[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 17, 2017)] [Notices] [Pages 48302-48304] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2017-22389] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-81852; File No. SR-BOX-2017-32] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BOX Options Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend the Fee Schedule To Adopt a Strategy QOO Order Fee Cap October 11, 2017. 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 September 29, 2017, BOX Options Exchange LLC (the ``Exchange'') 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 filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act,\3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) thereunder,\4\ which renders the proposal 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). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 48303]] I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of the Substance of the Proposed Rule Change The Exchange is filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') a proposed rule change to amend the Fee Schedule on the BOX Market LLC (``BOX'') options facility. While changes to the fee schedule pursuant to this proposal will be effective upon filing, the changes will become operative on October 2, 2017. The text of the proposed rule change is available from the principal office of the Exchange, at the Commission's Public Reference Room and also on the Exchange's Internet Web site at http://boxexchange.com. 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 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 the Fee Schedule for trading on BOX to establish monthly and daily fee caps for certain manual transactions fees on the BOX open-outcry Trading Floor (``Trading Floor''). Manual transactions consist of Qualified Open Outcry (``QOO'') Orders.\5\ A QOO Order must be entered as a two-sided order, an initiating side and a contra-side, and the QOO Order fees, rebates and applicable fee and rebate caps will apply to both sides of the order. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \5\ See BOX Rule 7600. The QOO Order must be entered as a two- sided order when it is submitted to the Exchange for execution through the BOX Order Gateway (``BOG''). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Specifically, the Exchange proposes to add Section II.D ``Strategy QOO Fee Cap'' where manual transactions fees will be capped at $700 for all reversal, conversion, jelly roll, and box spread strategies \6\ executed on the same trading day in the same option class. QOO Order fees in these combined Strategies will further be capped at $25,000 per month per Participant. The Exchange then proposes to specify that executions subject to the Strategy QOO Order Fee Cap will not be subject to the Broker Dealer manual transaction fee cap of $75,000 per month in Section II.A, and the QOO Order Rebate outlined in Section II.C. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \6\ A ``reversal strategy'' is established by combining a short security position with a short put and a long call position that shares the same strike and expiration. A ``conversion strategy'' is established by combining a long position in the underlying security with a long put and a short call position that shares the same strike and expiration. A ``jelly roll strategy'' is created by entering into two separate positions simultaneously. One position involves buying a put and selling a call with the same strike price and expiration. The second position involves selling a put and buying a call, with the same strike price, but with a different expiration from the first position. A ``box spread strategy'' is a strategy that synthesizes long and short stock positions to create a profit. Specifically, a long call and short put at one strike is combined with a short call and long put at a different strike to create synthetic long and synthetic short stock positions, respectively. These definitions are identical to the terms defined in the Chicago Board Options Exchange, Inc. (``CBOE'') Fee Schedule; NYSE American Options Fee Schedule ``(``NYSE'') and Phlx Pricing Schedule (``PHLX''), Strategy Caps on Multiply Listed Options Fees. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Statutory Basis The Exchange believes that the proposal is consistent with the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act, in general, and Section 6(b)(4) and 6(b)(5) of the Act,\7\ in particular, in that it provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among BOX Participants and other persons using its facilities and does not unfairly discriminate between customers, issuers, brokers or dealers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4) and (5). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Exchange believes that the proposed Strategy QOO Order fee cap is reasonable and appropriate. The proposed fee cap of $700 per day for certain strategies executed on the same trading day in the same option class; and $25,000 per month per Participant are the same amount strategy fee caps at a competing exchanges with an open outcry trading floor.\8\ Further, the Exchange believes that this proposed fee cap is equitable and not unfairly discriminatory because it provides incentives for all Participants to submit certain strategy orders to the BOX Trading Floor, which brings increased liquidity and order flow to the floor for the benefit of all market participants. Finally, the Exchange believes it is reasonable, equitable and not unfairly discriminatory to exempt all transactions subject to the Strategy QOO Fee Cap from the Broker Dealer monthly QOO fee cap and the QOO Order Rebate as additional incentives for these orders will no longer be necessary. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \8\ See CBOE Fee Schedule Footnote 13; NYSE Fee Schedule, Limit of Fees on Options Strategy Executions on page 18; and Phlx Pricing Schedule, Strategy Caps on Multiply Listed Options Fees. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. Further, the Exchange does not believe that capping the fees for certain Strategy QOO Orders will impose an undue burned on intra-market competition because all Floor Participants are eligible for the fee cap. Further, the Exchange believes that the fee cap will promote competition by allowing the Exchange to remain competitive with other exchanges with open outcry trading floors. C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others No written comments were either solicited or received. 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)(ii) of the Exchange Act \9\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) thereunder,\10\ because it establishes or changes a due, or fee. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii). \10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend the rule change if it appears to the Commission that the action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or would otherwise further the purposes of the Act. If the Commission takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or disapproved. 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 [[Page 48304]] Send an email to [email protected]. Please include File Number SR-BOX-2017-32 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-BOX-2017-32. 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 such 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-BOX-2017-32, and should be submitted on or before November 7, 2017. For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.\11\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \11\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eduardo A. Aleman, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2017-22389 Filed 10-16-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011-01-P