
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 223 (Friday, November 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81835-81837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27747]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-79309; File No. SR-BatsBZX-2016-76]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Bats BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Related to 
Fees for Use of Bats BZX Exchange, Inc.

November 14, 2016.
    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 November 7, 2016, Bats BZX Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or 
``BZX'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, 
and III below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The 
Exchange has designated the proposed rule change as one establishing or 
changing a member due, fee, or other charge imposed by the Exchange 
under Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act \3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) 
thereunder,\4\ which renders the proposed rule change effective upon 
filing with the Commission. 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)(ii).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange filed a proposal to amend the fee schedule applicable 
to Members \5\ and non-members of the Exchange pursuant to BZX Rules 
15.1(a) and (c).
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    \5\ The term ``Member'' is defined as ``any registered broker or 
dealer that has been admitted to membership in the Exchange.'' See 
Exchange Rule 1.5(n).
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    The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange's 
Web site at www.batstrading.com, at the principal office of the 
Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

[[Page 81836]]

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 parts 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 increase the fee for orders yielding fee 
code Z, which results from an order routed to a dark liquidity venue 
(except through the SLIM \6\ routing strategy), from $0.00250 to 
$0.00280 per share for securities priced at or above $1.00 and for 
securities priced below $1.00. The Exchange proposes to implement this 
amendment to its Fee Schedule immediately.\7\
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    \6\ See Exchange Rule 11.13(b)(3).
    \7\ The Exchange initially submitted the proposed rule change on 
October 28, 2016. (SR-BatsBZX-2016-70). On November 3, 2016, the 
Exchange withdrew SR-BatsBZX-2016-70 and submitted SR-BatsBZX-2016-
72. On November 7, 2016, the Exchange withdrew SR-BatsBZX-2016-72 
and submitted this filing.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with the objectives of Section 6 of the Act,\8\ in general, and 
furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(4),\9\ in particular, as it is 
designed to provide for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, 
fees and other charges among its Members and other persons using its 
facilities. The Exchange believes that its proposal to increase the fee 
for orders routed to a dark liquidity venue that yield fee code Z 
represents an equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other 
charges among Members and other person using its facilities in that 
they are designed in part to cover the costs of routing. While Members 
that route orders to a dark liquidity venue will be paying higher fees 
due to the proposal, the increased revenue received by the Exchange 
will be used to fund the Exchange generally, including the cost of 
maintaining and improving the technology used to handle and route 
orders from the Exchange as well as programs that the Exchange believes 
help to attract additional liquidity and thus improve the depth of 
liquidity available on the Exchange. Accordingly, although the cost of 
routing is increasing, the Exchange believes that the increase is a 
modest increase and that higher routing fees will benefit Members in 
other ways. Furthermore, the Exchange notes that routing through the 
Exchange is voluntary. Lastly the Exchange also believes that the 
proposed amendment is non-discriminatory because it applies uniformly 
to all Members.
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    This proposed rule change does not impose any burden on competition 
that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of 
the Act. The Exchange does not believe that this change represents a 
significant departure from previous pricing offered by the Exchange or 
from pricing offered by the Exchange's competitors. Additionally, 
Members may opt to disfavor the Exchange's pricing if they believe that 
alternatives offer them better value. Accordingly, the Exchange does 
not believe that the proposed changes will impair the ability of 
Members or competing venues to maintain their competitive standing in 
the financial markets. The Exchange believes that its proposal would 
not burden intramarket competition because the proposed rate would 
apply uniformly to all Members.

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

    The Exchange has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, 
comments on this proposed rule change. The Exchange has not received 
any written comments from members or other interested parties.

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) of the Act \10\ and paragraph (f) of Rule 19b-4 
thereunder.\11\ 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.
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    \10\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f).
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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 rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include 
File Number SR-BatsBZX-2016-76 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 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BatsBZX-2016-76. 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-BatsBZX-2016-76, and should 
be submitted on or before December 9, 2016.


[[Page 81837]]


    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\12\
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    \12\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-27747 Filed 11-17-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P


