Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc., 19555-19556 [2013-07473]
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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 62 (Monday, April 1, 2013)] [Notices] [Pages 19555-19556] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2013-07473] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-69238; File No. SR-BATS-2013-020] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. March 26, 2013. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that on March 18, 2013, BATS Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or ``BATS'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II and III below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Exchange has designated the proposed rule change as one establishing or changing a member due, fee, or other charge imposed by the Exchange under Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act \3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) thereunder,\4\ which renders the proposed rule change effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4. \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii). \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change The Exchange proposes to amend the fee schedule applicable to Members \5\ and non-members of the Exchange pursuant to BATS Rules 15.1(a) and (c). Changes to the fee schedule pursuant to this proposal are effective upon filing. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \5\ A Member is any registered broker or dealer that has been admitted to membership in the Exchange. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange's Web site at https://www.batstrading.com, at the principal office of the Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room. II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant parts of such statements. A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change 1. Purpose The purpose of this proposed rule change is to implement pricing applicable to the Exchange's options platform (``BATS Options'') with respect to executions in Mini Options. Mini Options are options that overlie 10 equity or ETF shares, rather than the standard 100 shares.\6\ Specifically, the Exchange is proposing that executions in Mini Options will be free for both orders that add to and orders that remove liquidity from the BATS Options book. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \6\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 69018 (March 1, 2013), 78 FR 15090 (March 8, 2013) (Notice of filing and immediate effectiveness allowing Mini Options to be listed and traded on BATS Options) (SR-BATS-2013-013). The Exchange expects to begin listing and trading Mini Options on March 18, 2013. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Currently, all orders executed on BATS Options are subject to standard pricing, which includes variable fees and/or rebates based on whether the order adds or removes liquidity, the capacity of the order (Professional,\7\ Firm, Market Maker,\8\ or Customer \9\ orders), a Member's average daily trading volume, the amount that a Member increases its total trading volume from month to month, and whether the issue is a penny pilot issue, among others. In addition to standard rebates, orders that add liquidity may be eligible for additional rebates upon execution of orders that originally set a new NBBO \10\ as well as executions that qualify for the Exchange's quoting incentive program.\11\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \7\ The term ``Professional'' is defined in Exchange Rule 16.1 to mean any person or entity that (A) is not a broker or dealer in securities, and (B) places more than 390 orders in listed options per day on average during a calendar month for its own beneficial account(s). \8\ As defined on the Exchange's fee schedule, the terms ``Firm'' and ``Market Maker'' apply to any transaction identified by a member for clearing in the Firm or Market Maker range, respectively, at the Options Clearing Corporation (``OCC''). \9\ As defined on the Exchange's fee schedule, a Customer order refers to an order identified by a Member for clearing in the Customer range at the OCC, excluding any transaction for a ``Professional'' as defined in Exchange Rule 16.1. \10\ As defined in Exchange Rule 27.1(11), the term ``NBBO'' is defined to mean the national best bid and offer in an option series as calculated by an Eligible Exchange. \11\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 69079 (March 8, 2013) (SR-BATS-2013-017) (notice of filing and immediate effectiveness of proposed rule change related to fees for use of BATS Options). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Exchange is proposing that executions in Mini Options will be free for both orders that add to and orders that remove liquidity from the BATS Options book and that no executions in Mini Options will be eligible for additional liquidity rebates. Specifically, executions in Mini Options will not be eligible for any rebate, including the NBBO setter liquidity rebate or the quoting incentive program liquidity rebates. It should be noted, however, that executions in Mini Options will be counted in calculations of ADV \12\ and TCV \13\ for purposes of calculating other rebates and fees. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \12\ As defined on the Exchange's fee schedule, ADV is average daily volume calculated as the number of contracts added or removed, combined, per day on a monthly basis. The fee schedule also provides that routed contracts are not included in ADV calculation. \13\ As defined on the Exchange's fee schedule, TCV is total consolidated volume calculated as the volume reported by all exchanges to the consolidated transaction reporting plan for the month for which the fees apply. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Statutory Basis The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder that are applicable to a national securities exchange, and, in particular, with the requirements of Section 6 of the Act.\14\ Specifically, the Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b)(4) of the Act,\15\ in that it provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges among members and other persons using any facility or system which the Exchange operates or controls. The Exchange notes that it operates in a highly competitive market in which market participants can readily direct order flow to competing venues if they deem fee levels to be excessive. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \14\ 15 U.S.C. 78f. \15\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The introduction of pricing for Mini Options, as described above and proposed by this filing, is intended to allow the Exchange to begin trading in Mini Options without charging any fees [[Page 19556]] or providing any rebates for executions in Mini Options. The Exchange believes that this is a reasonable, fair and equitable approach to pricing, particularly because the Exchange does not have any specific advanced knowledge of how market participants will react to the introduction of Mini Options products. Further, the Exchange believes that the proposal is reasonable because a high level of fees for the execution of Mini Options could negate the viability of such products given the other execution costs market participants will bear, including, but not limited to, clearing fees. In addition, the Exchange believes that this structure is a fair and equitable approach to pricing because it provides certainty for market participants with respect to execution costs across all trades in Mini Options on the Exchange. Lastly, the Exchange also believes that the proposed pricing for Mini Options is non-discriminatory because it will apply equally to all Members. The Exchange notes that this proposal is not increasing fees or decreasing rebates for any existing products traded on or routed by BATS Options, but rather, the proposal only propose to introduce a pricing structure for Mini Options, which will be available to trade on BATS Options on March 18, 2013. B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. To the contrary, the Exchange notes that this rule change is being proposed as a competitive offering at a time when many other options exchanges are commencing trading of Mini Options. As a result of the competitive environment, market participants will have various pricing models to choose from in making determinations on where to execute transactions in Mini Options. As stated above, the Exchange notes that it operates in a highly competitive market in which market participants can readily direct order flow to competing venues if they deem fee levels to be excessive if they deem fee levels to be excessive. C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others The Exchange has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, comments on this proposed rule change. The Exchange has not received any written comments from members or other interested parties. III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \16\ and paragraph (f) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\17\ At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \16\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii). \17\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- IV. Solicitation of Comments Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods: Electronic CommentsUse the Commission's Internet comment form (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or Send an email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File Number SR-BATS-2013-020 on the subject line. Paper Comments Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BATS-2013-020. This file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission's Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BATS-2013-020 and should be submitted on or before April 22, 2013. For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.\18\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \18\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2013-07473 Filed 3-29-13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
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