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

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Federal RegisterJul 10, 2013
78 Fed. Reg. 41453 (Jul. 10, 2013)
July 3, 2013.

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”), and Rule 19b-4 thereunder, notice is hereby given that on June 28, 2013, BATS Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange” or “BATS”) 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 and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) thereunder, 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.

17 CFR 240.19b-4.

17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).

I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of the Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

The Exchange filed a proposal to amend the fee schedule applicable to Members and non-members of the Exchange pursuant to BATS Rules 15.1(a) and (c). While changes to the fee schedule pursuant to this proposal will be effective upon filing, the changes will become operative on July 1, 2013.

A Member is any registered broker or dealer that has been admitted to membership in the Exchange.

The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange's Web site at http://www.batstrading.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 Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose

The purpose of the proposed rule change is to begin charging a monthly fee for the Multicast PITCH Spin Server Port and GRP Port, each of which are logical ports used to receive data from the Exchange. Currently, the Exchange charges a monthly fee for all other port types used to enter orders in the Exchange's system and to receive data from the Exchange; however, for both BATS Equities and BATS Options, the Exchange provides 32 primary Multicast PITCH Spin Server Ports free of charge (32 ports currently makes a complete set of Spin Server Ports) and, if such ports are used, one free primary GRP Port. In addition, all redundant Multicast PITCH Spin Server Ports and GRP Ports are provided free of charge. Currently, the Exchange charges $400 per month per additional set of primary Multicast PITCH Spin Server Ports and $400 per month per additional primary GRP Port.

A logical port is commonly referred to as a TCP/IP port, and represents a port established by the Exchange within the Exchange's system for trading and billing purposes. Each logical port established is specific to a Member or non-member and grants that Member or non-member the ability to operate a specific application, such as FIX order entry or Multicast PITCH data receipt. Logical port fees are limited to logical ports in the Exchange's primary data center and no logical port fees are assessed for redundant secondary data center ports.

BATS FIX ports are the only ports that may be used to send orders and related instructions to the Exchange. All other port types, including the Multicast PITCH Spin Server Port and GRP Port, permit Members and non-members to receive information from the Exchange.

The Exchange currently charges a monthly fee for all other Exchange FIX, FIXDROP, BOE, DROP, TCP PITCH, and TOP ports.

BATS Equities is the Exchange's platform for trading cash equity securities whereas BATS Options is the Exchange's platform for trading equity options.

Exchange Multicast PITCH data feed for both BATS Equities and BATS Options is currently offered through two primary feeds, identified as the “A feed” and the “C feed”, which contain the same information but differ only in the way such feeds are received. The Exchange offers for free the ports necessary to receive the Exchange's redundant Multicast “B feed” and “D feed”, as well as all ports made available in the Exchange's secondary data center. Accordingly, this proposal only applies to ports used to receive an Exchange primary Multicast Feed at the Exchange's primary data center.

Beginning July 1, 2013, the Exchange proposes to charge $400 per month per set of primary Multicast PITCH Spin Server Ports and $400 per month per primary GRP Port for BATS Equities and BATS Options. The Exchange is also proposing to eliminate the reference to the exact number of ports that makes a complete set of Multicast Spin Server Ports, as this number has changed in the past and could again change in the future. A complete set of Multicast Spin Server Ports is the number of ports necessary to get one full set of information from the Exchange based on load balancing by the Exchange. The Exchange believes that this concept is clearly understood amongst recipients of Multicast data, and, therefore, does not believe that eliminating the fee schedule reference to the exact number of ports necessary to receive Exchange PITCH data via Multicast will cause confusion amongst recipients of Multicast data.

The Exchange load balances information regarding securities traded on the Exchange across multiple channels (today 32) with each channel requiring a separate Multicast PITCH Spin Server Port.

Based on the proposal, the change applies to Members that obtain ports for direct access to the Exchange, Sponsored Participants sponsored by Members to receive direct access to the Exchange, non-member service bureaus that act as a conduit for orders entered by Exchange Members that are their customers, and market data recipients.

2. Statutory Basis

The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder that are applicable to a national securities exchange, and, in particular, with the requirements of Section 6 of the Act. Specifically, the Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b)(4) of the Act, in that it provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges among members and other persons using any facility or system which the Exchange operates or controls.

15 U.S.C. 78f.

The Exchange operates in a highly competitive market in which exchanges offer connectivity services as a means to facilitate the trading activities of members and other participants. Accordingly, fees charged for connectivity are constrained by the active competition for the order flow of such participants as well as demand for market data from the Exchange. If a particular exchange charges excessive fees for connectivity, affected members will opt to terminate their connectivity arrangements with that exchange, and adopt a possible range of alternative strategies, including routing to the applicable exchange through another participant or market center or taking that exchange's data indirectly. Accordingly, the exchange charging excessive fees would stand to lose not only connectivity revenues but also revenues associated with the execution of orders routed to it by affected members, and, to the extent applicable, market data revenues. The Exchange believes that this competitive dynamic imposes powerful restraints on the ability of any exchange to charge unreasonable fees for connectivity.

The Exchange believes that its proposed changes to logical port fees are reasonable in light of the benefits to Exchange participants of direct market access and receipt of data. In addition, the Exchange believes that its fees are equitably allocated among Exchange constituents based upon the number of access ports that they require to receive data from the Exchange. Further, the Exchange believes that its fees are not unreasonably discriminatory because all market participants are charged standard fees for port usage. The Exchange notes that it believes its prior fee structure, under which ports necessary for receipt of Multicast data were provided free of charge, was reasonable, equitably allocated and not unreasonably discriminatory because it was available to all market participants and was intended to encourage the use of Multicast PITCH. However, by moving towards a more uniform approach to ports billing, the Exchange believes that its fees are even more equitably allocated and nondiscriminatory. The Exchange also believes that its fees for access services will enable it to better cover its infrastructure costs and to improve its market technology and services.

Through a different filing, beginning July 1, 2013, the Exchange has proposed to implement fees for the BATS Equities PITCH (including both TCP PITCH and Multicast PITCH) and TOP data products, and to revise the fee for the Last Sale Feed data product.

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. As discussed above, the Exchange believes that fees for connectivity are constrained by the robust competition for order flow among exchanges and non-exchange markets. Further, excessive fees for connectivity, including logical port fees, would serve to impair an exchange's ability to compete for order flow rather than burdening competition.

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

The Exchange has neither solicited nor received written comments on the proposed rule change.

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 and paragraph (f) of Rule 19b-4 thereunder. 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.

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 Number SR-BATS-2013-040 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-BATS-2013-040. 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-BATS-2013-040 and should be submitted on or before July 31, 2013.

For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.17

Elizabeth M. Murphy,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 2013-16532 Filed 7-9-13; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8011-01-P