Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend Certain of Its Rules Related to Market-Makers, 47491-47493 [2022-16551]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 148 / Wednesday, August 3, 2022 / Notices
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Because the foregoing proposed rule
change does not: (i) significantly affect
the protection of investors or the public
interest; (ii) impose any significant
burden on competition; and (iii) become
operative for 30 days from the date on
which it was filed, or such shorter time
as the Commission may designate, it has
become effective pursuant to Section
19(b)(3)(A) of the Act 10 and Rule 19b–
4(f)(6) thereunder.11
A proposed rule change filed
pursuant to Rule 19b–4(f)(6) under the
Act normally does not become operative
for 30 days after the date of its filing.
However, Rule 19b–4(f)(6)(iii) 12 permits
the Commission to designate a shorter
time if such action is consistent with the
protection of investors and the public
interest. The Exchange requested that
the Commission waive the 30-day
operative delay so that the proposal may
become operative immediately upon
filing. The proposal provides flexibility
to an Options Member to register
separate market-maker aggregation units
as separate Market-Makers, each of
which would be subject to MarketMaker obligations on an individual
basis, if appropriate information barriers
or segregation requirements are in place.
The Commission believes that waiver of
the 30-day operative delay is consistent
with the protection of investors and the
public interest because the proposed
rule change does not raise any new or
novel issues. Accordingly, the
Commission hereby waives the 30-day
operative delay and designates the
proposed rule change operative upon
filing.13
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.
10 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b–
4(f)(6) requires a self-regulatory organization to give
the Commission written notice of its intent to file
the proposed rule change at least five business days
prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule
change, or such shorter time as designated by the
Commission. The Exchange has satisfied this
requirement.
12 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6)(iii).
13 For purposes only of waiving the 30-day
operative delay, the Commission has also
considered the proposed rule’s impact on
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See
15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
11 17
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:39 Aug 02, 2022
Jkt 256001
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 Comments
• Use 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–
CboeEDGX–2022–032 on the subject
line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street NE,
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–CboeEDGX–2022–032. 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 website (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 website 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.
Persons submitting comments are
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–CboeEDGX–2022–032 and
should be submitted on or before
August 24, 2022.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.14
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022–16549 Filed 8–2–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–95385; File No. SR–C2–
2022–014]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe
C2 Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed
Rule Change To Amend Certain of Its
Rules Related to Market-Makers
July 28, 2022.
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 July 14,
2022, Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc. (the
‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘C2’’) 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 Exchange. 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
Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc. (‘‘C2’’ or the
‘‘Exchange’’) is filing with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the
‘‘Commission’’) a proposed rule change
to amend certain of its Rules related to
Market-Makers. The text of the proposed
rule change is provided in Exhibit 5.
The text of the proposed rule change
is also available on the Exchange’s
website (https://markets.cboe.com/us/
options/regulation/rule_filings/ctwo/),
at the Exchange’s Office of the
Secretary, 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
1 15
14 17
PO 00000
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
Frm 00108
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
47491
2 17
E:\FR\FM\03AUN1.SGM
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
03AUN1
47492
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 148 / Wednesday, August 3, 2022 / Notices
Exchange has prepared summaries, set
forth in sections A, B, and C below, of
the most significant aspects of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to amend
certain of its Rules related to MarketMakers. Specifically, the Exchange
proposes to amend its Rules to permit
a Trading Permit Holder (‘‘TPH’’) to
register separate market-maker
aggregation units as separate MarketMakers, each of which would be subject
to Market-Maker obligations on an
individual basis. Currently, C2
interprets the term ‘‘Market-Maker’’ to
apply at a firm level, including with
respect to obligations. However, the
Exchange understands TPHs have
Market-Maker units that are completely
separate from each other for operational
and profit/loss purposes, with
appropriate information barriers
between units.3 Because of this
operational separation, such
organizations may prefer to have those
units be treated as individual MarketMakers under the Exchange’s Rules
consistent with those organizations’
internal operations.
The proposed rule change amends
certain Rules to provide TPH with this
flexibility:
• Rule 3.52 currently provides that
TPHs registered as Market-Makers have
certain rights and bear certain
responsibilities beyond those of other
TPHs. The proposed rule change adds
Interpretation and Policy .01 to provide
that if a TPH is comprised of multiple
market-making aggregation units and
has in place appropriate information
barriers or segregation requirements,4
the TPH may register each individual
aggregation unit as a separate MarketMaker.
• The proposed rule change adds
Rule 5.50, Interpretation and Policy .01
to provide that Market-Maker
appointments would apply to each
individual Market-Maker aggregation
unit and adds Rule 5.53, Interpretation
and Policy .01 to provide that each
3 Certain C2 rules contemplate TPHs having
separate business units and require information
barriers in the form of appropriate policies and
procedures that reflect the TPH’s business to
establish those separate business units. See, e.g.,
Rules 8.10 (prevention of the misuse of material,
nonpublic information); and 8.30, Interpretations
and Policies .03 (position limits).
4 The TPH will need to provide the Exchange
with sufficient evidence of separation of these
units.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:39 Aug 02, 2022
Jkt 256001
Market-Maker aggregation unit will be
evaluated for good standing on an
individual basis.
• The proposed rule change amends
Rules 5.33, Interpretation and Policy .02
and adds Rule 5.51, Interpretation and
Policy .01; and Rule 5.52, Interpretation
and Policy .01 to provide that MarketMaker obligations will apply to
individual Market-Maker aggregation
units if a TPH registers separate
aggregation units as Market-Makers.
• The proposed rule change adds
Rule 5.24, Interpretation and Policy .02
to require any individual Market-Maker
aggregation unit within a single firm to
connect to the Exchange’s backup
systems and participate in functional
and performance testing announced by
the Exchange if that unit satisfies the
connection criteria set forth in Rule
5.24(b).
These proposed changes are
consistent with the concept of treating
individual Market-Maker aggregation
units within a single firm as separate
Market-Makers.
The proposed rule change states that
a TPH may register separate aggregation
units as individual Market-Makers if the
TPH has in place appropriate
information barriers or segregation
units. The proposed language provides
TPHs with flexibility to adapt their
policies and procedures to reflect their
business model and activities, including
changes thereto. This flexibility is
similar to other rules that require
information barriers, such as Rule 8.10,
which requires every TPH to establish,
maintain, and enforce written policies
and procedures reasonably designed,
taking into consideration the nature of
the TPH’s business, to prevent the
misuse, in violation of the Exchange Act
and Exchange Rules, of material
nonpublic information by the TPH or
persons associated with the TPH. In
accordance with this proposed rule
change, pursuant to Rule 8.10, a TPH
that registers separate business units as
individual Market-Makers would be
obligated to ensure that its policies and
procedures reflect the current state of its
business and continue to be reasonably
designed to prevent the misuse of
material, nonpublic information.
Separate market-making units registered
as individual Market-Makers may
dictate that an information barrier or
functional separation be part of the
appropriate set of policies and
procedures that would be reasonably
designed to achieve compliance with
the proposed rule change. The proposed
rule change has no pre-approval
requirement; however, appropriate
information barriers would be subject to
review as part of the process to register
PO 00000
Frm 00109
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
the separate aggregation units as
individual Market-Makers with the
Exchange.5 Additionally, these policies
and procedures would be subject to
regular review by the Exchange’s
Regulation Division, such as part of the
routine examination or testing process
or as part of internal surveillances and
investigations.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes the proposed
rule change is consistent with the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
‘‘Act’’) and the rules and regulations
thereunder applicable to the Exchange
and, in particular, the requirements of
Section 6(b) of the Act.6 Specifically,
the Exchange believes the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Section
6(b)(5) 7 requirements that the rules of
an exchange be designed to prevent
fraudulent and manipulative acts and
practices, to promote just and equitable
principles of trade, to foster cooperation
and coordination with persons engaged
in regulating, clearing, settling,
processing information with respect to,
and facilitating transactions in
securities, to remove impediments to
and perfect the mechanism of a free and
open market and a national market
system, and, in general, to protect
investors and the public interest.
Additionally, the Exchange believes the
proposed rule change is consistent with
the Section 6(b)(5) 8 requirement that
the rules of an exchange not be designed
to permit unfair discrimination between
customers, issuers, brokers, or dealers.
In particular, the Exchange believes
the proposed rule change will promote
just and equitable principles of trade
and remove impediments to and perfect
the mechanism of a free and open
market and a national market system,
and, in general, protect investors and
the public interest, because it will
provide TPH organizations with
flexibility to register its business units
as Market-Makers with the Exchange,
and have the Exchange regulate those
Market-Maker business units, in a
manner consistent with these
organizations’ internal business
operations. The Exchange believes this
will permit these organizations to
manage the entirety of their MarketMaker operations—including MarketMaker registrations, appointments, and
quoting—as they deem appropriate
5 The Exchange’s Regulatory Division intends to
announce by Regulatory Circular a method by
which a TPH may seek pre-approval of the policies
and procedures comprising the information
barriers.
6 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
7 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
8 Id.
E:\FR\FM\03AUN1.SGM
03AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 148 / Wednesday, August 3, 2022 / Notices
based on the nature of their businesses,
which may ultimately benefit the
efficiency of their Market-Maker
businesses. The Exchange does not
propose to modify any Market-Maker
responsibilities or obligations. The
Exchange does not believe the proposed
rule change will reduce liquidity, as any
individual Market-Maker aggregation
unit (as opposed to the TPH
organization collectively) will need to
satisfy all Market-Maker obligations,
including continuous quoting
obligations, on its own.
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 that is not
necessary or appropriate in furtherance
of the purposes of the Act. The
proposed rule change will not impose
any burden on intramarket competition,
because it will apply in the same
manner to all TPH organizations that
register with the Exchange as MarketMakers. Whether a TPH organization
registers separate business units as
Market-Makers is within the sole
discretion of that organization. With
respect to TPH organizations that elect
to register separate business units as
Market-Makers, the proposed rule
change will apply all applicable MarketMaker rules, including those regarding
Market-Maker obligations and
responsibilities, in the same manner to
those units. The Exchange does not
propose to modify any Market-Maker
obligations or responsibilities, and thus
does not believe the proposed rule
change will diminish liquidity on the
Exchange. The proposed rule change
will not impose any burden on
intermarket competition, because the
proposed rule change applies only to
how TPH organizations may register
with the Exchange as a Market-Maker
and how the Exchange will determine
Market-Maker compliance with
Exchange-imposed Market-Maker
obligations and responsibilities.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants, or Others
The Exchange neither solicited nor
received comments on the proposed
rule change.
18:39 Aug 02, 2022
Jkt 256001
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:
9 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b–
4(f)(6) requires a self-regulatory organization to give
the Commission written notice of its intent to file
the proposed rule change at least five business days
prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule
change, or such shorter time as designated by the
Commission. The Exchange has satisfied this
requirement.
11 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6)(iii).
12 For purposes only of waiving the 30-day
operative delay, the Commission has also
considered the proposed rule’s impact on
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See
15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
10 17
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Because the foregoing proposed rule
change does not: (i) significantly affect
the protection of investors or the public
interest; (ii) impose any significant
VerDate Sep<11>2014
burden on competition; and (iii) become
operative for 30 days from the date on
which it was filed, or such shorter time
as the Commission may designate, it has
become effective pursuant to Section
19(b)(3)(A) of the Act 9 and Rule 19b–
4(f)(6) thereunder.10
A proposed rule change filed
pursuant to Rule 19b–4(f)(6) under the
Act normally does not become operative
for 30 days after the date of its filing.
However, Rule 19b–4(f)(6)(iii) 11 permits
the Commission to designate a shorter
time if such action is consistent with the
protection of investors and the public
interest. The Exchange requested that
the Commission waive the 30-day
operative delay so that the proposal may
become operative immediately upon
filing. The proposal provides flexibility
to a TPH organization to register
separate market-maker aggregation units
as separate Market-Makers, each of
which would be subject to MarketMaker obligations on an individual
basis, if appropriate information barriers
or segregation requirements are in place.
The Commission believes that waiver of
the 30-day operative delay is consistent
with the protection of investors and the
public interest because the proposed
rule change does not raise any new or
novel issues. Accordingly, the
Commission hereby waives the 30-day
operative delay and designates the
proposed rule change operative upon
filing.12
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.
PO 00000
Frm 00110
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
47493
Electronic Comments
• Use 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–
C2–2022–014 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street NE,
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–C2–2022–014. 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 website (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 website 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.
Persons submitting comments are
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–C2–2022–014 and should
be submitted on or before August 24,
2022.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.13
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022–16551 Filed 8–2–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
13 17
E:\FR\FM\03AUN1.SGM
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
03AUN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 3, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47491-47493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-16551]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-95385; File No. SR-C2-2022-014]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc.; Notice of
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend
Certain of Its Rules Related to Market-Makers
July 28, 2022.
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 July 14, 2022, Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or
``C2'') 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 Exchange. 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc. (``C2'' or the ``Exchange'') is filing with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') a proposed
rule change to amend certain of its Rules related to Market-Makers. The
text of the proposed rule change is provided in Exhibit 5.
The text of the proposed rule change is also available on the
Exchange's website (https://markets.cboe.com/us/options/regulation/rule_filings/ctwo/), at the Exchange's Office of the Secretary, 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
[[Page 47492]]
Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C
below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to amend certain of its Rules related to
Market-Makers. Specifically, the Exchange proposes to amend its Rules
to permit a Trading Permit Holder (``TPH'') to register separate
market-maker aggregation units as separate Market-Makers, each of which
would be subject to Market-Maker obligations on an individual basis.
Currently, C2 interprets the term ``Market-Maker'' to apply at a firm
level, including with respect to obligations. However, the Exchange
understands TPHs have Market-Maker units that are completely separate
from each other for operational and profit/loss purposes, with
appropriate information barriers between units.\3\ Because of this
operational separation, such organizations may prefer to have those
units be treated as individual Market-Makers under the Exchange's Rules
consistent with those organizations' internal operations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Certain C2 rules contemplate TPHs having separate business
units and require information barriers in the form of appropriate
policies and procedures that reflect the TPH's business to establish
those separate business units. See, e.g., Rules 8.10 (prevention of
the misuse of material, nonpublic information); and 8.30,
Interpretations and Policies .03 (position limits).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The proposed rule change amends certain Rules to provide TPH with
this flexibility:
Rule 3.52 currently provides that TPHs registered as
Market-Makers have certain rights and bear certain responsibilities
beyond those of other TPHs. The proposed rule change adds
Interpretation and Policy .01 to provide that if a TPH is comprised of
multiple market-making aggregation units and has in place appropriate
information barriers or segregation requirements,\4\ the TPH may
register each individual aggregation unit as a separate Market-Maker.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ The TPH will need to provide the Exchange with sufficient
evidence of separation of these units.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The proposed rule change adds Rule 5.50, Interpretation
and Policy .01 to provide that Market-Maker appointments would apply to
each individual Market-Maker aggregation unit and adds Rule 5.53,
Interpretation and Policy .01 to provide that each Market-Maker
aggregation unit will be evaluated for good standing on an individual
basis.
The proposed rule change amends Rules 5.33, Interpretation
and Policy .02 and adds Rule 5.51, Interpretation and Policy .01; and
Rule 5.52, Interpretation and Policy .01 to provide that Market-Maker
obligations will apply to individual Market-Maker aggregation units if
a TPH registers separate aggregation units as Market-Makers.
The proposed rule change adds Rule 5.24, Interpretation
and Policy .02 to require any individual Market-Maker aggregation unit
within a single firm to connect to the Exchange's backup systems and
participate in functional and performance testing announced by the
Exchange if that unit satisfies the connection criteria set forth in
Rule 5.24(b).
These proposed changes are consistent with the concept of treating
individual Market-Maker aggregation units within a single firm as
separate Market-Makers.
The proposed rule change states that a TPH may register separate
aggregation units as individual Market-Makers if the TPH has in place
appropriate information barriers or segregation units. The proposed
language provides TPHs with flexibility to adapt their policies and
procedures to reflect their business model and activities, including
changes thereto. This flexibility is similar to other rules that
require information barriers, such as Rule 8.10, which requires every
TPH to establish, maintain, and enforce written policies and procedures
reasonably designed, taking into consideration the nature of the TPH's
business, to prevent the misuse, in violation of the Exchange Act and
Exchange Rules, of material nonpublic information by the TPH or persons
associated with the TPH. In accordance with this proposed rule change,
pursuant to Rule 8.10, a TPH that registers separate business units as
individual Market-Makers would be obligated to ensure that its policies
and procedures reflect the current state of its business and continue
to be reasonably designed to prevent the misuse of material, nonpublic
information. Separate market-making units registered as individual
Market-Makers may dictate that an information barrier or functional
separation be part of the appropriate set of policies and procedures
that would be reasonably designed to achieve compliance with the
proposed rule change. The proposed rule change has no pre-approval
requirement; however, appropriate information barriers would be subject
to review as part of the process to register the separate aggregation
units as individual Market-Makers with the Exchange.\5\ Additionally,
these policies and procedures would be subject to regular review by the
Exchange's Regulation Division, such as part of the routine examination
or testing process or as part of internal surveillances and
investigations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ The Exchange's Regulatory Division intends to announce by
Regulatory Circular a method by which a TPH may seek pre-approval of
the policies and procedures comprising the information barriers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act'') and the rules and
regulations thereunder applicable to the Exchange and, in particular,
the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.\6\ Specifically, the
Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the
Section 6(b)(5) \7\ requirements that the rules of an exchange be
designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to
promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation
and coordination with persons engaged in regulating, clearing,
settling, processing information with respect to, and facilitating
transactions in securities, to remove impediments to and perfect the
mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system, and,
in general, to protect investors and the public interest. Additionally,
the Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the
Section 6(b)(5) \8\ requirement that the rules of an exchange not be
designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers,
brokers, or dealers.
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\6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
\7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
\8\ Id.
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In particular, the Exchange believes the proposed rule change will
promote just and equitable principles of trade and remove impediments
to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national
market system, and, in general, protect investors and the public
interest, because it will provide TPH organizations with flexibility to
register its business units as Market-Makers with the Exchange, and
have the Exchange regulate those Market-Maker business units, in a
manner consistent with these organizations' internal business
operations. The Exchange believes this will permit these organizations
to manage the entirety of their Market-Maker operations--including
Market-Maker registrations, appointments, and quoting--as they deem
appropriate
[[Page 47493]]
based on the nature of their businesses, which may ultimately benefit
the efficiency of their Market-Maker businesses. The Exchange does not
propose to modify any Market-Maker responsibilities or obligations. The
Exchange does not believe the proposed rule change will reduce
liquidity, as any individual Market-Maker aggregation unit (as opposed
to the TPH organization collectively) will need to satisfy all Market-
Maker obligations, including continuous quoting obligations, on its
own.
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 that is not necessary or appropriate
in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The proposed rule change
will not impose any burden on intramarket competition, because it will
apply in the same manner to all TPH organizations that register with
the Exchange as Market-Makers. Whether a TPH organization registers
separate business units as Market-Makers is within the sole discretion
of that organization. With respect to TPH organizations that elect to
register separate business units as Market-Makers, the proposed rule
change will apply all applicable Market-Maker rules, including those
regarding Market-Maker obligations and responsibilities, in the same
manner to those units. The Exchange does not propose to modify any
Market-Maker obligations or responsibilities, and thus does not believe
the proposed rule change will diminish liquidity on the Exchange. The
proposed rule change will not impose any burden on intermarket
competition, because the proposed rule change applies only to how TPH
organizations may register with the Exchange as a Market-Maker and how
the Exchange will determine Market-Maker compliance with Exchange-
imposed Market-Maker obligations and responsibilities.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
The Exchange neither solicited nor received comments on the
proposed rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i)
significantly affect the protection of investors or the public
interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii)
become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or
such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \9\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) thereunder.\10\
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\9\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
\10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)
requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission
written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change at
least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed
rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission.
The Exchange has satisfied this requirement.
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A proposed rule change filed pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6) under the
Act normally does not become operative for 30 days after the date of
its filing. However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) \11\ permits the Commission
to designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the
protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange requested
that the Commission waive the 30-day operative delay so that the
proposal may become operative immediately upon filing. The proposal
provides flexibility to a TPH organization to register separate market-
maker aggregation units as separate Market-Makers, each of which would
be subject to Market-Maker obligations on an individual basis, if
appropriate information barriers or segregation requirements are in
place. The Commission believes that waiver of the 30-day operative
delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public
interest because the proposed rule change does not raise any new or
novel issues. Accordingly, the Commission hereby waives the 30-day
operative delay and designates the proposed rule change operative upon
filing.\12\
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\11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
\12\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay,
the Commission has also considered the proposed rule's impact on
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C.
78c(f).
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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.
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 Comments
Use the Commission's internet comment form (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
Send an email to [email protected]. Please include
File Number SR-C2-2022-014 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-C2-2022-014. 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 website (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 website 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.
Persons submitting comments are 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-C2-2022-014
and should be submitted on or before August 24, 2022.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\13\
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\13\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-16551 Filed 8-2-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P