82_FR_23963 82 FR 23864 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BOX Options Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend the BOX Fee Schedule To Adopt a Fee Schedule To Establish the Fees for Industry Members Related to the National Market System Plan Governing the Consolidated Audit Trail

82 FR 23864 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BOX Options Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend the BOX Fee Schedule To Adopt a Fee Schedule To Establish the Fees for Industry Members Related to the National Market System Plan Governing the Consolidated Audit Trail

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 99 (May 24, 2017)

Page Range23864-23882
FR Document2017-10589

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 99 (Wednesday, May 24, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 24, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23864-23882]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10589]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-80721; File No. SR-BOX-2017-16]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; BOX Options Exchange LLC; Notice 
of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To 
Amend the BOX Fee Schedule To Adopt a Fee Schedule To Establish the 
Fees for Industry Members Related to the National Market System Plan 
Governing the Consolidated Audit Trail

May 18, 2017.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 (the ``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby 
given that on May 15, 2017, BOX Options Exchange LLC (the ``Exchange'') 
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') 
the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which 
Items have been prepared by the Exchange.\3\ The Exchange filed the 
proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act,\4\ 
and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) thereunder,\5\ which renders the proposal 
effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing 
this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from 
interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ The Exchange originally filed the proposed rule change on 
May 3, 2017 under File No. SR-BOX-2017-13. The Exchange subsequently 
withdrew that filing on May 11, 2017 and filed the proposed rule 
change on that date under File No. SR-BOX-2017-15. The Exchange 
withdrew that filing on May 15, 2017 and filed this proposed rule 
change.
    \4\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
    \5\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of the 
Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange is filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') a proposed rule change to amend the Fee Schedule to 
adopt a fee schedule to establish the fees for Industry Members related 
to the National Market System Plan Governing the Consolidated Audit 
Trail. The text of the proposed rule change is available from the 
principal office of the Exchange, at the Commission's Public Reference 
Room and also on the Exchange's Internet Web site at http://boxexchange.com.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements 
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and 
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The 
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in 
Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in 
Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such 
statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    Bats BYX Exchange, Inc., Bats BZX Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGA 
Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGX Exchange, Inc., BOX Options Exchange LLC, C2 
Options Exchange, Incorporated, Chicago Board Options Exchange, 
Incorporated, Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc., Financial Industry 
Regulatory Authority, Inc. (``FINRA''), Investors' Exchange LLC, Miami 
International Securities Exchange, LLC, MIAX PEARL, LLC, NASDAQ BX, 
Inc., Nasdaq GEMX, LLC, Nasdaq ISE, LLC, Nasdaq MRX, LLC,\6\ NASDAQ 
PHLX LLC, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, New York Stock Exchange LLC, 
NYSE MKT LLC, NYSE

[[Page 23865]]

Arca, Inc. and NYSE National, Inc.\7\ (collectively, the 
``Participants'') filed with the Commission, pursuant to Section 11A of 
the Exchange Act \8\ and Rule 608 of Regulation NMS thereunder,\9\ the 
CAT NMS Plan.\10\ The Participants filed the Plan to comply with Rule 
613 of Regulation NMS under the Exchange Act. The Plan was published 
for comment in the Federal Register on May 17, 2016,\11\ and approved 
by the Commission, as modified, on November 15, 2016.\12\ The Plan is 
designed to create, implement and maintain a consolidated audit trail 
(``CAT'') that would capture customer and order event information for 
orders in NMS Securities and OTC Equity Securities, across all markets, 
from the time of order inception through routing, cancellation, 
modification, or execution in a single consolidated data source. The 
Plan accomplishes this by creating CAT NMS, LLC (the ``Company''), of 
which each Participant is a member, to operate the CAT.\13\ Under the 
CAT NMS Plan, the Operating Committee of the Company (``Operating 
Committee'') has discretion to establish funding for the Company to 
operate the CAT, including establishing fees that the Participants will 
pay, and establishing fees for Industry Members that will be 
implemented by the Participants (``CAT Fees'').\14\ The Participants 
are required to file with the SEC under Section 19(b) of the Exchange 
Act any such CAT Fees applicable to Industry Members that the Operating 
Committee approves.\15\ Accordingly, the Exchange submits this fee 
filing to propose the Consolidated Audit Trail Funding Fees, which will 
require Industry Members that are SRO members to pay the CAT Fees 
determined by the Operating Committee.
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    \6\ ISE Gemini, LLC, ISE Mercury, LLC and International 
Securities Exchange, LLC have been renamed Nasdaq GEMX, LLC, Nasdaq 
MRX, LLC, and Nasdaq ISE, LLC, respectively. See Securities Exchange 
Act Rel. No. 80248 (Mar. 15, 2017), 82 FR 14547 (Mar. 21, 2017); 
Securities Exchange Act Rel. No. 80326 (Mar. 29, 2017), 82 FR 16460 
(Apr. 4, 2017); and Securities Exchange Act Rel. No. 80325 (Mar. 29, 
2017), 82 FR 16445 (Apr. 4, 2017).
    \7\ National Stock Exchange, Inc. has been renamed NYSE 
National, Inc. See Securities Exchange Act Rel. No. 79902 (Jan. 30, 
2017), 82 FR 9258 (Feb. 3, 2017).
    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78k-1.
    \9\ 17 CFR 242.608.
    \10\ See Letter from the Participants to Brent J. Fields, 
Secretary, Commission, dated September 30, 2014; and Letter from 
Participants to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Commission, dated 
February 27, 2015. On December 24, 2015, the Participants submitted 
an amendment to the CAT NMS Plan. See Letter from Participants to 
Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Commission, dated December 23, 2015.
    \11\ Securities Exchange Act Rel. No. 77724 (Apr. 27, 2016), 81 
FR 30614 (May 17, 2016).
    \12\ Securities Exchange Act Rel. No. 79318 (Nov. 15, 2016), 81 
FR 84696 (Nov. 23, 2016) (``Approval Order'').
    \13\ The Plan also serves as the limited liability company 
agreement for the Company.
    \14\ Section 11.1(b) of the CAT NMS Plan.
    \15\ Id.
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(1) Executive Summary
    The following provides an executive summary of the CAT funding 
model approved by the Operating Committee, as well as Industry Members' 
rights and obligations related to the payment of CAT Fees calculated 
pursuant to the CAT funding model. A detailed description of the CAT 
funding model and the CAT Fees follows this executive summary.
(A) CAT Funding Model
     CAT Costs. The CAT funding model is designed to establish 
CAT-specific fees to collectively recover the costs of building and 
operating the CAT from all CAT Reporters, including Industry Members 
and Participants. The overall CAT costs for the calculation of the CAT 
Fees in this fee filing are comprised of Plan Processor CAT costs and 
non-Plan Processor CAT costs incurred, and estimated to be incurred, 
from November 21, 2016 through November 21, 2017. (See Section 
3(a)(2)(E) [sic] below \16\)
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    \16\ The Commission notes that references to Sections 3(a)(2) 
and 3(a)(3) in this Executive Summary should be instead to Sections 
II.A.1.(2) and II.A.1.(3), respectively.
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     Bifurcated Funding Model. The CAT NMS Plan requires a 
bifurcated funding model, where costs associated with building and 
operating the CAT would be borne by (1) Participants and Industry 
Members that are Execution Venues for Eligible Securities through fixed 
tier fees based on market share, and (2) Industry Members (other than 
alternative trading systems (``ATSs'') that execute transactions in 
Eligible Securities (``Execution Venue ATSs'')) through fixed tier fees 
based on message traffic for Eligible Securities. (See Section 3(a)(2) 
[sic] below)
     Industry Member Fees. Each Industry Member (other than 
Execution Venue ATSs) will be placed into one of nine tiers of fixed 
fees, based on ``message traffic'' in Eligible Securities for a defined 
period (as discussed below). Prior to the start of CAT reporting, 
``message traffic'' will be comprised of historical equity and equity 
options orders, cancels and quotes provided by each exchange and FINRA 
over the previous three months. After an Industry Member begins 
reporting to the CAT, ``message traffic'' will be calculated based on 
the Industry Member's Reportable Events reported to the CAT. Industry 
Members with lower levels of message traffic will pay a lower fee and 
Industry Members with higher levels of message traffic will pay a 
higher fee. (See Section 3(a)(2)(B) [sic] below)
     Execution Venue Fees. Each Equity Execution Venue will be 
placed in one of two tiers of fixed fees based on market share, and 
each Options Execution Venue will be placed in one of two tiers of 
fixed fees based on market share. Equity Execution Venue market share 
will be determined by calculating each Equity Execution Venue's 
proportion of the total volume of NMS Stock and OTC Equity shares 
reported by all Equity Execution Venues during the relevant time 
period. Similarly, market share for Options Execution Venues will be 
determined by calculating each Options Execution Venue's proportion of 
the total volume of Listed Options contracts reported by all Options 
Execution Venues during the relevant time period. Equity Execution 
Venues with a larger market share will pay a larger CAT Fee than Equity 
Execution Venues with a smaller market share. Similarly, Options 
Execution Venues with a larger market share will pay a larger CAT Fee 
than Options Execution Venues with a smaller market share. (See Section 
3(a)(2)(C) [sic] below)
     Cost Allocation. For the reasons discussed below, in 
designing the model, the Operating Committee determined that 75 percent 
of total costs recovered would be allocated to Industry Members (other 
than Execution Venue ATSs) and 25 percent would be allocated to 
Execution Venues. In addition, the Operating Committee determined to 
allocate 75 percent of Execution Venue costs recovered to Equity 
Execution Venues and 25 percent to Options Execution Venues. (See 
Section 3(a)(2)(D) [sic] below)
     Comparability of Fees. The CAT funding model requires that 
the CAT Fees charged to the CAT Reporters with the most CAT-related 
activity (measured by market share and/or message traffic, as 
applicable) are generally comparable (where, for these comparability 
purposes, the tiered fee structure takes into consideration 
affiliations between or among CAT Reporters, whether Execution Venues 
and/or Industry Members). (See Section 3(a)(2)(F) [sic] below)
(B) CAT Fees for Industry Members
     Fee Schedule. The quarterly CAT Fees for each tier for 
Industry Members are set forth in the two fee schedules in the 
Consolidated Audit Trail Funding Fees, one for Equity ATSs and one for 
Industry Members other than Equity ATSs. (See Section 3(a)(3)(B) [sic] 
below)
     Quarterly Invoices. Industry Members will be billed 
quarterly for CAT Fees, with the invoices payable

[[Page 23866]]

within 30 days. The quarterly invoices will identify within which tier 
the Industry Member falls. (See Section 3(a)(3)(C) [sic] below)
     Centralized Payment. Each Industry Member will receive 
from the Company one invoice for its applicable CAT Fees, not separate 
invoices from each Participant of which it is a member. The Industry 
Members will pay its CAT Fees to the Company via the centralized system 
for the collection of CAT Fees established by the Operating Committee. 
(See Section 3(a)(3)(C) [sic] below)
     Billing Commencement. Industry Members will begin to 
receive invoices for CAT Fees as promptly as possible following the 
establishment of a billing mechanism. The Exchange will issue a 
Regulatory Circular to its Industry Members when the billing mechanism 
is established, specifying the date when such invoicing of Industry 
Members will commence. (See Section 3(a)(2)(G) [sic] below)
(2) Description of the CAT Funding Model
    Article XI of the CAT NMS Plan requires the Operating Committee to 
approve the operating budget, including projected costs of developing 
and operating the CAT for the upcoming year. As set forth in Article XI 
of the CAT NMS Plan, the CAT NMS Plan requires a bifurcated funding 
model, where costs associated with building and operating the Central 
Repository would be borne by (1) Participants and Industry Members that 
are Execution Venues through fixed tier fees based on market share, and 
(2) Industry Members (other than Execution Venue ATSs) through fixed 
tier fees based on message traffic. In its order approving the CAT NMS 
Plan, the Commission determined that the proposed funding model was 
``reasonable'' \17\ and ``reflects a reasonable exercise of the 
Participants' funding authority to recover the Participants' costs 
related to the CAT.'' \18\
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    \17\ Approval Order at 84796.
    \18\ Id. at 84794.
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    More specifically, the Commission stated in approving the CAT NMS 
Plan that ``[t]he Commission believes that the proposed funding model 
is reasonably designed to allocate the costs of the CAT between the 
Participants and Industry Members.'' \19\ The Commission further noted 
the following:
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    \19\ Id. at 84795.

    The Commission believes that the proposed funding model reflects 
a reasonable exercise of the Participants' funding authority to 
recover the Participants' costs related to the CAT. The CAT is a 
regulatory facility jointly owned by the Participants and . . . the 
Exchange Act specifically permits the Participants to charge their 
members fees to fund their self-regulatory obligations. The 
Commission further believes that the proposed funding model is 
designed to impose fees reasonably related to the Participants' 
self-regulatory obligations because the fees would be directly 
associated with the costs of establishing and maintaining the CAT, 
and not unrelated SRO services.\20\
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    \20\ Id. at 84794.

Accordingly, the funding model imposes fees on both Participants and 
Industry Members.
    In addition, as discussed in Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan, the 
Operating Committee considered the advantages and disadvantages of a 
variety of alternative funding and cost allocation models before 
selecting the proposed model.\21\ After analyzing the various 
alternatives, the Operating Committee determined that the proposed 
tiered, fixed fee funding model provides a variety of advantages in 
comparison to the alternatives. First, the fixed fee model, as opposed 
to a variable fee model, provides transparency, ease of calculation, 
ease of billing and other administrative functions, and predictability 
of a fixed fee. Such factors are crucial to estimating a reliable 
revenue stream for the Company and for permitting CAT Reporters to 
reasonably predict their payment obligations for budgeting 
purposes.\22\ Additionally, a strictly variable or metered funding 
model based on message volume would be far more likely to affect market 
behavior and place an inappropriate burden on competition. Moreover, as 
the SEC noted in approving the CAT NMS Plan, ``[t]he Participants also 
have offered a reasonable basis for establishing a funding model based 
on broad tiers, in that it be may be easier to implement.'' \23\
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    \21\ Section B.7, Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan, Approval Order 
at 85006.
    \22\ In choosing a tiered fee structure, the SROs concluded that 
the variety of benefits offered by a tiered fee structure, discussed 
above, outweighed the fact that Industry Members in any particular 
tier would pay different rates per message traffic order event 
(e.g., an Industry Member with the largest amount of message traffic 
in one tier would pay a smaller amount per order event than an 
Industry Member in the same tier with the least amount of message 
traffic). Such variation is the natural result of a tiered fee 
structure.
    \23\ Approval Order at 84796.
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    In addition, multiple reviews of current broker-dealer order and 
trading data submitted under existing reporting requirements showed a 
wide range in activity among broker-dealers, with a number of broker-
dealers submitting fewer than 1,000 orders per month and other broker-
dealers submitting millions and even billions of orders in the same 
period. Accordingly, the CAT NMS Plan includes a tiered approach to 
fees. The tiered approach helps ensure that fees are equitably 
allocated among similarly situated CAT Reporters and furthers the goal 
of lessening the impact on smaller firms.\24\ The self-regulatory 
organizations considered several approaches to developing a tiered 
model, including defining fee tiers based on such factors as size of 
firm, message traffic or trading dollar volume. After analyzing the 
alternatives, it was concluded that the tiering should be based on the 
relative impact of CAT Reporters on the CAT System.
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    \24\ Section B.7, Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan, Approval Order 
at 85006.
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    Accordingly, the CAT NMS Plan contemplates that costs will be 
allocated across the CAT Reporters on a tiered basis to allocate costs 
to those CAT Reporters that contribute more to the costs of creating, 
implementing and maintaining the CAT.\25\ The fees to be assessed at 
each tier are calculated so as to recoup a proportion of costs 
appropriate to the message traffic or market share (as applicable) from 
CAT Reporters in each tier. Therefore, Industry Members generating the 
most message traffic will be in the higher tiers, and therefore be 
charged a higher fee. Industry Members with lower levels of message 
traffic will be in lower tiers and will be assessed a smaller fee for 
the CAT.\26\ Correspondingly, Execution Venues with the highest market 
share will be in the top tier, and therefore will be charged a higher 
fee. Execution Venues with a lower market share will be in the lower 
tier and will be assessed a smaller fee for the CAT.\27\
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    \25\ Approval Order at 85005.
    \26\ Id.
    \27\ Id.
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    The Commission also noted in approving the CAT NMS Plan that 
``[t]he Participants have offered a credible justification for using 
different criteria to charge Execution Venues (market share) and 
Industry Members (message traffic)'' \28\ in the CAT funding model. 
While there are multiple factors that contribute to the cost of 
building, maintaining and using the CAT, processing and storage of 
incoming message traffic is one of the most significant cost drivers 
for the CAT.\29\ Thus, the CAT NMS Plan provides that the fees payable 
by Industry Members (other than Execution Venue ATSs) will be based on 
the message traffic generated by such Industry Member.\30\
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    \28\ Id. at 84796.
    \29\ Section B.7, Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan, Approval Order 
at 85005.
    \30\ Section 11.3(b) of the CAT NMS Plan.

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[[Page 23867]]

    The CAT NMS Plan provides that the Operating Committee will use 
different criteria to establish fees for Execution Venues and non-
Execution Venues due to the fundamental differences between the two 
types of entities. In particular, the CAT NMS Plan provides that fees 
charged to CAT Reporters that are Execution Venues will be based on the 
level of market share and that costs charged to Industry Members (other 
than Execution Venue ATSs) will be based upon message traffic.\31\ 
Because most Participant message traffic consists of quotations, and 
Participants usually disseminate quotations in all instruments they 
trade, regardless of execution volume, Execution Venues that are 
Participants generally disseminate similar amounts of message traffic. 
Accordingly, basing fees for Execution Venues on message traffic would 
not provide the same degree of differentiation among Execution Venues 
that it does among Industry Members (other than Execution Venue ATSs). 
In contrast, execution volume more accurately delineates the different 
levels of trading activity of Execution Venues.\32\
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    \31\ Section 11.2(c) of the CAT NMS Plan.
    \32\ Section B.7, Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan, Approval Order 
at 85005.
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    The CAT NMS Plan's funding model also is structured to avoid a 
``reduction in market quality.'' \33\ The tiered, fixed fee funding 
model is designed to limit the disincentives to providing liquidity to 
the market. For example, the Participants expect that a firm that had a 
large volume of quotes would likely be categorized in one of the upper 
tiers, and would not be assessed a fee for this traffic directly as 
they would under a more directly metered model. In contrast, strictly 
variable or metered funding models based on message volume were far 
more likely to affect market behavior. In approving the CAT NMS Plan, 
the SEC stated that ``[t]he Participants also offered a reasonable 
basis for establishing a funding model based on broad tiers, in that it 
may be . . . less likely to have an incremental deterrent effect on 
liquidity provision.'' \34\
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    \33\ Section 11.2(e) of the CAT NMS Plan.
    \34\ Approval Order at 84796.
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    The CAT NMS Plan is structured to avoid potential conflicts raised 
by the Operating Committee determining fees applicable to its own 
members--the Participants. First, the Company will be operated on a 
``break-even'' basis, with fees imposed to cover costs and an 
appropriate reserve. Any surpluses will be treated as an operational 
reserve to offset future fees and will not be distributed to the 
Participants as profits.\35\ To ensure that the Participants' operation 
of the CAT will not contribute to the funding of their other 
operations, Section 11.1(c) of the CAT NMS Plan specifically states 
that ``[a]ny surplus of the Company's revenues over its expenses shall 
be treated as an operational reserve to offset future fees.'' In 
addition, as set forth in Article VIII of the CAT NMS Plan, the Company 
``intends to operate in a manner such that it qualifies as a `business 
league' within the meaning of Section 501(c)(6) of the [Internal 
Revenue] Code.'' To qualify as a business league, an organization must 
``not [be] organized for profit and no part of the net earnings of [the 
organization can] inure[ ] to the benefit of any private shareholder or 
individual.'' \36\ As the SEC stated when approving the CAT NMS Plan, 
``the Commission believes that the Company's application for Section 
501(c)(6) business league status addresses issues raised by commenters 
about the Plan's proposed allocation of profit and loss by mitigating 
concerns that the Company's earnings could be used to benefit 
individual Participants.'' \37\
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    \35\ Id. at 84792.
    \36\ 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(6).
    \37\ Approval Order at 84793.
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    Finally, by adopting a CAT-specific fee, the Participants will be 
fully transparent regarding the costs of the CAT. Charging a general 
regulatory fee, which would be used to cover CAT costs as well as other 
regulatory costs, would be less transparent than the selected approach 
of charging a fee designated to cover CAT costs only.
    A full description of the funding model is set forth below. This 
description includes the framework for the funding model as set forth 
in the CAT NMS Plan, as well as the details as to how the funding model 
will be applied in practice, including the number of fee tiers and the 
applicable fees for each tier. The Exchange notes that the complete 
funding model is described below, including those fees that are to be 
paid by the Participants. The proposed Consolidated Audit Trail Funding 
Fees, however, do not apply to the Participants; the proposed 
Consolidated Audit Trail Funding Fees only apply to Industry Members. 
The CAT fees for Participants will be imposed separately by the 
Operating Committee pursuant to the CAT NMS Plan.
(A) Funding Principles
    Section 11.2 of the CAT NMS Plan sets forth the principles that the 
Operating Committee applied in establishing the funding for the 
Company. The Operating Committee has considered these funding 
principles as well as the other funding requirements set forth in the 
CAT NMS Plan and in Rule 613 in developing the proposed funding model. 
The following are the funding principles in Section 11.2 of the CAT NMS 
Plan:
     To create transparent, predictable revenue streams for the 
Company that are aligned with the anticipated costs to build, operate 
and administer the CAT and other costs of the Company;
     To establish an allocation of the Company's related costs 
among Participants and Industry Members that is consistent with the 
Exchange Act, taking into account the timeline for implementation of 
the CAT and distinctions in the securities trading operations of 
Participants and Industry Members and their relative impact upon the 
Company's resources and operations;
     To establish a tiered fee structure in which the fees 
charged to: (i) CAT Reporters that are Execution Venues, including 
ATSs, are based upon the level of market share; (ii) Industry Members' 
non-ATS activities are based upon message traffic; (iii) the CAT 
Reporters with the most CAT-related activity (measured by market share 
and/or message traffic, as applicable) are generally comparable (where, 
for these comparability purposes, the tiered fee structure takes into 
consideration affiliations between or among CAT Reporters, whether 
Execution Venue and/or Industry Members);
     To provide for ease of billing and other administrative 
functions;
     To avoid any disincentives such as placing an 
inappropriate burden on competition and a reduction in market quality; 
and
     To build financial stability to support the Company as a 
going concern.
(B) Industry Member Tiering
    Under Section 11.3(b) of the CAT NMS Plan, the Operating Committee 
is required to establish fixed fees to be payable by Industry Members, 
based on message traffic generated by such Industry Member, with the 
Operating Committee establishing at least five and no more than nine 
tiers.
    The CAT NMS Plan clarifies that the fixed fees payable by Industry 
Members pursuant to Section 11.3(b) shall, in addition to any other 
applicable

[[Page 23868]]

message traffic, include message traffic generated by: (i) An ATS that 
does not execute orders that is sponsored by such Industry Member; and 
(ii) routing orders to and from any ATS sponsored by such Industry 
Member. In addition, the Industry Member fees will apply to Industry 
Members that act as routing broker-dealers for exchanges. The Industry 
Member fees will not be applicable, however, to an ATS that qualifies 
as an Execution Venue, as discussed in more detail in the section on 
Execution Venue tiering.
    In accordance with Section 11.3(b), the Operating Committee 
approved a tiered fee structure for Industry Members (other than 
Execution Venue ATSs) as described in this section. In determining the 
tiers, the Operating Committee considered the funding principles set 
forth in Section 11.2 of the CAT NMS Plan, seeking to create funding 
tiers that take into account the relative impact on CAT System 
resources of different Industry Members, and that establish comparable 
fees among the CAT Reporters with the most Reportable Events. The 
Operating Committee has determined that establishing nine tiers results 
in the fairest allocation of fees, best distinguishing between Industry 
Members with differing levels of message traffic. Thus, each such 
Industry Member will be placed into one of nine tiers of fixed fees, 
based on ``message traffic'' for a defined period (as discussed below). 
A nine tier structure was selected to provide the widest range of 
levels for tiering Industry Members such that Industry Members 
submitting significantly less message traffic to the CAT would be 
adequately differentiated from Industry Members submitting 
substantially more message traffic. The Operating Committee considered 
historical message traffic generated by Industry Members across all 
exchanges and as submitted to FINRA's Order Audit Trail System 
(``OATS''), and considered the distribution of firms with similar 
levels of message traffic, grouping together firms with similar levels 
of message traffic. Based on this, the Operating Committee determined 
that nine tiers would best group firms with similar levels of message 
traffic, charging those firms with higher impact on the CAT more, while 
lowering the burden of Industry Members that have less CAT-related 
activity.
    Each Industry Member (other than Execution Venue ATSs) will be 
ranked by message traffic and tiered by predefined Industry Member 
percentages (the ``Industry Member Percentages''). The Operating 
Committee determined to use predefined percentages rather than fixed 
volume thresholds to allow the funding model to ensure that the total 
CAT fees collected recover the intended CAT costs regardless of changes 
in the total level of message traffic. To determine the fixed 
percentage of Industry Members in each tier, the Operating Committee 
analyzed historical message traffic generated by Industry Members 
across all exchanges and as submitted to OATS, and considered the 
distribution of firms with similar levels of message traffic, grouping 
together firms with similar levels of message traffic. Based on this, 
the Operating Committee identified tiers that would group firms with 
similar levels of message traffic, charging those firms with higher 
impact on the CAT more, while lowering the burden on Industry Members 
that have less CAT-related activity.
    The percentage of costs recovered by each Industry Member tier will 
be determined by predefined percentage allocations (the ``Industry 
Member Recovery Allocation''). In determining the fixed percentage 
allocation of costs recovered for each tier, the Operating Committee 
considered the impact of CAT Reporter message traffic on the CAT System 
as well as the distribution of total message volume across Industry 
Members while seeking to maintain comparable fees among the largest CAT 
Reporters. Accordingly, following the determination of the percentage 
of Industry Members in each tier, the Operating Committee identified 
the percentage of total market volume for each tier based on the 
historical message traffic upon which Industry Members had been 
initially ranked. Taking this into account along with the resulting 
percentage of total recovery, the percentage allocation of costs 
recovered for each tier were assigned, allocating higher percentages of 
recovery to tiers with higher levels of message traffic while avoiding 
any inappropriate burden on competition. Furthermore, by using 
percentages of Industry Members and costs recovered per tier, the 
Operating Committee sought to include stability and elasticity within 
the funding model, allowing the funding model to respond to changes in 
either the total number of Industry Members or the total level of 
message traffic.
    The following chart illustrates the breakdown of nine Industry 
Member tiers across the monthly average of total equity and equity 
options orders, cancels and quotes in Q1 2016 and identifies relative 
gaps across varying levels of Industry Member message traffic as well 
as message traffic thresholds between the largest of Industry Member 
message traffic gaps. The Operating Committee referenced similar 
distribution illustrations to determine the appropriate division of 
Industry Member percentages in each tier by considering the grouping of 
firms with similar levels of message traffic and seeking to identify 
relative breakpoints in the message traffic between such groupings. In 
reviewing the chart and its corresponding table, note that while these 
distribution illustrations were referenced to help differentiate 
between Industry Member tiers, the proposed funding model is directly 
driven, not by fixed message traffic thresholds, but rather by fixed 
percentages of Industry Members across tiers to account for fluctuating 
levels of message traffic across time and to provide for the financial 
stability of the CAT by ensuring that the funding model will recover 
the required amounts regardless of changes in the number of Industry 
Members or the amount of message traffic. Actual messages in any tier 
will vary based on the actual traffic in a given measurement period, as 
well as the number of firms included in the measurement period. The 
Industry Member Percentages and Industry Member Recovery Allocation for 
each tier will remain fixed with each Industry Member's tier to be 
reassigned periodically, as described below in Section 3(a)(1)(H) 
[sic].

[[Page 23869]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN24MY17.004


------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Monthly average
                                                        message traffic
                                                          per industry
                 Industry member tier                   member (orders,
                                                           quotes and
                                                            cancels)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier 1...............................................    >10,000,000,000
Tier 2...............................................     >1,000,000,000
Tier 3...............................................       >100,000,000
Tier 4...............................................         >2,500,000
Tier 5...............................................           >200,000
Tier 6...............................................            >50,000
Tier 7...............................................             >5,000
Tier 8...............................................             >1,000
Tier 9...............................................            <=1,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Based on the above analysis, the Operating Committee approved the 
following Industry Member Percentages and Recovery Allocations:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Percentage  of
                                                                  Percentage  of     industry     Percentage  of
                      Industry member tier                           industry         member           total
                                                                      members        recovery        recovery
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier 1..........................................................           0.500            8.50            6.38
Tier 2..........................................................           2.500           35.00           26.25
Tier 3..........................................................           2.125           21.25           15.94
Tier 4..........................................................           4.625           15.75           11.81
Tier 5..........................................................           3.625            7.75            5.81
Tier 6..........................................................           4.000            5.25            3.94
Tier 7..........................................................          17.500            4.50            3.38
Tier 8..........................................................          20.125            1.50            1.13
Tier 9..........................................................          45.000            0.50            0.38
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             100             100              75
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For the purposes of creating these tiers based on message traffic, 
the Operating Committee determined to define the term ``message 
traffic'' separately for the period before the commencement of CAT 
reporting and for the period after the start of CAT reporting. The 
different definition for message traffic is necessary as there will be 
no Reportable Events as defined in the Plan, prior to the commencement 
of CAT reporting. Accordingly, prior to the start of CAT reporting, 
``message traffic'' will be comprised of historical equity and equity 
options orders, cancels and quotes provided by each exchange and FINRA 
over the previous three

[[Page 23870]]

months.\38\ Prior to the start of CAT reporting, orders would be 
comprised of the total number of equity and equity options orders 
received and originated by a member of an exchange or FINRA over the 
previous three-month period, including principal orders, cancel/replace 
orders, market maker orders originated by a member of an exchange, and 
reserve (iceberg) orders as well as order routes and executions 
originated by a member of FINRA, and excluding order rejects and 
implied orders.\39\ In addition, prior to the start of CAT reporting, 
cancels would be comprised of the total number of equity and equity 
option cancels received and originated by a member of an exchange or 
FINRA over a three-month period, excluding order modifications (e.g., 
order updates, order splits, partial cancels). Furthermore, prior to 
the start of CAT reporting, quotes would be comprised of information 
readily available to the exchanges and FINRA, such as the total number 
of historical equity and equity options quotes received and originated 
by a member of an exchange or FINRA over the prior three-month period.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \38\ The SEC approved exemptive relief permitting Options Market 
Maker quotes to be reported to the Central Repository by the 
relevant Options Exchange in lieu of requiring that such reporting 
be done by both the Options Exchange and the Options Market Maker, 
as required by Rule 613 of Regulation NMS. See Securities Exchange 
Act Release No. 77265 (Mar. 1, 2017 [sic], 81 FR 11856 (Mar. 7, 
2016). This exemption applies to Options Market Maker quotes for CAT 
reporting purposes only. Therefore, notwithstanding the reporting 
exemption provided for Options Market Maker quotes, Options Market 
Maker quotes will be included in the calculation of total message 
traffic for Options Market Makers for purposes of tiering under the 
CAT funding model both prior to CAT reporting and once CAT reporting 
commences.
    \39\ Consequently, firms that do not have ``message traffic'' 
reported to an exchange or OATS before they are reporting to the CAT 
would not be subject to a fee until they begin to report information 
to CAT.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    After an Industry Member begins reporting to the CAT, ``message 
traffic'' will be calculated based on the Industry Member's Reportable 
Events reported to the CAT as will be defined in the Technical 
Specifications.\40\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \40\ If an Industry Member (other than an Execution Venue ATS) 
has no orders, cancels or quotes prior to the commencement of CAT 
Reporting, or no Reportable Events after CAT reporting commences, 
then the Industry Member would not have a CAT fee obligation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Operating Committee has determined to calculate fee tiers every 
three months, on a calendar quarter basis, based on message traffic 
from the prior three months. Based on its analysis of historical data, 
the Operating Committee believes that calculating tiers based on three 
months of data will provide the best balance between reflecting changes 
in activity by Industry Members while still providing predictability in 
the tiering for Industry Members. Because fee tiers will be calculated 
based on message traffic from the prior three months, the Operating 
Committee will begin calculating message traffic based on an Industry 
Member's Reportable Events reported to the CAT once the Industry Member 
has been reporting to the CAT for three months. Prior to that, fee 
tiers will be calculated as discussed above with regard to the period 
prior to CAT reporting.
(C) Execution Venue Tiering
    Under Section 11.3(a) of the CAT NMS Plan, the Operating Committee 
is required to establish fixed fees payable by Execution Venues. 
Section 1.1 of the CAT NMS Plan defines an Execution Venue as ``a 
Participant or an alternative trading system (``ATS'') (as defined in 
Rule 300 of Regulation ATS) that operates pursuant to Rule 301 of 
Regulation ATS (excluding any such ATS that does not execute orders).'' 
\41\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \41\ Although FINRA does not operate an execution venue, because 
it is a Participant, it is considered an ``Execution Venue'' under 
the Plan for purposes of determining fees.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Participants determined that ATSs should be included within the 
definition of Execution Venue. Given the similarity between the 
activity of exchanges and ATSs, both of which meet the definition of an 
``exchange'' as set forth in the Exchange Act and the fact that the 
similar trading models would have similar anticipated burdens on the 
CAT, the Participants determined that ATSs should be treated in the 
same manner as the exchanges for the purposes of determining the level 
of fees associated with the CAT.\42\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \42\ Section B.7, Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan, Approval Order 
at 85005.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Given the differences between Execution Venues that trade NMS 
Stocks and/or OTC Equity Securities and Execution Venues that trade 
Listed Options, Section 11.3(a) addresses Execution Venues that trade 
NMS Stocks and/or OTC Equity Securities separately from Execution 
Venues that trade Listed Options. Equity and Options Execution Venues 
are treated separately for two reasons. First, the differing quoting 
behavior of Equity and Options Execution Venues makes comparison of 
activity between Execution Venues difficult. Second, Execution Venue 
tiers are calculated based on market share of share volume, and it is 
therefore difficult to compare market share between asset classes 
(i.e., equity shares versus options contracts). Discussed below is how 
the funding model treats the two types of Execution Venues.
(I) NMS Stocks and OTC Equity Securities
    Section 11.3(a)(i) of the CAT NMS Plan states that each Execution 
Venue that (i) executes transactions or, (ii) in the case of a national 
securities association, has trades reported by its members to its trade 
reporting facility or facilities for reporting transactions effected 
otherwise than on an exchange, in NMS Stocks or OTC Equity Securities 
will pay a fixed fee depending on the market share of that Execution 
Venue in NMS Stocks and OTC Equity Securities, with the Operating 
Committee establishing at least two and not more than five tiers of 
fixed fees, based on an Execution Venue's NMS Stocks and OTC Equity 
Securities market share. For these purposes, market share for Execution 
Venues that execute transactions will be calculated by share volume, 
and market share for a national securities association that has trades 
reported by its members to its trade reporting facility or facilities 
for reporting transactions effected otherwise than on an exchange in 
NMS Stocks or OTC Equity Securities will be calculated based on share 
volume of trades reported, provided, however, that the share volume 
reported to such national securities association by an Execution Venue 
shall not be included in the calculation of such national security 
association's market share.
    In accordance with Section 11.3(a)(i) of the CAT NMS Plan, the 
Operating Committee approved a tiered fee structure for Equity 
Execution Venues and Option Execution Venues. In determining the Equity 
Execution Venue Tiers, the Operating Committee considered the funding 
principles set forth in Section 11.2 of the CAT NMS Plan, seeking to 
create funding tiers that take into account the relative impact on 
system resources of different Equity Execution Venues, and that 
establish comparable fees among the CAT Reporters with the most 
Reportable Events. Each Equity Execution Venue will be placed into one 
of two tiers of fixed fees, based on the Execution Venue's NMS Stocks 
and OTC Equity Securities market share. In choosing two tiers, the 
Operating Committee performed an analysis similar to that discussed 
above with regard to the non-Execution Venue Industry Members to 
determine the number of tiers for Equity Execution Venues. The 
Operating Committee determined to establish two tiers for Equity 
Execution Venues, rather than a larger number of tiers as established 
for non-Execution Venue

[[Page 23871]]

Industry Members, because the two tiers were sufficient to distinguish 
between the smaller number of Equity Execution Venues based on market 
share. Furthermore, the incorporation of additional Equity Execution 
Venue tiers would result in significantly higher fees for Tier 1 Equity 
Execution Venues and diminish comparability between Execution Venues 
and Industry Members.
    Each Equity Execution Venue will be ranked by market share and 
tiered by predefined Execution Venue percentages, (the ``Equity 
Execution Venue Percentages''). In determining the fixed percentage of 
Equity Execution Venues in each tier, the Operating Committee looked at 
historical market share of share volume for execution venues. Equities 
Execution Venue market share of share volume were sourced from market 
statistics made publicly-available by Bats Global Markets, Inc. 
(``Bats''). ATS market share of share volume was sourced from market 
statistics made publicly-available by FINRA. FINRA trading [sic] 
reporting facility (``TRF'') market share of share volume was sourced 
from market statistics made publicly available by Bats. As indicated by 
FINRA, ATSs accounted for 37.80% of the share volume across the TRFs 
during the recent tiering period. A 37.80/62.20 split was applied to 
the ATS and non-ATS breakdown of FINRA market share, with FINRA tiered 
based only on the non-ATS portion of its TRF market share of share 
volume.
    Based on this, the Operating Committee considered the distribution 
of Execution Venues, and grouped together Execution Venues with similar 
levels of market share of share volume. In doing so, the Participants 
considered that, as previously noted, Execution Venues in many cases 
have similar levels of message traffic due to quoting activity, and 
determined that it was simpler and more appropriate to have fewer, 
rather than more, Execution Venue tiers to distinguish between 
Execution Venues.
    The percentage of costs recovered by each Equity Execution Venue 
tier will be determined by predefined percentage allocations (the 
``Equity Execution Venue Recovery Allocation''). In determining the 
fixed percentage allocation of costs recovered for each tier, the 
Operating Committee considered the impact of CAT Reporter market share 
activity on the CAT System as well as the distribution of total market 
volume across Equity Execution Venues while seeking to maintain 
comparable fees among the largest CAT Reporters. Accordingly, following 
the determination of the percentage of Execution Venues in each tier, 
the Operating Committee identified the percentage of total market 
volume for each tier based on the historical market share upon which 
Execution Venues had been initially ranked. Taking this into account 
along with the resulting percentage of total recovery, the percentage 
allocation of costs recovered for each tier were assigned, allocating 
higher percentages of recovery to the tier with a higher level of 
market share while avoiding any inappropriate burden on competition. 
Furthermore, due to the similar levels of impact on the CAT System 
across Execution Venues, there is less variation in CAT Fees between 
the highest and lowest of tiers for Execution Venues. Furthermore, by 
using percentages of Equity Execution Venues and costs recovered per 
tier, the Operating Committee sought to include stability and 
elasticity within the funding model, allowing the funding model to 
respond to changes in either the total number of Equity Execution 
Venues or changes in market share.
    Based on this analysis, the Operating Committee approved the 
following Equity Execution Venue Percentages and Recovery Allocations:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Percentage  of  Percentage  of
                                                                      Equity         Execution    Percentage  of
                   Equity Execution Venue tier                       Execution         Venue           total
                                                                      Venues         Recovery        recovery
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier 1..........................................................           25.00           26.00            6.50
Tier 2..........................................................           75.00           49.00           12.25
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             100              75           18.75
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The following table exhibits the relative separation of market 
share of share volume between Tier 1 and Tier 2 Equity Execution 
Venues. In reviewing the table, note that while this division was 
referenced as a data point to help differentiate between Equity 
Execution Venue tiers, the proposed funding model is directly driven 
not by market share thresholds, but rather by fixed percentages of 
Equity Execution Venues across tiers to account for fluctuating levels 
of market share across time. Actual market share in any tier will vary 
based on the actual market activity in a given measurement period, as 
well as the number of Equity Execution Venues included in the 
measurement period. The Equity Execution Venue Percentages and Equity 
Execution Venue Recovery Allocation for each tier will remain fixed 
with each Equity Execution Venue tier to be reassigned periodically, as 
described below in Section 3(a)(1)(I) [sic].

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Equity market
                                                             share of
               Equity Execution Venue tier                 share volume
                                                                (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier 1..................................................             >=1
Tier 2..................................................              <1
------------------------------------------------------------------------

(II) Listed Options
    Section 11.3(a)(ii) of the CAT NMS Plan states that each Execution 
Venue that executes transactions in Listed Options will pay a fixed fee 
depending on the Listed Options market share of that Execution Venue, 
with the Operating Committee establishing at least two and no more than 
five tiers of fixed fees, based on an Execution Venue's Listed Options 
market share. For these purposes, market share will be calculated by 
contract volume.
    In accordance with Section 11.3(a)(ii) of the CAT NMS Plan, the 
Operating Committee approved a tiered fee structure for Options 
Execution Venues. In determining the tiers, the Operating Committee 
considered the funding principles set forth in Section 11.2 of the CAT 
NMS Plan, seeking to create funding tiers that take into account the 
relative impact on system resources of different Options Execution 
Venues, and that establish comparable fees among the CAT Reporters with 
the most Reportable Events. Each Options Execution Venue will be placed 
into one of two tiers of fixed fees, based on the Execution Venue's 
Listed Options market share. In choosing two tiers, the Operating 
Committee performed an analysis similar to that discussed above with 
regard to Industry Members (other

[[Page 23872]]

than Execution Venue ATSs) to determine the number of tiers for Options 
Execution Venues. The Operating Committee determined to establish two 
tiers for Options Execution Venues, rather than a larger number of 
tiers as established for Industry Members (other than Execution Venue 
ATSs), because the two tiers were sufficient to distinguish between the 
smaller number of Options Execution Venues based on market share. 
Furthermore, due to the smaller number of Options Execution Venues, the 
incorporation of additional Options Execution Venue tiers would result 
in significantly higher fees for Tier 1 Options Execution Venues and 
reduce comparability between Execution Venues and Industry Members.
    Each Options Execution Venue will be ranked by market share and 
tiered by predefined Execution Venue percentages, (the ``Options 
Execution Venue Percentages''). To determine the fixed percentage of 
Options Execution Venues in each tier, the Operating Committee analyzed 
the historical and publicly available market share of Options Execution 
Venues to group Options Execution Venues with similar market shares 
across the tiers. Options Execution Venue market share of share volume 
were sourced from market statistics made publicly-available by Bats. 
The process for developing the Options Execution Venue Percentages was 
the same as discussed above with regard to Equity Execution Venues.
    The percentage of costs recovered by each Options Execution Venue 
tier will be determined by predefined percentage allocations (the 
``Options Execution Venue Recovery Allocation''). In determining the 
fixed percentage allocation of costs recovered for each tier, the 
Operating Committee considered the impact of CAT Reporter market share 
activity on the CAT System as well as the distribution of total market 
volume across Options Execution Venues while seeking to maintain 
comparable fees among the largest CAT Reporters. Furthermore, by using 
percentages of Options Execution Venues and costs recovered per tier, 
the Operating Committee sought to include stability and elasticity 
within the funding model, allowing the funding model to respond to 
changes in either the total number of Options Execution Venues or 
changes in market share. The process for developing the Options 
Execution Venue Recovery Allocation was the same as discussed above 
with regard to Equity Execution Venues.
    Based on this analysis, the Operating Committee approved the 
following Options Execution Venue Percentages and Recovery Allocations:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Percentage  of  Percentage  of
                                                                      Options        Execution    Percentage  of
                  Options Execution Venue tier                       Execution         Venue           total
                                                                      Venues         Recovery        recovery
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier 1..........................................................           75.00           20.00            5.00
Tier 2..........................................................           25.00            5.00            1.25
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             100              25            6.25
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The following table exhibits the relative separation of market 
share of share volume between Tier 1 and Tier 2 Options Execution 
Venues. In reviewing the table, note that while this division was 
referenced as a data point to help differentiate between Options 
Execution Venue tiers, the proposed funding model is directly driven, 
not by market share thresholds, but rather by fixed percentages of 
Options Execution Venues across tiers to account for fluctuating levels 
of market share across time. Actual market share in any tier will vary 
based on the actual market activity in a given measurement period, as 
well as the number of Options Execution Venues included in the 
measurement period. The Options Execution Venue Percentages and Equity 
Execution Venue Recovery Allocation for each tier will remain fixed 
with each Options Execution Venue tier to be reassigned periodically, 
as described below in Section 3(a)(1)(I) [sic].

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Options
                                                           market  share
              Options Execution Venue tier                   of share
                                                            volume (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier 1..................................................             >=1
Tier 2..................................................              <1
------------------------------------------------------------------------

(III) Market Share/Tier Assignments
    The Operating Committee determined that, prior to the start of CAT 
reporting, market share for Execution Venues would be sourced from 
publicly-available market data. Options and equity volumes for 
Participants will be sourced from market data made publicly available 
by Bats while Execution Venue ATS volumes will be sourced from market 
data made publicly available by FINRA. Set forth in the Appendix are 
two charts, one listing the current Equity Execution Venues, each with 
its rank and tier, and one listing the current Options Execution 
Venues, each with its rank and tier.
    After the commencement of CAT reporting, market share for Execution 
Venues will be sourced from data reported to the CAT. Equity Execution 
Venue market share will be determined by calculating each Equity 
Execution Venue's proportion of the total volume of NMS Stock and OTC 
Equity shares reported by all Equity Execution Venues during the 
relevant time period. Similarly, market share for Options Execution 
Venues will be determined by calculating each Options Execution Venue's 
proportion of the total volume of Listed Options contracts reported by 
all Options Execution Venues during the relevant time period.
    The Operating Committee has determined to calculate fee tiers for 
Execution Venues every three months based on market share from the 
prior three months. Based on its analysis of historical data, the 
Operating Committee believes calculating tiers based on three months of 
data will provide the best balance between reflecting changes in 
activity by Execution Venues while still providing predictability in 
the tiering for Execution Venues.
(D) Allocation of Costs
    In addition to the funding principles discussed above, including 
comparability of fees, Section 11.1(c) of the CAT NMS Plan also 
requires expenses to be fairly and reasonably shared among the 
Participants and Industry Members. Accordingly, in developing the 
proposed fee schedules pursuant to the funding model, the Operating 
Committee calculated how the CAT costs would be allocated between 
Industry Members and

[[Page 23873]]

Execution Venues, and how the portion of CAT costs allocated to 
Execution Venues would be allocated between Equity Execution Venues and 
Options Execution Venues. These determinations are described below.
(I) Allocation Between Industry Members and Execution Venues
    In determining the cost allocation between Industry Members (other 
than Execution Venue ATSs) and Execution Venues, the Operating 
Committee analyzed a range of possible splits for revenue recovered 
from such Industry Members and Execution Venues. Based on this 
analysis, the Operating Committee determined that 75 percent of total 
costs recovered would be allocated to Industry Members (other than 
Execution Venue ATSs) and 25 percent would be allocated to Execution 
Venues. The Operating Committee determined that this 75/25 division 
maintained the greatest level of comparability across the funding 
model, keeping in view that comparability should consider affiliations 
among or between CAT Reporters (e.g., firms with multiple Industry 
Members and/or exchange licenses). For example, the cost allocation 
establishes fees for the largest Industry Members (i.e., those Industry 
Members in Tiers 1, 2 and 3) that are comparable to the largest Equity 
Execution Venues and Options Execution Venues (i.e., those Execution 
Venues in Tier 1). In addition, the cost allocation establishes fees 
for Execution Venue complexes that are comparable to those of Industry 
Member complexes. For example, when analyzing alternative allocations, 
other possible allocations led to much higher fees for larger Industry 
Members than for larger Execution Venues or vice versa, and/or led to 
much higher fees for Industry Member complexes than Execution Venue 
complexes or vice versa.
    Furthermore, the allocation of total CAT costs recovered recognizes 
the difference in the number of CAT Reporters that are Industry Members 
versus CAT Reporters that are Execution Venues. Specifically, the cost 
allocation takes into consideration that there are approximately 25 
times more Industry Members expected to report to the CAT than 
Execution Venues (e.g., an estimated 1,630 Industry Members versus 70 
Execution Venues as of January 2017).
(II) Allocation Between Equity Execution Venues and Options Execution 
Venues
    The Operating Committee also analyzed how the portion of CAT costs 
allocated to Execution Venues would be allocated between Equity 
Execution Venues and Options Execution Venues. In considering this 
allocation of costs, the Operating Committee analyzed a range of 
alternative splits for revenue recovered between Equity and Options 
Execution Venues, including a 70/30, 67/33, 65/35, 50/50 and 25/75 
split. Based on this analysis, the Operating Committee determined to 
allocate 75 percent of Execution Venue costs recovered to Equity 
Execution Venues and 25 percent to Options Execution Venues. The 
Operating Committee determined that a 75/25 division between Equity and 
Options Execution Venues maintained elasticity across the funding model 
as well the greatest level of fee equitability and comparability based 
on the current number of Equity and Options Execution Venues. For 
example, the allocation establishes fees for the larger Equity 
Execution Venues that are comparable to the larger Options Execution 
Venues, and fees for the smaller Equity Execution Venues that are 
comparable to the smaller Options Execution Venues. In addition to fee 
comparability between Equity Execution Venues and Options Execution 
Venues, the allocation also establishes equitability between larger 
(Tier 1) and smaller (Tier 2) Execution Venues based upon the level of 
market share. Furthermore, the allocation is intended to reflect the 
relative levels of current equity and options order events.
(E) Fee Levels
    The Operating Committee determined to establish a CAT-specific fee 
to collectively recover the costs of building and operating the CAT. 
Accordingly, under the funding model, the sum of the CAT Fees is 
designed to recover the total cost of the CAT. The Operating Committee 
has determined overall CAT costs to be comprised of Plan Processor 
costs and non-Plan Processor costs, which are estimated to be 
$50,700,000 in total for the year beginning November 21, 2016.\43\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \43\ It is anticipated that CAT-related costs incurred prior to 
November 21, 2016 will be addressed via a separate fee filing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Plan Processor costs relate to costs incurred by the Plan 
Processor and consist of the Plan Processor's current estimates of 
average yearly ongoing costs, including development cost, which total 
$37,500,000. This amount is based upon the fees due to the Plan 
Processor pursuant to the agreement with the Plan Processor.
    The non-Plan Processor estimated costs incurred and to be incurred 
by the Company through November 21, 2017 consist of three categories of 
costs. The first category of such costs are third party support costs, 
which include historic legal fees, consulting fees and audit fees from 
November 21, 2016 until the date of filing as well as estimated third 
party support costs for the rest of the year. These amount to an 
estimated $5,200,000. The second category of non-Plan Processor costs 
are estimated insurance costs for the year. Based on discussions with 
potential insurance providers, assuming $2-5 million insurance premium 
on $100 million in coverage, the Company has received an estimate of 
$3,000,000 for the annual cost. The final cost figures will be 
determined following receipt of final underwriter quotes. The third 
category of non-Plan Processor costs is the operational reserve, which 
is comprised of three months of ongoing Plan Processor costs 
($9,375,000), third party support costs ($1,300,000) and insurance 
costs ($750,000). The Operating Committee aims to accumulate the 
necessary funds for the establishment of the three-month operating 
reserve for the Company through the CAT Fees charged to CAT Reporters 
for the year. On an ongoing basis, the Operating Committee will account 
for any potential need for the replenishment of the operating reserve 
or other changes to total cost during its annual budgeting process. The 
following table summarizes the Plan Processor and non-Plan Processor 
cost components which comprise the total CAT costs of $50,700,000.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Cost category                Cost component          Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plan Processor.................  Operational Costs......     $37,500,000
Non-Plan Processor.............  Third Party Support           5,200,000
                                  Costs.
                                 Operational Reserve....  \44\ 5,000,000
                                 Insurance Costs........       3,000,000
                                                         ---------------

[[Page 23874]]

 
    Estimated Total............  .......................      50,700,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Based on the estimated costs and the calculations for the funding 
model described above, the Operating Committee determined to impose the 
following fees: \45\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \44\ This $5,000,000 represents the gradual accumulation of the 
funds for a target operating reserve of $11,425,000.
    \45\ Note that all monthly, quarterly and annual CAT Fees have 
been rounded to the nearest dollar.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For Industry Members (other than Execution Venue ATSs):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \46\ This column represents the approximate total CAT Fees paid 
each year by each Industry Member (other than Execution Venue ATSs) 
(i.e., ``CAT Fees Paid Annually'' = ``Monthly CAT Fee'' x 12 
months).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Monthly  CAT   Quarterly  CAT  CAT  fees paid
                              Tier                                      fee             fee        annually \46\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...............................................................         $33,668        $101,004        $404,016
2...............................................................          27,051          81,153         324,612
3...............................................................          19,239          57,717         230,868
4...............................................................           6,655          19,965          79,860
5...............................................................           4,163          12,489          49,956
6...............................................................           2,560           7,680          30,720
7...............................................................             501           1,503           6,012
8...............................................................             145             435           1,740
9...............................................................              22              66             264
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For Execution Venues for NMS Stocks and OTC Equity Securities:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \47\ This column represents the approximate total CAT Fees paid 
each year by each Execution Venue for NMS Stocks and OTC Equity 
Securities (i.e., ``CAT Fees Paid Annually'' = ``Monthly CAT Fee'' x 
12 months).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Monthly  CAT   Quarterly  CAT  CAT  fees paid
                              Tier                                      fee             fee        annually \47\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...............................................................          21,125          63,375         253,500
2...............................................................          12,940          38,820         155,280
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For Execution Venues for Listed Options:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \48\ This column represents the approximate total CAT Fees paid 
each year by each Execution Venue for Listed Options (i.e., ``CAT 
Fees Paid Annually'' = ``Monthly CAT Fee'' x 12 months).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Monthly  CAT   Quarterly  CAT  CAT  fees paid
                              Tier                                      fee             fee        annually \48\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...............................................................         $19,205         $57,615        $230,460
2...............................................................          13,204          39,612         158,448
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As noted above, the fees set forth in the tables reflect the 
Operating Committee's decision to ensure comparable fees between 
Execution Venues and Industry Members. The fees of the top tiers for 
Industry Members (other than Execution Venue ATSs) are not identical to 
the top tier for Execution Venues, however, because the Operating 
Committee also determined that the fees for Execution Venue complexes 
should be comparable to those of Industry Member complexes. The 
difference in the fees reflects this decision to recognize 
affiliations.
    The Operating Committee has calculated the schedule of effective 
fees for Industry Members (other than Execution Venue ATSs) and 
Execution Venues in the following manner. Note that the calculation of 
CAT Reporter fees assumes 53 Equity Execution Venues, 15 Options 
Execution Venues and 1,631 Industry Members (other than Execution Venue 
ATSs) as of January 2017.
Calculation of Annual Tier Fees for Industry Members (``IM'')

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Percentage  of
                                                                  Percentage  of     industry     Percentage  of
                      Industry member  tier                          industry         member           total
                                                                      members        recovery        recovery
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier 1..........................................................           0.500            8.50            6.38
Tier 2..........................................................           2.500           35.00           26.25

[[Page 23875]]

 
Tier 3..........................................................           2.125           21.25           15.94
Tier 4..........................................................           4.625           15.75           11.81
Tier 5..........................................................           3.625            7.75            5.81
Tier 6..........................................................           4.000            5.25            3.94
Tier 7..........................................................          17.500            4.50            3.38
Tier 8..........................................................          20.125            1.50            1.13
Tier 9..........................................................          45.000            0.50            0.38
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             100             100              75
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Estimated  number
                 Industry member tier                     of  industry
                                                            members
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier 1...............................................                  8
Tier 2...............................................                 41
Tier 3...............................................                 35
Tier 4...............................................                 75
Tier 5...............................................                 59
Tier 6...............................................                 65
Tier 7...............................................                285
Tier 8...............................................                328
Tier 9...............................................                735
                                                      ------------------
    Total............................................              1,631
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 23876]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN24MY17.005

Calculation of Annual Tier Fees for Equity Execution Venues (``EV'')

 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Percentage  of  Percentage  of
                                                                      Equity         Execution    Percentage  of
                  Equity  Execution  Venue tier                      Execution         Venue           total
                                                                      Venues         Recovery        recovery
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier 1..........................................................           25.00           26.00            6.50
Tier 2..........................................................           75.00           49.00           12.25
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             100              75           18.75
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 23877]]


------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Estimated  number
             Equity Execution  Venue tier                  of  Equity
                                                       Execution  Venues
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier 1...............................................                 13
Tier 2...............................................                 40
                                                      ------------------
Total................................................                 53
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                       [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN24MY17.006
                                                       
Calculation of Annual Tier Fees for Options Execution Venues (``EV'')

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Percentage  of   Percentage of
                                                                      Options        Execution    Percentage  of
                 Options  Execution  Venue tier                      Execution         Venue           total
                                                                      Venues         Recovery        recovery
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier 1..........................................................           75.00           20.00            5.00
Tier 2..........................................................           25.00            5.00            1.25
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             100              25            6.25
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Estimated  number
            Options Execution  Venue tier                 of  Options
                                                       Execution  Venues
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tier 1...............................................                 11
Tier 2...............................................                  4
                                                      ------------------
    Total............................................                 15
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                       [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN24MY17.007
                                                       
Traceability of Total CAT Fees

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Estimated
                Type                     Industry member tier        number of     CAT fees paid  Total recovery
                                                                      members        annually
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industry Members....................  Tier 1....................               8        $404,016      $3,232,128

[[Page 23878]]

 
                                      Tier 2....................              41         324,612      13,309,092
                                      Tier 3....................              35         230,868       8,080,380
                                      Tier 4....................              75          79,860       5,989,500
                                      Tier 5....................              59          49,956       2,947,404
                                      Tier 6....................              65          30,720       1,996,800
                                      Tier 7....................             285           6,012       1,713,420
                                      Tier 8....................             328           1,740         570,720
                                      Tier 9....................             735             264         194,040
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total...........................  ..........................           1,631  ..............      38,033,484
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity Execution Venues.............  Tier 1....................              13         253,500       3,295,500
                                      Tier 2....................              40         155,280       6,211,200
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total...........................  ..........................              53  ..............       9,506,700
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Options Execution Venues............  Tier 1....................              11         230,460       2,535,060
                                      Tier 2....................               4         158,448         633,792
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total...........................  ..........................              15  ..............       3,168,852
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
        Total.......................  ..........................  ..............  ..............      50,709,036
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Excess \49\.....................  ..........................  ..............  ..............           9,036
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \49\ The amount in excess of the total CAT costs will contribute 
to the gradual accumulation of the target operating reserve of 
$11.425 million.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

(F) Comparability of Fees
    The funding principles require a funding model in which the fees 
charged to the CAT Reporters with the most CAT-related activity 
(measured by market share and/or message traffic, as applicable) are 
generally comparable (where, for these comparability purposes, the 
tiered fee structure takes into consideration affiliations between or 
among CAT Reporters, whether Execution Venue and/or Industry Members). 
Accordingly, in creating the model, the Operating Committee sought to 
take account of the affiliations between or among CAT Reporters--that 
is, where affiliated entities may have multiple Industry Member and/or 
Execution Venue licenses, by maintaining relative comparability of fees 
among such affiliations with the most expected CAT-related activity. To 
do this, the Participants identified representative affiliations in the 
largest tier of both Execution Venues and Industry Members and compared 
the aggregate fees that would be paid by such firms.
    While the proposed fees for Tier 1 and Tier 2 Industry Members are 
relatively higher than those of Tier 1 and Tier 2 Execution Venues, 
Execution Venue complex fees are relatively higher than those of 
Industry Member complexes largely due to affiliations between Execution 
Venues. The tables set forth below describe the largest Execution Venue 
and Industry Member complexes and their associated fees: \50\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \50\ Note that the analysis of the complexes was performed on a 
best efforts basis, as all affiliations between the 1631 Industry 
Members may not be included.

                                            Execution Venue Complexes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               Listing of Equity          Listing of Options       Total fees by
         Execution Venue complex             Execution Venue tiers       Execution Venue tier       EV complex
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Execution Venue Complex 1...............   Tier 1 (x2)......   Tier 1 (x4)......      $1,900,962
                                           Tier 2 (x1)......   Tier 2 (x2)......
Execution Venue Complex 2...............   Tier 1 (x2)......   Tier 1 (x2)......       1,863,801
                                                                       Tier 2 (x1)......
Execution Venue Complex 3...............   Tier 1 (x2)......   Tier 1 (x2)......       1,278,447
                                           Tier 2 (x2)......
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                            Industry Member Complexes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Listing of industry member                               Total fees by
         Industry member complex                     tiers               Listing of ATS tiers       IM complex
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industry Member Complex 1...............   Tier 1 (x2)......   Tier 2 (x1)......        $963,300
Industry Member Complex 2...............   Tier 1 (x1)......   Tier 2 (x3)......         949,674
                                           Tier 4 (x1)......
Industry Member Complex 3...............   Tier 1 (x1)......   Tier 2 (x1)......         883,888
                                           Tier 2 (x1)......

[[Page 23879]]

 
Industry Member Complex 4...............   Tier 1 (x1)......  N/A.......................         808,472
                                           Tier 2 (x1)......
                                           Tier 4 (x1)......
Industry Member Complex 5...............   Tier 2 (x1)......   Tier 2 (x1)......         796,595
                                           Tier 3 (x1)......
                                           Tier 4 (x1)......
                                           Tier 7 (x1)......
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(G) Billing Onset
    Under Section 11.1(c) of the CAT NMS Plan, to fund the development 
and implementation of the CAT, the Company shall time the imposition 
and collection of all fees on Participants and Industry Members in a 
manner reasonably related to the timing when the Company expects to 
incur such development and implementation costs. The Company is 
currently incurring such development and implementation costs and will 
continue to do so prior to the commencement of CAT reporting and 
thereafter. For example, the Plan Processor has required up-front 
payments to begin building the CAT. In addition, the Company continues 
to incur consultant and legal expenses on an on-going basis to 
implement the CAT. Accordingly, the Operating Committee determined that 
all CAT Reporters, including both Industry Members and Execution Venues 
(including Participants), would begin to be invoiced as promptly as 
possible following the establishment of a billing mechanism. The 
Exchange will issue a Regulatory Circular to its members when the 
billing mechanism is established, specifying the date when such 
invoicing of Industry Members will commence.
(H) Changes to Fee Levels and Tiers
    Section 11.3(d) of the CAT NMS Plan states that ``[t]he Operating 
Committee shall review such fee schedule on at least an annual basis 
and shall make any changes to such fee schedule that it deems 
appropriate. The Operating Committee is authorized to review such fee 
schedule on a more regular basis, but shall not make any changes on 
more than a semi-annual basis unless, pursuant to a Supermajority Vote, 
the Operating Committee concludes that such change is necessary for the 
adequate funding of the Company.'' With such reviews, the Operating 
Committee will review the distribution of Industry Members and 
Execution Venues across tiers, and make any updates to the percentage 
of CAT Reporters allocated to each tier as may be necessary. In 
addition, the reviews will evaluate the estimated ongoing CAT costs and 
the level of the operating reserve. To the extent that the total CAT 
costs decrease, the fees would be adjusted downward, and, to the extent 
that the total CAT costs increase, the fees would be adjusted 
upward.\51\ Furthermore, any surplus of the Company's revenues over its 
expenses is to be included within the operational reserve to offset 
future fees. The limitations on more frequent changes to the fee, 
however, are intended to provide budgeting certainty for the CAT 
Reporters and the Company.\52\ To the extent that the Operating 
Committee approves changes to the number of tiers in the funding model 
or the fees assigned to each tier, then the Exchange will file such 
changes with the SEC pursuant to Section 19(b) of the Exchange Act, and 
any such changes will become effective in accordance with the 
requirements of Section 19(b).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \51\ The CAT Fees are designed to recover the costs associated 
with the CAT. Accordingly, CAT Fees would not be affected by 
increases or decreases in other non-CAT expenses incurred by the 
SROs, such as any changes in costs related to the retirement of 
existing regulatory systems, such as OATS.
    \52\ Section B.7, Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan, Approval Order 
at 85006.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

(I) Initial and Periodic Tier Reassignments
    The Operating Committee has determined to calculate fee tiers every 
three months based on market share or message traffic, as applicable, 
from the prior three months. For the initial tier assignments, the 
Company will calculate the relevant tier for each CAT Reporter using 
the three months of data prior to the commencement date. As with the 
initial tier assignment, for the tri-monthly reassignments, the Company 
will calculate the relevant tier using the three months of data prior 
to the relevant tri-monthly date. The Exchange notes that any movement 
of CAT Reporters between tiers will not change the criteria for each 
tier or the fee amount corresponding to each tier.
    In performing the tri-monthly reassignments, the Exchange notes 
that the percentage of CAT Reporters in each assigned tier is relative. 
Therefore, a CAT Reporter's assigned tier will depend, not only on its 
own message traffic or market share, but it also will depend on the 
message traffic/market share across all CAT Reporters. For example, the 
percentage of Industry Members (other than Execution Venue ATSs) in 
each tier is relative such that such Industry Member's assigned tier 
will depend on message traffic generated across all CAT Reporters as 
well as the total number of CAT Reporters. The Operating Committee will 
inform CAT Reporters of their assigned tier every three months 
following the periodic tiering process, as the funding model will 
compare an individual CAT Reporter's activity to that of other CAT 
Reporters in the marketplace.
    The following demonstrates a tier reassignment. In accordance with 
the funding model, the top 75% of Options Execution Venues in market 
share are categorized as Tier 1 while the bottom 25% of Options 
Execution Venues in market share are categorized as Tier 2. In the 
sample scenario below, Options Execution Venue L is initially 
categorized as a Tier 2 Options Execution Venue in Period A due to its 
market share. When market share is recalculated for Period B, the 
market share of Execution Venue L increases, and it is therefore 
subsequently reranked and reassigned to Tier 1 in Period B. 
Correspondingly, Options Execution Venue K, initially a Tier 1 Options 
Execution Venue in Period A, is reassigned to Tier 2 in Period B due to 
decreases in its market share of share volume.

[[Page 23880]]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Period A                                                                     Period B
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Market share                                                             Market share
            Options Execution Venue                   rank             Tier               Options Execution Venue              rank            Tier
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Options Execution Venue A......................               1               1   Options Execution Venue A.............               1               1
Options Execution Venue B......................               2               1   Options Execution Venue B.............               2               1
Options Execution Venue C......................               3               1   Options Execution Venue C.............               3               1
Options Execution Venue D......................               4               1   Options Execution Venue D.............               4               1
Options Execution Venue E......................               5               1   Options Execution Venue E.............               5               1
Options Execution Venue F......................               6               1   Options Execution Venue F.............               6               1
Options Execution Venue G......................               7               1   Options Execution Venue I.............               7               1
Options Execution Venue H......................               8               1   Options Execution Venue H.............               8               1
Options Execution Venue I......................               9               1   Options Execution Venue G.............               9               1
Options Execution Venue J......................              10               1   Options Execution Venue J.............              10               1
Options Execution Venue K......................              11               1   Options Execution Venue L.............              11               1
Options Execution Venue L......................              12               2   Options Execution Venue K.............              12               2
Options Execution Venue M......................              13               2   Options Execution Venue N.............              13               2
Options Execution Venue N......................              14               2   Options Execution Venue M.............              14               2
Options Execution Venue O......................              15               2   Options Execution Venue O.............              15               2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(3) Proposed CAT Fee Schedule
    The Exchange proposes the Consolidated Audit Trail Funding Fees to 
implement the CAT Fees determined by the Operating Committee on BOX's 
Industry Members. The proposed fee schedule has three sections, 
covering definitions, the fee schedule for CAT Fees, and the timing and 
manner of payments. Each of these sections is discussed in detail 
below.
(A) Definitions
    Paragraph (a) of the proposed fee schedule sets forth the 
definitions for the proposed fee schedule. Paragraph (a)(1) states 
that, for purposes of the Consolidated Audit Trail Funding Fees, the 
terms ``CAT NMS Plan,'' ``Industry Member,'' ``NMS Stock,'' ``OTC 
Equity Security'', and ``Participant'' are defined as set forth in Rule 
16010 (Consolidated Audit Trail--Definitions).
    The proposed fee schedule imposes different fees on Equity ATSs and 
Industry Members that are not Equity ATSs. Accordingly, the proposed 
fee schedule defines the term ``Equity ATS.'' First, paragraph (a)(2) 
defines an ``ATS'' to mean an alternative trading system as defined in 
Rule 300(a) of Regulation ATS under the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934, as amended, that operates pursuant to Rule 301 of Regulation ATS. 
This is the same definition of an ATS as set forth in Section 1.1 of 
the CAT NMS Plan in the definition of an ``Execution Venue.'' Then, 
paragraph (a)(4) defines an ``Equity ATS'' as an ATS that executes 
transactions in NMS Stocks and/or OTC Equity Securities.
    Paragraph (a)(3) of the proposed fee schedule defines the term 
``CAT Fee'' to mean the Consolidated Audit Trail Funding Fee(s) to be 
paid by Industry Members as set forth in paragraph (b) in the proposed 
fee schedule.
    Finally, Paragraph (a)(6) defines an ``Execution Venue'' as a 
Participant or an ATS (excluding any such ATS that does not execute 
orders). This definition is the same substantive definition as set 
forth in Section 1.1 of the CAT NMS Plan. Paragraph (a)(5) defines an 
``Equity Execution Venue'' as an Execution Venue that trades NMS Stocks 
and/or OTC Equity Securities.
(B) Fee Schedule
    The Exchange proposes to impose the CAT Fees applicable to its 
Industry Members through paragraph (b) of the proposed fee schedule. 
Paragraph (b)(1) of the proposed fee schedule sets forth the CAT Fees 
applicable to Industry Members other than Equity ATSs. Specifically, 
paragraph (b)(1) states that the Company will assign each Industry 
Member (other than an Equity ATS) to a fee tier once every quarter, 
where such tier assignment is calculated by ranking each Industry 
Member based on its total message traffic for the three months prior to 
the quarterly tier calculation day and assigning each Industry Member 
to a tier based on that ranking and predefined Industry Member 
percentages. The Industry Members with the highest total quarterly 
message traffic will be ranked in Tier 1, and the Industry Members with 
lowest quarterly message traffic will be ranked in Tier 9. Each 
quarter, each Industry Member (other than an Equity ATS) shall pay the 
following CAT Fee corresponding to the tier assigned by the Company for 
such Industry Member for that quarter:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Percentage
                     Tier                       of industry   Quarterly
                                                  members      CAT fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.............................................        0.500     $101,004
2.............................................        2.500       81,153
3.............................................        2.125       57,717
4.............................................        4.625       19,965
5.............................................        3.625       12,489
6.............................................        4.000        7,680
7.............................................       17.500        1,503
8.............................................       20.125          435
9.............................................       45.000           66
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Paragraph (b)(2) of the proposed fee schedule sets forth the CAT 
Fees applicable to Equity ATSs.\53\ These are the same fees that 
Participants that trade NMS Stocks and/or OTC Equity Securities will 
pay. Specifically, paragraph (b)(2) states that the Company will assign 
each Equity ATS to a fee tier once every quarter, where such tier 
assignment is calculated by ranking each Equity Execution Venue based 
on its total market share of NMS Stocks and OTC Equity Securities for 
the three months prior to the quarterly tier calculation day and 
assigning each Equity Execution Venue to a tier based on that ranking 
and predefined Equity Execution Venue percentages. The Equity Execution 
Venues with the higher total quarterly market share will be ranked in 
Tier 1, and the Equity Execution Venues with the lower quarterly market 
share will be ranked in Tier 2. Specifically, paragraph (b)(2) states 
that, each quarter, each Equity ATS shall pay the following CAT Fee 
corresponding to the tier assigned by the Company for such Equity ATS 
for that quarter:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \53\ Note that no fee schedule is provided for Execution Venue 
ATSs that execute transactions in Listed Options, as no such 
Execution Venue ATSs currently exist due trading restrictions 
related to Listed Options.

[[Page 23881]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Percentage
                                                 of Equity    Quarterly
                     Tier                        Execution     CAT fee
                                                   Venues
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.............................................        25.00      $63,375
2.............................................        75.00       38,820
------------------------------------------------------------------------

(C) Timing and Manner of Payment
    Section 11.4 of the CAT NMS Plan states that the Operating 
Committee shall establish a system for the collection of fees 
authorized under the CAT NMS Plan. The Operating Committee may include 
such collection responsibility as a function of the Plan Processor or 
another administrator. To implement the payment process to be adopted 
by the Operating Committee, paragraph (c)(1) of the proposed fee 
schedule states that the Company will provide each Industry Member with 
one invoice each quarter for its CAT Fees as determined pursuant to 
paragraph (b) of the proposed fee schedule, regardless of whether the 
Industry Member is a member of multiple self-regulatory organizations. 
Paragraph (c)(1) further states that each Industry Member will pay its 
CAT Fees to the Company via the centralized system for the collection 
of CAT Fees established by the Company in the manner prescribed by the 
Company. The Exchange will provide Industry Members with details 
regarding the manner of payment of CAT Fees by Regulatory Circular.
    Although the exact fee collection system and processes for CAT fees 
has not yet been established, all CAT fees will be billed and collected 
centrally through the Company, via the Plan Processor or otherwise. 
Although each Participant will adopt its own fee schedule regarding CAT 
Fees, no CAT Fees or portion thereof will be collected by the 
individual Participants. Each Industry Member will receive from the 
Company one invoice for its applicable CAT fees, not separate invoices 
from each Participant of which it is a member. The Industry Members 
will pay the CAT Fees to the Company via the centralized system for the 
collection of CAT fees established by the Company.\54\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \54\ Section 11.4 of the CAT NMS Plan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 11.4 of the CAT NMS Plan also states that Participants 
shall require each Industry Member to pay all applicable authorized CAT 
Fees within thirty days after receipt of an invoice or other notice 
indicating payment is due (unless a longer payment period is otherwise 
indicated). Section 11.4 further states that, if an Industry Member 
fails to pay any such fee when due, such Industry Member shall pay 
interest on the outstanding balance from such due date until such fee 
is paid at a per annum rate equal to the lesser of: (i) the Prime Rate 
plus 300 basis points; or (ii) the maximum rate permitted by applicable 
law. Therefore, in accordance with Section 11.4 of the CAT NMS Plan, 
the Exchange proposed to adopt paragraph (c)(2) of the proposed fee 
schedule. Paragraph (c)(2) of the proposed fee schedule states that 
each Industry Member shall pay CAT Fees within thirty days after 
receipt of an invoice or other notice indicating payment is due (unless 
a longer payment period is otherwise indicated). If an Industry Member 
fails to pay any such fee when due, such Industry Member shall pay 
interest on the outstanding balance from such due date until such fee 
is paid at a per annum rate equal to the lesser of: (i) The Prime Rate 
plus 300 basis points; or (ii) the maximum rate permitted by applicable 
law.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with the provisions of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\55\ which require, 
among other things, that the Exchange rules must be designed to prevent 
fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and 
equitable principles of trade, and, in general, to protect investors 
and the public interest, and not designed to permit unfair 
discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers and dealer [sic], 
and Section 6(b)(4) of the Act,\56\ which requires that Exchange rules 
provide for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and 
other charges among members and issuers and other persons using its 
facilities. As discussed above, the SEC approved the bifurcated, 
tiered, fixed fee funding model in the CAT NMS Plan, finding it was 
reasonable and that it equitably allocated fees among Participants and 
Industry Members. The Exchange believes that the proposed tiered fees 
adopted pursuant to the funding model approved by the SEC in the CAT 
NMS Plan are reasonable, equitably allocated and not unfairly 
discriminatory.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \55\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
    \56\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Exchange believes that this proposal is consistent with the Act 
because it implements, interprets or clarifies the provisions of the 
Plan, and is designed to assist the Exchange and its Industry Members 
in meeting regulatory obligations pursuant to the Plan. In approving 
the Plan, the SEC noted that the Plan ``is necessary and appropriate in 
the public interest, for the protection of investors and the 
maintenance of fair and orderly markets, to remove impediments to, and 
perfect the mechanism of a national market system, or is otherwise in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act.'' \57\ To the extent that this 
proposal implements, interprets or clarifies the Plan and applies 
specific requirements to Industry Members, the Exchange believes that 
this proposal furthers the objectives of the Plan, as identified by the 
SEC, and is therefore consistent with the Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \57\ Approval Order at 84697.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Exchange believes that the proposed tiered fees are reasonable. 
First, the total CAT Fees to be collected would be directly associated 
with the costs of establishing and maintaining the CAT, where such 
costs include Plan Processor costs and costs related to insurance, 
third party services and the operational reserve. The CAT Fees would 
not cover Participant services unrelated to the CAT. In addition, any 
surplus CAT Fees cannot be distributed to the individual Participants; 
such surpluses must be used as a reserve to offset future fees. Given 
the direct relationship between the fees and the CAT costs, the 
Exchange believes that the total level of the CAT Fees is reasonable.
    In addition, the Exchange believes that the proposed CAT Fees are 
reasonably designed to allocate the total costs of the CAT equitably 
between and among the Participants and Industry Members, and are 
therefore not unfairly discriminatory. As discussed in detail above, 
the proposed tiered fees impose comparable fees on similarly situated 
CAT Reporters. For example, those with a larger impact on the CAT 
(measured via message traffic or market share) pay higher fees, whereas 
CAT Reporters with a smaller impact pay lower fees. Correspondingly, 
the tiered structure lessens the impact on smaller CAT Reporters by 
imposing smaller fees on those CAT Reporters with less market share or 
message traffic. In addition, the funding model takes into 
consideration affiliations between CAT Reporters, imposing comparable 
fees on such affiliated entities.
    Moreover, the Exchange believes that the division of the total CAT 
costs between Industry Members and Execution Venues, and the division 
of the Execution Venue portion of total costs between Equity and 
Options Execution Venues, is reasonably designed to allocate CAT costs 
among CAT Reporters. The 75/25 division between Industry Members and

[[Page 23882]]

Execution Venues maintains the greatest level of comparability across 
the funding model, keeping in view that comparability should consider 
affiliations among or between CAT Reporters (e.g., firms with multiple 
Industry Members or exchange licenses). Similarly, the 75/25 division 
between Equity and Options Execution Venues maintains elasticity across 
the funding model as well as the greatest level of fee equitability and 
comparability based on the current number of Equity and Options 
Execution Venues.
    Finally, the Exchange believes that the proposed fees are 
reasonable because they would provide ease of calculation, ease of 
billing and other administrative functions, and predictability of a 
fixed fee. Such factors are crucial to estimating a reliable revenue 
stream for the Company and for permitting CAT Reporters to reasonably 
predict their payment obligations for budgeting purposes.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    Section 6(b)(8) of the Act \58\ require [sic] that Exchange rules 
not impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or 
appropriate. The Exchange 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 Exchange 
notes that the proposed rule change implements provisions of the CAT 
NMS Plan approved by the Commission, and is designed to assist the 
Exchange in meeting its regulatory obligations pursuant to the Plan. 
Similarly, all national securities exchanges and FINRA are proposing 
this proposed fee schedule to implement the requirements of the CAT NMS 
Plan. Therefore, this is not a competitive fee filing and, therefore, 
it does not raise competition issues between and among the exchanges 
and FINRA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \58\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(8).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Moreover, as previously described, the Exchange believes that the 
proposed rule change fairly and equitably allocates costs among CAT 
Reporters. In particular, the proposed fee schedule is structured to 
impose comparable fees on similarly situated CAT Reporters, and lessen 
the impact on smaller CAT Reporters. CAT Reporters with similar levels 
of CAT activity will pay similar fees. For example, Industry Members 
(other than Execution Venue ATSs) with higher levels of message traffic 
will pay higher fees, and those with lower levels of message traffic 
will pay lower fees. Similarly, Execution Venue ATSs and other 
Execution Venues with larger market share will pay higher fees, and 
those with lower levels of market share will pay lower fees. Therefore, 
given that there is generally a relationship between message traffic 
and market share to the CAT Reporter's size, smaller CAT Reporters 
generally pay less than larger CAT Reporters. Accordingly, the Exchange 
does not believe that the CAT Fees would have a disproportionate effect 
on smaller or larger CAT Reporters. In addition, ATSs and exchanges 
will pay the same fees based on market share. Therefore, the Exchange 
does not believe that the fees will impose any burden on the 
competition between ATSs and exchanges. Accordingly, the Exchange 
believes that the proposed fees will minimize the potential for adverse 
effects on competition between CAT Reporters in the market.
    Furthermore, the tiered, fixed fee funding model limits the 
disincentives to providing liquidity to the market. Therefore, the 
proposed fees are structured to limit burdens on competitive quoting 
and other liquidity provision in the market.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    No written comments were either solicited or received.

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

    The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Exchange Act \59\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) 
thereunder,\60\ because it establishes or changes a due, or fee.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \59\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
    \60\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule 
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule 
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or 
appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or 
otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission 
takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to 
determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule 
change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of 
the following methods:

Electronic 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-BOX-2017-16 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities 
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BOX-2017-16. This file 
number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help 
the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all 
written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are 
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to 
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other 
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and 
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available 
for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All 
comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does 
not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should 
submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All 
submissions should refer to File Number SR-BOX-2017-16, and should be 
submitted on or before June 14, 2017.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\61\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \61\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-10589 Filed 5-23-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                    23864                        Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices

                                                    Commission of any written comments                      10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the                 solicit comments on the proposed rule
                                                    received by FICC.                                       filing also will be available for                      change from interested persons.
                                                                                                            inspection and copying at the principal
                                                    III. Date of Effectiveness of the                                                                              I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                                                                            office of FICC and on DTCC’s Web site
                                                    Proposed Rule Change, and Timing for                                                                           Statement of the Terms of the Substance
                                                                                                            (http://dtcc.com/legal/sec-rule-
                                                    Commission Action                                                                                              of the Proposed Rule Change
                                                                                                            filings.aspx). All comments received
                                                       Within 45 days of the date of                        will be posted without change; the                        The Exchange is filing with the
                                                    publication of this notice in the Federal               Commission does not edit personal                      Securities and Exchange Commission
                                                    Register or within such longer period                   identifying information from                           (‘‘Commission’’) a proposed rule change
                                                    up to 90 days (i) as the Commission may                 submissions. You should submit only                    to amend the Fee Schedule to adopt a
                                                    designate if it finds such longer period                information that you wish to make                      fee schedule to establish the fees for
                                                    to be appropriate and publishes its                     available publicly. All submissions                    Industry Members related to the
                                                    reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which              should refer to File Number SR–FICC–                   National Market System Plan Governing
                                                    the self-regulatory organization                        2017–012 and should be submitted on                    the Consolidated Audit Trail. The text
                                                    consents, the Commission will:                          or before June 14, 2017.                               of the proposed rule change is available
                                                       (A) By order approve or disapprove                                                                          from the principal office of the
                                                                                                              For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                    such proposed rule change, or                           Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated             Exchange, at the Commission’s Public
                                                       (B) institute proceedings to determine               authority.87                                           Reference Room and also on the
                                                    whether the proposed rule change                                                                               Exchange’s Internet Web site at http://
                                                                                                            Eduardo A. Aleman,
                                                    should be disapproved.                                                                                         boxexchange.com.
                                                                                                            Assistant Secretary.
                                                    IV. Solicitation of Comments                            [FR Doc. 2017–10584 Filed 5–23–17; 8:45 am]            II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                      Interested persons are invited to                     BILLING CODE 8011–01–P                                 Statement of the Purpose of, and
                                                    submit written data, views and                                                                                 Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
                                                    arguments concerning the foregoing,                                                                            Change
                                                    including whether the proposed rule                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                    change is consistent with the Exchange                  COMMISSION                                               In its filing with the Commission, the
                                                    Act. Comments may be submitted by                                                                              Exchange included statements
                                                                                                            [Release No. 34–80721; File No. SR–BOX–
                                                    any of the following methods:                           2017–16]
                                                                                                                                                                   concerning the purpose of and basis for
                                                                                                                                                                   the proposed rule change and discussed
                                                    Electronic Comments                                     Self-Regulatory Organizations; BOX                     any comments it received on the
                                                      • Use the Commission’s Internet                       Options Exchange LLC; Notice of                        proposed rule change. The text of these
                                                    comment form (http://www.sec.gov/                       Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of                  statements may be examined at the
                                                    rules/sro.shtml); or                                    a Proposed Rule Change To Amend                        places specified in Item IV below. The
                                                      • Send an email to rule-comments@                     the BOX Fee Schedule To Adopt a Fee                    Exchange has prepared summaries, set
                                                    sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–                 Schedule To Establish the Fees for                     forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of
                                                    FICC–2017–012 on the subject line.                      Industry Members Related to the                        the most significant aspects of such
                                                                                                            National Market System Plan                            statements.
                                                    Paper Comments
                                                                                                            Governing the Consolidated Audit Trail                 A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                      • Send paper comments in triplicate
                                                    to Secretary, Securities and Exchange                   May 18, 2017.                                          Statement of the Purpose of, and the
                                                    Commission, 100 F Street NE.,                              Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) under the              Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
                                                    Washington, DC 20549.                                   Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the                   Change
                                                    All submissions should refer to File                    ‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2                 1. Purpose
                                                    Number SR–FICC–2017–012. This file                      notice is hereby given that on May 15,
                                                                                                            2017, BOX Options Exchange LLC (the                       Bats BYX Exchange, Inc., Bats BZX
                                                    number should be included on the
                                                                                                            ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the Securities                Exchange, Inc., Bats EDGA Exchange,
                                                    subject line if email is used. To help the
                                                                                                            and Exchange Commission (the                           Inc., Bats EDGX Exchange, Inc., BOX
                                                    Commission process and review your
                                                                                                            ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule                      Options Exchange LLC, C2 Options
                                                    comments more efficiently, please use
                                                                                                            change as described in Items I and II                  Exchange, Incorporated, Chicago Board
                                                    only one method. The Commission will
                                                                                                            below, which Items have been prepared                  Options Exchange, Incorporated,
                                                    post all comments on the Commission’s
                                                                                                            by the Exchange.3 The Exchange filed                   Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc., Financial
                                                    Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                                                                            the proposed rule change pursuant to                   Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
                                                    rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
                                                                                                            Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act,4 and               (‘‘FINRA’’), Investors’ Exchange LLC,
                                                    submission, all subsequent
                                                                                                            Rule 19b–4(f)(2) thereunder,5 which                    Miami International Securities
                                                    amendments, all written statements
                                                                                                            renders the proposal effective upon                    Exchange, LLC, MIAX PEARL, LLC,
                                                    with respect to the proposed rule
                                                                                                            filing with the Commission. The                        NASDAQ BX, Inc., Nasdaq GEMX, LLC,
                                                    change that are filed with the
                                                                                                            Commission is publishing this notice to                Nasdaq ISE, LLC, Nasdaq MRX, LLC,6
                                                    Commission, and all written
                                                                                                                                                                   NASDAQ PHLX LLC, The NASDAQ
                                                    communications relating to the
                                                                                                              87 17  CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).                          Stock Market LLC, New York Stock
                                                    proposed rule change between the                          1 15  U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).                              Exchange LLC, NYSE MKT LLC, NYSE
                                                    Commission and any person, other than
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                               2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
                                                    those that may be withheld from the                        3 The Exchange originally filed the proposed rule     6 ISE Gemini, LLC, ISE Mercury, LLC and
                                                    public in accordance with the                           change on May 3, 2017 under File No. SR–BOX–           International Securities Exchange, LLC have been
                                                    provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be                     2017–13. The Exchange subsequently withdrew that       renamed Nasdaq GEMX, LLC, Nasdaq MRX, LLC,
                                                    available for Web site viewing and                      filing on May 11, 2017 and filed the proposed rule     and Nasdaq ISE, LLC, respectively. See Securities
                                                                                                            change on that date under File No. SR–BOX–2017–        Exchange Act Rel. No. 80248 (Mar. 15, 2017), 82 FR
                                                    printing in the Commission’s Public                     15. The Exchange withdrew that filing on May 15,       14547 (Mar. 21, 2017); Securities Exchange Act Rel.
                                                    Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,                       2017 and filed this proposed rule change.              No. 80326 (Mar. 29, 2017), 82 FR 16460 (Apr. 4,
                                                    Washington, DC 20549 on official                           4 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
                                                                                                                                                                   2017); and Securities Exchange Act Rel. No. 80325
                                                    business days between the hours of                         5 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(2).                           (Mar. 29, 2017), 82 FR 16445 (Apr. 4, 2017).



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                                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices                                            23865

                                                    Arca, Inc. and NYSE National, Inc.7                      (1) Executive Summary                                   • Execution Venue Fees. Each Equity
                                                    (collectively, the ‘‘Participants’’) filed                 The following provides an executive                Execution Venue will be placed in one
                                                    with the Commission, pursuant to                         summary of the CAT funding model                     of two tiers of fixed fees based on
                                                    Section 11A of the Exchange Act 8 and                    approved by the Operating Committee,                 market share, and each Options
                                                    Rule 608 of Regulation NMS                               as well as Industry Members’ rights and              Execution Venue will be placed in one
                                                    thereunder,9 the CAT NMS Plan.10 The                     obligations related to the payment of                of two tiers of fixed fees based on
                                                    Participants filed the Plan to comply                    CAT Fees calculated pursuant to the                  market share. Equity Execution Venue
                                                    with Rule 613 of Regulation NMS under                    CAT funding model. A detailed                        market share will be determined by
                                                    the Exchange Act. The Plan was                           description of the CAT funding model                 calculating each Equity Execution
                                                                                                             and the CAT Fees follows this executive              Venue’s proportion of the total volume
                                                    published for comment in the Federal
                                                                                                             summary.                                             of NMS Stock and OTC Equity shares
                                                    Register on May 17, 2016,11 and
                                                                                                                                                                  reported by all Equity Execution Venues
                                                    approved by the Commission, as                           (A) CAT Funding Model                                during the relevant time period.
                                                    modified, on November 15, 2016.12 The
                                                                                                                • CAT Costs. The CAT funding model                Similarly, market share for Options
                                                    Plan is designed to create, implement                                                                         Execution Venues will be determined by
                                                                                                             is designed to establish CAT-specific
                                                    and maintain a consolidated audit trail                  fees to collectively recover the costs of            calculating each Options Execution
                                                    (‘‘CAT’’) that would capture customer                    building and operating the CAT from all              Venue’s proportion of the total volume
                                                    and order event information for orders                   CAT Reporters, including Industry                    of Listed Options contracts reported by
                                                    in NMS Securities and OTC Equity                         Members and Participants. The overall                all Options Execution Venues during
                                                    Securities, across all markets, from the                 CAT costs for the calculation of the CAT             the relevant time period. Equity
                                                    time of order inception through routing,                 Fees in this fee filing are comprised of             Execution Venues with a larger market
                                                    cancellation, modification, or execution                 Plan Processor CAT costs and non-Plan                share will pay a larger CAT Fee than
                                                    in a single consolidated data source.                    Processor CAT costs incurred, and                    Equity Execution Venues with a smaller
                                                    The Plan accomplishes this by creating                   estimated to be incurred, from                       market share. Similarly, Options
                                                    CAT NMS, LLC (the ‘‘Company’’), of                       November 21, 2016 through November                   Execution Venues with a larger market
                                                    which each Participant is a member, to                   21, 2017. (See Section 3(a)(2)(E) [sic]              share will pay a larger CAT Fee than
                                                    operate the CAT.13 Under the CAT NMS                     below 16)                                            Options Execution Venues with a
                                                    Plan, the Operating Committee of the                        • Bifurcated Funding Model. The                   smaller market share. (See Section
                                                    Company (‘‘Operating Committee’’) has                    CAT NMS Plan requires a bifurcated                   3(a)(2)(C) [sic] below)
                                                                                                             funding model, where costs associated                   • Cost Allocation. For the reasons
                                                    discretion to establish funding for the
                                                                                                             with building and operating the CAT                  discussed below, in designing the
                                                    Company to operate the CAT, including
                                                                                                             would be borne by (1) Participants and               model, the Operating Committee
                                                    establishing fees that the Participants                                                                       determined that 75 percent of total costs
                                                    will pay, and establishing fees for                      Industry Members that are Execution
                                                                                                             Venues for Eligible Securities through               recovered would be allocated to
                                                    Industry Members that will be                                                                                 Industry Members (other than Execution
                                                    implemented by the Participants (‘‘CAT                   fixed tier fees based on market share,
                                                                                                             and (2) Industry Members (other than                 Venue ATSs) and 25 percent would be
                                                    Fees’’).14 The Participants are required                                                                      allocated to Execution Venues. In
                                                                                                             alternative trading systems (‘‘ATSs’’)
                                                    to file with the SEC under Section 19(b)                                                                      addition, the Operating Committee
                                                                                                             that execute transactions in Eligible
                                                    of the Exchange Act any such CAT Fees                                                                         determined to allocate 75 percent of
                                                                                                             Securities (‘‘Execution Venue ATSs’’))
                                                    applicable to Industry Members that the                                                                       Execution Venue costs recovered to
                                                                                                             through fixed tier fees based on message
                                                    Operating Committee approves.15                          traffic for Eligible Securities. (See                Equity Execution Venues and 25 percent
                                                    Accordingly, the Exchange submits this                   Section 3(a)(2) [sic] below)                         to Options Execution Venues. (See
                                                    fee filing to propose the Consolidated                      • Industry Member Fees. Each                      Section 3(a)(2)(D) [sic] below)
                                                    Audit Trail Funding Fees, which will                     Industry Member (other than Execution                   • Comparability of Fees. The CAT
                                                    require Industry Members that are SRO                    Venue ATSs) will be placed into one of               funding model requires that the CAT
                                                    members to pay the CAT Fees                              nine tiers of fixed fees, based on                   Fees charged to the CAT Reporters with
                                                    determined by the Operating                              ‘‘message traffic’’ in Eligible Securities           the most CAT-related activity (measured
                                                    Committee.                                               for a defined period (as discussed                   by market share and/or message traffic,
                                                                                                             below). Prior to the start of CAT                    as applicable) are generally comparable
                                                       7 National Stock Exchange, Inc. has been renamed
                                                                                                             reporting, ‘‘message traffic’’ will be               (where, for these comparability
                                                    NYSE National, Inc. See Securities Exchange Act          comprised of historical equity and                   purposes, the tiered fee structure takes
                                                    Rel. No. 79902 (Jan. 30, 2017), 82 FR 9258 (Feb. 3,
                                                                                                             equity options orders, cancels and                   into consideration affiliations between
                                                    2017).                                                                                                        or among CAT Reporters, whether
                                                       8 15 U.S.C. 78k–1.                                    quotes provided by each exchange and
                                                       9 17 CFR 242.608.                                     FINRA over the previous three months.                Execution Venues and/or Industry
                                                       10 See Letter from the Participants to Brent J.       After an Industry Member begins                      Members). (See Section 3(a)(2)(F) [sic]
                                                    Fields, Secretary, Commission, dated September 30,       reporting to the CAT, ‘‘message traffic’’            below)
                                                    2014; and Letter from Participants to Brent J. Fields,
                                                    Secretary, Commission, dated February 27, 2015.
                                                                                                             will be calculated based on the Industry             (B) CAT Fees for Industry Members
                                                    On December 24, 2015, the Participants submitted         Member’s Reportable Events reported to                 • Fee Schedule. The quarterly CAT
                                                    an amendment to the CAT NMS Plan. See Letter             the CAT. Industry Members with lower                 Fees for each tier for Industry Members
                                                    from Participants to Brent J. Fields, Secretary,         levels of message traffic will pay a lower           are set forth in the two fee schedules in
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    Commission, dated December 23, 2015.
                                                       11 Securities Exchange Act Rel. No. 77724 (Apr.
                                                                                                             fee and Industry Members with higher                 the Consolidated Audit Trail Funding
                                                    27, 2016), 81 FR 30614 (May 17, 2016).                   levels of message traffic will pay a                 Fees, one for Equity ATSs and one for
                                                       12 Securities Exchange Act Rel. No. 79318 (Nov.       higher fee. (See Section 3(a)(2)(B) [sic]            Industry Members other than Equity
                                                    15, 2016), 81 FR 84696 (Nov. 23, 2016) (‘‘Approval       below)                                               ATSs. (See Section 3(a)(3)(B) [sic]
                                                    Order’’).
                                                       13 The Plan also serves as the limited liability        16 The Commission notes that references to
                                                                                                                                                                  below)
                                                    company agreement for the Company.                       Sections 3(a)(2) and 3(a)(3) in this Executive
                                                                                                                                                                    • Quarterly Invoices. Industry
                                                       14 Section 11.1(b) of the CAT NMS Plan.
                                                                                                             Summary should be instead to Sections II.A.1.(2)     Members will be billed quarterly for
                                                       15 Id.                                                and II.A.1.(3), respectively.                        CAT Fees, with the invoices payable


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                                                    23866                         Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices

                                                    within 30 days. The quarterly invoices                  facility jointly owned by the Participants and           and even billions of orders in the same
                                                    will identify within which tier the                     . . . the Exchange Act specifically permits              period. Accordingly, the CAT NMS Plan
                                                    Industry Member falls. (See Section                     the Participants to charge their members fees            includes a tiered approach to fees. The
                                                                                                            to fund their self-regulatory obligations. The
                                                    3(a)(3)(C) [sic] below)                                                                                          tiered approach helps ensure that fees
                                                                                                            Commission further believes that the
                                                       • Centralized Payment. Each Industry                 proposed funding model is designed to                    are equitably allocated among similarly
                                                    Member will receive from the Company                    impose fees reasonably related to the                    situated CAT Reporters and furthers the
                                                    one invoice for its applicable CAT Fees,                Participants’ self-regulatory obligations                goal of lessening the impact on smaller
                                                    not separate invoices from each                         because the fees would be directly associated            firms.24 The self-regulatory
                                                    Participant of which it is a member. The                with the costs of establishing and                       organizations considered several
                                                    Industry Members will pay its CAT Fees                  maintaining the CAT, and not unrelated SRO               approaches to developing a tiered
                                                    to the Company via the centralized                      services.20                                              model, including defining fee tiers
                                                    system for the collection of CAT Fees                   Accordingly, the funding model                           based on such factors as size of firm,
                                                    established by the Operating Committee.                 imposes fees on both Participants and                    message traffic or trading dollar volume.
                                                    (See Section 3(a)(3)(C) [sic] below)                    Industry Members.                                        After analyzing the alternatives, it was
                                                       • Billing Commencement. Industry                        In addition, as discussed in Appendix                 concluded that the tiering should be
                                                    Members will begin to receive invoices                  C of the CAT NMS Plan, the Operating                     based on the relative impact of CAT
                                                    for CAT Fees as promptly as possible                    Committee considered the advantages                      Reporters on the CAT System.
                                                    following the establishment of a billing                and disadvantages of a variety of                           Accordingly, the CAT NMS Plan
                                                    mechanism. The Exchange will issue a                    alternative funding and cost allocation                  contemplates that costs will be allocated
                                                    Regulatory Circular to its Industry                     models before selecting the proposed                     across the CAT Reporters on a tiered
                                                    Members when the billing mechanism is                   model.21 After analyzing the various                     basis to allocate costs to those CAT
                                                    established, specifying the date when                   alternatives, the Operating Committee                    Reporters that contribute more to the
                                                    such invoicing of Industry Members                      determined that the proposed tiered,                     costs of creating, implementing and
                                                    will commence. (See Section 3(a)(2)(G)                  fixed fee funding model provides a                       maintaining the CAT.25 The fees to be
                                                    [sic] below)                                            variety of advantages in comparison to                   assessed at each tier are calculated so as
                                                                                                            the alternatives. First, the fixed fee                   to recoup a proportion of costs
                                                    (2) Description of the CAT Funding                                                                               appropriate to the message traffic or
                                                                                                            model, as opposed to a variable fee
                                                    Model                                                                                                            market share (as applicable) from CAT
                                                                                                            model, provides transparency, ease of
                                                       Article XI of the CAT NMS Plan                       calculation, ease of billing and other                   Reporters in each tier. Therefore,
                                                    requires the Operating Committee to                     administrative functions, and                            Industry Members generating the most
                                                    approve the operating budget, including                 predictability of a fixed fee. Such factors              message traffic will be in the higher
                                                    projected costs of developing and                       are crucial to estimating a reliable                     tiers, and therefore be charged a higher
                                                    operating the CAT for the upcoming                      revenue stream for the Company and for                   fee. Industry Members with lower levels
                                                    year. As set forth in Article XI of the                 permitting CAT Reporters to reasonably                   of message traffic will be in lower tiers
                                                    CAT NMS Plan, the CAT NMS Plan                          predict their payment obligations for                    and will be assessed a smaller fee for the
                                                    requires a bifurcated funding model,                    budgeting purposes.22 Additionally, a                    CAT.26 Correspondingly, Execution
                                                    where costs associated with building                    strictly variable or metered funding                     Venues with the highest market share
                                                    and operating the Central Repository                    model based on message volume would                      will be in the top tier, and therefore will
                                                    would be borne by (1) Participants and                  be far more likely to affect market                      be charged a higher fee. Execution
                                                    Industry Members that are Execution                     behavior and place an inappropriate                      Venues with a lower market share will
                                                    Venues through fixed tier fees based on                 burden on competition. Moreover, as                      be in the lower tier and will be assessed
                                                    market share, and (2) Industry Members                  the SEC noted in approving the CAT                       a smaller fee for the CAT.27
                                                    (other than Execution Venue ATSs)                       NMS Plan, ‘‘[t]he Participants also have                    The Commission also noted in
                                                    through fixed tier fees based on message                offered a reasonable basis for                           approving the CAT NMS Plan that
                                                    traffic. In its order approving the CAT                 establishing a funding model based on                    ‘‘[t]he Participants have offered a
                                                    NMS Plan, the Commission determined                     broad tiers, in that it be may be easier                 credible justification for using different
                                                    that the proposed funding model was                     to implement.’’ 23                                       criteria to charge Execution Venues
                                                    ‘‘reasonable’’ 17 and ‘‘reflects a                         In addition, multiple reviews of                      (market share) and Industry Members
                                                    reasonable exercise of the Participants’                current broker-dealer order and trading                  (message traffic)’’ 28 in the CAT funding
                                                    funding authority to recover the                        data submitted under existing reporting                  model. While there are multiple factors
                                                    Participants’ costs related to the                      requirements showed a wide range in                      that contribute to the cost of building,
                                                    CAT.’’ 18                                               activity among broker-dealers, with a                    maintaining and using the CAT,
                                                       More specifically, the Commission                    number of broker-dealers submitting                      processing and storage of incoming
                                                    stated in approving the CAT NMS Plan                    fewer than 1,000 orders per month and                    message traffic is one of the most
                                                    that ‘‘[t]he Commission believes that the               other broker-dealers submitting millions                 significant cost drivers for the CAT.29
                                                    proposed funding model is reasonably                                                                             Thus, the CAT NMS Plan provides that
                                                    designed to allocate the costs of the CAT                 20 Id.  at 84794.
                                                                                                                                                                     the fees payable by Industry Members
                                                    between the Participants and Industry                     21 Section   B.7, Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan,      (other than Execution Venue ATSs) will
                                                    Members.’’ 19 The Commission further                    Approval Order at 85006.                                 be based on the message traffic
                                                    noted the following:
                                                                                                               22 In choosing a tiered fee structure, the SROs       generated by such Industry Member.30
                                                                                                            concluded that the variety of benefits offered by a
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                      The Commission believes that the                      tiered fee structure, discussed above, outweighed         24 Section B.7, Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan,
                                                    proposed funding model reflects a reasonable            the fact that Industry Members in any particular tier    Approval Order at 85006.
                                                    exercise of the Participants’ funding                   would pay different rates per message traffic order       25 Approval Order at 85005.
                                                    authority to recover the Participants’ costs            event (e.g., an Industry Member with the largest          26 Id.
                                                                                                            amount of message traffic in one tier would pay a
                                                    related to the CAT. The CAT is a regulatory                                                                       27 Id.
                                                                                                            smaller amount per order event than an Industry
                                                                                                                                                                      28 Id. at 84796.
                                                                                                            Member in the same tier with the least amount of
                                                      17 Approval   Order at 84796.                         message traffic). Such variation is the natural result    29 Section B.7, Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan,
                                                      18 Id. at 84794.                                      of a tiered fee structure.                               Approval Order at 85005.
                                                      19 Id. at 84795.                                         23 Approval Order at 84796.                            30 Section 11.3(b) of the CAT NMS Plan.




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                                                                                 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices                                              23867

                                                       The CAT NMS Plan provides that the                   distributed to the Participants as                    (A) Funding Principles
                                                    Operating Committee will use different                  profits.35 To ensure that the                            Section 11.2 of the CAT NMS Plan
                                                    criteria to establish fees for Execution                Participants’ operation of the CAT will               sets forth the principles that the
                                                    Venues and non-Execution Venues due                     not contribute to the funding of their                Operating Committee applied in
                                                    to the fundamental differences between                  other operations, Section 11.1(c) of the              establishing the funding for the
                                                    the two types of entities. In particular,               CAT NMS Plan specifically states that                 Company. The Operating Committee has
                                                    the CAT NMS Plan provides that fees                     ‘‘[a]ny surplus of the Company’s                      considered these funding principles as
                                                    charged to CAT Reporters that are                       revenues over its expenses shall be                   well as the other funding requirements
                                                    Execution Venues will be based on the                   treated as an operational reserve to                  set forth in the CAT NMS Plan and in
                                                    level of market share and that costs                    offset future fees.’’ In addition, as set             Rule 613 in developing the proposed
                                                    charged to Industry Members (other                      forth in Article VIII of the CAT NMS                  funding model. The following are the
                                                    than Execution Venue ATSs) will be                      Plan, the Company ‘‘intends to operate                funding principles in Section 11.2 of the
                                                    based upon message traffic.31 Because                   in a manner such that it qualifies as a               CAT NMS Plan:
                                                    most Participant message traffic consists
                                                                                                            ‘business league’ within the meaning of                  • To create transparent, predictable
                                                    of quotations, and Participants usually
                                                                                                            Section 501(c)(6) of the [Internal                    revenue streams for the Company that
                                                    disseminate quotations in all
                                                                                                            Revenue] Code.’’ To qualify as a                      are aligned with the anticipated costs to
                                                    instruments they trade, regardless of
                                                                                                            business league, an organization must                 build, operate and administer the CAT
                                                    execution volume, Execution Venues
                                                                                                            ‘‘not [be] organized for profit and no                and other costs of the Company;
                                                    that are Participants generally                                                                                  • To establish an allocation of the
                                                    disseminate similar amounts of message                  part of the net earnings of [the
                                                                                                            organization can] inure[ ] to the benefit             Company’s related costs among
                                                    traffic. Accordingly, basing fees for                                                                         Participants and Industry Members that
                                                    Execution Venues on message traffic                     of any private shareholder or
                                                                                                            individual.’’ 36 As the SEC stated when               is consistent with the Exchange Act,
                                                    would not provide the same degree of                                                                          taking into account the timeline for
                                                    differentiation among Execution Venues                  approving the CAT NMS Plan, ‘‘the
                                                                                                            Commission believes that the                          implementation of the CAT and
                                                    that it does among Industry Members                                                                           distinctions in the securities trading
                                                    (other than Execution Venue ATSs). In                   Company’s application for Section
                                                                                                            501(c)(6) business league status                      operations of Participants and Industry
                                                    contrast, execution volume more                                                                               Members and their relative impact upon
                                                    accurately delineates the different levels              addresses issues raised by commenters
                                                                                                                                                                  the Company’s resources and
                                                    of trading activity of Execution                        about the Plan’s proposed allocation of
                                                                                                                                                                  operations;
                                                    Venues.32                                               profit and loss by mitigating concerns
                                                                                                                                                                     • To establish a tiered fee structure in
                                                       The CAT NMS Plan’s funding model                     that the Company’s earnings could be
                                                                                                                                                                  which the fees charged to: (i) CAT
                                                    also is structured to avoid a ‘‘reduction               used to benefit individual                            Reporters that are Execution Venues,
                                                    in market quality.’’ 33 The tiered, fixed               Participants.’’ 37                                    including ATSs, are based upon the
                                                    fee funding model is designed to limit                     Finally, by adopting a CAT-specific                level of market share; (ii) Industry
                                                    the disincentives to providing liquidity                fee, the Participants will be fully                   Members’ non-ATS activities are based
                                                    to the market. For example, the
                                                                                                            transparent regarding the costs of the                upon message traffic; (iii) the CAT
                                                    Participants expect that a firm that had
                                                                                                            CAT. Charging a general regulatory fee,               Reporters with the most CAT-related
                                                    a large volume of quotes would likely be
                                                                                                            which would be used to cover CAT                      activity (measured by market share and/
                                                    categorized in one of the upper tiers,
                                                                                                            costs as well as other regulatory costs,              or message traffic, as applicable) are
                                                    and would not be assessed a fee for this
                                                                                                            would be less transparent than the                    generally comparable (where, for these
                                                    traffic directly as they would under a
                                                                                                            selected approach of charging a fee                   comparability purposes, the tiered fee
                                                    more directly metered model. In
                                                                                                            designated to cover CAT costs only.                   structure takes into consideration
                                                    contrast, strictly variable or metered
                                                                                                                                                                  affiliations between or among CAT
                                                    funding models based on message                            A full description of the funding
                                                                                                                                                                  Reporters, whether Execution Venue
                                                    volume were far more likely to affect                   model is set forth below. This
                                                                                                                                                                  and/or Industry Members);
                                                    market behavior. In approving the CAT                   description includes the framework for
                                                                                                                                                                     • To provide for ease of billing and
                                                    NMS Plan, the SEC stated that ‘‘[t]he                   the funding model as set forth in the                 other administrative functions;
                                                    Participants also offered a reasonable                  CAT NMS Plan, as well as the details as                  • To avoid any disincentives such as
                                                    basis for establishing a funding model                  to how the funding model will be                      placing an inappropriate burden on
                                                    based on broad tiers, in that it may be                 applied in practice, including the                    competition and a reduction in market
                                                    . . . less likely to have an incremental                number of fee tiers and the applicable                quality; and
                                                    deterrent effect on liquidity                           fees for each tier. The Exchange notes                   • To build financial stability to
                                                    provision.’’ 34                                         that the complete funding model is
                                                       The CAT NMS Plan is structured to                                                                          support the Company as a going
                                                                                                            described below, including those fees                 concern.
                                                    avoid potential conflicts raised by the                 that are to be paid by the Participants.
                                                    Operating Committee determining fees                    The proposed Consolidated Audit Trail                 (B) Industry Member Tiering
                                                    applicable to its own members—the                       Funding Fees, however, do not apply to                   Under Section 11.3(b) of the CAT
                                                    Participants. First, the Company will be                the Participants; the proposed                        NMS Plan, the Operating Committee is
                                                    operated on a ‘‘break-even’’ basis, with                Consolidated Audit Trail Funding Fees                 required to establish fixed fees to be
                                                    fees imposed to cover costs and an
                                                                                                            only apply to Industry Members. The                   payable by Industry Members, based on
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    appropriate reserve. Any surpluses will
                                                                                                            CAT fees for Participants will be                     message traffic generated by such
                                                    be treated as an operational reserve to
                                                                                                            imposed separately by the Operating                   Industry Member, with the Operating
                                                    offset future fees and will not be
                                                                                                            Committee pursuant to the CAT NMS                     Committee establishing at least five and
                                                      31 Section                                            Plan.                                                 no more than nine tiers.
                                                                11.2(c) of the CAT NMS Plan.
                                                      32 SectionB.7, Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan,
                                                                                                                                                                     The CAT NMS Plan clarifies that the
                                                    Approval Order at 85005.                                 35 Id.
                                                                                                                  at 84792.                                       fixed fees payable by Industry Members
                                                     33 Section 11.2(e) of the CAT NMS Plan.                 36 26U.S.C. 501(c)(6).                               pursuant to Section 11.3(b) shall, in
                                                     34 Approval Order at 84796.                             37 Approval Order at 84793.                          addition to any other applicable


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                                                    23868                        Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices

                                                    message traffic, include message traffic                levels of message traffic, charging those             for each tier were assigned, allocating
                                                    generated by: (i) An ATS that does not                  firms with higher impact on the CAT                   higher percentages of recovery to tiers
                                                    execute orders that is sponsored by such                more, while lowering the burden of                    with higher levels of message traffic
                                                    Industry Member; and (ii) routing orders                Industry Members that have less CAT-                  while avoiding any inappropriate
                                                    to and from any ATS sponsored by such                   related activity.                                     burden on competition. Furthermore, by
                                                    Industry Member. In addition, the                          Each Industry Member (other than                   using percentages of Industry Members
                                                    Industry Member fees will apply to                      Execution Venue ATSs) will be ranked                  and costs recovered per tier, the
                                                    Industry Members that act as routing                    by message traffic and tiered by                      Operating Committee sought to include
                                                    broker-dealers for exchanges. The                       predefined Industry Member                            stability and elasticity within the
                                                    Industry Member fees will not be                        percentages (the ‘‘Industry Member                    funding model, allowing the funding
                                                    applicable, however, to an ATS that                     Percentages’’). The Operating                         model to respond to changes in either
                                                    qualifies as an Execution Venue, as                     Committee determined to use                           the total number of Industry Members or
                                                    discussed in more detail in the section                 predefined percentages rather than fixed              the total level of message traffic.
                                                    on Execution Venue tiering.                             volume thresholds to allow the funding                   The following chart illustrates the
                                                       In accordance with Section 11.3(b),                  model to ensure that the total CAT fees               breakdown of nine Industry Member
                                                    the Operating Committee approved a                      collected recover the intended CAT                    tiers across the monthly average of total
                                                    tiered fee structure for Industry                       costs regardless of changes in the total              equity and equity options orders,
                                                    Members (other than Execution Venue                     level of message traffic. To determine                cancels and quotes in Q1 2016 and
                                                    ATSs) as described in this section. In                  the fixed percentage of Industry                      identifies relative gaps across varying
                                                    determining the tiers, the Operating                    Members in each tier, the Operating                   levels of Industry Member message
                                                    Committee considered the funding                        Committee analyzed historical message                 traffic as well as message traffic
                                                    principles set forth in Section 11.2 of                 traffic generated by Industry Members                 thresholds between the largest of
                                                    the CAT NMS Plan, seeking to create                     across all exchanges and as submitted to              Industry Member message traffic gaps.
                                                    funding tiers that take into account the                OATS, and considered the distribution                 The Operating Committee referenced
                                                    relative impact on CAT System                           of firms with similar levels of message               similar distribution illustrations to
                                                    resources of different Industry Members,                traffic, grouping together firms with                 determine the appropriate division of
                                                    and that establish comparable fees                      similar levels of message traffic. Based              Industry Member percentages in each
                                                    among the CAT Reporters with the most                   on this, the Operating Committee                      tier by considering the grouping of firms
                                                    Reportable Events. The Operating                        identified tiers that would group firms               with similar levels of message traffic
                                                    Committee has determined that                           with similar levels of message traffic,               and seeking to identify relative
                                                    establishing nine tiers results in the                  charging those firms with higher impact               breakpoints in the message traffic
                                                    fairest allocation of fees, best                        on the CAT more, while lowering the                   between such groupings. In reviewing
                                                    distinguishing between Industry                         burden on Industry Members that have                  the chart and its corresponding table,
                                                    Members with differing levels of                        less CAT-related activity.                            note that while these distribution
                                                    message traffic. Thus, each such                           The percentage of costs recovered by               illustrations were referenced to help
                                                    Industry Member will be placed into                     each Industry Member tier will be                     differentiate between Industry Member
                                                    one of nine tiers of fixed fees, based on               determined by predefined percentage                   tiers, the proposed funding model is
                                                    ‘‘message traffic’’ for a defined period                allocations (the ‘‘Industry Member                    directly driven, not by fixed message
                                                    (as discussed below). A nine tier                       Recovery Allocation’’). In determining                traffic thresholds, but rather by fixed
                                                    structure was selected to provide the                   the fixed percentage allocation of costs              percentages of Industry Members across
                                                    widest range of levels for tiering                      recovered for each tier, the Operating                tiers to account for fluctuating levels of
                                                    Industry Members such that Industry                     Committee considered the impact of                    message traffic across time and to
                                                    Members submitting significantly less                   CAT Reporter message traffic on the                   provide for the financial stability of the
                                                    message traffic to the CAT would be                     CAT System as well as the distribution                CAT by ensuring that the funding model
                                                    adequately differentiated from Industry                 of total message volume across Industry               will recover the required amounts
                                                    Members submitting substantially more                   Members while seeking to maintain                     regardless of changes in the number of
                                                    message traffic. The Operating                          comparable fees among the largest CAT                 Industry Members or the amount of
                                                    Committee considered historical                         Reporters. Accordingly, following the                 message traffic. Actual messages in any
                                                    message traffic generated by Industry                   determination of the percentage of                    tier will vary based on the actual traffic
                                                    Members across all exchanges and as                     Industry Members in each tier, the                    in a given measurement period, as well
                                                    submitted to FINRA’s Order Audit Trail                  Operating Committee identified the                    as the number of firms included in the
                                                    System (‘‘OATS’’), and considered the                   percentage of total market volume for                 measurement period. The Industry
                                                    distribution of firms with similar levels               each tier based on the historical message             Member Percentages and Industry
                                                    of message traffic, grouping together                   traffic upon which Industry Members                   Member Recovery Allocation for each
                                                    firms with similar levels of message                    had been initially ranked. Taking this                tier will remain fixed with each
                                                    traffic. Based on this, the Operating                   into account along with the resulting                 Industry Member’s tier to be reassigned
                                                    Committee determined that nine tiers                    percentage of total recovery, the                     periodically, as described below in
                                                    would best group firms with similar                     percentage allocation of costs recovered              Section 3(a)(1)(H) [sic].
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                                                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices                                                                                                        23869




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Monthly average
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  message traffic
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    per industry
                                                                                                                                       Industry member tier                                                                                                           member
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  (orders, quotes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   and cancels)

                                                    Tier   1   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................         >10,000,000,000
                                                    Tier   2   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................          >1,000,000,000
                                                    Tier   3   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................           >100,000,000
                                                    Tier   4   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................              >2,500,000
                                                    Tier   5   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................               >200,000
                                                    Tier   6   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                 >50,000
                                                    Tier   7   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                  >5,000
                                                    Tier   8   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                  >1,000
                                                    Tier   9   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                  ≤1,000



                                                     Based on the above analysis, the                                              following Industry Member Percentages
                                                    Operating Committee approved the                                               and Recovery Allocations:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Percentage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Percentage                                              Percentage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             of industry
                                                                                                               Industry member tier                                                                              of industry                                               of total
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              member
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  members                                                 recovery
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              recovery

                                                    Tier   1   ............................................................................................................................................                  0.500                         8.50                  6.38
                                                    Tier   2   ............................................................................................................................................                  2.500                        35.00                 26.25
                                                    Tier   3   ............................................................................................................................................                  2.125                        21.25                 15.94
                                                    Tier   4   ............................................................................................................................................                  4.625                        15.75                 11.81
                                                    Tier   5   ............................................................................................................................................                  3.625                         7.75                  5.81
                                                    Tier   6   ............................................................................................................................................                  4.000                         5.25                  3.94
                                                    Tier   7   ............................................................................................................................................                 17.500                         4.50                  3.38
                                                    Tier   8   ............................................................................................................................................                 20.125                         1.50                  1.13
                                                    Tier   9   ............................................................................................................................................                 45.000                         0.50                  0.38

                                                           Total ......................................................................................................................................                          100                            100               75
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                       For the purposes of creating these                                          for the period after the start of CAT                                           start of CAT reporting, ‘‘message traffic’’
                                                    tiers based on message traffic, the                                            reporting. The different definition for                                         will be comprised of historical equity
                                                    Operating Committee determined to                                              message traffic is necessary as there will                                      and equity options orders, cancels and
                                                    define the term ‘‘message traffic’’                                            be no Reportable Events as defined in                                           quotes provided by each exchange and
                                                    separately for the period before the                                           the Plan, prior to the commencement of                                          FINRA over the previous three
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        EN24MY17.004</GPH>




                                                    commencement of CAT reporting and                                              CAT reporting. Accordingly, prior to the


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                                                    23870                        Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices

                                                    months.38 Prior to the start of CAT                     Industry Members while still providing                 model treats the two types of Execution
                                                    reporting, orders would be comprised of                 predictability in the tiering for Industry             Venues.
                                                    the total number of equity and equity                   Members. Because fee tiers will be
                                                                                                                                                                   (I) NMS Stocks and OTC Equity
                                                    options orders received and originated                  calculated based on message traffic from
                                                                                                                                                                   Securities
                                                    by a member of an exchange or FINRA                     the prior three months, the Operating
                                                    over the previous three-month period,                   Committee will begin calculating                          Section 11.3(a)(i) of the CAT NMS
                                                    including principal orders, cancel/                     message traffic based on an Industry                   Plan states that each Execution Venue
                                                    replace orders, market maker orders                     Member’s Reportable Events reported to                 that (i) executes transactions or, (ii) in
                                                    originated by a member of an exchange,                  the CAT once the Industry Member has                   the case of a national securities
                                                    and reserve (iceberg) orders as well as                 been reporting to the CAT for three                    association, has trades reported by its
                                                    order routes and executions originated                  months. Prior to that, fee tiers will be               members to its trade reporting facility or
                                                    by a member of FINRA, and excluding                     calculated as discussed above with                     facilities for reporting transactions
                                                    order rejects and implied orders.39 In                  regard to the period prior to CAT                      effected otherwise than on an exchange,
                                                    addition, prior to the start of CAT                     reporting.                                             in NMS Stocks or OTC Equity Securities
                                                    reporting, cancels would be comprised                                                                          will pay a fixed fee depending on the
                                                    of the total number of equity and equity                (C) Execution Venue Tiering                            market share of that Execution Venue in
                                                    option cancels received and originated                     Under Section 11.3(a) of the CAT                    NMS Stocks and OTC Equity Securities,
                                                    by a member of an exchange or FINRA                     NMS Plan, the Operating Committee is                   with the Operating Committee
                                                    over a three-month period, excluding                    required to establish fixed fees payable               establishing at least two and not more
                                                    order modifications (e.g., order updates,               by Execution Venues. Section 1.1 of the                than five tiers of fixed fees, based on an
                                                    order splits, partial cancels).                         CAT NMS Plan defines an Execution                      Execution Venue’s NMS Stocks and
                                                    Furthermore, prior to the start of CAT                  Venue as ‘‘a Participant or an alternative             OTC Equity Securities market share. For
                                                    reporting, quotes would be comprised of                 trading system (‘‘ATS’’) (as defined in                these purposes, market share for
                                                    information readily available to the                    Rule 300 of Regulation ATS) that                       Execution Venues that execute
                                                    exchanges and FINRA, such as the total                  operates pursuant to Rule 301 of                       transactions will be calculated by share
                                                    number of historical equity and equity                  Regulation ATS (excluding any such                     volume, and market share for a national
                                                    options quotes received and originated                  ATS that does not execute orders).’’ 41                securities association that has trades
                                                    by a member of an exchange or FINRA                        The Participants determined that                    reported by its members to its trade
                                                    over the prior three-month period.                      ATSs should be included within the                     reporting facility or facilities for
                                                      After an Industry Member begins                       definition of Execution Venue. Given                   reporting transactions effected
                                                    reporting to the CAT, ‘‘message traffic’’               the similarity between the activity of                 otherwise than on an exchange in NMS
                                                    will be calculated based on the Industry                                                                       Stocks or OTC Equity Securities will be
                                                                                                            exchanges and ATSs, both of which
                                                    Member’s Reportable Events reported to                                                                         calculated based on share volume of
                                                                                                            meet the definition of an ‘‘exchange’’ as
                                                    the CAT as will be defined in the                                                                              trades reported, provided, however, that
                                                                                                            set forth in the Exchange Act and the
                                                    Technical Specifications.40                                                                                    the share volume reported to such
                                                                                                            fact that the similar trading models
                                                      The Operating Committee has                                                                                  national securities association by an
                                                                                                            would have similar anticipated burdens
                                                    determined to calculate fee tiers every                                                                        Execution Venue shall not be included
                                                                                                            on the CAT, the Participants determined
                                                    three months, on a calendar quarter                                                                            in the calculation of such national
                                                                                                            that ATSs should be treated in the same
                                                    basis, based on message traffic from the                                                                       security association’s market share.
                                                                                                            manner as the exchanges for the                           In accordance with Section 11.3(a)(i)
                                                    prior three months. Based on its
                                                                                                            purposes of determining the level of fees              of the CAT NMS Plan, the Operating
                                                    analysis of historical data, the Operating
                                                                                                            associated with the CAT.42                             Committee approved a tiered fee
                                                    Committee believes that calculating tiers
                                                                                                               Given the differences between                       structure for Equity Execution Venues
                                                    based on three months of data will
                                                                                                            Execution Venues that trade NMS                        and Option Execution Venues. In
                                                    provide the best balance between
                                                                                                            Stocks and/or OTC Equity Securities                    determining the Equity Execution
                                                    reflecting changes in activity by
                                                                                                            and Execution Venues that trade Listed                 Venue Tiers, the Operating Committee
                                                       38 The SEC approved exemptive relief permitting      Options, Section 11.3(a) addresses                     considered the funding principles set
                                                    Options Market Maker quotes to be reported to the       Execution Venues that trade NMS                        forth in Section 11.2 of the CAT NMS
                                                    Central Repository by the relevant Options              Stocks and/or OTC Equity Securities                    Plan, seeking to create funding tiers that
                                                    Exchange in lieu of requiring that such reporting be    separately from Execution Venues that
                                                    done by both the Options Exchange and the Options                                                              take into account the relative impact on
                                                    Market Maker, as required by Rule 613 of
                                                                                                            trade Listed Options. Equity and                       system resources of different Equity
                                                    Regulation NMS. See Securities Exchange Act             Options Execution Venues are treated                   Execution Venues, and that establish
                                                    Release No. 77265 (Mar. 1, 2017 [sic], 81 FR 11856      separately for two reasons. First, the                 comparable fees among the CAT
                                                    (Mar. 7, 2016). This exemption applies to Options       differing quoting behavior of Equity and
                                                    Market Maker quotes for CAT reporting purposes
                                                                                                                                                                   Reporters with the most Reportable
                                                    only. Therefore, notwithstanding the reporting
                                                                                                            Options Execution Venues makes                         Events. Each Equity Execution Venue
                                                    exemption provided for Options Market Maker             comparison of activity between                         will be placed into one of two tiers of
                                                    quotes, Options Market Maker quotes will be             Execution Venues difficult. Second,                    fixed fees, based on the Execution
                                                    included in the calculation of total message traffic    Execution Venue tiers are calculated
                                                    for Options Market Makers for purposes of tiering
                                                                                                                                                                   Venue’s NMS Stocks and OTC Equity
                                                    under the CAT funding model both prior to CAT
                                                                                                            based on market share of share volume,                 Securities market share. In choosing two
                                                    reporting and once CAT reporting commences.             and it is therefore difficult to compare               tiers, the Operating Committee
                                                       39 Consequently, firms that do not have ‘‘message    market share between asset classes (i.e.,              performed an analysis similar to that
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    traffic’’ reported to an exchange or OATS before        equity shares versus options contracts).               discussed above with regard to the non-
                                                    they are reporting to the CAT would not be subject      Discussed below is how the funding
                                                    to a fee until they begin to report information to                                                             Execution Venue Industry Members to
                                                    CAT.                                                                                                           determine the number of tiers for Equity
                                                       40 If an Industry Member (other than an Execution      41 Although FINRA does not operate an execution
                                                                                                                                                                   Execution Venues. The Operating
                                                    Venue ATS) has no orders, cancels or quotes prior       venue, because it is a Participant, it is considered   Committee determined to establish two
                                                    to the commencement of CAT Reporting, or no             an ‘‘Execution Venue’’ under the Plan for purposes
                                                    Reportable Events after CAT reporting commences,        of determining fees.                                   tiers for Equity Execution Venues, rather
                                                    then the Industry Member would not have a CAT             42 Section B.7, Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan,      than a larger number of tiers as
                                                    fee obligation.                                         Approval Order at 85005.                               established for non-Execution Venue


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                                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices                                                                          23871

                                                    Industry Members, because the two tiers                                      during the recent tiering period. A                                      largest CAT Reporters. Accordingly,
                                                    were sufficient to distinguish between                                       37.80/62.20 split was applied to the                                     following the determination of the
                                                    the smaller number of Equity Execution                                       ATS and non-ATS breakdown of FINRA                                       percentage of Execution Venues in each
                                                    Venues based on market share.                                                market share, with FINRA tiered based                                    tier, the Operating Committee identified
                                                    Furthermore, the incorporation of                                            only on the non-ATS portion of its TRF                                   the percentage of total market volume
                                                    additional Equity Execution Venue tiers                                      market share of share volume.                                            for each tier based on the historical
                                                    would result in significantly higher fees                                       Based on this, the Operating                                          market share upon which Execution
                                                    for Tier 1 Equity Execution Venues and                                       Committee considered the distribution                                    Venues had been initially ranked.
                                                    diminish comparability between                                               of Execution Venues, and grouped                                         Taking this into account along with the
                                                    Execution Venues and Industry                                                together Execution Venues with similar                                   resulting percentage of total recovery,
                                                    Members.                                                                     levels of market share of share volume.                                  the percentage allocation of costs
                                                       Each Equity Execution Venue will be                                       In doing so, the Participants considered                                 recovered for each tier were assigned,
                                                    ranked by market share and tiered by                                         that, as previously noted, Execution                                     allocating higher percentages of
                                                    predefined Execution Venue                                                   Venues in many cases have similar                                        recovery to the tier with a higher level
                                                    percentages, (the ‘‘Equity Execution                                         levels of message traffic due to quoting                                 of market share while avoiding any
                                                    Venue Percentages’’). In determining the                                     activity, and determined that it was                                     inappropriate burden on competition.
                                                    fixed percentage of Equity Execution                                         simpler and more appropriate to have                                     Furthermore, due to the similar levels of
                                                    Venues in each tier, the Operating                                           fewer, rather than more, Execution                                       impact on the CAT System across
                                                    Committee looked at historical market                                        Venue tiers to distinguish between                                       Execution Venues, there is less variation
                                                    share of share volume for execution                                          Execution Venues.                                                        in CAT Fees between the highest and
                                                    venues. Equities Execution Venue                                                The percentage of costs recovered by                                  lowest of tiers for Execution Venues.
                                                    market share of share volume were                                            each Equity Execution Venue tier will                                    Furthermore, by using percentages of
                                                    sourced from market statistics made                                          be determined by predefined percentage                                   Equity Execution Venues and costs
                                                    publicly-available by Bats Global                                            allocations (the ‘‘Equity Execution                                      recovered per tier, the Operating
                                                    Markets, Inc. (‘‘Bats’’). ATS market                                         Venue Recovery Allocation’’). In                                         Committee sought to include stability
                                                    share of share volume was sourced from                                       determining the fixed percentage                                         and elasticity within the funding model,
                                                    market statistics made publicly-                                             allocation of costs recovered for each                                   allowing the funding model to respond
                                                    available by FINRA. FINRA trading [sic]                                      tier, the Operating Committee                                            to changes in either the total number of
                                                    reporting facility (‘‘TRF’’) market share                                    considered the impact of CAT Reporter                                    Equity Execution Venues or changes in
                                                    of share volume was sourced from                                             market share activity on the CAT                                         market share.
                                                    market statistics made publicly                                              System as well as the distribution of                                       Based on this analysis, the Operating
                                                    available by Bats. As indicated by                                           total market volume across Equity                                        Committee approved the following
                                                    FINRA, ATSs accounted for 37.80% of                                          Execution Venues while seeking to                                        Equity Execution Venue Percentages
                                                    the share volume across the TRFs                                             maintain comparable fees among the                                       and Recovery Allocations:

                                                                                                                                                                                                          Percentage      Percentage     Percentage
                                                                                                                                                                                                           of Equity      of Execution
                                                                                                       Equity Execution Venue tier                                                                                                         of total
                                                                                                                                                                                                           Execution         Venue        recovery
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Venues         Recovery

                                                    Tier 1 ............................................................................................................................................         25.00            26.00          6.50
                                                    Tier 2 ............................................................................................................................................         75.00            49.00         12.25

                                                           Total ......................................................................................................................................           100               75         18.75



                                                       The following table exhibits the                                          tier to be reassigned periodically, as                    For these purposes, market share will be
                                                    relative separation of market share of                                       described below in Section 3(a)(1)(I)                     calculated by contract volume.
                                                    share volume between Tier 1 and Tier                                         [sic].                                                      In accordance with Section 11.3(a)(ii)
                                                    2 Equity Execution Venues. In                                                                                                          of the CAT NMS Plan, the Operating
                                                    reviewing the table, note that while this                                                                                Equity market Committee approved a tiered fee
                                                    division was referenced as a data point                                                                                    share of
                                                                                                                                                                             share volume structure for Options Execution Venues.
                                                                                                                                  Equity Execution Venue tier
                                                    to help differentiate between Equity                                                                                          (%)      In determining the tiers, the Operating
                                                    Execution Venue tiers, the proposed                                                                                                    Committee considered the funding
                                                    funding model is directly driven not by                                      Tier 1 ....................................            ≥1 principles set forth in Section 11.2 of
                                                    market share thresholds, but rather by                                       Tier 2 ....................................            <1 the CAT NMS Plan, seeking to create
                                                    fixed percentages of Equity Execution                                                                                                  funding tiers that take into account the
                                                    Venues across tiers to account for                                           (II) Listed Options                                       relative impact on system resources of
                                                    fluctuating levels of market share across                                                                                              different Options Execution Venues,
                                                    time. Actual market share in any tier                                           Section 11.3(a)(ii) of the CAT NMS                     and that establish comparable fees
                                                    will vary based on the actual market                                         Plan states that each Execution Venue                     among the CAT Reporters with the most
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    activity in a given measurement period,                                      that executes transactions in Listed                      Reportable Events. Each Options
                                                    as well as the number of Equity                                              Options will pay a fixed fee depending                    Execution Venue will be placed into one
                                                    Execution Venues included in the                                             on the Listed Options market share of                     of two tiers of fixed fees, based on the
                                                    measurement period. The Equity                                               that Execution Venue, with the                            Execution Venue’s Listed Options
                                                    Execution Venue Percentages and                                              Operating Committee establishing at                       market share. In choosing two tiers, the
                                                    Equity Execution Venue Recovery                                              least two and no more than five tiers of                  Operating Committee performed an
                                                    Allocation for each tier will remain                                         fixed fees, based on an Execution                         analysis similar to that discussed above
                                                    fixed with each Equity Execution Venue                                       Venue’s Listed Options market share.                      with regard to Industry Members (other


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                                                    23872                                    Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices

                                                    than Execution Venue ATSs) to                                                Venue Percentages’’). To determine the                                   market share activity on the CAT
                                                    determine the number of tiers for                                            fixed percentage of Options Execution                                    System as well as the distribution of
                                                    Options Execution Venues. The                                                Venues in each tier, the Operating                                       total market volume across Options
                                                    Operating Committee determined to                                            Committee analyzed the historical and                                    Execution Venues while seeking to
                                                    establish two tiers for Options                                              publicly available market share of                                       maintain comparable fees among the
                                                    Execution Venues, rather than a larger                                       Options Execution Venues to group                                        largest CAT Reporters. Furthermore, by
                                                    number of tiers as established for                                           Options Execution Venues with similar                                    using percentages of Options Execution
                                                    Industry Members (other than Execution                                       market shares across the tiers. Options                                  Venues and costs recovered per tier, the
                                                    Venue ATSs), because the two tiers                                           Execution Venue market share of share                                    Operating Committee sought to include
                                                    were sufficient to distinguish between                                       volume were sourced from market
                                                                                                                                                                                                          stability and elasticity within the
                                                    the smaller number of Options                                                statistics made publicly-available by
                                                                                                                                                                                                          funding model, allowing the funding
                                                    Execution Venues based on market                                             Bats. The process for developing the
                                                    share. Furthermore, due to the smaller                                       Options Execution Venue Percentages                                      model to respond to changes in either
                                                    number of Options Execution Venues,                                          was the same as discussed above with                                     the total number of Options Execution
                                                    the incorporation of additional Options                                      regard to Equity Execution Venues.                                       Venues or changes in market share. The
                                                    Execution Venue tiers would result in                                           The percentage of costs recovered by                                  process for developing the Options
                                                    significantly higher fees for Tier 1                                         each Options Execution Venue tier will                                   Execution Venue Recovery Allocation
                                                    Options Execution Venues and reduce                                          be determined by predefined percentage                                   was the same as discussed above with
                                                    comparability between Execution                                              allocations (the ‘‘Options Execution                                     regard to Equity Execution Venues.
                                                    Venues and Industry Members.                                                 Venue Recovery Allocation’’). In                                           Based on this analysis, the Operating
                                                      Each Options Execution Venue will                                          determining the fixed percentage                                         Committee approved the following
                                                    be ranked by market share and tiered by                                      allocation of costs recovered for each                                   Options Execution Venue Percentages
                                                    predefined Execution Venue                                                   tier, the Operating Committee                                            and Recovery Allocations:
                                                    percentages, (the ‘‘Options Execution                                        considered the impact of CAT Reporter

                                                                                                                                                                                                          Percentage      Percentage     Percentage
                                                                                                                                                                                                          of Options      of Execution
                                                                                                      Options Execution Venue tier                                                                                                         of total
                                                                                                                                                                                                           Execution         Venue        recovery
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Venues         Recovery

                                                    Tier 1 ............................................................................................................................................         75.00            20.00          5.00
                                                    Tier 2 ............................................................................................................................................         25.00             5.00          1.25

                                                           Total ......................................................................................................................................           100               25          6.25



                                                       The following table exhibits the                                                                                       during the relevant time period.
                                                                                                                                                                                      Options
                                                    relative separation of market share of                                                                                    Similarly, market share for Options
                                                                                                                                                                                      market
                                                    share volume between Tier 1 and Tier                             Options Execution Venue tier                                  share of share
                                                                                                                                                                              Execution Venues will be determined by
                                                                                                                                                                                      volume
                                                                                                                                                                              calculating each Options Execution
                                                    2 Options Execution Venues. In                                                                                                      (%)
                                                    reviewing the table, note that while this                                                                                 Venue’s proportion of the total volume
                                                    division was referenced as a data point                          Tier 2 ....................................           <1 of Listed Options contracts reported by
                                                    to help differentiate between Options                                                                                     all Options Execution Venues during
                                                    Execution Venue tiers, the proposed                              (III) Market Share/Tier Assignments                      the relevant time period.
                                                    funding model is directly driven, not by                                                                                     The Operating Committee has
                                                                                                                        The Operating Committee determined determined to calculate fee tiers for
                                                    market share thresholds, but rather by                           that, prior to the start of CAT reporting,
                                                    fixed percentages of Options Execution                                                                                    Execution Venues every three months
                                                                                                                     market share for Execution Venues                        based on market share from the prior
                                                    Venues across tiers to account for                               would be sourced from publicly-
                                                    fluctuating levels of market share across                                                                                 three months. Based on its analysis of
                                                                                                                     available market data. Options and                       historical data, the Operating Committee
                                                    time. Actual market share in any tier                            equity volumes for Participants will be                  believes calculating tiers based on three
                                                    will vary based on the actual market                             sourced from market data made publicly months of data will provide the best
                                                    activity in a given measurement period,                          available by Bats while Execution                        balance between reflecting changes in
                                                    as well as the number of Options                                 Venue ATS volumes will be sourced                        activity by Execution Venues while still
                                                    Execution Venues included in the                                 from market data made publicly                           providing predictability in the tiering
                                                    measurement period. The Options                                  available by FINRA. Set forth in the                     for Execution Venues.
                                                    Execution Venue Percentages and                                  Appendix are two charts, one listing the
                                                    Equity Execution Venue Recovery                                  current Equity Execution Venues, each                    (D) Allocation of Costs
                                                    Allocation for each tier will remain                             with its rank and tier, and one listing                     In addition to the funding principles
                                                    fixed with each Options Execution                                the current Options Execution Venues,                    discussed above, including
                                                    Venue tier to be reassigned periodically,                        each with its rank and tier.                             comparability of fees, Section 11.1(c) of
                                                    as described below in Section 3(a)(1)(I)                            After the commencement of CAT                         the CAT NMS Plan also requires
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    [sic].                                                           reporting, market share for Execution                    expenses to be fairly and reasonably
                                                                                                                     Venues will be sourced from data                         shared among the Participants and
                                                                                                         Options     reported to the CAT. Equity Execution                    Industry Members. Accordingly, in
                                                                                                         market      Venue market share will be determined                    developing the proposed fee schedules
                                                    Options Execution Venue tier                      share of share
                                                                                                         volume      by  calculating        each     Equity      Execution    pursuant to the funding model, the
                                                                                                           (%)       Venue’s proportion of the total volume                   Operating Committee calculated how
                                                                                                                     of NMS Stock and OTC Equity shares                       the CAT costs would be allocated
                                                    Tier 1 ....................................                   ≥1 reported by all Equity Execution Venues between Industry Members and



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                                                                                          Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices                                                                                 23873

                                                    Execution Venues, and how the portion                                 than Execution Venues (e.g., an                                        costs to be comprised of Plan Processor
                                                    of CAT costs allocated to Execution                                   estimated 1,630 Industry Members                                       costs and non-Plan Processor costs,
                                                    Venues would be allocated between                                     versus 70 Execution Venues as of                                       which are estimated to be $50,700,000
                                                    Equity Execution Venues and Options                                   January 2017).                                                         in total for the year beginning November
                                                    Execution Venues. These                                                                                                                      21, 2016.43
                                                                                                                          (II) Allocation Between Equity
                                                    determinations are described below.                                                                                                             The Plan Processor costs relate to
                                                                                                                          Execution Venues and Options
                                                    (I) Allocation Between Industry                                       Execution Venues                                                       costs incurred by the Plan Processor and
                                                    Members and Execution Venues                                                                                                                 consist of the Plan Processor’s current
                                                                                                                             The Operating Committee also
                                                                                                                                                                                                 estimates of average yearly ongoing
                                                       In determining the cost allocation                                 analyzed how the portion of CAT costs
                                                                                                                                                                                                 costs, including development cost,
                                                    between Industry Members (other than                                  allocated to Execution Venues would be
                                                                                                                                                                                                 which total $37,500,000. This amount is
                                                    Execution Venue ATSs) and Execution                                   allocated between Equity Execution
                                                                                                                                                                                                 based upon the fees due to the Plan
                                                    Venues, the Operating Committee                                       Venues and Options Execution Venues.
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Processor pursuant to the agreement
                                                    analyzed a range of possible splits for                               In considering this allocation of costs,
                                                                                                                                                                                                 with the Plan Processor.
                                                    revenue recovered from such Industry                                  the Operating Committee analyzed a
                                                    Members and Execution Venues. Based                                   range of alternative splits for revenue                                   The non-Plan Processor estimated
                                                    on this analysis, the Operating                                       recovered between Equity and Options                                   costs incurred and to be incurred by the
                                                    Committee determined that 75 percent                                  Execution Venues, including a 70/30,                                   Company through November 21, 2017
                                                    of total costs recovered would be                                     67/33, 65/35, 50/50 and 25/75 split.                                   consist of three categories of costs. The
                                                    allocated to Industry Members (other                                  Based on this analysis, the Operating                                  first category of such costs are third
                                                    than Execution Venue ATSs) and 25                                     Committee determined to allocate 75                                    party support costs, which include
                                                    percent would be allocated to Execution                               percent of Execution Venue costs                                       historic legal fees, consulting fees and
                                                    Venues. The Operating Committee                                       recovered to Equity Execution Venues                                   audit fees from November 21, 2016 until
                                                    determined that this 75/25 division                                   and 25 percent to Options Execution                                    the date of filing as well as estimated
                                                    maintained the greatest level of                                      Venues. The Operating Committee                                        third party support costs for the rest of
                                                    comparability across the funding model,                               determined that a 75/25 division                                       the year. These amount to an estimated
                                                    keeping in view that comparability                                    between Equity and Options Execution                                   $5,200,000. The second category of non-
                                                    should consider affiliations among or                                 Venues maintained elasticity across the                                Plan Processor costs are estimated
                                                    between CAT Reporters (e.g., firms with                               funding model as well the greatest level                               insurance costs for the year. Based on
                                                    multiple Industry Members and/or                                      of fee equitability and comparability                                  discussions with potential insurance
                                                    exchange licenses). For example, the                                  based on the current number of Equity                                  providers, assuming $2–5 million
                                                    cost allocation establishes fees for the                              and Options Execution Venues. For                                      insurance premium on $100 million in
                                                    largest Industry Members (i.e., those                                 example, the allocation establishes fees                               coverage, the Company has received an
                                                    Industry Members in Tiers 1, 2 and 3)                                 for the larger Equity Execution Venues                                 estimate of $3,000,000 for the annual
                                                    that are comparable to the largest Equity                             that are comparable to the larger                                      cost. The final cost figures will be
                                                    Execution Venues and Options                                          Options Execution Venues, and fees for                                 determined following receipt of final
                                                    Execution Venues (i.e., those Execution                               the smaller Equity Execution Venues                                    underwriter quotes. The third category
                                                    Venues in Tier 1). In addition, the cost                              that are comparable to the smaller                                     of non-Plan Processor costs is the
                                                    allocation establishes fees for Execution                             Options Execution Venues. In addition                                  operational reserve, which is comprised
                                                    Venue complexes that are comparable to                                to fee comparability between Equity                                    of three months of ongoing Plan
                                                    those of Industry Member complexes.                                   Execution Venues and Options                                           Processor costs ($9,375,000), third party
                                                    For example, when analyzing                                           Execution Venues, the allocation also                                  support costs ($1,300,000) and
                                                    alternative allocations, other possible                               establishes equitability between larger                                insurance costs ($750,000). The
                                                    allocations led to much higher fees for                               (Tier 1) and smaller (Tier 2) Execution                                Operating Committee aims to
                                                    larger Industry Members than for larger                               Venues based upon the level of market                                  accumulate the necessary funds for the
                                                    Execution Venues or vice versa, and/or                                share. Furthermore, the allocation is                                  establishment of the three-month
                                                    led to much higher fees for Industry                                  intended to reflect the relative levels of                             operating reserve for the Company
                                                    Member complexes than Execution                                       current equity and options order events.                               through the CAT Fees charged to CAT
                                                    Venue complexes or vice versa.                                                                                                               Reporters for the year. On an ongoing
                                                       Furthermore, the allocation of total                               (E) Fee Levels                                                         basis, the Operating Committee will
                                                    CAT costs recovered recognizes the                                      The Operating Committee determined                                   account for any potential need for the
                                                    difference in the number of CAT                                       to establish a CAT-specific fee to                                     replenishment of the operating reserve
                                                    Reporters that are Industry Members                                   collectively recover the costs of building                             or other changes to total cost during its
                                                    versus CAT Reporters that are Execution                               and operating the CAT. Accordingly,                                    annual budgeting process. The
                                                    Venues. Specifically, the cost allocation                             under the funding model, the sum of the                                following table summarizes the Plan
                                                    takes into consideration that there are                               CAT Fees is designed to recover the                                    Processor and non-Plan Processor cost
                                                    approximately 25 times more Industry                                  total cost of the CAT. The Operating                                   components which comprise the total
                                                    Members expected to report to the CAT                                 Committee has determined overall CAT                                   CAT costs of $50,700,000.

                                                                                       Cost category                                                                              Cost component                                               Amount
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    Plan Processor ............................................................................   Operational Costs ......................................................................    $37,500,000
                                                    Non-Plan Processor ....................................................................       Third Party Support Costs .........................................................            5,200,000
                                                                                                                                                  Operational Reserve ..................................................................      44 5,000,000

                                                                                                                                                  Insurance Costs .........................................................................      3,000,000




                                                       43 It is anticipated that CAT-related costs incurred

                                                    prior to November 21, 2016 will be addressed via
                                                    a separate fee filing.

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                                                    23874                                      Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices

                                                                                           Cost category                                                                                           Cost component                                                     Amount

                                                           Estimated Total ....................................................................               ....................................................................................................    50,700,000



                                                      Based on the estimated costs and the                                         Committee determined to impose the                                               For Industry Members (other than
                                                    calculations for the funding model                                             following fees: 45                                                             Execution Venue ATSs):
                                                    described above, the Operating

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        CAT
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Monthly                    Quarterly
                                                                                                                            Tier                                                                                                                                      fees paid
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   CAT fee                    CAT fee                annually 46

                                                    1   ...................................................................................................................................................              $33,668                  $101,004              $404,016
                                                    2   ...................................................................................................................................................               27,051                    81,153               324,612
                                                    3   ...................................................................................................................................................               19,239                    57,717               230,868
                                                    4   ...................................................................................................................................................                6,655                    19,965                79,860
                                                    5   ...................................................................................................................................................                4,163                    12,489                49,956
                                                    6   ...................................................................................................................................................                2,560                     7,680                30,720
                                                    7   ...................................................................................................................................................                  501                     1,503                 6,012
                                                    8   ...................................................................................................................................................                  145                       435                 1,740
                                                    9   ...................................................................................................................................................                   22                        66                   264



                                                      For Execution Venues for NMS Stocks
                                                    and OTC Equity Securities:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        CAT
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Monthly                    Quarterly
                                                                                                                            Tier                                                                                                                                      fees paid
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   CAT fee                    CAT fee                annually 47

                                                    1 ...................................................................................................................................................                  21,125                      63,375            253,500
                                                    2 ...................................................................................................................................................                  12,940                      38,820            155,280



                                                     For Execution Venues for Listed
                                                    Options:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        CAT
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Monthly                    Quarterly
                                                                                                                            Tier                                                                                                                                      fees paid
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   CAT fee                    CAT fee                annually 48

                                                    1 ...................................................................................................................................................                $19,205                     $57,615            $230,460
                                                    2 ...................................................................................................................................................                 13,204                      39,612             158,448



                                                      As noted above, the fees set forth in                                        that the fees for Execution Venue                                              that the calculation of CAT Reporter
                                                    the tables reflect the Operating                                               complexes should be comparable to                                              fees assumes 53 Equity Execution
                                                    Committee’s decision to ensure                                                 those of Industry Member complexes.                                            Venues, 15 Options Execution Venues
                                                    comparable fees between Execution                                              The difference in the fees reflects this                                       and 1,631 Industry Members (other than
                                                    Venues and Industry Members. The fees                                          decision to recognize affiliations.                                            Execution Venue ATSs) as of January
                                                    of the top tiers for Industry Members                                            The Operating Committee has                                                  2017.
                                                    (other than Execution Venue ATSs) are                                          calculated the schedule of effective fees
                                                    not identical to the top tier for                                              for Industry Members (other than                                               Calculation of Annual Tier Fees for
                                                    Execution Venues, however, because the                                         Execution Venue ATSs) and Execution                                            Industry Members (‘‘IM’’)
                                                    Operating Committee also determined                                            Venues in the following manner. Note

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Percentage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                Percentage                                           Percentage
                                                                                                                 Industry member                                                                                                            of industry
                                                                                                                                                                                                                of industry                                            of total
                                                                                                                        tier                                                                                                                 member
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 members                                              recovery
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             recovery

                                                    Tier 1 ............................................................................................................................................                      0.500                        8.50               6.38
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                                                    Tier 2 ............................................................................................................................................                      2.500                       35.00              26.25

                                                      44 This $5,000,000 represents the gradual                                    (other than Execution Venue ATSs) (i.e., ‘‘CAT Fees                            ‘‘CAT Fees Paid Annually’’ = ‘‘Monthly CAT Fee’’
                                                    accumulation of the funds for a target operating                               Paid Annually’’ = ‘‘Monthly CAT Fee’’ × 12                                     × 12 months).
                                                    reserve of $11,425,000.                                                        months).                                                                          48 This column represents the approximate total
                                                      45 Note that all monthly, quarterly and annual
                                                                                                                                     47 This column represents the approximate total                              CAT Fees paid each year by each Execution Venue
                                                    CAT Fees have been rounded to the nearest dollar.
                                                      46 This column represents the approximate total
                                                                                                                                   CAT Fees paid each year by each Execution Venue                                for Listed Options (i.e., ‘‘CAT Fees Paid Annually’’
                                                                                                                                   for NMS Stocks and OTC Equity Securities (i.e.,                                = ‘‘Monthly CAT Fee’’ × 12 months).
                                                    CAT Fees paid each year by each Industry Member



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                                                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices                                                                                                      23875

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Percentage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Percentage                                            Percentage
                                                                                                                  Industry member                                                                                                            of industry
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 of industry                                             of total
                                                                                                                         tier                                                                                                                 member
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  members                                               recovery
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              recovery

                                                    Tier   3   ............................................................................................................................................                  2.125                        21.25              15.94
                                                    Tier   4   ............................................................................................................................................                  4.625                        15.75              11.81
                                                    Tier   5   ............................................................................................................................................                  3.625                         7.75               5.81
                                                    Tier   6   ............................................................................................................................................                  4.000                         5.25               3.94
                                                    Tier   7   ............................................................................................................................................                 17.500                         4.50               3.38
                                                    Tier   8   ............................................................................................................................................                 20.125                         1.50               1.13
                                                    Tier   9   ............................................................................................................................................                 45.000                         0.50               0.38

                                                           Total ......................................................................................................................................                          100                            100               75


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Estimated
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      number of
                                                                                                                                       Industry member tier                                                                                                            industry
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      members

                                                    Tier   1   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                       8
                                                    Tier   2   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                      41
                                                    Tier   3   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                      35
                                                    Tier   4   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                      75
                                                    Tier   5   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                      59
                                                    Tier   6   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                      65
                                                    Tier   7   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                     285
                                                    Tier   8   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                     328
                                                    Tier   9   ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                     735

                                                           Total ........................................................................................................................................................................................                    1,631
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                                                    23876                                    Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices




                                                    Calculation of Annual Tier Fees for
                                                    Equity Execution Venues (‘‘EV’’)



                                                                                                                                                                                                          Percentage      Percentage
                                                                                                                      Equity                                                                                                             Percentage
                                                                                                                                                                                                           of Equity      of Execution
                                                                                                                     Execution                                                                                                             of total
                                                                                                                                                                                                           Execution         Venue
                                                                                                                     Venue tier                                                                                                           recovery
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Venues         Recovery
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    Tier 1 ............................................................................................................................................         25.00            26.00          6.50
                                                    Tier 2 ............................................................................................................................................         75.00            49.00         12.25

                                                           Total ......................................................................................................................................           100               75         18.75
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       EN24MY17.005</GPH>




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                                                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices                                                                                                  23877

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Estimated
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 number of
                                                                                                                                         Equity Execution                                                                                                          Equity
                                                                                                                                           Venue tier                                                                                                            Execution
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Venues

                                                    Tier 1 ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                     13
                                                    Tier 2 ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                     40

                                                    Total ...............................................................................................................................................................................................                     53




                                                    Calculation of Annual Tier Fees for
                                                    Options Execution Venues (‘‘EV’’)

                                                                                                                                                                                                              Percentage               Percentage of
                                                                                                                      Options                                                                                                                                     Percentage
                                                                                                                                                                                                              of Options                Execution
                                                                                                                     Execution                                                                                                                                      of total
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Execution                  Venue
                                                                                                                     Venue tier                                                                                                                                    recovery
                                                                                                                                                                                                                Venues                   Recovery

                                                    Tier 1 ............................................................................................................................................                   75.00                       20.00              5.00
                                                    Tier 2 ............................................................................................................................................                   25.00                        5.00              1.25

                                                           Total ......................................................................................................................................                      100                            25           6.25


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Estimated
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 number of
                                                                                                                                        Options Execution                                                                                                         Options
                                                                                                                                            Venue tier                                                                                                           Execution
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Venues

                                                    Tier 1 ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                     11
                                                    Tier 2 ..............................................................................................................................................................................................                      4

                                                           Total ........................................................................................................................................................................................                     15
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    Traceability of Total CAT Fees
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   EN24MY17.007</GPH>




                                                                                                                                                                                     Industry                  Estimated                      CAT                    Total
                                                                                                            Type                                                                     member                    number of                   fees paid               recovery
                                                                                                                                                                                       tier                    members                      annually

                                                    Industry Members ............................................................................................              Tier 1 .............                              8              $404,016           $3,232,128
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   EN24MY17.006</GPH>




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                                                    23878                                   Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices

                                                                                                                                                                                   Industry                    Estimated                       CAT                     Total
                                                                                                          Type                                                                     member                      number of                    fees paid                recovery
                                                                                                                                                                                     tier                      members                       annually

                                                                                                                                                                              Tier   2   .............                         41                  324,612           13,309,092
                                                                                                                                                                              Tier   3   .............                         35                  230,868            8,080,380
                                                                                                                                                                              Tier   4   .............                         75                   79,860            5,989,500
                                                                                                                                                                              Tier   5   .............                         59                   49,956            2,947,404
                                                                                                                                                                              Tier   6   .............                         65                   30,720            1,996,800
                                                                                                                                                                              Tier   7   .............                        285                    6,012            1,713,420
                                                                                                                                                                              Tier   8   .............                        328                    1,740              570,720
                                                                                                                                                                              Tier   9   .............                        735                      264              194,040

                                                          Total ..........................................................................................................    ........................                     1,631        ........................     38,033,484

                                                    Equity Execution Venues ................................................................................                  Tier 1 .............                              13                 253,500             3,295,500
                                                                                                                                                                              Tier 2 .............                              40                 155,280             6,211,200

                                                          Total ..........................................................................................................    ........................                          53      ........................       9,506,700

                                                    Options Execution Venues ..............................................................................                   Tier 1 .............                              11                 230,460             2,535,060
                                                                                                                                                                              Tier 2 .............                               4                 158,448               633,792

                                                          Total ..........................................................................................................    ........................                          15      ........................       3,168,852

                                                                Total ..................................................................................................      ........................      ........................    ........................     50,709,036

                                                          Excess 49 ..................................................................................................        ........................      ........................    ........................           9,036



                                                                                                                                Members). Accordingly, in creating the                                            aggregate fees that would be paid by
                                                                                                                                model, the Operating Committee sought                                             such firms.
                                                    (F) Comparability of Fees
                                                                                                                                to take account of the affiliations                                                 While the proposed fees for Tier 1 and
                                                      The funding principles require a                                          between or among CAT Reporters—that                                               Tier 2 Industry Members are relatively
                                                    funding model in which the fees                                             is, where affiliated entities may have
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  higher than those of Tier 1 and Tier 2
                                                    charged to the CAT Reporters with the                                       multiple Industry Member and/or
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Execution Venues, Execution Venue
                                                    most CAT-related activity (measured by                                      Execution Venue licenses, by
                                                    market share and/or message traffic, as                                     maintaining relative comparability of                                             complex fees are relatively higher than
                                                    applicable) are generally comparable                                        fees among such affiliations with the                                             those of Industry Member complexes
                                                    (where, for these comparability                                             most expected CAT-related activity. To                                            largely due to affiliations between
                                                    purposes, the tiered fee structure takes                                    do this, the Participants identified                                              Execution Venues. The tables set forth
                                                    into consideration affiliations between                                     representative affiliations in the largest                                        below describe the largest Execution
                                                    or among CAT Reporters, whether                                             tier of both Execution Venues and                                                 Venue and Industry Member complexes
                                                    Execution Venue and/or Industry                                             Industry Members and compared the                                                 and their associated fees: 50

                                                                                                                                       EXECUTION VENUE COMPLEXES
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Total fees
                                                                                                                                                           Listing of Equity Execution                            Listing of Options Execution
                                                                               Execution Venue complex                                                                                                                                                                by EV
                                                                                                                                                                   Venue tiers                                              Venue tier                               complex

                                                    Execution Venue Complex 1 ....................................................                     • Tier 1 (x2) ............................             •   Tier   1   (x4)   ............................     $1,900,962
                                                                                                                                                       • Tier 2 (x1) ............................             •   Tier   2   (x2)   ............................
                                                    Execution Venue Complex 2 ....................................................                     • Tier 1 (x2) ............................             •   Tier   1   (x2)   ............................       1,863,801
                                                                                                                                                                                                              •   Tier   2   (x1)   ............................
                                                    Execution Venue Complex 3 ....................................................                     • Tier 1 (x2) ............................             •   Tier   1   (x2)   ............................       1,278,447
                                                                                                                                                       • Tier 2 (x2) ............................


                                                                                                                                       INDUSTRY MEMBER COMPLEXES
                                                                                                                                                           Listing of industry member                                                                              Total fees by
                                                                               Industry member complex                                                                                                                 Listing of ATS tiers
                                                                                                                                                                        tiers                                                                                       IM complex

                                                    Industry Member Complex 1 ....................................................                     •   Tier   1   (x2)   ............................     • Tier 2 (x1) ............................               $963,300
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    Industry Member Complex 2 ....................................................                     •   Tier   1   (x1)   ............................     • Tier 2 (x3) ............................                949,674
                                                                                                                                                       •   Tier   4   (x1)   ............................
                                                    Industry Member Complex 3 ....................................................                     •   Tier   1   (x1)   ............................     • Tier 2 (x1) ............................                883,888
                                                                                                                                                       •   Tier   2   (x1)   ............................


                                                      49 The amount in excess of the total CAT costs                              50 Note that the analysis of the complexes was                                  between the 1631 Industry Members may not be
                                                    will contribute to the gradual accumulation of the                          performed on a best efforts basis, as all affiliations                            included.
                                                    target operating reserve of $11.425 million.



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                                                                                     Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices                                                                                     23879

                                                                                                             INDUSTRY MEMBER COMPLEXES—Continued
                                                                                                                                         Listing of industry member                                                                        Total fees by
                                                                          Industry member complex                                                                                                 Listing of ATS tiers
                                                                                                                                                      tiers                                                                                 IM complex

                                                    Industry Member Complex 4 ....................................................   •   Tier   1   (x1)   ............................   N/A ..........................................        808,472
                                                                                                                                     •   Tier   2   (x1)   ............................
                                                                                                                                     •   Tier   4   (x1)   ............................
                                                    Industry Member Complex 5 ....................................................   •   Tier   2   (x1)   ............................   • Tier 2 (x1) ............................            796,595
                                                                                                                                     •   Tier   3   (x1)   ............................
                                                                                                                                     •   Tier   4   (x1)   ............................
                                                                                                                                     •   Tier   7   (x1)   ............................



                                                    (G) Billing Onset                                             With such reviews, the Operating                                         CAT Reporters between tiers will not
                                                       Under Section 11.1(c) of the CAT                           Committee will review the distribution                                   change the criteria for each tier or the
                                                    NMS Plan, to fund the development and                         of Industry Members and Execution                                        fee amount corresponding to each tier.
                                                    implementation of the CAT, the                                Venues across tiers, and make any                                           In performing the tri-monthly
                                                    Company shall time the imposition and                         updates to the percentage of CAT                                         reassignments, the Exchange notes that
                                                    collection of all fees on Participants and                    Reporters allocated to each tier as may                                  the percentage of CAT Reporters in each
                                                    Industry Members in a manner                                  be necessary. In addition, the reviews                                   assigned tier is relative. Therefore, a
                                                    reasonably related to the timing when                         will evaluate the estimated ongoing                                      CAT Reporter’s assigned tier will
                                                    the Company expects to incur such                             CAT costs and the level of the operating                                 depend, not only on its own message
                                                    development and implementation costs.                         reserve. To the extent that the total CAT                                traffic or market share, but it also will
                                                    The Company is currently incurring                            costs decrease, the fees would be                                        depend on the message traffic/market
                                                    such development and implementation                           adjusted downward, and, to the extent                                    share across all CAT Reporters. For
                                                    costs and will continue to do so prior                        that the total CAT costs increase, the                                   example, the percentage of Industry
                                                    to the commencement of CAT reporting                          fees would be adjusted upward.51                                         Members (other than Execution Venue
                                                    and thereafter. For example, the Plan                         Furthermore, any surplus of the                                          ATSs) in each tier is relative such that
                                                    Processor has required up-front                               Company’s revenues over its expenses is                                  such Industry Member’s assigned tier
                                                    payments to begin building the CAT. In                        to be included within the operational                                    will depend on message traffic
                                                    addition, the Company continues to                            reserve to offset future fees. The                                       generated across all CAT Reporters as
                                                    incur consultant and legal expenses on                        limitations on more frequent changes to                                  well as the total number of CAT
                                                    an on-going basis to implement the                            the fee, however, are intended to                                        Reporters. The Operating Committee
                                                    CAT. Accordingly, the Operating                               provide budgeting certainty for the CAT                                  will inform CAT Reporters of their
                                                    Committee determined that all CAT                             Reporters and the Company.52 To the                                      assigned tier every three months
                                                    Reporters, including both Industry                            extent that the Operating Committee                                      following the periodic tiering process,
                                                    Members and Execution Venues                                  approves changes to the number of tiers                                  as the funding model will compare an
                                                    (including Participants), would begin to                      in the funding model or the fees                                         individual CAT Reporter’s activity to
                                                    be invoiced as promptly as possible                           assigned to each tier, then the Exchange                                 that of other CAT Reporters in the
                                                    following the establishment of a billing                      will file such changes with the SEC                                      marketplace.
                                                    mechanism. The Exchange will issue a                          pursuant to Section 19(b) of the                                            The following demonstrates a tier
                                                    Regulatory Circular to its members                            Exchange Act, and any such changes                                       reassignment. In accordance with the
                                                    when the billing mechanism is                                 will become effective in accordance                                      funding model, the top 75% of Options
                                                    established, specifying the date when                         with the requirements of Section 19(b).                                  Execution Venues in market share are
                                                    such invoicing of Industry Members                            (I) Initial and Periodic Tier                                            categorized as Tier 1 while the bottom
                                                    will commence.                                                Reassignments                                                            25% of Options Execution Venues in
                                                                                                                                                                                           market share are categorized as Tier 2.
                                                    (H) Changes to Fee Levels and Tiers                              The Operating Committee has                                           In the sample scenario below, Options
                                                      Section 11.3(d) of the CAT NMS Plan                         determined to calculate fee tiers every                                  Execution Venue L is initially
                                                    states that ‘‘[t]he Operating Committee                       three months based on market share or                                    categorized as a Tier 2 Options
                                                    shall review such fee schedule on at                          message traffic, as applicable, from the                                 Execution Venue in Period A due to its
                                                    least an annual basis and shall make any                      prior three months. For the initial tier                                 market share. When market share is
                                                    changes to such fee schedule that it                          assignments, the Company will                                            recalculated for Period B, the market
                                                    deems appropriate. The Operating                              calculate the relevant tier for each CAT                                 share of Execution Venue L increases,
                                                    Committee is authorized to review such                        Reporter using the three months of data                                  and it is therefore subsequently
                                                    fee schedule on a more regular basis, but                     prior to the commencement date. As                                       reranked and reassigned to Tier 1 in
                                                    shall not make any changes on more                            with the initial tier assignment, for the                                Period B. Correspondingly, Options
                                                    than a semi-annual basis unless,                              tri-monthly reassignments, the                                           Execution Venue K, initially a Tier 1
                                                    pursuant to a Supermajority Vote, the                         Company will calculate the relevant tier                                 Options Execution Venue in Period A,
                                                    Operating Committee concludes that                            using the three months of data prior to                                  is reassigned to Tier 2 in Period B due
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    such change is necessary for the                              the relevant tri-monthly date. The                                       to decreases in its market share of share
                                                    adequate funding of the Company.’’                            Exchange notes that any movement of                                      volume.


                                                      51 The CAT Fees are designed to recover the costs           such as any changes in costs related to the                               52 Section B.7, Appendix C of the CAT NMS Plan,

                                                    associated with the CAT. Accordingly, CAT Fees                retirement of existing regulatory systems, such as                       Approval Order at 85006.
                                                    would not be affected by increases or decreases in            OATS.
                                                    other non-CAT expenses incurred by the SROs,



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                                                    23880                         Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices

                                                                                          Period A                                                                                       Period B

                                                                                                        Market                                                                                              Market
                                                          Options Execution Venue                                                   Tier                Options Execution Venue                                              Tier
                                                                                                      share rank                                                                                          share rank

                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   A .............                   1                          1   Options     Execution   Venue   A ............                    1                  1
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   B .............                   2                          1   Options     Execution   Venue   B ............                    2                  1
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   C .............                   3                          1   Options     Execution   Venue   C ............                    3                  1
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   D .............                   4                          1   Options     Execution   Venue   D ............                    4                  1
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   E .............                   5                          1   Options     Execution   Venue   E ............                    5                  1
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   F ..............                  6                          1   Options     Execution   Venue   F .............                   6                  1
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   G .............                   7                          1   Options     Execution   Venue   I ..............                  7                  1
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   H .............                   8                          1   Options     Execution   Venue   H ............                    8                  1
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   I ...............                 9                          1   Options     Execution   Venue   G ............                    9                  1
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   J ..............                 10                          1   Options     Execution   Venue   J .............                  10                  1
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   K .............                  11                          1   Options     Execution   Venue   L .............                  11                  1
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   L ..............                 12                          2   Options     Execution   Venue   K ............                   12                  2
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   M .............                  13                          2   Options     Execution   Venue   N ............                   13                  2
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   N .............                  14                          2   Options     Execution   Venue   M ............                   14                  2
                                                    Options   Execution   Venue   O .............                  15                          2   Options     Execution   Venue   O ............                   15                  2



                                                    (3) Proposed CAT Fee Schedule                                 Finally, Paragraph (a)(6) defines an                                                        Percentage    Quarterly
                                                      The Exchange proposes the                                ‘‘Execution Venue’’ as a Participant or                                    Tier                of industry   CAT fee
                                                                                                               an ATS (excluding any such ATS that                                                             members
                                                    Consolidated Audit Trail Funding Fees
                                                    to implement the CAT Fees determined                       does not execute orders). This definition
                                                                                                                                                                               5   ........................        3.625       12,489
                                                    by the Operating Committee on BOX’s                        is the same substantive definition as set
                                                                                                                                                                               6   ........................        4.000        7,680
                                                    Industry Members. The proposed fee                         forth in Section 1.1 of the CAT NMS
                                                                                                                                                                               7   ........................       17.500        1,503
                                                    schedule has three sections, covering                      Plan. Paragraph (a)(5) defines an
                                                                                                                                                                               8   ........................       20.125          435
                                                    definitions, the fee schedule for CAT                      ‘‘Equity Execution Venue’’ as an                                9   ........................       45.000           66
                                                    Fees, and the timing and manner of                         Execution Venue that trades NMS
                                                    payments. Each of these sections is                        Stocks and/or OTC Equity Securities.
                                                                                                                                                                                  Paragraph (b)(2) of the proposed fee
                                                    discussed in detail below.                                 (B) Fee Schedule                                                schedule sets forth the CAT Fees
                                                    (A) Definitions                                               The Exchange proposes to impose the                          applicable to Equity ATSs.53 These are
                                                       Paragraph (a) of the proposed fee                       CAT Fees applicable to its Industry                             the same fees that Participants that trade
                                                    schedule sets forth the definitions for                    Members through paragraph (b) of the                            NMS Stocks and/or OTC Equity
                                                    the proposed fee schedule. Paragraph                       proposed fee schedule. Paragraph (b)(1)                         Securities will pay. Specifically,
                                                    (a)(1) states that, for purposes of the                    of the proposed fee schedule sets forth                         paragraph (b)(2) states that the Company
                                                    Consolidated Audit Trail Funding Fees,                     the CAT Fees applicable to Industry                             will assign each Equity ATS to a fee tier
                                                    the terms ‘‘CAT NMS Plan,’’ ‘‘Industry                     Members other than Equity ATSs.                                 once every quarter, where such tier
                                                    Member,’’ ‘‘NMS Stock,’’ ‘‘OTC Equity                      Specifically, paragraph (b)(1) states that                      assignment is calculated by ranking
                                                    Security’’, and ‘‘Participant’’ are defined                the Company will assign each Industry                           each Equity Execution Venue based on
                                                    as set forth in Rule 16010 (Consolidated                   Member (other than an Equity ATS) to                            its total market share of NMS Stocks and
                                                    Audit Trail—Definitions).                                  a fee tier once every quarter, where such                       OTC Equity Securities for the three
                                                       The proposed fee schedule imposes                       tier assignment is calculated by ranking                        months prior to the quarterly tier
                                                    different fees on Equity ATSs and                          each Industry Member based on its total                         calculation day and assigning each
                                                    Industry Members that are not Equity                       message traffic for the three months                            Equity Execution Venue to a tier based
                                                    ATSs. Accordingly, the proposed fee                        prior to the quarterly tier calculation                         on that ranking and predefined Equity
                                                    schedule defines the term ‘‘Equity                         day and assigning each Industry                                 Execution Venue percentages. The
                                                    ATS.’’ First, paragraph (a)(2) defines an                  Member to a tier based on that ranking                          Equity Execution Venues with the
                                                    ‘‘ATS’’ to mean an alternative trading                     and predefined Industry Member
                                                                                                                                                                               higher total quarterly market share will
                                                    system as defined in Rule 300(a) of                        percentages. The Industry Members
                                                                                                                                                                               be ranked in Tier 1, and the Equity
                                                    Regulation ATS under the Securities                        with the highest total quarterly message
                                                                                                                                                                               Execution Venues with the lower
                                                    Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that                     traffic will be ranked in Tier 1, and the
                                                                                                               Industry Members with lowest quarterly                          quarterly market share will be ranked in
                                                    operates pursuant to Rule 301 of
                                                    Regulation ATS. This is the same                           message traffic will be ranked in Tier 9.                       Tier 2. Specifically, paragraph (b)(2)
                                                    definition of an ATS as set forth in                       Each quarter, each Industry Member                              states that, each quarter, each Equity
                                                    Section 1.1 of the CAT NMS Plan in the                     (other than an Equity ATS) shall pay the                        ATS shall pay the following CAT Fee
                                                    definition of an ‘‘Execution Venue.’’                      following CAT Fee corresponding to the                          corresponding to the tier assigned by the
                                                    Then, paragraph (a)(4) defines an                          tier assigned by the Company for such                           Company for such Equity ATS for that
                                                    ‘‘Equity ATS’’ as an ATS that executes                     Industry Member for that quarter:                               quarter:
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    transactions in NMS Stocks and/or OTC
                                                    Equity Securities.                                                                        Percentage         Quarterly
                                                       Paragraph (a)(3) of the proposed fee                               Tier                of industry        CAT fee
                                                                                                                                               members
                                                    schedule defines the term ‘‘CAT Fee’’ to                                                                                     53 Note that no fee schedule is provided for
                                                    mean the Consolidated Audit Trail                          1   ........................         0.500         $101,004     Execution Venue ATSs that execute transactions in
                                                    Funding Fee(s) to be paid by Industry                      2   ........................         2.500           81,153     Listed Options, as no such Execution Venue ATSs
                                                    Members as set forth in paragraph (b) in                   3   ........................         2.125           57,717     currently exist due trading restrictions related to
                                                    the proposed fee schedule.                                 4   ........................         4.625           19,965     Listed Options.



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                                                                                   Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices                                              23881

                                                                            Percentage           interest on the outstanding balance from                            appropriate in the public interest, for
                                                             Tier            of Equity           such due date until such fee is paid at
                                                                                               Quarterly                                                             the protection of investors and the
                                                                             Execution         CAT fee
                                                                                                 a per annum rate equal to the lesser of:                            maintenance of fair and orderly markets,
                                                                              Venues             (i) the Prime Rate plus 300 basis points;                           to remove impediments to, and perfect
                                                    1 ........................ 25.00     $63,375 or (ii) the maximum rate permitted by                               the mechanism of a national market
                                                    2 ........................ 75.00      38,820 applicable law. Therefore, in accordance                            system, or is otherwise in furtherance of
                                                                                                 with Section 11.4 of the CAT NMS Plan,                              the purposes of the Act.’’ 57 To the
                                                    (C) Timing and Manner of Payment             the Exchange proposed to adopt                                      extent that this proposal implements,
                                                                                                 paragraph (c)(2) of the proposed fee                                interprets or clarifies the Plan and
                                                      Section 11.4 of the CAT NMS Plan           schedule. Paragraph (c)(2) of the                                   applies specific requirements to
                                                    states that the Operating Committee          proposed fee schedule states that each                              Industry Members, the Exchange
                                                    shall establish a system for the             Industry Member shall pay CAT Fees                                  believes that this proposal furthers the
                                                    collection of fees authorized under the      within thirty days after receipt of an                              objectives of the Plan, as identified by
                                                    CAT NMS Plan. The Operating                  invoice or other notice indicating                                  the SEC, and is therefore consistent with
                                                    Committee may include such collection payment is due (unless a longer                                            the Act.
                                                    responsibility as a function of the Plan     payment period is otherwise indicated).                                The Exchange believes that the
                                                    Processor or another administrator. To       If an Industry Member fails to pay any                              proposed tiered fees are reasonable.
                                                    implement the payment process to be          such fee when due, such Industry                                    First, the total CAT Fees to be collected
                                                    adopted by the Operating Committee,          Member shall pay interest on the                                    would be directly associated with the
                                                    paragraph (c)(1) of the proposed fee         outstanding balance from such due date                              costs of establishing and maintaining
                                                    schedule states that the Company will        until such fee is paid at a per annum                               the CAT, where such costs include Plan
                                                    provide each Industry Member with one rate equal to the lesser of: (i) The Prime                                 Processor costs and costs related to
                                                    invoice each quarter for its CAT Fees as Rate plus 300 basis points; or (ii) the                                 insurance, third party services and the
                                                    determined pursuant to paragraph (b) of maximum rate permitted by applicable                                     operational reserve. The CAT Fees
                                                    the proposed fee schedule, regardless of law.                                                                    would not cover Participant services
                                                    whether the Industry Member is a                                                                                 unrelated to the CAT. In addition, any
                                                    member of multiple self-regulatory           2. Statutory Basis                                                  surplus CAT Fees cannot be distributed
                                                    organizations. Paragraph (c)(1) further         The Exchange believes that the                                   to the individual Participants; such
                                                    states that each Industry Member will        proposed rule change is consistent with                             surpluses must be used as a reserve to
                                                    pay its CAT Fees to the Company via          the provisions of Section 6(b)(5) of the                            offset future fees. Given the direct
                                                    the centralized system for the collection Act,55 which require, among other                                      relationship between the fees and the
                                                    of CAT Fees established by the               things, that the Exchange rules must be                             CAT costs, the Exchange believes that
                                                    Company in the manner prescribed by          designed to prevent fraudulent and                                  the total level of the CAT Fees is
                                                    the Company. The Exchange will               manipulative acts and practices, to                                 reasonable.
                                                    provide Industry Members with details        promote just and equitable principles of                               In addition, the Exchange believes
                                                    regarding the manner of payment of           trade, and, in general, to protect                                  that the proposed CAT Fees are
                                                    CAT Fees by Regulatory Circular.             investors and the public interest, and                              reasonably designed to allocate the total
                                                      Although the exact fee collection          not designed to permit unfair                                       costs of the CAT equitably between and
                                                    system and processes for CAT fees has        discrimination between customers,                                   among the Participants and Industry
                                                    not yet been established, all CAT fees       issuers, brokers and dealer [sic], and                              Members, and are therefore not unfairly
                                                    will be billed and collected centrally       Section 6(b)(4) of the Act,56 which                                 discriminatory. As discussed in detail
                                                    through the Company, via the Plan            requires that Exchange rules provide for                            above, the proposed tiered fees impose
                                                    Processor or otherwise. Although each        the equitable allocation of reasonable                              comparable fees on similarly situated
                                                    Participant will adopt its own fee           dues, fees, and other charges among                                 CAT Reporters. For example, those with
                                                    schedule regarding CAT Fees, no CAT          members and issuers and other persons                               a larger impact on the CAT (measured
                                                    Fees or portion thereof will be collected using its facilities. As discussed above,                              via message traffic or market share) pay
                                                    by the individual Participants. Each         the SEC approved the bifurcated, tiered,                            higher fees, whereas CAT Reporters
                                                    Industry Member will receive from the        fixed fee funding model in the CAT                                  with a smaller impact pay lower fees.
                                                    Company one invoice for its applicable       NMS Plan, finding it was reasonable                                 Correspondingly, the tiered structure
                                                    CAT fees, not separate invoices from         and that it equitably allocated fees                                lessens the impact on smaller CAT
                                                    each Participant of which it is a            among Participants and Industry                                     Reporters by imposing smaller fees on
                                                    member. The Industry Members will            Members. The Exchange believes that                                 those CAT Reporters with less market
                                                    pay the CAT Fees to the Company via          the proposed tiered fees adopted                                    share or message traffic. In addition, the
                                                    the centralized system for the collection pursuant to the funding model approved                                 funding model takes into consideration
                                                    of CAT fees established by the               by the SEC in the CAT NMS Plan are                                  affiliations between CAT Reporters,
                                                    Company.54                                   reasonable, equitably allocated and not                             imposing comparable fees on such
                                                      Section 11.4 of the CAT NMS Plan           unfairly discriminatory.                                            affiliated entities.
                                                    also states that Participants shall require     The Exchange believes that this                                     Moreover, the Exchange believes that
                                                    each Industry Member to pay all              proposal is consistent with the Act                                 the division of the total CAT costs
                                                    applicable authorized CAT Fees within        because it implements, interprets or                                between Industry Members and
                                                    thirty days after receipt of an invoice or                                                                       Execution Venues, and the division of
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                                                                                                 clarifies the provisions of the Plan, and
                                                    other notice indicating payment is due       is designed to assist the Exchange and                              the Execution Venue portion of total
                                                    (unless a longer payment period is           its Industry Members in meeting                                     costs between Equity and Options
                                                    otherwise indicated). Section 11.4           regulatory obligations pursuant to the                              Execution Venues, is reasonably
                                                    further states that, if an Industry          Plan. In approving the Plan, the SEC                                designed to allocate CAT costs among
                                                    Member fails to pay any such fee when        noted that the Plan ‘‘is necessary and                              CAT Reporters. The 75/25 division
                                                    due, such Industry Member shall pay                                                                              between Industry Members and
                                                                                                               55 15   U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
                                                      54 Section   11.4 of the CAT NMS Plan.                   56 15   U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).                               57 Approval   Order at 84697.



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                                                    23882                           Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 24, 2017 / Notices

                                                    Execution Venues maintains the greatest                    Similarly, Execution Venue ATSs and                   including whether the proposed rule
                                                    level of comparability across the                          other Execution Venues with larger                    change is consistent with the Act.
                                                    funding model, keeping in view that                        market share will pay higher fees, and                Comments may be submitted by any of
                                                    comparability should consider                              those with lower levels of market share               the following methods:
                                                    affiliations among or between CAT                          will pay lower fees. Therefore, given
                                                    Reporters (e.g., firms with multiple                                                                             Electronic Comments
                                                                                                               that there is generally a relationship
                                                    Industry Members or exchange                               between message traffic and market                      • Use the Commission’s Internet
                                                    licenses). Similarly, the 75/25 division                   share to the CAT Reporter’s size, smaller             comment form (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                    between Equity and Options Execution                       CAT Reporters generally pay less than                 rules/sro.shtml); or
                                                    Venues maintains elasticity across the                     larger CAT Reporters. Accordingly, the
                                                    funding model as well as the greatest                      Exchange does not believe that the CAT                  • Send an email to rule-comments@
                                                    level of fee equitability and                              Fees would have a disproportionate                    sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–
                                                    comparability based on the current                         effect on smaller or larger CAT                       BOX–2017–16 on the subject line.
                                                    number of Equity and Options                               Reporters. In addition, ATSs and                      Paper Comments
                                                    Execution Venues.                                          exchanges will pay the same fees based
                                                       Finally, the Exchange believes that                     on market share. Therefore, the                         • Send paper comments in triplicate
                                                    the proposed fees are reasonable                           Exchange does not believe that the fees               to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
                                                    because they would provide ease of                         will impose any burden on the                         Commission, 100 F Street NE.,
                                                    calculation, ease of billing and other                     competition between ATSs and                          Washington, DC 20549–1090.
                                                    administrative functions, and                              exchanges. Accordingly, the Exchange
                                                    predictability of a fixed fee. Such factors                                                                      All submissions should refer to File
                                                                                                               believes that the proposed fees will                  Number SR–BOX–2017–16. This file
                                                    are crucial to estimating a reliable                       minimize the potential for adverse
                                                    revenue stream for the Company and for                                                                           number should be included on the
                                                                                                               effects on competition between CAT                    subject line if email is used. To help the
                                                    permitting CAT Reporters to reasonably                     Reporters in the market.
                                                    predict their payment obligations for                                                                            Commission process and review your
                                                                                                                  Furthermore, the tiered, fixed fee                 comments more efficiently, please use
                                                    budgeting purposes.                                        funding model limits the disincentives                only one method. The Commission will
                                                    B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                          to providing liquidity to the market.                 post all comments on the Commission’s
                                                    Statement on Burden on Competition                         Therefore, the proposed fees are                      Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                                                                               structured to limit burdens on                        rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
                                                       Section 6(b)(8) of the Act 58 require
                                                                                                               competitive quoting and other liquidity               submission, all subsequent
                                                    [sic] that Exchange rules not impose any
                                                                                                               provision in the market.                              amendments, all written statements
                                                    burden on competition that is not
                                                    necessary or appropriate. The Exchange                     C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                     with respect to the proposed rule
                                                    does not believe that the proposed rule                    Statement on Comments on the                          change that are filed with the
                                                    change will result in any burden on                        Proposed Rule Change Received From                    Commission, and all written
                                                    competition that is not necessary or                       Members, Participants, or Others                      communications relating to the
                                                    appropriate in furtherance of the                            No written comments were either                     proposed rule change between the
                                                    purposes of the Act. The Exchange notes                    solicited or received.                                Commission and any person, other than
                                                    that the proposed rule change                                                                                    those that may be withheld from the
                                                    implements provisions of the CAT NMS                       III. Date of Effectiveness of the                     public in accordance with the
                                                    Plan approved by the Commission, and                       Proposed Rule Change and Timing for                   provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
                                                    is designed to assist the Exchange in                      Commission Action Effectiveness                       available for Web site viewing and
                                                    meeting its regulatory obligations                            The foregoing rule change has become               printing in the Commission’s Public
                                                    pursuant to the Plan. Similarly, all                       effective pursuant to Section                         Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
                                                    national securities exchanges and                          19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Exchange Act 59                Washington, DC 20549, on official
                                                    FINRA are proposing this proposed fee                      and Rule 19b–4(f)(2) thereunder,60                    business days between the hours of
                                                    schedule to implement the requirements                     because it establishes or changes a due,              10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the
                                                    of the CAT NMS Plan. Therefore, this is                    or fee.                                               filing also will be available for
                                                    not a competitive fee filing and,                             At any time within 60 days of the                  inspection and copying at the principal
                                                    therefore, it does not raise competition                   filing of the proposed rule change, the               office of the Exchange. All comments
                                                    issues between and among the                               Commission summarily may                              received will be posted without change;
                                                    exchanges and FINRA.                                       temporarily suspend such rule change if               the Commission does not edit personal
                                                       Moreover, as previously described,                      it appears to the Commission that such                identifying information from
                                                    the Exchange believes that the proposed                    action is necessary or appropriate in the             submissions. You should submit only
                                                    rule change fairly and equitably                           public interest, for the protection of                information that you wish to make
                                                    allocates costs among CAT Reporters. In                    investors, or otherwise in furtherance of             available publicly. All submissions
                                                    particular, the proposed fee schedule is                   the purposes of the Act. If the                       should refer to File Number SR–BOX–
                                                    structured to impose comparable fees on                    Commission takes such action, the                     2017–16, and should be submitted on or
                                                    similarly situated CAT Reporters, and                      Commission shall institute proceedings                before June 14, 2017.
                                                    lessen the impact on smaller CAT                           to determine whether the proposed rule                  For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                    Reporters. CAT Reporters with similar
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                                                                                                               should be approved or disapproved.                    Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                    levels of CAT activity will pay similar                                                                          authority.61
                                                    fees. For example, Industry Members                        IV. Solicitation of Comments
                                                                                                                                                                     Eduardo A. Aleman,
                                                    (other than Execution Venue ATSs) with                       Interested persons are invited to
                                                    higher levels of message traffic will pay                                                                        Assistant Secretary.
                                                                                                               submit written data, views, and
                                                    higher fees, and those with lower levels                                                                         [FR Doc. 2017–10589 Filed 5–23–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                               arguments concerning the foregoing,
                                                    of message traffic will pay lower fees.                                                                          BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                                                                                59 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
                                                      58 15   U.S.C. 78f(b)(8).                                 60 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(2).                             61 17   CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).



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Document Created: 2017-05-24 01:02:53
Document Modified: 2017-05-24 01:02:53
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 Citation82 FR 23864 

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