55 East 52nd Street

New York, NY 10055

BY ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION

Submission No. 17-181

September 25, 2017

Mr. Christopher J. Kirkpatrick

Secretary of the Commission

Office of the Secretariat

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Three Lafayette Centre

1155 21st Street, NW

Washington, DC 20581

Re: Extension of N.A. Credit Futures Contracts Market Maker Program

Submission Pursuant to Section 5c(c)(1) of the Act and Regulation 40.6

Dear Mr. Kirkpatrick:

Pursuant to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) Regulation 40.6(a), ICE Futures

U.S., Inc. (“IFUS” or “Exchange”) hereby submits, by written certification, notice that the Exchange is

extending the term of the N.A. Credit Futures Contracts Market Maker Program (“Program”) through

December 31, 2018. The Program, which was launched with the listing of the Exchange’s N.A. Credit

Futures Contract on April 27, 2015, was scheduled to terminate on December 31, 2017. However, the

Exchange believes that the program will continue to help tighten markets and build interest in the covered

products and is, therefore, extending the Program through December 31, 2018, provided, however, that

the Exchange in its sole discretion may cancel the Program prior to that time.

The Exchange certifies that the amended Program complies with the requirements of the

Commodity Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. In particular, the

Program complies with Core Principle 4 (Monitoring of Trading), Core Principle 9 (Execution of

Transactions) and Core Principle 12 (Protection of Market Participants). The Program does not impact

order execution priority or otherwise give participants any execution preference or advantage. In

addition, the Exchange’s Market Regulation Department actively monitors for trading abuses using

electronic exception reports and will take appropriate action against any participants engaging in market

abuses.

The Exchange is not aware of any opposing views with respect to the extension, which will

become effective on October 10, 2017 and further certifies that, concurrent with this filing, a redacted

copy of this submission (consistent with the petition for Confidential Treatment filed contemporaneously

with the Commission) was posted on the Exchange’s website at (https://www.theice.com/futuresus/regulation#rule-filings).
If you have any questions or need further information, please contact me at 212-748-4021 or at

jason.fusco@theice.com.

Sincerely,

Jason V. Fusco

Assistant General Counsel

Market Regulation

Enc.

cc: Division of Market Oversight

New York Regional Office
EXHIBIT A

ICE Futures U.S. N. A. Credit Futures Contracts Market Maker Program

Program Purpose

The purpose of the Program is to incentivize volume in the covered contracts, to increase the overall

liquidity of the products to the benefit of all market participants.

Product Scope

Eris CDX IG and Eris CDX HY Credit Futures contracts.

Eligible Participants

IFUS may designate up to 10 participants in the Program. In order to be considered for selection into the

Program, potential participants must have a demonstrated capacity to make markets in Credit futures or

swap contracts or similar products. Notwithstanding the foregoing the Exchange may add or subtract

from the aforementioned criteria as it deems necessary.

Program Term

The term of the program shall end on December 31, 201[7]8. The Exchange reserves the right to revise

the terms of the program and to terminate the program upon notice to all current Participants.

[REDACTED]

Obligations

Participants must agree to make two-sided markets in the one or more of the covered products for a

specified portion of the trading day. Participants are required to provide the Exchange with information

acceptable to the Exchange detailing Participants’ trading activity under the program, and the Exchange

may require an additional third party verification report.

Program Incentives

[REDACTED]

Monitoring and Termination of Status

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

revoke Participants’ status if it concludes from review that a Program Participant has failed to meet its

obligations or no longer meets the eligibility requirements of this Program.