon 
Order 4's arrival because Order 1 is a Continuous Book Order that may 
or may not end up trading with Order 4 once the Periodic Auction is 
complete. Because Order 1 could receive an execution on the Continuous 
Book while the Periodic Auction is in progress, the Exchange 
temporarily bypasses Order 1's MTP instruction upon Order 4's arrival 
to prevent Order 1 from forfeiting a Continuous Book execution based on 
a possibility that Order 1 would be executable versus Order 4 at the 
completion of the Periodic Auction.
    Importantly, BYX notes that the bypassing of an inbound order's MTP 
modifier in proposed rule 11.25(g)(1)(A) and 11.25(g)(1)(B) is 
temporary and occurs only upon entry of the inbound order. At the 
conclusion of the Periodic Auction Period (i.e., the Periodic Auction 
has completed and there is no Periodic Auction in progress), the System 
would again enforce the MTP modifier consistent with Rule 11.9(f) and 
proposed Rule 11.25(g)(2). While the scenarios described in proposed 
Rule 11.25(g)(1)(A)-(C) may result in certain executions occurring 
despite the User's inclusion of an MTP instruction, or the cancelation 
of their inbound Periodic Auction Order when the Periodic Auction is in 
progress, the Exchange believes this behavior is necessary and 
appropriate to help strike a responsible balance between providing 
Users with an optional risk tool and ensuring that Periodic Auctions 
will complete once initiated. Importantly, in designing this 
functionality, the Exchange consulted with its Periodic Auction Users, 
as well as potential new Users, and explained the limitations of MTP 
for Periodic Auction Orders, including that in some instances, MTP 
modifiers may be temporarily bypassed, or that a User's inbound MTP 
Periodic Auction Order may be canceled because it is marketable versus 
their MTP Order participating in the Periodic Auction. Despite these 
noted limitations, Users still believe the proposed MTP functionality 
to be valuable and a reasonable compromise that is likely to foster 
their increased use of Periodic Auctions. Should Users find the 
proposed functionality to be too complex, or not sufficiently 
restrictive in how it applies MTP, Users are free to decline usage of 
MTP and instead rely on their own internal risk checks.
    Third, proposed Rule 11.25(g)(1)(C) would state that if an Inbound 
MTP Periodic Auction Order upon entry is, but for the application of 
MTP, marketable against a contra-side Resting MTP Periodic Auction 
Order participating in the Periodic Auction, then the Inbound MTP 
Periodic Auction Order will be canceled. In this scenario, canceling 
the inbound MTP Periodic Auction Order is preferred to prevent 
disrupting the Periodic Auction. Moreover, while the Exchange could 
alternatively choose to ignore MTP in

[[Page 27731]]

this scenario and allow the inbound MTP Periodic Auction Order join the 
Periodic Auction, the Exchange believes its preferred approach strikes 
a reasonable balance between disrupting the Periodic Auction once it is 
in progress and bypassing a User's MTP instructions. To illustrate the 
proposed functionality of Rule 11.25(g)(1)(C), consider the following 
example:
Example 3
    <bullet> Order 1--Resting (Firm B): PAO Order, Buy 100 @1.00.
    <bullet> Order 2--Inbound Order (Firm A): PAE Order (MTP = Cancel 
Both),\36\ Sell 200 @1.00.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \36\ An incoming order marked with the MTP Cancel Both (``MCB'') 
modifier will not execute against opposite side resting interest 
marked with any MTP modifier originating from the same Unique 
Identifier. The entire size of both orders will be cancelled back to 
the originating User(s) See Rule 11.9(f)(4).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    <bullet> Action: Order 2 initiates a Periodic Auction with Order 1.
    <bullet> Order 3--Inbound order (Firm A): PAE Order (MTP = Cancel 
Both), Buy 200 @1.00.
    <bullet> Result: Order 3 is canceled in order to minimize 
disruption of the Periodic Auction.
    Example 3 represents proposed rule 11.25(g)(1)(C), and illustrates 
System behavior where a Periodic Auction is in progress, and an inbound 
Periodic Auction Order is designated with an MTP modifier, and such 
order matches against a resting contra-side Periodic Auction Order that 
is participating in the Periodic Auction originating from the same 
Unique Identifier that is also designated with an MTP modifier. In this 
scenario, the inbound Periodic Auction Order will be cancelled. 
Importantly, this behavior is necessary to help ensure that once a 
Periodic Auction is initiated it will be completed
    Here, Firm A's inbound Order 2, a PAE Order to sell 200 @1.00, with 
a MTP modifier of MTP MCB immediately starts an auction with Firm B's 
Order 1, a resting PAO Order to Buy 100 @1.00, that is participating in 
the Periodic Auction. While the Periodic Auction is in progress, Firm A 
enters Order 3, a PAE Order to Buy 200 @1.00 with an MCB instruction. 
Applying this proposed behavior to Example 3's fact pattern, when Firm 
A's Order 3, a PAE Order with an MCB modifier is entered after Periodic 
Auction has been initiated and Order 3 subsequently matches with Firm 
A's Order 2 (a PAE Order with a MCB modifier), Order 3 will be 
cancelled. Without this proposed behavior, Order 3 would otherwise be 
included in the Periodic Auction, and its MTP Cancel Both \37\ 
instruction would result in the cancelation of Order 2, preventing the 
Periodic Auction from completing, and denying Firm A an execution it 
would otherwise have expected to receive. The Exchange believes that 
this proposed behavior appropriately balances the dual goals of 
ensuring that Periodic Auctions complete once initiated and providing 
Users the ability to utilize MTP for their Periodic Auction Orders in 
each of the scenarios described in the preceding examples.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \37\ See Rule 11.9(f)(4).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Proposed Rule 11.25(g)(1)(D) would state that when a Periodic 
Auction is in progress, the System will ignore a Minimum Quantity 
instruction appended to a MTP Periodic Auction Order or MTP Continuous 
Book Order and will apply MTP as described in 11.25(g)(1)(A)-(C). 
Provided, however, when the Periodic Auction has completed (i.e. there 
is no longer a Periodic Auction in progress), Minimum Quantity Orders 
will execute in accordance with Rule 11.25(b)(2)(C). the System will 
again honor an order's Minimum Quantity instructions, and such orders 
will not execute against contra-side interest unless the minimum 
execution size is satisfied. The Exchange notes it has designed the 
proposed MTP and Minimum Quantity Order functionality in this manner 
because of the current design of the Exchange's Systems. Generally 
speaking, based on existing System architecture, when a Periodic 
Auction is in progress and an inbound MTP Periodic Auction Order or 
inbound MTP Continuous Book Order is appended with a Minimum Quantity 
instruction, the System must perform a hypothetical scan of the 
Periodic Auction Book to determine which order(s) can satisfy the 
inbound order's Minimum Quantity instruction. When this hypothetical 
scan is conducted, though, there may be instances where an order's 
Minimum Quantity requirement could be satisfied while the Periodic 
Auction is in progress, but when the Periodic Auction Period has 
ended--i.e., when the Periodic Auction Book Price has been struck, and 
the System has determined which orders are executable at that price--
the composition of orders in the Periodic Auction Book is likely to 
differ and the Minimum Quantity order may no longer be capable of being 
filled despite being pulled into the Periodic Auction. As such, the 
Exchange believes that ignoring a User's Minimum Quantity instructions 
on their MTP Order when a Periodic Auction is in progress strikes an 
appropriate balance between providing User's a tool to prevent 
undesirable wash trades and ensuring that MTP Orders with Minimum 
Quantity instructions do not negatively impact the Periodic Auction 
process.
    Additionally, proposed Rule 11.25(g)(1)(D) will provide that when a 
Periodic Auction is in progress, the System will ignore a Minimum 
Quantity instruction appended to a MTP Periodic Auction Order or MTP 
Continuous Book Order and will apply MTP. However, when the Periodic 
Auction has been completed, Minimum Quantity Orders will be executed in 
accordance with Rule 11.25(b)(2)(C). To illustrate the behavior of 
proposed Rule 11.25(g)(1)(D), consider the following example:
Example 4
    <bullet> Order 1 (Firm A): Buy 1000 @10.02-PAE-Min Quantity = 500 
(MTP = any).
    <bullet> Order 2 (Firm A): Sell 1000 @10.02-PAE (MTP = Cancel 
Oldest).
    <bullet> Result: The System applies MTP, and cancels Order 1.
    Example 4 demonstrates that when a Periodic Auction is in progress 
the System will ignore the Minimum Quantity instruction on a Periodic 
Auction Order that is also designated with an MTP modifier. Here, even 
though the Minium Quantity for Order 1 can be satisfied by Order 2, the 
System will apply MTP resulting in the cancelation of Order 1. Note 
that for the purposes of this proposed behavior, it does not matter 
whether an order's Minimum Quantity instruction could be satisfied. As 
such, even if Order 1's Minimum Quantity instruction was not satisfied, 
the result would be the same; i.e., the System would apply MTP and 
cancel Order 1.
    Finally, proposed Rule 11.25(g)(2) addresses how the System will 
handle inbound MTP Periodic Auction Orders when a Periodic Auction is 
not in progress. Specifically, the Exchange proposes that when a 
Periodic Auction is not in progress, the System will apply MTP as 
described in Rule 11.9(f), upon receipt of an Inbound MTP Periodic 
Auction Order. The MTP modifiers appended to the orders will determine 
whether the System cancels the inbound order or the resting order. 
Further if in addition to MTP, an Inbound Periodic Auction Order also 
includes a Minimum Quantity instruction, the System will ignore the 
Inbound Periodic Auction Order's Minimum Quantity instruction and 
instead apply MTP. In this scenario, the System will ignore the Inbound 
MTP Periodic Auction Order's Minimum Quantity instruction because

[[Page 27732]]

the System first applies an order's Minimum Quantity instruction when 
an order includes both Minimum Quantity and MTP. However, when the 
System first applies the Inbound MTP Periodic Auction Order's Minimum 
Quantity instruction, and the Inbound MTP Periodic Auction Order's 
Minimum Quantity is not satisfied by other orders, the Inbound MTP 
Periodic Auction Order will not be executable. As such, the System will 
not need to consider the application of MTP as there is no execution to 
prevent. In such event, both the Inbound MTP Periodic Auction Order and 
any resting orders originating from the same Unique Identifier could 
then be included in the Periodic Auction. However, if additional orders 
join the Periodic Auction and satisfy the Inbound MTP Periodic Auction 
Order's Minimum Quantity instruction, then such order could become 
executable. This may, in turn, result in wash sales, because once the 
Periodic Auction is in progress the System will ignore MTP (as 
described further above). Accordingly, the Exchange believes that 
ignoring Minimum Quantity on an Inbound MTP Periodic Auction Order is 
reasonable in that such proposal is designed to help User's manage 
their risk and prevent undesirable wash sales.
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.\38\ Specifically, the 
Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
Section 6(b)(5) \39\ 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) \40\ requirement that the rules of an exchange not be 
designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, 
brokers, or dealers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \38\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \39\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
    \40\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In particular, the Exchange believes that its proposed MTP 
functionality is designed to promote the just and equitable principles 
of trade, and to protect investors and the public interest, by enabling 
Users to better prevent undesirable trading activity such as wash sales 
or self-trades for not only their Continuous Book Orders, but their 
Periodic Auction Orders as well. Additionally, by providing Users with 
a supplemental risk tool that will better enable them to achieve 
compliance with applicable securities rules and regulations, the 
proposed rule change will help to further ensure that orders eligible 
for execution in the Periodic Auction indeed represent genuine trading 
interest from separate and distinct firms. While the proposed MTP 
functionality would not operate identically to MTP as it is used in 
non-Periodic Auction scenarios, the Exchange believes that its proposal 
strikes an appropriate balance between ensuring Users receive 
executions in the Periodic Auction and providing Users' the ability to 
utilize MTP in most trading situations involving Periodic Auctions. 
Moreover, the Exchange notes that the use of MTP on Periodic Auction 
Orders is entirely optional, and Users may choose whether they want to 
utilize MTP. The Exchange conferred with its Periodic Auction Users and 
despite the limitations described in Rule 11.25(g)(1)(A)-(D), Users 
still requested that the Exchange implement the proposed functionality. 
Moreover, the Exchange will issue an Exchange Notice that notifies all 
Users of the planned implementation date for the proposed MTP 
functionality and describes the functionality. Accordingly, Users will 
be fully aware of how MTP will impact their Periodic Auction Orders.
    Furthermore, by making clear to Users how MTP will be managed by 
the System when the Periodic Auction is in progress, Users will be able 
to anticipate how MTP modifiers will interact with their Periodic 
Auction Orders and mitigate any confusion that Users may have in using 
the proposed functionality. In particular, proposed Rule 
11.25(g)(1)(A)-(D) identifies the discrete scenarios where the 
application of MTP is temporarily bypassed by the System so as to not 
interrupt the Periodic Auction that is in progress, as well as to avoid 
canceling MTP Continuous Book Orders and denying them an opportunity to 
execute on the Continuous Book while the Periodic Auction is in 
progress. By highlighting these four scenarios, Users will have a more 
concrete understanding of when and how they can expect MTP to provide 
them with wash sale protection, thereby better informing their trading 
decisions.
    Furthermore, by making clear how the Exchange will ignore Minimum 
Quantity instructions appended to MTP Orders when a Periodic Auction is 
in progress, Users will be better informed as to how MTP operates in 
conjunction with Minimum Quantity restrictions and will be better able 
to manage their Periodic Auction Orders. The Exchange notes that while 
ignoring a User's Minimum Quantity instruction for their MTP Periodic 
Auction Orders is not ideal, this functionality is necessary in order 
to avoid adding unnecessary complexity to the Exchange's System. As 
discussed further above, by incorporating Minimum Quantity into the 
Periodic Auction process it is likely to add latency to this process, 
leading to longer Periodic Auction times. Rather than impacting Users' 
Periodic Auction experience, the Exchange has elected to incorporate 
User feedback and instead choose, in the limited circumstance of when a 
Periodic Auction is in progress, ignored Minimum Quantity instructions 
appended to MTP Periodic Auction Orders. The Exchange further notes 
that while ignoring a User's Minimum Quantity instruction for their MTP 
Periodic Auction Orders while the Periodic Auction is in progress is 
not ideal, this functionality is necessary in order to avoid adding 
unnecessary complexity to the Exchange's System. As discussed further 
above, by incorporating Minimum Quantity into the Periodic Auction 
process it is likely to add latency to this process, leading to longer 
Periodic Auction times. Rather than impacting Users' Periodic Auction 
experience, the Exchange has elected to incorporate User feedback and 
instead choose, in the limited circumstance of when a Periodic Auction 
is in progress, ignored Minimum Quantity instructions appended to MTP 
Periodic Auction Orders.
    Additionally, by making clear that when a Periodic Auction is not 
in progress that the System will ignore an Inbound MTP Periodic Auction 
Order's Minimum Quantity instruction, Users will be better informed as 
to how MTP operates in conjunction with Minimum Quantity restrictions 
and will be better able to manage their Periodic Auction Orders. As 
discussed more fully above, when a Periodic Auction is not in progress 
the System will, upon receipt of an Inbound MTP Periodic Auction Order 
that also includes a Minimum Quantity instruction, apply MTP as 
described in Rule 11.9(f), and ignore such order's Minimum Quantity 
instruction. The MTP modifiers

[[Page 27733]]

appended to the orders will determine whether the System cancels the 
inbound order or the resting order. The System will ignore the Inbound 
MTP Periodic Auction Order's Minimum Quantity instruction because by 
design System first applies an inbound order's Minimum Quantity 
instruction when an order includes both Minimum Quantity and MTP. 
However, when the System first applies the Inbound MTP Periodic Auction 
Order's Minimum Quantity instruction, and the Inbound MTP Periodic 
Auction Order's Minimum Quantity is not satisfied by other outstanding 
orders, the Inbound MTP Periodic Auction Order will not be executable. 
As such, the System will not need to consider the application of MTP as 
there is no execution to prevent. In such event, both the Inbound MTP 
Periodic Auction Order and any resting orders originating from the same 
Unique Identifier could then be included in the Periodic Auction. 
However, if additional orders join the Periodic Auction and satisfy the 
Inbound MTP Periodic Auction Order's Minimum Quantity instruction, then 
such order could become executable. This may, in turn, result in wash 
sales, because the System will ignore MTP (as described further above) 
when the Periodic Auction is in progress. In this regard, the Exchange 
believes that ignoring Minimum Quantity on an Inbound MTP Periodic 
Auction Order will promote the just and equitable principles of trade 
and protect investors and the public interest.
    Additionally, the Exchange believes that the proposed rule changes 
are designed to facilitate transactions in securities, and to remove 
impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and 
a national market system. Based on User feedback, the lack of MTP 
functionality for Periodic Auction Orders may discourage Users from 
entering Periodic Auction Orders because they do not have an automated 
way to systematically prevent undesirable executions resulting from 
orders originating from a User's algorithm or trading desk, or their 
related algorithms or trading desks. In this regard, the proposed rule 
changes may encourage Users to increase their Periodic Auction 
participation, thereby further enhancing the Periodic Auction liquidity 
pool and the ability of investors to execute larger orders that may 
otherwise be difficult to execute without market impact in the 
continuous market. Additionally, because Periodic Auctions are price-
forming, the enhanced liquidity pools would indeed augment Periodic 
Auction's valuable price discovery function, which may be particularly 
helpful for investors when trading securities that typically trade with 
wider spreads.
    Finally, the Exchange further believes that the proposed rule 
change does not unfairly discriminate amongst Users because the 
proposal will allow all Periodic Auction Users to utilize MTP just as 
all Users entering Continuous Book Orders may utilize MTP today. In 
this regard, the proposed amendment will avoid disparate treatment of 
Users. Furthermore, the bypassing or amending of MTP modifiers, as 
described in the Examples above, will apply equally to all Periodic 
Auction Users, regardless of the User's size.

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. MTP is an optional risk tool 
offered by the Exchange and Periodic Auction Users are free to decide 
whether to use MTP when submitting Periodic Auction Orders to the 
Exchange. Similarly, the Exchange does not believe that the proposed 
amendment poses a burden on intermarket competition that is not 
necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the Act. Indeed, the 
proposed rule change is designed to increase competition by offering 
Periodic Auction Users the ability to better manage their order flow 
and prevent undesirable executions. In turn, Users may be further 
incentivized to send additional orders to BYX's Periodic Auction 
mechanism, thereby fostering competition amongst exchanges, as well as 
with off-exchange venues (e.g., alternative trading systems) where 
Users that may otherwise utilized Periodic Auctions, typically seek to 
source block-sized liquidity.\41\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \41\ See ``Trade Big with Cboe U.S. Periodic Auctions,'' 
available at: <a href="https://www.cboe.com/us/equities/trading/offerings/periodic_auctions/">https://www.cboe.com/us/equities/trading/offerings/periodic_auctions/</a>. (``Cboe created its patented Periodic Auctions 
to establish an on-exchange alternative to the growth of off-
exchange liquidity. Most recently, the use of conditional order 
types on Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) has reached new highs as 
a percentage of ATS volumes. Periodic Auctions would offer a new 
price forming auction for investors seeking liquidity, including but 
not limited to block size transactions, during the course of the 
trading day. These intraday auctions may be a useful tool to attract 
buyers and sellers in less liquid or wider spread names, and would 
create an equal and fair market for market participants and 
investors that wish to either initiate or respond to such auctions. 
Periodic Auctions will be available on Cboe's BYX<SUP>TM</SUP> 
market center.'').
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 written comments on the 
proposed rule change.

III. Discussion and Commission Findings

    After careful consideration, the Commission finds that the proposed 
rule change, as modified by Amendments No. 1 and No. 2, is consistent 
with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations 
thereunder applicable to a national securities exchange.\42\ In 
particular, the Commission finds that the proposed rule change is 
consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\43\ which requires, among 
other things, that the rules of a national securities exchange be 
designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to 
promote just and equitable principles of trade, 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, and not be designed to permit unfair discrimination between 
customers, issuers, brokers, or dealers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \42\ In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission has 
considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, 
and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
    \43\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As more fully described above, the proposal will allow Users to 
utilize MTP functionality when a Periodic Auction is in progress. The 
Exchange states that MTP allows Users to better manage their order flow 
to prevent undesirable trading activity such as wash sales or self-
trades that may occur as a result of the velocity of trading in today's 
high-speed marketplace, but that MTP is an optional order instruction 
and Users are not required to utilize this functionality.\44\ The 
Commission believes that the proposed application of MTP in certain 
situations that do not disrupt a Periodic Auction reasonably balances 
the goal of preventing of wash sales or self-trades against the goal of 
allowing Periodic Auctions to continue without interruption. In 
addition, the Exchange states that, in order to avoid potential 
disruptions of Periodic Auctions and to allow the benefits of MTP, it 
will prioritize a user's MTP instructions over its Minimum Quantity 
instructions for Period Auction Orders in certain instances.\45\ The 
Commission

[[Page 27734]]

believes that the proposed application of MTP and Minimum Quantity 
Instructions in the context of the Exchange's Periodic Auctions and the 
proposed handling of Periodic Auction Orders with MTP instructions is 
reasonably designed to enable increased access to the benefits of MTP 
while minimizing the risk that MTP Orders with Minimum Quantity 
instructions negatively impact the Periodic Auction process. 
Accordingly, the Commission finds that the proposed rule change, as 
modified by Amendments No. 1 and No. 2, is consistent with the Exchange 
Act,\46\ and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to a 
national securities exchange.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \44\ See Amendment No. 1 at 5-6.
    \45\ See Amendment No. 1 at 21.
    \46\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. Solicitation of Comments on Amendments No. 1 and No. 2 to the 
Proposed Rule Change

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments concerning whether Amendments No. 1 and No. 2 are 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#c4b6b1a8a1e9a7aba9a9a1aab0b784b7a1a7eaa3abb2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5624233a337b35393b3b333822251625333578313920">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. Please include 
file number
    SR-CboeBYX-2025-008 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-CboeBYX-2025-008. 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-CboeBYX-2025-008 and should 
be submitted on or before July 18, 2025.

V. Accelerated Approval of Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by 
Amendments No. 1 and No. 2

    The Commission finds good cause, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of 
the Act, for approving Amendments No. 1 and No. 2 prior to the 30th day 
after the date of publication of notice of Amendments No. 1 and No. 2 
in the Federal Register. Amendment No. 1 provides additional 
clarification and details regarding the operation of MTP and Minimum 
Quantity instructions in the context of Periodic Auctions, as well as 
additional legal analysis to support the Exchange's position that the 
proposal is consistent with the Act. Amendment No. 2 corrects minor 
errors in the proposed rule text and filing. Amendments No. 1 and No. 2 
raises no novel regulatory issues that have not previously been subject 
to comment and does not significantly alter the proposed operation of 
the proposed rule change. Accordingly, the Commission finds good cause, 
pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,\47\ to approve the proposed 
rule change, as modified by Amendments No. 1 and No. 2, on an 
accelerated basis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \47\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

VI. Conclusion

    For the reasons set forth above, the Commission finds that the 
proposed rule change, as modified by Amendments No. 1 and No. 2, is 
consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and 
regulations thereunder applicable to a national securities exchange 
and, in particular, the requirements of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act.\48\
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    \48\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the 
Act,\49\ that the proposed rule change (SR-CboeBYX-2025-008), as 
modified by Amendments No. 1 and No. 2, is approved.
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    \49\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\50\
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    \50\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Sherry R. Haywood,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-11873 Filed 6-26-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on June 27, 2025.

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