[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 118 (Wednesday, June 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36800-36801]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14536]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-69755; File No. SR-NASDAQ-2013-070]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Order 
Approving a Proposed Rule Change for the Permanent Approval of a Pilot 
Program To Permit NASDAQ Options Market To Accept Inbound Options 
Orders From NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.

June 13, 2013.

I. Introduction

    On April 24, 2013, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (``Exchange'' or 
``NASDAQ'') 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,\2\ a 
proposed rule change requesting permanent approval of the Exchange's 
pilot program that permits the NASDAQ Options Market (``NOM'') to 
accept inbound options orders routed by Nasdaq Options Services LLC 
(``NOS'') from NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc. (``BX''). The proposed rule change 
was published for comment in the Federal Register on May 8, 2013.\3\ 
The Commission received no comment letters regarding the proposed rule 
change. This order approves the proposed rule change.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 69499 (May 2, 2013), 
78 FR 26820 (``Notice'').
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II. Background

    NASDAQ Rule 2160(a) prohibits the Exchange or any entity with which 
it is affiliated from, directly or indirectly, acquiring or maintaining 
an ownership interest in, or engaging in a business venture with, an 
Exchange member or an affiliate of an Exchange member in the absence of 
an effective filing under Section 19(b) of the Act.\4\ NOS is a broker-
dealer that is a member of the Exchange, and currently provides to 
members of BX optional routing services to other markets.\5\ NOS is 
owned by NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (``NASDAQ OMX''), which also owns three 
registered securities exchanges--the Exchange, BX, and PHLX.\6\ Thus, 
NOS is an affiliate of these exchanges.\7\ Absent an effective filing, 
NASDAQ Rule 2160(a) would prohibit NOS from being a member of the 
Exchange. The Commission initially approved NOS's affiliation with 
NASDAQ in connection with the establishment of NOM,\8\ and NOS performs 
certain limited activities for the Exchange.\9\
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    \4\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b). NASDAQ Rule 2160 also prohibits a NASDAQ 
member from being or becoming an affiliate of NASDAQ, or an 
affiliate of an entity affiliated with NASDAQ, in the absence of an 
effective filing under Section 19(b). See NASDAQ Rule 2160(a)(2).
    \5\ NOS operates as a facility of BX that provides outbound 
routing from BX to other market centers, subject to certain 
conditions. See BX Options Rules, Chapter VI, Sec. 11 (Order 
Routing). See also Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67256 (June 
26, 2012), 77 FR 39277 (July 2, 2012) (SR-BX-2012-030).
    \6\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 58324 (August 7, 
2008), 73 FR 46936 (August 12, 2008) (SR-BSE-2008-02; SR-BSE-2008-
23; SR-BSE-2008-25; SR-BSECC-2008-01) (order approving NASDAQ OMX's 
acquisition of BX); Securities Exchange Act Release No. 58179 (July 
17, 2008), 73 FR 42874 (July 23, 2008) (SR-Phlx-2008-31) (order 
approving NASDAQ OMX's acquisition of PHLX).
    \7\ See id. See also 78 FR at 26820.
    \8\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 57478 (March 12, 
2008), 73 FR 14521, 14532-14533 (March 18, 2008) (SR-NASDAQ-2007-004 
and SR-NASDAQ-2007-080).
    \9\ See, e.g., NASDAQ Options Rule Chapter VI, Section 11(e) 
(governing order routing on NOM); and Securities Exchange Act 
Release No. 61668 (March 5, 2010), 75 FR 12323 (March 15, 2010) (SR-
NASDAQ-2010-028) (relating to the routing of orders by NOS from NOM 
to PHLX).
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    On May 15, 2012, the Exchange filed a proposed rule change for NOM 
to accept inbound options orders routed by NOS from BX on a one year 
pilot basis in connection with the establishment of a new options 
market by BX.\10\ On April 24, 2013, the Exchange filed the instant 
proposal to allow NOM to accept such orders routed inbound by NOS from 
BX on a permanent basis subject to certain limitations and 
conditions.\11\
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    \10\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67027 (May 18, 
2012), 77 FR 31057 (May 24, 2012) (SR-NASDAQ-2012-061).
    \11\ See Notice, 78 FR 26820.
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III. Discussion and Commission Findings

    After careful review, the Commission finds that the proposed rule 
change is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and 
regulations thereunder applicable to a national securities 
exchange.\12\ Specifically, the Commission finds that the proposed rule 
change is consistent with Section 6(b)(1) of the Act,\13\ which 
requires, among other things, that a national securities exchange be so 
organized and have the capacity to carry out the purposes of the Act, 
and to comply and enforce compliance by its members and persons 
associated with its members, with the provisions of the Act, the rules 
and regulation thereunder, and the rules of the Exchange. Further, the 
Commission finds that the proposed rule change is consistent with 
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\14\ which requires, among other things, 
that the rules of a national securities exchange be designed to prevent 
fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices; to promote just and 
equitable principles of trade; to foster cooperation and coordination 
with persons engaged in regulating, clearing, settling, and processing 
information with respect to, and facilitating transactions in 
securities; 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. Section 6(b)(5) also 
requires that the rules of an exchange not be designed to permit unfair 
discrimination among customers, issuers, brokers, or dealers.
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    \12\ In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission has 
considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition and 
capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(1).
    \14\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    Recognizing that the Commission has previously expressed concern 
regarding the potential for conflicts of interest in instances where a 
member firm is affiliated with an exchange to which it is routing 
orders, the Exchange proposed the following limitations and conditions 
to NOS's affiliation with the Exchange to permit the Exchange to accept 
inbound options orders that NOS routes in its capacity as a facility of 
BX on a pilot basis.\15\ The Exchange has proposed to permit NASDAQ to 
accept inbound orders that NOS routes in its capacity as a facility of 
BX on a permanent basis, subject to the same limitations and conditions 
of this pilot: \16\
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    \15\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67295 (June 28, 
2012), 77 FR 39758 (July 5, 2012) (SR-NASDAQ-2012-061).
    \16\ See Notice, 78 FR at 26820-26821.
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     First, the Exchange and the Financial Industry Regulatory 
Authority (``FINRA'') will maintain a Regulatory Contract, as well as 
an agreement pursuant to Rule 17d-2 under the Act (``17d-2 
Agreement'').\17\ Pursuant to the Regulatory Contract and the 17d-2 
Agreement, FINRA will be allocated regulatory responsibilities to 
review NOS's compliance with certain NASDAQ rules.\18\ Pursuant to the

[[Page 36801]]

Regulatory Contract, however, the Exchange retains ultimate 
responsibility for enforcing its rules with respect to NOS.
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    \17\ 17 CFR 240.17d-2.
    \18\ NOS is also subject to independent oversight by FINRA, its 
designated examining authority, for compliance with financial 
responsibility requirements.
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     Second, FINRA will monitor NOS for compliance with 
NASDAQ's trading rules, and will collect and maintain certain related 
information.\19\
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    \19\ Pursuant to the Regulatory Contract, both FINRA and the 
Exchange will collect and maintain all alerts, complaints, 
investigations and enforcement actions in which NOS (in its capacity 
as a facility of BX routing orders to NOM) is identified as a 
participant that has potentially violated applicable Commission or 
Exchange rules. The exchange and FINRA will retain these records in 
an easily accessible manner in order to facilitate any potential 
review conducted by the Commission's Office of Compliance 
Inspections and Examinations. See Notice, 78 FR at 26820 n.12.
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     Third, FINRA will provide a report to the Exchange's chief 
regulatory officer (``CRO''), on a quarterly basis, that: (i) 
quantifies all alerts (of which the Exchange or FINRA is aware) that 
identify NOS as a participant that has potentially violated Commission 
or Exchange rules, and (ii) lists all investigations that identify NOS 
as a participant that has potentially violated Commission or NASDAQ 
rules.
     Fourth, the Exchange has in place NASDAQ Rule 2160(c), 
which requires NASDAQ OMX, as the holding company owning both the 
Exchange and NOS, to establish and maintain procedures and internal 
controls reasonably designed to ensure that NOS does not develop or 
implement changes to its system, based on non-public information 
obtained regarding planned changes to the Exchange's systems as a 
result of its affiliation with the Exchange, until such information is 
available generally to similarly situated Exchange members, in 
connection with the provision of inbound order routing to the Exchange.
    The Exchange stated that it has met all the above-listed 
conditions. By meeting such conditions, the Exchange believes that it 
has set up mechanisms that protect the independence of the Exchange's 
regulatory responsibility with respect to NOS, and has demonstrated 
that NOS cannot use any information advantage it may have because of 
its affiliation with the Exchange.\20\ In the past, the Commission has 
expressed concern that the affiliation of an exchange with one of its 
members raises potential conflicts of interest, and the potential for 
unfair competitive advantage.\21\ Although the Commission continues to 
be concerned about potential unfair competition and conflicts of 
interest between an exchange's self-regulatory obligations and its 
commercial interest when the exchange is affiliated with one of its 
members, for the reasons discussed below, the Commission believes that 
it is consistent with the Act to permit NOS, in its capacity as a 
facility of BX, to route orders inbound to NOM on a permanent basis 
instead of a pilot basis, subject to the limitations and conditions 
described above.\22\
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    \20\ See Notice, 78 FR at 26821.
    \21\ See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 54170 (July 
18, 2006), 71 FR 42149 (July 25, 2006) (SR-NASDAQ-2006-006) (order 
approving NASDAQ's proposal to adopt NASDAQ Rule 2140, restricting 
affiliations between NASDAQ and its members); 53382 (February 27, 
2006), 71 FR 11251 (March 6, 2006) (SR-NYSE-2005-77) (order 
approving the combination of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. and 
Archipelago Holdings, Inc.); 58673 (September 29, 2008), 73 FR 57707 
(October 3, 2008) (SR-Amex-2008-62 and SR-NYSE-2008-60) (order 
approving the combination of NYSE Euronext and the American Stock 
Exchange LLC); 59135 (December 22, 2008), 73 FR 79954 (December 30, 
2008) (SR-ISE-2009-85) (order approving the purchase by ISE Holdings 
of an ownership interest in Direct Edge Holdings LLC); 59281 
(January 22, 2009), 74 FR 5014 (January 28, 2009) (SR-NYSE-2008-120) 
(order approving a joint venture between NYSE and BIDS Holdings 
L.P.); 58375 (August 18, 2008), 73 FR 49498 (August 21, 2008) (File 
No. 10-182) (order granting the exchange registration of BATS 
Exchange, Inc.); 61698 (March 12, 2010), 75 FR 13151 (March 18, 
2010) (File Nos. 10-194 and 10-196) (order granting the exchange 
registration of EDGX Exchange, Inc. and EDGA Exchange, Inc.); and 
62716 (August 13, 2010), 75 FR 51295 (August 19, 2010) (File No. 10-
198) (order granting the exchange registration of BATS-Y Exchange, 
Inc.).
    \22\ The Commission notes that these limitations and conditions 
are consistent with those previously approved by the Commission for 
other exchanges. See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 
69233 (March 25, 2013), 78 FR 19352 (March 29, 2013) (SR-NASDAQ-
2013-028); 69232 (March 25, 2013), 78 FR 19342 (March 29, 2013) (SR-
BX-2013-013); 69229 (March 25, 2013), 78 FR 19337 (March 29, 2013) 
(SR-Phlx-2013-15); 67256 (June 26, 2012) 77 FR 39277 (July 2, 2012) 
(SR-BX-2012-030); and 64090 (March 17, 2011), 76 FR 16462 (March 23, 
2011) (SR-BX-2011-007).
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    The Exchange has proposed four ongoing conditions applicable to 
NOS's routing activities, which are enumerated above. The Commission 
believes that these conditions will mitigate its concerns about 
potential conflicts of interest and unfair competitive advantage. In 
particular, the Commission believes that FINRA's oversight of NOS,\23\ 
combined with FINRA's monitoring of NOS's compliance with the 
Exchange's rules and quarterly reporting to the Exchange, will help to 
protect the independence of the Exchange's regulatory responsibilities 
with respect to NOS. The Commission also believes that the Exchange's 
Rule 2160(c) is designed to ensure that NOS cannot use any information 
advantage it may have because of its affiliation with the Exchange.
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    \23\ This oversight will be accomplished through the 17d-2 
Agreement between FINRA and the Exchange and the Regulatory 
Contract. See Notice, 78 FR at 26820 n.10 and accompanying text.
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IV. Conclusion

    It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the 
Act,\24\ that the proposed rule change (SR-NASDAQ-2013-070) be, and 
hereby is, approved.
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    \24\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\25\
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    \25\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Elizabeth M. Murphy,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-14536 Filed 6-18-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P