In an effort to modernize the regulation of ETFs, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) announced today its adoption of Rule 6c-11 (the New Rule) which establishes a clear and consistent framework for the launch and operation of most ETFs. The aim of the New Rule is to facilitate greater competition and innovation in the current ETF marketplace by lowering entry barriers, and also to remove the systematic need for individual ETF exemptive relief applications.

Consistent generally with conditions in prior ETF exemptive orders, the New Rule imposes conditions on ETFs, including:

  • Website disclosure/transparency: an ETF will be required to provide daily portfolio disclosures on its website, such as its portfolio holdings; NAV; market price; premium or discount; the extent and frequency of those premiums and discounts; and median bid-ask spread over the last thirty calendar days. These disclosures are intended to provide investors with information about the costs of investing in ETFs and the efficiency of ETFs’ arbitrage processes.
  • Custom basket policies and procedures: an ETF will be permitted to use baskets that do not reflect a pro-rata representation of the ETF’s portfolio or that differ from the initial basket used in transactions on the same business day (“custom baskets”) if the ETF adopts written policies and procedures that “(i) set forth detailed parameters for the construction and acceptance of custom baskets that are in the best interests of the ETF and its shareholders and (ii) specify the titles or roles of the employees of the ETF’s investment adviser who are required to review each custom basket for compliance with those parameters.” ETFs will also have to comply with certain recordkeeping requirements, including information regarding each basket exchanged with an authorized market participant.

In order to create a consistent and harmonized ETF regulatory framework, the SEC will rescind the portions of prior ETF exemptive orders that granted relief related to the formation and operation of an ETF, including certain master-feeder relief, one year after the New Rule’s effective date. However, the SEC decided to grandfather certain existing master-feeder arrangements involving ETF feeder funds, and prevent the formation of new ones, by amending relevant exemptive orders. The SEC will not rescind exemptive orders that permit ETF fund of funds arrangements. Moreover, ETFs relying on the New Rule that do not already have their own exemptive relief will be able to enter into fund of funds arrangements as set forth in recent ETF exemptive orders, provided that they satisfy the terms and conditions for fund of funds relief in those orders, until the SEC issues a rule specifically governing fund of funds arrangements.

If you have received an ETF exemptive order or have filed an application for such an order, you should consult with counsel as to the effect the New Rule will have on the relief you are relying on, and the availability of fund of funds and master-feeder arrangements.

The New Rule will only be available to ETFs organized as open-end funds. ETFs organized as unit investment trusts (UITs), leveraged or inverse ETFs; structured as a share class of a multi-class fund; and non-transparent ETFs will not be able to rely on the New Rule.

In addition to the New Rule and conforming form amendments, the SEC issued an exemptive order that harmonizes certain related relief under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). The exemptive order provides relief to broker-dealers and other persons engaging in certain transactions in securities of ETFs from certain requirements under the Exchange Act with respect to ETFs relying on the New Rule.

The rule, form amendments and related exemptive relief have been published on the SEC’s website and will be published in the Federal Register as well. They will all become effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.

The final rule is available here

The exemptive order is available here

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.