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

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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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