Pursuant to the provisions of Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) and Rule 19b-4 thereunder, notice is hereby given that on January 29, 2014, 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.
17 CFR 240.19b-4.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange is filing a proposal to amend its 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 the Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to establish a $0.30 transaction fee for executions in standard option contracts and $0.03 transaction fee for Mini Option contracts for non-member broker-dealers on the Exchange.
The current transaction fees for non-member broker dealers on the Exchange are $0.45 per contract for standard options or $0.045 for Mini Options. The Exchange proposes lowering the non-member broker-dealer transaction fees to bring the fee rates in line with several competing exchanges. The proposed transaction fees are designed both to enhance the Exchange's competitiveness with other option exchanges and to strengthen its market quality. The Exchange believes that the new transaction fees will increase both intermarket and intramarket competition by incenting broker-dealers on other exchanges to direct additional orders to the Exchange to allow the Exchange to compete more effectively with other options exchanges for such transactions. To the extent that this purpose is achieved, the Exchange believes that other market participants on the Exchange will benefit from the additional liquidity and trading opportunities available from such orders.
See MIAX Options Fee Schedule, Section 1(a)(ii)—Other Market Participant Transaction Fees.
See NYSE Amex Options Fee Schedule, p. 4 (Tiered rates starting at $0.32 per contract for electronic broker-dealers); ISE Schedule of Fees, p. 6 ($0.30 per contract for broker-dealers in Non-Select Symbols).
The Exchange proposes to implement the new transaction fees beginning February 1, 2014.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that its proposal to amend its fee schedule is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(4) of the Act in particular, in that it is an equitable allocation of reasonable fees and other charges among Exchange members.
15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
The Exchange believes that the proposal is fair, equitable and not unreasonably discriminatory. The proposal is reasonable because it results in a decrease in non-member broker dealer transactions fees for all non-member broker dealers on the Exchange in order to enable the Exchange to improve its overall competitiveness and strengthen its market quality for all market participants. The proposed fees are fair and equitable and not unreasonably discriminatory because they will apply equally to all non-member broker-dealers. All non-member broker-dealers will be subject to the same transaction fee, and access to the Exchange is offered on terms that are not unfairly discriminatory.
The decrease in transaction fees for non-member broker-dealers should incent broker-dealers on other exchanges to direct additional orders to the Exchange to allow the Exchange to compete more effectively with other options exchanges for such transactions. To the extent that this purpose is achieved, the Exchange believes that other market participants on the Exchange will benefit from the additional liquidity and trading opportunities available from such orders.
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 proposal increases both intermarket and intramarket competition by incenting broker-dealers on other exchanges to direct additional orders to the Exchange to allow the Exchange to compete more effectively with other options exchanges for such transactions. To the extent that this purpose is achieved, the Exchange believes that other market participants on the Exchange will benefit from the additional liquidity and trading opportunities available from such orders. 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. The Exchange believes that the proposal reflects this competitive environment because it reduces the Exchange's fees in a manner that encourages non-member broker-dealers to provide liquidity and to attract order flow to the Exchange.
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. 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 rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File Number SR-MIAX-2014-06 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 submissions should refer to File Number SR-MIAX-2014-06. 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 the 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-2014-06 and should be submitted on or before March 5, 2014.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-03007 Filed 2-11-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P