[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 23, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71473-71475]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-29401]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-63320; File No. SR-DTC-2010-15]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; the Depository Trust Company; 
Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To Amend Rules Relating to the 
Requirement To Maintain a Balance Certificate in the Fast Automated 
Securities Transfer Program

November 16, 2010.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder \2\ notice is hereby given that 
on November 5, 2010, the Depository Trust Company (``DTC'') filed with 
the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the proposed 
rule change as described in Items I and II below, which Items

[[Page 71474]]

have been prepared primarily by DTC.\3\ The Commission is publishing 
this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from 
interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ The text of the proposed rule change is attached as Exhibit 
5 to DTC's filing, which is available at http://www.dtcc.com/downloads/legal/rule_filings/2010/dtc/2010-15.pdf.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of the 
Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

    The purpose of this proposed rule change is to amend DTC's rules 
relating to its Fast Automated Securities Transfer (``FAST'') program 
to eliminate the requirement for certain transfer agents to custody a 
balance certificate.

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

    In its filing with the Commission, DTC 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. DTC has prepared summaries, set forth in sections (A), 
(B), and (C) below, of the most significant aspects of these 
statements.\4\
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    \4\ The Commission has modified the text of the summaries 
prepared by NSCC.
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(A) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    Under DTC's FAST program, DTC leaves securities in the form of 
balance certificates in the custody of the transfer agent participating 
in FAST (``FAST transfer agents'').\5\ The balance certificates are 
registered in the name of DTC's nominee, Cede & Co. and evidence the 
record ownership by Cede & Co. of each issue for which the FAST 
transfer agent acts as transfer agent. The balance certificate 
agreement is executed by each FAST transfer agent and DTC and sets 
forth the rights and obligations of FAST transfer agents and DTC. As 
additional securities are deposited or withdrawn from DTC, the FAST 
transfer agent adjusts the denomination of the balance certificate as 
appropriate and electronically confirms theses changes with DTC.
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    \5\ FAST reduces the movement of certificates between DTC and 
the transfer agent, thereby reducing the costs and risks associated 
with the creation, movement, and storing of certificates. For a 
description of DTC's current rules relating to FAST, see Securities 
Exchange Act Release Nos. 34-13342 (March 8, 1977) (File No. SR-DTC-
76-3); 34-14997 (July 26, 1978) (File No. SR-DTC-78-11); 34-21401 
(October 16, 1984) (File No. SR-DTC-84-8); 34-31941 (March 3, 1993) 
(SR-DTC-92-15); and 34-46956 (December 2, 2002) (File No. SR-DTC-
2002-15). In addition, DTC has filed a proposed rule change with the 
SEC to update the requirements relating to its FAST and DRS programs 
(See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 34-57362 (February 20, 
2008) (File No. SR-DTC-2006-16).
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    Recently, FAST transfer agents have requested that DTC remove the 
requirement for FAST transfer agents to custody a balance certificate 
because the transfer agent electronically confirms the balance with DTC 
on a daily basis. As a result, DTC is proposing to remove the 
requirement that FAST transfer agents maintain a balance certificate 
for certain issuers that are participating in the direct registration 
system (``DRS'').\6\
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    \6\ DRS allows registered owners to hold their assets on the 
records of the transfer agent in book-entry form rather than in 
certificated form. Securities on deposit at DTC are considered ``DRS 
eligible'' if the issuer's by-laws permit the issuance of book entry 
shares and the CUSIP number has been designated as FAST eligible by 
DTC. ``Participating in DRS'' means that the issuer and its transfer 
agent have complied with DTC's requirements to participate in the 
DRS program and actually allow investors to hold shares in DRS.
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    An issuer that participates in DRS has agreed to allow investors to 
hold their securities position in book-entry form on the records of the 
issuer's transfer agent instead of in certificated form. With DRS, 
shares can be electronically transferred between a DRS Limited 
Participant (i.e., a transfer agent participating in DRS) and DTC 
participants (i.e., broker-dealers or banks). DRS provides investors 
with an alternate approach to holding their securities either in 
certificated form or in ``street'' name.\7\ As additional securities 
are deposited or withdrawn from DTC, the DRS Limited Participant 
adjusts the denomination of the balance certificate as appropriate and 
electronically confirms these changes with DTC.
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    \7\ Street name generally describes securities held in the name 
of a broker-dealer or another nominee, such as a clearing agency, 
instead of the broker-dealer's customer.
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    Since issuers that participate in DRS have acknowledged that the 
use of electronic registration of securities is a valid method to 
evidence ownership of their issued securities and since electronic 
registration should reduce the costs and risks associated with the 
creation, storage, and replacement of balance certificates, DTC 
proposes to remove the requirement that FAST transfer agents maintain a 
balance certificate for those exchange listed issues that are DRS 
eligible and participating in DRS. However, DTC also proposes to 
continue to reserve its rights to draw down from the FAST balance and 
to receive in lieu of a DRS or electronic position a certificate to be 
registered in DTC's nominee name of Cede & Co. and to reflect any 
number of shares up to and including the total amount of shares 
outstanding due DTC from those FAST transfer agents.
    The proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (``Act'') and the rules 
and regulations thereunder applicable to DTC because it should allow 
DTC to better safeguard the securities which are in DTC's custody or 
control or for which it is responsible by reducing the inherent risks 
associated with the transfer and maintenance of physical certificates.

(B) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    DTC does not believe that the proposed rule change would impose any 
burden on competition.

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

    Written comments relating to the proposed rule change have not been 
solicited or received. DTC will notify the Commission of any written 
comments received by DTC.

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

    Within forty-five days of the date of publication of this notice in 
the Federal Register or within such longer period (i) as the Commission 
may designate up to ninety days of such date if it finds such longer 
period to be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or 
(ii) as to which the self-regulatory organization consents, the 
Commission will:
    (A) By order approve or disapprove the proposed rule change or
    (B) Institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule 
change should be disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

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

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml) or
     Send an e-mail to [email protected]. Please include 
File

[[Page 71475]]

Number SR-DTC-2010-15 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

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

All submission should refer to File Number SR-DTC-2010-15. This file 
number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used. To 
help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all 
written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are 
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to 
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other 
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and 
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, 
NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090, on official business days between the 
hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such filings will also be 
available for inspection and copying at the principal office of DTC and 
on DTC's Web site at http://www.dtcc.com/downloads/legal/rule_filings/2010/nscc/2010-11.pdf. All comments received will be posted without 
change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information 
from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to 
make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number 
SR-DTC-2010-15 and should be submitted on or before December 14, 2010.

    For the Commission by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\8\
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    \8\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-29401 Filed 11-22-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P