OCC, the world's largest equity derivatives clearing organization, today said its total cleared contract volume on behalf of the U.S. equity options and futures industry has exceeded 5 billion for the year. OCC has cleared 5.01 billion total contracts and 4.91 billion options contracts year-to-date, surpassing the previous records of 4.60 billion total contracts and 4.56 billion options contracts set in 2011. The new industry volume record will be finalized at year-end, since 10 business days remain in 2018.
"The efficient clearance and settlement of more than five billion contracts is a remarkable achievement for the U.S. equity options and futures industry and OCC and is representative of the work OCC does in serving our participating exchanges, clearing firms and market users. I am very proud of the OCC team's ability to promote stability and market integrity through effective and efficient clearance, settlement and risk management services to the users of these important financial markets," said John Davidson, OCC President and Chief Operating Officer.
So far in 2018, OCC has cleared a daily average of 20,774,677 options and futures contracts. This is 20.5% higher than the daily cleared contract average of 17,241,342 for 2017 and 13.8% higher than the the daily cleared contract average of 18,257,762 for 2011, the previous record-holding year.