[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 79 (Monday, April 25, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24352-24354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-08680]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-94749; File No. SR-CboeBZX-2022-028]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Extend 
the Current Pilot Program Related to BZX Rule 11.17, Clearly Erroneous 
Executions, to the Close of Business on July 20, 2022

April 19, 2022.
    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 April 18, 2022, Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or 
``BZX'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 
``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II 
below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Exchange 
filed the proposal as a ``non-controversial'' proposed rule change 
pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \3\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) thereunder.\4\ 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\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (``BZX'' or the ``Exchange'') is filing 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') a 
proposed rule change to extend the current pilot program related to BZX 
Rule 11.17, Clearly Erroneous Executions, to the close of business on 
July 20, 2022. The text of the proposed rule change is provided in 
Exhibit 5.
    The text of the proposed rule change is also available on the 
Exchange's website (http://markets.cboe.com/us/equities/regulation/rule_filings/bzx/), 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 purpose of this filing is to extend the effectiveness of the 
Exchange's current rule applicable to Clearly Erroneous Executions to 
the close of business on July 20, 2022. Portions of Rule 11.17, 
explained in further detail below, are currently operating as a pilot

[[Page 24353]]

program set to expire on April 20, 2022.\5\
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    \5\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 93343 (October 15, 
2021), 86 FR 58347 (October 21, 2021) (SR-CboeBZX-2021-070).
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    On September 10, 2010, the Commission approved, on a pilot basis, 
changes to BZX Rule 11.17 that, among other things: (i) Provided for 
uniform treatment of clearly erroneous execution reviews in multi-stock 
events involving twenty or more securities; and (ii) reduced the 
ability of the Exchange to deviate from the objective standards set 
forth in the rule.\6\ In 2013, the Exchange adopted a provision 
designed to address the operation of the Plan.\7\ Finally, in 2014, the 
Exchange adopted two additional provisions providing that: (i) A series 
of transactions in a particular security on one or more trading days 
may be viewed as one event if all such transactions were effected based 
on the same fundamentally incorrect or grossly misinterpreted issuance 
information resulting in a severe valuation error for all such 
transactions; and (ii) in the event of any disruption or malfunction in 
the operation of the electronic communications and trading facilities 
of an Exchange, another SRO, or responsible single plan processor in 
connection with the transmittal or receipt of a trading halt, an 
Officer, acting on his or her own motion, shall nullify any transaction 
that occurs after a trading halt has been declared by the primary 
listing market for a security and before such trading halt has 
officially ended according to the primary listing market.\8\
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    \6\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 62886 (September 10, 
2010), 75 FR 56613 (September 16, 2010) (SR-BATS-2010-016).
    \7\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 68797 (January 31, 
2013), 78 FR 8635 (February 6, 2013) (SR-BATS-2013-008).
    \8\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 72434 (June 19, 
2014), 79 FR 36110 (June 25, 2014) (SR-BATS-2014-014).
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    On December 26, 2018, the Commission published the proposed 
Eighteenth Amendment \9\ to the Plan to Address Extraordinary Market 
Volatility Pursuant to Rule 608 of Regulation NMS under the Act (the 
``Limit Up-Limit Down Plan'' or the ``Plan'') \10\ to allow the Plan to 
operate on a permanent, rather than pilot, basis. On April 8, 2019, the 
Exchange amended BZX Rule 11.17 to untie the pilot program's 
effectiveness from that of the Plan and to extend the pilot's 
effectiveness to the close of business on October 18, 2019 in order 
allow the Exchange and other national securities exchanges additional 
time to consider further amendments, if any, to the clearly erroneous 
execution rules in light of the proposed Eighteenth Amendment to the 
Plan.\11\ On April 17, 2019, the Commission published an approval of 
the Eighteenth Amendment to allow the Plan to operate on a permanent, 
rather than pilot, basis.\12\ On October 21, 2019, the Exchange amended 
BZX Rule 11.17 to extend the pilot's effectiveness to the close of 
business on April 20, 2020.\13\ On March 18, 2020, the Exchange amended 
BZX Rule 11.17 to extend the pilot's effectiveness to the close of 
business on October 20, 2020.\14\ On October 20, 2020, the Exchange 
amended BZX Rule 11.17 to extend the pilot's effectiveness to the close 
of business on April 20, 2021.\15\ On April 14, 2021 the Exchange 
amended BZX Rule 11.17 to extend the pilot's effectiveness to the close 
of business on October 20, 2021.\16\ Finally, on October 15, 2021 the 
Exchange amended BZX Rule 11.17 to extend the pilot's effectiveness to 
the close of business on April 20, 2022.\17\
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    \9\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 84843 (December 18, 
2018), 83 FR 66464 (December 26, 2018) (File No. 4-631) 
(``Eighteenth Amendment'').
    \10\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67091 (May 31, 
2012), 77 FR 33498 (June 6, 2012) (the ``Limit Up-Limit Down 
Release'').
    \11\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 85543 (April 8, 
2019), 84 FR 15018 (April 12, 2019) (SR-CboeBZX-2019-022).
    \12\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 85623 (Apr. 11, 
2019), 84 FR 16086 (Apr. 17, 2019) (File No. 4-631).
    \13\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 87365 (October 21, 
2019), 84 FR 57540 (October 25, 2019) (SR-CboeBZX-2019-089).
    \14\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 88497 (March 27, 
2020), 85 FR 18602 (April 2, 2020) (SR-CboeBZX-2020-026).
    \15\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 90230 (October 20, 
2020), 85 FR 67802 (Oct. 26, 2020) (SR-CboeBZX-2020-077).
    \16\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 20583 (April 14, 
2021), 86 FR 20580 (April 20, 2021) (SR-CboeBZX-2021-027).
    \17\ See supra note 5.
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    Other self-regulatory organizations (``SROs''), including the 
Exchange, have worked on a proposed rule change to make the pilot rules 
permanent. The Exchange filed such a proposed rule change on March 7, 
2022.\18\ The Exchange now proposes to amend BZX Rule 11.17 to extend 
the pilot's effectiveness an additional three months to the close of 
business on July 20, 2022 while the Commission considers the Exchange's 
proposal to make the pilot rules permanent. The Exchange understands 
that the other national securities exchanges and Financial Industry 
Regulatory Authority (``FINRA'') have filed or plan to file similar 
proposals to extend their respective clearly erroneous execution pilot 
programs, the substance of which are identical to BZX Rule 11.17. The 
Exchange does not propose any additional changes to BZX Rule 11.17. The 
Exchange believes the benefits to market participants from the more 
objective clearly erroneous executions rule should continue on a 
limited three month pilot basis.
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    \18\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 94374 (March 7, 
2022), 87 FR 14062 (March 11, 2022) (SR-CboeBZX-2022-017).
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with 
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act'') and the rules and 
regulations thereunder applicable to the Exchange and, in particular, 
the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.\19\ Specifically, the 
Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
Section 6(b)(5) \20\ requirements that the rules of an 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, 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. Additionally, 
the Exchange believes the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
Section 6(b)(5) \21\ requirement that the rules of an exchange not be 
designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, 
brokers, or dealers.
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    \19\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \20\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
    \21\ Id.
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    In particular, the Exchange believes that extending the clearly 
erroneous execution pilot under BZX Rule 11.17 for an additional three 
months would help assure that the determination of whether a clearly 
erroneous trade has occurred will be based on clear and objective 
criteria, and that the resolution of the incident will occur promptly 
through a transparent process. The proposed rule change would also help 
assure consistent results in handling erroneous trades across the U.S. 
equities markets, thus furthering fair and orderly markets, the 
protection of investors and the public interest. Based on the 
foregoing, the Exchange believes the amended clearly erroneous 
executions rule should continue to be in effect on a pilot basis while 
the Exchange and the other national securities exchanges consider and 
develop a permanent proposal for clearly erroneous execution reviews.

[[Page 24354]]

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

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change would 
impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate 
in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. To the contrary, the 
Exchange understands that FINRA and other national securities exchanges 
have or will also file similar proposals to extend their respective 
clearly erroneous execution pilot programs. Thus, the proposed rule 
change will help to ensure consistency across market centers without 
implicating any competitive issues.

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 Exchange has filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \22\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\23\ 
Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i) Significantly 
affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose 
any significant burden on competition; and (iii) become operative for 
30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as 
the Commission may designate, it has become effective pursuant to 
Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \24\ and subparagraph (f)(6) of 
Rule 19b-4 thereunder.\25\
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    \22\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \23\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \24\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \25\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii) 
requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission 
written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change, along 
with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change, at 
least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed 
rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. 
The Commission has waived the five-day prefiling requirement in this 
case.
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    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \26\ normally 
does not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the 
filing. However, pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii),\27\ the Commission 
may designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the 
protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange asked 
that the Commission waive the 30 day operative delay so that the 
proposal may become operative immediately upon filing. Waiver of the 
30-day operative delay would extend the protections provided by the 
current pilot program, without any changes, while the Exchange and 
other self-regulatory organizations consider whether further amendments 
to these rules are appropriate. Therefore, the Commission hereby waives 
the 30-day operative delay and designates the proposed rule change as 
operative upon filing.\28\
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    \26\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \27\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
    \28\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, 
the Commission has also considered the proposed rule's impact on 
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 
78c(f).
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    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.

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-CboeBZX-2022-028 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-CboeBZX-2022-028. 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 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. 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-CboeBZX-2022-028 and should be submitted 
on or May 16, 2022.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\29\
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    \29\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-08680 Filed 4-22-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P