HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. – s. 38 of the CFA and s. 6.1 of OSC Rule 91-502 Trades in Recognized Options

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. The Applicant will offer the ability to trade in commodity futures contracts and commodity futures options that trade on exchanges located outside of 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 of Canada.

Applicable Legislative Provisions

Commodity Futures Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.20, as am., ss. 22, 23, 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.

November 21, 2016

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
HSBC SECURITIES (USA) INC.

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

UPON the application (the Application) of HSBC Securities (USA) 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 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 (as defined below) is not subject to the dealer registration requirements in the CFA or the trading restrictions in the CFA in connection with trades in Exchange-Traded Futures on Non-Canadian Exchanges, where the Applicant acts in respect of the trades in Exchange-Traded Futures on behalf of the Permitted Client pursuant to the above ruling; and

(c) an exemption of the Director, pursuant to section 6.1 of OSC Rule 91-502 Trades in Recognized Options (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 (the Decision):

(i)

"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-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 that is cleared through one or more clearing corporations located outside of Canada;

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

"HSI" means HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

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

"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 off the CFA; and

"U.S." means United States of America; and

(ii) terms used in the Decision that are defined in the OSA, and not otherwise defined in the 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 formed under the laws of the State of Delaware and its head office is located at 452 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10018.

2. The Applicant is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC Markets (USA) Inc. and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings Inc., whose ultimate parent is HSBC Holdings plc (HSBC).

3. 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.

4. The Applicant is (a) not in default of securities legislation in any jurisdiction of Canada or under the CFA, subject to the matter to which this Decision relates, and (b) in compliance in all material respects with U.S. securities and commodity futures laws.

5. HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc. (HSBC Canada) is an affiliate of the Applicant. HSBC Canada 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. HSBC Canada is also registered as a derivatives dealer in Québec. HSBC Canada is not currently, but may in the future become, registered as an FCM under the CFA. HSBC Canada does not currently act as a broker with respect to trades in Exchange-Traded Futures.

6. HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. The Applicant is a foreign approved participant of the Montréal Exchange and is a member of most U.S. futures and options exchanges, including the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Chicago Board of Trade, the New York Mercantile Exchange, the Commodity Exchange Inc. and the Intercontinental Exchange (including ICE Futures U.S.). HSI also trades and/or clears through affiliated or unaffiliated member firms on other exchanges.

10. 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 execution and clearing 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 with respect to know-your-customer obligations, account opening, suitability, anti-money laundering checks, credit checks, delivery of confirmations and statements, clearing deposits and initial and maintenance margin. These rules require the FCM to provide, with respect to transactions made on U.S. and global exchanges, an equivalent level of protection to all of its customers including Permitted Clients. In order to protect customers in the event of the insolvency or financial instability of the Applicant, the Applicant is required to ensure, with respect to transactions executed on all U.S. and global exchanges, that customer securities and monies be separately accounted for, segregated at all times from the securities and monies of the Applicant (and its affiliates) 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 U.S. Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and the rules promulgated by the CFTC thereunder (the HSI Approved Depositories). The Applicant is further required to obtain acknowledgements from any HSI Approved Depository holding customer funds or securities 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.

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

12. 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, suitability 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 HSI with the requirements of the U.S. Commodities Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder, and the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the regulations thereunder. Permitted Clients in Ontario will have the same contractual rights against HSI as U.S. clients of HSI.

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

14. The Applicant will solicit trades in Exchange-Traded Futures in Ontario only from persons who qualify as Permitted Clients.

15. Permitted Clients of the Applicant will only be offered the ability to effect trades in Exchange-Traded Futures on Non-Canadian Exchanges.

16. 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.

17. The Applicant will facilitate the execution of Non-Canadian Futures Trades for Permitted Clients by allowing clients to enter orders either through the Applicant's own execution desk or independently through an electronic order routing system.

18. 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 the execution of each such trade.

19. 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 clearing member of the Non-Canadian Exchange on which the trade is executed. Alternatively, the Permitted Client 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-HSI Clearing Broker).

20. 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-HSI 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-HSI 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 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-HSI Clearing Broker located in the United States unless such clearing broker is registered with the CFTC.

21. As is customary for all Futures Trades, a clearing corporation clearing trades for an exchange or clearing division of the exchange is substituted as a universal counterparty on all trades in Exchange-Traded Futures and Permitted Client orders are submitted to the exchange in the name of the Non-HSI 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-HSI Clearing Broker is in turn responsible to the clearing corporation/division for payment.

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

23. Permitted Clients will pay commissions for trades to the Applicant or the Non-HSI Clearing Broker and such commissions may be shared.

24. Absent this Decision, 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.

25. 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 trades in Exchange-Traded Futures to be entered into on certain Non-Canadian Exchanges.

26. Section 3.1 of Rule 91-502 states that any person who trades as agent in, or gives advice in respect of, a recognized option as defined in section 1.1 of Rule 91-502 is required to successfully complete the Canadian Options Course (which has been replaced by the Derivatives Fundamentals Course and the Options Licensing Course).

27. All Representatives who would execute Futures Trades for Permitted Clients have passed the futures and options proficiency examination (i.e., the National Commodity Futures Examination (Series 3)) administered by FINRA.

AND UPON the Commission and Director being satisfied that it would not be prejudicial to the public interest to grant the order requested;

IT IS RULED pursuant to section 38 of the CFA that the Applicant is not subject to the dealer registration requirements set out in the CFA and 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;

(b) any non-HSI Clearing Broker has represented and covenanted to the Applicant that it is or will be appropriately registered or exempt from registration under the CFA;

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

(d) 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 futures commission merchant with the CFTC;

(iii) is a member firm of the NFA;

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

(e) 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;

(f) 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";

(g) the Applicant notifies the Commission of any regulatory action initiated after the date of this decision 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 any such action; provided that the Applicant may also satisfy this condition by filing with the Commission within ten days of the date of this decision a notice making reference to and incorporating by reference the disclosure made by the Filer pursuant to U.S. federal securities laws that is identified in the FINRA BrokerCheck system, and any updates to such disclosure that may be made from time to time and by providing notification, in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Director, of any filing of a Form BD "Regulatory Action Disclosure Reporting Page";

(h) if the Applicant does not rely on the international dealer exemption in section 8.18 of NI 31-103 (the IDE), by December 31st of each year, the Applicant pays a participation fee based on its specified Ontario revenues for its previous financial year in compliance with the requirements of Part 3 and section 6.4 of OSC Rule 13-502 Fees as if the Applicant relied on the IDE;

(i) by December 1st of each year, the Applicant notifies the Commission of its continued reliance on the exemption from the dealer registration requirement granted pursuant to this Decision by filing Form 13-502F4 Capital Markets Participation Fee Calculation; and

(j) this Decision will terminate on the earliest of:

(i) the expiry of any transition period as may be provided by law, after the effective date of the repeal of the CFA;

(ii) six months, or such other transition period as may be provided by law, after the coming into force of any amendment to Ontario commodity futures law (as defined in the CFA) 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 of this Decision.

AND IT IS FURTHER RULED, 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 trades in Exchange-Traded Futures on Non-Canadian Exchanges where the Applicant acts in connection with trades in Exchange-Traded Futures on behalf of the Permitted Clients pursuant to the above ruling.

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 and 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 will terminate on the earliest of:

(i) the expiry of any transition period as may be provided by law, after the effective date of the repeal of the CFA;

(ii) six months, or such other transition period as may be provided by law, after the coming into force of any amendment to Ontario commodity futures law (as defined in the CFA) 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 of this Decision.

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;

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; and

c. a notice detailing a change to any information submitted in this form, other than the name or above address of the Agent for Service, no later than the 30th day after the change.

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, and notice of a change to any information submitted in this form, is to be submitted through the Ontario Securities Commission's Electronic Filing Portal: https://www.osc.gov.on.ca/filings

 

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)?	_____	_____

If yes, provide the following information for each action:

Name of Entity
Type of Action
Regulator/organization
Date of action (yyyy/mm/dd)	Reason for action
Jurisdiction

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

Reason or purpose of investigation

Regulator/organization

Date investigation commenced (yyyy/mm/dd)

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 through the Ontario Securities Commission's Electronic Filing Portal:

https://www.osc.gov.on.ca/filings

{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.