EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS	15. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS Eligible U.S. employees are eligible to participate in the Cboe Options SMART Plan (“SMART Plan”). The SMART Plan is a defined contribution plan, which is qualified under Internal Revenue Code Section 401(k). In addition, eligible employees may participate in the Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan, Executive Retirement Plan and Deferred Compensation Plan. Effective January 1, 2017, the Executive Retirement Plan is closed to new executive officers and employees. Each plan is a defined contribution plan that is non-qualified under the Internal Revenue Code. The Deferred Compensation Plan assets, held in a trust, are subject to the claims of general creditors of the Company and totaled $27.4 million and $28.0 million at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. Although the value of the plans are recorded in financial investments on the condensed consolidated balance sheets, there are equal and offsetting liabilities in other non-current liabilities. The investment results of these plans have no impact on net income as the investment results are recorded in equal amounts to both other expense, net and compensation and benefits expense in the condensed consolidated statements of income. The Company contributed $3.3 million and $2.2 million to the defined contribution plans for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Eligible employees outside of the U.S., which includes employees of Cboe Europe, EuroCCP, MATCHNow, BIDS, and Cboe Asia Pacific are eligible to participate in various employee-selected stakeholder contribution plans or plans covered by local jurisdictions or by applicable laws. The Company’s contribution amounted to $0.9 million and $0.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. This expense is included in compensation and benefits in the condensed consolidated statements of income.

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

15. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

Eligible U.S. employees are eligible to participate in the Cboe Options SMART Plan (“SMART Plan”). The SMART Plan is a defined contribution plan, which is qualified under Internal Revenue Code Section 401(k). In addition, eligible employees may participate in the Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan, Executive Retirement Plan and Deferred Compensation Plan. Effective January 1, 2017, the Executive Retirement Plan is closed to new executive officers and employees. Each plan is a defined contribution plan that is non-qualified under the Internal Revenue Code. The Deferred Compensation Plan assets, held in a trust, are subject to the claims of general creditors of the Company and totaled $27.4 million and $28.0 million at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. Although the value of the plans are recorded in financial investments on the condensed consolidated balance sheets, there are equal and offsetting liabilities in other non-current liabilities. The investment results of these plans have no impact on net income as the investment results are recorded in equal amounts to both other expense, net and compensation and benefits expense in the condensed consolidated statements of income. The Company contributed $3.3 million and $2.2 million to the defined contribution plans for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Eligible employees outside of the U.S., which includes employees of Cboe Europe, EuroCCP, MATCHNow, BIDS, and Cboe Asia Pacific are eligible to participate in various employee-selected stakeholder contribution plans or plans covered by local jurisdictions or by applicable laws. The Company’s contribution amounted to $0.9 million and $0.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. This expense is included in compensation and benefits in the condensed consolidated statements of income.