[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9837-9839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03659]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-74288; File No. SR-MIAX-2015-08]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Miami International Securities 
Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a 
Proposed Rule Change To Amend Its Fee Schedule

February 18, 2015.
    Pursuant to the provisions of 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 February 5, 2015, Miami International 
Securities Exchange LLC (``MIAX'' or ``Exchange'') filed with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') a proposed rule 
change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have 
been prepared by the Exchange. 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.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange is filing a proposal to amend the MIAX Options Fee 
Schedule. The text of the proposed rule change is available on the 
Exchange's Web site at http://www.miaxoptions.com/filter/wotitle/rule_filing, at MIAX's principal office, 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 Priority Customer Rebate Program 
(the ``Program'') \3\ to amend the option classes that qualify for the 
enhanced per contract credit for transactions in MIAX Select 
Symbols.\4\
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    \3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 73328 (October 9, 
2014), 79 FR 62230 (October 16, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-50); 72567 (July 
8, 2014), 79 FR 40818 (July 14, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-34); 72356 (June 
10, 2014), 79 FR 34384 (June 16, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-26); 71698 
(March 12, 2014), 79 FR 15185 (March 18, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-12); 
71700 (March 12, 2014), 79 FR 15188 (March 18, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-
13); 71283 (January 10, 2014), 79 FR 2914 (January 16, 2014) (SR-
MIAX-2013-63); 71009 (December 6, 2013), 78 FR 75629 (December 12, 
2013) (SR-MIAX-2013-56).
    \4\ The term ``MIAX Select Symbols'' currently means options 
overlying AA, AAL, AAPL, AIG, AMZN, AZN, BABA, BP, C, CBS, CLF, 
CMCSA, EBAY, EEM, EFA, EWJ, FB, FCX, FXI, GE, GILD, GLD, GM, GOOG, 
GOOGL, HTZ, INTC, IWM, IYR, JCP, JPM, KO, MO, MRK, NFLX, NOK, NQ, 
PBR, PCLN, PFE, PG, QCOM, QQQ, S, SIRI, SPY, SUNE, T, TSLA, USO, 
VALE, WAG, WFC, WMB, WY, XHB, XLE, XLF, XLP, XLU and XOM.
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    Under the Program, the Exchange credits each Member the per 
contract amount set forth in the Fee Schedule resulting from each 
Priority Customer \5\ order transmitted by that Member which is 
executed on the Exchange in all multiply-listed option classes 
(excluding mini-options, Priority Customer-to-Priority Customer Orders, 
PRIME AOC Responses, PRIME Contra-side Orders, PRIME Orders for which 
both the Agency and Contra-side Order are Priority Customers, and 
executions related to contracts that are routed to one or more 
exchanges in connection with the Options Order Protection and Locked/
Crossed Market Plan referenced in MIAX Rule 1400), provided the Member 
meets certain volume thresholds in a month. For each Priority Customer 
order submitted into the PRIME Auction as a PRIME Agency Order, MIAX 
shall credit each member at the separate per contract rate for PRIME 
Agency Orders; however, no rebates will be paid if the PRIME Agency 
Order executes against a Contra-side Order which is also a Priority 
Customer. The volume thresholds are calculated based on the customer 
average daily volume over the course of the month. Volume is recorded 
for and credits are delivered to the Member Firm that submits the order 
to the Exchange. The Exchange aggregates the contracts resulting from 
Priority Customer orders transmitted and executed electronically on the 
Exchange from affiliated Members for purposes of the thresholds above, 
provided there is at least 75% common ownership between the firms as 
reflected on each firm's Form BD, Schedule A. In the event of a MIAX 
System outage or other interruption of electronic trading on MIAX, the 
Exchange adjusts the national customer volume in multiply-listed 
options for the duration of the outage. A Member may request to receive 
its credit under the Program as a separate direct payment.
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    \5\ The term ``Priority Customer'' means a person or entity that 
(i) is not a broker or dealer in securities, and (ii) does not place 
more than 390 orders in listed options per day on average during a 
calendar month for its own beneficial accounts(s). See MIAX Rule 
100.
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    The Exchange proposes modifying the Program to amend the option 
classes that qualify for a per contract credit for transactions in MIAX 
Select Symbols. MIAX Select Symbols currently include options overlying 
AA, AAL, AAPL, AIG, AMZN, AZN, BABA, BP, C, CBS, CLF, CMCSA, EBAY, EEM, 
EFA, EWJ, FB, FCX, FXI, GE, GILD, GLD, GM, GOOG, GOOGL, HTZ, INTC, IWM, 
IYR, JCP, JPM, KO, MO, MRK, NFLX, NOK, NQ, PBR, PCLN, PFE, PG, QCOM, 
QQQ, S, SIRI, SPY, SUNE, T, TSLA, USO, VALE, WAG, WFC, WMB, WY, XHB, 
XLE, XLF, XLP, XLU and XOM. The Exchange proposes to modify the MIAX 
Select Symbols to add AMAT, AMD, BA, BBRY, BIDU, CAT, CELG, CVX, DAL, 
GPRO, HAL, JNJ, KMI, ORCL, RIG, VXX, X, XOP, and YHOO. The Exchange 
also proposes to modify the MIAX Select Symbols to remove AZN, CMCSA, 
EFA, EWJ, FXI, GOOG, IYR, PCLN, SIRI, and XLU. Thus, the Exchange will 
credit each Member the per contract rate set forth in the table located 
in the Fee Schedule resulting from each Priority Customer order 
transmitted by that Member executed on Exchange in AA, AAL, AAPL, AIG, 
AMAT, AMD, AMZN, BA, BABA, BBRY, BIDU, BP, C, CAT, CBS, CELG, CLF, CVX, 
DAL, EBAY, EEM, FB, FCX, GE, GILD, GLD, GM, GOOGL, GPRO, HAL, HTZ, 
INTC, IWM, JCP, JNJ, JPM, KMI, KO, MO, MRK, NFLX, NOK, NQ, ORCL, PBR, 
PFE, PG, QCOM, QQQ, RIG, S, SPY, SUNE, T, TSLA, USO, VALE, VXX, WAG, 
WFC, WMB, WY, X, XHB, XLE, XLF, XLP, XOM, XOP, and YHOO. The per 
contract credit would be in lieu of the applicable credit that would 
otherwise apply to the transaction based on the volume thresholds. The 
Exchange notes that all the other aspects of the Program would continue 
to apply to the credits (e.g., the aggregation of volume of affiliates, 
exclusion of contracts that are routed to away

[[Page 9838]]

exchanges, exclusion of mini-options . . . etc.).\6\
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    \6\ See MIAX Options Fee Schedule, p. 3. See also Securities 
Exchange Act Release Nos. 72798 (August 8, 2014), 79 FR 47695 
(August 14, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-41); 72567 (July 8, 2014), 79 FR 
40818 (July 14, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-34); 72356 (June 10, 2014), 79 
FR 34384 (June 16, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-26); 71698 (March 12, 2014), 
79 FR 15185 (March 18, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-12); 71700 (March 12, 
2014), 79 FR 15188 (March 18, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-13); 71283 
(January 10, 2014), 79 FR 2914 (January 16, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2013-63); 
71009 (December 6, 2013), 78 FR 75629 (December 12, 2013) (SR-MIAX-
2013-56).
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    For example, if Member Firm ABC, Inc. (``ABC'') has enough Priority 
Customer contracts to achieve 0.5% of the national customer volume in 
multiply-listed option contracts during the month of October, ABC will 
receive a credit of $0.15 for each Priority Customer contract executed 
in the month of October. However, any qualifying Priority Customer 
transactions during such month that occurred in AA, AAL, AAPL, AIG, 
AMAT, AMD, AMZN, BA, BABA, BBRY, BIDU, BP, C, CAT, CBS, CELG, CLF, CVX, 
DAL, EBAY, EEM, FB, FCX, GE, GILD, GLD, GM, GOOGL, GPRO, HAL, HTZ, 
INTC, IWM, JCP, JNJ, JPM, KMI, KO, MO, MRK, NFLX, NOK, NQ, ORCL, PBR, 
PFE, PG, QCOM, QQQ, RIG, S, SPY, SUNE, T, TSLA, USO, VALE, VXX, WAG, 
WFC, WMB, WY, X, XHB, XLE, XLF, XLP, XOM, XOP, and YHOO would be 
credited at the $0.20 per contact rate versus the standard credit of 
$0.15. Similarly, if Member Firm XYZ, Inc. (``XYZ'') has enough 
Priority Customer contracts to achieve 2.5% of the national customer 
volume in multiply-listed option contracts during the month of October, 
XYZ will receive a credit of $0.18 for each Priority Customer contract 
executed in the month of October. However, any qualifying Priority 
Customer transactions during such month that occurred in AA, AAL, AAPL, 
AIG, AMAT, AMD, AMZN, BA, BABA, BBRY, BIDU, BP, C, CAT, CBS, CELG, CLF, 
CVX, DAL, EBAY, EEM, FB, FCX, GE, GILD, GLD, GM, GOOGL, GPRO, HAL, HTZ, 
INTC, IWM, JCP, JNJ, JPM, KMI, KO, MO, MRK, NFLX, NOK, NQ, ORCL, PBR, 
PFE, PG, QCOM, QQQ, RIG, S, SPY, SUNE, T, TSLA, USO, VALE, VXX, WAG, 
WFC, WMB, WY, X, XHB, XLE, XLF, XLP, XOM, XOP, and YHOO would be 
credited at the $0.20 per contact rate versus the standard credit of 
$0.18.
    The purpose of the amendment to the Program is to further encourage 
Members to direct greater Priority Customer trade volume to the 
Exchange in these high volume symbols. Increased Priority Customer 
volume will provide for greater liquidity, which benefits all market 
participants on the Exchange. The practice of incentivizing increased 
retail customer order flow in order to attract professional liquidity 
providers (Market-Makers) is, and has been, commonly practiced in the 
options markets. As such, marketing fee programs,\7\ and customer 
posting incentive programs,\8\ are based on attracting public customer 
order flow. The practice of providing additional incentives to increase 
order flow in high volume symbols is, and has been, commonly practiced 
in the options markets.\9\ The Program similarly intends to attract 
Priority Customer order flow, which will increase liquidity, thereby 
providing greater trading opportunities and tighter spreads for other 
market participants and causing a corresponding increase in order flow 
from such other market participants in these select symbols. Increasing 
the number of orders sent to the Exchange will in turn provide tighter 
and more liquid markets, and therefore attract more business overall.
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    \7\ See MIAX Fee Schedule, Section 1(b).
    \8\ See NYSE Arca, Inc. Fees Schedule, page 4 (section titled 
``Customer Monthly Posting Credit Tiers and Qualifications for 
Executions in Penny Pilot Issues'').
    \9\ See International Securities Exchange, LLC, Schedule of 
Fees, p. 6 (providing reduced fee rates for order flow in Select 
Symbols); NASDAQ OMX PHLX, Pricing Schedule, Section I (providing a 
rebate for adding liquidity in SPY); NYSE Arca, Inc. Fees Schedule, 
page 4 (section titled ``Customer Monthly Posting Credit Tiers and 
Qualifications for Executions in Penny Pilot Issues'').
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    The credits paid out as part of the program will be drawn from the 
general revenues of the Exchange.\10\ The Exchange calculates volume 
thresholds on a monthly basis.
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    \10\ Despite providing credits under the Program, the Exchange 
represents that it will continue to have adequate resources to fund 
its regulatory program and fulfill its responsibilities as a self-
regulatory organization while the Program will be in effect.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposed rule change is consistent 
with Section 6(b) of the Act \11\ in general, and furthers the 
objectives of Section 6(b)(4) of the Act \12\ in particular, in that it 
is an equitable allocation of reasonable fees and other charges among 
Exchange members.
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    \11\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \12\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
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    The Exchange believes that the proposal to modify the Program to 
expand the number of option classes that qualify for the credit for 
transactions in MIAX Select Symbols is fair, equitable and not 
unreasonably discriminatory. The credit for transactions in the select 
symbols is reasonably designed because it will incent providers of 
Priority Customer order flow to send that Priority Customer order flow 
to the Exchange in order to receive a credit in a manner that enables 
the Exchange to improve its overall competitiveness and strengthen its 
market quality for all market participants. The Program which provides 
increased incentives in high volume select symbols is also reasonably 
designed to increase the competitiveness of the Exchange with other 
options exchanges that also offer increased incentives to higher volume 
symbols. The proposed changes to the rebate Program are fair and 
equitable and not unreasonably discriminatory because it will apply 
equally to all Priority Customer orders in the select symbols. All 
similarly situated Priority Customer orders in the select symbols are 
subject to the same rebate schedule, and access to the Exchange is 
offered on terms that are not unfairly discriminatory. In addition, the 
Program is equitable and not unfairly discriminatory because, while 
only Priority Customer order flow qualifies for the Program, an 
increase in Priority Customer order flow will bring greater volume and 
liquidity, which benefit all market participants by providing more 
trading opportunities and tighter spreads.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will 
impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The Exchange believes that the 
proposed change would increase both intermarket and intramarket 
competition by incenting Members to direct their Priority Customer 
orders in the select symbols to the Exchange, which will enhance the 
quality of quoting and increase the volume of contracts traded here in 
those symbols. To the extent that there is additional competitive 
burden on non-Priority Customers or trading in non-select symbols, the 
Exchange believes that this is appropriate because the proposed changes 
to the rebate program should incent Members to direct additional order 
flow to the Exchange and thus provide additional liquidity that 
enhances the quality of its markets and increases the volume of 
contracts traded here in those symbols. To the extent that this purpose 
is achieved, all the Exchange's market participants should benefit from 
the improved market liquidity in such select symbols. Enhanced market

[[Page 9839]]

quality and increased transaction volume that results from the 
anticipated increase in order flow directed to the Exchange will 
benefit all market participants and improve competition on the Exchange 
in such select symbols. The Exchange notes that it operates in a highly 
competitive market in which market participants can readily favor 
competing venues if they deem fee levels at a particular venue to be 
excessive. In such an environment, the Exchange must continually adjust 
its fees to remain competitive with other exchanges and to attract 
order flow to the Exchange. The Exchange believes that the proposed 
rule change reflects this competitive environment because it reduces 
the Exchange's fees in a manner that encourages market participants to 
direct their customer order flow, to provide liquidity, and to attract 
additional transaction volume to the Exchange. Given the robust 
competition for volume among options markets, many of which offer the 
same products, implementing a volume based customer rebate program to 
attract order flow like the one being proposed in this filing is 
consistent with the above-mentioned goals of the Act. This is 
especially true for the smaller options markets, such as MIAX, which is 
competing for volume with much larger exchanges that dominate the 
options trading industry. MIAX has a nominal percentage of the average 
daily trading volume in options, so it is unlikely that the customer 
rebate program could cause any competitive harm to the options market 
or to market participants. Rather, the customer rebate program is a 
modest attempt by a small options market to attract order volume away 
from larger competitors by adopting an innovative pricing strategy. The 
Exchange notes that if the rebate program resulted in a modest 
percentage increase in the average daily trading volume in options 
executing on MIAX, while such percentage would represent a large volume 
increase for MIAX, it would represent a minimal reduction in volume of 
its larger competitors in the industry. The Exchange believes that the 
proposal will help further competition, because market participants 
will have yet another additional option in determining where to execute 
orders and post liquidity if they factor the benefits of a customer 
rebate program into the determination.

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

    Written comments were neither solicited nor received.

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)(ii) of the Act.\13\ 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 shall institute proceedings to determine whether the 
proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.
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    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
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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-MIAX-2015-08 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

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

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-MIAX-2015-08. 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 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 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 such filing also will be available 
for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. 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-MIAX-2015-08 and should be 
submitted on or before March 17, 2015.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\14\
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    \14\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-03659 Filed 2-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P