Arca U.S. Treasury Fund and Arca Capital Management, LLC, 61787-61789 [2020-21605]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 190 / Wednesday, September 30, 2020 / Notices
submit only information that you wish
to make available publicly. All
submissions should refer to File
Number SR–MIAX–2020–31 and should
be submitted on or before October 21,
2020.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.35
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–21554 Filed 9–29–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No.
34026; File No. 812–15145]
Arca U.S. Treasury Fund and Arca
Capital Management, LLC
September 24, 2020.
Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
ACTION: Notice.
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AGENCY:
Notice of application for an order
under sections 6(c) and 23(c)(3) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (the
‘‘Act’’) for an exemption from rule 23c–
3 under the Act.
Summary of Application: Applicants
request an order under sections 6(c) and
23(c)(3) of the Act for an exemption
from certain provisions of rule 23c–3 to
permit certain registered closed-end
investment companies to make
repurchase offers on a monthly basis.
Applicants: Arca U.S. Treasury Fund
(the ‘‘Fund’’) and Arca Capital
Management, LLC (the ‘‘Adviser’’).
Filing Dates: The application was
filed on July 22, 2020 and amended on
September 10, 2020.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An
order granting the requested relief will
be issued unless the Commission orders
a hearing. Interested persons may
request a hearing by emailing the
Commission’s Secretary at SecretarysOffice@sec.gov and serving applicants
with a copy of the request, personally or
by mail. Hearing requests should be
received by the Commission by 5:30
p.m. on October 19, 2020, and should be
accompanied by proof of service on the
applicants, in the form of an affidavit,
or, for lawyers, a certificate of service.
Pursuant to rule 0–5 under the Act,
hearing requests should state the nature
of the writer’s interest, any facts bearing
upon the desirability of a hearing on the
matter, the reason for the request, and
the issues contested. Persons who wish
35 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
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to be notified of a hearing may request
notification by emailing the
Commission’s Secretary at SecretarysOffice@sec.gov.
ADDRESSES: The Commission:
Secretarys-Office@sec.gov. Applicants:
c/o Kelley A. Howes, by email to
KHowes@mofo.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laura L. Solomon, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 551–6915, or Kaitlin C. Bottock,
Branch Chief, at (202) 551–6825
(Division of Investment Management,
Chief Counsel’s Office).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
following is a summary of the
application. The complete application
may be obtained via the Commission’s
website by searching for the file
number, or for an applicant using the
Company name box, at https://
www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by
calling (202) 551–8090.
Applicants’ Representations
1. The Fund is a Delaware statutory
trust that is registered under the Act as
a diversified, closed-end management
investment company that operates as an
interval fund. The Adviser is a Delaware
limited liability company and is
registered as an investment adviser
under the Investment Advisers Act of
1940. The Adviser serves as investment
adviser to the Fund.
2. Applicants request that any relief
granted also apply to any registered
closed-end management investment
company that operates as an interval
fund pursuant to rule 23c–3 for which
the Adviser or any entity controlling,
controlled by, or under common control
with the Adviser, or any successor in
interest to any such entity,1 acts as
investment adviser (the ‘‘Future Funds,’’
and together with the Fund, the
‘‘Funds,’’ and each, individually, a
‘‘Fund’’).2
3. The Fund’s common shares are not
offered or traded in the secondary
market and are not listed on any
exchange or quoted on any quotation
medium. The Fund issues its shares as
digital securities (‘‘ArCoins’’), meaning
the securities are uncertificated
securities, the ownership and transfer of
which are authenticated and recorded as
ERC–1404 compatible tokens on
Ethereum, an electronic distributed
ledger that is secured using
1 A successor in interest is limited to an entity
that results from a reorganization into another
jurisdiction or a change in the type of business
organization.
2 All entities currently intending to rely on the
requested relief have been named as applicants.
Any entity that relies on the requested order in the
future will do so only in accordance with the terms
and conditions of the application.
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61787
cryptography (referred to as a
‘‘blockchain’’).
4. Applicants request an order to
permit each Fund to offer to repurchase
a portion of its common shares at onemonth intervals, rather than the three,
six, or twelve-month intervals specified
by rule 23c–3.
5. Each Fund will disclose in its
prospectus and annual reports its
fundamental policy to make monthly
offers to repurchase a portion of its
common shares at net asset value, less
deduction of a repurchase fee, if any, as
permitted by rule 23c–3(b)(1). The
fundamental policy will be changeable
only by a majority vote of the holders
of such Fund’s outstanding voting
securities. Under the fundamental
policy, the repurchase offer amount will
be determined by the board of trustees
of the applicable Fund (‘‘Board’’) prior
to each repurchase offer. Each Fund will
comply with rule 23c–3(b)(8)’s
requirements with respect to its trustees
who are not interested persons of such
Fund, within the meaning of section
2(a)(19) of the Act (‘‘Disinterested
Trustees’’) and their legal counsel. Each
Fund will make monthly offers to
repurchase not less than 5% of its
outstanding shares at the time of the
repurchase request deadline. The
repurchase offer amounts for the thencurrent monthly period, plus the
repurchase offer amounts for the two
monthly periods immediately preceding
the then-current monthly period, will
not exceed 25% of the outstanding
common shares of the applicable Fund.
6. Each Fund’s fundamental policies
will specify the means to determine the
repurchase request deadline and the
maximum number of days between each
repurchase request deadline and the
repurchase pricing date. Each Fund’s
repurchase pricing date normally will
be the same date as the repurchase
request deadline and pricing will be
determined after close of business on
that date.
7. Pursuant to rule 23c–3(b)(1), each
Fund will repurchase shares for cash on
or before the repurchase payment
deadline, which will be no later than
seven calendar days after the repurchase
pricing date. Each Fund intends to make
payment by the fifth business day or
seventh calendar day (whichever period
is shorter) following the repurchase
pricing date. Each Fund will make
payment for shares repurchased in the
previous month’s repurchase offer at
least five business days before sending
notification of the next repurchase offer.
Each Fund may deduct a repurchase fee
in an amount not to exceed 2% from the
repurchase proceeds payable to
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tendering shareholders, in compliance
with rule 23c–3(b)(1).
8. Each Fund will provide common
shareholders with notification of each
repurchase offer no less than seven days
and no more than fourteen days prior to
the repurchase request deadline. The
notification will include all information
required by rule 23c–3(b)(4)(i). Each
Fund will file the notification and the
Form N–23c–3 with the Commission
within three business days after sending
the notification to its respective
common shareholders.
9. Each Fund will not suspend or
postpone a repurchase offer except
pursuant to the vote of a majority of its
trustees, including a majority of its
Disinterested Trustees, and only under
the limited circumstances specified in
rule 23c–3(b)(3)(i). Each Fund will not
condition a repurchase offer upon
tender of any minimum amount of
shares. In addition, each Fund will
comply with the pro ration and other
allocation requirements of rule 23c–
3(b)(5) if common shareholders tender
more than the repurchase offer amount.
Further, each Fund will permit tenders
to be withdrawn or modified at any time
until the repurchase request deadline,
but will not permit tenders to be
withdrawn or modified thereafter.
10. From the time a Fund sends its
notification to shareholders of the
repurchase offer until the repurchase
pricing date, a percentage of such
Fund’s assets equal to at least 100% of
the repurchase offer amount will consist
of: (a) Assets that can be sold or
disposed of in the ordinary course of
business at approximately the price at
which such Fund has valued such
investment within a period equal to the
period between the repurchase request
deadline and the repurchase payment
deadline; or (b) assets that mature by the
next repurchase payment deadline. In
the event the assets of a Fund fail to
comply with this requirement, the
Board will cause such Fund to take such
action as it deems appropriate to ensure
compliance.
11. In compliance with the asset
coverage requirements of section 18 of
the Act, any senior security issued by,
or other indebtedness of, a Fund will
either mature by the next repurchase
pricing date or provide for such Fund’s
ability to call, repay or redeem such
senior security or other indebtedness by
the next repurchase pricing date, either
in whole or in part, without penalty or
premium, as necessary to permit that
Fund to complete the repurchase offer
in such amounts determined by its
Board.
12. The Board of each Fund will
adopt written procedures to ensure that
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such Fund’s portfolio assets are
sufficiently liquid so that it can comply
with its fundamental policy on
repurchases and the liquidity
requirements of rule 23c–3(b)(10)(i). The
Board of each Fund will review the
overall composition of the portfolio and
make and approve such changes to the
procedures as it deems necessary.
Applicants’ Legal Analysis
1. Section 6(c) of the Act provides that
the Commission may exempt any
person, security, or transaction, or any
class or classes of persons, securities, or
transactions, from any provision of the
Act or rule thereunder, if and to the
extent that such exemption is necessary
or appropriate in the public interest and
consistent with the protection of
investors and the purposes fairly
intended by the policy and provisions of
the Act.
2. Section 23(c) of the Act provides in
relevant part that no registered closedend investment company shall purchase
any securities of any class of which it
is the issuer except: (a) On a securities
exchange or other open market; (b)
pursuant to tenders, after reasonable
opportunity to submit tenders given to
all holders of securities of the class to
be purchased; or (c) under such other
circumstances as the Commission may
permit by rules and regulations or
orders for the protection of investors.
3. Rule 23c–3 under the Act permits
a registered closed-end investment
company to make repurchase offers for
its common stock at net asset value at
periodic intervals pursuant to a
fundamental policy of the investment
company. ‘‘Periodic interval’’ is defined
in rule 23c–3(a)(1) as an interval of
three, six, or twelve months. Rule 23c–
3(b)(4) requires that notification of each
repurchase offer be sent to shareholders
no less than 21 calendar days and no
more than 42 calendar days before the
repurchase request deadline.
4. Applicants request an order
pursuant to sections 6(c) and 23(c) of
the Act exempting them from rule 23c–
3(a)(1) to the extent necessary to permit
the Funds to make monthly repurchase
offers. Applicants also request an
exemption from the notice provisions of
rule 23c–3(b)(4) to the extent necessary
to permit each Fund to send notification
of an upcoming repurchase offer to
shareholders at least seven days but no
more than fourteen calendar days in
advance of the repurchase request
deadline.
5. Applicants contend that monthly
repurchase offers are in the public
interest and in the common
shareholders’ interests and consistent
with the policies underlying rule 23c–
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3. Applicants assert that monthly
repurchase offers will provide investors
with more liquidity than quarterly
repurchase offers. Applicants assert that
shareholders will be better able to
manage their investments and plan
transactions, because if they decide to
forego a repurchase offer, they will only
need to wait one month for the next
offer. Applicants also contend that the
portfolio of each Fund will be managed
to provide ample liquidity for monthly
repurchase offers.
6. Applicants propose to send
notification to shareholders at least
seven days, but no more than fourteen
calendar days, in advance of a
repurchase request deadline. Applicants
assert that, because each Fund intends
to make payment on the fifth business
day or seventh calendar day (whichever
period is shorter) following the
repurchase pricing date, the entire
procedure will be completed before the
next notification is sent out to
shareholders, thus avoiding any overlap.
Applicants believe that these
procedures will eliminate any
possibility of investor confusion.
Applicants also state that monthly
repurchase offers will be a fundamental
feature of the Funds, and their
prospectuses will provide a clear
explanation of the repurchase program.
7. Applicants submit that for the
reasons given above the requested relief
is appropriate in the public interest and
is consistent with the protection of
investors and the purposes fairly
intended by the policy and provisions of
the Act.
Applicants’ Conditions
Applicants agree that any order
granting the requested relief shall be
subject to the following conditions:
1. The Fund (and any Future Fund
relying on this relief) will make a
repurchase offer pursuant to rule 23c–
3(b) for a repurchase offer amount of not
less than 5% in any one-month period.
In addition, the repurchase offer amount
for the then-current monthly period,
plus the repurchase offer amounts for
the two monthly periods immediately
preceding the then-current monthly
period, will not exceed 25% of the
Fund’s (or Future Fund’s, as applicable)
outstanding common shares. The Fund
(and any Future Fund relying on this
relief) may repurchase additional
tendered common shares pursuant to
rule 23c–3(b)(5) only to the extent the
percentage of additional common shares
so repurchased does not exceed 2% in
any three-month period.
2. Payment for repurchased common
shares will occur at least five business
days before notification of the next
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 190 / Wednesday, September 30, 2020 / Notices
repurchase offer is sent to common
shareholders of the Fund (or any Future
Fund relying on this relief).
For the Commission, by the Division of
Investment Management, under delegated
authority.
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–21605 Filed 9–29–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No.
34025; File No. 812–15163]
Deutsche Bank AG, et al.
September 24, 2020.
Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
ACTION: Temporary order and notice of
application for a permanent order under
section 9(c) of the Investment Company
Act of 1940 (‘‘Act’’).
AGENCY:
Applicants have received a
temporary order (‘‘Temporary Order’’)
exempting them from section 9(a) of the
Act, with respect to an injunction
entered against Deutsche Bank AG on
June 17, 2020 by the U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of New York
(‘‘District Court’’), in connection with a
consent order between Deutsche Bank
AG and the U.S. Commodity Futures
Trading Commission (‘‘CFTC’’), until
the Commission takes final action on an
application for a permanent order (the
‘‘Permanent Order,’’ and with the
Temporary Order, the ‘‘Orders’’).
Applicants also have applied for a
Permanent Order.
Applicants: Deutsche Bank AG; DWS
Investment Management Americas, Inc.
(‘‘DIMA’’), DWS International GmbH
(‘‘DWSI’’), DWS Investments Australia
Limited (‘‘DIAL’’), RREEF America
L.L.C. (‘‘RREEF’’), DWS Alternatives
Global Limited (‘‘DAAM Global’’), DBX
Advisors LLC (‘‘DBX Advisors’’), DWS
Distributors, Inc. (‘‘DDI’’), Harvest
Global Investments Limited (‘‘Harvest’’)
and DWS Investments Hong Kong
Limited (‘‘DIHK’’) (each a ‘‘Fund
Servicing Applicant,’’ and together with
Deutsche Bank AG, the ‘‘Applicants’’).
Filing Date: The application was filed
on September 24, 2020, and amended
on September 24, 2020.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An
order granting the application will be
issued unless the Commission orders a
hearing. Interested persons may request
a hearing by emailing the Commission’s
Secretary Secretarys-Office@sec.gov and
serving Applicants with a copy of the
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request by email. Hearing requests
should be received by the Commission
by 5:30 p.m. on October 19, 2020 and
should be accompanied by proof of
service on Applicants, in the form of an
affidavit, or for lawyers, a certificate of
service. Pursuant to rule 0–5 under the
Act, hearing requests should state the
nature of the writer’s interest, any facts
bearing upon the desirability of a
hearing on the matter, the reason for the
request, and the issues contested.
Persons who wish to be notified of a
hearing may request notification by
emailing the Commission’s Secretary at
Secretarys-Office@sec.gov.
ADDRESSES: Secretary, U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission, SecretarysOffice@sec.gov; Applicants: Caroline
Pearson, DWS Investment Management
Americas, Inc., Regulatory.notices@
dws.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Adam Bolter, Senior Counsel at (202)
551–6011 or David Nicolardi, Branch
Chief at (202) 551–6825 (Division of
Investment Management, Chief
Counsel’s Office).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
following is a temporary order and a
summary of the application. The
complete application may be obtained
via the Commission’s website by
searching for the file number, or an
applicant using the Company name box,
at https://www.sec.gov/search/
search.htm, or by calling (202) 551–
8090.
Applicants’ Representations
1. Deutsche Bank AG, a stock
corporation organized under the laws of
Germany, controls DWS Group GmbH &
Co. KGaA (‘‘DWS Group’’). The Fund
Servicing Applicants collectively serve
as investment adviser (as defined in
section 2(a)(20) of the Act to 130
management investment companies
registered under the Act or series
thereof (‘‘Funds’’) and as principal
underwriter (as defined in section
2(a)(29) of the Act) to 74 open-end
registered investment companies under
the Act (‘‘Open-End Funds’’). Each of
the Fund Servicing Applicants listed
below (other than Harvest) is a wholly
owned subsidiary of DWS Group.
Following its initial public offering in
March 2018, DWS Group became a
public company, listed and traded on
the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, that is as
of June 30, 2020 a 79.49% owned
subsidiary of Deutsche Bank AG.
2. DIMA, a corporation organized
under the laws of Delaware, is a wholly
owned subsidiary of DWS Group and is
an investment adviser registered under
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as
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61789
amended (the ‘‘Advisers Act’’). DIMA
provides investment advisory and
management services to the Funds listed
on Part 1–A of Annex A of the
application, and investment subadvisory services to the Funds listed on
Part 1–B of Annex A of the application.
3. DWSI, a limited liability company
organized under the laws of Germany, is
a wholly owned subsidiary of DWS
Group and is an investment adviser
registered under the Advisers Act. DWSI
provides investment advisory services
to the Funds listed on Part 2–A of
Annex A of the application, and
investment sub-advisory services to the
Funds listed on Part 2–B of Annex A of
the application.
4. DIAL, a corporation organized
under the laws of Australia, is a wholly
owned subsidiary of DWS Group and is
an investment adviser registered under
the Advisers Act. DIAL provides
investment sub-advisory services to the
Fund listed on Part 3–A of Annex A of
the application, investment sub-subadvisory services to the Funds listed on
Part 3–B of Annex A of the application,
and investment sub-sub-sub- advisory
services to the Fund listed on Part 3–C
of Annex A of the application.
5. RREEF, a Delaware limited liability
company, is a wholly owned subsidiary
of DWS Group and is an investment
adviser registered under the Advisers
Act. RREEF provides investment subadvisory services to the Funds listed on
Part 4–A of Annex A of the application,
and investment sub-sub- advisory
services to the Funds listed on Part 4–
B of Annex A of the application.
6. DAAM Global, a UK limited
company, is a wholly owned subsidiary
of DWS Group and is an investment
adviser registered under the Advisers
Act. DAAM Global provides investment
sub- advisory services to the Fund listed
on Part 5–A of Annex A of the
application, investment sub-subadvisory services to the Funds listed on
Part 5–B of Annex A of the application,
and investment sub-sub-sub-advisory
services to the Fund listed on Part 5–C
of Annex A of the application.
7. DBX Advisors, a Delaware limited
liability company, is a wholly owned
subsidiary of DWS Group and is an
investment adviser registered under the
Advisers Act. DBX Advisors provides
investment advisory services to the
Funds listed on Part 6 of Annex A of the
application.
8. DDI, a corporation organized under
the laws of Delaware, is a wholly owned
subsidiary of DIMA and is a brokerdealer registered under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
‘‘Exchange Act’’). DDI serves as
principal underwriter (‘‘Underwriter’’)
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 190 (Wednesday, September 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61787-61789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21605]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No. 34026; File No. 812-15145]
Arca U.S. Treasury Fund and Arca Capital Management, LLC
September 24, 2020.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice of application for an order under sections 6(c) and 23(c)(3)
of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'') for an exemption
from rule 23c-3 under the Act.
Summary of Application: Applicants request an order under sections
6(c) and 23(c)(3) of the Act for an exemption from certain provisions
of rule 23c-3 to permit certain registered closed-end investment
companies to make repurchase offers on a monthly basis.
Applicants: Arca U.S. Treasury Fund (the ``Fund'') and Arca Capital
Management, LLC (the ``Adviser'').
Filing Dates: The application was filed on July 22, 2020 and
amended on September 10, 2020.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the requested
relief will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing.
Interested persons may request a hearing by emailing the Commission's
Secretary at [email protected] and serving applicants with a
copy of the request, personally or by mail. Hearing requests should be
received by the Commission by 5:30 p.m. on October 19, 2020, and should
be accompanied by proof of service on the applicants, in the form of an
affidavit, or, for lawyers, a certificate of service. Pursuant to rule
0-5 under the Act, hearing requests should state the nature of the
writer's interest, any facts bearing upon the desirability of a hearing
on the matter, the reason for the request, and the issues contested.
Persons who wish to be notified of a hearing may request notification
by emailing the Commission's Secretary at [email protected].
ADDRESSES: The Commission: [email protected]. Applicants: c/o
Kelley A. Howes, by email to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura L. Solomon, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 551-6915, or Kaitlin C. Bottock, Branch Chief, at (202) 551-6825
(Division of Investment Management, Chief Counsel's Office).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the
application. The complete application may be obtained via the
Commission's website by searching for the file number, or for an
applicant using the Company name box, at https://www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by calling (202) 551-8090.
Applicants' Representations
1. The Fund is a Delaware statutory trust that is registered under
the Act as a diversified, closed-end management investment company that
operates as an interval fund. The Adviser is a Delaware limited
liability company and is registered as an investment adviser under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The Adviser serves as investment
adviser to the Fund.
2. Applicants request that any relief granted also apply to any
registered closed-end management investment company that operates as an
interval fund pursuant to rule 23c-3 for which the Adviser or any
entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the
Adviser, or any successor in interest to any such entity,\1\ acts as
investment adviser (the ``Future Funds,'' and together with the Fund,
the ``Funds,'' and each, individually, a ``Fund'').\2\
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\1\ A successor in interest is limited to an entity that results
from a reorganization into another jurisdiction or a change in the
type of business organization.
\2\ All entities currently intending to rely on the requested
relief have been named as applicants. Any entity that relies on the
requested order in the future will do so only in accordance with the
terms and conditions of the application.
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3. The Fund's common shares are not offered or traded in the
secondary market and are not listed on any exchange or quoted on any
quotation medium. The Fund issues its shares as digital securities
(``ArCoins''), meaning the securities are uncertificated securities,
the ownership and transfer of which are authenticated and recorded as
ERC-1404 compatible tokens on Ethereum, an electronic distributed
ledger that is secured using cryptography (referred to as a
``blockchain'').
4. Applicants request an order to permit each Fund to offer to
repurchase a portion of its common shares at one-month intervals,
rather than the three, six, or twelve-month intervals specified by rule
23c-3.
5. Each Fund will disclose in its prospectus and annual reports its
fundamental policy to make monthly offers to repurchase a portion of
its common shares at net asset value, less deduction of a repurchase
fee, if any, as permitted by rule 23c-3(b)(1). The fundamental policy
will be changeable only by a majority vote of the holders of such
Fund's outstanding voting securities. Under the fundamental policy, the
repurchase offer amount will be determined by the board of trustees of
the applicable Fund (``Board'') prior to each repurchase offer. Each
Fund will comply with rule 23c-3(b)(8)'s requirements with respect to
its trustees who are not interested persons of such Fund, within the
meaning of section 2(a)(19) of the Act (``Disinterested Trustees'') and
their legal counsel. Each Fund will make monthly offers to repurchase
not less than 5% of its outstanding shares at the time of the
repurchase request deadline. The repurchase offer amounts for the then-
current monthly period, plus the repurchase offer amounts for the two
monthly periods immediately preceding the then-current monthly period,
will not exceed 25% of the outstanding common shares of the applicable
Fund.
6. Each Fund's fundamental policies will specify the means to
determine the repurchase request deadline and the maximum number of
days between each repurchase request deadline and the repurchase
pricing date. Each Fund's repurchase pricing date normally will be the
same date as the repurchase request deadline and pricing will be
determined after close of business on that date.
7. Pursuant to rule 23c-3(b)(1), each Fund will repurchase shares
for cash on or before the repurchase payment deadline, which will be no
later than seven calendar days after the repurchase pricing date. Each
Fund intends to make payment by the fifth business day or seventh
calendar day (whichever period is shorter) following the repurchase
pricing date. Each Fund will make payment for shares repurchased in the
previous month's repurchase offer at least five business days before
sending notification of the next repurchase offer. Each Fund may deduct
a repurchase fee in an amount not to exceed 2% from the repurchase
proceeds payable to
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tendering shareholders, in compliance with rule 23c-3(b)(1).
8. Each Fund will provide common shareholders with notification of
each repurchase offer no less than seven days and no more than fourteen
days prior to the repurchase request deadline. The notification will
include all information required by rule 23c-3(b)(4)(i). Each Fund will
file the notification and the Form N-23c-3 with the Commission within
three business days after sending the notification to its respective
common shareholders.
9. Each Fund will not suspend or postpone a repurchase offer except
pursuant to the vote of a majority of its trustees, including a
majority of its Disinterested Trustees, and only under the limited
circumstances specified in rule 23c-3(b)(3)(i). Each Fund will not
condition a repurchase offer upon tender of any minimum amount of
shares. In addition, each Fund will comply with the pro ration and
other allocation requirements of rule 23c-3(b)(5) if common
shareholders tender more than the repurchase offer amount. Further,
each Fund will permit tenders to be withdrawn or modified at any time
until the repurchase request deadline, but will not permit tenders to
be withdrawn or modified thereafter.
10. From the time a Fund sends its notification to shareholders of
the repurchase offer until the repurchase pricing date, a percentage of
such Fund's assets equal to at least 100% of the repurchase offer
amount will consist of: (a) Assets that can be sold or disposed of in
the ordinary course of business at approximately the price at which
such Fund has valued such investment within a period equal to the
period between the repurchase request deadline and the repurchase
payment deadline; or (b) assets that mature by the next repurchase
payment deadline. In the event the assets of a Fund fail to comply with
this requirement, the Board will cause such Fund to take such action as
it deems appropriate to ensure compliance.
11. In compliance with the asset coverage requirements of section
18 of the Act, any senior security issued by, or other indebtedness of,
a Fund will either mature by the next repurchase pricing date or
provide for such Fund's ability to call, repay or redeem such senior
security or other indebtedness by the next repurchase pricing date,
either in whole or in part, without penalty or premium, as necessary to
permit that Fund to complete the repurchase offer in such amounts
determined by its Board.
12. The Board of each Fund will adopt written procedures to ensure
that such Fund's portfolio assets are sufficiently liquid so that it
can comply with its fundamental policy on repurchases and the liquidity
requirements of rule 23c-3(b)(10)(i). The Board of each Fund will
review the overall composition of the portfolio and make and approve
such changes to the procedures as it deems necessary.
Applicants' Legal Analysis
1. Section 6(c) of the Act provides that the Commission may exempt
any person, security, or transaction, or any class or classes of
persons, securities, or transactions, from any provision of the Act or
rule thereunder, if and to the extent that such exemption is necessary
or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the
protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the policy
and provisions of the Act.
2. Section 23(c) of the Act provides in relevant part that no
registered closed-end investment company shall purchase any securities
of any class of which it is the issuer except: (a) On a securities
exchange or other open market; (b) pursuant to tenders, after
reasonable opportunity to submit tenders given to all holders of
securities of the class to be purchased; or (c) under such other
circumstances as the Commission may permit by rules and regulations or
orders for the protection of investors.
3. Rule 23c-3 under the Act permits a registered closed-end
investment company to make repurchase offers for its common stock at
net asset value at periodic intervals pursuant to a fundamental policy
of the investment company. ``Periodic interval'' is defined in rule
23c-3(a)(1) as an interval of three, six, or twelve months. Rule 23c-
3(b)(4) requires that notification of each repurchase offer be sent to
shareholders no less than 21 calendar days and no more than 42 calendar
days before the repurchase request deadline.
4. Applicants request an order pursuant to sections 6(c) and 23(c)
of the Act exempting them from rule 23c-3(a)(1) to the extent necessary
to permit the Funds to make monthly repurchase offers. Applicants also
request an exemption from the notice provisions of rule 23c-3(b)(4) to
the extent necessary to permit each Fund to send notification of an
upcoming repurchase offer to shareholders at least seven days but no
more than fourteen calendar days in advance of the repurchase request
deadline.
5. Applicants contend that monthly repurchase offers are in the
public interest and in the common shareholders' interests and
consistent with the policies underlying rule 23c-3. Applicants assert
that monthly repurchase offers will provide investors with more
liquidity than quarterly repurchase offers. Applicants assert that
shareholders will be better able to manage their investments and plan
transactions, because if they decide to forego a repurchase offer, they
will only need to wait one month for the next offer. Applicants also
contend that the portfolio of each Fund will be managed to provide
ample liquidity for monthly repurchase offers.
6. Applicants propose to send notification to shareholders at least
seven days, but no more than fourteen calendar days, in advance of a
repurchase request deadline. Applicants assert that, because each Fund
intends to make payment on the fifth business day or seventh calendar
day (whichever period is shorter) following the repurchase pricing
date, the entire procedure will be completed before the next
notification is sent out to shareholders, thus avoiding any overlap.
Applicants believe that these procedures will eliminate any possibility
of investor confusion. Applicants also state that monthly repurchase
offers will be a fundamental feature of the Funds, and their
prospectuses will provide a clear explanation of the repurchase
program.
7. Applicants submit that for the reasons given above the requested
relief is appropriate in the public interest and is consistent with the
protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the policy
and provisions of the Act.
Applicants' Conditions
Applicants agree that any order granting the requested relief shall
be subject to the following conditions:
1. The Fund (and any Future Fund relying on this relief) will make
a repurchase offer pursuant to rule 23c-3(b) for a repurchase offer
amount of not less than 5% in any one-month period. In addition, the
repurchase offer amount for the then-current monthly period, plus the
repurchase offer amounts for the two monthly periods immediately
preceding the then-current monthly period, will not exceed 25% of the
Fund's (or Future Fund's, as applicable) outstanding common shares. The
Fund (and any Future Fund relying on this relief) may repurchase
additional tendered common shares pursuant to rule 23c-3(b)(5) only to
the extent the percentage of additional common shares so repurchased
does not exceed 2% in any three-month period.
2. Payment for repurchased common shares will occur at least five
business days before notification of the next
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repurchase offer is sent to common shareholders of the Fund (or any
Future Fund relying on this relief).
For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management,
under delegated authority.
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-21605 Filed 9-29-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P