SUBMISSION COVER SHEET

IMPORTANT: Check box if Confidential Treatment is requested

Registered Entity Identifier Code (optional): 24-069

Organization: New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. ("NYMEX")

Filing as a: DCM SEF DCO SDR 

Please note - only ONE choice allowed.

Filing Date (mm/dd/yy): January 9, 2024 Filing Description: Modifications to the 

NYMEX Spread Options Program

SPECIFY FILING TYPE 

Please note only ONE choice allowed per Submission.

Organization Rules and Rule Amendments

Certification § 40.6(a)

Approval § 40.5(a)

Notification § 40.6(d)

Advance Notice of SIDCO Rule Change § 40.10(a)

SIDCO Emergency Rule Change § 40.10(h)

Rule Numbers: Not Applicable

New Product Please note only ONE product per Submission.

Certification § 40.2(a) 

Certification Security Futures § 41.23(a)

Certification Swap Class § 40.2(d)

Approval § 40.3(a)

Approval Security Futures § 41.23(b)

Novel Derivative Product Notification § 40.12(a)

Swap Submission § 39.5

Official Product Name: 

Product Terms and Conditions (product related Rules and Rule Amendments)

Certification § 40.6(a) 

Certification Made Available to Trade Determination § 40.6(a)

Certification Security Futures § 41.24(a)

Delisting (No Open Interest) § 40.6(a) 

Approval § 40.5(a)

Approval Made Available to Trade Determination § 40.5(a)

Approval Security Futures § 41.24(c)

Approval Amendments to enumerated agricultural products § 40.4(a), § 40.5(a)

“Non-Material Agricultural Rule Change” § 40.4(b)(5)

Notification § 40.6(d)

Official Name(s) of Product(s) Affected: 

Rule Numbers: 
20 S Wacker Dr Chicago, IL 60606 T 312 466 7478 tim.elliott@cmegroup.com cmegroup.com

Timothy Elliott

Managing Director and Chief Regulatory Counsel

Legal Department

January 9, 2024

VIA ELECTRONIC PORTAL

Christopher J. Kirkpatrick 

Office of the Secretariat

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Three Lafayette Centre

1155 21st Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20581

RE: Modifications to the NYMEX Spread Options Program

NYMEX Submission No. 24-069

Dear Mr. Kirkpatrick:

New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (“NYMEX” or “Exchange”) hereby notifies the Commodity Futures Trading 

Commission (“CFTC” or “Commission”) of plans to modify the NYMEX Spread Options Program (“Program”). The 

modifications to the Program will become effective on February 1, 2024.

Exhibit 1 sets forth the terms of the Program. Modifications appear below, with additions underlined and deletions 

overstruck.

The Exchange reviewed the designated contract market core principles (“Core Principles”) as set forth in the 

Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”). During the review, NYMEX staff identified the following Core Principles as 

potentially being impacted: Monitoring of Trading, Execution of Transactions, Protection of Market Participants,

Compliance with Rules, Availability of General Information, and Recordkeeping.

The Program does not impact the Exchange’s ability to perform its trade practice and market surveillance obligations 

under the CEA. The Exchange’s market regulation staff will monitor trading in the Program’s products to prevent 

manipulative trading and market abuse. Additionally, the Exchange has implemented systems to track Program 

participants’ volume to ensure proper distribution of earned incentives. The products included in this Program are

listed for trading in the open and competitive market. Participants in the Program will be selected by NYMEX staff 

using criteria as further stated in Exhibit 1. Chapter 4 of the NYMEX rules includes prohibitions against fraudulent, 

non-competitive, unfair or abusive practices. All participants must execute a contractual agreement with NYMEX in 

which each participant will expressly agree to comply with and be subject to, applicable regulations and NYMEX 

rules. The Program is subject to the Exchange’s record retention policies which comply with the CEA. 

NYMEX certifies that the Program complies with the CEA and the regulations thereunder. There were no substantive 

opposing views to this Program.

The Exchange certifies that this submission has been concurrently posted on the Exchange’s website at 

http://www.cmegroup.com/market-regulation/rule-filings.html.

If you require any additional information regarding this submission, please e-mail 

CMEGSubmissionInquiry@cmegroup.com or contact Rachel Johnson at 312-466-4393 or via e-mail at 

Rachel.Johnson@cmegroup.com. Please reference our NYMEX Submission No. 24-069 in any related 

correspondence.

Sincerely,

/s/ Timothy Elliott

Managing Director and Chief Regulatory Counsel 

Attachment: Exhibit 1
EXHIBIT 1

NYMEX Spread Options Program

Program Purpose 

The purpose of the Program is to incentivize higher levels of volume contribution in the products listed 

below. Higher levels of volume and liquidity in the products benefits all participants in the marketplace.

Product Scope

All NYMEX energy products that are traded on Globex or submitted for clearing via CME ClearPort 

(“Products”).

Eligible Participants

There is no limit to the number of participants in the Program. Participants may be NYMEX members or 

non-members. The Exchange, in its sole discretion, will use a variety of factors in determining whether a 

prospective participant is selected to participate in the Program, including the prospective participant’s 

overall historical volume in the Products and the prospective participant’s ability to maintain threshold 

volume obligations for the duration of the Program. The Exchange may from time to time add or subtract 

from the above factors as it deems necessary.

Program Term 

Start date is July 1, 2018. End date is January 31, 2024 January 31, 2025.

Hours

N/A

Obligations

Participants must quote two-sided markets in applicable products, at predetermined average bid/ask 

spreads and minimum quote sizes, and/or must meet certain volume thresholds in order to be eligible to 

receive the incentives.

Incentives

Upon meeting all obligations, as determined by the Exchange, participants will be eligible to receive 

predetermined incentives.

Monitoring and Termination of Status

The Exchange shall monitor trading activity and participants’ performance and shall retain the right to 

revoke participant status if it concludes from review that a participant has failed to meet its obligations or 

no longer meets the eligibility requirements of the Program.