83_FR_44277 83 FR 44109 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Notice of No Objection to Advance Notice, as Modified by Partial Amendment No. 3, Concerning Updates to and Formalization of OCC's Recovery and Orderly Wind-Down Plan

83 FR 44109 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Notice of No Objection to Advance Notice, as Modified by Partial Amendment No. 3, Concerning Updates to and Formalization of OCC's Recovery and Orderly Wind-Down Plan

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 168 (August 29, 2018)

Page Range44109-44114
FR Document2018-18656

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 168 (Wednesday, August 29, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 29, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44109-44114]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18656]



[[Page 44109]]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-83928; File No. SR-OCC-2017-810]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; 
Notice of No Objection to Advance Notice, as Modified by Partial 
Amendment No. 3, Concerning Updates to and Formalization of OCC's 
Recovery and Orderly Wind-Down Plan

August 23, 2018.

I. Introduction

    On December 8, 2017, The Options Clearing Corporation (``OCC'') 
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') 
advance notice SR-OCC-2017-810 (``Advance Notice'') pursuant to Section 
806(e)(1) of Title VIII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and 
Consumer Protection Act, entitled Payment, Clearing and Settlement 
Supervision Act of 2010 (``Clearing Supervision Act'') \1\ and Rule 
19b-4(n)(1)(i) \2\ under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Exchange Act'') \3\ to formalize and update its Recovery and Orderly 
Wind-Down Plan (``RWD Plan''). The Advance Notice was published for 
public comment in the Federal Register on January 23, 2018.\4\ On 
January 23, 2018, the Commission requested that OCC provide it with 
additional information regarding the Advance Notice.\5\ OCC responded 
to the request, and the Commission received the information on July 13, 
2018.\6\
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    \1\ 12 U.S.C. 5465(e)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(n)(1)(i).
    \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.
    \4\ See Exchange Act Release No. 82514 (January 17, 2018), 83 FR 
3224 (January 23, 2018) (SR-OCC-2017-810) (hereinafter referred to 
as the ``Notice of Filing''). On December 18, 2017, OCC also filed a 
related proposed rule change (SR-OCC-2017-020) with the Commission 
pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Exchange Act and Rule 19b-4 
thereunder, seeking approval of changes to its rules necessary to 
implement the Advance Notice (``Proposed Rule Change''). 15 U.S.C. 
78s(b)(1) and 17 CFR 240.19b-4, respectively. The Proposed Rule 
Change was published in the Federal Register on December 26, 2017. 
Exchange Act Release No. 82352 (Dec. 19, 2017), 82 FR 61072 (Dec. 
26, 2017) (SR-OCC-2017-021).
    \5\ See Memorandum from Office of Clearance and Settlement, 
Division of Trading and Markets, dated January 23, 2018, available 
at https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro/occ-an/2018/34-83305.pdf.
    \6\ See Memorandum from Office of Clearance and Settlement, 
Division of Trading and Markets, dated July 17, 2018, available at 
https://www.sec.gov/comments/sr-occ-2017-810/occ2017810-4062513-169149.pdf.
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    On July 11, 2018, OCC filed Partial Amendment No. 1 to the Advance 
Notice.\7\ On July 12, 2018, OCC filed Partial Amendment No. 2 and 
Partial Amendment No. 3 to the Advance Notice.\8\ Notice of the 
Amendments to the Advance Notice was published for public comment in 
the Federal Register on August 7, 2018,\9\ and the Commission has 
received no comments in response.
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    \7\ In Amendment No. 1, OCC made three modifications to the 
Notice of Filing: (1) Removal of sections of the RWD Plan concerning 
OCC's proposed authority to require cash settlement of certain 
physically delivered options and single stock futures; (2) updating 
the list of OCC's Critical Support Functions; and (3) making three 
changes to the RWD Plan to conform to a change contemporaneously 
proposed in Amendment No. 2 to OCC filing SR-OCC-2017-809 concerning 
enhanced and new tools for recovery scenarios.
    \8\ Partial Amendment No. 2 superseded and replaced Partial 
Amendment No. 1 in its entirety, due to technical defects in Partial 
Amendment No. 1. Partial Amendment No. 3 then superseded and 
replaced Partial Amendment No. 1 in its entirety, due to technical 
defects in Partial Amendment No. 2.
    \9\ See Exchange Act Release No. 83762 (Aug. 1, 2018), 83 FR 
38750 (Aug. 7, 2018) (``Notice of Amendment'').
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    This publication serves as notice that the Commission does not 
object to the changes set forth in the Advance Notice, as amended by 
Partial Amendment No. 3 (``Amended Advance Notice'').

II. Background \10\
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    \10\ Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the 
meanings specified in OCC's Rules and By-Laws, available at https://www.theocc.com/about/publications/bylaws.jsp.
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    OCC's proposal would formalize and update its RWD Plan. The purpose 
of the RWD Plan is to: (i) Demonstrate that OCC has considered the 
scenarios which may potentially prevent it from being able to provide 
the services OCC determined to be critical as a going-concern; (ii) 
provide appropriate plans for OCC's recovery or orderly wind-down based 
on the results of such consideration; and (iii) impart to relevant 
authorities the information reasonably anticipated to be necessary for 
purposes of recovery and orderly wind-down planning.
    The RWD Plan would identify the services provided by OCC that OCC 
has determined to be critical, and it would set forth five qualitative 
events that could trigger a recovery scenario and six qualitative 
events that could trigger an orderly wind-down. It would also address 
six scenarios that describe OCC's possible responses to series of 
stresses. The RWD Plan would also include an overview designed to 
provide information that OCC believes would be essential to relevant 
authorities for purposes of recovery and orderly wind-down planning, as 
well as to provide readers of the Plan with necessary context for 
subsequent discussion and analysis. The overview would also include a 
detailed description of OCC's business, summarizing the role OCC has in 
the options market as well as the services and products it provides to 
its clearing members and market participants. The RWD Plan would 
identify fourteen internal support functions at OCC and provide a brief 
description of the activities performed by each support function. 
Similar to the information regarding OCC's business, this information 
is designed to inform the relevant authorities for orderly wind-down 
planning and as necessary context for understanding other elements of 
the RWD Plan.

A. Designating Critical Services and Critical Support Functions

    The RWD Plan would define the terms ``Critical Services'' and 
``Critical Support Functions.'' Specifically, a Critical Service would 
be a service provided by OCC that, if interrupted, would likely have a 
material negative impact on participants or significant third parties, 
give rise to contagion, or undermine the general confidence of markets 
that OCC serves. A Critical Support Function would be a function within 
OCC that must continue in some capacity for OCC to be able to continue 
providing its Critical Services.
    The RWD Plan would describe the framework that OCC uses to 
determine whether a service is critical. This framework includes four 
criteria to determine if failure or discontinuation of a particular 
service would impact financial and operational capabilities of OCC's 
clearing members, other FMUs, or the broader financial system: (1) 
Market dominance, (2) substitutability, (3) interconnectedness, and (4) 
barriers to entry. The current set of services designated as Critical 
Services under the RWD Plan is based on the analysis of these 
measureable indicators and subsequent internal discussion at OCC. The 
Critical Services currently include, but are not limited to, clearance 
services for listed options and clearance services for futures.

B. Recovery Plan

    The RWD Plan would include plans for recovery from scenarios that 
could prevent OCC from providing Critical Services.\11\ After 
discussing particular

[[Page 44110]]

scenarios, the RWD Plan identifies the tools that OCC could use as 
warranted in such scenarios. These tools fall into two categories: (1) 
Enhanced Risk Management Tools, and (2) Recovery Tools. An Enhanced 
Risk Management Tool is a tool that is designed to supplement OCC's 
existing processes and other existing tools in scenarios where OCC 
faces heightened stresses, while a Recovery Tool is a tool that is 
generally limited to a scenario in which a specific trigger has 
occurred. In its RWD Plan, OCC would define a set of five such 
qualitative trigger events (``Recovery Trigger Events'').
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    \11\ For the purposes of the RWD Plan, OCC defines ``recovery'' 
as ``the actions of [a financial market utility], consistent with 
its rules, procedures, and other ex-ante contractual arrangements, 
to address any uncovered credit loss, liquidity shortfall, capital 
inadequacy, or business, operational or other structural weakness, 
including the replenishment of any depleted pre-funded financial 
resources and liquidity arrangements, as necessary to maintain the 
[financial market utility's] viability as a going concern.''
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    The sequence and timing of the deployment of each Recovery Tool is 
more structured and lacks the flexibility inherent in the sequence and 
timing for use of the Enhanced Risk Management Tools. For each tool, 
the RWD Plan provides an overview of the tool, and, as appropriate, a 
discussion of its implementation with an estimated time frame for use 
of the tool, key risks associated with use of the tool, and the 
expected impact and incentives of using the tool.
1. Enhanced Risk Management Tools
    OCC stated that the Enhanced Risk Management Tools would be used 
prophylactically in an effort to prevent the occurrence of a Recovery 
Trigger Event and would not be limited to recovery. OCC would not 
anticipate applying a rigid order or timing for the deployment of the 
Enhanced Risk Management Tools. The RWD Plan would include five 
Enhanced Risk Management Tools: (1) Use of Current/Retained Earnings; 
(2) Minimum Clearing Fund Cash Contribution; (3) Borrowing Against 
Clearing Fund; (4) Credit Facility; and (5) Non-Bank Facility.
    Use of Current/Retained Earnings. Under its By-Laws, OCC may use 
current and/or retained earnings to discharge a loss that would be 
chargeable against the Clearing Fund, but would require unanimous 
consent from the holders of OCC's Class A and Class B common stock. The 
RWD Plan acknowledges that the utility of this tool is limited by the 
requirement for shareholder consent and that OCC's retained earnings 
presently amount to a small fraction of OCC's existing prefunded 
Clearing Fund resources. OCC stated that, given this amount, the 
maximum utility of this tool may be realized in specific circumstances 
at either the beginning of OCC's loss waterfall or toward the end of 
OCC's loss waterfall, where it would be sufficient to fully extinguish 
liabilities without triggering the use of another tool.
    Minimum Clearing Fund Cash Contribution. Under its current rules, 
OCC Clearing Members collectively contribute $3 billion in cash to 
OCC's Clearing Fund.\12\ In addition, OCC may, in certain limited 
circumstances, increase the minimum cash requirement up to the then-
minimum size of the Clearing Fund.\13\ The RWD Plan would acknowledge 
that increasing the minimum cash requirement would require preparation 
of OCC documentation that considers the projected liquidity demands for 
successful management of a defaulted Clearing Member.
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    \12\ See OCC By-Laws, Art. VIII, Section 3(a)(i). The Commission 
recently approved a proposal by OCC that, after implementation, 
would move this section of the OCC By-Laws to OCC Rule 1002(a)(i). 
See Exchange Act Release No. 83735 (Jul. 27, 2018), 83 FR 37855, 
37859 (Aug. 2, 2018) (SR-OCC-2018-008) (``Order Approving Proposed 
Rule Change, as Modified by Amendments No. 1 and 2, Related to OCC's 
Stress Testing and Clearing Fund Methodology'').
    \13\ See OCC By-Laws, Art. VIII, Section 3(a)(i).
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    Borrowing Against Clearing Fund. OCC has the authority to borrow 
against the Clearing Fund in three circumstances: (1) To meet 
obligations arising out of the default or suspension of a Clearing 
Member or any action taken by OCC under Chapter XI of its rules 
pertaining to the suspension of a clearing member; (2) to borrow or 
otherwise obtain funds from third parties in lieu of immediately 
charging the Clearing Fund for a loss that is reimbursable out of the 
Clearing Fund; and (3) to meet liquidity needs for same-day settlement 
as a result of the failure of any bank or securities or commodities 
clearing organization to achieve daily settlement.\14\ The RWD Plan 
would acknowledge that any borrowing would require preparation of OCC 
documentation in accordance with OCC procedures. Further, the RWD Plan 
would recognize that the availability of this tool in advance of a 
heightened stress scenario would be unknown because OCC's primary 
liquidity facilities could already be fully or partially utilized.
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    \14\ See OCC By-Laws, Art. VIII, Section 5(e). The Commission 
recently approved a proposal by OCC that, after implementation, 
would move this section of the OCC By-Laws to OCC Rule 1006(f). See 
Order Approving Proposed Rule Change Related to OCC Stress Testing 
and Clearing Fund Methodology, supra note 12, 83 FR at 37859.
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    Credit Facility and Non-Bank Liquidity Facility. OCC maintains a $2 
billion dollar senior secured 364-day revolving credit facility with a 
syndicate of lenders for the purpose of providing OCC with liquidity to 
meet settlement obligations as a central counterparty. The RWD Plan 
would recognize that an inherent risk of the credit facility is that a 
portion of the syndicate may not provide funds in timely response to 
OCC's request. OCC also maintains a $1 billion dollar secured non-bank 
liquidity facility for the purpose of providing OCC with a non-bank 
liquidity resource to meet settlement obligations as a central 
counterparty. Similar to the risk associated with the credit facility, 
the RWD Plan would recognize the risk that OCC's counterparty may not 
timely execute the transaction under the non-bank liquidity facility.
2. Recovery Tools
    Under the RWD Plan, Recovery Tools would be different from Enhanced 
Risk Management Tools because OCC's use of a Recovery Tool is generally 
limited to a scenario in which a Recovery Trigger has occurred. The RWD 
Plan would identify five Recovery Tools, the last four of which would 
generally be deployed in the order they are described here: (1) 
Replenishment Capital; (2) Assessment Powers; (3) Voluntary Payments; 
(4) Voluntary Tear-Up; and (5) Partial Tear-Up.\15\ As noted above, the 
sequence and timing of deployment of the Recovery Tools would be more 
structured than the sequence and timing of the use of Enhanced Risk 
Management Tools.
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    \15\ For a more detailed description of the Recovery Tools 
numbered (2) through (5) here, please see Exchange Act Release No. 
83927 (Aug. 23, 2018).
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    Replenishment Capital. OCC holds capital contributed by its 
stockholder exchanges who have committed to replenish OCC's capital if 
it falls below a certain threshold.\16\ The RWD Plan would include the 
replenishment of capital by OCC's stockholder exchanges as a recovery 
tool.
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    \16\ The requirement to replenish OCC's capital was adopted as 
part of OCC's plan to raise and maintain capital at a specified 
level (``Capital Plan''). See Exchange Act Release No. 77112 
(February 11, 2016), 81 FR 8294 (February 18, 2016) (SR-OCC-2015-
02). The Capital Plan was later subject to judicial review by the 
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which 
remanded for the Commission to further analyze whether the Capital 
Plan is consistent with the Exchange Act. Susquehanna Int'l Grp., 
LLP v. SEC, 866 F.3d 442 (D.C. Cir. 2017). The Commission's review 
of the Capital Plan on remand is ongoing, and the Capital Plan 
remains in effect during this ongoing review.
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    Assessment Powers. Under OCC's rules, OCC has authority to assess a 
non-defaulting Clearing Member during any cooling-off period for an 
amount equal to 200 percent of the Clearing Member's then-required 
contribution to the Clearing Fund.\17\ Following the end of

[[Page 44111]]

the cooling-off period, each remaining Clearing Member must replenish 
the Clearing Fund in the amount necessary to meet its then-required 
contribution.\18\ The RWD Plan would recognize the risk that the use of 
assessment powers may incentivize Clearing Members to withdraw from 
membership in OCC to avoid replenishment, and that such withdrawals 
would limit the resources available to OCC for future assessments.
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    \17\ The cooling-off period is the period following a 
proportionate charge assessed by OCC against the Clearing Members' 
Clearing Fund contributions. It is a minimum of fifteen days, but 
could extend to as much as twenty days from the date of the 
proportionate charge based on intervening events.
    \18\ A Clearing Member may avoid liability for replenishment by 
terminating its membership in OCC prior to the end of the cooling-
off period.
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    Voluntary Payments. OCC's rules provide a framework by which OCC 
can receive voluntary payments in response to a Clearing Member 
default. Use of this tool is permissible only where OCC has determined 
that it may not have sufficient resources to satisfy its obligations 
and liabilities arising out of the default. The RWD Plan would describe 
the processes involved in calling for and receiving voluntary payments, 
including the issuance of a notice to Clearing Members. The RWD Plan 
would recognize the risk that Clearing Members would be unwilling or 
unable to make voluntary payments. As an incentive for Clearing Members 
to provide voluntary payments, a non-defaulting Clearing Member who 
made a voluntary payment would receive priority in reimbursement from 
amounts recovered by OCC from the estate of a defaulting Clearing 
Member.
    Voluntary Tear-up. OCC's rules provide a framework by which non-
defaulting Clearing Members and customers could be permitted to 
voluntarily extinguish (i.e., voluntarily tear-up) open positions in 
response to a Clearing Member default. Voluntary Tear-up is permissible 
only where OCC has determined that it may not have sufficient resources 
to satisfy its obligations and liabilities arising out of the default. 
The RWD Plan would contemplate that OCC would initiate any tear-up 
process after the market close on the day that OCC determines it may 
have insufficient resources. The RWD Plan would further anticipate that 
OCC would publish notice of tear-up no later than the following morning 
(prior to the market open), and that positions would be extinguished 
following the market close. The RWD Plan would also recognize the risk 
that Clearing Members would be unwilling or unable to participate in 
the voluntary tear-up process. A non-defaulting Clearing Member that 
faced losses, costs, or expenses in reestablishing voluntarily torn-up 
positions could receive compensation from amounts recovered by OCC from 
the estate of a defaulting Clearing Member ahead of other Clearing 
Members that faced such losses, costs, or expenses after reestablishing 
torn up positions.
    Partial Tear-up. OCC's rules provide a framework by which OCC could 
extinguish the remaining open positions of a defaulted Clearing Member 
or its customers (i.e., Partial Tear-up) in response to a Clearing 
Member default. The RWD Plan would anticipate that the Partial Tear-up 
process would be intertwined with the Voluntary Tear-up process 
described above. The RWD Plan also would contemplate the compensation 
of Clearing Members facing losses, costs, or expenses after 
reestablishing torn up positions from Clearing Fund contributions.
    The RWD Plan also would provide a mapping of Enhanced Risk 
Management Tools and Recovery Tools to different types of risk 
exposures. Such risk exposures include: (1) Uncovered credit losses; 
(2) liquidity shortfalls; (3) replenishment of financial resource; (4) 
losses related to business, operational, or other structural 
weaknesses; and (5) re-establishment of a matched book. The RWD Plan 
discusses how each tool would apply to these risk categories and would 
reference the stress scenarios contemplated by the RWD Plan.
    The RWD Plan would outline an escalation process for the occurrence 
of each Recovery Trigger.\19\ Under the RWD Plan, OCC's Enterprise Risk 
Management and Financial Risk Management groups would be responsible 
for recommending which, if any, of the tools described above should be 
used in a given situation. Further, OCC's Chief Executive Officer and 
Executive Chairman would be responsible for approval of such 
recommendations, and OCC's Chief Risk Officer and Management Committee 
would be responsible for overseeing deployment of such tools. Finally, 
OCC's Board and the Risk Committee of the Board would be responsible 
for generally overseeing OCC's recovery efforts.
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    \19\ The RWD Plan also would discuss notification of regulators, 
including the Commission, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, in 
response to the occurrence of a Recovery Trigger.
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C. Orderly Wind-Down Plan

    The RWD Plan would also include OCC's wind-down plan and include 
scenarios that could prevent OCC from being able to provide Critical 
Services as a going-concern. OCC would identify its wind-down objective 
as the pursuit of financial stability and ensuring the continuity of 
critical functions. The RWD Plan would provide OCC's assumptions 
concerning the wind-down process regarding: (1) Duration of wind-down; 
(2) cost of wind-down; (3) OCC's capitalization; and (4) the 
maintenance of Critical Services and Critical Support Functions. It 
also would identify six wind-down triggers (``WDP Trigger Events''), 
the occurrence of which could jeopardize the viability of OCC's 
recovery. Under the RWD Plan, the occurrence of a WDP Trigger Event 
would necessitate notification of regulators, including the Commission, 
the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Federal Deposit 
Insurance Corporation, as well as internal notifications to OCC senior 
management.
    The RWD Plan would reference critical interconnections and key 
agreements for consideration in the context of wind-down. The RWD Plan 
also would discuss OCC's key actions in wind-down including the: (1) 
Decision by OCC's Board to initiate wind-down; (2) institution of 
heightened clearing member requirements; (3) imposition of heightened 
capital requirements for clearing members; (4) imposition of increased 
margin requirements; (5) cessation of investment by OCC; (6) 
institution of new operational practices; and (7) targeted reductions 
in force.
    The RWD Plan also would identify transactions that could be entered 
into to accomplish OCC's wind-down objectives: (1) Stock transactions; 
(2) merger transactions; and (3) asset transactions. The RWD Plan 
focuses discussion of wind-down transactions on issues including, but 
not limited to, governance and regulatory issues. The goal of any such 
transaction would be to transfer ownership of OCC in a manner that 
ensures the continuation of OCC's critical services; however, the RWD 
Plan also would contemplate the cessation of Critical Services through 
OCC's existing close-out netting rules.\20\
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    \20\ See also OCC By-Laws, Art. VI, Section 27.
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D. Governance

    The RWD Plan would also memorialize the governance processes for 
maintenance, review, and approval of the RWD Plan. Under the RWD Plan, 
all changes would originate in a recommendation from OCC's RWD Working 
Group. Changes would go through a series of consecutive rounds of 
review and approval by OCC's Management Committee, the Risk Committee 
of OCC's Board of Directors, and the full Board of Directors, which 
would have final approval authority.

[[Page 44112]]

III. Discussion and Commission Findings

    Although the Clearing Supervision Act does not specify a standard 
of review for an advance notice, the stated purpose of the Clearing 
Supervision Act is instructive: To mitigate systemic risk in the 
financial system and promote financial stability by, among other 
things, promoting uniform risk management standards for systemically 
important financial market utilities (``SIFMUs'') and strengthening the 
liquidity of SIFMUs.\21\
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    \21\ See 12 U.S.C. 5461(b).
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    Section 805(a)(2) of the Clearing Supervision Act \22\ authorizes 
the Commission to prescribe regulations containing risk-management 
standards for the payment, clearing, and settlement activities of 
designated clearing entities engaged in designated activities for which 
the Commission is the supervisory agency. Section 805(b) of the 
Clearing Supervision Act \23\ provides the following objectives and 
principles for the Commission's risk-management standards prescribed 
under Section 805(a):
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    \22\ 12 U.S.C. 5464(a)(2).
    \23\ 12 U.S.C. 5464(b).
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     To promote robust risk management;
     to promote safety and soundness;
     to reduce systemic risks; and
     to support the stability of the broader financial system.
    Section 805(c) provides, in addition, that the Commission's risk-
management standards may address such areas as risk-management and 
default policies and procedures, among others areas.\24\
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    \24\ 12 U.S.C. 5464(c).
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    The Commission has adopted risk-management standards under Section 
805(a)(2) of the Clearing Supervision Act and Section 17A of the 
Exchange Act (the ``Clearing Agency Rules'').\25\ The Clearing Agency 
Rules require, among other things, each covered clearing agency to 
establish, implement, maintain, and enforce written policies and 
procedures that are reasonably designed to meet certain minimum 
requirements for its operations and risk-management practices on an 
ongoing basis.\26\ As such, it is appropriate for the Commission to 
review advance notices against the objectives and principles of these 
risk management standards as described in Section 805(b) of the 
Clearing Supervision Act and the Clearing Agency Rules.\27\ As 
discussed below, the Commission believes the proposal in the Amended 
Advance Notice is consistent with the objectives and principles 
described in Section 805(b) of the Clearing Supervision Act,\28\ and in 
the Clearing Agency Rules, in particular Rules 17Ad-22(e)(2)(i), (iii), 
and (v), 17Ad-22(e)(3)(ii), and 17Ad-22(e)(15)(i) under the Exchange 
Act.\29\
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    \25\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 
68080 (October 22, 2012), 77 FR 66220 (November 2, 2012) (S7-08-11). 
See also Securities Exchange Act Release No. 78961 (September 28, 
2016), 81 FR 70786 (October 13, 2016) (S7-03-14) (``Covered Clearing 
Agency Standards''). The Commission established an effective date of 
December 12, 2016, and a compliance date of April 11, 2017, for the 
Covered Clearing Agency Standards. OCC is a ``covered clearing 
agency'' as defined in Rule 17Ad-22(a)(5).
    \26\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22.
    \27\ 12 U.S.C. 5464(b) and 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22.
    \28\ 12 U.S.C. 5464(b).
    \29\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22(e)(2)(i), (iii), and (v); (e)(3)(ii); 
(e)(15)(i).
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A. Consistency With Section 805(b) of the Clearing Supervision Act

    The Commission believes that the proposal contained in OCC's 
Amended Advance Notice is consistent with the stated objectives and 
principles of Section 805(b) of the Clearing Supervision Act. 
Specifically, as discussed below, the Commission believes that the 
changes proposed in the Amended Advance Notice are consistent with 
promoting robust risk management, promoting safety and soundness, 
reducing system risks, and supporting the stability of the broader 
financial system.\30\
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    \30\ 12 U.S.C. 5464(b).
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    First, the Commission believes that the proposed changes are 
consistent with reducing systemic risks and supporting the stability of 
the broader financial system. OCC is the sole registered clearing 
agency for the U.S. listed options markets and a SIFMU. By specifying 
the steps that OCC would take in either a recovery or an orderly wind-
down, the Commission believes that the proposed changes would enhance 
OCC's ability to address circumstances specific to an extreme stress 
event, thereby increasing the likelihood that it could execute a 
successful recovery or orderly wind-down in such an event. As such, the 
Commission believes that the RWD Plan would help reduce systemic risk 
by decreasing the likelihood of a disorderly or unsuccessful recovery 
or wind-down, which could otherwise disrupt the markets for which OCC 
clears, thereby leading to the transmission of risk across market 
participants. For the same reason, the Commission also believes the RWD 
Plan would support the stability of the broader financial system.
    Second, the RWD Plan would, as described above, specify the 
Enhanced Risk Management Tools and Recovery Tools available to OCC in 
recovery, as well as the governance framework applicable to the use of 
such tools. It would analyze the use of the Enhanced Risk Management 
Tools and Recovery Tools, the incentives created by such tools, and the 
risks associated with using such tools. The Commission believes that by 
specifying the tools that OCC would use to address, or preferably 
prevent, a recovery scenario, the RWD Plan would increase the 
likelihood that recovery would be orderly, efficient, and successful. 
By doing so, the Commission believes that the RWD Plan would enhance 
OCC's ability to maintain the continuity of its critical services 
(including clearance and settlement services) during, through, and 
following periods of extreme stress giving rise to the need for 
recovery, thereby promoting both robust risk management and safety and 
soundness in the clearance and settlement in the listed-options and 
futures markets.
    Similarly, the Commission believes that the RWD Plan would enhance 
OCC's ability to promote robust risk management and safety and 
soundness by establishing a plan to effectuate an orderly wind-down. 
The RWD Plan's governance processes and regulatory notice provisions 
could facilitate either the orderly transfer of OCC's Critical Services 
to another entity or the orderly close-out of positions. Providing 
additional information regarding the potential orderly transfer of 
services or close-out of positions would benefit Clearing Members and 
their customers by providing greater transparency and certainty 
regarding the potential disposition or treatment of their positions and 
assets at OCC, thereby benefiting market participants more broadly. 
Therefore, the Commission believes that these provisions would enhance 
OCC's ability to promote robust risk management and safety and 
soundness in the clearance and settlement of the listed-options and 
futures markets by assuring that transactions are transferred to 
another entity or closed out in an orderly and transparent manner.
    Accordingly, and for the reasons stated, the Commission believes 
the changes proposed in the Amended Advance Notice are consistent with 
Section 805(b) of the Clearing Supervision Act.\31\
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    \31\ 12 U.S.C. 5464(b).
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B. Consistency With Rules 17Ad-22(e)(2)(i), (iii), and (v) Under the 
Exchange Act

    Rules 17Ad-22(e)(2)(i), (iii), and (v) require that OCC establish, 
implement,

[[Page 44113]]

maintain and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably 
designed to provide for governance arrangements that are clear and 
transparent, that support the public interest requirements in Section 
17A of the Exchange Act applicable to clearing agencies, and the 
objectives of owners and participants, and that specify clear and 
direct lines of responsibility.\32\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \32\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22(e)(2)(i), (iii), and (v).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The RWD Plan would outline an escalation process for the occurrence 
of a Recovery Trigger Event, which would provide a governance framework 
for the use and functioning of the Enhanced Risk Management Tools and 
Recovery Tools in addition to those specified elsewhere in OCC's rules. 
It would also identify the internal notification requirements that 
would apply to WDP Trigger Events and establish the role of the Board 
in determining whether to enter into a wind-down or take other key 
actions, consistent with the governance specified elsewhere in OCC's 
rules.
    Moreover, the RWD Plan would identify the internal governance 
process for the approval of subsequent changes to OCC's RWD Plan. The 
RWD Plan would also specify the process OCC would take to receive input 
from various parties at OCC, including management and the Board.
    Taken together, the Commission believes that these lines of control 
could contribute to establishing, implementing, maintain and enforcing 
clear and transparent governance arrangements that support the public 
interest requirements in Section 17A of the Exchange Act applicable to 
clearing agencies, and the objectives of owners and participants.
    Therefore, the Commission believes that the proposed changes are 
consistent with Rules 17Ad-22(e)(2)(i), (iii), and (v).\33\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \33\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22(e)(2)(i), (iii), and (v).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

C. Consistency With Rule 17Ad-22(e)(3)(ii) Under the Exchange Act

    Rule 17Ad-22(e)(3)(ii) requires that OCC establish, implement, 
maintain and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably 
designed to maintain a sound risk management framework for 
comprehensively managing legal, credit, liquidity, operational, general 
business, investment, custody, and other risks that arise in or are 
borne by OCC, which includes plans for the recovery and orderly wind-
down of OCC necessitated by credit losses, liquidity shortfalls, losses 
from general business risk, or any other losses.\34\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \34\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22(e)(3)(ii).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission believes that the information the RWD Plan would 
provide about the OCC's recovery tools would enhance OCC's ability to 
recover from credit losses, liquidity shortfalls, general business risk 
losses, or other losses, consistent with Rule 17Ad-22(e)(3)(ii).\35\ 
Specifically, the information from the RWD Plan would enable OCC to 
prepare in advance for the use of such tools, which would in turn 
enhance OCC's ability to use such tools effectively to carry out a 
successful recovery. In addition, by establishing a single source of 
information about, and steps needed to effectuate, a recovery of OCC, 
the RWD Plan would allow OCC personnel to effectuate a recovery in a 
consistent and coordinated fashion, and would thereby increase the 
likelihood of a successful recovery. Moreover, by identifying and 
assessing available Enhanced Risk Management Tools and Recovery Tools, 
the Commission believes that the RWD Plan would enhance OCC's ability 
to use such tools effectively to bring about a recovery by identifying 
in advance which tools may be most effective for different situations 
or needs, consistent with Rule 17Ad-22(e)(3)(ii).\36\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \35\ Id.
    \36\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Similarly, in providing detailed information about the assumptions, 
actions, and objectives related to triggering and implementing the 
wind-down portion of the RWD Plan, discussed in more detail above, the 
Commission believes that the RWD Plan would enhance OCC's ability to 
effectuate an orderly wind-down, consistent with Rule 17Ad-
22(e)(3)(ii).\37\ Specifically, by setting out in advance the potential 
events that could cause OCC to trigger, and transactions by which OCC 
would effectuate, a wind-down, the RWD Plan would enable OCC to prepare 
in advance for a wind-down, which the Commission believes would enhance 
OCC's ability to use the RWD Plan effectively to carry-out an orderly 
wind-down. In addition, by establishing a single source of information 
about, and steps needed to effectuate, a wind-down of OCC, the 
Commission believes the RWD Plan would allow OCC personnel to 
effectuate a wind-down in a consistent and coordinated fashion, and 
would thereby increase the likelihood of an orderly wind-down. Finally, 
the RWD Plan would identify the legal basis for OCC's actions with 
respect to a potential wind-down, including relevant citations to 
provisions of the rule books of its various clearing services and 
contractual agreements, which the Commission believes would further 
facilitate an orderly wind-down process by providing OCC with a single 
source of information and steps needed for a wind-down, consistent with 
Rule 17Ad-22(e)(3)(ii).\38\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \37\ Id.
    \38\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Therefore, the Commission believes that the proposed changes to 
adopt plans for the orderly recovery and wind down of OCC are 
consistent with Rule 17Ad-22(e)(3)(ii).\39\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \39\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

D. Consistency With Rules 17Ad-22(e)(15)(i) Under the Exchange Act

    Rule 17Ad-22(e)(15)(i) requires OCC to establish, implement, 
maintain and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably 
designed to identify, monitor, and manage its general business risk and 
hold sufficient liquid net assets funded by equity to cover potential 
general business losses so that OCC can continue operations and 
services as a going concern if those losses materialize, including by 
determining the amount of liquid net assets funded by equity based upon 
its general business risk profile and the length of time required to 
achieve a recovery or orderly wind-down, as appropriate, of its 
critical operations and services if such action is taken.\40\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \40\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22(e)(15)(i).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    OCC's RWD Plan would estimate costs related to a wind-down based on 
a series of assumptions laid out in the RWD Plan. These assumptions 
include duration of the wind-down process, OCC's capitalization through 
the wind-down process, the maintenance of Critical Services and 
Critical Support Functions, and the retention of personnel and 
contractual relationships. OCC also provided information regarding its 
assumption about the cost of the wind-down process. Further, the RWD 
Plan identifies potential transactions that could be effected to 
accomplish the objectives of wind-down with the ultimate goal of 
transferring ownership of OCC itself by the consummation or a 
consensual sale or similar transaction, in a manner that ensures the 
continuation of OCC's Critical Services. The Commission considered the 
assumptions that the RWD Plan makes regarding wind-down as well as the 
potential transactions in which OCC might engage in the event of a 
wind-down. The Commission also considered the estimated cost of wind-
down noted in the RWD Plan in light of OCC's rules regarding the 
maintenance of certain capital levels and qualifying liquid resources. 
The Commission

[[Page 44114]]

believes that the RWD Plan, which indicates the cost at which OCC could 
effectuate an orderly wind-down, i.e., at a lower cost than the amount 
of its liquid resources is consistent with Rule 17Ad-22(e)(15)(i).\41\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \41\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22(e)(15)(i).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Therefore, the Commission believes that the proposed changes that 
would determine costs associated with an orderly wind-down and that 
would further ensure that OCC holds liquid net assets greater than 
these costs, are consistent with Rule 17Ad-22(e)(15)(i).\42\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \42\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22(e)(15)(i).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. Conclusion

    It is therefore noticed, pursuant to Section 806(e)(1)(I) of the 
Clearing Supervision Act,\43\ that the Commission does not object to 
Advance Notice (SR-OCC-2017-810), as modified by Partial Amendment No. 
3, and that OCC is authorized to implement the proposed change as of 
the date of this notice or the date of an order by the Commission 
approving proposed rule change SR-OCC-2017-021, as modified by Partial 
Amendment No. 3, whichever is later.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \43\ 12 U.S.C. 5465(e)(1)(I).

    By the Commission.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-18656 Filed 8-28-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 29, 2018 / Notices                                                        44109

                                                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE                                 Partial Amendment No. 2 and Partial                      summarizing the role OCC has in the
                                                COMMISSION                                              Amendment No. 3 to the Advance                           options market as well as the services
                                                                                                        Notice.8 Notice of the Amendments to                     and products it provides to its clearing
                                                [Release No. 34–83928; File No. SR–OCC–
                                                                                                        the Advance Notice was published for                     members and market participants. The
                                                2017–810]
                                                                                                        public comment in the Federal Register                   RWD Plan would identify fourteen
                                                Self-Regulatory Organizations; The                      on August 7, 2018,9 and the                              internal support functions at OCC and
                                                Options Clearing Corporation; Notice                    Commission has received no comments                      provide a brief description of the
                                                of No Objection to Advance Notice, as                   in response.                                             activities performed by each support
                                                Modified by Partial Amendment No. 3,                       This publication serves as notice that                function. Similar to the information
                                                Concerning Updates to and                               the Commission does not object to the                    regarding OCC’s business, this
                                                Formalization of OCC’s Recovery and                     changes set forth in the Advance Notice,                 information is designed to inform the
                                                Orderly Wind-Down Plan                                  as amended by Partial Amendment No.                      relevant authorities for orderly wind-
                                                                                                        3 (‘‘Amended Advance Notice’’).                          down planning and as necessary context
                                                August 23, 2018.                                                                                                 for understanding other elements of the
                                                                                                        II. Background 10
                                                I. Introduction                                                                                                  RWD Plan.
                                                                                                           OCC’s proposal would formalize and
                                                   On December 8, 2017, The Options                     update its RWD Plan. The purpose of                      A. Designating Critical Services and
                                                Clearing Corporation (‘‘OCC’’) filed with               the RWD Plan is to: (i) Demonstrate that                 Critical Support Functions
                                                the Securities and Exchange                             OCC has considered the scenarios                            The RWD Plan would define the
                                                Commission (‘‘Commission’’) advance                     which may potentially prevent it from                    terms ‘‘Critical Services’’ and ‘‘Critical
                                                notice SR–OCC–2017–810 (‘‘Advance                       being able to provide the services OCC                   Support Functions.’’ Specifically, a
                                                Notice’’) pursuant to Section 806(e)(1) of              determined to be critical as a going-                    Critical Service would be a service
                                                Title VIII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street                concern; (ii) provide appropriate plans
                                                                                                                                                                 provided by OCC that, if interrupted,
                                                Reform and Consumer Protection Act,                     for OCC’s recovery or orderly wind-
                                                                                                                                                                 would likely have a material negative
                                                entitled Payment, Clearing and                          down based on the results of such
                                                                                                                                                                 impact on participants or significant
                                                Settlement Supervision Act of 2010                      consideration; and (iii) impart to
                                                                                                                                                                 third parties, give rise to contagion, or
                                                (‘‘Clearing Supervision Act’’) 1 and Rule               relevant authorities the information
                                                                                                                                                                 undermine the general confidence of
                                                19b–4(n)(1)(i) 2 under the Securities                   reasonably anticipated to be necessary
                                                                                                                                                                 markets that OCC serves. A Critical
                                                Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Exchange                        for purposes of recovery and orderly
                                                                                                                                                                 Support Function would be a function
                                                Act’’) 3 to formalize and update its                    wind-down planning.
                                                                                                           The RWD Plan would identify the                       within OCC that must continue in some
                                                Recovery and Orderly Wind-Down Plan                                                                              capacity for OCC to be able to continue
                                                (‘‘RWD Plan’’). The Advance Notice was                  services provided by OCC that OCC has
                                                                                                        determined to be critical, and it would                  providing its Critical Services.
                                                published for public comment in the
                                                                                                        set forth five qualitative events that                      The RWD Plan would describe the
                                                Federal Register on January 23, 2018.4
                                                                                                        could trigger a recovery scenario and six                framework that OCC uses to determine
                                                On January 23, 2018, the Commission
                                                                                                        qualitative events that could trigger an                 whether a service is critical. This
                                                requested that OCC provide it with
                                                                                                        orderly wind-down. It would also                         framework includes four criteria to
                                                additional information regarding the
                                                                                                        address six scenarios that describe                      determine if failure or discontinuation
                                                Advance Notice.5 OCC responded to the
                                                                                                        OCC’s possible responses to series of                    of a particular service would impact
                                                request, and the Commission received
                                                                                                        stresses. The RWD Plan would also                        financial and operational capabilities of
                                                the information on July 13, 2018.6
                                                   On July 11, 2018, OCC filed Partial                  include an overview designed to                          OCC’s clearing members, other FMUs,
                                                Amendment No. 1 to the Advance                          provide information that OCC believes                    or the broader financial system: (1)
                                                Notice.7 On July 12, 2018, OCC filed                    would be essential to relevant                           Market dominance, (2) substitutability,
                                                                                                        authorities for purposes of recovery and                 (3) interconnectedness, and (4) barriers
                                                  1 12  U.S.C. 5465(e)(1).                              orderly wind-down planning, as well as                   to entry. The current set of services
                                                  2 17  CFR 240.19b–4(n)(1)(i).                         to provide readers of the Plan with                      designated as Critical Services under the
                                                   3 15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.                              necessary context for subsequent                         RWD Plan is based on the analysis of
                                                   4 See Exchange Act Release No. 82514 (January
                                                                                                        discussion and analysis. The overview                    these measureable indicators and
                                                17, 2018), 83 FR 3224 (January 23, 2018) (SR–OCC–       would also include a detailed                            subsequent internal discussion at OCC.
                                                2017–810) (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Notice of
                                                Filing’’). On December 18, 2017, OCC also filed a       description of OCC’s business,                           The Critical Services currently include,
                                                related proposed rule change (SR–OCC–2017–020)                                                                   but are not limited to, clearance services
                                                with the Commission pursuant to Section 19(b)(1)        proposed authority to require cash settlement of         for listed options and clearance services
                                                of the Exchange Act and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,          certain physically delivered options and single          for futures.
                                                seeking approval of changes to its rules necessary      stock futures; (2) updating the list of OCC’s Critical
                                                to implement the Advance Notice (‘‘Proposed Rule        Support Functions; and (3) making three changes to       B. Recovery Plan
                                                Change’’). 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1) and 17 CFR 240.19b–      the RWD Plan to conform to a change
                                                4, respectively. The Proposed Rule Change was           contemporaneously proposed in Amendment No. 2              The RWD Plan would include plans
                                                published in the Federal Register on December 26,       to OCC filing SR–OCC–2017–809 concerning                 for recovery from scenarios that could
                                                2017. Exchange Act Release No. 82352 (Dec. 19,          enhanced and new tools for recovery scenarios.
                                                2017), 82 FR 61072 (Dec. 26, 2017) (SR–OCC–2017–           8 Partial Amendment No. 2 superseded and
                                                                                                                                                                 prevent OCC from providing Critical
                                                021).                                                   replaced Partial Amendment No. 1 in its entirety,        Services.11 After discussing particular
                                                   5 See Memorandum from Office of Clearance and        due to technical defects in Partial Amendment No.
                                                Settlement, Division of Trading and Markets, dated      1. Partial Amendment No. 3 then superseded and              11 For the purposes of the RWD Plan, OCC defines
                                                January 23, 2018, available at https://www.sec.gov/     replaced Partial Amendment No. 1 in its entirety,        ‘‘recovery’’ as ‘‘the actions of [a financial market
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES




                                                rules/sro/occ-an/2018/34-83305.pdf.                     due to technical defects in Partial Amendment No.        utility], consistent with its rules, procedures, and
                                                   6 See Memorandum from Office of Clearance and        2.                                                       other ex-ante contractual arrangements, to address
                                                Settlement, Division of Trading and Markets, dated         9 See Exchange Act Release No. 83762 (Aug. 1,
                                                                                                                                                                 any uncovered credit loss, liquidity shortfall,
                                                July 17, 2018, available at https://www.sec.gov/        2018), 83 FR 38750 (Aug. 7, 2018) (‘‘Notice of           capital inadequacy, or business, operational or
                                                comments/sr-occ-2017-810/occ2017810-4062513-            Amendment’’).                                            other structural weakness, including the
                                                169149.pdf.                                                10 Capitalized terms used but not defined herein      replenishment of any depleted pre-funded financial
                                                   7 In Amendment No. 1, OCC made three                 have the meanings specified in OCC’s Rules and By-       resources and liquidity arrangements, as necessary
                                                modifications to the Notice of Filing: (1) Removal      Laws, available at https://www.theocc.com/about/         to maintain the [financial market utility’s] viability
                                                of sections of the RWD Plan concerning OCC’s            publications/bylaws.jsp.                                 as a going concern.’’



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                                                44110                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 29, 2018 / Notices

                                                scenarios, the RWD Plan identifies the                  without triggering the use of another                   The RWD Plan would recognize that an
                                                tools that OCC could use as warranted                   tool.                                                   inherent risk of the credit facility is that
                                                in such scenarios. These tools fall into                   Minimum Clearing Fund Cash                           a portion of the syndicate may not
                                                two categories: (1) Enhanced Risk                       Contribution. Under its current rules,                  provide funds in timely response to
                                                Management Tools, and (2) Recovery                      OCC Clearing Members collectively                       OCC’s request. OCC also maintains a $1
                                                Tools. An Enhanced Risk Management                      contribute $3 billion in cash to OCC’s                  billion dollar secured non-bank
                                                Tool is a tool that is designed to                      Clearing Fund.12 In addition, OCC may,                  liquidity facility for the purpose of
                                                supplement OCC’s existing processes                     in certain limited circumstances,                       providing OCC with a non-bank
                                                and other existing tools in scenarios                   increase the minimum cash requirement                   liquidity resource to meet settlement
                                                where OCC faces heightened stresses,                    up to the then-minimum size of the                      obligations as a central counterparty.
                                                while a Recovery Tool is a tool that is                 Clearing Fund.13 The RWD Plan would                     Similar to the risk associated with the
                                                generally limited to a scenario in which                acknowledge that increasing the                         credit facility, the RWD Plan would
                                                a specific trigger has occurred. In its                 minimum cash requirement would                          recognize the risk that OCC’s
                                                RWD Plan, OCC would define a set of                     require preparation of OCC                              counterparty may not timely execute the
                                                five such qualitative trigger events                    documentation that considers the                        transaction under the non-bank
                                                (‘‘Recovery Trigger Events’’).                          projected liquidity demands for                         liquidity facility.
                                                   The sequence and timing of the                       successful management of a defaulted
                                                                                                        Clearing Member.                                        2. Recovery Tools
                                                deployment of each Recovery Tool is
                                                more structured and lacks the flexibility                  Borrowing Against Clearing Fund.                        Under the RWD Plan, Recovery Tools
                                                inherent in the sequence and timing for                 OCC has the authority to borrow against                 would be different from Enhanced Risk
                                                use of the Enhanced Risk Management                     the Clearing Fund in three                              Management Tools because OCC’s use
                                                Tools. For each tool, the RWD Plan                      circumstances: (1) To meet obligations                  of a Recovery Tool is generally limited
                                                                                                        arising out of the default or suspension                to a scenario in which a Recovery
                                                provides an overview of the tool, and,
                                                                                                        of a Clearing Member or any action                      Trigger has occurred. The RWD Plan
                                                as appropriate, a discussion of its
                                                                                                        taken by OCC under Chapter XI of its                    would identify five Recovery Tools, the
                                                implementation with an estimated time
                                                                                                        rules pertaining to the suspension of a                 last four of which would generally be
                                                frame for use of the tool, key risks
                                                                                                        clearing member; (2) to borrow or                       deployed in the order they are described
                                                associated with use of the tool, and the
                                                                                                        otherwise obtain funds from third                       here: (1) Replenishment Capital; (2)
                                                expected impact and incentives of using
                                                                                                        parties in lieu of immediately charging                 Assessment Powers; (3) Voluntary
                                                the tool.
                                                                                                        the Clearing Fund for a loss that is                    Payments; (4) Voluntary Tear-Up; and
                                                1. Enhanced Risk Management Tools                       reimbursable out of the Clearing Fund;                  (5) Partial Tear-Up.15 As noted above,
                                                                                                        and (3) to meet liquidity needs for same-               the sequence and timing of deployment
                                                   OCC stated that the Enhanced Risk                    day settlement as a result of the failure
                                                Management Tools would be used                                                                                  of the Recovery Tools would be more
                                                                                                        of any bank or securities or commodities                structured than the sequence and timing
                                                prophylactically in an effort to prevent                clearing organization to achieve daily
                                                the occurrence of a Recovery Trigger                                                                            of the use of Enhanced Risk
                                                                                                        settlement.14 The RWD Plan would                        Management Tools.
                                                Event and would not be limited to                       acknowledge that any borrowing would
                                                recovery. OCC would not anticipate                                                                                 Replenishment Capital. OCC holds
                                                                                                        require preparation of OCC                              capital contributed by its stockholder
                                                applying a rigid order or timing for the                documentation in accordance with OCC
                                                deployment of the Enhanced Risk                                                                                 exchanges who have committed to
                                                                                                        procedures. Further, the RWD Plan                       replenish OCC’s capital if it falls below
                                                Management Tools. The RWD Plan                          would recognize that the availability of
                                                would include five Enhanced Risk                                                                                a certain threshold.16 The RWD Plan
                                                                                                        this tool in advance of a heightened                    would include the replenishment of
                                                Management Tools: (1) Use of Current/                   stress scenario would be unknown
                                                Retained Earnings; (2) Minimum                                                                                  capital by OCC’s stockholder exchanges
                                                                                                        because OCC’s primary liquidity                         as a recovery tool.
                                                Clearing Fund Cash Contribution; (3)                    facilities could already be fully or
                                                Borrowing Against Clearing Fund; (4)                                                                               Assessment Powers. Under OCC’s
                                                                                                        partially utilized.                                     rules, OCC has authority to assess a non-
                                                Credit Facility; and (5) Non-Bank                          Credit Facility and Non-Bank
                                                Facility.                                                                                                       defaulting Clearing Member during any
                                                                                                        Liquidity Facility. OCC maintains a $2
                                                   Use of Current/Retained Earnings.                                                                            cooling-off period for an amount equal
                                                                                                        billion dollar senior secured 364-day
                                                Under its By-Laws, OCC may use                                                                                  to 200 percent of the Clearing Member’s
                                                                                                        revolving credit facility with a syndicate
                                                current and/or retained earnings to                                                                             then-required contribution to the
                                                                                                        of lenders for the purpose of providing
                                                discharge a loss that would be                                                                                  Clearing Fund.17 Following the end of
                                                                                                        OCC with liquidity to meet settlement
                                                chargeable against the Clearing Fund,                   obligations as a central counterparty.                    15 For a more detailed description of the Recovery
                                                but would require unanimous consent                                                                             Tools numbered (2) through (5) here, please see
                                                from the holders of OCC’s Class A and                     12 See OCC By-Laws, Art. VIII, Section 3(a)(i). The   Exchange Act Release No. 83927 (Aug. 23, 2018).
                                                Class B common stock. The RWD Plan                      Commission recently approved a proposal by OCC            16 The requirement to replenish OCC’s capital was

                                                acknowledges that the utility of this tool              that, after implementation, would move this section     adopted as part of OCC’s plan to raise and maintain
                                                                                                        of the OCC By-Laws to OCC Rule 1002(a)(i). See          capital at a specified level (‘‘Capital Plan’’). See
                                                is limited by the requirement for                       Exchange Act Release No. 83735 (Jul. 27, 2018), 83      Exchange Act Release No. 77112 (February 11,
                                                shareholder consent and that OCC’s                      FR 37855, 37859 (Aug. 2, 2018) (SR–OCC–2018–            2016), 81 FR 8294 (February 18, 2016) (SR–OCC–
                                                retained earnings presently amount to a                 008) (‘‘Order Approving Proposed Rule Change, as        2015–02). The Capital Plan was later subject to
                                                small fraction of OCC’s existing                        Modified by Amendments No. 1 and 2, Related to          judicial review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
                                                                                                        OCC’s Stress Testing and Clearing Fund                  District of Columbia Circuit, which remanded for
                                                prefunded Clearing Fund resources.
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                                                                                                        Methodology’’).                                         the Commission to further analyze whether the
                                                OCC stated that, given this amount, the                   13 See OCC By-Laws, Art. VIII, Section 3(a)(i).       Capital Plan is consistent with the Exchange Act.
                                                maximum utility of this tool may be                       14 See OCC By-Laws, Art. VIII, Section 5(e). The      Susquehanna Int’l Grp., LLP v. SEC, 866 F.3d 442
                                                realized in specific circumstances at                   Commission recently approved a proposal by OCC          (D.C. Cir. 2017). The Commission’s review of the
                                                either the beginning of OCC’s loss                      that, after implementation, would move this section     Capital Plan on remand is ongoing, and the Capital
                                                                                                        of the OCC By-Laws to OCC Rule 1006(f). See Order       Plan remains in effect during this ongoing review.
                                                waterfall or toward the end of OCC’s                    Approving Proposed Rule Change Related to OCC             17 The cooling-off period is the period following
                                                loss waterfall, where it would be                       Stress Testing and Clearing Fund Methodology,           a proportionate charge assessed by OCC against the
                                                sufficient to fully extinguish liabilities              supra note 12, 83 FR at 37859.                          Clearing Members’ Clearing Fund contributions. It



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                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 29, 2018 / Notices                                                     44111

                                                the cooling-off period, each remaining                  compensation from amounts recovered                   continuity of critical functions. The
                                                Clearing Member must replenish the                      by OCC from the estate of a defaulting                RWD Plan would provide OCC’s
                                                Clearing Fund in the amount necessary                   Clearing Member ahead of other                        assumptions concerning the wind-down
                                                to meet its then-required contribution.18               Clearing Members that faced such                      process regarding: (1) Duration of wind-
                                                The RWD Plan would recognize the risk                   losses, costs, or expenses after                      down; (2) cost of wind-down; (3) OCC’s
                                                that the use of assessment powers may                   reestablishing torn up positions.                     capitalization; and (4) the maintenance
                                                incentivize Clearing Members to                            Partial Tear-up. OCC’s rules provide a             of Critical Services and Critical Support
                                                withdraw from membership in OCC to                      framework by which OCC could                          Functions. It also would identify six
                                                avoid replenishment, and that such                      extinguish the remaining open positions               wind-down triggers (‘‘WDP Trigger
                                                withdrawals would limit the resources                   of a defaulted Clearing Member or its                 Events’’), the occurrence of which could
                                                available to OCC for future assessments.                customers (i.e., Partial Tear-up) in                  jeopardize the viability of OCC’s
                                                   Voluntary Payments. OCC’s rules                      response to a Clearing Member default.                recovery. Under the RWD Plan, the
                                                provide a framework by which OCC can                    The RWD Plan would anticipate that the                occurrence of a WDP Trigger Event
                                                receive voluntary payments in response                  Partial Tear-up process would be                      would necessitate notification of
                                                to a Clearing Member default. Use of                    intertwined with the Voluntary Tear-up                regulators, including the Commission,
                                                this tool is permissible only where OCC                 process described above. The RWD Plan                 the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading
                                                has determined that it may not have                     also would contemplate the                            Commission, and the Federal Deposit
                                                sufficient resources to satisfy its                     compensation of Clearing Members                      Insurance Corporation, as well as
                                                obligations and liabilities arising out of              facing losses, costs, or expenses after               internal notifications to OCC senior
                                                the default. The RWD Plan would                         reestablishing torn up positions from                 management.
                                                describe the processes involved in                      Clearing Fund contributions.                             The RWD Plan would reference
                                                calling for and receiving voluntary                        The RWD Plan also would provide a                  critical interconnections and key
                                                payments, including the issuance of a                   mapping of Enhanced Risk Management                   agreements for consideration in the
                                                notice to Clearing Members. The RWD                     Tools and Recovery Tools to different                 context of wind-down. The RWD Plan
                                                Plan would recognize the risk that                      types of risk exposures. Such risk                    also would discuss OCC’s key actions in
                                                Clearing Members would be unwilling                     exposures include: (1) Uncovered credit
                                                                                                                                                              wind-down including the: (1) Decision
                                                or unable to make voluntary payments.                   losses; (2) liquidity shortfalls; (3)
                                                                                                                                                              by OCC’s Board to initiate wind-down;
                                                As an incentive for Clearing Members to                 replenishment of financial resource; (4)
                                                                                                                                                              (2) institution of heightened clearing
                                                provide voluntary payments, a non-                      losses related to business, operational,
                                                                                                                                                              member requirements; (3) imposition of
                                                defaulting Clearing Member who made                     or other structural weaknesses; and (5)
                                                                                                                                                              heightened capital requirements for
                                                a voluntary payment would receive                       re-establishment of a matched book. The
                                                                                                                                                              clearing members; (4) imposition of
                                                priority in reimbursement from amounts                  RWD Plan discusses how each tool
                                                                                                                                                              increased margin requirements; (5)
                                                recovered by OCC from the estate of a                   would apply to these risk categories and
                                                                                                                                                              cessation of investment by OCC; (6)
                                                defaulting Clearing Member.                             would reference the stress scenarios
                                                                                                                                                              institution of new operational practices;
                                                   Voluntary Tear-up. OCC’s rules                       contemplated by the RWD Plan.
                                                provide a framework by which non-                          The RWD Plan would outline an                      and (7) targeted reductions in force.
                                                defaulting Clearing Members and                         escalation process for the occurrence of                 The RWD Plan also would identify
                                                customers could be permitted to                         each Recovery Trigger.19 Under the                    transactions that could be entered into
                                                voluntarily extinguish (i.e., voluntarily               RWD Plan, OCC’s Enterprise Risk                       to accomplish OCC’s wind-down
                                                tear-up) open positions in response to a                Management and Financial Risk                         objectives: (1) Stock transactions; (2)
                                                Clearing Member default. Voluntary                      Management groups would be                            merger transactions; and (3) asset
                                                Tear-up is permissible only where OCC                   responsible for recommending which, if                transactions. The RWD Plan focuses
                                                has determined that it may not have                     any, of the tools described above should              discussion of wind-down transactions
                                                sufficient resources to satisfy its                     be used in a given situation. Further,                on issues including, but not limited to,
                                                obligations and liabilities arising out of              OCC’s Chief Executive Officer and                     governance and regulatory issues. The
                                                the default. The RWD Plan would                         Executive Chairman would be                           goal of any such transaction would be
                                                contemplate that OCC would initiate                     responsible for approval of such                      to transfer ownership of OCC in a
                                                any tear-up process after the market                    recommendations, and OCC’s Chief Risk                 manner that ensures the continuation of
                                                close on the day that OCC determines it                 Officer and Management Committee                      OCC’s critical services; however, the
                                                may have insufficient resources. The                    would be responsible for overseeing                   RWD Plan also would contemplate the
                                                RWD Plan would further anticipate that                  deployment of such tools. Finally,                    cessation of Critical Services through
                                                OCC would publish notice of tear-up no                  OCC’s Board and the Risk Committee of                 OCC’s existing close-out netting rules.20
                                                later than the following morning (prior                 the Board would be responsible for                    D. Governance
                                                to the market open), and that positions                 generally overseeing OCC’s recovery
                                                would be extinguished following the                     efforts.                                                 The RWD Plan would also
                                                market close. The RWD Plan would also                                                                         memorialize the governance processes
                                                                                                        C. Orderly Wind-Down Plan                             for maintenance, review, and approval
                                                recognize the risk that Clearing
                                                Members would be unwilling or unable                       The RWD Plan would also include                    of the RWD Plan. Under the RWD Plan,
                                                to participate in the voluntary tear-up                 OCC’s wind-down plan and include                      all changes would originate in a
                                                process. A non-defaulting Clearing                      scenarios that could prevent OCC from                 recommendation from OCC’s RWD
                                                Member that faced losses, costs, or                     being able to provide Critical Services as            Working Group. Changes would go
                                                                                                        a going-concern. OCC would identify its               through a series of consecutive rounds
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                                                expenses in reestablishing voluntarily
                                                torn-up positions could receive                         wind-down objective as the pursuit of                 of review and approval by OCC’s
                                                                                                        financial stability and ensuring the                  Management Committee, the Risk
                                                is a minimum of fifteen days, but could extend to                                                             Committee of OCC’s Board of Directors,
                                                as much as twenty days from the date of the               19 The RWD Plan also would discuss notification
                                                                                                                                                              and the full Board of Directors, which
                                                proportionate charge based on intervening events.       of regulators, including the Commission, the U.S.     would have final approval authority.
                                                   18 A Clearing Member may avoid liability for         Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the
                                                replenishment by terminating its membership in          Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, in response
                                                OCC prior to the end of the cooling-off period.         to the occurrence of a Recovery Trigger.                20 See   also OCC By-Laws, Art. VI, Section 27.



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                                                44112                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 29, 2018 / Notices

                                                III. Discussion and Commission                          against the objectives and principles of              Tools available to OCC in recovery, as
                                                Findings                                                these risk management standards as                    well as the governance framework
                                                   Although the Clearing Supervision                    described in Section 805(b) of the                    applicable to the use of such tools. It
                                                Act does not specify a standard of                      Clearing Supervision Act and the                      would analyze the use of the Enhanced
                                                review for an advance notice, the stated                Clearing Agency Rules.27 As discussed                 Risk Management Tools and Recovery
                                                purpose of the Clearing Supervision Act                 below, the Commission believes the                    Tools, the incentives created by such
                                                is instructive: To mitigate systemic risk               proposal in the Amended Advance                       tools, and the risks associated with
                                                in the financial system and promote                     Notice is consistent with the objectives              using such tools. The Commission
                                                financial stability by, among other                     and principles described in Section                   believes that by specifying the tools that
                                                things, promoting uniform risk                          805(b) of the Clearing Supervision                    OCC would use to address, or preferably
                                                management standards for systemically                   Act,28 and in the Clearing Agency Rules,              prevent, a recovery scenario, the RWD
                                                important financial market utilities                    in particular Rules 17Ad–22(e)(2)(i),                 Plan would increase the likelihood that
                                                (‘‘SIFMUs’’) and strengthening the                      (iii), and (v), 17Ad–22(e)(3)(ii), and                recovery would be orderly, efficient,
                                                liquidity of SIFMUs.21                                  17Ad–22(e)(15)(i) under the Exchange                  and successful. By doing so, the
                                                   Section 805(a)(2) of the Clearing                    Act.29                                                Commission believes that the RWD Plan
                                                Supervision Act 22 authorizes the                                                                             would enhance OCC’s ability to
                                                                                                        A. Consistency With Section 805(b) of                 maintain the continuity of its critical
                                                Commission to prescribe regulations                     the Clearing Supervision Act
                                                containing risk-management standards                                                                          services (including clearance and
                                                for the payment, clearing, and                             The Commission believes that the                   settlement services) during, through,
                                                settlement activities of designated                     proposal contained in OCC’s Amended                   and following periods of extreme stress
                                                clearing entities engaged in designated                 Advance Notice is consistent with the                 giving rise to the need for recovery,
                                                activities for which the Commission is                  stated objectives and principles of                   thereby promoting both robust risk
                                                                                                        Section 805(b) of the Clearing                        management and safety and soundness
                                                the supervisory agency. Section 805(b)
                                                                                                        Supervision Act. Specifically, as                     in the clearance and settlement in the
                                                of the Clearing Supervision Act 23
                                                                                                        discussed below, the Commission                       listed-options and futures markets.
                                                provides the following objectives and                                                                            Similarly, the Commission believes
                                                principles for the Commission’s risk-                   believes that the changes proposed in
                                                                                                        the Amended Advance Notice are                        that the RWD Plan would enhance
                                                management standards prescribed under                                                                         OCC’s ability to promote robust risk
                                                Section 805(a):                                         consistent with promoting robust risk
                                                                                                        management, promoting safety and                      management and safety and soundness
                                                   • To promote robust risk
                                                                                                        soundness, reducing system risks, and                 by establishing a plan to effectuate an
                                                management;
                                                   • to promote safety and soundness;                   supporting the stability of the broader               orderly wind-down. The RWD Plan’s
                                                   • to reduce systemic risks; and                      financial system.30                                   governance processes and regulatory
                                                   • to support the stability of the                       First, the Commission believes that                notice provisions could facilitate either
                                                broader financial system.                               the proposed changes are consistent                   the orderly transfer of OCC’s Critical
                                                   Section 805(c) provides, in addition,                with reducing systemic risks and                      Services to another entity or the orderly
                                                that the Commission’s risk-management                   supporting the stability of the broader               close-out of positions. Providing
                                                standards may address such areas as                     financial system. OCC is the sole                     additional information regarding the
                                                risk-management and default policies                    registered clearing agency for the U.S.               potential orderly transfer of services or
                                                and procedures, among others areas.24                   listed options markets and a SIFMU. By                close-out of positions would benefit
                                                   The Commission has adopted risk-                     specifying the steps that OCC would                   Clearing Members and their customers
                                                management standards under Section                      take in either a recovery or an orderly               by providing greater transparency and
                                                805(a)(2) of the Clearing Supervision                   wind-down, the Commission believes                    certainty regarding the potential
                                                Act and Section 17A of the Exchange                     that the proposed changes would                       disposition or treatment of their
                                                Act (the ‘‘Clearing Agency Rules’’).25                  enhance OCC’s ability to address                      positions and assets at OCC, thereby
                                                The Clearing Agency Rules require,                      circumstances specific to an extreme                  benefiting market participants more
                                                among other things, each covered                        stress event, thereby increasing the                  broadly. Therefore, the Commission
                                                clearing agency to establish, implement,                likelihood that it could execute a                    believes that these provisions would
                                                maintain, and enforce written policies                  successful recovery or orderly wind-                  enhance OCC’s ability to promote robust
                                                and procedures that are reasonably                      down in such an event. As such, the                   risk management and safety and
                                                designed to meet certain minimum                        Commission believes that the RWD Plan                 soundness in the clearance and
                                                requirements for its operations and risk-               would help reduce systemic risk by                    settlement of the listed-options and
                                                management practices on an ongoing                      decreasing the likelihood of a disorderly             futures markets by assuring that
                                                basis.26 As such, it is appropriate for the             or unsuccessful recovery or wind-down,                transactions are transferred to another
                                                Commission to review advance notices                    which could otherwise disrupt the                     entity or closed out in an orderly and
                                                                                                        markets for which OCC clears, thereby                 transparent manner.
                                                  21 See  12 U.S.C. 5461(b).                            leading to the transmission of risk                      Accordingly, and for the reasons
                                                  22 12  U.S.C. 5464(a)(2).                             across market participants. For the same              stated, the Commission believes the
                                                   23 12 U.S.C. 5464(b).
                                                                                                        reason, the Commission also believes                  changes proposed in the Amended
                                                   24 12 U.S.C. 5464(c).
                                                                                                        the RWD Plan would support the                        Advance Notice are consistent with
                                                   25 17 CFR 240.17Ad–22. See Securities Exchange
                                                                                                        stability of the broader financial system.            Section 805(b) of the Clearing
                                                Act Release No. 68080 (October 22, 2012), 77 FR
                                                66220 (November 2, 2012) (S7–08–11). See also              Second, the RWD Plan would, as                     Supervision Act.31
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                                                Securities Exchange Act Release No. 78961               described above, specify the Enhanced                 B. Consistency With Rules 17Ad–
                                                (September 28, 2016), 81 FR 70786 (October 13,          Risk Management Tools and Recovery
                                                2016) (S7–03–14) (‘‘Covered Clearing Agency
                                                                                                                                                              22(e)(2)(i), (iii), and (v) Under the
                                                Standards’’). The Commission established an                                                                   Exchange Act
                                                                                                          27 12  U.S.C. 5464(b) and 17 CFR 240.17Ad–22.
                                                effective date of December 12, 2016, and a
                                                compliance date of April 11, 2017, for the Covered        28 12  U.S.C. 5464(b).                                Rules 17Ad–22(e)(2)(i), (iii), and (v)
                                                Clearing Agency Standards. OCC is a ‘‘covered              29 17 CFR 240.17Ad–22(e)(2)(i), (iii), and (v);    require that OCC establish, implement,
                                                clearing agency’’ as defined in Rule 17Ad–22(a)(5).     (e)(3)(ii); (e)(15)(i).
                                                   26 17 CFR 240.17Ad–22.                                  30 12 U.S.C. 5464(b).                                31 12   U.S.C. 5464(b).



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                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 29, 2018 / Notices                                                 44113

                                                maintain and enforce written policies                       The Commission believes that the                   services and contractual agreements,
                                                and procedures reasonably designed to                    information the RWD Plan would                        which the Commission believes would
                                                provide for governance arrangements                      provide about the OCC’s recovery tools                further facilitate an orderly wind-down
                                                that are clear and transparent, that                     would enhance OCC’s ability to recover                process by providing OCC with a single
                                                support the public interest requirements                 from credit losses, liquidity shortfalls,             source of information and steps needed
                                                in Section 17A of the Exchange Act                       general business risk losses, or other                for a wind-down, consistent with Rule
                                                applicable to clearing agencies, and the                 losses, consistent with Rule 17Ad–                    17Ad–22(e)(3)(ii).38
                                                objectives of owners and participants,                   22(e)(3)(ii).35 Specifically, the                       Therefore, the Commission believes
                                                and that specify clear and direct lines of               information from the RWD Plan would                   that the proposed changes to adopt
                                                responsibility.32                                        enable OCC to prepare in advance for                  plans for the orderly recovery and wind
                                                  The RWD Plan would outline an                          the use of such tools, which would in                 down of OCC are consistent with Rule
                                                escalation process for the occurrence of                 turn enhance OCC’s ability to use such                17Ad–22(e)(3)(ii).39
                                                a Recovery Trigger Event, which would                    tools effectively to carry out a successful           D. Consistency With Rules 17Ad–
                                                provide a governance framework for the                   recovery. In addition, by establishing a              22(e)(15)(i) Under the Exchange Act
                                                use and functioning of the Enhanced                      single source of information about, and
                                                Risk Management Tools and Recovery                       steps needed to effectuate, a recovery of                Rule 17Ad–22(e)(15)(i) requires OCC
                                                Tools in addition to those specified                     OCC, the RWD Plan would allow OCC                     to establish, implement, maintain and
                                                elsewhere in OCC’s rules. It would also                  personnel to effectuate a recovery in a               enforce written policies and procedures
                                                identify the internal notification                       consistent and coordinated fashion, and               reasonably designed to identify,
                                                requirements that would apply to WDP                     would thereby increase the likelihood of              monitor, and manage its general
                                                Trigger Events and establish the role of                 a successful recovery. Moreover, by                   business risk and hold sufficient liquid
                                                the Board in determining whether to                      identifying and assessing available                   net assets funded by equity to cover
                                                enter into a wind-down or take other                     Enhanced Risk Management Tools and                    potential general business losses so that
                                                key actions, consistent with the                         Recovery Tools, the Commission                        OCC can continue operations and
                                                governance specified elsewhere in                        believes that the RWD Plan would                      services as a going concern if those
                                                OCC’s rules.                                             enhance OCC’s ability to use such tools               losses materialize, including by
                                                  Moreover, the RWD Plan would                           effectively to bring about a recovery by              determining the amount of liquid net
                                                identify the internal governance process                 identifying in advance which tools may                assets funded by equity based upon its
                                                for the approval of subsequent changes                   be most effective for different situations            general business risk profile and the
                                                to OCC’s RWD Plan. The RWD Plan                          or needs, consistent with Rule 17Ad–                  length of time required to achieve a
                                                would also specify the process OCC                       22(e)(3)(ii).36                                       recovery or orderly wind-down, as
                                                would take to receive input from                            Similarly, in providing detailed                   appropriate, of its critical operations
                                                various parties at OCC, including                        information about the assumptions,                    and services if such action is taken.40
                                                management and the Board.                                actions, and objectives related to                       OCC’s RWD Plan would estimate
                                                  Taken together, the Commission                         triggering and implementing the wind-                 costs related to a wind-down based on
                                                believes that these lines of control could               down portion of the RWD Plan,                         a series of assumptions laid out in the
                                                contribute to establishing,                              discussed in more detail above, the                   RWD Plan. These assumptions include
                                                implementing, maintain and enforcing                     Commission believes that the RWD Plan                 duration of the wind-down process,
                                                clear and transparent governance                         would enhance OCC’s ability to                        OCC’s capitalization through the wind-
                                                arrangements that support the public                     effectuate an orderly wind-down,                      down process, the maintenance of
                                                interest requirements in Section 17A of                  consistent with Rule 17Ad–                            Critical Services and Critical Support
                                                the Exchange Act applicable to clearing                  22(e)(3)(ii).37 Specifically, by setting out          Functions, and the retention of
                                                agencies, and the objectives of owners                   in advance the potential events that                  personnel and contractual relationships.
                                                and participants.                                        could cause OCC to trigger, and                       OCC also provided information
                                                  Therefore, the Commission believes                     transactions by which OCC would                       regarding its assumption about the cost
                                                that the proposed changes are consistent                 effectuate, a wind-down, the RWD Plan                 of the wind-down process. Further, the
                                                with Rules 17Ad–22(e)(2)(i), (iii), and                  would enable OCC to prepare in                        RWD Plan identifies potential
                                                (v).33                                                   advance for a wind-down, which the                    transactions that could be effected to
                                                                                                         Commission believes would enhance                     accomplish the objectives of wind-down
                                                C. Consistency With Rule 17Ad–                           OCC’s ability to use the RWD Plan                     with the ultimate goal of transferring
                                                22(e)(3)(ii) Under the Exchange Act                      effectively to carry-out an orderly wind-             ownership of OCC itself by the
                                                   Rule 17Ad–22(e)(3)(ii) requires that                  down. In addition, by establishing a                  consummation or a consensual sale or
                                                OCC establish, implement, maintain and                   single source of information about, and               similar transaction, in a manner that
                                                enforce written policies and procedures                  steps needed to effectuate, a wind-down               ensures the continuation of OCC’s
                                                reasonably designed to maintain a                        of OCC, the Commission believes the                   Critical Services. The Commission
                                                sound risk management framework for                      RWD Plan would allow OCC personnel                    considered the assumptions that the
                                                comprehensively managing legal, credit,                  to effectuate a wind-down in a                        RWD Plan makes regarding wind-down
                                                liquidity, operational, general business,                consistent and coordinated fashion, and               as well as the potential transactions in
                                                investment, custody, and other risks                     would thereby increase the likelihood of              which OCC might engage in the event of
                                                that arise in or are borne by OCC, which                 an orderly wind-down. Finally, the                    a wind-down. The Commission also
                                                includes plans for the recovery and                      RWD Plan would identify the legal basis               considered the estimated cost of wind-
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                                                orderly wind-down of OCC necessitated                    for OCC’s actions with respect to a                   down noted in the RWD Plan in light of
                                                by credit losses, liquidity shortfalls,                  potential wind-down, including                        OCC’s rules regarding the maintenance
                                                losses from general business risk, or any                relevant citations to provisions of the               of certain capital levels and qualifying
                                                other losses.34                                          rule books of its various clearing                    liquid resources. The Commission
                                                  32 17 CFR 240.17Ad–22(e)(2)(i), (iii), and (v).          35 Id.                                                38 Id.
                                                  33 17 CFR 240.17Ad–22(e)(2)(i), (iii), and (v).          36 Id.                                                39 Id.
                                                  34 17 CFR 240.17Ad–22(e)(3)(ii).                         37 Id.                                                40 17    CFR 240.17Ad–22(e)(15)(i).



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                                                44114                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 29, 2018 / Notices

                                                believes that the RWD Plan, which                       Act 3 and Rule 19b–4(f)(6)(iii)                       TRIM and TRIM2 routing strategies,7
                                                indicates the cost at which OCC could                   thereunder,4 which renders it effective               which are designed to route to low cost
                                                effectuate an orderly wind-down, i.e., at               upon filing with the Commission. The                  away markets, due to increased costs
                                                a lower cost than the amount of its                     Commission is publishing this notice to               associated with routing to IEX. Since
                                                liquid resources is consistent with Rule                solicit comments on the proposed rule                 IEX is no longer considered as a
                                                17Ad–22(e)(15)(i).41                                    change from interested persons.                       potential routing destination for those
                                                   Therefore, the Commission believes                                                                         strategies, the Exchange proposes to
                                                                                                        I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                     eliminate fee code IX. Orders routed to
                                                that the proposed changes that would
                                                                                                        Statement of the Terms of Substance of                IEX using other routing strategies will
                                                determine costs associated with an
                                                                                                        the Proposed Rule Change                              not be impacted by this proposed rule
                                                orderly wind-down and that would
                                                further ensure that OCC holds liquid net                   The Exchange filed a proposal to                   change and will continue to be charged
                                                assets greater than these costs, are                    amend the Exchange’s fee schedule                     the same rates as in place today.
                                                consistent with Rule 17Ad–                              applicable to its equities trading                    2. Statutory Basis
                                                22(e)(15)(i).42                                         platform to eliminate fee code IX, which
                                                                                                        applies to orders routed to Investors                    The Exchange believes that its
                                                IV. Conclusion                                          Exchange LLC using the Exchange’s                     proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)
                                                  It is therefore noticed, pursuant to                  TRIM or TRIM2 routing strategies.                     of the Act 8 in general, and furthers the
                                                Section 806(e)(1)(I) of the Clearing                       The text of the proposed rule change               objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act 9
                                                Supervision Act,43 that the Commission                  is available at the Exchange’s website at             in particular, in that it is designed to
                                                does not object to Advance Notice (SR–                  www.markets.cboe.com, at the principal                promote just and equitable principles of
                                                OCC–2017–810), as modified by Partial                   office of the Exchange, and at the                    trade, to foster cooperation and
                                                Amendment No. 3, and that OCC is                        Commission’s Public Reference Room.                   coordination with persons engaged in
                                                authorized to implement the proposed                                                                          facilitating transactions in securities, to
                                                change as of the date of this notice or                 II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                    remove impediments to and perfect the
                                                the date of an order by the Commission                  Statement of the Purpose of, and                      mechanism of a free and open market
                                                approving proposed rule change SR–                      Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                and a national market system and, in
                                                OCC–2017–021, as modified by Partial                    Change                                                general, to protect investors and the
                                                Amendment No. 3, whichever is later.                      In its filing with the Commission, the              public interest.
                                                                                                                                                                 The Exchange believes that the
                                                  By the Commission.                                    Exchange included statements
                                                                                                                                                              proposed change to eliminate fee code
                                                Eduardo A. Aleman,                                      concerning the purpose of and basis for
                                                                                                                                                              IX is consistent with the public interest
                                                                                                        the proposed rule change and discussed
                                                Assistant Secretary.                                                                                          and the protection [sic] investors as this
                                                                                                        any comments it received on the
                                                [FR Doc. 2018–18656 Filed 8–28–18; 8:45 am]                                                                   is a non-substantive change being made
                                                                                                        proposed rule change. The text of these
                                                BILLING CODE 8011–01–P                                                                                        because the Exchange no longer routes
                                                                                                        statements may be examined at the
                                                                                                                                                              to IEX using the routing strategies
                                                                                                        places specified in Item IV below. The
                                                                                                                                                              specified in that fee code. The Exchange
                                                                                                        Exchange has prepared summaries, set
                                                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE                                                                                       had previously routed orders to IEX
                                                                                                        forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of               using the TRIM and TRIM2 order
                                                COMMISSION
                                                                                                        the most significant parts of such                    routing strategies, which are designed to
                                                [Release No. 34–83926; File No. SR–                     statements.                                           route to low cost venues, but recently
                                                CboeBZX–2018–060]                                                                                             stopped doing so due to increased
                                                                                                        (A) Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                                                                        Statement of the Purpose of, and                      routing costs associated with trading on
                                                Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe
                                                                                                        Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                IEX. As such, the Exchange believes that
                                                BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing
                                                                                                        Change                                                updating the fee schedule to reflect that
                                                and Immediate Effectiveness of a
                                                                                                                                                              these two routing strategies are not
                                                Proposed Rule Change Amending the                       1. Purpose                                            available for routing to IEX will increase
                                                Fee Schedule To Eliminate Fee Code IX
                                                                                                           The purpose of the proposed rule                   transparency around the operation of
                                                on Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.
                                                                                                        change is to amend the Exchange’s fee                 the Exchange to the benefit of Members
                                                August 23, 2018.                                        schedule applicable to its equities                   and investors. Because the proposed
                                                   Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the                  trading platform (‘‘BZX Equities’’) to                changes apply only to a fee code that is
                                                Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the                    eliminate fee code IX,5 which applies to              no longer in use on the Exchange, the
                                                ‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2                  orders routed to Investors Exchange LLC               proposed rule change will have no
                                                notice is hereby given that on August 9,                (‘‘IEX’’) using the Exchange’s TRIM or                impact on the transaction fees actually
                                                2018, Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (the                      TRIM2 6 routing strategies. Currently,                assessed to Members.
                                                ‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘BZX’’) filed with the                 the fee schedule provides that orders                 (B) Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                Securities and Exchange Commission                      routed to IEX using the TRIM or TRIM2                 Statement on Burden on Competition
                                                (‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule                      routing strategies are charged a fee of
                                                                                                        $0.0010 per share under fee code IX. In                 The Exchange does not believe that
                                                change as described in Items I and II
                                                                                                        May 2018, the Exchange removed IEX                    the proposed rule change will result in
                                                below, which Items have been prepared
                                                                                                        from the System routing table for its                 any burden on competition that is not
                                                by the Exchange. The Exchange has
                                                designated this proposal as a ‘‘non-                                                                             7 The term ‘‘System routing table’’ refers to the
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                                                controversial’’ proposed rule change                      3 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).                           proprietary process for determining the specific
                                                pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the                    4 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6)(iii).                      trading venues to which the System routes orders
                                                                                                          5 IX is associated with order [sic] routed to IEX   and the order in which it routes them. See Rule
                                                  41 17
                                                                                                        using TRIM or TRIM2 routing strategy.                 11.13(b)(3). Rule 11.13(b)(3) permits the Exchange
                                                        CFR 240.17Ad–22(e)(15)(i).                        6 TRIM and TRIM2 are both routing options under     to maintain a different System routing table for
                                                  42 17 CFR 240.17Ad–22(e)(15)(i).                      which an order checks the System for available        different routing options and to modify the System
                                                  43 12 U.S.C. 5465(e)(1)(I).                                                                                 routing table at any time without notice.
                                                                                                        shares and then is sent to destinations on the
                                                  1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).                                                                                         8 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
                                                                                                        applicable System routing table. See Rule
                                                  2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.                                   11.13(b)(3)(G).                                          9 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).




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Document Created: 2018-08-29 00:12:49
Document Modified: 2018-08-29 00:12:49
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 Citation83 FR 44109 

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