In remarks at a U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission roundtable on listed options, the SEC Chairman highlighted the rapid growth and increasing complexity of U.S. options markets while stressing that the event was intended as a forum for assessment rather than a signal of imminent rulemaking. The Chairman pointed to the expansion in the number of exchanges and products and the resulting surge in market data, noting that the Options Price Reporting Authority disseminates more than 3,200 times as many messages as it did in 2000. He also noted broader retail participation and argued that listed options warrant dedicated attention distinct from equities market structure discussions, crediting Commissioner Peirce for helping renew the Commission’s focus. The remarks also referenced industry-led work through the Listed Options Market Structure Working Group, convened by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association and the Security Traders Association, as a channel for developing and refining proposals ahead of potential formal SEC consideration.
U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission 2026-04-16
U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission Chairman says listed options roundtable is not a prelude to near-term rulemaking
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman, speaking at an SEC roundtable on listed options, underscored the rapid growth and increasing complexity of U.S. options markets, including a sharp rise in exchanges, products and market data volumes. He emphasized that the roundtable is an assessment forum rather than a precursor to imminent rulemaking and highlighted the need to consider listed options separately from equities. The Chairman also pointed to industry work through the Listed Options Market Structure Working Group as a venue for developing proposals that could later be considered by the Commission.