Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
KRAUSE DOUGLAS PAUL
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
EAST WEST BANCORP INC [EWBC]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
EAST WEST BANCORP, INC., 135 N. LOS ROBLES AVE. 7TH FLOOR
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/07/2017
(Street)

PASADENA, CA 91101
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 03/07/2017   M   10,854 A (1) 41,856 D  
Common Stock 03/07/2017   F   3,841 D $ 54.87 38,015 D  
Common Stock 03/07/2017   S   10,000 D $ 54.0619 (2) 28,015 D  
Common Stock 03/08/2017   S   5,000 D $ 55.0375 23,015 D  
Common Stock               28,746 I 401 (k) Plan

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units (1) 03/07/2017   M     10,854   (1) 03/07/2017 Common Stock 10,854 $ 0 11,264 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
KRAUSE DOUGLAS PAUL
EAST WEST BANCORP, INC.
135 N. LOS ROBLES AVE. 7TH FLOOR
PASADENA, CA 91101
      Executive Vice President  

Signatures

 /s/ Felicia Yu, as Attorney-in-fact   03/08/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units granted on March 7, 2014 fully vest in three years. Number of vested units depends on meeting pre-established performance criteria. As of March 7, 2017, 200% of the units granted on March 7, 2014 were earned and vested. On the settlement date, for each vested Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit, the reporting person received one share of Common Stock.
(2) A total of 10,000 shares were sold at a weighted average price of $54.0619. The shares were purchased in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $54.0000 to $54.1850, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide to East West Bancorp, Inc., or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares purchased at each separate price within the range set forth in the preceding sentence.

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