81_FR_95954 81 FR 95705 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend FINRA Rules To Conform to the Commission's Proposed Amendment to Commission Rule 15c6-1(a) and the Industry-Led Initiative To Shorten the Standard Settlement Cycle for Most Broker-Dealer Transactions From T+3 to T+2

81 FR 95705 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend FINRA Rules To Conform to the Commission's Proposed Amendment to Commission Rule 15c6-1(a) and the Industry-Led Initiative To Shorten the Standard Settlement Cycle for Most Broker-Dealer Transactions From T+3 to T+2

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 249 (December 28, 2016)

Page Range95705-95710
FR Document2016-31308

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 249 (Wednesday, December 28, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 95705-95710]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31308]



[[Page 95705]]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-79648; File No. SR-FINRA-2016-047]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory 
Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend 
FINRA Rules To Conform to the Commission's Proposed Amendment to 
Commission Rule 15c6-1(a) and the Industry-Led Initiative To Shorten 
the Standard Settlement Cycle for Most Broker-Dealer Transactions From 
T+3 to T+2

December 21, 2016.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that 
on December 14, 2016, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. 
(``FINRA'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' 
or ``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, 
II, and III below, which Items have been prepared by FINRA. The 
Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the 
proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    FINRA is proposing to amend FINRA Rules 2341 (Investment Company 
Securities), 11140 (Transactions in Securities ``Ex-Dividend,'' ``Ex-
Rights'' or ``Ex-Warrants''), 11150 (Transactions ``Ex-Interest'' in 
Bonds Which Are Dealt in ``Flat''), 11210 (Sent by Each Party), 11320 
(Dates of Delivery), 11620 (Computation of Interest), 11810 (Buy-In 
Procedures and Requirements), and 11860 (COD Orders) to conform to the 
Commission's proposed amendment to SEA Rule 15c6-1(a) to shorten the 
standard settlement cycle for most broker-dealer transactions from 
three business days after the trade date (``T+3'') to two business days 
after the trade date (``T+2'') and the industry-led initiative to 
shorten the settlement cycle from T+3 to T+2.\3\
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    \3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 78962 (September 28, 
2016), 81 FR 69240 (October 5, 2016) (Amendment to Securities 
Transaction Settlement Cycle) (File No. S7-22-16) (``SEC Proposing 
Release'').
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    The text of the proposed rule change is available on FINRA's Web 
site at http://www.finra.org, at the principal office of FINRA 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, FINRA 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. FINRA 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
SEC Proposing Release
    On September 28, 2016, the Commission proposed amending SEA Rule 
15c6-1(a) to shorten the standard settlement cycle for most broker-
dealer transactions from T+3 to T+2 on the basis that the shorter 
settlement cycle would reduce the risks that arise from the value and 
number of unsettled securities transactions prior to the completion of 
settlement, including credit, market, and liquidity risk directly faced 
by U.S. market participants. The proposed rule amendment was published 
for comment in the Federal Register on October 5, 2016.\4\
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    \4\ See supra note 3.
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Background
    In 1995, the standard U.S. trade settlement cycle for equities, 
municipal and corporate bonds, and unit investment trusts, and 
financial instruments composed of these products was shortened from 
five business days after the trade date (``T+5'') to T+3.\5\ 
Accordingly, FINRA and other self-regulatory organizations (``SROs'') 
amended their respective rules to conform to the T+3 settlement 
cycle.\6\ Since that time, the SEC and the financial services industry 
have continued to explore the idea of shortening the settlement cycle 
even further.\7\
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    \5\ In 1993, the Commission adopted SEA Rule 15c6-1 which became 
effective in 1995. See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 33023 
(October 6, 1993), 58 FR 52891 (October 13, 1993) and 34952 
(November 9, 1994), 59 FR 59137 (November 16, 1994). SEA Rule 15c6-
1(a) provides, in relevant part, that ``a broker or dealer shall not 
effect or enter into a contract for the purchase or sale of a 
security (other than an exempted security, government security, 
municipal security, commercial paper, bankers' acceptances, or 
commercial bills) that provides for payment of funds and delivery of 
securities later than the third business day after the date of the 
contract unless otherwise expressly agreed to by the parties at the 
time of the transaction.'' 17 CFR 240.15c6-1(a). Although not 
covered by SEA Rule 15c6-1, in 1995, the Commission approved the 
Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board's rule change requiring 
transactions in municipal securities to settle by T+3. See 
Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35427 (February 28, 1995), 60 FR 
12798 (March 8, 1995) (Order Approving File No. SR-MSRB-94-10).
    \6\ See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35507 (March 
17, 1995), 60 FR 15616 (March 24, 1995) (Order Approving File No. 
SR-NASD-94-56); Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35506 (March 17, 
1995), 60 FR 15618 (March 24, 1995) (Order Approving File No. SR-
NYSE-94-40); and Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35553 (March 
31, 1995), 60 FR 18161 (April 10, 1995) (Order Approving File No. 
SR-Amex-94-57).
    \7\ See, e.g., Securities Industry Association (``SIA''), ``SIA 
T+1 Business Case Final Report'' (July 2000); Concept Release: 
Securities Transactions Settlement, Securities Exchange Act Release 
No. 49405 (March 11, 2004), 69 FR 12922 (March 18, 2004); and 
Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, ``Proposal to Launch a New 
Cost-Benefit Analysis on Shortening the Settlement Cycle'' (December 
2011).
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    In April 2014, the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation 
(``DTCC'') published its formal recommendation to shorten the standard 
U.S. trade settlement cycle to T+2 and announced that it would partner 
with market participants and industry organizations to devise the 
necessary approach and timelines to achieve T+2.\8\
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    \8\ See DTCC, ``DTCC Recommends Shortening the U.S. Trade 
Settlement Cycle'' (April 2014).
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    In an effort to improve the overall efficiency of the U.S. 
settlement system by reducing the attendant risks in T+3 settlement of 
securities transactions, and to align U.S. markets with other major 
global markets that have already moved to T+2, DTCC, in collaboration 
with the financial services industry, formed an Industry Steering 
Committee (``ISC'') and an industry working group and sub-working 
groups to facilitate the move to T+2.\9\ In June 2015, the ISC 
published a White Paper outlining the activities and proposed time 
frames that would be required to move to T+2 in the U.S.\10\ 
Concurrently, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association 
(``SIFMA'') and the Investment Company Institute (``ICI'') jointly 
submitted a letter to SEC Chair White, expressing support of the 
financial services industry's efforts to shorten the settlement cycle 
and identifying SEA Rule 15c6-1(a) and several SRO rules that they 
believed would require amendments for an

[[Page 95706]]

effective transition to T+2.\11\ In March 2016, the ISC announced the 
industry target date of September 5, 2017 for the transition to a T+2 
settlement cycle to occur.\12\
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    \9\ The ISC includes, among other participants, DTCC, the 
Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association and the 
Investment Company Institute.
    \10\ See ``Shortening the Settlement Cycle: The Move to T+2'' 
(June 18, 2015).
    \11\ See Letter from ICI and SIFMA to Mary Jo White, Chair, SEC, 
dated June 18, 2015. See also Letter from Mary Jo White, Chair, SEC, 
to Kenneth E. Bentsen, Jr., President and CEO, SIFMA, and Paul 
Schott Stevens, President and CEO, ICI, dated September 16, 2015 
(expressing her strong support for industry efforts to shorten the 
trade settlement cycle to T+2 and commitment to developing a 
proposal to amend SEA Rule 15c6-1(a) to require standard settlement 
no later than T+2).
    \12\ See ISC Media Alert: ``US T+2 ISC Recommends Move to 
Shorter Settlement Cycle On September 5, 2017'' (March 7, 2016).
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Proposed Rule Change
    In light of the SEC Proposing Release that would amend SEA Rule 
15c6-1(a) to require standard settlement no later than T+2 and similar 
proposals from other SROs,\13\ FINRA is proposing changes to its rules 
pertaining to securities settlement by, among other things, amending 
the definition of ``regular way'' settlement as occurring on T+2. SEA 
Rule 15c6-1(a) currently establishes standard settlement as occurring 
no later than T+3 for all securities, other than an exempted security, 
government security, municipal security, commercial paper, bankers' 
acceptances, or commercial bills.\14\ FINRA is proposing changes to 
rules pertaining to securities settlement to support the industry-led 
initiative to shorten the standard settlement cycle to two business 
days. Most of the rules that FINRA has identified for these changes are 
successors to provisions under the legacy NASD Rules of Fair Practice 
and NASD Uniform Practice Code (``UPC'') that were amended when the 
Commission adopted SEA Rule 15c6-1(a), which established T+3 as the 
standard settlement cycle.\15\ As such, FINRA is proposing to amend 
FINRA Rules 2341 (Investment Company Securities), 11140 (Transactions 
in Securities ``Ex-Dividend,'' ``Ex-Rights'' or ``Ex-Warrants''), 11150 
(Transactions ``Ex-Interest'' in Bonds Which Are Dealt in ``Flat''), 
11320 (Dates of Delivery), 11620 (Computation of Interest), and 11860 
(COD Orders). In addition, FINRA is proposing to amend FINRA Rules 
11210 (Sent by Each Party) and 11810 (Buy-In Procedures and 
Requirements) to conform provisions, where appropriate, to the T+2 
settlement cycle.\16\
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    \13\ See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No. 77744 (April 
29, 2016), 81 FR 26851 (May 4, 2016) (Order Approving File No. SR-
MSRB-2016-04).
    \14\ See supra note 5.
    \15\ The legacy NASD rules that were changed to conform to the 
move from T+5 to T+3 included Section 26 (Investment Companies) of 
the Rules of Fair Practice, and Section 5 (Transactions in 
Securities ``Ex-Dividend,'' ``Ex-Rights'' or ``Ex-Warrants''), 
Section 6 (Transactions ``Ex-Interest'' in Bonds Which Are Dealt in 
``Flat''), Section 12 (Dates of Delivery), Section 46 (Computation 
of Interest) and Section 64 (Acceptance and Settlement of COD 
Orders) of the UPC. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35507 
(March 17, 1995), 60 FR 15616 (March 24, 1995) (Order Approving File 
No. SR-NASD-94-56). See also Notice to Members 95-36 (May 1995) 
(enumerating the various sections under the NASD Rules of Fair 
Practice and UPC that were amended to implement T+3 settlement for 
securities transactions).
    \16\ FINRA Rules 11210 and 11810 are successors to legacy NASD 
UPC Sections 9 (Sent by Each Party) and 59 (``Buying-in''), 
respectively, which remained unchanged during the transition from 
T+5 to T+3. See supra note 15.
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    The details of the proposed rule change are described below.
(A) FINRA Rule 2341 (Investment Company Securities) \17\
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    \17\ In June 2016, legacy NASD Rule 2830 (Investment Company 
Securities) was adopted as FINRA Rule 2341 in the consolidated FINRA 
rulebook without any substantive changes. See Securities Exchange 
Act Release No. 78130 (June 22, 2016), 81 FR 42016 (June 28, 2016) 
(Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of File No. SR-FINRA-
2016-019).
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    Rule 2341(m) requires members, including underwriters, that engage 
in direct retail transactions for investment company shares to transmit 
payments received from customers for the purchase of investment company 
shares to the payee by the end of the third business day after receipt 
of a customer's order to purchase the shares, or by the end of one 
business day after receipt of a customer's payment for the shares, 
whichever is later. FINRA is proposing to amend Rule 2341(m) to change 
the three-business day transmittal requirement to two business days, 
while retaining the one-business day alternative.
(B) FINRA Rule 11140 (Transactions in Securities ``Ex-Dividend,'' ``Ex-
Rights'' or ``Ex-Warrants'')
    Rule 11140(b)(1) provides that for dividends or distributions, and 
the issuance or distribution of warrants, that are less than 25 percent 
of the value of the subject security, if definitive information is 
received sufficiently in advance of the record date, the date 
designated as the ``ex-dividend date'' shall be the second business day 
preceding the record date if the record date falls on a business day, 
or the third business day preceding the record date if the record date 
falls on a day designated by FINRA's UPC Committee as a non-delivery 
date. FINRA is proposing to shorten the time frames in Rule 11140(b)(1) 
by one business day.
(C) FINRA Rule 11150 (``Ex-Interest'' in Bonds Which Are Dealt in 
``Flat'')
    Rule 11150(a) prescribes the manner for establishing ``ex-interest 
dates'' for transactions in bonds or other similar evidences of 
indebtedness which are traded ``flat.'' Such transactions are ``ex-
interest'' on the second business day preceding the record date if the 
record date falls on a business day, on the third business day 
preceding the record date if the record date falls on a day other than 
a business day, or on the third business day preceding the date on 
which an interest payment is to be made if no record date has been 
fixed. FINRA is proposing to shorten the time frames in Rule 11150(a) 
by one business day.
(D) FINRA Rule 11210 (Sent by Each Party)
    Paragraphs (c) and (d) of Rule 11210 set forth the ``Don't Know'' 
(``DK'') voluntary procedures for using ``DK Notices'' (FINRA Form No. 
101) or other forms of notices, respectively. Depending upon the notice 
used, a confirming member may follow the ``DK'' procedures when it 
sends a comparison or confirmation of a trade (other than one that 
clears through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (``NSCC'') 
or other registered clearing agency), but does not receive a comparison 
or confirmation or a signed ``DK'' from the contra-member by the close 
of four business days following the trade date of the transaction 
(``T+4''). The procedures generally provide that after T+4, the 
confirming member shall send a ``DK Notice'' (or similar notice) to the 
contra-member. The contra-member then has four business days after 
receipt of the confirming member's notice to either confirm or ``DK'' 
the transaction.
    FINRA is proposing to amend paragraphs (c) and (d) of Rule 11210 to 
provide that the ``DK'' procedures may be used by the confirming member 
if it does not receive a comparison or confirmation or signed ``DK'' 
from the contra-member by the close of one business day following the 
trade date of the transaction, rather than the current T+4.\18\ In 
addition, FINRA is proposing amendments to paragraphs (c)(2)(A), 
(c)(3), and (d)(5) of Rule 11210 to adjust

[[Page 95707]]

the time in which a contra-member has to respond to a ``DK Notice'' (or 
similar notice) from four business days after the contra-member's 
receipt of the notice to two business days. The proposed rule change 
would also make non-substantive technical changes to paragraph 
(c)(2)(A) to reflect FINRA Manual style convention.
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    \18\ As stated above, the time frames in Rule 11210 remained 
unchanged during the transition from T+5 to T+3. In light of the 
industry-led initiative to shorten the standard settlement cycle and 
the SEC Proposing Release to amend SEA Rule 15c6-1(a) to establish 
T+2 as the standard settlement for most broker-dealer transactions, 
FINRA believes that the current time frames in Rule 11210 are more 
protracted than necessary even in a T+3 environment and as such, 
FINRA is proposing to amend these time frames to reflect more 
current industry practices.
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(E) FINRA Rule 11320 (Dates of Delivery)
    Rule 11320 prescribes delivery dates for various transactions. 
Paragraph (b) states that for a ``regular way'' transaction, delivery 
must be made on, but not before, the third business day after the date 
of the transaction. FINRA is proposing to amend Rule 11320(b) to change 
the reference to third business day to second business day. Paragraph 
(c) provides that in a ``seller's option'' transaction, delivery may be 
made by the seller on any business day after the third business day 
following the date of the transaction. FINRA is proposing to amend Rule 
11320(c) to change the reference to third business day to second 
business day.
(F) FINRA Rule 11620 (Computation of Interest)
    In the settlement of contracts in interest-paying securities other 
than for cash, Rule 11620(a) requires the calculation of interest at 
the rate specified in the security up to, but not including, the third 
business day after the date of the transaction. The proposed amendment 
would shorten the time frame to the second business day. In addition, 
the proposed amendment would make non-substantive technical changes to 
the title of paragraph (a).
(G) FINRA Rule 11810 (Buy-in Procedures and Requirements)
    Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) sets forth the fail-to-deliver and liability 
notice procedures where a securities contract is for warrants, rights, 
convertible securities or other securities which have been called for 
redemption; are due to expire by their terms; are the subject of a 
tender or exchange offer; or are subject to other expiring events such 
as a record date for the underlying security and the last day on which 
the securities must be delivered or surrendered is the settlement date 
of the contract or later.\19\
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    \19\ Rule 11810(j) is the successor to legacy NASD UPC Section 
59(i) (Failure to Deliver and Liability Notice Procedures). When 
this provision was added to NASD's existing close-out procedures in 
1984, it was drafted to be similar to the liability notice 
provisions adopted by the NSCC so that members that were also 
participants in NSCC could use the same procedures for both ex-
clearing and NSCC cleared transactions, thereby simplifying members' 
back office procedures. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 
21262 (August 22, 1984), 49 FR 34321 (August 29, 1984) (Notice of 
Filing of File No. SR-NASD-84-20). See also Securities Exchange Act 
Release No. 21406 (October 19, 1984), 49 FR 43006 (October 25, 1984) 
(Order Approving File No. SR-NASD-84-20).
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    Under Rule 11810(j)(1)(A), the receiving member delivers a 
liability notice to the owing counterparty. The liability notice sets a 
cutoff date for the delivery of the securities by the counterparty and 
provides notice to the counterparty of the liability attendant to its 
failure to deliver the securities in time. If the owing counterparty, 
or delivering member, delivers the securities in response to the 
liability notice, it has met its delivery obligation. If the delivering 
member fails to deliver the securities on the expiration date, it will 
be liable for any damages that may accrue thereby.
    Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) further provides that when both parties to a 
contract are participants in a registered clearing agency that has an 
automated liability notification service, transmission of the liability 
notice must be accomplished through such system.\20\ When the parties 
to a contract are not both participants in a registered clearing agency 
that has an automated liability notification service, such notice must 
be issued using written or comparable electronic media having immediate 
receipt capabilities not later than one business day prior to the 
latest time and the date of the offer or other event in order to obtain 
the protection provided by the Rule.\21\
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    \20\ In 2007, NYSE Rule 180 was amended to require that when the 
parties to a failed contract were both participants in a registered 
clearing agency that had an automated service for notifying a 
failing party of the liability that will be attendant to a failure 
to deliver and the contract was to be settled through the facilities 
of that registered clearing agency, the transmission of the 
liability notification must be accomplished through the use of the 
registered clearing agency's automated liability notification 
system. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 55132 (January 19, 
2007), 72 FR 3896 (January 26, 2007) (Order Approving File No. SR-
NYSE-2006-57). FINRA followed suit and effective in 2008, Rule 
11810(j) mandated the use of an automated liability notification 
system when the parties to a contract are participants in a 
registered clearing agency that has an automated service for 
notifying a failing party of the liability that would be attendant 
to failure to deliver. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 56972 
(December 14, 2007), 72 FR 73927 (December 28, 2007) (Order 
Approving File No. SR-NASD-2007-035). See also Regulatory Notice 08-
06 (February 2008).
    \21\ While Rule 11810 has undergone amendments over the years, 
the one-day time frame in paragraph (j) has remained unchanged. The 
one-day time frame also appears in comparable provisions of other 
SROs. See, e.g., NSCC Rules & Procedures, Procedure X (Execution of 
Buy-Ins) (Effective August 10, 2016); NYSE Rule 282.65 (Fail to 
Deliver and Liability Notice Procedures); and Nasdaq Rule IM-11810 
(Buying-in). See also infra note 30 and accompanying text.
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    Given the proposed shortened settlement cycle, FINRA is proposing 
to amend Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) in situations where both parties to a 
contract are not participants of a registered clearing agency with an 
automated notification service, by extending the time frame for 
delivery of the liability notice. Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) would be amended 
to provide that in such cases, the receiving member must send the 
liability notice to the delivering member as soon as practicable but 
not later than two hours prior to the cutoff time set forth in the 
instructions on a specific offer or other event to obtain the 
protection provided by the Rule. FINRA believes that extending the time 
given to the receiving member to transmit liability notifications will 
maintain the efficiency of the notification process while mitigating 
the possible overuse of such notifications.
    Currently, FINRA understands that the identity of the counterparty, 
or delivering member, becomes known to the receiving member by mid-day 
on the business day after trade date (``T+1''), and by that time, the 
receiving member will generally also know which transactions are 
subject to an event identified in Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) that would prompt 
the receiving member to issue a liability notice to the delivering 
member. FINRA believes that the receiving member regularly issues 
liability notices to the seller or other parties from which the 
securities involved are due when the security is subject to an event 
identified in Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) during the settlement cycle as a way 
to mitigate the risk of a potential fail-to-deliver. In the current T+3 
settlement environment, the one business day time frame gives the 
receiving member the requisite time needed to identify the parties 
involved and undertake the liability notification process.
    However, FINRA believes that the move to a T+2 settlement 
environment will create inefficiencies in the liability notification 
process under Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) when both parties to a contract are 
not participants in a registered clearing agency with an automated 
notification service. The shorter settlement cycle, with the loss of 
one-business day, would not afford the receiving member sufficient time 
to: (1) Ascertain that the securities are subject to an event listed in 
Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) during the settlement cycle; (2) identify the 
delivering member and other parties from which the securities involved 
are due; and (3) determine the likelihood that such parties may fail to 
deliver. Where the receiving member has sufficient time (e.g., one 
business day

[[Page 95708]]

after), it can transmit liability notices as needed to the right 
parties. However, as a consequence of the shortened settlement cycle, 
the receiving member would be compelled to issue liability notices 
proactively to all potentially failing parties as a matter of course to 
preserve its rights against such parties without the benefit of knowing 
which transactions would actually necessitate the delivery of such 
notice. This would create a significant increase in the volume of 
liability notices members send and receive, many of which may be 
unnecessary. Members would then have to manage this overabundance of 
liability notices, increasing the possibility of errors, which would 
adversely impact the efficiency of the process. Therefore, FINRA 
believes its proposal to extend the time for the receiving member to 
deliver a liability notice when the parties to a contract are not both 
participants in a registered clearing agency with an automated 
notification service would help alleviate the potential burden on the 
liability notification process in a T+2 settlement environment.
(H) FINRA Rule 11860 (COD Orders)
    Rule 11860(a) directs members to follow various procedures before 
accepting collect on delivery (``COD'') or payment on delivery 
(``POD'') orders. Rule 11860(a)(4)(A) states that the member must 
obtain an agreement from the customer that the customer will furnish 
instructions to the agent no later than the close of business on the 
second business day after the date of execution of the trade to which 
the confirmation relates in the case of a purchase by the customer 
where the agent is to receive the securities against payment, or COD. 
In light of the proposed shortened settlement cycle, FINRA is proposing 
to amend Rule 11860(a)(4)(A) to provide that the time period for a 
customer buying COD to furnish instructions to the agent will be no 
later than the close of business on the first business day after the 
date of execution of the trade, rather than the close of business on 
the second business day.
    If the Commission approves the proposed rule change, FINRA will 
announce the effective date of the proposed rule change in a Regulatory 
Notice, which date would correspond with the industry-led transition to 
a T+2 standard settlement, and the effective date of the Commission's 
proposed amendment to SEA Rule 15c6-1(a) to require standard settlement 
no later than T+2.

2. Statutory Basis

    FINRA believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
provisions of Section 15A(b)(6) of the Act,\22\ which requires, among 
other things, that FINRA rules must 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, and, in general, to protect investors and the public 
interest. FINRA believes that the proposed rule change supports the 
industry-led initiative to shorten the settlement cycle to two business 
days. Moreover, the proposed rule change is consistent with the SEC's 
proposed amendment to SEA Rule 15c6-1(a) to require standard settlement 
no later than T+2. FINRA believes that the proposed rule change will 
provide the regulatory certainty to facilitate the industry-led move to 
a T+2 settlement cycle.
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    \22\ 15 U.S.C. 78o-3(b)(6).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    FINRA does not believe that the proposed rule change will result in 
any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The proposed rule change makes 
changes to rules pertaining to securities settlement and is intended to 
facilitate the implementation of the industry-led transition to a T+2 
settlement cycle. Moreover, the proposed rule changes are consistent 
with the SEC's proposed amendment to SEA Rule 15c6-1(a) to require 
standard settlement no later than T+2. Accordingly, FINRA believes that 
the proposed changes do not impose any burdens on the industry in 
addition to those necessary to implement amendments to SEA Rule 15c6-
1(a) as described and enumerated in the SEC Proposing Release.\23\
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    \23\ See supra note 3.
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    These conforming changes include changes to rules that specifically 
establish the settlement cycle as well as rules that establish time 
frames based on settlement dates, including for certain post-settlement 
rights and obligations. FINRA believes that the proposed changes set 
forth in the filing are necessary to support a standard settlement 
cycle across the U.S. for secondary market transactions in equities, 
corporate and municipal bonds, unit investment trusts, and financial 
instruments composed of these products, among others.\24\ A standard 
U.S. settlement cycle for such products is critical for the operation 
of fair and orderly markets.
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    \24\ See supra note 3.
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C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    The proposed rule change was published for comment in Regulatory 
Notice 16-09 (March 2016). Eight comments were received in response to 
the Regulatory Notice.\25\ A copy of the Regulatory Notice is attached 
as Exhibit 2a.\26\ A list of commenters is attached as Exhibit 2b and 
copies of the comment letters received in response to the Regulatory 
Notice are attached as Exhibit 2c.
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    \25\ See Letter from Michael Nicholas, Chief Executive Officer, 
Bond Dealers of America, to Marcia E. Asquith, Corporate Secretary, 
FINRA, dated April 4, 2016 (``BDA''); letter from Stephen E. Roth, 
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP on behalf of the Committee of 
Annuity Insurers, to Marcia E. Asquith, Corporate Secretary, FINRA, 
dated April 4, 2016 (``CAI''); letter from Norman L. Ashkenas, Chief 
Compliance Officer, Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC, and Richard J. 
O'Brien, Chief Compliance Officer, National Financial Services, LLC, 
to Marcia E. Asquith, Corporate Secretary, FINRA, dated April 4, 
2016 (``Fidelity''); letter from David T. Bellaire, Executive Vice 
President and General Counsel, Financial Services Institute, to 
Marcia E. Asquith, Corporate Secretary, FINRA, dated April 4, 2016 
(``FSI''); letter from Martin A. Burns, Chief Industry Operations 
Officer, Investment Company Institute, to Marcia E. Asquith, 
Corporate Secretary, FINRA, dated April 4, 2016 (``ICI''); letter 
from Thomas F. Price, Managing Director, Operations, Technology & 
BCP, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, to 
Marcia E. Asquith, Corporate Secretary, FINRA, dated April 4, 2016 
(``SIFMA'') (April 4, 2016); letter from Manisha Kimmel, Chief 
Regulatory Officer, Wealth Management, Thomson Reuters, to Marcia E. 
Asquith, Corporate Secretary, FINRA, dated April 4, 2016 (``Thomson 
Reuters''); and letter from Robert J. McCarthy, Director of 
Regulatory Policy, Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, to Marcia E. Asquith, 
Corporate Secretary, FINRA, dated April 4, 2016 (``WFA'').
    \26\ The Commission notes that the exhibits referred to are 
attached to the filing and not to this Notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Of the eight comment letters received, seven expressed support for 
the industry-led move to T+2 stating, among other benefits, that the 
move will align U.S. markets with international markets that already 
work in the T+2 environment, improve the overall efficiency and 
liquidity of the securities markets, and the stability of the financial 
system by reducing counterparty risk and pro-cyclical and liquidity 
demands, and decreasing clearing capital requirements.\27\ Several

[[Page 95709]]

commenters encouraged FINRA to coordinate with other regulators to make 
the necessary regulatory changes to help facilitate the move to a T+2 
standard settlement cycle \28\ with two commenters \29\ providing their 
views on the proposed amendments to two rules under the FINRA Rule 
11800 Series (Close-Out Procedures).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \27\ BDA, Fidelity, FSI, ICI, SIFMA, Thomson Reuters and WFA. 
CAI did not comment on the proposed rule amendments and instead 
requested FINRA's ``acknowledgment and confirmation that insurance 
securities products, which are currently exempt from the T+3 
settlement cycle requirements, will continue to be exempt from the 
settlement cycle requirements after the timetable is shortened to 
T+2.'' The Commission has granted an exemption for transactions 
involving certain insurance contracts from the scope of SEA Rule 
15c6-1. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35815 (June 6, 
1995), 60 FR 30906 (June 12, 1995). FINRA notes that any 
modification or revocation of the current exemptions to SEA Rule 
15c6-1 rests with the Commission.
    \28\ Fidelity, FSI, ICI, and Thomson Reuters.
    \29\ BDA and SIFMA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

FINRA Rule 11810(j)--Failure To Deliver and Liability Notice Procedures
    In its comment letter, SIFMA raised a concern with the one-day time 
frame in Rule 11810(j)(1)(A), asserting that the requirement for the 
delivering member to deliver a liability notice to the receiving member 
no later than one business day prior to the latest time and the date of 
the offer or other event in order to obtain the protection provided by 
the Rule may no longer be appropriate in a T+2 environment in some 
situations such as where the delivery obligation is transferred to 
another party as a result of continuous net settlement, settlements 
outside of the NSCC, and settlements involving a third party that is 
not a FINRA member firm. SIFMA noted that NYSE Rule 180 (Failure to 
Deliver) includes a similar requirement for NYSE member firms that are 
participants in a registered clearing agency to transmit liability 
notification through an automated notification service and proposed 
amending Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) to omit the reference to a notification 
time frame, which would align with NYSE Rule 180.\30\ In the 
alternative, SIFMA proposed amending Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) to require 
that the liability notice be delivered in a ``reasonable amount of 
time'' ahead of the settlement obligation in light of facts and 
circumstances. SIFMA maintained that under either proposed amendment to 
paragraph (j), the delivering member would be liable for any damages 
caused by its failure to deliver in a timely fashion.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \30\ See NYSE Rule 180 (Failure to Deliver) providing in part 
that ``[w]hen the parties to a contract are both participants in a 
registered clearing agency which has an automated service for 
notifying a failing party of the liability that will be attendant to 
a failure to deliver and that contract was to be settled through the 
facilities of said registered clearing agency, the transmission of 
the liability notification must be accomplished through use of said 
automated notification service.'' FINRA notes that NYSE Rule 180 
does not address the transmission of the liability notification for 
parties to a contract that are not both participants in a registered 
clearing agency (or non-participants). The transmission of the 
liability notification for non-participants is addressed under NYSE 
Rule 282.65 (Failure to Deliver and Liability Notice Procedures). 
See supra note 21.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    While FINRA did not initially propose amendments to Rule 11810 for 
the T+2 initiative,\31\ in light of SIFMA's concern regarding Rule 
11810(j)(1)(A), FINRA is proposing to amend the Rule to provide that, 
where both parties to a contract are not participants of a registered 
clearing agency with an automated notification service, the receiving 
member must send the liability notice to the delivering member as soon 
as practicable but not later than two hours prior to the cutoff time 
set forth in the instructions on a specific offer or other event to 
obtain the protection provided by the Rule.\32\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \31\ See Regulatory Notice 16-09 (March 2016).
    \32\ FINRA expects similar amendments to other comparable SRO 
provisions in NYSE Rule 282.65 (Fail to Deliver and Liability Notice 
Procedures) and Nasdaq Rule IM-11810 (Buying-in), and NSCC Rules & 
Procedures, Procedure X (Execution of Buy-Ins) to address SIFMA's 
concern about the one-day notification time frame.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

FINRA Rule 11860 (COD Orders)
    Rule 11860(a)(3) requires a member that accepts a COD or POD order 
from a customer to deliver to the customer a confirmation not later 
than the close of business on T+1. In Regulatory Notice 16-09, FINRA 
proposed shortening the confirmation delivery time frame to the close 
of business on the date of the trade (``T+0''). In its comment letter, 
BDA urged FINRA to consider leaving the requirement for delivering 
customer confirmations under Rule 11860(a)(3) unchanged and allow 
customer confirmations to continue to be sent T+1 to minimize the 
regulatory and compliance costs of the proposed amendment without 
limiting the risk-reducing benefits of the shortened settlement cycle. 
BDA asserted that shortening confirmation delivery to T+0 would be a 
tremendous undertaking for small firms that would need to commit large 
amounts of internal resources to change the systems and processes that 
are used to deliver confirmations in order to process confirmations on 
a T+0 basis.
    FINRA has considered the comment and agrees that the proposed 
change to T+0 may present significant difficulties for member firms, 
particularly small firms. Moreover, FINRA believes that the existing 
requirement to deliver customer confirmations on T+1 would still assure 
the efficient clearance and settlement of transactions in a T+2 
settlement environment. Therefore, in order to remain aligned with the 
provisions of other SROs and current industry practices, FINRA has 
determined to retain the current T+1 confirmation delivery requirement 
under Rule 11860(a)(3).\33\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \33\ In Regulatory Notice 16-09, FINRA preliminarily identified 
Rule 11210(a) (Comparisons or Confirmations) to undergo an amendment 
to reflect the T+2 settlement cycle. Rule 11210(a)(1) requires each 
party to a transaction, other than a cash transaction, to send a 
Uniform Comparison or Confirmation on or before T+1. FINRA proposed 
changing the delivery time frame to T+0. While not specifically 
referenced by BDA, Rule 11210(a) would raise similar concerns. Thus, 
the time frame under Rule 11210(a)(1) for sending a Uniform 
Comparison or Confirmation would also remain unchanged at T+1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other Comments
    Several commenters conveyed the importance of testing systems and 
educating market participants and retail investors on the impacts of a 
shorter settlement cycle.\34\ BDA explained that currently, a customer 
has five business days to submit payment for purchases of securities in 
a cash account or in a margin account before a broker-dealer would 
cancel or liquidate the transaction in whole or in part.\35\ BDA 
further explained that ``[s]hortening the settlement cycle to T+2 would 
automatically reduce the timeframe before a dealer would have to 
liquidate an unpaid for transaction to T+4.'' BDA noted that shortening 
the settlement cycle by one day may negatively impact retail clients 
that still use checks, which may not be sent, received, processed, and 
cleared, within the shortened four-day window. BDA expressed that firms 
that do a large amount of retail business would need ample time to 
communicate the practical impacts on a shortened settlement cycle.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \34\ BDA, FSI and WFA.
    \35\ Federal Reserve Board Regulation T governs, among other 
things, the extension of credit by broker-dealers to customers to 
pay for the purchase of securities. Regulation T provides that a 
customer has one payment period (currently five business days) to 
submit payment for purchases of securities in a cash account or in a 
margin account. 12 CFR 220.2 (Definitions), 220.4 (Margin Account) 
and 220.8 (Cash Account).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    FINRA recognizes that market participants will have to undergo 
systemic and procedural changes to implement the shorter payment period 
for a securities purchase as part of the ongoing transition to the T+2 
framework. As BDA acknowledged, the 2017 timeline should allow firms to 
make all the necessary changes to systems that the proposed rule will 
require. FINRA further recognizes the importance of educating retail 
investors regarding the impact of a shortened settlement cycle and is 
committed to

[[Page 95710]]

working with market participants to provide the information necessary 
to educate retail investors.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 
Commission Action

    Within 45 days of the date of publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register or within such longer period (i) as the Commission may 
designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to 
be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to 
which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:
    (A) by order approve or disapprove such proposed rule change, or
    (B) institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule 
change should be 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 Comments

     Use 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-FINRA-2016-047 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-FINRA-2016-047. 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 FINRA. 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-FINRA-2016-047 and should be 
submitted on or before January 18, 2017.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\36\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \36\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-31308 Filed 12-27-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 249 / Wednesday, December 28, 2016 / Notices                                                    95705

                                                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE                                 II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                      Accordingly, FINRA and other self-
                                                COMMISSION                                              Statement of the Purpose of, and                        regulatory organizations (‘‘SROs’’)
                                                                                                        Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                  amended their respective rules to
                                                [Release No. 34–79648; File No. SR–FINRA–               Change                                                  conform to the T+3 settlement cycle.6
                                                2016–047]
                                                                                                           In its filing with the Commission,                   Since that time, the SEC and the
                                                Self-Regulatory Organizations;                          FINRA included statements concerning                    financial services industry have
                                                Financial Industry Regulatory                           the purpose of and basis for the                        continued to explore the idea of
                                                Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing of a                  proposed rule change and discussed any                  shortening the settlement cycle even
                                                Proposed Rule Change To Amend                           comments it received on the proposed                    further.7
                                                FINRA Rules To Conform to the                           rule change. The text of these statements                  In April 2014, the Depository Trust &
                                                Commission’s Proposed Amendment                         may be examined at the places specified                 Clearing Corporation (‘‘DTCC’’)
                                                to Commission Rule 15c6–1(a) and the                    in Item IV below. FINRA has prepared                    published its formal recommendation to
                                                Industry-Led Initiative To Shorten the                  summaries, set forth in sections A, B,                  shorten the standard U.S. trade
                                                Standard Settlement Cycle for Most                      and C below, of the most significant                    settlement cycle to T+2 and announced
                                                Broker-Dealer Transactions From T+3                     aspects of such statements.                             that it would partner with market
                                                to T+2                                                  A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       participants and industry organizations
                                                December 21, 2016.                                      Statement of the Purpose of, and                        to devise the necessary approach and
                                                   Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the                  Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                  timelines to achieve T+2.8
                                                Securities Exchange Act of 1934                         Change                                                     In an effort to improve the overall
                                                (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2                 1. Purpose                                              efficiency of the U.S. settlement system
                                                notice is hereby given that on December                 SEC Proposing Release                                   by reducing the attendant risks in T+3
                                                14, 2016, Financial Industry Regulatory                                                                         settlement of securities transactions,
                                                Authority, Inc. (‘‘FINRA’’) filed with the                 On September 28, 2016, the                           and to align U.S. markets with other
                                                Securities and Exchange Commission                      Commission proposed amending SEA                        major global markets that have already
                                                (‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed                Rule 15c6–1(a) to shorten the standard                  moved to T+2, DTCC, in collaboration
                                                rule change as described in Items I, II,                settlement cycle for most broker-dealer                 with the financial services industry,
                                                and III below, which Items have been                    transactions from T+3 to T+2 on the                     formed an Industry Steering Committee
                                                prepared by FINRA. The Commission is                    basis that the shorter settlement cycle                 (‘‘ISC’’) and an industry working group
                                                publishing this notice to solicit                       would reduce the risks that arise from                  and sub-working groups to facilitate the
                                                comments on the proposed rule change                    the value and number of unsettled
                                                                                                                                                                move to T+2.9 In June 2015, the ISC
                                                from interested persons.                                securities transactions prior to the
                                                                                                                                                                published a White Paper outlining the
                                                                                                        completion of settlement, including
                                                I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                                                                               activities and proposed time frames that
                                                                                                        credit, market, and liquidity risk
                                                Statement of the Terms of Substance of                                                                          would be required to move to T+2 in the
                                                                                                        directly faced by U.S. market
                                                the Proposed Rule Change                                participants. The proposed rule                         U.S.10 Concurrently, the Securities
                                                                                                        amendment was published for comment                     Industry and Financial Markets
                                                   FINRA is proposing to amend FINRA                                                                            Association (‘‘SIFMA’’) and the
                                                Rules 2341 (Investment Company                          in the Federal Register on October 5,
                                                                                                        2016.4                                                  Investment Company Institute (‘‘ICI’’)
                                                Securities), 11140 (Transactions in
                                                                                                                                                                jointly submitted a letter to SEC Chair
                                                Securities ‘‘Ex-Dividend,’’ ‘‘Ex-Rights’’               Background                                              White, expressing support of the
                                                or ‘‘Ex-Warrants’’), 11150 (Transactions
                                                                                                           In 1995, the standard U.S. trade                     financial services industry’s efforts to
                                                ‘‘Ex-Interest’’ in Bonds Which Are Dealt
                                                                                                        settlement cycle for equities, municipal                shorten the settlement cycle and
                                                in ‘‘Flat’’), 11210 (Sent by Each Party),
                                                11320 (Dates of Delivery), 11620                        and corporate bonds, and unit                           identifying SEA Rule 15c6–1(a) and
                                                (Computation of Interest), 11810 (Buy-In                investment trusts, and financial                        several SRO rules that they believed
                                                Procedures and Requirements), and                       instruments composed of these products                  would require amendments for an
                                                11860 (COD Orders) to conform to the                    was shortened from five business days
                                                Commission’s proposed amendment to                      after the trade date (‘‘T+5’’) to T+3.5                    6 See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No.

                                                                                                                                                                35507 (March 17, 1995), 60 FR 15616 (March 24,
                                                SEA Rule 15c6–1(a) to shorten the                         4 See                                                 1995) (Order Approving File No. SR–NASD–94–56);
                                                                                                                 supra note 3.
                                                standard settlement cycle for most                        5 In                                                  Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35506 (March
                                                                                                               1993, the Commission adopted SEA Rule
                                                broker-dealer transactions from three                   15c6–1 which became effective in 1995. See
                                                                                                                                                                17, 1995), 60 FR 15618 (March 24, 1995) (Order
                                                business days after the trade date                                                                              Approving File No. SR–NYSE–94–40); and
                                                                                                        Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 33023
                                                                                                                                                                Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35553 (March
                                                (‘‘T+3’’) to two business days after the                (October 6, 1993), 58 FR 52891 (October 13, 1993)
                                                                                                                                                                31, 1995), 60 FR 18161 (April 10, 1995) (Order
                                                trade date (‘‘T+2’’) and the industry-led               and 34952 (November 9, 1994), 59 FR 59137
                                                                                                                                                                Approving File No. SR–Amex–94–57).
                                                                                                        (November 16, 1994). SEA Rule 15c6–1(a) provides,
                                                initiative to shorten the settlement cycle              in relevant part, that ‘‘a broker or dealer shall not
                                                                                                                                                                   7 See, e.g., Securities Industry Association

                                                from T+3 to T+2.3                                       effect or enter into a contract for the purchase or     (‘‘SIA’’), ‘‘SIA T+1 Business Case Final Report’’
                                                                                                                                                                (July 2000); Concept Release: Securities
                                                   The text of the proposed rule change                 sale of a security (other than an exempted security,
                                                                                                                                                                Transactions Settlement, Securities Exchange Act
                                                is available on FINRA’s Web site at                     government security, municipal security,
                                                                                                        commercial paper, bankers’ acceptances, or              Release No. 49405 (March 11, 2004), 69 FR 12922
                                                http://www.finra.org, at the principal                  commercial bills) that provides for payment of          (March 18, 2004); and Depository Trust & Clearing
                                                office of FINRA and at the                              funds and delivery of securities later than the third   Corporation, ‘‘Proposal to Launch a New Cost-
                                                                                                                                                                Benefit Analysis on Shortening the Settlement
                                                Commission’s Public Reference Room.                     business day after the date of the contract unless
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                        otherwise expressly agreed to by the parties at the     Cycle’’ (December 2011).
                                                                                                                                                                   8 See DTCC, ‘‘DTCC Recommends Shortening the
                                                                                                        time of the transaction.’’ 17 CFR 240.15c6–1(a).
                                                  1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).                                                                                        U.S. Trade Settlement Cycle’’ (April 2014).
                                                                                                        Although not covered by SEA Rule 15c6–1, in 1995,
                                                  2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.                                                                                              9 The ISC includes, among other participants,
                                                                                                        the Commission approved the Municipal Securities
                                                  3 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 78962       Rulemaking Board’s rule change requiring                DTCC, the Securities Industry and Financial
                                                (September 28, 2016), 81 FR 69240 (October 5,           transactions in municipal securities to settle by       Markets Association and the Investment Company
                                                2016) (Amendment to Securities Transaction              T+3. See Securities Exchange Act Release No.            Institute.
                                                Settlement Cycle) (File No. S7–22–16) (‘‘SEC            35427 (February 28, 1995), 60 FR 12798 (March 8,           10 See ‘‘Shortening the Settlement Cycle: The

                                                Proposing Release’’).                                   1995) (Order Approving File No. SR–MSRB–94–10).         Move to T+2’’ (June 18, 2015).



                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014   18:54 Dec 27, 2016   Jkt 241001   PO 00000   Frm 00151   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\28DEN1.SGM    28DEN1


                                                95706                     Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 249 / Wednesday, December 28, 2016 / Notices

                                                effective transition to T+2.11 In March                   or ‘‘Ex-Warrants’’), 11150 (Transactions             (C) FINRA Rule 11150 (‘‘Ex-Interest’’ in
                                                2016, the ISC announced the industry                      ‘‘Ex-Interest’’ in Bonds Which Are Dealt             Bonds Which Are Dealt in ‘‘Flat’’)
                                                target date of September 5, 2017 for the                  in ‘‘Flat’’), 11320 (Dates of Delivery),                Rule 11150(a) prescribes the manner
                                                transition to a T+2 settlement cycle to                   11620 (Computation of Interest), and                 for establishing ‘‘ex-interest dates’’ for
                                                occur.12                                                  11860 (COD Orders). In addition, FINRA               transactions in bonds or other similar
                                                Proposed Rule Change                                      is proposing to amend FINRA Rules                    evidences of indebtedness which are
                                                                                                          11210 (Sent by Each Party) and 11810                 traded ‘‘flat.’’ Such transactions are ‘‘ex-
                                                   In light of the SEC Proposing Release
                                                                                                          (Buy-In Procedures and Requirements)                 interest’’ on the second business day
                                                that would amend SEA Rule 15c6–1(a)
                                                                                                          to conform provisions, where                         preceding the record date if the record
                                                to require standard settlement no later
                                                                                                          appropriate, to the T+2 settlement                   date falls on a business day, on the third
                                                than T+2 and similar proposals from
                                                                                                          cycle.16                                             business day preceding the record date
                                                other SROs,13 FINRA is proposing
                                                                                                                                                               if the record date falls on a day other
                                                changes to its rules pertaining to                           The details of the proposed rule
                                                                                                                                                               than a business day, or on the third
                                                securities settlement by, among other                     change are described below.                          business day preceding the date on
                                                things, amending the definition of
                                                                                                          (A) FINRA Rule 2341 (Investment                      which an interest payment is to be made
                                                ‘‘regular way’’ settlement as occurring
                                                                                                          Company Securities) 17                               if no record date has been fixed. FINRA
                                                on T+2. SEA Rule 15c6–1(a) currently
                                                                                                                                                               is proposing to shorten the time frames
                                                establishes standard settlement as                           Rule 2341(m) requires members,                    in Rule 11150(a) by one business day.
                                                occurring no later than T+3 for all
                                                                                                          including underwriters, that engage in
                                                securities, other than an exempted                                                                             (D) FINRA Rule 11210 (Sent by Each
                                                                                                          direct retail transactions for investment
                                                security, government security,                                                                                 Party)
                                                                                                          company shares to transmit payments
                                                municipal security, commercial paper,                                                                             Paragraphs (c) and (d) of Rule 11210
                                                bankers’ acceptances, or commercial                       received from customers for the
                                                                                                          purchase of investment company shares                set forth the ‘‘Don’t Know’’ (‘‘DK’’)
                                                bills.14 FINRA is proposing changes to                                                                         voluntary procedures for using ‘‘DK
                                                rules pertaining to securities settlement                 to the payee by the end of the third
                                                                                                          business day after receipt of a                      Notices’’ (FINRA Form No. 101) or other
                                                to support the industry-led initiative to                                                                      forms of notices, respectively.
                                                shorten the standard settlement cycle to                  customer’s order to purchase the shares,
                                                                                                                                                               Depending upon the notice used, a
                                                two business days. Most of the rules that                 or by the end of one business day after
                                                                                                                                                               confirming member may follow the
                                                FINRA has identified for these changes                    receipt of a customer’s payment for the
                                                                                                                                                               ‘‘DK’’ procedures when it sends a
                                                are successors to provisions under the                    shares, whichever is later. FINRA is
                                                                                                                                                               comparison or confirmation of a trade
                                                legacy NASD Rules of Fair Practice and                    proposing to amend Rule 2341(m) to                   (other than one that clears through the
                                                NASD Uniform Practice Code (‘‘UPC’’)                      change the three-business day                        National Securities Clearing Corporation
                                                that were amended when the                                transmittal requirement to two business              (‘‘NSCC’’) or other registered clearing
                                                Commission adopted SEA Rule 15c6–                         days, while retaining the one-business               agency), but does not receive a
                                                1(a), which established T+3 as the                        day alternative.                                     comparison or confirmation or a signed
                                                standard settlement cycle.15 As such,                                                                          ‘‘DK’’ from the contra-member by the
                                                FINRA is proposing to amend FINRA                         (B) FINRA Rule 11140 (Transactions in
                                                                                                          Securities ‘‘Ex-Dividend,’’ ‘‘Ex-Rights’’            close of four business days following the
                                                Rules 2341 (Investment Company                                                                                 trade date of the transaction (‘‘T+4’’).
                                                Securities), 11140 (Transactions in                       or ‘‘Ex-Warrants’’)
                                                                                                                                                               The procedures generally provide that
                                                Securities ‘‘Ex-Dividend,’’ ‘‘Ex-Rights’’                                                                      after T+4, the confirming member shall
                                                                                                             Rule 11140(b)(1) provides that for
                                                                                                          dividends or distributions, and the                  send a ‘‘DK Notice’’ (or similar notice)
                                                  11 See  Letter from ICI and SIFMA to Mary Jo
                                                                                                          issuance or distribution of warrants, that           to the contra-member. The contra-
                                                White, Chair, SEC, dated June 18, 2015. See also
                                                Letter from Mary Jo White, Chair, SEC, to Kenneth         are less than 25 percent of the value of             member then has four business days
                                                E. Bentsen, Jr., President and CEO, SIFMA, and            the subject security, if definitive                  after receipt of the confirming member’s
                                                Paul Schott Stevens, President and CEO, ICI, dated
                                                                                                          information is received sufficiently in              notice to either confirm or ‘‘DK’’ the
                                                September 16, 2015 (expressing her strong support                                                              transaction.
                                                for industry efforts to shorten the trade settlement      advance of the record date, the date
                                                                                                                                                                  FINRA is proposing to amend
                                                cycle to T+2 and commitment to developing a               designated as the ‘‘ex-dividend date’’
                                                proposal to amend SEA Rule 15c6–1(a) to require                                                                paragraphs (c) and (d) of Rule 11210 to
                                                standard settlement no later than T+2).
                                                                                                          shall be the second business day                     provide that the ‘‘DK’’ procedures may
                                                  12 See ISC Media Alert: ‘‘US T+2 ISC                    preceding the record date if the record              be used by the confirming member if it
                                                Recommends Move to Shorter Settlement Cycle On            date falls on a business day, or the third           does not receive a comparison or
                                                September 5, 2017’’ (March 7, 2016).                      business day preceding the record date
                                                  13 See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No.
                                                                                                                                                               confirmation or signed ‘‘DK’’ from the
                                                                                                          if the record date falls on a day                    contra-member by the close of one
                                                77744 (April 29, 2016), 81 FR 26851 (May 4, 2016)
                                                (Order Approving File No. SR–MSRB–2016–04).               designated by FINRA’s UPC Committee                  business day following the trade date of
                                                  14 See supra note 5.                                    as a non-delivery date. FINRA is                     the transaction, rather than the current
                                                  15 The legacy NASD rules that were changed to           proposing to shorten the time frames in              T+4.18 In addition, FINRA is proposing
                                                conform to the move from T+5 to T+3 included              Rule 11140(b)(1) by one business day.                amendments to paragraphs (c)(2)(A),
                                                Section 26 (Investment Companies) of the Rules of
                                                Fair Practice, and Section 5 (Transactions in                                                                  (c)(3), and (d)(5) of Rule 11210 to adjust
                                                                                                             16 FINRA Rules 11210 and 11810 are successors
                                                Securities ‘‘Ex-Dividend,’’ ‘‘Ex-Rights’’ or ‘‘Ex-
                                                Warrants’’), Section 6 (Transactions ‘‘Ex-Interest’’ in   to legacy NASD UPC Sections 9 (Sent by Each            18 As stated above, the time frames in Rule 11210

                                                Bonds Which Are Dealt in ‘‘Flat’’), Section 12            Party) and 59 (‘‘Buying-in’’), respectively, which   remained unchanged during the transition from T+5
                                                (Dates of Delivery), Section 46 (Computation of           remained unchanged during the transition from T+5    to T+3. In light of the industry-led initiative to
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                                                Interest) and Section 64 (Acceptance and                  to T+3. See supra note 15.                           shorten the standard settlement cycle and the SEC
                                                Settlement of COD Orders) of the UPC. See                    17 In June 2016, legacy NASD Rule 2830            Proposing Release to amend SEA Rule 15c6–1(a) to
                                                Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35507 (March          (Investment Company Securities) was adopted as       establish T+2 as the standard settlement for most
                                                17, 1995), 60 FR 15616 (March 24, 1995) (Order            FINRA Rule 2341 in the consolidated FINRA            broker-dealer transactions, FINRA believes that the
                                                Approving File No. SR–NASD–94–56). See also               rulebook without any substantive changes. See        current time frames in Rule 11210 are more
                                                Notice to Members 95–36 (May 1995) (enumerating           Securities Exchange Act Release No. 78130 (June      protracted than necessary even in a T+3
                                                the various sections under the NASD Rules of Fair         22, 2016), 81 FR 42016 (June 28, 2016) (Notice of    environment and as such, FINRA is proposing to
                                                Practice and UPC that were amended to implement           Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of File No. SR–   amend these time frames to reflect more current
                                                T+3 settlement for securities transactions).              FINRA–2016–019).                                     industry practices.



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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 249 / Wednesday, December 28, 2016 / Notices                                                95707

                                                the time in which a contra-member has                      Under Rule 11810(j)(1)(A), the                            Given the proposed shortened
                                                to respond to a ‘‘DK Notice’’ (or similar               receiving member delivers a liability                     settlement cycle, FINRA is proposing to
                                                notice) from four business days after the               notice to the owing counterparty. The                     amend Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) in situations
                                                contra-member’s receipt of the notice to                liability notice sets a cutoff date for the               where both parties to a contract are not
                                                two business days. The proposed rule                    delivery of the securities by the                         participants of a registered clearing
                                                change would also make non-                             counterparty and provides notice to the                   agency with an automated notification
                                                substantive technical changes to                        counterparty of the liability attendant to                service, by extending the time frame for
                                                paragraph (c)(2)(A) to reflect FINRA                    its failure to deliver the securities in                  delivery of the liability notice. Rule
                                                Manual style convention.                                time. If the owing counterparty, or                       11810(j)(1)(A) would be amended to
                                                                                                        delivering member, delivers the                           provide that in such cases, the receiving
                                                (E) FINRA Rule 11320 (Dates of
                                                                                                        securities in response to the liability                   member must send the liability notice to
                                                Delivery)
                                                                                                        notice, it has met its delivery obligation.               the delivering member as soon as
                                                   Rule 11320 prescribes delivery dates                 If the delivering member fails to deliver                 practicable but not later than two hours
                                                for various transactions. Paragraph (b)                 the securities on the expiration date, it                 prior to the cutoff time set forth in the
                                                states that for a ‘‘regular way’’                       will be liable for any damages that may                   instructions on a specific offer or other
                                                transaction, delivery must be made on,                  accrue thereby.                                           event to obtain the protection provided
                                                but not before, the third business day                     Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) further provides                   by the Rule. FINRA believes that
                                                after the date of the transaction. FINRA                that when both parties to a contract are                  extending the time given to the
                                                is proposing to amend Rule 11320(b) to                  participants in a registered clearing                     receiving member to transmit liability
                                                change the reference to third business                  agency that has an automated liability                    notifications will maintain the
                                                day to second business day. Paragraph                   notification service, transmission of the                 efficiency of the notification process
                                                (c) provides that in a ‘‘seller’s option’’              liability notice must be accomplished                     while mitigating the possible overuse of
                                                transaction, delivery may be made by                    through such system.20 When the                           such notifications.
                                                the seller on any business day after the                parties to a contract are not both                           Currently, FINRA understands that
                                                third business day following the date of                participants in a registered clearing                     the identity of the counterparty, or
                                                the transaction. FINRA is proposing to                  agency that has an automated liability                    delivering member, becomes known to
                                                amend Rule 11320(c) to change the                       notification service, such notice must be                 the receiving member by mid-day on the
                                                reference to third business day to                      issued using written or comparable                        business day after trade date (‘‘T+1’’),
                                                second business day.                                    electronic media having immediate                         and by that time, the receiving member
                                                (F) FINRA Rule 11620 (Computation of                    receipt capabilities not later than one                   will generally also know which
                                                Interest)                                               business day prior to the latest time and                 transactions are subject to an event
                                                                                                        the date of the offer or other event in                   identified in Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) that
                                                  In the settlement of contracts in                                                                               would prompt the receiving member to
                                                interest-paying securities other than for               order to obtain the protection provided
                                                                                                        by the Rule.21                                            issue a liability notice to the delivering
                                                cash, Rule 11620(a) requires the                                                                                  member. FINRA believes that the
                                                calculation of interest at the rate                                                                               receiving member regularly issues
                                                specified in the security up to, but not                Release No. 21262 (August 22, 1984), 49 FR 34321
                                                                                                        (August 29, 1984) (Notice of Filing of File No. SR–       liability notices to the seller or other
                                                including, the third business day after                 NASD–84–20). See also Securities Exchange Act             parties from which the securities
                                                the date of the transaction. The                        Release No. 21406 (October 19, 1984), 49 FR 43006         involved are due when the security is
                                                proposed amendment would shorten the                    (October 25, 1984) (Order Approving File No. SR–          subject to an event identified in Rule
                                                time frame to the second business day.                  NASD–84–20).
                                                                                                           20 In 2007, NYSE Rule 180 was amended to               11810(j)(1)(A) during the settlement
                                                In addition, the proposed amendment                     require that when the parties to a failed contract        cycle as a way to mitigate the risk of a
                                                would make non-substantive technical                    were both participants in a registered clearing           potential fail-to-deliver. In the current
                                                changes to the title of paragraph (a).                  agency that had an automated service for notifying        T+3 settlement environment, the one
                                                                                                        a failing party of the liability that will be attendant
                                                (G) FINRA Rule 11810 (Buy-in                            to a failure to deliver and the contract was to be
                                                                                                                                                                  business day time frame gives the
                                                Procedures and Requirements)                            settled through the facilities of that registered         receiving member the requisite time
                                                                                                        clearing agency, the transmission of the liability        needed to identify the parties involved
                                                   Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) sets forth the fail-             notification must be accomplished through the use         and undertake the liability notification
                                                to-deliver and liability notice                         of the registered clearing agency’s automated
                                                                                                                                                                  process.
                                                procedures where a securities contract                  liability notification system. See Securities
                                                                                                        Exchange Act Release No. 55132 (January 19, 2007),           However, FINRA believes that the
                                                is for warrants, rights, convertible                    72 FR 3896 (January 26, 2007) (Order Approving            move to a T+2 settlement environment
                                                securities or other securities which have               File No. SR–NYSE–2006–57). FINRA followed suit            will create inefficiencies in the liability
                                                been called for redemption; are due to                  and effective in 2008, Rule 11810(j) mandated the         notification process under Rule
                                                expire by their terms; are the subject of               use of an automated liability notification system
                                                                                                        when the parties to a contract are participants in a
                                                                                                                                                                  11810(j)(1)(A) when both parties to a
                                                a tender or exchange offer; or are subject              registered clearing agency that has an automated          contract are not participants in a
                                                to other expiring events such as a record               service for notifying a failing party of the liability    registered clearing agency with an
                                                date for the underlying security and the                that would be attendant to failure to deliver. See        automated notification service. The
                                                last day on which the securities must be                Securities Exchange Act Release No. 56972
                                                                                                        (December 14, 2007), 72 FR 73927 (December 28,
                                                                                                                                                                  shorter settlement cycle, with the loss of
                                                delivered or surrendered is the                         2007) (Order Approving File No. SR–NASD–2007–             one-business day, would not afford the
                                                settlement date of the contract or later.19             035). See also Regulatory Notice 08–06 (February          receiving member sufficient time to: (1)
                                                                                                        2008).                                                    Ascertain that the securities are subject
                                                  19 Rule 11810(j) is the successor to legacy NASD         21 While Rule 11810 has undergone amendments
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                                                                                                                                                                  to an event listed in Rule 11810(j)(1)(A)
                                                UPC Section 59(i) (Failure to Deliver and Liability     over the years, the one-day time frame in paragraph
                                                Notice Procedures). When this provision was added       (j) has remained unchanged. The one-day time
                                                                                                                                                                  during the settlement cycle; (2) identify
                                                to NASD’s existing close-out procedures in 1984, it     frame also appears in comparable provisions of            the delivering member and other parties
                                                was drafted to be similar to the liability notice       other SROs. See, e.g., NSCC Rules & Procedures,           from which the securities involved are
                                                provisions adopted by the NSCC so that members          Procedure X (Execution of Buy-Ins) (Effective             due; and (3) determine the likelihood
                                                that were also participants in NSCC could use the       August 10, 2016); NYSE Rule 282.65 (Fail to Deliver
                                                same procedures for both ex-clearing and NSCC           and Liability Notice Procedures); and Nasdaq Rule
                                                                                                                                                                  that such parties may fail to deliver.
                                                cleared transactions, thereby simplifying members’      IM–11810 (Buying-in). See also infra note 30 and          Where the receiving member has
                                                back office procedures. See Securities Exchange Act     accompanying text.                                        sufficient time (e.g., one business day


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                                                95708                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 249 / Wednesday, December 28, 2016 / Notices

                                                after), it can transmit liability notices as            2. Statutory Basis                                       products, among others.24 A standard
                                                needed to the right parties. However, as                  FINRA believes that the proposed rule                  U.S. settlement cycle for such products
                                                a consequence of the shortened                          change is consistent with the provisions                 is critical for the operation of fair and
                                                settlement cycle, the receiving member                  of Section 15A(b)(6) of the Act,22 which                 orderly markets.
                                                would be compelled to issue liability                   requires, among other things, that                       C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                notices proactively to all potentially                  FINRA rules must be designed to                          Statement on Comments on the
                                                failing parties as a matter of course to                prevent fraudulent and manipulative                      Proposed Rule Change Received From
                                                preserve its rights against such parties                acts and practices, to promote just and                  Members, Participants, or Others
                                                without the benefit of knowing which                    equitable principles of trade, to foster                    The proposed rule change was
                                                transactions would actually necessitate                 cooperation and coordination with                        published for comment in Regulatory
                                                the delivery of such notice. This would                 persons engaged in regulating, clearing,                 Notice 16–09 (March 2016). Eight
                                                create a significant increase in the                    settling, processing information with                    comments were received in response to
                                                volume of liability notices members                     respect to, and facilitating transactions                the Regulatory Notice.25 A copy of the
                                                send and receive, many of which may                     in securities, and, in general, to protect               Regulatory Notice is attached as Exhibit
                                                be unnecessary. Members would then                      investors and the public interest. FINRA                 2a.26 A list of commenters is attached as
                                                have to manage this overabundance of                    believes that the proposed rule change                   Exhibit 2b and copies of the comment
                                                liability notices, increasing the                       supports the industry-led initiative to                  letters received in response to the
                                                possibility of errors, which would                      shorten the settlement cycle to two                      Regulatory Notice are attached as
                                                adversely impact the efficiency of the                  business days. Moreover, the proposed                    Exhibit 2c.
                                                process. Therefore, FINRA believes its                  rule change is consistent with the SEC’s                    Of the eight comment letters received,
                                                proposal to extend the time for the                     proposed amendment to SEA Rule                           seven expressed support for the
                                                receiving member to deliver a liability                 15c6–1(a) to require standard settlement                 industry-led move to T+2 stating, among
                                                notice when the parties to a contract are               no later than T+2. FINRA believes that                   other benefits, that the move will align
                                                not both participants in a registered                   the proposed rule change will provide                    U.S. markets with international markets
                                                clearing agency with an automated                       the regulatory certainty to facilitate the               that already work in the T+2
                                                notification service would help alleviate               industry-led move to a T+2 settlement                    environment, improve the overall
                                                the potential burden on the liability                   cycle.                                                   efficiency and liquidity of the securities
                                                notification process in a T+2 settlement                B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                        markets, and the stability of the
                                                environment.                                            Statement on Burden on Competition                       financial system by reducing
                                                                                                                                                                 counterparty risk and pro-cyclical and
                                                (H) FINRA Rule 11860 (COD Orders)                          FINRA does not believe that the                       liquidity demands, and decreasing
                                                                                                        proposed rule change will result in any                  clearing capital requirements.27 Several
                                                   Rule 11860(a) directs members to                     burden on competition that is not
                                                follow various procedures before                        necessary or appropriate in furtherance                    24 See  supra note 3.
                                                accepting collect on delivery (‘‘COD’’) or              of the purposes of the Act. The                            25 See  Letter from Michael Nicholas, Chief
                                                payment on delivery (‘‘POD’’) orders.                   proposed rule change makes changes to                    Executive Officer, Bond Dealers of America, to
                                                                                                                                                                 Marcia E. Asquith, Corporate Secretary, FINRA,
                                                Rule 11860(a)(4)(A) states that the                     rules pertaining to securities settlement                dated April 4, 2016 (‘‘BDA’’); letter from Stephen
                                                member must obtain an agreement from                    and is intended to facilitate the                        E. Roth, Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP on behalf
                                                the customer that the customer will                     implementation of the industry-led                       of the Committee of Annuity Insurers, to Marcia E.
                                                furnish instructions to the agent no later              transition to a T+2 settlement cycle.                    Asquith, Corporate Secretary, FINRA, dated April 4,
                                                                                                                                                                 2016 (‘‘CAI’’); letter from Norman L. Ashkenas,
                                                than the close of business on the second                Moreover, the proposed rule changes are                  Chief Compliance Officer, Fidelity Brokerage
                                                business day after the date of execution                consistent with the SEC’s proposed                       Services, LLC, and Richard J. O’Brien, Chief
                                                of the trade to which the confirmation                  amendment to SEA Rule 15c6–1(a) to                       Compliance Officer, National Financial Services,
                                                                                                        require standard settlement no later                     LLC, to Marcia E. Asquith, Corporate Secretary,
                                                relates in the case of a purchase by the                                                                         FINRA, dated April 4, 2016 (‘‘Fidelity’’); letter from
                                                customer where the agent is to receive                  than T+2. Accordingly, FINRA believes                    David T. Bellaire, Executive Vice President and
                                                the securities against payment, or COD.                 that the proposed changes do not                         General Counsel, Financial Services Institute, to
                                                In light of the proposed shortened                      impose any burdens on the industry in                    Marcia E. Asquith, Corporate Secretary, FINRA,
                                                                                                        addition to those necessary to                           dated April 4, 2016 (‘‘FSI’’); letter from Martin A.
                                                settlement cycle, FINRA is proposing to                                                                          Burns, Chief Industry Operations Officer,
                                                amend Rule 11860(a)(4)(A) to provide                    implement amendments to SEA Rule                         Investment Company Institute, to Marcia E.
                                                that the time period for a customer                     15c6–1(a) as described and enumerated                    Asquith, Corporate Secretary, FINRA, dated April 4,
                                                buying COD to furnish instructions to                   in the SEC Proposing Release.23                          2016 (‘‘ICI’’); letter from Thomas F. Price, Managing
                                                                                                           These conforming changes include                      Director, Operations, Technology & BCP, Securities
                                                the agent will be no later than the close                                                                        Industry and Financial Markets Association, to
                                                of business on the first business day                   changes to rules that specifically                       Marcia E. Asquith, Corporate Secretary, FINRA,
                                                after the date of execution of the trade,               establish the settlement cycle as well as                dated April 4, 2016 (‘‘SIFMA’’) (April 4, 2016);
                                                rather than the close of business on the                rules that establish time frames based on                letter from Manisha Kimmel, Chief Regulatory
                                                                                                        settlement dates, including for certain                  Officer, Wealth Management, Thomson Reuters, to
                                                second business day.                                                                                             Marcia E. Asquith, Corporate Secretary, FINRA,
                                                                                                        post-settlement rights and obligations.                  dated April 4, 2016 (‘‘Thomson Reuters’’); and letter
                                                   If the Commission approves the                       FINRA believes that the proposed                         from Robert J. McCarthy, Director of Regulatory
                                                proposed rule change, FINRA will                        changes set forth in the filing are                      Policy, Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, to Marcia E.
                                                announce the effective date of the                      necessary to support a standard                          Asquith, Corporate Secretary, FINRA, dated April 4,
                                                proposed rule change in a Regulatory                                                                             2016 (‘‘WFA’’).
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                                                                                                        settlement cycle across the U.S. for                        26 The Commission notes that the exhibits
                                                Notice, which date would correspond                     secondary market transactions in                         referred to are attached to the filing and not to this
                                                with the industry-led transition to a T+2               equities, corporate and municipal                        Notice.
                                                standard settlement, and the effective                  bonds, unit investment trusts, and                          27 BDA, Fidelity, FSI, ICI, SIFMA, Thomson

                                                date of the Commission’s proposed                       financial instruments composed of these                  Reuters and WFA. CAI did not comment on the
                                                amendment to SEA Rule 15c6–1(a) to                                                                               proposed rule amendments and instead requested
                                                                                                                                                                 FINRA’s ‘‘acknowledgment and confirmation that
                                                require standard settlement no later                      22 15   U.S.C. 78o–3(b)(6).                            insurance securities products, which are currently
                                                than T+2.                                                 23 See   supra note 3.                                 exempt from the T+3 settlement cycle requirements,



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                                                                          Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 249 / Wednesday, December 28, 2016 / Notices                                                   95709

                                                commenters encouraged FINRA to                            time’’ ahead of the settlement obligation            settlement environment. Therefore, in
                                                coordinate with other regulators to make                  in light of facts and circumstances.                 order to remain aligned with the
                                                the necessary regulatory changes to help                  SIFMA maintained that under either                   provisions of other SROs and current
                                                facilitate the move to a T+2 standard                     proposed amendment to paragraph (j),                 industry practices, FINRA has
                                                settlement cycle 28 with two                              the delivering member would be liable                determined to retain the current T+1
                                                commenters 29 providing their views on                    for any damages caused by its failure to             confirmation delivery requirement
                                                the proposed amendments to two rules                      deliver in a timely fashion.                         under Rule 11860(a)(3).33
                                                under the FINRA Rule 11800 Series                            While FINRA did not initially
                                                                                                          propose amendments to Rule 11810 for                 Other Comments
                                                (Close-Out Procedures).
                                                                                                          the T+2 initiative,31 in light of SIFMA’s               Several commenters conveyed the
                                                FINRA Rule 11810(j)—Failure To                            concern regarding Rule 11810(j)(1)(A),               importance of testing systems and
                                                Deliver and Liability Notice Procedures                   FINRA is proposing to amend the Rule                 educating market participants and retail
                                                   In its comment letter, SIFMA raised a                  to provide that, where both parties to a             investors on the impacts of a shorter
                                                concern with the one-day time frame in                    contract are not participants of a                   settlement cycle.34 BDA explained that
                                                Rule 11810(j)(1)(A), asserting that the                   registered clearing agency with an                   currently, a customer has five business
                                                requirement for the delivering member                     automated notification service, the                  days to submit payment for purchases of
                                                to deliver a liability notice to the                      receiving member must send the                       securities in a cash account or in a
                                                receiving member no later than one                        liability notice to the delivering member            margin account before a broker-dealer
                                                business day prior to the latest time and                 as soon as practicable but not later than            would cancel or liquidate the
                                                the date of the offer or other event in                   two hours prior to the cutoff time set               transaction in whole or in part.35 BDA
                                                order to obtain the protection provided                   forth in the instructions on a specific              further explained that ‘‘[s]hortening the
                                                by the Rule may no longer be                              offer or other event to obtain the                   settlement cycle to T+2 would
                                                appropriate in a T+2 environment in                       protection provided by the Rule.32                   automatically reduce the timeframe
                                                some situations such as where the                                                                              before a dealer would have to liquidate
                                                delivery obligation is transferred to                     FINRA Rule 11860 (COD Orders)                        an unpaid for transaction to T+4.’’ BDA
                                                another party as a result of continuous                      Rule 11860(a)(3) requires a member                noted that shortening the settlement
                                                net settlement, settlements outside of                    that accepts a COD or POD order from                 cycle by one day may negatively impact
                                                the NSCC, and settlements involving a                     a customer to deliver to the customer a              retail clients that still use checks, which
                                                third party that is not a FINRA member                    confirmation not later than the close of             may not be sent, received, processed,
                                                firm. SIFMA noted that NYSE Rule 180                      business on T+1. In Regulatory Notice                and cleared, within the shortened four-
                                                (Failure to Deliver) includes a similar                   16–09, FINRA proposed shortening the                 day window. BDA expressed that firms
                                                requirement for NYSE member firms                         confirmation delivery time frame to the              that do a large amount of retail business
                                                that are participants in a registered                     close of business on the date of the trade           would need ample time to communicate
                                                clearing agency to transmit liability                     (‘‘T+0’’). In its comment letter, BDA                the practical impacts on a shortened
                                                notification through an automated                         urged FINRA to consider leaving the                  settlement cycle.
                                                notification service and proposed                         requirement for delivering customer                     FINRA recognizes that market
                                                amending Rule 11810(j)(1)(A) to omit                      confirmations under Rule 11860(a)(3)                 participants will have to undergo
                                                the reference to a notification time                      unchanged and allow customer                         systemic and procedural changes to
                                                frame, which would align with NYSE                        confirmations to continue to be sent T+1             implement the shorter payment period
                                                Rule 180.30 In the alternative, SIFMA                     to minimize the regulatory and                       for a securities purchase as part of the
                                                proposed amending Rule 11810(j)(1)(A)                     compliance costs of the proposed                     ongoing transition to the T+2
                                                to require that the liability notice be                   amendment without limiting the risk-                 framework. As BDA acknowledged, the
                                                delivered in a ‘‘reasonable amount of                     reducing benefits of the shortened                   2017 timeline should allow firms to
                                                                                                          settlement cycle. BDA asserted that                  make all the necessary changes to
                                                will continue to be exempt from the settlement            shortening confirmation delivery to T+0              systems that the proposed rule will
                                                cycle requirements after the timetable is shortened       would be a tremendous undertaking for                require. FINRA further recognizes the
                                                to T+2.’’ The Commission has granted an exemption         small firms that would need to commit                importance of educating retail investors
                                                for transactions involving certain insurance
                                                contracts from the scope of SEA Rule 15c6–1. See          large amounts of internal resources to               regarding the impact of a shortened
                                                Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35815 (June 6,        change the systems and processes that                settlement cycle and is committed to
                                                1995), 60 FR 30906 (June 12, 1995). FINRA notes           are used to deliver confirmations in
                                                that any modification or revocation of the current        order to process confirmations on a T+0                33 In Regulatory Notice 16–09, FINRA
                                                exemptions to SEA Rule 15c6–1 rests with the                                                                   preliminarily identified Rule 11210(a)
                                                Commission.                                               basis.                                               (Comparisons or Confirmations) to undergo an
                                                   28 Fidelity, FSI, ICI, and Thomson Reuters.               FINRA has considered the comment                  amendment to reflect the T+2 settlement cycle. Rule
                                                   29 BDA and SIFMA.                                      and agrees that the proposed change to               11210(a)(1) requires each party to a transaction,
                                                   30 See NYSE Rule 180 (Failure to Deliver)              T+0 may present significant difficulties             other than a cash transaction, to send a Uniform
                                                providing in part that ‘‘[w]hen the parties to a                                                               Comparison or Confirmation on or before T+1.
                                                                                                          for member firms, particularly small                 FINRA proposed changing the delivery time frame
                                                contract are both participants in a registered
                                                clearing agency which has an automated service for
                                                                                                          firms. Moreover, FINRA believes that                 to T+0. While not specifically referenced by BDA,
                                                notifying a failing party of the liability that will be   the existing requirement to deliver                  Rule 11210(a) would raise similar concerns. Thus,
                                                attendant to a failure to deliver and that contract       customer confirmations on T+1 would                  the time frame under Rule 11210(a)(1) for sending
                                                was to be settled through the facilities of said                                                               a Uniform Comparison or Confirmation would also
                                                                                                          still assure the efficient clearance and             remain unchanged at T+1.
                                                registered clearing agency, the transmission of the
                                                liability notification must be accomplished through
                                                                                                          settlement of transactions in a T+2                    34 BDA, FSI and WFA.
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                                                use of said automated notification service.’’ FINRA                                                              35 Federal Reserve Board Regulation T governs,
                                                                                                            31 See  Regulatory Notice 16–09 (March 2016).
                                                notes that NYSE Rule 180 does not address the                                                                  among other things, the extension of credit by
                                                transmission of the liability notification for parties      32 FINRA   expects similar amendments to other     broker-dealers to customers to pay for the purchase
                                                to a contract that are not both participants in a         comparable SRO provisions in NYSE Rule 282.65        of securities. Regulation T provides that a customer
                                                registered clearing agency (or non-participants). The     (Fail to Deliver and Liability Notice Procedures)    has one payment period (currently five business
                                                transmission of the liability notification for non-       and Nasdaq Rule IM–11810 (Buying-in), and NSCC       days) to submit payment for purchases of securities
                                                participants is addressed under NYSE Rule 282.65          Rules & Procedures, Procedure X (Execution of Buy-   in a cash account or in a margin account. 12 CFR
                                                (Failure to Deliver and Liability Notice Procedures).     Ins) to address SIFMA’s concern about the one-day    220.2 (Definitions), 220.4 (Margin Account) and
                                                See supra note 21.                                        notification time frame.                             220.8 (Cash Account).



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                                                95710                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 249 / Wednesday, December 28, 2016 / Notices

                                                working with market participants to                     Washington, DC 20549, on official                     II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                provide the information necessary to                    business days between the hours of                    Statement of the Purpose of, and
                                                educate retail investors.                               10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such               Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
                                                                                                        filing also will be available for                     Change
                                                III. Date of Effectiveness of the
                                                                                                        inspection and copying at the principal                  In its filing with the Commission, the
                                                Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
                                                                                                        office of FINRA. All comments received                Exchange included statements
                                                Commission Action
                                                                                                        will be posted without change; the                    concerning the purpose of and basis for
                                                   Within 45 days of the date of                        Commission does not edit personal                     the proposed rule change and discussed
                                                publication of this notice in the Federal               identifying information from                          any comments it received on the
                                                Register or within such longer period (i)               submissions. You should submit only                   proposed rule change. The text of these
                                                as the Commission may designate up to                   information that you wish to make                     statements may be examined at the
                                                90 days of such date if it finds such                   available publicly. All submissions                   places specified in Item IV below. The
                                                longer period to be appropriate and                     should refer to File Number SR–FINRA–                 Exchange has prepared summaries, set
                                                publishes its reasons for so finding or                 2016–047 and should be submitted on                   forth in sections A, B, and C below, of
                                                (ii) as to which the self-regulatory                    or before January 18, 2017.                           the most significant aspects of such
                                                organization consents, the Commission                                                                         statements.
                                                                                                          For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                will:
                                                                                                        Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated            A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                   (A) by order approve or disapprove
                                                                                                        authority.36                                          Statement of the Purpose of, and
                                                such proposed rule change, or
                                                   (B) institute proceedings to determine               Eduardo A. Aleman,                                    Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
                                                whether the proposed rule change                        Assistant Secretary.                                  Change
                                                should be disapproved.                                  [FR Doc. 2016–31308 Filed 12–27–16; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                              1. Purpose
                                                                                                        BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                IV. Solicitation of Comments                                                                                     The purpose of the proposed rule
                                                  Interested persons are invited to                                                                           change is to adjust qualifying tier
                                                submit written data, views, and                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE                               thresholds and fees and rebates under
                                                arguments concerning the foregoing,                     COMMISSION                                            the Exchange’s Schedule of Fees. Each
                                                including whether the proposed rule                                                                           of the proposed changes is described in
                                                change is consistent with the Act.                                                                            more detail below.
                                                                                                        [Release No. 34–79644; File No. SR–
                                                Comments may be submitted by any of                     ISEGemini–2016–22]                                    Qualifying Tier Thresholds
                                                the following methods:
                                                                                                                                                                ISE Gemini currently provides
                                                Electronic Comments                                     Self-Regulatory Organizations; ISE
                                                                                                                                                              volume-based maker rebates to Market
                                                                                                        Gemini, LLC; Notice of Filing and
                                                  • Use the Commission’s Internet                       Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed
                                                                                                                                                              Maker 3 and Priority Customer 4 orders
                                                comment form (http://www.sec.gov/                                                                             in five tiers based on a member’s
                                                                                                        Rule Change To Adjust Qualifying Tier
                                                rules/sro.shtml); or                                                                                          average daily volume (‘‘ADV’’) in the
                                                                                                        Thresholds and Fees and Rebates
                                                  • Send an email to rule-comments@                                                                           following categories: (i) Total Affiliated
                                                sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–                 December 21, 2016.                                    Member ADV,5 (ii) Priority Customer
                                                FINRA–2016–047 on the subject line.                                                                           Maker ADV,6 and (iii) Total Affiliated
                                                                                                           Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the                Member ADV with a Minimum Priority
                                                Paper Comments                                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934                       Customer Maker ADV, as shown in the
                                                  • Send paper comments in triplicate                   (‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2               table below.7 In addition, the Exchange
                                                to Secretary, Securities and Exchange                   notice is hereby given that on December
                                                Commission, 100 F Street NE.,                           9, 2016, ISE Gemini, LLC (‘‘ISE Gemini’’                 3 The term Market Maker refers to ‘‘Competitive

                                                Washington, DC 20549–1090.                              or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the Securities            Market Makers’’ and ‘‘Primary Market Makers’’
                                                                                                        and Exchange Commission (‘‘SEC’’ or                   collectively.
                                                All submissions should refer to File                                                                             4 A Priority Customer is a person or entity that is
                                                                                                        ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
                                                Number SR–FINRA–2016–047. This file                                                                           not a broker/dealer in securities, and does not place
                                                                                                        change as described in Items I and II
                                                number should be included on the                                                                              more than 390 orders in listed options per day on
                                                                                                        below, which Items have been prepared                 average during a calendar month for its own
                                                subject line if email is used. To help the
                                                                                                        by the Exchange. The Commission is                    beneficial account(s).
                                                Commission process and review your                                                                               5 The Total Affiliated Member ADV category
                                                                                                        publishing this notice to solicit
                                                comments more efficiently, please use                                                                         includes all volume in all symbols and order types,
                                                                                                        comments on the proposed rule change
                                                only one method. The Commission will                                                                          including both maker and taker volume and volume
                                                                                                        from interested persons.                              executed in the PIM, Facilitation, Solicitation, and
                                                post all comments on the Commission’s
                                                                                                                                                              QCC mechanisms.
                                                Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/                  I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                        6 The Priority Customer Maker ADV category
                                                rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the                         Statement of the Terms of Substance of                includes all Priority Customer volume that adds
                                                submission, all subsequent                              the Proposed Rule Change                              liquidity in all symbols.
                                                amendments, all written statements                                                                               7 All eligible volume from affiliated members is

                                                with respect to the proposed rule                          The Exchange proposes to adjust                    aggregated in determining applicable tiers, provided
                                                                                                        qualifying tier thresholds and fees and               there is at least 75% common ownership between
                                                change that are filed with the                                                                                the Members as reflected on each Member’s Form
                                                Commission, and all written                             rebates under the Schedule of Fees.                   BD, Schedule A.
                                                communications relating to the                             The text of the proposed rule change                  The highest tier threshold attained by any method
                                                proposed rule change between the                                                                              above applies retroactively in a given month to all
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                        is available on the Exchange’s Web site               eligible traded contracts and applies to all eligible
                                                Commission and any person, other than                   at www.ise.com, at the principal office               market participants.
                                                those that may be withheld from the                     of the Exchange, and at the                              Any day that the market is not open for the entire
                                                public in accordance with the                           Commission’s Public Reference Room.                   trading day or the Exchange instructs members in
                                                provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be                                                                           writing to route their orders to other markets may
                                                                                                                                                              be excluded from the ADV calculation; provided
                                                available for Web site viewing and                        36 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).                          that the Exchange will only remove the day for
                                                printing in the Commission’s Public                       1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).                              members that would have a lower ADV with the
                                                Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,                         2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.                                 day included.



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Document Created: 2016-12-28 02:17:03
Document Modified: 2016-12-28 02:17:03
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
FR Citation81 FR 95705 

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