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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 91468-91470]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26871]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-101616; File No. SR-BX-2024-045]

Self-Regulatory Organizations; Nasdaq BX, Inc.; Notice of Filing 
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend Options 9, 
Section 13, Position Limits, and Options 9, Section 15, Exercise 
Limits, Regarding Options on the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF

November 13, 2024.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that 
on November 6, 2024, Nasdaq BX, Inc. (``BX'' or ``Exchange'') filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the 
proposed rule change as described in Items I and II 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

    The Exchange proposes to amend Options 9, Section 13, Position 
Limits, and Section 15, Exercise Limits.
    The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's 
website at https://listingcenter.nasdaq.com/rulebook/nasdaq/rules, at 
the principal office of the Exchange, 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.

[[Page 91469]]

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 Options 9, Section 13, Position 
Limits, and Options 9, Section 15, Exercise Limits, to limit the 
position and exercise limits for options on iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF 
(``IBIT'') to 25,000 contracts.\3\
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    \3\ In the absence of this proposal, position and exercise 
limits would be governed by BX Options 9, Section 13(a).
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    Recently, Nasdaq ISE, LLC (``ISE'') received approval to list 
options on IBIT.\4\ BX's Options 4 Rules were amended as those Rules 
are incorporated by reference to ISE's Options 4 Rules, so BX has the 
ability to list IBIT options. ISE's IBIT Approval Order \5\ stated that 
the position and exercise limits for IBIT options shall be 25,000 
contracts. At this time, the Exchange proposes to amend BX Option 9, 
Sections 13 and 15 to similarly note that IBIT options position and 
exercise limits shall be 25,000 contracts to mirror ISE's position and 
exercise limits for IBIT options.
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    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 101128 (September 
20, 2024), 89 FR 78942 (September 26, 2024) (SR-ISE-2024-03) (Notice 
of Filing of Amendment Nos. 4 and 5 and Order Granting Accelerated 
Approval of a Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment Nos. 1, 
4, and 5, To Permit the Listing and Trading of Options on the 
iShares Bitcoin Trust) (``IBIT Approval Order'').
    \5\ See IBIT Approval Order.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 
6(b) of the Act,\6\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 
6(b)(5) of the Act,\7\ in particular, in that it is designed 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.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    The Exchange's proposal to amend Options 9, Section 13, Position 
Limits, and Options 9, Section 15, Exercise Limits, to provide that the 
position and exercise limits for IBIT options shall be 25,000 contracts 
is consistent with the Act as it will conform BX's IBIT options 
position and exercise limits with ISE's IBIT options position and 
exercise limits in order that IBIT options have the same position and 
exercise limits on BX and ISE.\8\
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    \8\ The Exchange believes that other exchanges will adopt 
position and exercise limits of 25,000 contracts for IBIT Option 
ETPs. All Nasdaq affiliated markets have filed to adopt a 25,000 
contract position and exercise limit for IBIT options.
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The proposed rule change does not impose any burden on competition 
that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of 
the Act. Amending Options 9, Sections 13 and 15 to provide that the 
position and exercise limits for IBIT options shall be 25,000 contracts 
does not impose an undue burden on competition as the position and 
exercise limits will apply to all trading for IBIT options on the 
Exchange as well as other exchanges that file a similar proposal.\9\
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    \9\ All Nasdaq affiliated markets have filed to adopt a 25,000 
contract position and exercise limit for IBIT options.
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C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    No written comments were either solicited or received.

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

    Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i) 
significantly affect the protection of investors or the public 
interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) 
become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or 
such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become 
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \10\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) thereunder.\11\
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    \10\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) 
requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission 
written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change, along 
with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change, at 
least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed 
rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. 
The Exchange has satisfied this requirement.
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    A proposed rule change filed pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6) under the 
Act normally does not become operative for 30 days after the date of 
its filing. However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) \12\ permits the Commission 
to designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the 
protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has 
requested that the Commission waive the 30-day operative delay so that 
the proposal may become operative immediately upon filing. The 
Commission notes that the proposal will conform BX's IBIT options 
position and exercise limits with ISE's IBIT options position and 
exercise limits and therefore raises no novel legal or regulatory 
issues.\13\ Thus, the Commission believes that waiver of the 30-day 
operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the 
public interest. Accordingly, the Commission hereby waives the 30-day 
operative delay and designates the proposed rule change operative upon 
filing.\14\
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    \12\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
    \13\ See supra notes 4 and 5 and accompanying text.
    \14\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, 
the Commission has also considered the proposed rule's impact on 
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 
78c(f).
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    At any time within 60 days of the filing of such 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.

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

     Use the Commission's internet comment form (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
     Send an email to [email protected]. Please include 
file number SR-BX-2024-045 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     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-BX-2024-045. 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 (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). 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

[[Page 91470]]

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-BX-2024-045 and should be submitted on or before December 10, 2024.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\15\
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    \15\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12), (59).
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Sherry R. Haywood,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-26871 Filed 11-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
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