NYSE Arca modifies manual options fee schedule, adds floor broker rebate

On August 18 2026 NYSE Arca, Inc. filed a proposed rule change to amend its Options Fee Schedule. The Securities and Exchange Commission published the notice on September 3 2026, stating the change is immediately effective and binds market makers and floor brokers that trade on the Exchange's trading floor.

The filing proposes to increase the per-contract fee for market makers' manual transactions in non-penny issues from $0.50 to $0.90, while leaving the fee unchanged for penny issues and for transactions in MXEA, MXEF, MXUSA, MXWLD, and MXACW. In addition, a rebate of $0.20 per contract would be payable to floor broker orders that trade with a market maker on the trading floor, superseding any rebate earned through the Manual Billable Rebate Program for participants in the FB Prepay Program.

According to the Exchange, manual non-penny transactions represented 27% of all manual transactions in July 2026. The Exchange held a 10.01% share of executed volume of multiply-listed equity and ETF options trades in July 2026, reflecting a highly competitive market with no single venue possessing significant pricing power.

The Exchange cites Section 6(b) of the Securities Exchange Act as the statutory basis, asserting that the fee adjustment and rebate promote equitable allocation of charges without unfair discrimination and are intended to sustain floor participation while preserving market-maker activity.