
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 16, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38972-38973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17274]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-81369; File No. SR-BatsEDGA-2017-20]


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

August 10, 2017
    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 July 31, 2017, Bats EDGA Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or 
``EDGA'') 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 EDGA Rules 
15.1(a) and (c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange's 
Web site at www.bats.com, at the principal office of the Exchange, 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 parts 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 amend its fee schedule to increase the fee 
for orders in securities priced at or above $1.00 that yield fee code 
RT.\6\ Fee code RT is appended to orders that are routed using a ROUT 
\7\ routing strategy. ROUT is a routing strategy that checks the System 
\8\ for available shares and it then sent to destinations on the System 
Routing Table.\9\ The Exchange proposes to increase the fee charged for 
orders that yield fee code RT from $0.00250 to $0.00260 per share. The 
Exchange proposes to implement this amendment to its fee schedule 
August 1, 2017.\10\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ The Exchange does not propose to amend the fees for orders 
yielding fee code RT in securities priced below $1.00.
    \7\ See Exchange Rule 11.11(g)(3).
    \8\ The term ``System'' is defined as the electronic 
communications and trading facility designated by the Board through 
which securities orders of Users are consolidated for ranking, 
execution and, when applicable, routing away. See Exchange Rule 
1.5(cc).
    \9\ The System Routing Table refers to the proprietary process 
for determining the specific trading venues to which the System 
routes orders and the order in which it routes them. See Exchange 
Rule 11.11(g). See also Exchange Rule 11.11(g)(3).
    \10\ By way of background, on May 1, 2017, the Exchange 
previously charged $0.00250 per share for orders in securities 
priced at or above $1.00 that yield fee code RT. See Securities 
Exchange Act Release Nos. 80653 (May 11, 2017), 82 FR 22685 (May 17, 
2017) (SR-BatsEDGA-2017-12); and 79305 (November 14, 2016), 81 FR 
81892 (November 18, 2016) (SR-BatsEDGA-2016-26).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with the objectives of Section 6 of the Act,\11\ in general, and 
furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(4),\12\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \11\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \12\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Exchange believes that its proposal to increase the fee for 
orders that yield fee code RT represents an equitable allocation of 
reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among Members and other 
persons using its facilities in that they are designed in part to cover 
the costs of routing. While the affected Members' orders will be 
charged 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 he increase 
is modest 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.

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 the

[[Page 38973]]

change to fee code RT 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 rates 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 \13\ and paragraph (f) of Rule 19b-4 
thereunder.\14\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \14\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 No. SR-BatsEDGA-2017-20 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 No. SR-BatsEDGA-2017-20. 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 No. SR-BatsEDGA-2017-20, and should be 
submitted on or before September 6, 2017.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\15\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \15\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-17274 Filed 8-15-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P


