AdvisorShares Trust, et al., 73321-73322 [2020-25329]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 222 / Tuesday, November 17, 2020 / Notices cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying information from comment submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR–MIAX–2020–35, and should be submitted on or before December 8, 2020. For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.22 J. Matthew DeLesDernier, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2020–25264 Filed 11–16–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Investment Company Act Release No. 34092; File No. 812–15146] AdvisorShares Trust, et al. November 12, 2020. Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: Notice of an application for an order under section 6(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (‘‘Act’’) for an exemption from sections 2(a)(32), 5(a)(1), and 22(d) of the Act and rule 22c–1 under the Act, and under sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act for an exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the Act. APPLICANTS: AdvisorShares Trust (the ‘‘Trust’’), AdvisorShares Investments, LLC (the ‘‘Initial Adviser’’), and Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the ‘‘Distributor’’). SUMMARY OF APPLICATION: Applicants request an order (‘‘Order’’) that permits: (a) ActiveShares ETFs (as described in the Reference Order (as defined below)) to issue shares (‘‘Shares’’) redeemable in large aggregations only (‘‘creation units’’); (b) secondary market transactions in Shares to occur at negotiated market prices rather than at net asset value; and (c) certain affiliated persons of an ActiveShares ETF to deposit securities into, and receive securities from, the ActiveShares ETF in connection with the purchase and redemption of creation units. The relief in the Order would incorporate by reference terms and conditions of the same relief of a previous order granting the same relief sought by applicants, as that order may be amended from time to time (‘‘Reference Order’’).1 22 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). ETFs Trust, et al., Investment Company Act Release Nos. 33440 (April 8, 2019) 1 Precidian VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:46 Nov 16, 2020 Jkt 253001 The application was filed on July 31, 2020 and amended on November 3, 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 by email. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 5:30 p.m. on December 7, 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 SecretarysOffice@sec.gov. ADDRESSES: The Commission: Secretarys-Office@sec.gov. Applicants: info@advisorshares.com. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Ehrlich, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551– 6819 or Trace W. Rakestraw, 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. FILING DATE: Applicants 1. The Trust is a statutory trust established under the laws of Delaware and will consist of one or more series operating as ActiveShares ETFs. The Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company under the Act. Applicants seek relief with respect to Funds (as defined below), including two initial Funds (‘‘Initial Funds’’). The Funds will (notice) and 33477 (May 20, 2019) (order). Applicants are not seeking relief under section 12(d)(1)(J) of the Act for an exemption from sections 12(d)(1)(A) and 12(d)(1)(B) of the Act (the ‘‘Section 12(d)(1) Relief’’), and relief under sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act for an exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the Act relating to the Section 12(d)(1) Relief, as granted in the Reference Order. Accordingly, to the extent the terms and conditions of the Reference Order relate to such relief, they are not incorporated by reference into the Order. PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 73321 operate as ActiveShares ETFs as described in the Reference Order.2 2. The Initial Adviser, a Delaware limited liability company, will be the investment adviser to the Initial Funds. An Adviser (as defined below) will serve as investment adviser to each Fund. The Initial Adviser is, and any other Adviser will be, registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (‘‘Advisers Act’’). The Adviser may enter into sub-advisory agreements with other investment advisers to act as subadvisers with respect to the Funds (each a ‘‘Sub-Adviser’’). Any Sub-Adviser will be registered under the Advisers Act. 3. The Distributor is a Delaware limited liability company and a brokerdealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and will act as the principal underwriter of Shares of the Funds. Applicants request that the requested relief apply to any distributor of Shares, whether affiliated or unaffiliated with the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser (included in the term ‘‘Distributor’’). Any Distributor will comply with the terms and conditions of the Order. Applicants’ Requested Exemptive Relief 4. Applicants seek the requested Order under section 6(c) of the Act for an exemption from sections 2(a)(32), 5(a)(1), and 22(d) of the Act and rule 22c–1 under the Act, and under sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act for an exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the Act. The requested Order would permit applicants to offer ActiveShares ETFs. Because the relief requested is the same as certain of the relief granted by the Commission under the Reference Order and because the Initial Adviser has entered into a license agreement with Precidian Investments LLC, or an affiliate thereof, in order to offer ActiveShares ETFs,3 the Order would incorporate by reference the terms and conditions of the same relief of the Reference Order. 5. Applicants request that the Order apply to the Initial Funds and to any other existing or future registered openend management investment company or series thereof that: (a) Is advised by 2 To facilitate arbitrage, an ActiveShares ETF disseminates a ‘‘verified intraday indicative value’’ or ‘‘VIIV,’’ reflecting the value of its portfolio holdings, calculated every second during the trading day. To protect the identity and weightings of its portfolio holdings, an ActiveShares ETF sells and redeems its Shares in creation units to authorized participants only through an unaffiliated broker-dealer acting on an agency basis. 3 Aspects of the Funds are covered by intellectual property rights, including but not limited to those which are described in one or more patent applications. E:\FR\FM\17NON1.SGM 17NON1 73322 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 222 / Tuesday, November 17, 2020 / Notices the Initial Adviser or any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Initial Adviser (any such entity, along with the Initial Adviser, included in the term ‘‘Adviser’’); (b) operates as an ActiveShares ETF as described in the Reference Order; and (c) complies with the terms and conditions of the Order and the terms and conditions of the Reference Order that are incorporated by reference into the Order (each such company or series and each Initial Fund, a ‘‘Fund’’).4 6. Section 6(c) of the Act provides that the Commission may exempt any person, security or transaction, or any class of persons, securities or transactions, from any provisions of the Act, 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. Section 17(b) of the Act authorizes the Commission to exempt a proposed transaction from section 17(a) of the Act if evidence establishes that the terms of the transaction, including the consideration to be paid or received, are reasonable and fair and do not involve overreaching on the part of any person concerned, and the transaction is consistent with the policies of the registered investment company and the general purposes of the Act. Applicants submit that for the reasons stated in the Reference Order the requested relief meets the exemptive standards under sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act. For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, pursuant to delegated authority. J. Matthew DeLesDernier, Assistant Secretary. BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 4 All entities that currently intend to rely on the Order are named as applicants. Any other entity that relies on the Order in the future will comply with the terms and conditions of the Order and the terms and conditions of the Reference Order that are incorporated by reference into the Order. 19:46 Nov 16, 2020 Jkt 253001 [Release No. 34–90387; File No. SR–NYSE– 2020–93) Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change to Amend Rules 7.35 and 7.35A November 10, 2020. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) 1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ‘‘Act’’) 2 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,3 notice is hereby given that, on November 3, 2020, New York Stock Exchange LLC (‘‘NYSE’’ or the ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which Items have been prepared by the self-regulatory organization. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons. I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change The Exchange proposes to (1) amend Rule 7.35 to make permanent that the Exchange would disseminate Auction Imbalance Information if a security is an IPO or Direct Listing and has not had its IPO Auction or Direct Listing Auction; and (2) amend Rule 7.35A regarding consultations in connection with an IPO or Direct Listing. The proposed rule change is available on the Exchange’s website at www.nyse.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 [FR Doc. 2020–25329 Filed 11–16–20; 8:45 am] VerDate Sep<11>2014 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization 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 those 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. 1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). U.S.C. 78a. 3 17 CFR 240.19b–4. 2 15 PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s Statement of the Purpose of, and the Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change 1. Purpose The Exchange proposes to (1) amend Rule 7.35 to make permanent that the Exchange would disseminate Auction Imbalance Information if a security is an IPO or Direct Listing and has not had its IPO Auction or Direct Listing Auction; 4 and (2) amend Rule 7.35A regarding consultations in connection with an IPO or Direct Listing. Proposed Rule Changes Rule 7.35—Auction Imbalance Information In connection with the closing of the Trading Floor facilities located at 11 Wall Street in New York City as of March 23, 2020 and moving the Exchange, on a temporary basis, to fully electronic trading,5 and subsequent reopening of the Trading Floor on a limited basis first to Floor Brokers on May 26, 2020 6 and then to DMMs on June 15, 2020,7 the Exchange added Commentaries to Rule 7.35.8 Currently, these Commentaries are in effect until the earlier of a full reopening of the Trading Floor facilities to DMMs or after the Exchange closes on December 31, 2020.9 4 See Rules 7.35(a)(1)(D) (defining the term ‘‘IPO Auction’’ to mean the Core Open Auction for the first day of trading on the Exchange of a security that is an IPO) and 7.35(a)(1)(E) (defining the term ‘‘Direct Listing Auction’’ to mean the Core Open Auction for the first day of trading on the Exchange of a security that is a Direct Listing). 5 Pursuant to Rule 7.1(e), the CEO notified the Board of Directors of the Exchange of her determination under Rule 7.1(c)(3). The Exchange’s rules establish how the Exchange will function fully-electronically. See Press Release, dated March 18, 2020, available here: https://ir.theice.com/press/ press-releases/all-categories/2020/03-18-2020204202110. 6 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 88933 (May 22, 2020), 85 FR 32059 (May 28, 2020) (SR– NYSE–2020–47) (Notice of filing and immediate effectiveness of proposed rule change). 7 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 89086 (June 17, 2020) (SR–NYSE–2020–52) (Notice of filing and immediate effectiveness of proposed rule change). 8 See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 88725 (April 22, 2020), 85 FR 23583 (April 28, 2020) (SR– NYSE–2020–37) (amending Rule 7.35 to add Commentary .01) (‘‘IPO Filing’’) and 89925 (September 18, 2020), 85 FR 60276 (September 24, 2020) (SR–NYSE–2020–75) (amending Rule 7.35 to add Commentary .02) (‘‘Direct Listing Filing’’). 9 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 90005 (September 25, 2020), 85 FR 61999 (October 1, 2020) (SR–NYSE–2020–78) (Notice of filing and immediate effectiveness of proposed rule change to extend the temporary period for Commentaries to Rules 7.35, 7.35A, 7.35B, and 7.35C; and temporary rule relief in Rule 36.30 to end on the earlier of a full reopening of the Trading Floor facilities to DMMs or after the Exchange closes on December 31, 2020) (‘‘Extension Filing’’). E:\FR\FM\17NON1.SGM 17NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 222 (Tuesday, November 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73321-73322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-25329]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Investment Company Act Release No. 34092; File No. 812-15146]


AdvisorShares Trust, et al.

November 12, 2020.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    Notice of an application for an order under section 6(c) of the 
Investment Company Act of 1940 (``Act'') for an exemption from sections 
2(a)(32), 5(a)(1), and 22(d) of the Act and rule 22c-1 under the Act, 
and under sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act for an exemption from 
sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the Act.

Applicants: AdvisorShares Trust (the ``Trust''), AdvisorShares 
Investments, LLC (the ``Initial Adviser''), and Foreside Fund Services, 
LLC (the ``Distributor'').

Summary of Application: Applicants request an order (``Order'') that 
permits: (a) ActiveShares ETFs (as described in the Reference Order (as 
defined below)) to issue shares (``Shares'') redeemable in large 
aggregations only (``creation units''); (b) secondary market 
transactions in Shares to occur at negotiated market prices rather than 
at net asset value; and (c) certain affiliated persons of an 
ActiveShares ETF to deposit securities into, and receive securities 
from, the ActiveShares ETF in connection with the purchase and 
redemption of creation units. The relief in the Order would incorporate 
by reference terms and conditions of the same relief of a previous 
order granting the same relief sought by applicants, as that order may 
be amended from time to time (``Reference Order'').\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Precidian ETFs Trust, et al., Investment Company Act Release 
Nos. 33440 (April 8, 2019) (notice) and 33477 (May 20, 2019) 
(order). Applicants are not seeking relief under section 12(d)(1)(J) 
of the Act for an exemption from sections 12(d)(1)(A) and 
12(d)(1)(B) of the Act (the ``Section 12(d)(1) Relief''), and relief 
under sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act for an exemption from 
sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the Act relating to the Section 
12(d)(1) Relief, as granted in the Reference Order. Accordingly, to 
the extent the terms and conditions of the Reference Order relate to 
such relief, they are not incorporated by reference into the Order.

Filing Date: The application was filed on July 31, 2020 and amended on 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 3, 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 by email. Hearing requests should be received by 
the Commission by 5:30 p.m. on December 7, 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 [email protected].

ADDRESSES: The Commission: [email protected]. Applicants: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Ehrlich, Senior Counsel, at (202) 
551-6819 or Trace W. Rakestraw, 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

    1. The Trust is a statutory trust established under the laws of 
Delaware and will consist of one or more series operating as 
ActiveShares ETFs. The Trust is registered as an open-end management 
investment company under the Act. Applicants seek relief with respect 
to Funds (as defined below), including two initial Funds (``Initial 
Funds''). The Funds will operate as ActiveShares ETFs as described in 
the Reference Order.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ To facilitate arbitrage, an ActiveShares ETF disseminates a 
``verified intraday indicative value'' or ``VIIV,'' reflecting the 
value of its portfolio holdings, calculated every second during the 
trading day. To protect the identity and weightings of its portfolio 
holdings, an ActiveShares ETF sells and redeems its Shares in 
creation units to authorized participants only through an 
unaffiliated broker-dealer acting on an agency basis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. The Initial Adviser, a Delaware limited liability company, will 
be the investment adviser to the Initial Funds. An Adviser (as defined 
below) will serve as investment adviser to each Fund. The Initial 
Adviser is, and any other Adviser will be, registered as an investment 
adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (``Advisers Act''). 
The Adviser may enter into sub-advisory agreements with other 
investment advisers to act as sub-advisers with respect to the Funds 
(each a ``Sub-Adviser''). Any Sub-Adviser will be registered under the 
Advisers Act.
    3. The Distributor is a Delaware limited liability company and a 
broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as 
amended, and will act as the principal underwriter of Shares of the 
Funds. Applicants request that the requested relief apply to any 
distributor of Shares, whether affiliated or unaffiliated with the 
Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser (included in the term ``Distributor''). Any 
Distributor will comply with the terms and conditions of the Order.

Applicants' Requested Exemptive Relief

    4. Applicants seek the requested Order under section 6(c) of the 
Act for an exemption from sections 2(a)(32), 5(a)(1), and 22(d) of the 
Act and rule 22c-1 under the Act, and under sections 6(c) and 17(b) of 
the Act for an exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the 
Act. The requested Order would permit applicants to offer ActiveShares 
ETFs. Because the relief requested is the same as certain of the relief 
granted by the Commission under the Reference Order and because the 
Initial Adviser has entered into a license agreement with Precidian 
Investments LLC, or an affiliate thereof, in order to offer 
ActiveShares ETFs,\3\ the Order would incorporate by reference the 
terms and conditions of the same relief of the Reference Order.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Aspects of the Funds are covered by intellectual property 
rights, including but not limited to those which are described in 
one or more patent applications.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5. Applicants request that the Order apply to the Initial Funds and 
to any other existing or future registered open-end management 
investment company or series thereof that: (a) Is advised by

[[Page 73322]]

the Initial Adviser or any entity controlling, controlled by, or under 
common control with the Initial Adviser (any such entity, along with 
the Initial Adviser, included in the term ``Adviser''); (b) operates as 
an ActiveShares ETF as described in the Reference Order; and (c) 
complies with the terms and conditions of the Order and the terms and 
conditions of the Reference Order that are incorporated by reference 
into the Order (each such company or series and each Initial Fund, a 
``Fund'').\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ All entities that currently intend to rely on the Order are 
named as applicants. Any other entity that relies on the Order in 
the future will comply with the terms and conditions of the Order 
and the terms and conditions of the Reference Order that are 
incorporated by reference into the Order.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    6. Section 6(c) of the Act provides that the Commission may exempt 
any person, security or transaction, or any class of persons, 
securities or transactions, from any provisions of the Act, 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. 
Section 17(b) of the Act authorizes the Commission to exempt a proposed 
transaction from section 17(a) of the Act if evidence establishes that 
the terms of the transaction, including the consideration to be paid or 
received, are reasonable and fair and do not involve overreaching on 
the part of any person concerned, and the transaction is consistent 
with the policies of the registered investment company and the general 
purposes of the Act. Applicants submit that for the reasons stated in 
the Reference Order the requested relief meets the exemptive standards 
under sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, 
pursuant to delegated authority.
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-25329 Filed 11-16-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P


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