[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 239 (Friday, December 12, 2014)] [Notices] [Pages 73925-73927] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2014-29107] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-73781; File No. SR-EDGA-2014-31] Self-Regulatory Organizations; EDGA Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of EDGA Exchange, Inc. December 8, 2014. 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 November 25, 2014, EDGA Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or ``EDGA'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II and III below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Exchange has designated the proposed rule change as one establishing or changing a member due, fee, or other charge imposed by the Exchange under Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act\3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) thereunder,\4\ which renders the proposed rule change effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4. \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii). \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change The Exchange filed a proposal to amend the fee schedule applicable to Members \5\ of the Exchange pursuant to EDGA Rules 15.1(a) and (c) (``Fee Schedule''). Changes to the fee schedule pursuant to this proposal are effective upon filing. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \5\ The term ``Member'' is defined as ``any registered broker or dealer, or any person associated with a registered broker or dealer, that has been admitted to membership in the Exchange. A Member will have the status of a ``member'' of the Exchange as that term is defined in Section 3(a)(3) of the Act.'' See Exchange Rule 1.5(n). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange's Web site at http://www.directedge.com, at the principal office of the Exchange, and at [[Page 73926]] the Commission's Public Reference Room. II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant parts of such statements. A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change 1. Purpose The Exchange proposes to amend its Fee Schedule to amend the first two bullets regarding added and removal flags under the General Notes section to include Flags EA, ER, and 5, which include in [sic] internalized volume. The General Notes section of the Fee Schedule includes two bullets that contain the list of applicable ``added flags'' and ``removal flags'' that may be considered when calculating whether a Member satisfied a certain pricing tier. The Exchange appends Flags EA, ER, and 5 to orders that inadvertently match against each other and share the same MPID (Member shares both sides of the trade). The Exchange proposes to amend the first bullet regarding added flags to include Flag EA, which covers internalized trades that add liquidity. The Exchange also proposes to amend the second bullet regarding removal flags to include Flag ER, which covers internalized trades that remove liquidity. The Exchange believes that Members orders that yield Flags EA, ER, or 5 should be included in the calculation of the Average Daily Volume \6\ (``ADV'') threshold as added or removal flags for purposes of determining whether a tier's criteria has been met. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \6\ ADV is defined in the Exchange's Fee Schedule ``as the average daily volume of shares that a Member executed on, or routed by, the Exchange for the month in which the fees are calculated. ADV is calculated on a monthly basis, excluding shares on any day that the Exchange's system experiences a disruption that lasts for more than 60 minutes during Regular Trading Hours (`Exchange System Disruption'), on any day with a scheduled early market close and on the last Friday in June (the `Russell Reconstitution Day').'' --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lastly, the Exchange proposes to amend both the first and second bullets to include Flag 5, which covers internalized trades that add or remove liquidity during the pre and post market sessions. The Exchange also proposes to add Footnote 13 to state that a Member's monthly volume attributed to Flag 5 will be divided evenly between the added flags and removal flags when determining whether that Member satisfied a certain tier. The Exchange proposes to divide a Member's Flag 5 volume as such because the Exchange's systems cannot currently delineate orders yielding Flag 5 that added from those that removed liquidity for purposes of determining whether a Member satisfies a certain tier. Implementation Date The Exchange proposes to implement these amendments to its Fee Schedule on December 1, 2014. 2. Statutory Basis The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the objectives of Section 6 of the Act,\7\ in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(4),\8\ in particular, as it is designed to provide for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges among its Members and other persons using its facilities. The Exchange also notes that it operates in a highly- competitive market in which market participants can readily direct order flow to competing venues if they deem fee levels at a particular venue to be excessive. The proposed rule change reflects a competitive pricing structure designed to incent market participants to direct their order flow to the Exchange. The Exchange believes that the proposed rates are equitable and non-discriminatory in that they apply uniformly to all Members. The Exchange believes the fees and credits remain competitive with those charged by other venues and therefore continue to be reasonable and equitably allocated to Members. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f. \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Exchange believes that its proposal to amend two bullets under the General Notes section of the Fee Schedule that contain the list of applicable ``added flags'' and ``removal flags'' are [sic] represents an equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among Members and other persons using its facilities. The Exchange appends Flag EA, ER, and 5 to buy and sell orders that inadvertently match against each other and share the same MPID (Member shares both sides of the trade). The Exchange also believes proposed Footnote 13 stating that a Member's monthly volume attributed to Flag 5 will be divided evenly between the added flags and removal flags when determining whether that Member satisfied a certain tier represents an equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges. The Exchange proposes to divide a Member's Flag 5 volume as such because Flag 5 includes both added and removed liquidity because the Exchange's systems cannot currently delineate orders yielding Flag 5 that added from those that removed liquidity purposes of determining whether a Member satisfies a certain tier. The Exchange believes that Members orders that yield Flags EA, ER, or 5 should be included in the calculation of the ADV threshold as added or removal flags for purposes of determining whether a tier's criteria has been met. Including such Flags would be a reasonable means to encourage Members to direct their orders to the Exchange because they would have certainty that certain orders will not be excluded from their ADV calculations because it inadvertently matched against an order sharing the same MPID. Lastly, the Exchange also believes that the proposed amendment is non- discriminatory because it applies uniformly to all Members. B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition These proposed rule changes do not impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The Exchange does not believe that any of these changes represent a significant departure from previous pricing offered by the Exchange or pricing offered by the Exchange's competitors. Additionally, Members may opt to disfavor EDGA's pricing if they believe that alternatives offer them better value. Accordingly, the Exchange does not believe that the proposed changes will impair the ability of Members or competing venues to maintain their competitive standing in the financial markets. The Exchange believes that adding orders yielding Flags EA, ER, and 5 to the ``added flags'' and ``removal flags'' would increase intermarket competition because it would encourage Members to direct their orders to the Exchange because they would have certainty that their orders will not be excluded from their ADV calculations because it inadvertently matched against an order sharing the same MPID. The Exchange believes that its proposal would neither increase nor decrease intramarket competition because the added and removal flags would continue to apply [[Page 73927]] uniformly to all Members and the ability of some Members to meet the tiers would only benefit other Members by contributing to increased liquidity and improve market quality at the Exchange. C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others The Exchange has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, comments on this proposed rule change. The Exchange has not received any unsolicited written comments from Members or other interested parties. III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \9\ and paragraph (f) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\10\ 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A). \10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- IV. Solicitation of Comments Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods: Electronic CommentsUse the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or Send an email to [email protected]. Please include File Number SR-EDGA-2014-31 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-EDGA-2014-31. This file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-EDGA-2014-31, and should be submitted on or before January 2, 2015. For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.\11\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \11\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kevin M. O'Neill, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2014-29107 Filed 12-11-14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011-01-P