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COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND GUARANTEES | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2025
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND GUARANTEES | COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND GUARANTEES Legal Proceedings As of December 31, 2025, the Company was subject to the various legal proceedings and claims discussed below, as well as certain other legal proceedings and claims that have not been fully resolved and that have arisen in the ordinary course of business. The Company reviews its legal proceedings and claims, regulatory reviews and inspections, and other legal proceedings on an ongoing basis and follows appropriate accounting guidance when making accrual and disclosure decisions. The Company establishes accruals for those contingencies where the incurrence of a loss is probable and can be reasonably estimated, and the Company discloses the amount accrued and the amount of a reasonably possible loss in excess of the amount accrued, if such disclosure is necessary for the consolidated financial statements to not be misleading. The Company does not record liabilities when the likelihood of the liability being incurred is probable, but the amount cannot be reasonably estimated, or when the liability is believed to be only reasonably possible or remote. The Company’s assessment of whether a loss is remote, reasonably possible, or probable is based on its assessment of the ultimate outcome of the matter following all appeals. As of December 31, 2025, the Company does not believe that there is a reasonable possibility that any material loss exceeding the amounts already recognized for these legal proceedings and claims, regulatory reviews, inspections, or other legal proceedings, if any, has been incurred. While the consequences of certain unresolved proceedings are not presently determinable, the outcome of any proceeding is inherently uncertain and an adverse outcome from certain matters could have a material effect on the financial position, results of operations, or cash flows of the Company in any given reporting period. CAT Putative Class Action A putative class action was filed on April 16, 2024 captioned Erik A. Davidson, John Restivo and National Center for Public Policy Research vs. Gary Gensler, SEC and CATLLC. Cboe and the Plan Participants are not parties to this litigation. The complaint alleges, among other things, that the SEC engaged in unlawful agency action and violated multiple provisions of the U.S. Constitution when it promulgated Rule 613 in 2012 mandating the creation and funding of the CAT. Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction and stay was denied. On July 7, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas ("Texas Federal District Court") granted the SEC's opposed motion to hold the case in abeyance and stay all deadlines until January 15, 2026. On January 15, 2026, the SEC filed a status report and an opposed Motion to Continue the Abeyance for an additional six months. On January 23, 2026, Plaintiffs filed a motion for class certification. On January 30, 2026, Plaintiffs filed a Renewed Motion for a Preliminary Injunction. On February 4, 2026, the Texas Federal District Court granted the SEC's opposed Motion to Continue the Abeyance until July 15, 2026. This challenge or any other challenge to the constitutionality of the CAT may delay CATLLC’s assessment of CAT fees to recover a portion of CAT costs. As a result, the Plan Participants may continue to incur additional significant costs, and/or it may result in them not being able to collect on the promissory notes related to the funding of the implementation and operation of the CAT. Citadel Petition for Review of SEC Temporary Conditional Exemptive Order On July 17, 2024, Citadel filed a Petition for Review (“PFR”) of the SEC’s May 20, 2024 Order Granting A Temporary Conditional Exemption Pursuant to Section 36(a)(1) of the Exchange Act and Rule 608(e) of Regulation NMS Under the Exchange Act, Relating to the Reporting of Responses to Requests for Quotes and Other Solicitation Responses Provided in a Standard Electronic Format, as Required by Section 6.4(d) of the NMS Plan Governing the CAT (“CAT RFQ Exemptive Order”) in the 11th Circuit. The PFR does not identify any requested relief. On August 1, 2024, the 11th Circuit granted Citadel's July 19, 2024 unopposed motion to stay the PFR until a decision is issued in the CAT Funding Model Order litigation, which was also before the 11th Circuit. On September 11, 2024, the 11th Circuit granted motions filed by the Cboe U.S. national securities exchanges, the Nasdaq U.S. national securities exchanges, and CATLLC to intervene on behalf of the SEC. On July 25, 2025, the 11th Circuit issued an opinion in the CAT Funding Model Order litigation. The case has been removed from the 11th Circuit's mediation program and the parties are free to continue the litigation. This challenge or any other challenge to SEC Orders concerning the CAT may delay the CATLLC’s assessment of CAT fees to recover a portion of CAT costs. As a result, the Plan Participants may continue to incur additional significant costs, and/or it may result in them not being able to collect on the promissory notes related to the funding of the implementation and operation of the CAT. Citadel vs. CATLLC On January 15, 2026, Citadel filed a Petition for Rulemaking ("PFRM") asking the SEC to address the question of how CATLLC may (or may not) use reserve funds. On January 16, 2026, Citadel filed a Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief against CATLLC in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ("D.C. federal district court") asserting a claim for relief based on an alleged violation of the private non-delegation doctrine. On January 16, 2026, Citadel also filed a motion for a preliminary injunction asking the D.C. federal district court to bar CATLLC from using reserves to fund its operations until the SEC has ruled on Citadel’s PFRM. A hearing on Citadel's motion for a preliminary injunction was scheduled for February 19, 2026, which was continued in response to a letter that the SEC sent to Citadel in response to its PFRM. This challenge or any other challenge to the use of CATLLC reserves to fund its operations creates uncertainty about how CATLLC's ongoing operations will be funded and the Plan Participants may continue to incur significant costs until an amended funding model is in place, and/or it may result in them not being able to collect on promissory notes relating to the funding of the ongoing operation of the CAT. Former Employee Litigation On January 26, 2026, a former employee filed a complaint against the Company in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas (Jacqueline Craine v. Cboe Global Markets, Inc., Case No. 2:26-cv-2046) alleging wrongful termination, violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, as well as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for alleged retaliation for being a purported whistleblower of alleged accounting and operational control issues. The complaint seeks back pay, reinstatement or front pay, compensatory damages, punitive, liquidated, and/or special damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, and fees and costs. The Company previously investigated the allegations with the assistance of outside legal advisers and forensic consultants, and the investigation concluded that the allegations lacked merit. The Company disputes the complaint’s allegations and claims, and the Company plans to vigorously defend itself. Other As self-regulatory organizations under the jurisdiction of the SEC, Cboe Options, C2, BZX, BYX, EDGX, and EDGA are subject to routine reviews and inspections by the SEC. As designated contract markets under the jurisdiction of the CFTC, CFE and Cboe Digital Exchange are subject to routine rule enforcement reviews and examinations by the CFTC. As a derivatives clearing organization under the jurisdiction of the CFTC, Cboe Clear U.S. is also subject to routine audits and examinations by the CFTC. Cboe SEF, LLC is a swap execution facility registered with the CFTC and subject to routine rule enforcement reviews and examinations by the CFTC. Cboe Trading, BIDS Trading and Cboe Fixed Income are subject to reviews and inspections by FINRA. The Company has from time to time received inquiries and investigative requests from the SEC’s Division of Examinations, CFTC’s Division of Market Oversight, the CFTC's Division of Clearing and Risk, as well as the SEC Division of Enforcement and CFTC Division of Enforcement seeking information about the Company's or its subsidiaries' compliance with their respective obligations as self-regulatory organizations, as applicable under the federal securities laws and/or Commodity Exchange Act as well as members’ compliance with the federal securities laws and/or Commodity Exchange Act. In addition, Cboe Europe, Cboe Chi-X Europe, Cboe Clear Europe, Cboe NL, Cboe Australia, Cboe Japan, and Cboe Canada may be subject to routine reviews, audits, examinations, investigations, or inspections, as applicable, by their respective regulators, and while they have not been the subject of any litigation or regulatory investigation in the past that resulted in a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, liquidity or capital resources, there is always the possibility of such action in the future. As Cboe Europe and Cboe Chi-X Europe are domiciled in the UK, it is likely that any action would be taken in the UK courts in relation to litigation or by the FCA in relation to any regulatory enforcement action. As Cboe Clear Europe is domiciled in the Netherlands, it is likely that any action would be taken in the Dutch courts in relation to litigation or by the DNB or Dutch Authority for Financial Markets in relation to any regulatory enforcement action. For Cboe NL, also domiciled in the Netherlands, it is likely that any actions would be taken in the Dutch courts in relation to litigation or Dutch Authority for Financial Markets in relation to any regulatory enforcement action. As Cboe Australia is domiciled in Australia, it is likely that any action would be taken in the Australian courts in relation to litigation or by the ASIC, in relation to any regulatory enforcement action. As Cboe Japan is domiciled in Japan, it is likely that any action would be taken in the Japanese courts in relation to litigation or by the JFSA or the JSDA in relation to any regulatory enforcement action. As Cboe Canada is domiciled in Canada, it is likely that any action would be taken in the Canadian courts in relation to litigation or by the OSC and/or CIRO in relation to any regulatory enforcement action. The Company is also currently a party to various other legal and regulatory proceedings in addition to those already mentioned. Management does not believe that the likely outcome of any of these other reviews, inspections, investigations, or other legal proceedings is expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, liquidity, or capital resources. See Note 8 ("Credit Losses") for information on promissory notes related to the CAT. See also Note 21 ("Income Taxes") for information on tax examinations. Contractual Obligations The Company has contractual obligations related to licensing agreements with various licensors, some of which included fixed fees and/or variable fees calculated using agreed upon contracted rates and reported cleared volumes. Certain licensing agreements contain annual minimum fee requirements that total $14.6 million (excluding estimated variable fees) each year for the next five years. The Company is subject to annual minimum fee requirements under the January 29, 2024 addendum to its cloud services agreement, totaling $5.8 million to $6.9 million each year over the next four years. See Note 14 ("Clearing Operations") for information on the clearinghouse exposure guarantees for Cboe Clear Europe and Cboe Clear U.S. See Note 24 ("Leases") for information on lease obligations.

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