83_FR_6320 83 FR 6290 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Related to Market Data Fees

83 FR 6290 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Related to Market Data Fees

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 30 (February 13, 2018)

Page Range6290-6294
FR Document2018-02861

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 30 (Tuesday, February 13, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 13, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6290-6294]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02861]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-82650; File No. SR-CBOE-2018-013]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe Exchange, Inc.; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Related to 
Market Data Fees

February 7, 2018.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(the ``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given 
that on January 30, 2018, Cboe Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or 
``Cboe'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 
``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, 
and III below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The

[[Page 6291]]

Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the 
proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend the Cboe Data Services (``CDS'') fee 
schedule to increase the fees for the BBO, Book Depth, and Complex 
Order Book (``COB'') data feeds.
    The text of the proposed rule change is also available on the 
Exchange's website (http://www.cboe.com/About CBOE/
CBOELegalRegulatoryHome.aspx), at the Exchange's Office of the 
Secretary, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

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

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

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

1. Purpose
    The Exchange proposes to amend the CDS fee schedule to increase the 
fees for the BBO, Book Depth, and COB data feeds.
BBO and Book Depth Data Feed
    The BBO Data Feed is a real-time data feed that includes the 
following information: (i) Outstanding quotes and standing orders at 
the best available price level on each side of the market; (ii) 
executed trades time, size, and price; (iii) totals of customer versus 
non-customer contracts at the best bid and offer (``BBO''); (iv) all-
or-none contingency orders priced better than or equal to the BBO; (v) 
expected opening price and expected opening size; (vi) end-of-day 
summaries by product, including open, high, low, and closing price 
during the trading session; (vi) recap messages any time there is a 
change in the open, high, low or last sale price of a listed option; 
(vii) COB information; and (viii) product IDs and codes for all listed 
options contracts. The quote and last sale data contained in the BBO 
data feed is identical to the data sent to the Options Price Reporting 
Authority (``OPRA'') for redistribution to the public.
    The Book Depth Data Feed is a real-time, low latency data feed that 
includes all data contained in the BBO Data Feed described above plus 
outstanding quotes and standing orders up to the first four price 
levels on each side of the market, with aggregate size (``Book 
Depth'').
    CDS currently charges a Data Fee, payable by a Customer, of $7,000 
per month for internal use and external redistribution of the BBO and/
or Book Depth data feeds.\3\ The Data Fee entitles a Customer to 
provide the BBO and/or the Book Depth data feed to an unlimited number 
of internal users and Devices \4\ within the Customer. A Customer 
receiving the BBO and/or Book Depth data feeds from another Customer is 
assessed the Data Fee by CDS pursuant to its own market data agreement 
with CDS, and is entitled to use the Data internally and/or distribute 
it externally.\5\ All Customers have the same rights to utilize the 
data internally and/or distribute it externally as long as the Customer 
has entered into a written agreement with CDS for the data and pays the 
Data Fee.
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    \3\ A BBO Data Feed ``Customer'' is any person, company or other 
entity that, pursuant to a market data agreement with CDS, is 
entitled to receive data, either directly from CDS or through an 
authorized redistributor (i.e., a Customer or an extranet service 
provider), whether that data is distributed externally or used 
internally. The CDS fee schedule for Exchange data is located at 
https://www.cboe.org/general-info/pdfframed?content=/publish/mdxfees/cboe-cds-fees-schedule-for-cboe-datafeeds.pdf§ion=SEC_MDX_CSM&title=Cboe%20CDS%20Fees%20Schedule.

    \4\ A ``Device'' means any computer, workstation or other item 
of equipment, fixed or portable, that receives, accesses and/or 
displays data in visual, audible or other form.
    \5\ A Customer may choose to receive the data from another 
Customer rather than directly from CDS's system because it does not 
want to or is not equipped to manage the technology necessary to 
establish a direct connection to CDS.
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    The Exchange proposes to increase the Data Fee for both the BBO and 
Book Depth data feeds from $7,000 per month to $9,000 per month.\6\ The 
Exchange is not proposing to amend the User Fee for either the BBO or 
Book Depth data feeds. The Data Fee for the Book Depth data feed will 
continue to be waived for Customers who also purchase the companion BBO 
data feed.\7\
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    \6\ The Exchange also proposes to amend the first column of the 
BBO Data Feed fees to identify Cboe as ``Cboe Options'' to be 
consistent with the Depth Book and COB data feed fee descriptions.
    \7\ Such COB Data Feed Customers are still subject to User Fees.
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COB Data Feed
    The COB Data Feed is a real-time data feed that includes data 
regarding the Exchange's Complex Order Book and related complex order 
information. The COB Data Feed contains the following information for 
all Exchange-traded complex order strategies (multi-leg strategies such 
as spreads, straddles and buy-writes): (i) Outstanding quotes and 
standing orders on each side of the market with aggregate size, (ii) 
data with respect to executed trades (``last sale data''), and (iii) 
totals of customer versus non-customer contracts.
    CDS currently charges Customers \8\ of the COB Data Feed a Data Fee 
of $100 per month plus applicable User Fees. The Exchange now proposes 
to increase the Data Fee for the COB data feed from $100 to $3,000 per 
month. The Exchange notes that it had previously charged a Data Fee of 
$3,000 per month for the COB Feed \9\ and later reduced that fee to its 
current rate to incentive further redistribution of the data feed.\10\ 
The Exchange now proposes to return the fee for the COB data feed to 
its original rate to bring the cost of the data feed in line with that 
of similar data feeds offered by other exchanges. The Exchange is not 
proposing to amend the User Fee for either the COB data feed. The Data 
Fee for the COB Data Feed would continue to be waived for Customers of 
the BBO and/or Book Depth data feeds.\11\
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    \8\ A Customer is any person, company or other entity that, 
pursuant to a market data agreement with CDS, is entitled to receive 
data, either directly from CDS or through an authorized 
redistributor (i.e., a Customer or an extranet service provider), 
whether that data is distributed externally or used internally. The 
CDS fee schedule for Exchange data is located at https://www.cboe.org/general-info/pdfframed?content=/publish/mdxfees/cboe-cds-fees-schedule-for-cboe-datafeeds.pdf§ion=SEC_MDX_CSM&title=Cboe%20CDS%20Fees%20 
Schedule.
    \9\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 70683 (October 15, 
2013), 78 FR 62798 (October 22, 2013) (SR-CBOE-2013-087).
    \10\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 73955 (December 30, 
2014), 80 FR 598 (January 6, 2015) (SR-CBOE-2014-094).
    \11\ Such COB Data Feed Customers are still subject to User 
Fees.
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Implementation Date
    The Exchange intends to implement the proposed fees on February 1, 
2018.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with the objectives of Section 6 of the Act,\12\ in general, and 
furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(4),\13\ in particular, as it is 
designed to provide for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, 
fees and other charges among its members and other recipients of 
Exchange data. The Exchange believes that the proposed

[[Page 6292]]

rates are equitable and non-discriminatory in that they apply uniformly 
to all recipients of Exchange data. The Exchange believes the proposed 
fees are competitive with those charged by other venues and, therefore, 
reasonable and equitably allocated to recipients.
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    \12\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
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    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with Section 11(A) of the Act \14\ in that it supports (i) fair 
competition among brokers and dealers, among exchange markets, and 
between exchange markets and markets other than exchange markets and 
(ii) the availability to brokers, dealers, and investors of information 
with respect to quotations for and transactions in securities. 
Furthermore, the proposed rule change is consistent with Rule 603 of 
Regulation NMS,\15\ which provides that any national securities 
exchange that distributes information with respect to quotations for or 
transactions in an NMS stock do so on terms that are not unreasonably 
discriminatory. In adopting Regulation NMS, the Commission granted 
self-regulatory organizations and broker-dealers increased authority 
and flexibility to offer new and unique market data to the public. It 
was believed that this authority would expand the amount of data 
available to consumers, and also spur innovation and competition for 
the provision of market data.
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    \14\ 15 U.S.C. 78k-1.
    \15\ 17 CFR 242.603.
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    In addition, the proposed fees would not permit unfair 
discrimination because all of the Exchange's customers and market data 
vendors who subscribe to the above data feeds will be subject to the 
proposed fees. The above data feeds are distributed and purchased on a 
voluntary basis, in that neither the Exchange nor market data 
distributors are required by any rule or regulation purchase this data 
or to make this data available. Accordingly, distributors and users can 
discontinue use at any time and for any reason, including due to an 
assessment of the reasonableness of fees charged. Firms have a wide 
variety of alternative market data products from which to choose, such 
as similar proprietary data products offered by other exchanges and 
consolidated data. Moreover, the Exchange is not required to make any 
proprietary data products available or to offer any specific pricing 
alternatives to any customers.
    In addition, the fees that are the subject of this rule filing are 
constrained by competition. As explained below in the Exchange's 
Statement on Burden on Competition, the existence of alternatives to 
the above data feeds further ensure that the Exchange cannot set 
unreasonable fees, or fees that are unreasonably discriminatory, when 
vendors and subscribers can elect such alternatives. That is, the 
Exchange competes with other exchanges (and their affiliates) that 
provide similar market data products. For example, the above data feeds 
provide investors with alternative market data and competes with 
similar market data product currently offered by other exchanges. If 
another exchange (or its affiliate) were to charge less to distribute 
its similar product than the Exchange charges for the above data feeds, 
prospective users likely would not subscribe to, or would cease 
subscribing to either market data product.
    The Exchange notes that the Commission is not required to undertake 
a cost-of-service or rate-making approach. The Exchange believes that, 
even if it were possible as a matter of economic theory, cost-based 
pricing for non-core market data would be so complicated that it could 
not be done practically.\16\
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    \16\ The Exchange believes that cost-based pricing would be 
impractical because it would create enormous administrative burdens 
for all parties, including the Commission, to cost-regulate a large 
number of participants and standardize and analyze extraordinary 
amounts of information, accounts, and reports. In addition, it is 
impossible to regulate market data prices in isolation from prices 
charged by markets for other services that are joint products. Cost-
based rate regulation would also lead to litigation and may distort 
incentives, including those to minimize costs and to innovate, 
leading to further waste. Under cost-based pricing, the Commission 
would be burdened with determining a fair rate of return, and the 
industry could experience frequent rate increases based on 
escalating expense levels. Even in industries historically subject 
to utility regulation, cost-based ratemaking has been discredited. 
As such, the Exchange believes that cost-based ratemaking would be 
inappropriate for proprietary market data and inconsistent with 
Congress's direction that the Commission use its authority to foster 
the development of the national market system, and that market 
forces will continue to provide appropriate pricing discipline. See 
Appendix C to NYSE's comments to the Commission's 2000 Concept 
Release on the Regulation of Market Information Fees and Revenues, 
which can be found on the Commission's website at http://www.sec.gov/rules/concept/s72899/buck1.htm. See also Securities 
Exchange Act Release No. 73816 (December 11, 2014), 79 FR 75200 
(December 17, 2014) (SR-NYSE-2014-64) (Notice of Filing and 
Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change to Establish an 
Access Fee for the NYSE Best Quote and Trades Data Feed, Operative 
December 1, 2014).
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BBO Data Feed
    The Exchange believes the proposed increase in the Data Fee for BBO 
data is equitable and not unfairly discriminatory because it would 
apply equally to all Customers. The Exchange believes the proposed Data 
Fee is reasonable because it compares favorably to fees that other 
markets charge for similar products. For example, Nasdaq PHLX LLC 
(``PHLX'') charges Internal Distributors a monthly fee of $4,500 per 
organization and External Distributors a monthly fee of $5,000 per 
organization for its ``TOPO Plus Orders'' data feed, which like the BBO 
Data Feed includes top-of-book data (including orders, quotes and 
trades) and other market data.\17\ Nasdaq ISE, LLC (``ISE'') offers a 
``Top Quote Feed'', which includes top-of-book data, and a separate 
``Spread Feed'', which like the BBO Data Feed includes order and quote 
data for complex strategies. ISE charges distributors of its Top Quote 
Feed a base monthly fee of $3,000 and distributors of its Spread Feed a 
base monthly fee of $3,000 \18\ (totally $6,000 in the aggregate to 
receive the same data as offered by the BBO feed). The Exchange 
believes the proposed rate is reasonable based on the value of the 
market data included in the BBO feed and the market share that the data 
represents. The Exchange also notes that Customers who receive the BBO 
feed may also receive the Book Depth and COB data feeds at no extra 
charge.
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    \17\ See Section IX of the PHLX Pricing Schedule (setting forth 
the fees for proprietary market data).
    \18\ See Sections VIII(h) and (I) of the Nasdaq ISE Schedule of 
Fees.
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Book Depth Data Feed
    The Exchange believes the proposed Data Fee for the Book Depth Data 
Feed is equitable and not unfairly discriminatory because it would 
apply equally to all Customers. The Exchange believes the proposed Data 
Fee is reasonable because it compares favorably to fees that other 
markets charge for similar products. For example, PHLX charges Internal 
Distributors a monthly fee of $4,000 and External Distributors a 
monthly fee of a $4,500 for its Depth data feed that includes full 
depth of quotes and orders and last sale data for options listed on 
PHLX.\19\ In addition, ISE charges a $5,000 per month distributor fee 
for its Real-time Depth of Market data feed.\20\ The Exchange also 
notes that Customers who receive the Book Depth feed may also receive 
the BBO and COB data feeds at no extra charge. The Exchange believes 
the proposed rate is reasonable based on the value of the market data 
included in the BBO feed and the market share that the data represents.
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    \19\ See supra note 17.
    \20\ See Section VIII(f) of the Nasdaq ISE Schedule of Fees.

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[[Page 6293]]

COB Data Feed
    The Exchange believes the proposed Data Fee for the COB Data Feed 
is equitable, reasonable, and not unfairly discriminatory because they 
would apply equally to all Customers of the COB Data Feed. The Exchange 
notes that it had previously charged a Data Fee of $3,000 per month for 
the COB Feed \21\ and later reduced that fee to its current rate to 
incentive further redistribution of the data feed.\22\ The Exchange now 
proposes to return the fee for the COB data feed to its original rate 
to bring the cost of the data feed in line with that of similar data 
feeds offered by other exchanges. For example, ISE charges distributors 
of its Spread Feed a base monthly fee of $3,000,\23\ equal to what the 
Exchange proposes to charge for the COB data feed. The Exchange also 
notes that Customers who receive the BBO and Book Depth feeds may also 
receive the COB data feed at no extra charge. The Exchange believes the 
proposed rate is reasonable based on the value of the market data 
included in the COB feed and the market share that the data represents.
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    \21\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 70683 (October 15, 
2013), 78 FR 62798 (October 22, 2013) (SR-CBOE-2013-087).
    \22\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 73955 (December 30, 
2014), 80 FR 598 (January 6, 2015) (SR-CBOE-2014-094).
    \23\ See Sections VIII(I) of the Nasdaq ISE Schedule of Fees.
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will 
result in any burden on competition that is not necessary or 
appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act, as amended. The 
Exchange's ability to price the BBO, Book Depth, ad COB data feeds is 
constrained by: (i) Competition among exchanges that compete with each 
other in a variety of dimensions; (ii) the existence of inexpensive 
real-time consolidated data and market-specific data and free delayed 
data; and (iii) the inherent contestability of the market for 
proprietary data.
    An exchange's ability to price its proprietary data feed products 
is constrained by (1) the existence of actual competition for the sale 
of such data, (2) the joint product nature of exchange platforms, and 
(3) the existence of alternatives to proprietary data.
    The Existence of Actual Competition. The Exchange believes 
competition provides an effective constraint on the market data fees 
that the Exchange, through CDS, has the ability and the incentive to 
charge. The Exchange has a compelling need to attract order flow from 
market participants in order to maintain its share of trading volume. 
This compelling need to attract order flow imposes significant pressure 
on the Exchange to act reasonably in setting its fees for market data, 
particularly given that the market participants that will pay such fees 
often will be the same market participants from whom the Exchange must 
attract order flow. These market participants include broker-dealers 
that control the handling of a large volume of customer and proprietary 
order flow. Given the portability of order flow from one exchange to 
another, any exchange that sought to charge unreasonably high data fees 
would risk alienating many of the same customers on whose orders it 
depends for competitive survival. The Exchange currently competes with 
fourteen options exchanges (including its affiliate, C2) for order 
flow.\24\
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    \24\ The Commission has previously made a finding that the 
options industry is subject to significant competitive forces. See 
e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No. 59949 (May 20, 2009), 74 
FR 25593 (May 28, 2009) (SR-ISE-2009-97) (order approving ISE's 
proposal to establish fees for a real-time depth of market data 
offering).
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    In addition, in the case of products that are distributed through 
market data vendors, the market data vendors themselves provide 
additional price discipline for proprietary data products because they 
control the primary means of access to certain end users. These vendors 
impose price discipline based upon their business models. For example, 
vendors that assess a surcharge on data they sell are able to refuse to 
offer proprietary products that their end users do not or will not 
purchase in sufficient numbers. Internet portals, such as Google, 
impose price discipline by providing only data that they believe will 
enable them to attract ``eyeballs'' that contribute to their 
advertising revenue. Similarly, Customers will not offer the BBO, Book 
Depth or COB Data Feeds unless these products will help them maintain 
current users or attract new ones. For example, a broker-dealer will 
not choose to offer the BBO, Book Depth or COB Data Feeds to its retail 
customers unless the broker-dealer believes that the retail customers 
will use and value the data and the provision of such data will help 
the broker-dealer maintain the customer relationship, which allows the 
broker-dealer to generate profits for itself. Professional users will 
not request any of these feeds from Customers unless they can use the 
data for profit-generating purposes in their businesses. All of these 
operate as constraints on pricing proprietary data products.
    Joint Product Nature of Exchange Platform. Transaction execution 
and proprietary data products are complementary in that market data is 
both an input and a byproduct of the execution service. In fact, market 
data and trade executions are a paradigmatic example of joint products 
with joint costs. The decision whether and on which platform to post an 
order will depend on the attributes of the platforms where the order 
can be posted, including the execution fees, data quality, and price 
and distribution of their data products. The more trade executions a 
platform does, the more valuable its market data products become. The 
costs of producing market data include not only the costs of the data 
distribution infrastructure, but also the costs of designing, 
maintaining, and operating the exchange's transaction execution 
platform and the cost of regulating the exchange to ensure its fair 
operation and maintain investor confidence. The total return that a 
trading platform earns reflects the revenues it receives from both 
products and the joint costs it incurs. Moreover, an exchange's broker-
dealer customers view the costs of transaction executions and market 
data as a unified cost of doing business with the exchange.
    Analyzing the cost of market data product production and 
distribution in isolation from the cost of all of the inputs supporting 
the creation of market data and market data products will inevitably 
underestimate the cost of the data and data products. Thus, because it 
is impossible to obtain the data inputs to create market data products 
without a fast, technologically robust, and well-regulated execution 
system, system costs and regulatory costs affect the price of both 
obtaining the market data itself and creating and distributing market 
data products. It would be equally misleading, however, to attribute 
all of an exchange's costs to the market data portion of an exchange's 
joint products. Rather, all of an exchange's costs are incurred for the 
unified purposes of attracting order flow, executing and/or routing 
orders, and generating and selling data about market activity. The 
total return that an exchange earns reflects the revenues it receives 
from the joint products and the total costs of the joint products.
    The level of competition and contestability in the market is 
evident in the numerous alternative venues that compete for order flow, 
including 15 options self-regulatory organization (``SRO'') markets, as 
well as internalizing broker-dealers (``BDs'') and various forms of 
alternative trading systems (``ATSs''), including dark pools

[[Page 6294]]

and electronic communication networks (``ECNs''). Competition among 
trading platforms can be expected to constrain the aggregate return 
that each platform earns from the sale of its joint products, but 
different platforms may choose from a range of possible, and equally 
reasonable, pricing strategies as the means of recovering total costs. 
For example, some platforms may choose to pay rebates to attract 
orders, charge relatively low prices for market data products (or 
provide market data products free of charge), and charge relatively 
high prices for accessing posted liquidity. Other platforms may choose 
a strategy of paying lower rebates (or no rebates) to attract orders, 
setting relatively high prices for market data products, and setting 
relatively low prices for accessing posted liquidity. In this 
environment, there is no economic basis for regulating maximum prices 
for one of the joint products in an industry in which suppliers face 
competitive constraints with regard to the joint offering.
    The Existence of Alternatives. The Exchange is constrained in 
pricing the BBO, Book Depth and COB Data Feeds by the availability to 
market participants of alternatives to purchasing these products. The 
Exchange must consider the extent to which market participants would 
choose one or more alternatives instead of purchasing the exchange's 
data. Other options exchanges can and have produced their own top-of-
book, book depth and complex strategies market data products, and thus 
are sources of potential competition for CDS. For example, as noted 
above, ISE and PHLX offer market data products that compete with the 
BBO, Book Depth and COB Data Feeds. The large number of SROs, BDs, and 
ATSs that currently produce proprietary data or are currently capable 
of producing it provides further pricing discipline for proprietary 
data products. Each SRO, ATS, and BD is currently permitted to produce 
proprietary data products, and many currently do. In addition, the OPRA 
data feed is a significant competitive alternative to the BBO and last 
sale data included in the BBO and Book Depth Data Feeds.
    The existence of numerous alternatives to the Exchange's products, 
including proprietary data from other sources, ensures that the 
Exchange cannot set unreasonable fees, or fees that are unreasonably 
discriminatory, when vendors and subscribers can elect these 
alternatives or choose not to purchase a specific proprietary data 
product if its cost to purchase is not justified by the returns any 
particular vendor or subscriber would achieve through the purchase.

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

    The Exchange has neither solicited nor received written comments on 
the proposed rule change.

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

    The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \25\ and paragraph (f) of Rule 19b-4 \26\ 
thereunder. At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed 
rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule 
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or 
appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or 
otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission 
takes such action, the Commission will institute proceedings to 
determine whether the proposed rule change should be approved or 
disapproved.
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    \25\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \26\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f).
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IV. Solicitation of Comments

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

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
     Send an email to [email protected]. Please include 
File Number SR-CBOE-2018-013 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

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

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-CBOE-2018-013. This file 
number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help 
the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's internet website (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). 
Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written 
statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with 
the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed 
rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those 
that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions 
of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for website viewing and printing in 
the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 
20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 
3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection 
and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments 
received will be posted without change. Persons submitting comments are 
cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying 
information from comment submissions. You should submit only 
information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions 
should refer to File Number SR-CBOE-2018-013 and should be submitted on 
or before March 6, 2018.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\27\
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    \27\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-02861 Filed 2-12-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                6290                        Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 30 / Tuesday, February 13, 2018 / Notices

                                                higher volumes of orders into the price                 Members or competing venues to                          internet website (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                and volume discovery processes. In                      maintain their competitive standing in                  rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
                                                particular, the proposed changes are                    the financial markets. The Exchange                     submission, all subsequent
                                                intended to further incentivize Members                 does not believe that the proposed                      amendments, all written statements
                                                to send increased order flow to the                     changes burdens competition, but                        with respect to the proposed rule
                                                Exchange in an effort to qualify for the                instead, enhances competition as it is                  change that are filed with the
                                                enhanced rebates made available by the                  intended to increase the                                Commission, and all written
                                                tiers, in turn contributing to the growth               competitiveness of the Exchange.                        communications relating to the
                                                of the Exchange. Because ADAV of                                                                                proposed rule change between the
                                                particular category of orders (e.g.,                    C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       Commission and any person, other than
                                                Market Maker, Non-Customer, or                          Statement on Comments on the                            those that may be withheld from the
                                                Customer) generally makes up a smaller                  Proposed Rule Change Received From                      public in accordance with the
                                                range than the previously required ADV                  Members, Participants, or Others                        provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
                                                of all orders that add liquidity                          The Exchange has not solicited, and                   available for website viewing and
                                                submitted by the Member, the Exchange                   does not intend to solicit, comments on                 printing in the Commission’s Public
                                                proposes to amend the percentage of                     this proposed rule change. The                          Reference Room, 100 F Street NE,
                                                ADAV necessary to achieve the tier so                   Exchange has not received any written                   Washington, DC 20549 on official
                                                that it is substantially identical to the               comments from members or other                          business days between the hours of
                                                previously required percentage of OCV.                  interested parties.                                     10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such
                                                The Exchange believes that those                                                                                filing also will be available for
                                                                                                        III. Date of Effectiveness of the
                                                changes are equitable and reasonable                                                                            inspection and copying at the principal
                                                because they will keep the difficulty to                Proposed Rule Change and Timing for                     office of the Exchange. All comments
                                                achieve each tier’s criteria relatively                 Commission Action                                       received will be posted without change.
                                                unchanged from its current                                 The foregoing rule change has become                 Persons submitting comments are
                                                requirements. Also, limiting the ADAV                   effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)               cautioned that we do not redact or edit
                                                requirement to a category of orders is                  of the Act 16 and paragraph (f) of Rule                 personal identifying information from
                                                designed to align the tier with the fee                 19b–4 thereunder.17 At any time within                  comment submissions. You should
                                                code it is associated with so that a                    60 days of the filing of the proposed rule              submit only information that you wish
                                                rebate provide to a certain type of                     change, the Commission summarily may                    to make available publicly. All
                                                liquidity adding order is based on                      temporarily suspend such rule change if                 submissions should refer to File
                                                meeting criteria reasonably related to                  it appears to the Commission that such                  Number SR–CboeBZX–2018–009, and
                                                that type of order flow the tier is                     action is necessary or appropriate in the               should be submitted on or before March
                                                designed to attract.                                    public interest, for the protection of                  6, 2018.
                                                   Lastly, the Exchange believes that                   investors, or otherwise in furtherance of                 For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                eliminating tiers are proposed herein is                the purposes of the Act.                                Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                reasonable, fair, and equitable because                                                                         authority.18
                                                this tier was not providing the desired                 IV. Solicitation of Comments
                                                                                                                                                                Eduardo A. Aleman,
                                                result of incentivizing Members to                        Interested persons are invited to                     Assistant Secretary.
                                                increase their participation on the                     submit written data, views, and                         [FR Doc. 2018–02862 Filed 2–12–18; 8:45 am]
                                                Exchange. As such, the Exchange also                    arguments concerning the foregoing,
                                                                                                                                                                BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                believes that the proposed elimination                  including whether the proposed rule
                                                of this tier would be non-discriminatory                change is consistent with the Act.
                                                in that it currently applies equally to all             Comments may be submitted by any of                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                Members and, upon elimination, would                    the following methods:                                  COMMISSION
                                                no longer be available to any Members.
                                                Further, its elimination could allow the                Electronic Comments                                     [Release No. 34–82650; File No. SR–CBOE–
                                                Exchange to explore other pricing                         • Use the Commission’s internet                       2018–013]
                                                mechanisms such as those described                      comment form (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                                                                        rules/sro.shtml); or                                    Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe
                                                herein, in which it may enhance market
                                                                                                          • Send an email to rule-comments@                     Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and
                                                quality for all Members.
                                                                                                        sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–                 Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed
                                                B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       CboeBZX–2018–009 on the subject line.                   Rule Change Related to Market Data
                                                Statement on Burden on Competition                                                                              Fees
                                                  The Exchange believes the proposed                    Paper Comments
                                                                                                                                                                February 7, 2018.
                                                amendment to its fee schedule would                        • Send paper comments in triplicate                     Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
                                                not impose any burden on competition                    to Secretary, Securities and Exchange                   Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
                                                that is not necessary or appropriate in                 Commission, 100 F Street NE,                            ‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
                                                furtherance of the purposes of the Act.                 Washington, DC 20549–1090.                              notice is hereby given that on January
                                                The Exchange does not believe that the                  All submissions should refer to File                    30, 2018, Cboe Exchange, Inc. (the
                                                proposed changes represent a significant                Number SR–CboeBZX–2018–009. This                        ‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘Cboe’’) filed with the
                                                departure from previous pricing offered                 file number should be included on the                   Securities and Exchange Commission
                                                by the Exchange or pricing offered by
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                        subject line if email is used. To help the              (the ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
                                                the Exchange’s competitors.                             Commission process and review your                      change as described in Items I, II, and
                                                Additionally, Members may opt to                        comments more efficiently, please use                   III below, which Items have been
                                                disfavor the Exchange’s pricing if they                 only one method. The Commission will                    prepared by the Exchange. The
                                                believe that alternatives offer them                    post all comments on the Commission’s
                                                better value. Accordingly, the Exchange                                                                           18 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
                                                does not believe that the proposed                        16 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).                              1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                                changes will impair the ability of                        17 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f).                                 2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.




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                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 30 / Tuesday, February 13, 2018 / Notices                                                          6291

                                                Commission is publishing this notice to                 in the BBO data feed is identical to the                 Exchange’s Complex Order Book and
                                                solicit comments on the proposed rule                   data sent to the Options Price Reporting                 related complex order information. The
                                                change from interested persons.                         Authority (‘‘OPRA’’) for redistribution                  COB Data Feed contains the following
                                                                                                        to the public.                                           information for all Exchange-traded
                                                I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                          The Book Depth Data Feed is a real-                   complex order strategies (multi-leg
                                                Statement of the Terms of Substance of                  time, low latency data feed that includes                strategies such as spreads, straddles and
                                                the Proposed Rule Change                                all data contained in the BBO Data Feed                  buy-writes): (i) Outstanding quotes and
                                                   The Exchange proposes to amend the                   described above plus outstanding quotes                  standing orders on each side of the
                                                Cboe Data Services (‘‘CDS’’) fee                        and standing orders up to the first four                 market with aggregate size, (ii) data with
                                                schedule to increase the fees for the                   price levels on each side of the market,                 respect to executed trades (‘‘last sale
                                                BBO, Book Depth, and Complex Order                      with aggregate size (‘‘Book Depth’’).                    data’’), and (iii) totals of customer
                                                Book (‘‘COB’’) data feeds.                                 CDS currently charges a Data Fee,                     versus non-customer contracts.
                                                   The text of the proposed rule change                 payable by a Customer, of $7,000 per                        CDS currently charges Customers 8 of
                                                is also available on the Exchange’s                     month for internal use and external                      the COB Data Feed a Data Fee of $100
                                                website (http://www.cboe.com/About                      redistribution of the BBO and/or Book                    per month plus applicable User Fees.
                                                CBOE/CBOELegalRegulatory                                Depth data feeds.3 The Data Fee entitles                 The Exchange now proposes to increase
                                                Home.aspx), at the Exchange’s Office of                 a Customer to provide the BBO and/or                     the Data Fee for the COB data feed from
                                                the Secretary, and at the Commission’s                  the Book Depth data feed to an                           $100 to $3,000 per month. The
                                                Public Reference Room.                                  unlimited number of internal users and                   Exchange notes that it had previously
                                                II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                      Devices 4 within the Customer. A                         charged a Data Fee of $3,000 per month
                                                Statement of the Purpose of, and                        Customer receiving the BBO and/or                        for the COB Feed 9 and later reduced
                                                Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                  Book Depth data feeds from another                       that fee to its current rate to incentive
                                                Change                                                  Customer is assessed the Data Fee by                     further redistribution of the data feed.10
                                                                                                        CDS pursuant to its own market data                      The Exchange now proposes to return
                                                   In its filing with the Commission, the               agreement with CDS, and is entitled to                   the fee for the COB data feed to its
                                                Exchange included statements                            use the Data internally and/or distribute                original rate to bring the cost of the data
                                                concerning the purpose of and basis for                 it externally.5 All Customers have the                   feed in line with that of similar data
                                                the proposed rule change and discussed                  same rights to utilize the data internally               feeds offered by other exchanges. The
                                                any comments it received on the                         and/or distribute it externally as long as               Exchange is not proposing to amend the
                                                proposed rule change. The text of these                 the Customer has entered into a written                  User Fee for either the COB data feed.
                                                statements may be examined at the                       agreement with CDS for the data and                      The Data Fee for the COB Data Feed
                                                places specified in Item IV below. The                  pays the Data Fee.                                       would continue to be waived for
                                                Exchange has prepared summaries, set                       The Exchange proposes to increase                     Customers of the BBO and/or Book
                                                forth in sections A, B, and C below, of                 the Data Fee for both the BBO and Book                   Depth data feeds.11
                                                the most significant aspects of such                    Depth data feeds from $7,000 per month
                                                statements.                                             to $9,000 per month.6 The Exchange is                    Implementation Date
                                                A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       not proposing to amend the User Fee for                    The Exchange intends to implement
                                                Statement of the Purpose of, and                        either the BBO or Book Depth data                        the proposed fees on February 1, 2018.
                                                Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule                  feeds. The Data Fee for the Book Depth
                                                                                                                                                                 2. Statutory Basis
                                                Change                                                  data feed will continue to be waived for
                                                                                                        Customers who also purchase the                             The Exchange believes that the
                                                1. Purpose                                              companion BBO data feed.7                                proposed rule change is consistent with
                                                   The Exchange proposes to amend the                                                                            the objectives of Section 6 of the Act,12
                                                                                                        COB Data Feed                                            in general, and furthers the objectives of
                                                CDS fee schedule to increase the fees for
                                                the BBO, Book Depth, and COB data                         The COB Data Feed is a real-time data                  Section 6(b)(4),13 in particular, as it is
                                                feeds.                                                  feed that includes data regarding the                    designed to provide for the equitable
                                                                                                                                                                 allocation of reasonable dues, fees and
                                                BBO and Book Depth Data Feed                               3 A BBO Data Feed ‘‘Customer’’ is any person,         other charges among its members and
                                                                                                        company or other entity that, pursuant to a market       other recipients of Exchange data. The
                                                   The BBO Data Feed is a real-time data                data agreement with CDS, is entitled to receive data,
                                                feed that includes the following                        either directly from CDS or through an authorized
                                                                                                                                                                 Exchange believes that the proposed
                                                information: (i) Outstanding quotes and                 redistributor (i.e., a Customer or an extranet service
                                                                                                        provider), whether that data is distributed                 8 A Customer is any person, company or other
                                                standing orders at the best available
                                                                                                        externally or used internally. The CDS fee schedule      entity that, pursuant to a market data agreement
                                                price level on each side of the market;                 for Exchange data is located at https://                 with CDS, is entitled to receive data, either directly
                                                (ii) executed trades time, size, and price;             www.cboe.org/general-info/pdfframed?content=/            from CDS or through an authorized redistributor
                                                (iii) totals of customer versus non-                    publish/mdxfees/cboe-cds-fees-schedule-for-cboe-         (i.e., a Customer or an extranet service provider),
                                                customer contracts at the best bid and                  datafeeds.pdf&section=SEC_MDX_CSM&title=                 whether that data is distributed externally or used
                                                                                                        Cboe%20CDS%20Fees%20Schedule.                            internally. The CDS fee schedule for Exchange data
                                                offer (‘‘BBO’’); (iv) all-or-none                          4 A ‘‘Device’’ means any computer, workstation or     is located at https://www.cboe.org/general-info/
                                                contingency orders priced better than or                other item of equipment, fixed or portable, that         pdfframed?content=/publish/mdxfees/cboe-cds-
                                                equal to the BBO; (v) expected opening                  receives, accesses and/or displays data in visual,       fees-schedule-for-cboe-datafeeds.pdf&section=SEC_
                                                price and expected opening size; (vi)                   audible or other form.                                   MDX_CSM&title=Cboe%20CDS%20Fees%20
                                                                                                           5 A Customer may choose to receive the data from      Schedule.
                                                end-of-day summaries by product,                                                                                    9 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 70683
                                                                                                        another Customer rather than directly from CDS’s
                                                including open, high, low, and closing
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                                                                                                        system because it does not want to or is not             (October 15, 2013), 78 FR 62798 (October 22, 2013)
                                                price during the trading session; (vi)                  equipped to manage the technology necessary to           (SR–CBOE–2013–087).
                                                recap messages any time there is a                      establish a direct connection to CDS.                       10 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 73955

                                                change in the open, high, low or last                      6 The Exchange also proposes to amend the first       (December 30, 2014), 80 FR 598 (January 6, 2015)
                                                                                                        column of the BBO Data Feed fees to identify Cboe        (SR–CBOE–2014–094).
                                                sale price of a listed option; (vii) COB                                                                            11 Such COB Data Feed Customers are still subject
                                                                                                        as ‘‘Cboe Options’’ to be consistent with the Depth
                                                information; and (viii) product IDs and                 Book and COB data feed fee descriptions.                 to User Fees.
                                                codes for all listed options contracts.                    7 Such COB Data Feed Customers are still subject         12 15 U.S.C. 78f.

                                                The quote and last sale data contained                  to User Fees.                                               13 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).




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                                                6292                          Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 30 / Tuesday, February 13, 2018 / Notices

                                                rates are equitable and non-                              alternatives to the above data feeds                     reasonable because it compares
                                                discriminatory in that they apply                         further ensure that the Exchange cannot                  favorably to fees that other markets
                                                uniformly to all recipients of Exchange                   set unreasonable fees, or fees that are                  charge for similar products. For
                                                data. The Exchange believes the                           unreasonably discriminatory, when                        example, Nasdaq PHLX LLC (‘‘PHLX’’)
                                                proposed fees are competitive with                        vendors and subscribers can elect such                   charges Internal Distributors a monthly
                                                those charged by other venues and,                        alternatives. That is, the Exchange                      fee of $4,500 per organization and
                                                therefore, reasonable and equitably                       competes with other exchanges (and                       External Distributors a monthly fee of
                                                allocated to recipients.                                  their affiliates) that provide similar                   $5,000 per organization for its ‘‘TOPO
                                                   The Exchange believes that the                         market data products. For example, the                   Plus Orders’’ data feed, which like the
                                                proposed rule change is consistent with                   above data feeds provide investors with                  BBO Data Feed includes top-of-book
                                                Section 11(A) of the Act 14 in that it                    alternative market data and competes                     data (including orders, quotes and
                                                supports (i) fair competition among                       with similar market data product
                                                brokers and dealers, among exchange                                                                                trades) and other market data.17 Nasdaq
                                                                                                          currently offered by other exchanges. If
                                                markets, and between exchange markets                                                                              ISE, LLC (‘‘ISE’’) offers a ‘‘Top Quote
                                                                                                          another exchange (or its affiliate) were
                                                and markets other than exchange                                                                                    Feed’’, which includes top-of-book data,
                                                                                                          to charge less to distribute its similar
                                                markets and (ii) the availability to                                                                               and a separate ‘‘Spread Feed’’, which
                                                                                                          product than the Exchange charges for
                                                brokers, dealers, and investors of                        the above data feeds, prospective users                  like the BBO Data Feed includes order
                                                information with respect to quotations                    likely would not subscribe to, or would                  and quote data for complex strategies.
                                                for and transactions in securities.                       cease subscribing to either market data                  ISE charges distributors of its Top Quote
                                                Furthermore, the proposed rule change                     product.                                                 Feed a base monthly fee of $3,000 and
                                                is consistent with Rule 603 of                               The Exchange notes that the                           distributors of its Spread Feed a base
                                                Regulation NMS,15 which provides that                     Commission is not required to                            monthly fee of $3,000 18 (totally $6,000
                                                any national securities exchange that                     undertake a cost-of-service or rate-                     in the aggregate to receive the same data
                                                distributes information with respect to                   making approach. The Exchange                            as offered by the BBO feed). The
                                                quotations for or transactions in an NMS                  believes that, even if it were possible as               Exchange believes the proposed rate is
                                                stock do so on terms that are not                         a matter of economic theory, cost-based                  reasonable based on the value of the
                                                unreasonably discriminatory. In                           pricing for non-core market data would                   market data included in the BBO feed
                                                adopting Regulation NMS, the                              be so complicated that it could not be                   and the market share that the data
                                                Commission granted self-regulatory                        done practically.16                                      represents. The Exchange also notes that
                                                organizations and broker-dealers                                                                                   Customers who receive the BBO feed
                                                increased authority and flexibility to                    BBO Data Feed
                                                                                                                                                                   may also receive the Book Depth and
                                                offer new and unique market data to the                     The Exchange believes the proposed                     COB data feeds at no extra charge.
                                                public. It was believed that this                         increase in the Data Fee for BBO data is
                                                authority would expand the amount of                      equitable and not unfairly                               Book Depth Data Feed
                                                data available to consumers, and also                     discriminatory because it would apply
                                                spur innovation and competition for the                   equally to all Customers. The Exchange                      The Exchange believes the proposed
                                                provision of market data.                                 believes the proposed Data Fee is                        Data Fee for the Book Depth Data Feed
                                                   In addition, the proposed fees would                                                                            is equitable and not unfairly
                                                not permit unfair discrimination                             16 The Exchange believes that cost-based pricing      discriminatory because it would apply
                                                because all of the Exchange’s customers                   would be impractical because it would create             equally to all Customers. The Exchange
                                                and market data vendors who subscribe                     enormous administrative burdens for all parties,         believes the proposed Data Fee is
                                                                                                          including the Commission, to cost-regulate a large
                                                to the above data feeds will be subject                   number of participants and standardize and analyze
                                                                                                                                                                   reasonable because it compares
                                                to the proposed fees. The above data                      extraordinary amounts of information, accounts,          favorably to fees that other markets
                                                feeds are distributed and purchased on                    and reports. In addition, it is impossible to regulate   charge for similar products. For
                                                a voluntary basis, in that neither the                    market data prices in isolation from prices charged      example, PHLX charges Internal
                                                                                                          by markets for other services that are joint products.
                                                Exchange nor market data distributors                     Cost-based rate regulation would also lead to            Distributors a monthly fee of $4,000 and
                                                are required by any rule or regulation                    litigation and may distort incentives, including         External Distributors a monthly fee of a
                                                purchase this data or to make this data                   those to minimize costs and to innovate, leading to      $4,500 for its Depth data feed that
                                                available. Accordingly, distributors and                  further waste. Under cost-based pricing, the
                                                                                                          Commission would be burdened with determining
                                                                                                                                                                   includes full depth of quotes and orders
                                                users can discontinue use at any time                     a fair rate of return, and the industry could            and last sale data for options listed on
                                                and for any reason, including due to an                   experience frequent rate increases based on              PHLX.19 In addition, ISE charges a
                                                assessment of the reasonableness of fees                  escalating expense levels. Even in industries            $5,000 per month distributor fee for its
                                                charged. Firms have a wide variety of                     historically subject to utility regulation, cost-based
                                                                                                          ratemaking has been discredited. As such, the            Real-time Depth of Market data feed.20
                                                alternative market data products from                     Exchange believes that cost-based ratemaking             The Exchange also notes that Customers
                                                which to choose, such as similar                          would be inappropriate for proprietary market data       who receive the Book Depth feed may
                                                proprietary data products offered by                      and inconsistent with Congress’s direction that the
                                                                                                                                                                   also receive the BBO and COB data
                                                other exchanges and consolidated data.                    Commission use its authority to foster the
                                                                                                          development of the national market system, and           feeds at no extra charge. The Exchange
                                                Moreover, the Exchange is not required                    that market forces will continue to provide              believes the proposed rate is reasonable
                                                to make any proprietary data products                     appropriate pricing discipline. See Appendix C to        based on the value of the market data
                                                available or to offer any specific pricing                NYSE’s comments to the Commission’s 2000
                                                                                                          Concept Release on the Regulation of Market              included in the BBO feed and the
                                                alternatives to any customers.
                                                                                                          Information Fees and Revenues, which can be              market share that the data represents.
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                                                   In addition, the fees that are the                     found on the Commission’s website at http://
                                                subject of this rule filing are constrained               www.sec.gov/rules/concept/s72899/buck1.htm. See            17 See Section IX of the PHLX Pricing Schedule
                                                by competition. As explained below in                     also Securities Exchange Act Release No. 73816
                                                                                                          (December 11, 2014), 79 FR 75200 (December 17,           (setting forth the fees for proprietary market data).
                                                the Exchange’s Statement on Burden on                                                                                18 See Sections VIII(h) and (I) of the Nasdaq ISE
                                                                                                          2014) (SR–NYSE–2014–64) (Notice of Filing and
                                                Competition, the existence of                             Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change          Schedule of Fees.
                                                                                                                                                                     19 See supra note 17.
                                                                                                          to Establish an Access Fee for the NYSE Best Quote
                                                  14 15   U.S.C. 78k–1.                                                                                              20 See Section VIII(f) of the Nasdaq ISE Schedule
                                                                                                          and Trades Data Feed, Operative December 1,
                                                  15 17   CFR 242.603.                                    2014).                                                   of Fees.



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                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 30 / Tuesday, February 13, 2018 / Notices                                                6293

                                                COB Data Feed                                           compelling need to attract order flow                       Joint Product Nature of Exchange
                                                  The Exchange believes the proposed                    from market participants in order to                     Platform. Transaction execution and
                                                Data Fee for the COB Data Feed is                       maintain its share of trading volume.                    proprietary data products are
                                                equitable, reasonable, and not unfairly                 This compelling need to attract order                    complementary in that market data is
                                                discriminatory because they would                       flow imposes significant pressure on the                 both an input and a byproduct of the
                                                apply equally to all Customers of the                   Exchange to act reasonably in setting its                execution service. In fact, market data
                                                COB Data Feed. The Exchange notes                       fees for market data, particularly given                 and trade executions are a paradigmatic
                                                that it had previously charged a Data                   that the market participants that will                   example of joint products with joint
                                                Fee of $3,000 per month for the COB                     pay such fees often will be the same                     costs. The decision whether and on
                                                Feed 21 and later reduced that fee to its               market participants from whom the                        which platform to post an order will
                                                current rate to incentive further                       Exchange must attract order flow. These                  depend on the attributes of the
                                                redistribution of the data feed.22 The                  market participants include broker-                      platforms where the order can be
                                                Exchange now proposes to return the fee                 dealers that control the handling of a                   posted, including the execution fees,
                                                for the COB data feed to its original rate              large volume of customer and                             data quality, and price and distribution
                                                to bring the cost of the data feed in line              proprietary order flow. Given the                        of their data products. The more trade
                                                with that of similar data feeds offered by              portability of order flow from one                       executions a platform does, the more
                                                other exchanges. For example, ISE                       exchange to another, any exchange that                   valuable its market data products
                                                charges distributors of its Spread Feed                 sought to charge unreasonably high data                  become. The costs of producing market
                                                a base monthly fee of $3,000,23 equal to                fees would risk alienating many of the                   data include not only the costs of the
                                                what the Exchange proposes to charge                    same customers on whose orders it                        data distribution infrastructure, but also
                                                for the COB data feed. The Exchange                     depends for competitive survival. The                    the costs of designing, maintaining, and
                                                also notes that Customers who receive                   Exchange currently competes with                         operating the exchange’s transaction
                                                the BBO and Book Depth feeds may also                   fourteen options exchanges (including                    execution platform and the cost of
                                                receive the COB data feed at no extra                   its affiliate, C2) for order flow.24                     regulating the exchange to ensure its fair
                                                charge. The Exchange believes the                          In addition, in the case of products                  operation and maintain investor
                                                proposed rate is reasonable based on the                that are distributed through market data                 confidence. The total return that a
                                                value of the market data included in the                vendors, the market data vendors                         trading platform earns reflects the
                                                COB feed and the market share that the                  themselves provide additional price                      revenues it receives from both products
                                                data represents.                                        discipline for proprietary data products                 and the joint costs it incurs. Moreover,
                                                                                                        because they control the primary means                   an exchange’s broker-dealer customers
                                                B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       of access to certain end users. These                    view the costs of transaction executions
                                                Statement on Burden on Competition                      vendors impose price discipline based                    and market data as a unified cost of
                                                  The Exchange does not believe that                    upon their business models. For                          doing business with the exchange.
                                                the proposed rule change will result in                 example, vendors that assess a                              Analyzing the cost of market data
                                                any burden on competition that is not                   surcharge on data they sell are able to                  product production and distribution in
                                                necessary or appropriate in furtherance                 refuse to offer proprietary products that                isolation from the cost of all of the
                                                of the purposes of the Act, as amended.                 their end users do not or will not                       inputs supporting the creation of market
                                                The Exchange’s ability to price the BBO,                purchase in sufficient numbers. Internet                 data and market data products will
                                                Book Depth, ad COB data feeds is                        portals, such as Google, impose price                    inevitably underestimate the cost of the
                                                constrained by: (i) Competition among                   discipline by providing only data that                   data and data products. Thus, because it
                                                exchanges that compete with each other                  they believe will enable them to attract                 is impossible to obtain the data inputs
                                                in a variety of dimensions; (ii) the                    ‘‘eyeballs’’ that contribute to their                    to create market data products without
                                                existence of inexpensive real-time                      advertising revenue. Similarly,                          a fast, technologically robust, and well-
                                                consolidated data and market-specific                   Customers will not offer the BBO, Book                   regulated execution system, system
                                                data and free delayed data; and (iii) the               Depth or COB Data Feeds unless these                     costs and regulatory costs affect the
                                                inherent contestability of the market for               products will help them maintain                         price of both obtaining the market data
                                                proprietary data.                                       current users or attract new ones. For                   itself and creating and distributing
                                                  An exchange’s ability to price its                    example, a broker-dealer will not choose                 market data products. It would be
                                                proprietary data feed products is                       to offer the BBO, Book Depth or COB                      equally misleading, however, to
                                                constrained by (1) the existence of                     Data Feeds to its retail customers unless                attribute all of an exchange’s costs to the
                                                actual competition for the sale of such                 the broker-dealer believes that the retail               market data portion of an exchange’s
                                                data, (2) the joint product nature of                   customers will use and value the data                    joint products. Rather, all of an
                                                exchange platforms, and (3) the                         and the provision of such data will help                 exchange’s costs are incurred for the
                                                existence of alternatives to proprietary                the broker-dealer maintain the customer                  unified purposes of attracting order
                                                data.                                                   relationship, which allows the broker-                   flow, executing and/or routing orders,
                                                  The Existence of Actual Competition.                  dealer to generate profits for itself.                   and generating and selling data about
                                                The Exchange believes competition                       Professional users will not request any                  market activity. The total return that an
                                                provides an effective constraint on the                 of these feeds from Customers unless                     exchange earns reflects the revenues it
                                                market data fees that the Exchange,                     they can use the data for profit-                        receives from the joint products and the
                                                through CDS, has the ability and the                    generating purposes in their businesses.                 total costs of the joint products.
                                                incentive to charge. The Exchange has a                 All of these operate as constraints on                      The level of competition and
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                                                                                                        pricing proprietary data products.                       contestability in the market is evident in
                                                  21 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 70683                                                               the numerous alternative venues that
                                                (October 15, 2013), 78 FR 62798 (October 22, 2013)        24 The Commission has previously made a finding        compete for order flow, including 15
                                                (SR–CBOE–2013–087).                                     that the options industry is subject to significant      options self-regulatory organization
                                                  22 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 73955
                                                                                                        competitive forces. See e.g., Securities Exchange        (‘‘SRO’’) markets, as well as
                                                (December 30, 2014), 80 FR 598 (January 6, 2015)        Act Release No. 59949 (May 20, 2009), 74 FR 25593
                                                (SR–CBOE–2014–094).                                     (May 28, 2009) (SR–ISE–2009–97) (order approving
                                                                                                                                                                 internalizing broker-dealers (‘‘BDs’’) and
                                                  23 See Sections VIII(I) of the Nasdaq ISE Schedule    ISE’s proposal to establish fees for a real-time depth   various forms of alternative trading
                                                of Fees.                                                of market data offering).                                systems (‘‘ATSs’’), including dark pools


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                                                6294                        Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 30 / Tuesday, February 13, 2018 / Notices

                                                and electronic communication networks                   vendor or subscriber would achieve                        with respect to the proposed rule
                                                (‘‘ECNs’’). Competition among trading                   through the purchase.                                     change that are filed with the
                                                platforms can be expected to constrain                                                                            Commission, and all written
                                                                                                        C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
                                                the aggregate return that each platform                                                                           communications relating to the
                                                                                                        Statement on Comments on the
                                                earns from the sale of its joint products,                                                                        proposed rule change between the
                                                                                                        Proposed Rule Change Received From
                                                but different platforms may choose from                                                                           Commission and any person, other than
                                                                                                        Members, Participants, or Others                          those that may be withheld from the
                                                a range of possible, and equally
                                                reasonable, pricing strategies as the                     The Exchange has neither solicited                      public in accordance with the
                                                means of recovering total costs. For                    nor received written comments on the                      provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
                                                example, some platforms may choose to                   proposed rule change.                                     available for website viewing and
                                                pay rebates to attract orders, charge                   III. Date of Effectiveness of the                         printing in the Commission’s Public
                                                relatively low prices for market data                                                                             Reference Room, 100 F Street NE,
                                                                                                        Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
                                                products (or provide market data                                                                                  Washington, DC 20549, on official
                                                                                                        Commission Action
                                                products free of charge), and charge                                                                              business days between the hours of
                                                relatively high prices for accessing                       The foregoing rule change has become                   10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the
                                                posted liquidity. Other platforms may                   effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)                 filing also will be available for
                                                choose a strategy of paying lower                       of the Act 25 and paragraph (f) of Rule                   inspection and copying at the principal
                                                rebates (or no rebates) to attract orders,              19b–4 26 thereunder. At any time within                   office of the Exchange. All comments
                                                setting relatively high prices for market               60 days of the filing of the proposed rule                received will be posted without change.
                                                data products, and setting relatively low               change, the Commission summarily may                      Persons submitting comments are
                                                prices for accessing posted liquidity. In               temporarily suspend such rule change if                   cautioned that we do not redact or edit
                                                this environment, there is no economic                  it appears to the Commission that such                    personal identifying information from
                                                basis for regulating maximum prices for                 action is necessary or appropriate in the                 comment submissions. You should
                                                one of the joint products in an industry                public interest, for the protection of                    submit only information that you wish
                                                in which suppliers face competitive                     investors, or otherwise in furtherance of                 to make available publicly. All
                                                constraints with regard to the joint                    the purposes of the Act. If the                           submissions should refer to File
                                                offering.                                               Commission takes such action, the                         Number SR–CBOE–2018–013 and
                                                   The Existence of Alternatives. The                   Commission will institute proceedings                     should be submitted on or before March
                                                Exchange is constrained in pricing the                  to determine whether the proposed rule                    6, 2018.
                                                BBO, Book Depth and COB Data Feeds                      change should be approved or                                For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                by the availability to market participants              disapproved.                                              Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                of alternatives to purchasing these                                                                               authority.27
                                                                                                        IV. Solicitation of Comments
                                                products. The Exchange must consider                                                                              Eduardo A. Aleman,
                                                                                                          Interested persons are invited to                       Assistant Secretary.
                                                the extent to which market participants
                                                                                                        submit written data, views, and
                                                would choose one or more alternatives                                                                             [FR Doc. 2018–02861 Filed 2–12–18; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                        arguments concerning the foregoing,
                                                instead of purchasing the exchange’s                                                                              BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                                                                        including whether the proposed rule
                                                data. Other options exchanges can and
                                                                                                        change is consistent with the Act.
                                                have produced their own top-of-book,
                                                                                                        Comments may be submitted by any of                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                book depth and complex strategies
                                                                                                        the following methods:                                    COMMISSION
                                                market data products, and thus are
                                                sources of potential competition for                    Electronic Comments                                       [Release No. 34–82646; File No. SR–CBOE–
                                                CDS. For example, as noted above, ISE                     • Use the Commission’s internet                         2018–010]
                                                and PHLX offer market data products                     comment form (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                that compete with the BBO, Book Depth                   rules/sro.shtml); or                                      Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe
                                                and COB Data Feeds. The large number                      • Send an email to rule-comments@                       Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and
                                                of SROs, BDs, and ATSs that currently                   sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–                   Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed
                                                produce proprietary data or are                         CBOE–2018–013 on the subject line.                        Rule Change To Delete Obsolete Rules
                                                currently capable of producing it
                                                                                                        Paper Comments                                            February 7, 2018.
                                                provides further pricing discipline for
                                                                                                                                                                     Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
                                                proprietary data products. Each SRO,                      • Send paper comments in triplicate                     Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                                ATS, and BD is currently permitted to                   to Secretary, Securities and Exchange                     (‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
                                                produce proprietary data products, and                  Commission, 100 F Street NE,                              notice is hereby given that on January
                                                many currently do. In addition, the                     Washington, DC 20549–1090.                                25, 2018, Cboe Exchange, Inc.
                                                OPRA data feed is a significant                         All submissions should refer to File                      (‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘Cboe Options’’) filed
                                                competitive alternative to the BBO and                  Number SR–CBOE–2018–013. This file                        with the Securities and Exchange
                                                last sale data included in the BBO and                  number should be included on the                          Commission (‘‘Commission’’) the
                                                Book Depth Data Feeds.                                  subject line if email is used. To help the                proposed rule change as described in
                                                   The existence of numerous                            Commission process and review your                        Items I and II below, which Items have
                                                alternatives to the Exchange’s products,                comments more efficiently, please use                     been prepared by the Exchange. The
                                                including proprietary data from other                   only one method. The Commission will                      Exchange filed the proposal as a ‘‘non-
                                                sources, ensures that the Exchange
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                                                                                                        post all comments on the Commission’s                     controversial’’ proposed rule change
                                                cannot set unreasonable fees, or fees                   internet website (http://www.sec.gov/                     pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of
                                                that are unreasonably discriminatory,                   rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the                           the Act 3 and Rule 19b–4(f)(6)
                                                when vendors and subscribers can elect                  submission, all subsequent
                                                these alternatives or choose not to                     amendments, all written statements                          27 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
                                                purchase a specific proprietary data                                                                                1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
                                                product if its cost to purchase is not                    25 15   U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).                              2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.

                                                justified by the returns any particular                   26 17   CFR 240.19b–4(f).                                 3 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).




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Document Created: 2018-02-13 02:32:30
Document Modified: 2018-02-13 02:32:30
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 6290 

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