Self-Regulatory Organizations; Nasdaq BX, Inc.; Notice of Designation of a Longer Period for Commission Action on a Proposed Rule Change To Utilize the FIX Protocol To Submit Orders to BX's Price Improvement Auction Mechanism

On October 27, 2020, Nasdaq BX, Inc. (“BX” or “Exchange”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”), pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) and Rule 19b-4 thereunder, a proposed rule change to amend Options 3, Section 7(d)(1)(A) to offer BX Participants the ability to utilize the Financial Information eXchange or “FIX” protocol to submit orders to its Price Improvement Auction mechanism. The proposed rule change was published for comment in the Federal Register on November 16, 2020. The Commission received no comments on the proposed rule change.

Section 19(b)(2) of the Act provides that within 45 days of the publication of notice of the filing of a proposed rule change, or within such longer period up to 90 days as the Commission may designate if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding, or as to which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission shall either approve the proposed rule change, disapprove the proposed rule change, or institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be disapproved. The 45th day after publication of the notice for this proposed rule change is December 31, 2020. The Commission is extending this 45-day time period.

The Commission finds it appropriate to designate a longer period within which to take action on the proposed rule change so that it has sufficient time to consider the proposed rule change. Accordingly, the Commission, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act, designates February 14, 2021 as the date by which the Commission shall either approve or disapprove, or institute proceedings to determine whether to disapprove, the proposed rule change (File No. SR-BX-2020-033).