[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 174 (Tuesday, September 8, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55539-55540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19849]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-89752; File No. SR-CboeBZX-2020-067]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of 
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Update 
Rule 11.26(a), Stating It Will Utilize MEMX Market Data From the CQS/
UQDF for Purposes of Order Handling, Routing, Execution, and Related 
Compliance Processes

September 2, 2020.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \1\ of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 (the ``Act'') \2\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\3\ notice is hereby 
given that on August 19, 2020, 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 self-
regulatory organization. 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\ 15 U.S.C. 78a.
    \3\ 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

    Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (``BZX'' or the ``Exchange'') proposes to 
update Rule 11.26(a), stating it will utilize MEMX market data from the 
CQS/UQDF for purposes of order handling, routing, execution, and 
related compliance processes. 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 the 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    The Exchange proposes to update Rule 11.26(a) regarding the public 
disclosure of the sources of data that the Exchange utilizes when 
performing: (i) Order handling; (ii) order routing; (iii) order 
execution; and (iv) related compliance processes to reflect the 
operation of the MEMX as a registered national securities exchange.
    On May 4, 2020, the Commission approved MEMX's application to 
register as a national securities exchange.\4\ MEMX announced that it 
plans to launch trading on September 4, 2020.\5\ The Exchange, 
therefore, proposes to update Rule 11.26(a) regarding the public 
disclosure of the sources of data that the Exchange utilizes when 
performing: (i) Order handling; (ii) order routing; (iii) order 
execution; and (iv) related compliance processes to reflect the 
operation of MEMX as a registered national securities exchange 
beginning on September 4, 2020. Specifically, the Exchange proposes to 
amend Rule 11.26(a) to include MEMX by stating it will utilize MEMX 
market data from the Consolidated Quotation System (``CQS'')/UTP 
Quotation Data Feed (``UQDF'') for purposes of order handling, routing, 
execution, and related compliance processes. The Exchange will not have 
a secondary source for data from MEMX.
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    \4\ See Securities Exchange Act No. 88806 (May 4, 2020) 85 FR 
27451 (May 8, 2020).
    \5\ See supra note 3 [sic].
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    The Exchange proposes that this proposed rule change would be 
operative on the day that MEMX launches operations as an equities 
exchange, which is currently expected on September 4, 2020.\6\
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    \6\ Id.
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2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent 
with Section 6(b) of the Act,\7\ in general, and furthers the 
objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\8\ in particular, in that it 
is 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.
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    The Exchange believes that its proposal to update Exchange Rule 
11.26(a) to include MEMX will ensure that the Rule correctly identifies 
and publicly states on a market-by-market basis all of the specific 
network processor and proprietary data feeds that the Exchange utilizes 
for the handling, routing, and execution of orders, and for performing 
the regulatory compliance checks related to each of those functions. 
The proposed rule changes also remove impediments to and perfects the 
mechanism of a free and open market and protects investors and the 
public interest because it provides additional specificity, clarity and 
transparency.

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

    The Exchange believes its proposed rule change would not impose any 
burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act. To the contrary, the Exchange 
believes the

[[Page 55540]]

proposal would enhance competition because including all of the 
exchanges enhances transparency and enables investors to better assess 
the quality of the Exchange's execution and routing services.

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 unsolicited written comments from Members or other interested 
parties.

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 \9\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\10\ 
Because the proposed rule change does not (i) significantly affect the 
protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any 
significant burden on competition; or (iii) become operative prior to 
30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as 
the Commission may designate, if consistent with the protection of 
investors and the public interest, the proposed rule change has become 
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \11\ and Rule 
19b-4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.\12\
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    \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \11\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \12\ 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 Exchange has fulfilled this requirement.
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    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \13\ normally 
does not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the 
filing. However, pursuant to Rule 19b4(f)(6)(iii),\14\ the Commission 
may designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the 
protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has asked 
the Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay so that the proposal 
may take effect immediately upon filing.
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    \13\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \14\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
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    The Exchange states that waiver of the operative delay would allow 
the Exchange to implement the proposed rule change on the day that MEMX 
launches operations as an equities exchange, which is currently 
expected on September 4, 2020, thereby providing clarity to market 
participants with respect to the specific network processor and 
proprietary data feeds that the Exchange utilizes for the handling, 
routing, and execution of orders, and for performing the regulatory 
compliance checks related to each of those functions. For this reason, 
the Commission believes that waiver of the 30-day operative delay is 
consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. 
Accordingly, the Commission hereby waives the 30-day operative delay 
and designates the proposal operative upon filing.\15\
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    \15\ For purposes only of accelerating the operative date of 
this proposal, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's 
impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 
78c(f).
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    At any time within 60 days of the filing of such 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 under 
Section 19(b)(2)(B) \16\ of the Act to determine whether the proposed 
rule change should be approved or disapproved.
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    \16\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(B).
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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-CboeBZX-2020-067 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-2020-067. 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 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. 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-2020-067 and should be submitted 
on or before September 29, 2020.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\17\
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    \17\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-19849 Filed 9-4-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P


