§ 1a. Definitions
As used in this chapter:
(1)
Alternative trading system
The term “alternative trading system” means an organization, association, or group of persons that—
(A)
is registered as a broker or dealer pursuant to section 15(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78o
(b)] (except paragraph (11) thereof);
(B)
performs the functions commonly performed by an exchange (as defined in section 3(a)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c
(a)(1)]);
(2)
Board of trade
The term “board of trade” means any organized exchange or other trading facility.
(4)
Commodity
The term “commodity” means wheat, cotton, rice, corn, oats, barley, rye, flaxseed, grain sorghums, mill feeds, butter, eggs, Solanum tuberosum (Irish potatoes), wool, wool tops, fats and oils (including lard, tallow, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, and all other fats and oils), cottonseed meal, cottonseed, peanuts, soybeans, soybean meal, livestock, livestock products, and frozen concentrated orange juice, and all other goods and articles, except onions (as provided by section
13–1 of this title) and motion picture box office receipts (or any index, measure, value, or data related to such receipts), and all services, rights, and interests (except motion picture box office receipts, or any index, measure, value or data related to such receipts) in which contracts for future delivery are presently or in the future dealt in.
(5)
Commodity pool operator
The term “commodity pool operator” means any person engaged in a business that is of the nature of an investment trust, syndicate, or similar form of enterprise, and who, in connection therewith, solicits, accepts, or receives from others, funds, securities, or property, either directly or through capital contributions, the sale of stock or other forms of securities, or otherwise, for the purpose of trading in any commodity for future delivery on or subject to the rules of any contract market or derivatives transaction execution facility, except that the term does not include such persons not within the intent of the definition of the term as the Commission may specify by rule, regulation, or order.
(6)
Commodity trading advisor
(A)
In general
Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the term “commodity trading advisor” means any person who—
(i)
for compensation or profit, engages in the business of advising others, either directly or through publications, writings, or electronic media, as to the value of or the advisability of trading in—
(B)
Exclusions
Subject to subparagraph (C), the term “commodity trading advisor” does not include—
(ii)
any news reporter, news columnist, or news editor of the print or electronic media, or any lawyer, accountant, or teacher;
(iv)
the publisher or producer of any print or electronic data of general and regular dissemination, including its employees;
(C)
Incidental services
Subparagraph (B) shall apply only if the furnishing of such services by persons referred to in subparagraph (B) is solely incidental to the conduct of their business or profession.
(D)
Advisors
The Commission, by rule or regulation, may include within the term “commodity trading advisor”, any person advising as to the value of commodities or issuing reports or analyses concerning commodities if the Commission determines that the rule or regulation will effectuate the purposes of this paragraph.
(7)
Contract of sale
The term “contract of sale” includes sales, agreements of sale, and agreements to sell.
(8)
Cooperative association of producers
The term “cooperative association of producers” means any cooperative association, corporate, or otherwise, not less than 75 percent in good faith owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by producers of agricultural products and otherwise complying with sections
291 and
292 of this title, including any organization acting for a group of such associations and owned or controlled by such associations, except that business done for or with the United States, or any agency thereof, shall not be considered either member or nonmember business in determining the compliance of any such association with this chapter.
(9)
Derivatives clearing organization
(A)
In general
The term “derivatives clearing organization” means a clearinghouse, clearing association, clearing corporation, or similar entity, facility, system, or organization that, with respect to an agreement, contract, or transaction—
(i)
enables each party to the agreement, contract, or transaction to substitute, through novation or otherwise, the credit of the derivatives clearing organization for the credit of the parties;
(B)
Exclusions
The term “derivatives clearing organization” does not include an entity, facility, system, or organization solely because it arranges or provides for—
(10)
Electronic trading facility
The term “electronic trading facility” means a trading facility that—
(11)
Eligible commercial entity
The term “eligible commercial entity” means, with respect to an agreement, contract or transaction in a commodity—
(A)
an eligible contract participant described in clause (i), (ii), (v), (vii), (viii), or (ix) of paragraph (12)(A) that, in connection with its business—
(B)
an eligible contract participant, other than a natural person or an instrumentality, department, or agency of a State or local governmental entity, that—
(i)
regularly enters into transactions to purchase or sell the commodity or derivative agreements, contracts, or transactions in the commodity; and
(ii)
either—
(I)
in the case of a collective investment vehicle whose participants include persons other than—
(bb)
accredited investors, as defined in Regulation D of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.] (17 CFR 230.501(a)), with total assets of $2,000,000; or
(cc)
qualified purchasers, as defined in section 2(a)(51)(A) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–2
(a)(51)(A)];
in each case as in effect on December 21, 2000, has, or is one of a group of vehicles under common control or management having in the aggregate, $1,000,000,000 in total assets; or
(12)
Eligible contract participant
The term “eligible contract participant” means—
(A)
acting for its own account—
(ii)
an insurance company that is regulated by a State, or that is regulated by a foreign government and is subject to comparable regulation as determined by the Commission, including a regulated subsidiary or affiliate of such an insurance company;
(iii)
an investment company subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.) or a foreign person performing a similar role or function subject as such to foreign regulation (regardless of whether each investor in the investment company or the foreign person is itself an eligible contract participant);
(iv)
a commodity pool that—
(II)
is formed and operated by a person subject to regulation under this chapter or a foreign person performing a similar role or function subject as such to foreign regulation (regardless of whether each investor in the commodity pool or the foreign person is itself an eligible contract participant);
(v)
a corporation, partnership, proprietorship, organization, trust, or other entity—
(II)
the obligations of which under an agreement, contract, or transaction are guaranteed or otherwise supported by a letter of credit or keepwell, support, or other agreement by an entity described in subclause (I), in clause (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), or (vii), or in subparagraph (C); or
(vi)
an employee benefit plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), a governmental employee benefit plan, or a foreign person performing a similar role or function subject as such to foreign regulation—
(vii)
(I)
a governmental entity (including the United States, a State, or a foreign government) or political subdivision of a governmental entity;
except that such term does not include an entity, instrumentality, agency, or department referred to in subclause (I) or (III) of this clause unless (aa) the entity, instrumentality, agency, or department is a person described in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of paragraph (11)(A) of this section; (bb) the entity, instrumentality, agency, or department owns and invests on a discretionary basis $25,000,000 or more in investments; or (cc) the agreement, contract, or transaction is offered by, and entered into with, an entity that is listed in any of subclauses (I) through (VI) of section
2
(c)(2)(B)(ii) of this title;
(viii)
(I)
a broker or dealer subject to regulation under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) or a foreign person performing a similar role or function subject as such to foreign regulation, except that, if the broker or dealer or foreign person is a natural person or proprietorship, the broker or dealer or foreign person shall not be considered to be an eligible contract participant unless the broker or dealer or foreign person also meets the requirements of clause (v) or (xi);
(ix)
a futures commission merchant subject to regulation under this chapter or a foreign person performing a similar role or function subject as such to foreign regulation, except that, if the futures commission merchant or foreign person is a natural person or proprietorship, the futures commission merchant or foreign person shall not be considered to be an eligible contract participant unless the futures commission merchant or foreign person also meets the requirements of clause (v) or (xi);
(x)
a floor broker or floor trader subject to regulation under this chapter in connection with any transaction that takes place on or through the facilities of a registered entity (other than an electronic trading facility with respect to a significant price discovery contract) or an exempt board of trade, or any affiliate thereof, on which such person regularly trades; or
(B)
(i)
a person described in clause (i), (ii), (iv), (v), (viii), (ix), or (x) of subparagraph (A) or in subparagraph (C), acting as broker or performing an equivalent agency function on behalf of another person described in subparagraph (A) or (C); or
(ii)
an investment adviser subject to regulation under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80b–1 et seq.], a commodity trading advisor subject to regulation under this chapter, a foreign person performing a similar role or function subject as such to foreign regulation, or a person described in clause (i), (ii), (iv), (v), (viii), (ix), or (x) of subparagraph (A) or in subparagraph (C), in any such case acting as investment manager or fiduciary (but excluding a person acting as broker or performing an equivalent agency function) for another person described in subparagraph (A) or (C) and who is authorized by such person to commit such person to the transaction; or
(13)
Excluded commodity
The term “excluded commodity” means—
(i)
an interest rate, exchange rate, currency, security, security index, credit risk or measure, debt or equity instrument, index or measure of inflation, or other macroeconomic index or measure;
(ii)
any other rate, differential, index, or measure of economic or commercial risk, return, or value that is—
(iii)
any economic or commercial index based on prices, rates, values, or levels that are not within the control of any party to the relevant contract, agreement, or transaction; or
(14)
Exempt commodity
The term “exempt commodity” means a commodity that is not an excluded commodity or an agricultural commodity.
(15)
Financial institution
The term “financial institution” means—
(A)
a corporation operating under the fifth undesignated paragraph of section 25 of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 603), commonly known as “an agreement corporation”;
(B)
a corporation organized under section 25A of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 611 et seq.), commonly known as an “Edge Act corporation”;
(16)
Floor broker
The term “floor broker” means any person who, in or surrounding any pit, ring, post, or other place provided by a contract market or derivatives transaction execution facility for the meeting of persons similarly engaged, shall purchase or sell for any other person any commodity for future delivery on or subject to the rules of any contract market or derivatives transaction execution facility.
(17)
Floor trader
The term “floor trader” means any person who, in or surrounding any pit, ring, post, or other place provided by a contract market or derivatives transaction execution facility for the meeting of persons similarly engaged, purchases, or sells solely for such person’s own account, any commodity for future delivery on or subject to the rules of any contract market or derivatives transaction execution facility.
(18)
Foreign futures authority
The term “foreign futures authority” means any foreign government, or any department, agency, governmental body, or regulatory organization empowered by a foreign government to administer or enforce a law, rule, or regulation as it relates to a futures or options matter, or any department or agency of a political subdivision of a foreign government empowered to administer or enforce a law, rule, or regulation as it relates to a futures or options matter.
(19)
Future delivery
The term “future delivery” does not include any sale of any cash commodity for deferred shipment or delivery.
(20)
Futures commission merchant
The term “futures commission merchant” means an individual, association, partnership, corporation, or trust that—
(21)
Hybrid instrument
The term “hybrid instrument” means a security having one or more payments indexed to the value, level, or rate of, or providing for the delivery of, one or more commodities.
(22)
Interstate commerce
The term “interstate commerce” means commerce—
(A)
between any State, territory, or possession, or the District of Columbia, and any place outside thereof; or
(B)
between points within the same state,[2] territory, or possession, or the District of Columbia, but through any place outside thereof, or within any territory or possession, or the District of Columbia.
(23)
Introducing broker
The term “introducing broker” means any person (except an individual who elects to be and is registered as an associated person of a futures commission merchant) engaged in soliciting or in accepting orders for the purchase or sale of any commodity for future delivery on or subject to the rules of any contract market or derivatives transaction execution facility who does not accept any money, securities, or property (or extend credit in lieu thereof) to margin, guarantee, or secure any trades or contracts that result or may result therefrom.
(24)
Member of a registered entity; member of a derivatives transaction execution facility
The term “member” means, with respect to a registered entity or derivatives transaction execution facility, an individual, association, partnership, corporation, or trust—
(A)
owning or holding membership in, or admitted to membership representation on, the registered entity or derivatives transaction execution facility; or
(B)
having trading privileges on the registered entity or derivatives transaction execution facility.
A participant in an alternative trading system that is designated as a contract market pursuant to section
7b–1 of this title is deemed a member of the contract market for purposes of transactions in security futures products through the contract market.
(25)
Narrow-based security index
(A)
The term “narrow-based security index” means an index—
(iii)
in which the five highest weighted component securities in the aggregate comprise more than 60 percent of the index’s weighting; or
(iv)
in which the lowest weighted component securities comprising, in the aggregate, 25 percent of the index’s weighting have an aggregate dollar value of average daily trading volume of less than $50,000,000 (or in the case of an index with 15 or more component securities, $30,000,000), except that if there are two or more securities with equal weighting that could be included in the calculation of the lowest weighted component securities comprising, in the aggregate, 25 percent of the index’s weighting, such securities shall be ranked from lowest to highest dollar value of average daily trading volume and shall be included in the calculation based on their ranking starting with the lowest ranked security.
(B)
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), an index is not a narrow-based security index if—
(ii)
a board of trade was designated as a contract market by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission with respect to a contract of sale for future delivery on the index, before December 21, 2000;
(iii)
(iv)
a contract of sale for future delivery on the index is traded on or subject to the rules of a foreign board of trade and meets such requirements as are jointly established by rule or regulation by the Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission;
(C)
Within 1 year after December 21, 2000, the Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission jointly shall adopt rules or regulations that set forth the requirements under subparagraph (B)(iv).
(D)
An index that is a narrow-based security index solely because it was a narrow-based security index for more than 45 business days over 3 consecutive calendar months pursuant to clause (iii) of subparagraph (B) shall not be a narrow-based security index for the 3 following calendar months.
(26)
Option
The term “option” means an agreement, contract, or transaction that is of the character of, or is commonly known to the trade as, an “option”, “privilege”, “indemnity”, “bid”, “offer”, “put”, “call”, “advance guaranty”, or “decline guaranty”.
(27)
Organized exchange
The term “organized exchange” means a trading facility that—
(28)
Person
The term “person” imports the plural or singular, and includes individuals, associations, partnerships, corporations, and trusts.
(31)
Security future
The term “security future” means a contract of sale for future delivery of a single security or of a narrow-based security index, including any interest therein or based on the value thereof, except an exempted security under section 3(a)(12) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c
(a)(12)] as in effect on January 11, 1983 (other than any municipal security as defined in section 3(a)(29) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c
(a)(29)] as in effect on January 11, 1983). The term “security future” does not include any agreement, contract, or transaction excluded from this chapter under section
2
(c),
2
(d),
2
(f), or
2
(g) of this title (as in effect on December 21, 2000) or sections
27 to
27f of this title.
(32)
Security futures product
The term “security futures product” means a security future or any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on any security future.
(34)
Trading facility
(A)
In general
The term “trading facility” means a person or group of persons that constitutes, maintains, or provides a physical or electronic facility or system in which multiple participants have the ability to execute or trade agreements, contracts, or transactions—
(i)
by accepting bids or offers made by other participants that are open to multiple partipants [3] in the facility or system; or
(B)
Exclusions
The term “trading facility” does not include—
(i)
a person or group of persons solely because the person or group of persons constitutes, maintains, or provides an electronic facility or system that enables participants to negotiate the terms of and enter into bilateral transactions as a result of communications exchanged by the parties and not from interaction of multiple bids and multiple offers within a predetermined, nondiscretionary automated trade matching and execution algorithm;
(ii)
a government securities dealer or government securities broker, to the extent that the dealer or broker executes or trades agreements, contracts, or transactions in government securities, or assists persons in communicating about, negotiating, entering into, executing, or trading an agreement, contract, or transaction in government securities (as the terms “government securities dealer”, “government securities broker”, and “government securities” are defined in section 3(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c
(a))); or
(iii)
facilities on which bids and offers, and acceptances of bids and offers effected on the facility, are not binding.
Any person, group of persons, dealer, broker, or facility described in clause (i) or (ii) is excluded from the meaning of the term “trading facility” for the purposes of this chapter without any prior specific approval, certification, or other action by the Commission.
[1] So in original. The semicolon probably should be preceded by an additional closing parenthesis.
[2] So in original. Probably should be capitalized.
[3] So in original. Probably should be “participants”.