OCC Backs Off Fee Increase: Traders Dodge the Nickel Hike
Published Date: 2/24/2025
Notice
Summary
The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) decided to pull back its plan to raise fees for clearing options contracts and remove a big flat fee for large trades. This means traders and firms won’t see any fee changes for now, keeping costs steady. The withdrawal happened in February 2025 after some feedback from the public.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Per‑Contract Clearing Fee Increase Withdrawn
On February 14, 2025, the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) withdrew a proposal that would have raised the per‑contract clearing fee from $0.02 to $0.025. If you trade options, you will not pay the higher per‑contract fee for now and the $0.02 rate remains in place.
Flat Large‑Trade Fee Removal Withdrawn
The OCC also withdrew the proposal to remove the flat $55 per‑transaction fee that currently applies to transactions of 2,751 or more contracts. That $55 flat fee remains in place because the proposal was withdrawn on February 14, 2025.
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