Securities and Exchange Commission
- [Release No. 34-105995; File No. SR-NASDAQ-2026-032]
I. Introduction
On April 14, 2026, The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”), pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) [1] and Rule 19b-4 thereunder (“Rule 19b-4”),[2] a proposed rule change to amend Nasdaq Rule 5711(d) to modify the generic listing standards for Commodity-Based Trust Shares. The proposed rule change was published for comment in the Federal Register on April 28, 2026.[3] On June 9, 2026, the Exchange filed Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule change, which replaced and superseded the original proposed rule change in its entirety. On June 11, 2026, the Commission published notice of the proposed rule change, as modified by Amendment No. 1 (“Proposal”), and extended the time for Commission action on the Proposal.[4] This order approves the Proposal.
( printed page 48205)II. Description of the Proposal
The Commission previously approved Nasdaq Rule 5711(d), which sets forth generic listing standards [5] for Commodity-Based Trust Shares [6] on the Exchange.[7] As described in more detail in the Notice,[8] the Exchange proposes to amend Nasdaq Rule 5711(d) to modify certain aspects of the generic listing standards for Commodity-Based Trust Shares.
A. Proposed Amendment To Allow a 15% Buffer for Certain Assets
Currently, Nasdaq Rule 5711(d)(iv) sets forth eligibility criteria that the holdings of Commodity-Based Trust Shares must meet for the shares to be listed and traded pursuant to the generic listing standards. Specifically, Nasdaq Rule 5711(d)(iv)(A) requires that each commodity,[9] or commodity that underlies a commodity-based asset,[10] held by a trust must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- On an initial and continuing basis, the commodity trades on a market that is an Intermarket Surveillance Group (“ISG”) member, provided that the Exchange may obtain information about trading in such commodity from the ISG member; [11]
- On an initial and continuing basis, the commodity underlies a futures contract that has been made available to trade on a designated contract market (“DCM”) for at least six months; provided that the Exchange has a comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement, whether directly or through common membership in ISG, with such DCM; [12] or
- On an initial basis only, an exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) [13] designed to provide economic exposure of no less than 40% of its NAV to the commodity lists and trades on a national securities exchange.[14]
In addition, to the extent a trust holds securities, (i) each equity security held by the trust must meet the requirements set forth in the Exchange's rules for equity component securities underlying Managed Fund Shares generically listed on the Exchange; [15] (ii) each fixed income security held by the trust must meet the requirements set forth in the Exchange's rules for fixed income component securities underlying Managed Fund Shares generically listed on the Exchange,[16] and (iii) if the security is a listed option, it must trade on an ISG market.[17]
The Exchange proposes to amend Nasdaq Rule 5711(d)(iv) to adopt a new paragraph (C) in Nasdaq Rule 5711(d)(iv). As proposed, Nasdaq Rule 5711(d)(iv)(C) would provide that, notwithstanding the eligibility criteria set forth in Nasdaq Rules 5711(d)(iv)(A) and (B), up to 15% of the Commodity-Based Trust Shares' NAV in the aggregate may consist of (i) “digital commodities” [18] that do not meet the criteria for commodities set forth in Nasdaq Rule 5711(d)(iv)(A), or (ii) securities that do not meet the criteria for securities set forth in Nasdaq Rule 5711(d)(iv)(B) (referred to herein as the “15% Buffer”).[19] For purposes of calculating this 15% Buffer, any derivative held by the trust would be calculated based on its gross notional value.[20]
B. Proposed Amendment To Allow Actively Managed Commodity-Based Trust Shares
Currently, Nasdaq Rule 5711(d)(iii)(A) defines a “Commodity-Based Trust Share” to mean, in part, a security that “is designed to reflect the performance of one or more reference assets or an index of reference assets, less expenses and other liabilities.” [21] Thus, Nasdaq Rule 5711(d) currently precludes actively managed Commodity-Based Trust Shares from being eligible to list and trade pursuant to the generic listing standards ( i.e., without a rule filing pursuant to Section 19(b) of the Act).[22]
( printed page 48206)The Exchange now proposes to amend Nasdaq Rule 5711(d) to allow for the generic listing and trading of actively managed Commodity-Based Trust Shares that otherwise meet the generic listing standards, as proposed to be amended.[23] In particular, the Exchange proposes to amend the definition of “Commodity-Based Trust Shares” to remove the requirement that Commodity-Based Trust Shares be “designed to reflect the performance of one or more reference assets or an index of reference assets, less expenses and other liabilities” and to add a requirement that a trust's holdings be “consistent with [its] investment objective and policies.” [24]
In connection with this amendment to the definition of “Commodity-Based Trust Shares,” the Exchange also proposes to adopt certain additional trading halt and firewall requirements.[25] First, if the Exchange becomes aware that the information required by paragraph (v)(A) of Nasdaq Rule 5711(d) [26] ( i.e., the Commodity-Based Trust Shares' portfolio information) is not disseminated to all market participants at the same time, it will halt trading in the Commodity-Based Trust Shares until such time as the required information is available to all market participants.[27] Second, any person associated with, or that is an agent of, the trust (including the Reporting Authority) [28] who has access to non-public information regarding the portfolio of the Commodity-Based Trust Shares, including any change thereto, must be subject to procedures designed to prevent the use and dissemination of material non-public information regarding the portfolio.[29]
III. Discussion and Commission Findings
After careful review, the Commission finds that the Proposal is consistent with the Act and rules and regulations thereunder applicable to a national securities exchange.[30] In particular, the Commission finds that the Proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,[31] which requires, among other things, that the Exchange's rules be designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest and are not designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers, or dealers.
Since the Generics Approval Order, the Commission has approved Commodity-Based Trust Shares that hold up to 15% of the portfolio in digital assets not previously approved by the Commission as permissible investments of an exchange-traded product (“ETP”).[32] In each of the Grayscale Order and the Bitwise Order, the Commission stated that the risks associated with fraud and manipulation are sufficiently mitigated if an ETP holds at least 80% of the investments in assets that do not raise concerns relating to fraud and manipulation.[33] Accordingly, the Commission found that the requirement that each ETP holds at least 85% of its investments in commodities approved by the Commission to underlie an ETP as primary investments will enable adequate surveillance of the shares on the listing exchange.[34]
Likewise, since the Generics Approval Order, the Commission has approved Commodity-Based Trust Shares that are not “designed to reflect the performance of one or more reference assets or an index of reference assets” but are actively managed.[35] In each of the iShares Order and the T. Rowe Order, the Commission stated that, in the context of ETFs registered under the 1940 Act, the mere addition of active management to a portfolio that would otherwise qualify for generic listing as an index-based ETF does not affect the portfolio's susceptibility to manipulation or the availability of arbitrage between the ETF and its underlying portfolio.[36] The Commission stated that this principle also holds true for Commodity-Based Trust Shares.[37] Further, the Commission stated that consistently applying listing standards across products with economic exposures to the same underlying commodities levels the playing field between issuers, which should promote ( printed page 48207) competition and would more readily afford investors greater investment options.[38]
Rule 19b-4(e) provides that the listing and trading of a new derivative securities product by a national securities exchange shall not be deemed a proposed rule change pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 19b-4 [39] if the Commission has approved, pursuant to Section 19(b) of the Act,[40] the exchange's trading rules, procedures, and listing standards for the product class that would include the new derivative securities product, and the exchange has a surveillance program for the product class.[41] The Exchange proposes to amend its generic listing standards for Commodity-Based Trust Shares to include the 15% Buffer and active-management that the Commission has previously considered and approved in separate Rule 19b-4 filings. Accordingly, the Proposal fulfills the intended objective of Rule 19b-4(e) by permitting Commodity-Based Trust Shares that satisfy the requirements previously found to be consistent with the Act to commence trading without public comment and Commission approval.[42] The Exchange's ability to rely on Rule 19b-4(e) to list and trade additional Commodity-Based Trust Shares that meet the applicable requirements and minimum standards will reduce the time frame for bringing the shares to market and thereby reduce the burdens on issuers and other market participants, while also promoting competition.[43]
Similarly, the Exchange's proposed additional trading halt and firewall provisions are consistent with the Act.[44] Because Nasdaq Rule 5711(d) currently contemplates only passive management,[45] the Exchange proposes changes designed to address active management of Commodity-Based Trust Shares, namely provisions related to (1) trading halts if Commodity-Based Trust Shares' portfolio information [46] is not disseminated to all market participants at the same time,[47] and (2) procedures designed to prevent the use and dissemination of material non-public portfolio information.[48] The Exchange's proposed changes are substantively identical to Nasdaq's rule governing the listing and trading of actively managed ETFs,[49] and apply in addition to what is already required under Nasdaq Rule 5711(d)(ix). The additional trading halt provision will help to ensure that all market participants have transparency relating to the Commodity-Based Trust Shares' underlying portfolio, which information is key to pricing the shares and that no market participant has an unfair informational advantage. Ensuring such transparency relating to the underlying portfolio for all market participants will help facilitate a fair and orderly market for the Commodity-Based Trust Shares, as well as help to ensure that the Commodity-Based Trust Shares are not susceptible to manipulation. Likewise, the additional firewall provision will provide additional protection against the potential misuse of material, non-public information relating to a Commodity-Based Trust Share's actively-managed portfolio.
Finally, Commodity-Based Trust Shares listed pursuant to Nasdaq Rule 5711(d), as modified by the Proposal, would be required to comply with all applicable requirements of Nasdaq Rule 5711(d). In addition, all Commodity-Based Trust Shares listed under Nasdaq Rule 5711(d) will be subject to the rules and procedures of the Exchange that currently govern the trading of equity securities on the Exchange.[50] The Exchange would continue to be required to submit a rule filing with the Commission when seeking to list and trade Commodity-Based Trust Shares that do not meet the generic listing standards under Nasdaq Rule 5711(d), as proposed to be modified.
IV. Conclusion
This approval order is based on all of the Exchange's representations and descriptions in the Proposal, which the Commission has evaluated as discussed above. For the reasons set forth above, the Commission finds, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,[51] that the Proposal is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to a national securities exchange, and in particular, with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act.[52]
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,[53] that the proposed rule change, as modified by Amendment No. 1 (SR-NASDAQ-2026-032), be, and hereby is, approved.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.[54]
Sherry R. Haywood,
Assistant Secretary.