According to Odaily Planet Daily, the Chicago Board Options Exchange (Cboe Global Markets) has applied to the US SEC for a rule change, hoping to add an exchange-traded fund (ETF) share category to existing mutual funds. If approved, asset management companies can provide exposure to existing mutual fund portfolios through ETFs. Rob Marrocco, global head of Cboe ETP listing business, said this will provide more options for investors. Analysts believe that the SEC's approval will make it easier for issuers to add ETF products with the same records as existing mutual funds. Todd Sohn, an ETF analyst at Strategas LLC, predicts that if the SEC approves Cboe's application, the number of ETFs and ETF assets may increase significantly. However, Morningstar ETF strategist Bryan Armour pointed out that the chances of Cboe's application being approved this year are "slightly less than 50%."