82_FR_28026 82 FR 27910 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; MIAX PEARL, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend the MIAX PEARL Fee Schedule

82 FR 27910 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; MIAX PEARL, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend the MIAX PEARL Fee Schedule

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 116 (June 19, 2017)

Page Range27910-27912
FR Document2017-12586

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 116 (Monday, June 19, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 116 (Monday, June 19, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27910-27912]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-12586]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-80914; File No. SR-PEARL-2017-30]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; MIAX PEARL, LLC; Notice of Filing 
and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend the MIAX 
PEARL Fee Schedule

June 13, 2017.
    Pursuant to the provisions of Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice 
is hereby given that on June 7, 2017, MIAX PEARL, LLC (``MIAX PEARL'' 
or ``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') a proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, 
and III below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The 
Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the 
proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange is filing a proposal to amend the MIAX PEARL Fee 
Schedule (the ``Fee Schedule'').
    The Exchange initially filed the proposal on May 31, 2017 (SR-
PEARL-2017-27). That filing was withdrawn and replaced with the current 
filing (SR-PEARL-2017-30).
    The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's 
Web site at http://www.miaxoptions.com/rule-filings/pearl at MIAX 
PEARL's principal office, and at the Commission's Public Reference 
Room.

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

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

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

1. Purpose
    The Exchange proposes to amend the Add/Remove Tiered Rebates/Fees 
set forth in Section 1(a) of the Fee Schedule to decrease the ``Taker'' 
fee in all Tiers assessable to all orders submitted by a Member for the 
account of a Priority Customer \3\ in SPY options.
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    \3\ ``Priority Customer'' means a person or entity that (i) is 
not a broker or dealer in securities, and (ii) does not place more 
than 390 orders in listed options per day on average during a 
calendar month for its own beneficial account(s). See Exchange Rule 
100, including Interpretations and Policies .01.
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    The Exchange currently assesses tiered transaction rebates and fees 
to all market participants which are based upon the total monthly 
volume executed by the Member \4\ on MIAX PEARL in the relevant, 
respective origin type (not including Excluded Contracts) \5\ expressed 
as a percentage of TCV.\6\ In addition, the per contract transaction 
rebates and fees are applied retroactively to all eligible volume for 
that origin type once the respective threshold tier (``Tier'') has been 
reached by the Member. The Exchange aggregates the volume of Members 
and their Affiliates.\7\ Members that place resting liquidity, i.e., 
orders resting on the book of the MIAX PEARL System,\8\ are paid the 
specified ``maker'' rebate (each a ``Maker''), and Members that execute 
against resting liquidity are assessed the specified ``taker'' fee 
(each a ``Taker''). For opening transactions and ABBO uncrossing 
transactions, per contract transaction rebates and fees are waived for 
all market participants. Finally, Members are assessed lower 
transaction fees and receive lower rebates for order executions in 
standard option classes in the Penny Pilot Program \9\ (``Penny 
classes'') than for order executions in standard option classes which 
are not in the Penny Pilot Program (``Non-Penny classes''), where 
Members are assessed higher transaction fees and receive higher 
rebates.
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    \4\ ``Member'' means an individual or organization that is 
registered with the Exchange pursuant to Chapter II of the Exchange 
Rules for purposes of trading on the Exchange as an ``Electronic 
Exchange Member'' or ``Market Maker.'' Members are deemed 
``members'' under the Exchange Act. See the Definitions Section of 
the Fee Schedule and Exchange Rule 100.
    \5\ ``Excluded Contracts'' means any contracts routed to an away 
market for execution. See the Definitions Section of the Fee 
Schedule.
    \6\ ``TCV'' means total consolidated volume calculated as the 
total national volume in those classes listed on MIAX PEARL for the 
month for which the fees apply, excluding consolidated volume 
executed during the period of time in which the Exchange experiences 
an ``Exchange System Disruption'' (solely in the option classes of 
the affected Matching Engine (as defined below)). The term Exchange 
System Disruption, which is defined in the Definitions section of 
the Fee Schedule, means an outage of a Matching Engine or collective 
Matching Engines for a period of two consecutive hours or more, 
during trading hours. The term Matching Engine, which is also 
defined in the Definitions section of the Fee Schedule, is a part of 
the MIAX PEARL electronic system that processes options orders and 
trades on a symbol-by-symbol basis. Some Matching Engines will 
process option classes with multiple root symbols, and other 
Matching Engines may be dedicated to one single option root symbol 
(for example, options on SPY may be processed by one single Matching 
Engine that is dedicated only to SPY). A particular root symbol may 
only be assigned to a single designated Matching Engine. A 
particular root symbol may not be assigned to multiple Matching 
Engines. The Exchange believes that it is reasonable and appropriate 
to select two consecutive hours as the amount of time necessary to 
constitute an Exchange System Disruption, as two hours equates to 
approximately 1.4% of available trading time per month. The Exchange 
notes that the term ``Exchange System Disruption'' and its meaning 
have no applicability outside of the Fee Schedule, as it is used 
solely for purposes of calculating volume for the threshold tiers in 
the Fee Schedule. See the Definitions Section of the Fee Schedule.
    \7\ ``Affiliate'' means (i) an affiliate of a Member of at least 
75% common ownership between the firms as reflected on each firm's 
Form BD, Schedule A, or (ii) the Appointed Market Maker of an 
Appointed EEM (or, conversely, the Appointed EEM of an Appointed 
Market Maker). An ``Appointed Market Maker'' is a MIAX PEARL Market 
Maker (who does not otherwise have a corporate affiliation based 
upon common ownership with an EEM) that has been appointed by an EEM 
and an ``Appointed EEM'' is an EEM (who does not otherwise have a 
corporate affiliation based upon common ownership with a MIAX PEARL 
Market Maker) that has been appointed by a MIAX PEARL Market Maker, 
pursuant to the process described in the Fee Schedule. See the 
Definitions Section of the Fee Schedule.
    \8\ The term ``System'' means the automated trading system used 
by the Exchange for the trading of securities. See Exchange Rule 
100.
    \9\ See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 79778 (January 12, 
2017), 82 FR 6662 (January 19, 2017) (SR-PEARL-2016-01); 80758 (May 
24, 2017), 82 FR 25022 (May 31, 2017) (SR-PEARL-2017-24).
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    Transaction rebates and fees applicable to orders submitted by a 
Member for the account of a Priority Customer are assessed according to 
the following table as of June 1, 2017:

[[Page 27911]]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                           Per contract rebates/fees for   Per contract rebates/fees for
                                                                                                   penny classes                 non-penny classes
                  Origin                         Tier              Volume criteria       ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                               Maker           Taker           Maker           Taker
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priority Customer.........................               1  0.00%-0.05%.................         ($0.25)           $0.38         ($0.85)           $0.87
                                                         2  Above 0.05%-0.35%...........          (0.40)            0.38          (1.05)            0.86
                                                         3  Above 0.35%-0.50%...........          (0.50)            0.38          (1.05)            0.85
                                                         4  Above 0.50%-0.75%...........          (0.53)            0.38          (1.05)            0.84
                                                         5  Above 0.75%.................          (0.54)            0.38          (1.05)            0.84
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Exchange notes that, on May 26, 2017, the Exchange filed a 
proposed rule change to decrease the Taker fees for Priority Customer 
orders for options in Penny classes in each Tier to $0.38.\10\ Those 
changes, which became operative on June 1, 2017, are reflected in the 
above table.
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    \10\ See SR-PEARL-2017-25, filed May 26, 2017, and posted on the 
MIAX PEARL Web site: http://www.miaxoptions.com/rule-filings/pearl. 
On June 7, 2017, that filing was withdrawn and replaced with SR-
PEARL-2017-29, filed June 7, 2017, and posted on the MIAX PEARL Web 
site: http://www.miaxoptions.com/rule-filings/pearl.
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    The Exchange now proposes to decrease the Taker fee in all Tiers 
assessable to orders submitted by a Member for the account of a 
Priority Customer \11\ solely in SPY options to $0.35 per contract. 
Accordingly, the Exchange proposes to add a sentence beneath the 
Priority Customer table in the Add/Remove Tiered Rebates/Fees (by way 
of an asterisk to the Taker fee) to state that the Taker fee in the 
table applies ``For all Penny Classes other than SPY. For SPY, the 
Priority Customer Taker Fee shall be $0.35 per contract.''
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    \11\ ``Priority Customer'' means a person or entity that (i) is 
not a broker or dealer in securities, and (ii) does not place more 
than 390 orders in listed options per day on average during a 
calendar month for its own beneficial account(s). See Exchange Rule 
100, including Interpretations and Policies .01.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The purpose of decreasing the Taker fee for Priority Customer 
orders in SPY options is for business and competitive reasons to 
attract greater Priority Customer SPY order flow to the Exchange, and 
to match a similar pricing change recently announced by Nasdaq ISE with 
respect to taker fees for priority customer orders in SPY options on 
that exchange.\12\ The Exchange believes that reducing the Taker fee 
for Priority Customer orders in SPY options to $0.35 per contract 
(regardless of the Tier the Member achieves), will incentivize Members 
to send greater Priority Customer SPY option order flow to the Exchange 
due to favorable pricing for this liquidity type.
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    \12\ See SR-ISE-2017-49 (May 31, 2017) http://ise.cchwallstreet.com/contents/pdf/2017/SR-ISE-2017-49.pdf.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposal to amend its Fee Schedule 
is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act \13\ in general, and 
furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(4) of the Act,\14\ in that it 
is an equitable allocation of reasonable fees and other charges among 
Exchange members and other persons using its facilities, and 6(b)(5) of 
the Act,\15\ in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent and 
manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable 
principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with 
persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, to remove 
impediments to and perfect the mechanisms of a free and open market and 
a national market system and, in general, to protect investors and the 
public interest.
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    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \14\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
    \15\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(1) and (b)(5).
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    The proposed Taker fee decrease applicable to orders submitted by a 
Member for the account of a Priority Customer in SPY options is 
reasonable, equitable and not unfairly discriminatory because all 
Priority Customer SPY option orders are subject to the same Taker fees 
and access to the Exchange is offered on terms that are not unfairly 
discriminatory. The Exchange initially set its Taker fees at the 
various volume levels based upon business determinations and an 
analysis of current Taker fees and volume levels at other exchanges. 
For competitive and business reasons, the Exchange believes that lower 
Taker fees assessable to Priority Customer transactions in SPY options 
in all Tiers will encourage Members to execute more volume in SPY 
options on behalf of Priority Customers since they will be assessed 
reduced fees in all Tiers for Priority Customer orders in SPY options 
which remove liquidity. The Exchange believes for these reasons that 
offering the reduced Taker fees for Priority Customer transactions in 
SPY options in all Tiers is equitable, reasonable and not unfairly 
discriminatory, and thus consistent with the Act.
    The Exchange believes that its proposal to reduce Taker fees 
assessable to transactions solely in SPY options and not to reduce 
Taker fees for other option classes is consistent with other options 
markets that also assess different transaction fees for SPY options as 
compared to other option classes. The Exchange believes that 
establishing different pricing for SPY options for Priority Customers 
is reasonable, equitable, and not unfairly discriminatory because SPY 
options are more liquid than other option classes. Additionally, other 
competing options exchanges differentiate pricing in a similar 
manner.\16\
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    \16\ See supra note 12. See also NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC Pricing 
Schedule, Section I.
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    Further, the Exchange believes that it is equitable and not 
unfairly discriminatory to assess lower fees to Priority Customer 
orders than to non-Priority Customer orders. A Priority Customer is by 
definition not a broker or dealer in securities, and does not place 
more than 390 orders in listed options per day on average during a 
calendar month for its own beneficial account(s). This limitation does 
not apply to participants on the Exchange whose behavior is 
substantially similar to that of market professionals, including non-
Priority Customers, MIAX PEARL Market Makers, Firms, and Broker-
Dealers, who will generally submit a higher number of orders (many of 
which do not result in executions) than Priority Customers.
    Furthermore, the proposed decrease to the Taker fees in SPY options 
for Priority Customer transactions in all Tiers promotes just and 
equitable principles of trade, fosters cooperation and coordination 
with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, and 
protects investors and the public interest because the proposed 
decrease in the fees will encourage Members to send more Priority 
Customer orders in SPY options to the Exchange even if it is an order 
which takes liquidity since they will be assessed a reduced Taker fee 
in each Tier. To the extent that Priority Customer order flow in SPY

[[Page 27912]]

options is increased by the proposal, market participants will 
increasingly compete for the opportunity to trade on the Exchange, 
including sending more orders which will have the potential to be 
assessed lower fees and higher rebates. The resulting increased volume 
and liquidity will benefit all Exchange participants by providing more 
trading opportunities and tighter spreads.

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

    MIAX PEARL does not believe that the proposed rule changes will 
impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The proposed Taker fee decrease 
is intended to encourage liquidity and should enable the Exchange to 
attract and compete for order flow with other exchanges which assess 
higher Priority Customer Taker fees for SPY options.
    The Exchange notes that it operates in a highly competitive market 
in which market participants can readily favor competing venues if they 
deem fee levels at a particular venue to be excessive. In such an 
environment, the Exchange must continually adjust its rebates and fees 
to remain competitive with other exchanges and to attract order flow. 
The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change reflects this 
competitive environment because it modifies the Exchange's fees in a 
manner that encourages market participants to send order flow to the 
Exchange.

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

    Written comments were neither solicited nor received.

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

    The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act,\17\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) \18\ thereunder. 
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.
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    \17\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
    \18\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).
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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-PEARL-2017-30 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-PEARL-2017-30. 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-PEARL-2017-30 and should be 
submitted on or July 10, 2017.
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    \19\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\19\
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-12586 Filed 6-16-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                    27910                          Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 116 / Monday, June 19, 2017 / Notices

                                                      For the Commission, by the Division of                the proposed rule change and discussed                  transaction rebates and fees are applied
                                                    Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated              any comments it received on the                         retroactively to all eligible volume for
                                                    authority.15                                            proposed rule change. The text of these                 that origin type once the respective
                                                    Eduardo A. Aleman,                                      statements may be examined at the                       threshold tier (‘‘Tier’’) has been reached
                                                    Assistant Secretary.                                    places specified in Item IV below. The                  by the Member. The Exchange
                                                    [FR Doc. 2017–12585 Filed 6–16–17; 8:45 am]             Exchange has prepared summaries, set                    aggregates the volume of Members and
                                                    BILLING CODE 8011–01–P                                  forth in sections A, B, and C below, of                 their Affiliates.7 Members that place
                                                                                                            the most significant aspects of such                    resting liquidity, i.e., orders resting on
                                                                                                            statements.                                             the book of the MIAX PEARL System,8
                                                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE                                                                                         are paid the specified ‘‘maker’’ rebate
                                                    COMMISSION                                              A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                                                                            Statement of the Purpose of, and                        (each a ‘‘Maker’’), and Members that
                                                    [Release No. 34–80914; File No. SR–                     Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                  execute against resting liquidity are
                                                    PEARL–2017–30]                                          Change                                                  assessed the specified ‘‘taker’’ fee (each
                                                                                                                                                                    a ‘‘Taker’’). For opening transactions
                                                    Self-Regulatory Organizations; MIAX                     1. Purpose                                              and ABBO uncrossing transactions, per
                                                    PEARL, LLC; Notice of Filing and                           The Exchange proposes to amend the                   contract transaction rebates and fees are
                                                    Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed                   Add/Remove Tiered Rebates/Fees set                      waived for all market participants.
                                                    Rule Change To Amend the MIAX                           forth in Section 1(a) of the Fee Schedule               Finally, Members are assessed lower
                                                    PEARL Fee Schedule                                      to decrease the ‘‘Taker’’ fee in all Tiers              transaction fees and receive lower
                                                    June 13, 2017.                                          assessable to all orders submitted by a                 rebates for order executions in standard
                                                       Pursuant to the provisions of Section                Member for the account of a Priority                    option classes in the Penny Pilot
                                                    19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act                 Customer 3 in SPY options.                              Program 9 (‘‘Penny classes’’) than for
                                                    of 1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4                         The Exchange currently assesses                      order executions in standard option
                                                    thereunder,2 notice is hereby given that                tiered transaction rebates and fees to all              classes which are not in the Penny Pilot
                                                    on June 7, 2017, MIAX PEARL, LLC                        market participants which are based                     Program (‘‘Non-Penny classes’’), where
                                                    (‘‘MIAX PEARL’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed                  upon the total monthly volume                           Members are assessed higher transaction
                                                    with the Securities and Exchange                        executed by the Member 4 on MIAX                        fees and receive higher rebates.
                                                    Commission (‘‘Commission’’) a                           PEARL in the relevant, respective origin                   Transaction rebates and fees
                                                    proposed rule change as described in                    type (not including Excluded                            applicable to orders submitted by a
                                                    Items I, II, and III below, which Items                 Contracts) 5 expressed as a percentage of               Member for the account of a Priority
                                                    have been prepared by the Exchange.                     TCV.6 In addition, the per contract                     Customer are assessed according to the
                                                    The Commission is publishing this                                                                               following table as of June 1, 2017:
                                                                                                               3 ‘‘Priority Customer’’ means a person or entity
                                                    notice to solicit comments on the
                                                                                                            that (i) is not a broker or dealer in securities, and
                                                    proposed rule change from interested                    (ii) does not place more than 390 orders in listed      root symbol may only be assigned to a single
                                                    persons.                                                options per day on average during a calendar month      designated Matching Engine. A particular root
                                                                                                            for its own beneficial account(s). See Exchange Rule    symbol may not be assigned to multiple Matching
                                                    I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       100, including Interpretations and Policies .01.        Engines. The Exchange believes that it is reasonable
                                                    Statement of the Terms of Substance of                     4 ‘‘Member’’ means an individual or organization     and appropriate to select two consecutive hours as
                                                                                                                                                                    the amount of time necessary to constitute an
                                                    the Proposed Rule Change                                that is registered with the Exchange pursuant to
                                                                                                                                                                    Exchange System Disruption, as two hours equates
                                                                                                            Chapter II of the Exchange Rules for purposes of
                                                       The Exchange is filing a proposal to                 trading on the Exchange as an ‘‘Electronic Exchange     to approximately 1.4% of available trading time per
                                                    amend the MIAX PEARL Fee Schedule                       Member’’ or ‘‘Market Maker.’’ Members are deemed        month. The Exchange notes that the term
                                                                                                            ‘‘members’’ under the Exchange Act. See the             ‘‘Exchange System Disruption’’ and its meaning
                                                    (the ‘‘Fee Schedule’’).                                                                                         have no applicability outside of the Fee Schedule,
                                                       The Exchange initially filed the                     Definitions Section of the Fee Schedule and
                                                                                                            Exchange Rule 100.                                      as it is used solely for purposes of calculating
                                                    proposal on May 31, 2017 (SR–PEARL–                        5 ‘‘Excluded Contracts’’ means any contracts         volume for the threshold tiers in the Fee Schedule.
                                                    2017–27). That filing was withdrawn                     routed to an away market for execution. See the         See the Definitions Section of the Fee Schedule.
                                                                                                                                                                       7 ‘‘Affiliate’’ means (i) an affiliate of a Member of
                                                    and replaced with the current filing                    Definitions Section of the Fee Schedule.
                                                                                                                                                                    at least 75% common ownership between the firms
                                                    (SR–PEARL–2017–30).                                        6 ‘‘TCV’’ means total consolidated volume
                                                                                                                                                                    as reflected on each firm’s Form BD, Schedule A,
                                                       The text of the proposed rule change                 calculated as the total national volume in those
                                                                                                            classes listed on MIAX PEARL for the month for          or (ii) the Appointed Market Maker of an Appointed
                                                    is available on the Exchange’s Web site                 which the fees apply, excluding consolidated            EEM (or, conversely, the Appointed EEM of an
                                                    at http://www.miaxoptions.com/rule-                     volume executed during the period of time in            Appointed Market Maker). An ‘‘Appointed Market
                                                    filings/pearl at MIAX PEARL’s principal                 which the Exchange experiences an ‘‘Exchange            Maker’’ is a MIAX PEARL Market Maker (who does
                                                                                                            System Disruption’’ (solely in the option classes of    not otherwise have a corporate affiliation based
                                                    office, and at the Commission’s Public                                                                          upon common ownership with an EEM) that has
                                                                                                            the affected Matching Engine (as defined below)).
                                                    Reference Room.                                         The term Exchange System Disruption, which is           been appointed by an EEM and an ‘‘Appointed
                                                                                                            defined in the Definitions section of the Fee           EEM’’ is an EEM (who does not otherwise have a
                                                    II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                                                                              corporate affiliation based upon common
                                                                                                            Schedule, means an outage of a Matching Engine or
                                                    Statement of the Purpose of, and                        collective Matching Engines for a period of two         ownership with a MIAX PEARL Market Maker) that
                                                    Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                  consecutive hours or more, during trading hours.        has been appointed by a MIAX PEARL Market
                                                    Change                                                  The term Matching Engine, which is also defined         Maker, pursuant to the process described in the Fee
                                                                                                            in the Definitions section of the Fee Schedule, is a    Schedule. See the Definitions Section of the Fee
                                                       In its filing with the Commission, the               part of the MIAX PEARL electronic system that           Schedule.
                                                                                                                                                                       8 The term ‘‘System’’ means the automated
                                                    Exchange included statements                            processes options orders and trades on a symbol-
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                            by-symbol basis. Some Matching Engines will             trading system used by the Exchange for the trading
                                                    concerning the purpose of and basis for                                                                         of securities. See Exchange Rule 100.
                                                                                                            process option classes with multiple root symbols,
                                                                                                            and other Matching Engines may be dedicated to             9 See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 79778
                                                      15 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).                            one single option root symbol (for example, options     (January 12, 2017), 82 FR 6662 (January 19, 2017)
                                                      1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).                                on SPY may be processed by one single Matching          (SR–PEARL–2016–01); 80758 (May 24, 2017), 82 FR
                                                      2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.                                   Engine that is dedicated only to SPY). A particular     25022 (May 31, 2017) (SR–PEARL–2017–24).




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                                                                                     Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 116 / Monday, June 19, 2017 / Notices                                                   27911

                                                                                                                                                            Per contract                      Per contract
                                                                                                                                                            rebates/fees                      rebates/fees
                                                                                                                                                              for penny                      for non-penny
                                                                 Origin                        Tier                Volume criteria                             classes                           classes

                                                                                                                                                       Maker           Taker            Maker             Taker

                                                    Priority Customer ................                  1   0.00%–0.05% .....................             ($0.25)             $0.38         ($0.85)            $0.87
                                                                                                        2   Above 0.05%–0.35% ..........                   (0.40)              0.38          (1.05)             0.86
                                                                                                        3   Above 0.35%–0.50% ..........                   (0.50)              0.38          (1.05)             0.85
                                                                                                        4   Above 0.50%–0.75% ..........                   (0.53)              0.38          (1.05)             0.84
                                                                                                        5   Above 0.75% ......................             (0.54)              0.38          (1.05)             0.84



                                                       The Exchange notes that, on May 26,                   2. Statutory Basis                                          The Exchange believes that its
                                                    2017, the Exchange filed a proposed                         The Exchange believes that its                        proposal to reduce Taker fees assessable
                                                    rule change to decrease the Taker fees                   proposal to amend its Fee Schedule is                    to transactions solely in SPY options
                                                    for Priority Customer orders for options                 consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act 13               and not to reduce Taker fees for other
                                                    in Penny classes in each Tier to $0.38.10                in general, and furthers the objectives of               option classes is consistent with other
                                                    Those changes, which became operative                    Section 6(b)(4) of the Act,14 in that it is              options markets that also assess
                                                    on June 1, 2017, are reflected in the                    an equitable allocation of reasonable                    different transaction fees for SPY
                                                    above table.                                             fees and other charges among Exchange                    options as compared to other option
                                                       The Exchange now proposes to                          members and other persons using its                      classes. The Exchange believes that
                                                    decrease the Taker fee in all Tiers                      facilities, and 6(b)(5) of the Act,15 in that            establishing different pricing for SPY
                                                    assessable to orders submitted by a                      it is designed to prevent fraudulent and                 options for Priority Customers is
                                                    Member for the account of a Priority                     manipulative acts and practices, to                      reasonable, equitable, and not unfairly
                                                    Customer 11 solely in SPY options to                     promote just and equitable principles of                 discriminatory because SPY options are
                                                    $0.35 per contract. Accordingly, the                     trade, to foster cooperation and                         more liquid than other option classes.
                                                    Exchange proposes to add a sentence                      coordination with persons engaged in                     Additionally, other competing options
                                                    beneath the Priority Customer table in                   facilitating transactions in securities, to              exchanges differentiate pricing in a
                                                    the Add/Remove Tiered Rebates/Fees                       remove impediments to and perfect the                    similar manner.16
                                                    (by way of an asterisk to the Taker fee)                 mechanisms of a free and open market                        Further, the Exchange believes that it
                                                    to state that the Taker fee in the table                 and a national market system and, in                     is equitable and not unfairly
                                                    applies ‘‘For all Penny Classes other                    general, to protect investors and the                    discriminatory to assess lower fees to
                                                    than SPY. For SPY, the Priority                          public interest.                                         Priority Customer orders than to non-
                                                    Customer Taker Fee shall be $0.35 per                       The proposed Taker fee decrease                       Priority Customer orders. A Priority
                                                    contract.’’                                              applicable to orders submitted by a                      Customer is by definition not a broker
                                                       The purpose of decreasing the Taker                   Member for the account of a Priority                     or dealer in securities, and does not
                                                    fee for Priority Customer orders in SPY                  Customer in SPY options is reasonable,                   place more than 390 orders in listed
                                                    options is for business and competitive                  equitable and not unfairly                               options per day on average during a
                                                    reasons to attract greater Priority                      discriminatory because all Priority                      calendar month for its own beneficial
                                                    Customer SPY order flow to the                           Customer SPY option orders are subject                   account(s). This limitation does not
                                                    Exchange, and to match a similar                         to the same Taker fees and access to the                 apply to participants on the Exchange
                                                    pricing change recently announced by                     Exchange is offered on terms that are                    whose behavior is substantially similar
                                                    Nasdaq ISE with respect to taker fees for                not unfairly discriminatory. The                         to that of market professionals,
                                                    priority customer orders in SPY options                  Exchange initially set its Taker fees at                 including non-Priority Customers,
                                                    on that exchange.12 The Exchange                         the various volume levels based upon                     MIAX PEARL Market Makers, Firms,
                                                    believes that reducing the Taker fee for                 business determinations and an analysis                  and Broker-Dealers, who will generally
                                                    Priority Customer orders in SPY options                  of current Taker fees and volume levels                  submit a higher number of orders (many
                                                    to $0.35 per contract (regardless of the                 at other exchanges. For competitive and                  of which do not result in executions)
                                                    Tier the Member achieves), will                          business reasons, the Exchange believes                  than Priority Customers.
                                                                                                             that lower Taker fees assessable to                         Furthermore, the proposed decrease
                                                    incentivize Members to send greater
                                                                                                             Priority Customer transactions in SPY                    to the Taker fees in SPY options for
                                                    Priority Customer SPY option order
                                                                                                             options in all Tiers will encourage                      Priority Customer transactions in all
                                                    flow to the Exchange due to favorable
                                                                                                             Members to execute more volume in                        Tiers promotes just and equitable
                                                    pricing for this liquidity type.
                                                                                                             SPY options on behalf of Priority                        principles of trade, fosters cooperation
                                                       10 See SR–PEARL–2017–25, filed May 26, 2017,          Customers since they will be assessed                    and coordination with persons engaged
                                                    and posted on the MIAX PEARL Web site: http://           reduced fees in all Tiers for Priority                   in facilitating transactions in securities,
                                                    www.miaxoptions.com/rule-filings/pearl. On June          Customer orders in SPY options which                     and protects investors and the public
                                                    7, 2017, that filing was withdrawn and replaced          remove liquidity. The Exchange believes                  interest because the proposed decrease
                                                    with SR–PEARL–2017–29, filed June 7, 2017, and                                                                    in the fees will encourage Members to
                                                    posted on the MIAX PEARL Web site: http://
                                                                                                             for these reasons that offering the
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                                                    www.miaxoptions.com/rule-filings/pearl.                  reduced Taker fees for Priority Customer                 send more Priority Customer orders in
                                                       11 ‘‘Priority Customer’’ means a person or entity     transactions in SPY options in all Tiers                 SPY options to the Exchange even if it
                                                    that (i) is not a broker or dealer in securities, and    is equitable, reasonable and not unfairly                is an order which takes liquidity since
                                                    (ii) does not place more than 390 orders in listed       discriminatory, and thus consistent with                 they will be assessed a reduced Taker
                                                    options per day on average during a calendar month
                                                    for its own beneficial account(s). See Exchange Rule     the Act.                                                 fee in each Tier. To the extent that
                                                    100, including Interpretations and Policies .01.                                                                  Priority Customer order flow in SPY
                                                       12 See SR–ISE–2017–49 (May 31, 2017) http://            13 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
                                                                                                               14 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
                                                    ise.cchwallstreet.com/contents/pdf/2017/SR-ISE-                                                                     16 See supra note 12. See also NASDAQ OMX

                                                    2017-49.pdf.                                               15 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(1) and (b)(5).                     PHLX LLC Pricing Schedule, Section I.



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                                                    27912                                Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 116 / Monday, June 19, 2017 / Notices

                                                    options is increased by the proposal,                      whether the proposed rule should be                       For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                    market participants will increasingly                      approved or disapproved.                                Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                    compete for the opportunity to trade on                                                                            authority.19
                                                    the Exchange, including sending more                       IV. Solicitation of Comments                            Eduardo A. Aleman,
                                                    orders which will have the potential to                                                                            Assistant Secretary.
                                                                                                                 Interested persons are invited to
                                                    be assessed lower fees and higher                          submit written data, views, and                         [FR Doc. 2017–12586 Filed 6–16–17; 8:45 am]
                                                    rebates. The resulting increased volume                    arguments concerning the foregoing,                     BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                    and liquidity will benefit all Exchange                    including whether the proposed rule
                                                    participants by providing more trading                     change is consistent with the Act.
                                                    opportunities and tighter spreads.                         Comments may be submitted by any of                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                                                                               the following methods:                                  COMMISSION
                                                    B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                    Statement on Burden on Competition                                                                                 [Release No. 34–80915; File No. SR–
                                                                                                               Electronic Comments                                     PEARL–2017–29]
                                                      MIAX PEARL does not believe that
                                                    the proposed rule changes will impose                        • Use the Commission’s Internet                       Self-Regulatory Organizations; MIAX
                                                    any burden on competition not                              comment form (http://www.sec.gov/                       PEARL, LLC; Notice of Filing and
                                                    necessary or appropriate in furtherance                    rules/sro.shtml); or                                    Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed
                                                    of the purposes of the Act. The                              • Send an email to rule-comments@                     Rule Change To Amend the MIAX
                                                    proposed Taker fee decrease is intended                    sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–                 PEARL Fee Schedule
                                                    to encourage liquidity and should                          PEARL–2017–30 on the subject line.
                                                    enable the Exchange to attract and                                                                                 June 13, 2017.
                                                    compete for order flow with other                          Paper Comments                                             Pursuant to the provisions of Section
                                                    exchanges which assess higher Priority                                                                             19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act
                                                                                                                 • Send paper comments in triplicate                   of 1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4
                                                    Customer Taker fees for SPY options.
                                                      The Exchange notes that it operates in                   to Secretary, Securities and Exchange                   thereunder,2 notice is hereby given that
                                                    a highly competitive market in which                       Commission, 100 F Street NE.,                           on June 7, 2017, MIAX PEARL, LLC
                                                    market participants can readily favor                      Washington, DC 20549–1090.                              (‘‘MIAX PEARL’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’) filed
                                                    competing venues if they deem fee                          All submissions should refer to File                    with the Securities and Exchange
                                                    levels at a particular venue to be                         Number SR–PEARL–2017–30. This file                      Commission (‘‘Commission’’) a
                                                    excessive. In such an environment, the                     number should be included on the                        proposed rule change as described in
                                                    Exchange must continually adjust its                       subject line if email is used. To help the              Items I, II, and III below, which Items
                                                    rebates and fees to remain competitive                     Commission process and review your                      have been prepared by the Exchange.
                                                    with other exchanges and to attract                        comments more efficiently, please use                   The Commission is publishing this
                                                    order flow. The Exchange believes that                     only one method. The Commission will                    notice to solicit comments on the
                                                    the proposed rule change reflects this                     post all comments on the Commission’s                   proposed rule change from interested
                                                    competitive environment because it                         Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/                  persons.
                                                    modifies the Exchange’s fees in a                          rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the                         I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                    manner that encourages market                              submission, all subsequent                              Statement of the Terms of Substance of
                                                    participants to send order flow to the                     amendments, all written statements                      the Proposed Rule Change
                                                    Exchange.                                                  with respect to the proposed rule
                                                                                                               change that are filed with the                             The Exchange is filing a proposal to
                                                    C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                                                                                  amend the MIAX PEARL Fee Schedule
                                                    Statement on Comments on the                               Commission, and all written
                                                                                                                                                                       (the ‘‘Fee Schedule’’).
                                                    Proposed Rule Change Received From                         communications relating to the
                                                                                                                                                                          The Exchange initially filed the
                                                    Members, Participants, or Others                           proposed rule change between the
                                                                                                                                                                       proposal on May 26, 2017 (SR–PEARL–
                                                                                                               Commission and any person, other than
                                                      Written comments were neither                                                                                    2017–25). That filing was withdrawn
                                                                                                               those that may be withheld from the
                                                    solicited nor received.                                                                                            and replaced with the current filing
                                                                                                               public in accordance with the
                                                                                                                                                                       (SR–PEARL–2017–29).
                                                    III. Date of Effectiveness of the                          provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be                        The text of the proposed rule change
                                                    Proposed Rule Change and Timing for                        available for Web site viewing and                      is available on the Exchange’s Web site
                                                    Commission Action                                          printing in the Commission’s Public                     at http://www.miaxoptions.com/rule-
                                                       The foregoing rule change has become                    Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,                       filings/pearl at MIAX PEARL’s principal
                                                    effective pursuant to Section                              Washington, DC 20549, on official                       office, and at the Commission’s Public
                                                    19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act,17 and Rule                     business days between the hours of                      Reference Room.
                                                    19b–4(f)(2) 18 thereunder. At any time                     10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the
                                                    within 60 days of the filing of the                        filing also will be available for                       II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                    proposed rule change, the Commission                       inspection and copying at the principal                 Statement of the Purpose of, and
                                                    summarily may temporarily suspend                          office of the Exchange. All comments                    Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
                                                    such rule change if it appears to the                      received will be posted without change;                 Change
                                                    Commission that such action is                             the Commission does not edit personal                     In its filing with the Commission, the
                                                                                                               identifying information from
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                                                    necessary or appropriate in the public                                                                             Exchange included statements
                                                    interest, for the protection of investors,                 submissions. You should submit only                     concerning the purpose of and basis for
                                                    or otherwise in furtherance of the                         information that you wish to make                       the proposed rule change and discussed
                                                    purposes of the Act. If the Commission                     available publicly. All submissions                     any comments it received on the
                                                    takes such action, the Commission shall                    should refer to File Number SR–                         proposed rule change. The text of these
                                                    institute proceedings to determine                         PEARL–2017–30 and should be                             statements may be examined at the
                                                                                                               submitted on or July 10, 2017.
                                                      17 15   U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).                                                                                   1 15   U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                                      18 17   CFR 240.19b–4(f)(2).                               19 17   CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).                            2 17   CFR 240.19b–4.



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Document Created: 2017-06-17 01:48:07
Document Modified: 2017-06-17 01:48:07
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 27910 

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