2020-10392. Self-Regulatory Organizations; Miami International Securities Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend Its Fee Schedule  

  • Start Preamble May 11, 2020.

    Pursuant to the provisions of Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) [1] and Rule 19b-4 Start Printed Page 29498thereunder,[2] notice is hereby given that on April 29, 2020, Miami International Securities Exchange LLC (“MIAX Options” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) a proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.

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

    The Exchange is filing a proposal to amend the MIAX Options Fee Schedule (the “Fee Schedule”).

    The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's website at http://www.miaxoptions.com/​rule-filings,, at MIAX's principal office, 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 Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    1. Purpose

    The Exchange proposes to amend the list of MIAX Select Symbols [3] contained in the Priority Customer Rebate Program (the “Program”) [4] of the Exchange's Fee Schedule to delete the Select Symbol “S,” associated with the Sprint Corporation (“Sprint”), from the Select Symbols list.

    The Exchange initially created the list of MIAX Select Symbols on March 1, 2014,[5] and has added and removed option classes from that list since that time.[6] Select Symbols are rebated slightly higher in certain Program tiers than non-Select Symbols. The Exchange notes that on April 1, 2020, Sprint and T-Mobile US, Inc. (“T-Mobile”) announced the completion of a merger of the two companies, with T-Mobile continuing as the surviving company and Sprint shares converting into the right to receive T-Mobile shares.[7] Further, the combined company will continue to trade under the symbol for T-Mobile, “TMUS.” Options on Sprint were authorized to be listed for trading on the Exchange pursuant to Rule 402, but are no longer listed for trading since Sprint is no longer the registered stock symbol for the merged company and as such, Sprint shares are no longer listed for trading on equity trading venues under the symbol “S.” The Exchange has also determined not to add the merged company, T-Mobile, to the MIAX Select Symbols list for business and competitive reasons.

    Accordingly, the Exchange is amending its Fee Schedule to delete the symbol “S” from the list of MIAX Select Symbols contained in the Program. This amendment is intended to eliminate any potential confusion and to make it clear to market participants that “S” will not be a MIAX Select Symbol contained in the Program as “S” options are no longer listed on the Exchange.

    2. Statutory Basis

    The Exchange believes that its proposal to amend the Fee Schedule is consistent with Section 6(b) of the Act [8] in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(4) of the Act,[9] in that it is an equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges among Exchange members and issuers and other persons using its facilities, and 6(b)(5) of the Act,[10] in that it is designed to promote just and equitable principles of trade, 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 and is not designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers and dealers.

    In particular, the proposal to delete the symbol “S” from the list of MIAX Select Symbols contained in the Program is consistent with Section 6(b)(4) of the Act because the proposed changes will allow for continued benefit to investors by providing them an updated list of MIAX Select Symbols contained in the Program on the Exchange's Fee Schedule.

    The Exchange believes that the proposal to amend an option class that qualifies for the credit for transactions in MIAX Select Symbols is fair, equitable and not unreasonably discriminatory. The Exchange believes that the Program itself is reasonably designed because it incentivizes providers of Priority Customer [11] order flow to send that Priority Customer order flow to the Exchange in order to receive a credit in a manner that enables the Exchange to improve its overall competitiveness and strengthen its market quality for all market participants. The Program, which provides increased incentives in certain tiers in high volume select symbols, is also reasonably designed to increase the competitiveness of the Exchange with other options exchanges that also offer increased incentives to higher volume symbols.

    The Exchange also believes that its proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act because it will apply equally to all Priority Customer orders in MIAX Select Symbols in the Program. All similarly situated Priority Customer orders in MIAX Select Symbols are subject to the same rebate schedule, and access to the Exchange is offered on terms that are not unfairly discriminatory.Start Printed Page 29499

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

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will result in any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The proposed rule change is a not a competitive filing but rather is designed to update the list of MIAX Select Symbols contained in the Program in order to avoid potential confusion on the part of market participants.

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

    Written comments were neither solicited nor received.

    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)(ii) of the Act,[12] and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) [13] 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. If the Commission takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule should be approved or disapproved.

    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

    Paper Comments

    • Send paper comments in triplicate to Vanessa Countryman, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090.

    All submissions should refer to File Number SR-MIAX-2020-09. 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-MIAX-2020-09 and should be submitted on or before June 5, 2020.

    Start Signature

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.[14]

    J. Matthew DeLesDernier,

    Assistant Secretary.

    End Signature End Preamble

    Footnotes

    3.  The term “MIAX Select Symbols” means options overlying AAL, AAPL, AIG, AMAT, AMD, AMZN, BA, BABA, BB, BIDU, BP, C, CAT, CLF, CVX, DAL, EBAY, EEM, FB, FCX, GE, GILD, GLD, GM, GOOGL, GPRO, HAL, INTC, IWM, JCP, JNJ, JPM, KMI, KO, MO, MRK, NFLX, NOK, ORCL, PBR, PFE, PG, QCOM, QQQ, RIG, S, SPY, T, TSLA, USO, VALE, WBA, WFC, WMB, X, XHB, XLE, XLF, XLP, XOM and XOP.

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    4.  See section 1(a)(iii) of the Fee Schedule for a complete description of the Program.

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    5.  See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 71700 (March 12, 2014), 79 FR 15188 (March 18, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-13).

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    6.  See Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 87964 (January 14, 2020), 85 FR 3435 (January 21, 2020) (SR-MIAX-2020-01); 87790 (December 18, 2019), 84 FR 71037 (December 26, 2019) (SR-MIAX-2019-49); 85314 (March 14, 2019), 84 FR 10359 (March 20, 2019) (SR-MIAX-2019-07); 81998 (November 2, 2017), 82 FR 51897 (November 8, 2017) (SR-MIAX-2017-45); 81019 (June 26, 2017), 82 FR 29962 (June 30, 2017) (SR-MIAX-2017-29); 79301 (November 14, 2016), 81 FR 81854 (November 18, 2016) (SR-MIAX-2016-42); 74291 (February 18, 2015), 80 FR 9841 (February 24, 2015) (SR-MIAX-2015-09); 74288 (February 18, 2015), 80 FR 9837 (February 24, 2015) (SR-MIAX-2015-08); 73328 (October 9, 2014), 79 FR 62230 (October 16, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-50); 72567 (July 8, 2014), 79 FR 40818 (July 14, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-34); 72356 (June 10, 2014), 79 FR 34384 (June 16, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-26); 71700 (March 12, 2014), 79 FR 15188 (March 18, 2014) (SR-MIAX-2014-13).

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    7.  See T-Mobile Completes Merger with Sprint to Create the New T-Mobile (April 1, 2020), available at https://newsroom.sprint.com/​tmobile-completes-merger-with-sprint.htm.

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    11.  The term “Priority Customer” means a person or entity that (i) is not a broker or dealer in securities, and (ii) does not place more than 390 orders in listed options per day on average during a calendar month for its own beneficial account(s). See Exchange Rule 100.

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    [FR Doc. 2020-10392 Filed 5-14-20; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 8011-01-P

Document Information

Published:
05/15/2020
Department:
Securities and Exchange Commission
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
2020-10392
Pages:
29497-29499 (3 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Release No. 34-88850, File No. SR-MIAX-2020-09
PDF File:
2020-10392.Pdf