2020-22118. Joint Industry Plan; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Amendment to the Plan Establishing Procedures Under Rule 605 of Regulation NMS To Add MIAX PEARL, LLC as a Participant

October 1, 2020.

Pursuant to Section 11A(a)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) ^[1] and Rule 608 thereunder,^[2] notice is hereby given that on September 8, 2020, MIAX PEARL, LLC (“MIAX PEARL” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) ^[3] an amendment to the national market system plan establishing procedures under Rule 605 of Regulation NMS (“Plan”).^[4] The amendment adds MIAX PEARL as a Participant ^[5] to the Plan. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the amendment from interested persons.

I. Description and Purpose of the Plan Amendment

As noted above, the sole proposed amendment to the Plan is to add the Exchange as a Participant. On December 13, 2016, the Commission issued an order granting the Exchange's application for registration as a national securities exchange.^[6] On August 14, 2020, the Commission approved the Exchange's proposal to adopt rules governing the trading of equity securities.^[7] Under the Equities Approval Order, one of the conditions to MIAX PEARL's trading of equity securities is that it must join the Plan.

Under Section II(c) of the Plan, any entity registered as a national securities exchange or national securities association under the Act may become a Participant by: (i) Executing a copy of the Plan, as then in effect; (ii) providing each then-current Participant with a copy of such executed Plan; and (iii) effecting an amendment to the Plan as specified in Section III(b) of the Plan. Section III(b) of the Plan sets forth the process for a prospective new Participant to effect an amendment of the Plan. Specifically, the Plan provides that such an amendment to the Plan may be effected by the new national securities exchange or national securities association by executing a copy of the Plan, as then in effect (with the only changes being the addition of the new Participant's name in Section II(a) of the Plan and the new Participant's single-digit code in Section VI(a)(1) of the Plan) and submitting such executed Plan to the Commission. The amendment will be effective when it is approved by the Commission in accordance with Rule 608 of Regulation NMS, or otherwise becomes effective pursuant to Rule 608 of Regulation NMS.

MIAX PEARL has executed a copy of the Plan currently in effect, with the only changes being the addition of its name in Section II(a) of the Plan and adding its single-digit code in Section VI(a)(1) of the Plan, and has provided a copy of the Plan executed by MIAX PEARL to each of the other Participants. MIAX PEARL has also submitted the executed Plan to the Commission. Accordingly, all of the Plan requirements for effecting an amendment to the Plan to add MIAX PEARL as a Participant have been satisfied.

II. Effectiveness of the Proposed Plan Amendment

The foregoing Plan amendment has become effective pursuant to Rule 608(b)(3)(iii) of the Act ^[8] because it involves solely technical or ministerial matters. At any time within sixty days of the filing of this amendment, the Commission may summarily abrogate the amendment and require that it be refiled pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 608,^[9] if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or the maintenance of fair and orderly markets, to remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanisms of, a national market system or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.

III. Solicitation of Comments

Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the amendment 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 [e-mail]. Please include File Number 4-518 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 4-518. 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 plan amendment that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the amendment 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 20549-1090, 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. 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 4-518 and should be submitted on or before October 28, 2020.

By the Commission.

J. Matthew DeLesDernier,

Assistant Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 U.S.C 78k-1(a)(3).

2.  17 CFR 242.608.

3.  See Letter from Christopher Solgan, VP, Senior Counsel, MIAX PEARL, to Vanessa Countryman, Secretary, Commission, dated September 8, 2020.

4.  17 CFR 242.605. On April 12, 2001, the Commission approved a national market system plan for the purpose of establishing procedures for market centers to follow in making their monthly reports available to the public under Rule 11Ac1-5 under the Act (n/k/a Rule 605 of Regulation NMS). See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 44177 (April 12, 2001), 66 FR 19814 (April 17, 2001).

5.  The term “Participant” is defined as a party to the Plan.

6.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 79543, 81 FR 92901 (December 20, 2016) (File No. 10-227).

7.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 89563, 85 FR 51510 (August 20, 2020) (“Equities Approval Order”).

8.  17 CFR 242.608(b)(3)(iii).

9.  17 CFR 242.608(a)(1).