| Page Range | 70214-70216 | |
| FR Document | 2016-24423 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 11, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 70214-70216] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-24423] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-79038; File No. SR-BOX-2016-47] 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 Participant Fees on the BOX Market LLC (``BOX'') Options Facility October 4, 2016. 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 28, 2016, 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). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 to adopt Participant Fees 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 1, 2016. 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 two Participant Fees; a [[Page 70215]] monthly Participant Fee and a one-time Initiation Fee applicable to all BOX Participants. First, the Exchange proposes to adopt a Participant Fee of $1,500 per month, applicable to all BOX Participants. Currently, the Exchange does not assess BOX Participants a fee to access its options market. The Exchange believes the Participant Fee is competitive with fees at other option exchanges.\5\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \5\ See The Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated's Fees Schedule. Per month a Market Maker Trading Permit is $5,500, an SPX Tier Appointment is $3,000, a VIX Tier Appointment is $2,000, and an Electronic Access Permit is $1,600. See also the International Securities Exchange LLC's Schedule of Fees. Per month an Electronic Access Member is assessed $500.00 for membership and a market maker is assessed from $2,000 to $4,000 per membership depending on the type of market maker. See also C2 Options Exchange, Incorporated's Fees Schedule. Per month, a market-maker is assessed a $5,000 permit fee, an Electronic Access Permit is assessed a $1,000 permit fee. See also NYSE Arca, Inc.'s Fee Schedule. Per month, a Clearing Firm is assessed a $1,000 per month fee for the first Options Trading Permit (``OTP'') and $250 thereafter, and a market maker is assessed a permit based on the maximum number of OTPs held by an OTP Firm or OTP Holder during a calendar month ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 a month. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next, the Exchange proposes to adopt a one-time Initiation Fee of $2,500 which will be assessed to all new BOX Participants upon their initial connection to the options market, so the Exchange can recoup some of the costs associated with processing and preparing technology in order for the new BOX Participant to be able to trade on BOX. The Exchange's proposed one-time Initiation Fee is similar to and generally lower than one time application fees in place at other options exchanges.\6\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \6\ The Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated (``CBOE'') charges $3,000 for an individual applicant and $5,000 for an applicant organization and at the International Securities Exchange, LLC (``ISE'') charges $7,500 for a Primary Market Maker, $5,500 for a Competitive Market Maker and $3,500 for an Electronic Access Member. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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's proposal to adopt a BOX Options Participant Fee of $1,500 per month is reasonable because the Exchange is seeking to recoup costs related to membership administration. The proposed fee is competitive with similar fees at other options exchanges.\8\ Lastly, the Exchange believes the Participant Fee of $1,500 is equitable and not unfairly discriminatory because the Participant Fee will be assessed uniformly to each BOX Participant, regardless of Participant type. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \8\ See supra note 5. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Exchange also believes that its one-time Initiation Fee of $2,500 is reasonable, equitable and not unfairly discriminatory. As described above, the one-time Initiation Fee is comparable to other similar fees in place at other options exchanges and is designed to cover costs associated with processing and preparing technology in order for a Participant to begin trading on BOX. The Exchange believes that the Initiation Fee is equitable and not unfairly discriminatory, as it will be assessed uniformly to each new BOX Options Participant, regardless of Participant type. 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. In terms of inter-market competition, the Exchange notes that it operates in a highly competitive market in which market participants can readily favor competing venues if they deem fee levels at a particular venue to be excessive, or rebate opportunities available at other venues to be more favorable. In such an environment, the Exchange must continually adjust its fees to remain competitive with other exchanges and with alternative trading systems that have been exempted from compliance with the statutory standards applicable to exchanges. Because competitors are free to modify their own fees in response and because market participants may readily adjust their order routing practices, the Exchange believes that the degree to which fee changes in this market may impose any burden on competition is extremely limited. In terms of intra-market competition, the Exchange's proposal to adopt a BOX Options Participant Fee of $1,500 per month and a one-time Initiation Fee of $2,500 does not impose an undue burden on competition because the Exchange would uniformly assess the same Participant Fees to each BOX Options Participant. If the changes proposed herein are unattractive to market participants, it is likely that the Exchange will lose Participants. Accordingly, the Exchange does not believe that the proposed changes will impair the ability of members or competing order execution venues to maintain their competitive standing in the financial markets. 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 Send an email to [email protected]. Please include File Number SR-BOX-2016-47 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-2016-47. 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 [[Page 70216]] 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-2016-47, and should be submitted on or before November 1, 2016. For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.\11\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \11\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Robert W. Errett, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2016-24423 Filed 10-7-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 70214 |