BNP Paribas Prime Brokerage, Inc. – s. 38 of the CFA and s. 6.1 of OSC Rule 91-502 Trades in Recognized Options

Order

Headnote

Application to the Commission pursuant to section 38 of the Commodity Futures Act (Ontario) (CFA) for a ruling that the Applicant be exempted from the dealer registration requirement in paragraph 22(1)(a) and the prohibition against trading on non-recognized exchanges in section 33 of the CFA. Applicant will offer the ability to trade in commodity futures contracts and commodity futures options that trade on exchanges located outside Canada and cleared through clearing corporations located outside of Canada to certain of its clients in Ontario who meet the definition of "permitted client" in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations.

Application to the Director for an exemption, pursuant to section 6.1 of OSC Rule 91-502 Trades in Recognized Options (Rule 91-502), exempting the Applicant and its Representatives from the proficiency requirements in section 3.1 of Rule 91-502 for trades in commodity futures options on exchanges located outside Canada.

Statutes Cited

Commodity Futures Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.20, as am., ss. 22, 33, 38.

Securities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.5, as am.

Rule Cited

Ontario Securities Commission Rule 91-502 Trades in Recognized Options, ss. 3.1, 6.1.

Instrument Cited

National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations, s. 8.18.

IN THE MATTER OF THE COMMODITY FUTURES ACT, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.20, AS AMENDED (the CFA) AND IN THE MATTER OF THE SECURITIES ACT, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.5, AS AMENDED (the OSA) AND IN THE MATTER OF ONTARIO SECURITIES COMMISSION RULE 91-502 TRADES IN RECOGNIZED OPTIONS (Rule 91-502) AND IN THE MATTER OF BNP PARIBAS PRIME BROKERAGE, INC.

RULING & EXEMPTION (Section 38 of the CFA and Section 6.1 of Rule 91-502)

UPON the application (the Application) of BNP Paribas Prime Brokerage, Inc. (the Applicant) to the Ontario Securities Commission (the Commission) for:

(a) a ruling of the Commission, pursuant to section 38 of the CFA, that the Applicant is not subject to the dealer registration requirements in the CFA (as defined below) or the trading restrictions in the CFA (as defined below) in connection with trades (Futures Trades) in Exchange-Traded Futures (as defined below) on exchanges located outside Canada (Non-Canadian Exchanges) where the Applicant is acting as principal or agent in such trades to, from or on behalf of Permitted Clients (as defined below);

(b) a ruling of the Commission, pursuant to section 38 of the CFA, that a Permitted Client is not subject to the dealer registration requirements in the CFA or the trading restrictions in the CFA in connection with Futures Trades on Non-Canadian Exchanges, where the Applicant acts in respect of the Futures Trades on behalf of the Permitted Client pursuant to the above ruling; and

(c) a decision of the Director, pursuant to section 6.1 of Rule 91-502, exempting the Applicant and its salespersons, directors, officers and employees (the Representatives) from section 3.1 of Rule 91-502 in connection with Futures Trades;

AND WHEREAS for the purposes of this ruling and exemption (collectively, the Decision):

(i)

"CEA" means the United States Commodity Exchange Act;

"CFTC" means the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission;

"dealer registration requirements in the CFA" means the provisions of section 22 of the CFA that prohibit a person or company from trading in Exchange-Traded Futures unless the person or company satisfies the applicable provisions of section 22 of the CFA;

"Exchange Act" means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934;

"Exchange-Traded Futures" means a commodity futures contract or a commodity futures option that trades on one or more organized exchanges located outside of Canada and cleared through one or more clearing corporations located outside of Canada;

"FINRA" means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority in the United States;

"NI 31-103" means National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations;

"NFA" means the National Futures Association in the United States;

"Permitted Client" means a client in Ontario that is a "permitted client" as that term is defined in section 1.1 of NI 31-103;

"SEC" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission;

"specified affiliate" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Form 33-109F6 to National Instrument 33-109 Registration Information;

"trading restrictions in the CFA" means the provisions of section 33 of the CFA that prohibit a person or company from trading in Exchange-Traded Futures unless the person or company satisfies the applicable provisions of section 33 of the CFA; and

"BNPCSI" means BNP Paribas (Canada) Securities Inc.; and

(ii) terms used in this Decision that are defined in the OSA, and not otherwise defined in this Decision or in the CFA, shall have the same meaning as in the OSA, unless the context otherwise requires;

AND UPON considering the Application and the recommendation of staff of the Commission;

AND UPON the Applicant having represented to the Commission and the Director as follows:

1. The Applicant is a corporation incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware. Its main office is located at 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York, 10019, United States of America.

2. The Applicant provides futures commission merchant (FCM) services. FCM services include commodity clearing and execution services to various institutional customers, including affiliates of the Applicant.

3. The Applicant is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BNP Paribas North America, Inc., the ultimate parent of which is BNP Paribas (BNPP).

4. BNPCSI is an affiliate of the Applicant and is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of BNPP. BNPCSI is registered as an investment dealer in each of the provinces of Canada and is a dealer member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. BNPCSI is not registered as a dealer under the CFA and does not act as a broker for Futures Trades.

5. The Applicant relies on the international dealer exemption in section 8.18 of NI 31-103 in Ontario and therefore is not registered under the OSA.

6. The Applicant is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC, a member of FINRA, a registered FCM with the CFTC and a member of the NFA.

7. The Applicant is a clearing member of the New York Mercantile Exchange, Commodity Exchange, Inc., the Dubai Mercantile Exchange, ICE Futures US, ICE Clear US, ICE Futures Europe, ICE Clear Europe, the Nodal Exchange, LCH.Clearnet Limited, BATS Y-Exchange, Inc., BATS Z-Exchange, Inc., the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the Chicago Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange, the International Securities Exchange, NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc., the NASDAQ OMX PHLX, Inc., NASDAQ Stock Market, NYSE Arca, Inc., NYSE MKT, LLC and the New York Stock Exchange.

8. Pursuant to its registrations and memberships, the Applicant is authorized to handle customer orders and receive and hold customer margin deposits, and otherwise act as a futures broker, in the United States. Rules of the CFTC and NFA require the Applicant to maintain adequate capital levels, make and keep specified types of records relating to customer accounts and transactions, and comply with other forms of customer protection rules, including rules respecting: know-your-customer obligations, account-opening requirements, anti-money laundering checks, credit checks, delivery of confirmation statements, clearing deposits and initial and maintenance margins. These rules do not permit the Applicant to treat Permitted Clients materially differently from the Applicant's U.S. customers with respect to transactions made on U.S. exchanges. With respect to transactions made on U.S. exchanges, in order to protect customers in the event of the insolvency or financial instability of the Applicant, the Applicant is required to ensure that customer securities and monies be separately accounted for, segregated at all times from the securities and monies of the Applicant and custodied exclusively with such banks, trust companies, clearing organizations or other licensed futures brokers and intermediaries as may be approved for such purposes under the CEA and the rules promulgated by the CFTC thereunder (collectively, the BNP Approved Depositories). The Applicant is further required to obtain acknowledgements from any BNP Approved Depository holding customer funds or securities related to U.S.-based transactions or accounts that such funds and securities are to be separately held on behalf of such customers, with no right of set-off against the Applicant's obligations or debts.

9. The Applicant proposes to offer certain of its Permitted Clients in Ontario the ability to trade in Exchange-Traded Futures through the Applicant.

10. The Applicant will execute and clear Futures Trades on behalf of Permitted Clients in Ontario in the same manner that it executes and clears trades on behalf of its U.S. clients, all of which are "Eligible Contract Participants" as defined in the CEA. The Applicant will follow the same know-your-customer and segregation of assets procedures that it follows in respect of its U.S. clients. Permitted Clients will be afforded the benefits of compliance by the Applicant with the requirements of the CEA and the regulations thereunder, and the Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder. Permitted Clients in Ontario will have the same contractual rights against the Applicant as U.S. clients of the Applicant.

11. The Applicant will not maintain an office, sales force or physical place of business in Ontario.

12. The Applicant will solicit Futures Trades in Ontario only from persons who qualify as Permitted Clients.

13. Permitted Clients of the Applicant will only be offered the ability to effect Futures Trades on Non-Canadian Exchanges.

14. The Exchange-Traded Futures to be traded by Permitted Clients will include, but will not be limited to, Exchange-Traded Futures for equity index, interest rate, energy, agricultural and other commodity products.

15. Permitted Clients of the Applicant will be able to execute Exchange-Traded Futures orders through the Applicant by contacting the Applicant's global execution desk. Permitted Clients may also be able to self execute Exchange-Traded Futures orders electronically via an independent service vendor and/or other electronic trading routing. Permitted Clients may also be able to execute Exchange-Traded Futures orders through third party brokers and then "give up" the transaction for clearance through the Applicant.

16. The Applicant may execute a Permitted Client's order on the relevant Non-Canadian Exchange in accordance with the rules and customary practices of the exchange, or engage another broker to assist in the execution of orders. The Applicant will remain responsible for all executions when the Applicant is listed as the executing broker of record on the relevant Non-Canadian Exchange.

17. The Applicant may perform both execution and clearing functions for Futures Trades or may direct that a trade executed by it be cleared through a carrying broker if the Applicant is not a member of the Non-Canadian Exchange on which the trade is executed. Alternatively, the Permitted Client of the Applicant will be able to direct that trades executed by the Applicant be cleared through clearing brokers not affiliated with the Applicant in any way (each a Non-BNP Clearing Broker).

18. If the Applicant performs only the execution of a Permitted Client's Exchange-Traded Futures order and "gives-up" the transaction for clearance to a Non-BNP Clearing Broker, such clearing broker will also be required to comply with the rules of the exchanges of which it is a member and any relevant regulatory requirements, including requirements under the CFA as applicable. Each such Non-BNP Clearing Broker will represent to the Applicant, in an industry-standard give-up agreement, that it will perform its obligations in accordance with applicable laws, governmental, regulatory, self-regulatory, exchange and clearing house rules and the customs and usages of the exchange or clearing house on which the relevant Permitted Client's Exchange-Traded Futures order will be executed and cleared. The Applicant will not enter into a give-up agreement with any Non-BNP Clearing Broker located in the United States unless such clearing broker is registered with the CFTC and/or the SEC, as applicable.

19. As is customary for all Futures Trades, a clearing corporation appointed by the exchange or clearing division of the exchange is substituted as a universal counterparty on all trades in Exchange-Traded Futures and Permitted Client orders that are submitted to the exchange in the name of the Non-BNP Clearing Broker or the Applicant or, on exchanges where the Applicant is not a member, in the name of another carrying broker. The Permitted Client of the Applicant is responsible to the Applicant for payment of daily mark-to-market variation margin and/or proper margin to carry open positions and the Applicant, the carrying broker or the Non-BNP Clearing Broker is in turn responsible to the clearing corporation/division for payment.

20. Permitted Clients that direct the Applicant to give up transactions in Exchange-Traded Futures for clearance and settlement by Non-BNP Clearing Brokers will execute the give-up agreements described above.

21. Permitted Clients will pay commissions for trades to the Applicant. In the event that the Applicant needs to utilize a Non-BNP Clearing Broker for clearing or execution services in relation to such trades, the Applicant will pay commissions to the Non-BNP Clearing Broker.

22. The trading restrictions in the CFA apply unless, among other things, an Exchange-Traded Future is traded on a recognized or registered commodity futures exchange and the form of the contract is approved by the Director. To date, no Non-Canadian Exchanges have been recognized or registered under the CFA.

23. If the Applicant were registered under the CFA as a "futures commission merchant", it could rely upon certain exemptions from the trading restrictions in the CFA to effect Futures Trades to be entered into on certain Non-Canadian Exchanges.

24. Section 3.1 of Rule 91-502 provides that no person shall trade as agent in, or give advice in respect of, a recognized option, as defined in section 1.1 of Rule 91-502, unless he or she has successfully completed the Canadian Options Course (which has been replaced by the Derivatives Fundamentals Course and the Options Licensing Course).

25. All Representatives of the Applicant who trade options in the United States have passed the National Commodity Futures Examination (Series 3), being the relevant futures and options proficiency examination administered by FINRA.

AND UPON the Commission and Director being satisfied that it would not be prejudicial to the public interest to do so;

IT IS RULED, pursuant to section 38 of the CFA, that the Applicant is not subject to the dealer registration requirement set out in the CFA or the trading restrictions in the CFA in connection with Futures Trades where the Applicant is acting as principal or agent in such trades to, from or on behalf of Permitted Clients provided that:

(a) each client effecting Futures Trades is a Permitted Client and, if using a Non-BNP Clearing Broker, has represented and covenanted that the broker is or will be appropriately registered or exempt from registration under the CFA;

(b) the Applicant only executes and clears Futures Trades for Permitted Clients on Non-Canadian Exchanges;

(c) at the time trading activity is engaged in, the Applicant:

(i) has its head office or principal place of business in the United States;

(ii) is registered as a FCM with the CFTC in good standing;

(iii) is a member in good standing with the NFA;

(iv) engages in the business of a FCM in Exchange-Traded Futures in the United States;

(d) the Applicant has provided to the Permitted Client the following disclosure in writing:

(i) a statement that the Applicant is not registered in Ontario to trade in Exchange-Traded Futures as principal or agent;

(ii) a statement that the Applicant's head office or principal place of business is located in New York, New York, United States of America;

(iii) a statement that all or substantially all of the Applicant's assets may be situated outside of Canada;

(iv) a statement that there may be difficulty enforcing legal rights against the Applicant because of the above; and

(v) the name and address of the Applicant's agent for service of process in Ontario;

(e) the Applicant has submitted to the Commission a completed Submission to Jurisdiction and Appointment of Agent for Service in the form attached as Appendix "A" hereto;

(f) the Applicant notifies the Commission of any regulatory action initiated after the date of this ruling in respect of the Applicant, or any predecessors or specified affiliates of the Applicant, by completing and filing with the Commission Appendix "B" hereto within ten days of the commencement of such action; provided that this condition shall not be required to be satisfied for so long as BNPCSI remains an investment dealer in good standing under Ontario securities laws;

(g) the Applicant complies with the filing and fee payment requirements applicable to an unregistered exempt international firm under OSC Rule 13-502 Fees; and

(h) this Decision shall expire on the earliest of:

(i) such transition period as provided by operation of law, after the effective date of the repeal of the CFA;

(ii) such transition period as provided by operation of law, after the coming into force of any amendment to Ontario commodity futures law or Ontario securities law (as defined in the OSA) that affects the dealer registration requirements in the CFA or the trading restrictions in the CFA; and

(iii) five years after the date hereof.

AND IT IS FURTHER RULED, pursuant to section 38 of the CFA, that a Permitted Client is not subject to the dealer registration requirement in the CFA or the trading restrictions in the CFA in connection with Futures Trades on Non-Canadian Exchanges where the Applicant acts in connection with Futures Trades on behalf of the Permitted Clients pursuant to the above ruling.

September 1, 2015

"Timothy Moseley"
"Christopher Portner"
____________________
____________________
Commissioner
Commissioner
Ontario Securities Commission
Ontario Securities Commission

IT IS THE DECISION of the Director, pursuant to section 6.1 of Rule 91-502, that section 3.1 of Rule 91-502 does not apply to the Applicant or its Representatives in respect of Futures Trades, provided that:

(a) the Applicant and its Representatives maintain their respective registrations with the CFTC and NFA which permit them to trade commodity futures options in the United States; and

(b) this Decision shall expire on the earliest of:

(i) such transition period as provided by operation of law, after the effective date of the repeal of the CFA;

(ii) such transition period as provided by operation of law, after the coming into force of any amendment to Ontario commodity futures law or Ontario securities law (as defined in the OSA) that affects the dealer registration requirements in the CFA or the trading restrictions in the CFA; and

(iii) five years after the date hereof.

September 1, 2015

"Marrianne Bridge"
____________________
Marrianne Bridge
Deputy Director
Ontario Securities Commission

 

APPENDIX "A"

SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION AND APPOINTMENT OF AGENT FOR SERVICE

INTERNATIONAL DEALER OR INTERNATIONAL ADVISER EXEMPTED FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE COMMODITY FUTURES ACT, ONTARIO

1. Name of person or company ("International Firm"):

2. If the International Firm was previously assigned an NRD number as a registered firm or an unregistered exempt international firm, provide the NRD number of the firm:

3. Jurisdiction of incorporation of the International Firm:

4. Head office address of the International Firm:

5. The name, e-mail address, phone number and fax number of the International Firm's individual(s) responsible for the supervisory procedure of the International Firm, its chief compliance officer, or equivalent.

Name:

E-mail address:

Phone:

Fax:

6. The International Firm is relying on an exemption order under section 38 or section 80 of the Commodity Futures Act (Ontario) that is similar to the following exemption in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations (the "Relief Order"):

[ ] Section 8.18 [international dealer]

[ ] Section 8.26 [international adviser]

[ ] Other [specify]:

7. Name of agent for service of process (the "Agent for Service"):

8. Address for service of process on the Agent for Service:

9. The International Firm designates and appoints the Agent for Service at the address stated above as its agent upon whom may be served a notice, pleading, subpoena, summons or other process in any action, investigation or administrative, criminal, quasi-criminal or other proceeding (a "Proceeding") arising out of or relating to or concerning the International Firm's activities in the local jurisdiction and irrevocably waives any right to raise as a defence in any such proceeding any alleged lack of jurisdiction to bring such Proceeding.

10. The International Firm irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the judicial, quasi-judicial and administrative tribunals of the local jurisdiction in any Proceeding arising out of or related to or concerning the International Firm's activities in the local jurisdiction.

11. Until 6 years after the International Firm ceases to rely on the Relief Order, the International Firm must submit to the regulator

a. a new Submission to Jurisdiction and Appointment of Agent for Service in this form no later than the 30th day before the date this Submission to Jurisdiction and Appointment of Agent for Service is terminated; and

b. an amended Submission to Jurisdiction and Appointment of Agent for Service no later than the 30th day before any change in the name or above address of the Agent for Service.

12. This Submission to Jurisdiction and Appointment of Agent for Service is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the local jurisdiction.

Dated: _______________

______________________________

(Signature of the International Firm or authorized signatory)

______________________________

(Name of signatory)

______________________________

(Title of signatory)

Acceptance

The undersigned accepts the appointment as Agent for Service of _______________

[Insert name of International Firm] under the terms and conditions of the foregoing Submission to Jurisdiction and Appointment of Agent for Service.

Dated: _______________

______________________________

(Signature of the Agent for Service or authorized signatory)

______________________________

(Name of signatory)

______________________________

(Title of signatory)

This form is to be submitted to the following address:

Ontario Securities Commission
22nd Floor, Box 55
20 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M5H 3S8

 

APPENDIX "B"

NOTICE OF REGULATORY ACTION

1. Has the firm, or any predecessors or specified affiliates{1} of the firm entered into a settlement agreement with any financial services regulator, securities or derivatives exchange, SRO or similar agreement with any financial services regulator, securities or derivatives exchange, SRO or similar organization?

Yes _____

No _____

If yes, provide the following information for each settlement agreement:

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

Name of entity

Regulator/organization

Date of settlement (yyyy/mm/dd)

Details of settlement

Jurisdiction

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

2. Has any financial services regulator, securities or derivatives exchange, SRO or similar organization:

 

Yes

No

 

(a) Determined that the firm, or any predecessors or specified affiliates of the firm violated any securities regulations or any rules of a securities or derivatives exchange, SRO or similar organization?

_____

_____

 

(b) Determined that the firm, or any predecessors or specified affiliates of the firm made a false statement or omission?

_____

_____

 

(c) Issued a warning or requested an undertaking by the firm, or any predecessors or specified affiliates of the firm?

_____

_____

 

(d) Suspended or terminated any registration, licensing or membership of the firm, or any predecessors or specified affiliates of the firm?

_____

_____

 

(e) Imposed terms or conditions on any registration or membership of the firm, or predecessors or specified affiliates of the firm?

_____

_____

 

(f) Conducted a proceeding or investigation involving the firm, or any predecessors or specified affiliates of the firm?

_____

_____

 

(g) Issued an order (other than an exemption order) or a sanction to the firm, or any predecessors or specified affiliates of the firm for securities or derivatives-related activity (e.g. cease trade order)?

_____

_____

3. Is the firm aware of any ongoing investigation of which the firm or any of its specified affiliate is the subject?

Yes _____

No _____

If yes, provide the following information for each investigation:

Name of Entity

 

Type of Action

 

Regulator/organization

 

Date of action (yyyy/mm/dd)

Reason for action

 

Jurisdiction

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

Name of firm

Name of firm's authorized signing officer or partner

Title of firm's authorized signing officer or partner

Signature

Date (yyyy/mm/dd)

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

Witness

The witness must be a lawyer, notary public or commissioner of oaths.

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

Name of witness

Title of witness

Signature

Date (yyyy/mm/dd)

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

This form is to be submitted to the following address:

Ontario Securities Commission
22nd Floor, Box 55
20 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M5H 3S8

{1} In this Appendix, the term "specified affiliate" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Form 33-109F6 to National Instrument 33-109 Registration Information.