Self-Regulatory Organizations; EDGA Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Relating to Fees Associated With Receipt of the EDGA Book Feed

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 April 19, 2012, EDGA Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange” or “EDGA”) 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 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 the Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

The Exchange proposes to amend its fee schedule applicable to Members and non-Members of the Exchange to assess market data fees for internal and external distribution of the EDGA book feed (“EDGA Book Feed”). The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site at www.directedge.com,, at the Exchange's principal office, and at the Public Reference Room of the Commission.

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 self-regulatory organization 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

In SR-EDGA-2011-19, the Exchange made available the EDGA Book Feed, a data feed that contains all orders for securities trading on the Exchange, including all displayed orders for listed securities trading on EDGA, order executions, order cancellations, order modifications, order identification numbers and administrative messages. The EDGA Book Feed offers real-time data, thereby allowing Member firms to more accurately price their orders based on EDGA's view of the depth of book information. It also provides Members an ability to track their own orders from order entry to execution. It is available in both unicast and multicast format. Upon the Exchange's initial offering of the EDGA Book Feed, such service was provided at no cost. In SR-EDGA-2011-19, the Exchange stated that “[s]hould EDGA determine to charge fees associated with the EDGA Book Feed, EDGA will submit a proposed rule change to the Commission in order to implement those fees.” This proposal is designed to implement fees for the receipt of the EDGA Book Feed.

The proposed rule change to the EDGA fee schedule codifies such a fee associated with the receipt of the EDGA Book Feed. The Exchange, like other market centers and other data providers, intends to assess fees for entities that receive real-time market data directly or indirectly and act as either internal or external distributors, as discussed below. A “Distributor” of Exchange data is any entity that receives an EDGA Book Feed directly from the Exchange or indirectly through another entity and then distributes such data either internally (within that entity) (“Internal Distributor”) or externally (outside that entity) (“External Distributor”). All Distributors shall execute a Market Data Vendor Agreement with Direct Edge, Inc., acting on behalf of the EDGA Exchange. The amount of the monthly fees would depend on whether the distributor is an “Internal Distributor” or “External Distributor.” Internal Distributors are proposed to be charged $500 per month and External Distributors are proposed to be charged $2,500 per month. The fee paid by an External Distributor includes the Internal Distributor Fee and thus allows an External Distributor to provide data both internally (i.e., to users within their own organization) and externally (to users outside their own organization).

Additionally, Distributors will only pay one distributor fee, regardless of the number of locations or users to which the feed is received or distributed. In addition, neither Distributors nor their end-users will be charged per-user device fees when used to receive the EDGA Book Feed nor will they be charged per-user display fees when used to present the EDGA Book Feed.

The Exchange proposes to implement this rule change on May 1, 2012.

2. Statutory Basis

The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with the objectives of Section 6 of the Act in general and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(4) in particular, as it is designed to provide for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges among its Members and other persons using its facilities. The Exchange makes all services and products subject to these fees available on a non-discriminatory basis to similarly situated recipients because the service is optional and fees charged for the EDGA Book Feed will be the same for both Members and non-Members. The fees are not unreasonably discriminatory and are equitably allocated. The fees for Members and non-Members are uniform except with respect to reasonable distinctions with respect to internal and external distribution. The Exchange proposes charging External Distributors more than Internal Distributors because of higher administrative costs associated with monitoring External Distributors ongoing reporting, as provided in the Direct Edge Data Vendor Agreement and market data requirements referenced therein. The Exchange believes that the fees established for the EDGA Book Feed are reasonable and fair in light of alternatives offered by other market centers. For example, PSX charges its data recipients of its book feed, PSX TotalView, a $1,000 monthly fee to receive its data feed directly from the Exchange. If the data recipient then distributes the data, it pays an “internal” or “external” distributor fee depending on the method of distribution. These fees are on top of the $1,000 monthly fee and amount to an additional $500/month for internal distributors and $1250/month for external distributors. This would amount to total costs of $1,500 monthly for internal distributors and $2,250 monthly for external distributors that receive their feed directly from PSX. BX charges its data recipients and internal/external distributors the same fees for its book feed, BX TotalView. Finally, NASDAQ charges $1,000/month for internal distributors of NASDAQ listed-security depth entitlements and $500/month for internal distributors of non NASDAQ-listed security depth entitlements; for external distributors, NASDAQ charges $2,500/month for NASDAQ-listed security depth entitlements and $1,250/month for external distributors of non NASDAQ-listed security depth entitlements. These are on top of NASDAQ's direct access fees of $2,000/month for NASDAQ listed-security depth entitlements and $1,000/month for non NASDAQ-listed security depth entitlements.

Revenue generated from such fees will help offset the costs that the Exchange incurs in operating and regulating a highly efficient and reliable platform for the trading of U.S. equities. This increased revenue stream will allow the Exchange to offer an innovative service at a reasonable rate, structured in a manner comparable to and consistent with other market centers who provide similar market data products.

The Exchange also believes that the proposed fees are consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act, as 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. EDGA believes that this proposal is in keeping with those principles by promoting increased transparency through the codification of uniform fees for the EDGA Book Feed for all users and by clarifying the availability of the EDGA Book Feed to various market participants. In addition, EDGA has made a voluntary decision to make this Book Feed available. EDGA is not required by the Act in the first instance to make the data available. EDGA has chosen to make the Book Feed available to improve market quality, attract order flow, and increase transparency. It will continue to make such data available until such time as it changes its rule.

The Exchange also believes that the proposal is consistent with the goals of Regulation NMS, namely facilitating efficiency and competition. Efficiency is promoted when Members who do not need the EDGA Book Feed data are not required to receive (and pay for) such data. The Exchange also believes that efficiency is promoted when Members may choose to receive (and pay for) additional market data based on their own internal analysis of the need for such data. Competition is promoted as the Exchange cannot set unreasonable fees without losing business to its competitors.

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, as amended.

There is significant competition for the provision of market data to market participants, as well as competition for the orders that generate that data. In introducing the proposed fees for this service, the Exchange would be providing one similar to alternatives offered by other market centers. The existence of such alternatives ensures that the Exchange cannot set unreasonable fees, or fees that are unreasonably discriminatory, without losing business to these alternatives. Thus, the EDGA Book Feed will promote competition if it succeeds in providing market participants with viable and cost-effective alternatives which drive the market to continually improve products and services to cater to customers' data needs.

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 foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3) of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) thereunder. 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.

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-EDGA-2012-15 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-EDGA-2012-15. 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 publicly available. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-EDGA-2012-15, and should be submitted on or before May 23, 2012.