NFA Manual/Rules

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Financial Requirements
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[¶ 7001] SECTION 1. FUTURES COMMISSION MERCHANT FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS.
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[Effective dates of amendments: December 17, 1999; October 31, 2000; January 10, 2001; December 31, 2001; September 30, 2004; July 31, 2006; February 13, 2007; and October 31, 2008.]

(a) Each NFA Member that is registered or required to be registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (hereinafter "CFTC") as a Futures Commission Merchant (hereinafter "Member FCM") must maintain "Adjusted Net Capital" (as defined in CFTC Regulation 1.17) equal to or in excess of the greatest of:

    (i) $500,000;

    (ii) For Member FCMs with less than $2,000,000 in Adjusted Net Capital, $6,000 for each remote location operated (i.e., proprietary branch offices, main office of each guaranteed IB and branch offices of each guaranteed IB);

    (iii) For Member FCMs with less than $2,000,000 in Adjusted Net Capital, $3,000 for each AP sponsored (including APs sponsored by guaranteed IBs);

    (iv) For securities brokers and dealers, the amount of net capital specified in Rule 15c3-1(a) of the Regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (17 CFR 240.15c3-1(a));

    (v) Eight (8) percent of domestic and foreign domiciled customer and four (4) percent of non-customer (excluding proprietary) risk maintenance margin/performance bond requirements for all domestic and foreign futures and options on futures contracts excluding the risk margin associated with naked long option positions;

    (vi) For Member FCMs with an affiliate described in section 2(c)(2)(B)(i)(II)(cc)(BB) of the Act that engages in forex transactions (as defined in Bylaw 1507(b)) and that is authorized to engage in those transactions solely by virtue of its affiliation with a registered FCM, $7,500,000; or

    (vii) For Member FCMs that are counterparties to forex options transactions (as forex in defined in Bylaw 1507(b)), $5,000,000, except that Forex Dealer Members must meet the higher requirement in Financial Requirements Section 11.

(b) Each Member FCM for which NFA is the designated self-regulatory organization ("DSRO") must file financial reports with NFA for each month-end, including its fiscal year end, within 17 business days of the date for which the report is prepared. All financial reports must be filed on Form 1-FR-FCM or, if the Member is a broker-dealer, on Form 1-FR-FCM or the FOCUS Report, and all financial reports except those required to be certified by a Certified Public Accountant must be filed electronically using an electronic medium approved by NFA.

(c) A Member FCM for which NFA is the DSRO that is required to file any document with or give any notice to its DSRO under CFTC Regulations 1.10 [Financial reports of futures commission merchants and introducing brokers], 1.12 [Maintenance of minimum financial requirements by futures commission merchants and introducing brokers], 1.16 [Qualifications and reports of accountants], or 1.17 [Minimum financial requirements for futures commission merchants and introducing brokers] or is required to file any financial report or statement (e.g., FOCUS Reports) with any other securities or futures self-regulatory organization of which it is a member shall also file one copy of such document with or give such notice to NFA at its Chicago office no later than the date such document or notice is due to be filed with or given to the CFTC or the self-regulatory organization.

(d) No Member FCM may use forex customer equity as capital or may record forex customer equity as an asset without recording a corresponding liability. For purposes of this requirement:

    (i) Forex customer means any person who is not an eligible contract participant, as defined in Section 1a(12) of the Act, who enters into forex transactions (as defined in Bylaw 1507(b)) with the FCM or any of its affiliates described in section 2(c)(2)(B)(ii)(III); and

    (ii) Forex customer equity means money, securities, and property received by the FCM or any of its affiliates described in section 2(c)(2)(B)(ii)(III) to margin, guarantee, or secure forex transactions between a forex customer and the FCM or any of its affiliates described in section 2(c)(2)(B)(ii)(III) or accruing to a forex customer as a result of such transactions.

[See NFA Financial Requirements for the Electronic Filing of Financial Reports.]

[¶ 7002] SECTION 2. ELIGIBILITY TO GUARANTEE IBS.
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[Effective dates of amendments: December 17, 1999; December 31, 2001; September 30, 2004; December 4, 2006; October 20, 2008.]

(a) A Member FCM, other than a Forex Dealer Member, which knows or should know that its Adjusted Net Capital is less than the greatest of:

    (i) $750,000;

    (ii) For Member FCMs with less than $2,000,000 in Adjusted Net Capital, $9,000 for each remote location operated (i.e., proprietary branch offices, main office of each guaranteed IB and branch offices of each guaranteed IB);

    (iii) For Member FCMs with less than $2,000,000 in Adjusted Net Capital, $4,500 for each AP sponsored (including APs sponsored by guaranteed IBs);

    (iv) For securities brokers or dealers, the amount of capital specified in Rule 17(a)-11(b) of the Regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (17 CFR 240.17a-11(b)); or

    (v) One hundred and ten (110) percent of the amount required in Financial Requirements Section 1(a)(v)

may not enter into a guarantee agreement with an IB until it files three successive month-end statements where the Member FCM's Adjusted Net Capital is equal to or greater than the amount required by this subsection.

(b) A Forex Dealer Member which knows or should know that its Adjusted Net Capital is less than the amount required by Financial Requirements Section 11 may not enter into a guarantee agreement with an IB until it files three successive month-end statements where the Member FDM's Adjusted Net Capital is equal to or greater than the amount required by Financial Requirements Section 11.

(c) A Member FCM or RFED which is a party to a guarantee agreement with an IB and whose Adjusted Net Capital is less than the amount set forth in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as applicable, must also provide its DSRO, NFA and any IBs which it guarantees with a notice that the FCM's or RFED's Adjusted Net Capital is less than the amount required by paragraph (a) or (b). If the FCM or RFED cannot demonstrate to NFA and its DSRO, within 30 days after filing the required notice, that its Adjusted Net Capital is greater than the amount required by paragraph (a) or (b), the FCM must immediately notify, in writing, any IB which it guarantees that the guarantee agreement will terminate 30 days following the notice. A copy of the notice must also be filed with the CFTC, NFA, and the DSRO of the FCM or RFED. If the FCM or RFED demonstrates to its DSRO and NFA prior to the effective date of the termination of the guarantee agreement that its Adjusted Net Capital is greater than the amount required by paragraph (a) or (b), then it may notify any IB which it guarantees, the CFTC, NFA, and its DSRO, that the guarantee agreement will not terminate.

[¶ 7003] SECTION 3. RELIEF REQUESTS.
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[Effective dates of amendments: December 17, 1999.]

A Member FCM, for which NFA is DSRO, or IB that may file a request for relief from certain provisions of CFTC Regulations 1.10, 1.12, 1.16 and 1.17 with its DSRO may file such request with NFA. NFA may grant the relief request without receiving the prior concurrence of the CFTC unless such concurrence is required by CFTC Regulations. Any such grant of relief shall be valid and shall remain in full force and effect unless or until reversed by the CFTC or withdrawn by NFA.

[¶ 7004] SECTION 4. FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS AND TREATMENT OF CUSTOMER PROPERTY.
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[Effective dates of amendments: December 17, 1999; and June 2, 2008.]

Any Member FCM or IB who violates any of CFTC Regulations 1.10, 1.12, 1.16, 1.17 or 1.20 through 1.30 (as applicable) shall be deemed to have violated an NFA requirement.

[¶ 7005] SECTION 5. INTRODUCING BROKER FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS.
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[Effective dates of amendments: December 17, 1999; December 31, 2001; June 30, 2004; September 30, 2004; July 31, 2006; and December 22, 2006.]

(a) Each Member IB, except an IB operating pursuant to a guarantee agreement which meets the requirements set forth in CFTC Regulation 1.10(j), must maintain Adjusted Net Capital (as defined in CFTC Regulation 1.17) equal to or in excess of the greatest of:

    (i) $45,000;

    (ii) For Member IBs with less than $1,000,000 in Adjusted Net Capital, $6,000 per office operated by the IB (including the main office);

    (iii) For Member IBs with less than $1,000,000 in Adjusted Net Capital, $3,000 for each AP sponsored by the IB; or

    (iv) For securities brokers and dealers, the amount of net capital required by Rule 15c3-1(a) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (17 CFR 240.15c3-1(a)).

(b)

    (1) Each Member IB, except an IB operating pursuant to a guarantee agreement which meets the requirements set forth in CFTC Regulation 1.10(j), must file financial reports with NFA semi-annually, including its fiscal year end, within 17 business days of the date for which the report is prepared. All financial reports must be filed on Form 1-FR-IB or, if the Member is a broker-dealer, on Form 1-FR-IB or the FOCUS Report, and all financial reports except those filed on the FOCUS Report and required to be certified by a Certified Public Accountant must be filed electronically.

    (2) The Member IB shall electronically file its financial reports by accessing NFA's financial reports database in the manner provided by NFA. Each Member IB shall designate, in the manner provided by NFA, the person or persons authorized to file its financial reports.

    (3) The electronic filing of the Member IB's financial report shall constitute:

      (A) a representation that the person electronically filing the financial report is a person specified in CFTC Regulation 1.10 (d)(4);

      (B) an attestation that the person electronically filing the financial report is duly authorized to bind the Member IB submitting the financial report and representation that, to the best of such person's knowledge, all information contained therein is true, correct and complete;

      (C) an acknowledgement that it is understood that all required items and statements are integral parts of the financial report and that the submission of any amendment represents that all unamended items and statements remain true, correct and complete as previously submitted; and

      (D) an acknowledgement that it is further understood that any intentional misreports or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations (see 18 U.S.C. 1001).

    (4)

      (A) No Member IB may access NFA's electronic financial reports database until NFA has assigned it a unique identifying code and password;

      (B) Each Member IB is responsible for maintaining the security and confidentiality of its identifying code and password and those of the persons whom it authorizes to make electronic financial report filings on its behalf. NFA's electronic financial reports database shall record and store the identifying code of each person accessing NFA's database and shall logically associate in the database such identifying code with any electronic filing made by the person using such identifying code. The person whose identifying code is used to make an electronic filing will be deemed to have made such filing;

      (C) Each Member IB shall make available any person it has authorized to make or actually performing duties related to electronic filings, for testimony in court or before the Commission, NFA or any contract market or DTF regarding the authentication, integrity or accuracy of any electronic filing; and

      (D) The ability to electronically access NFA's financial reports database is a privilege and not a right. NFA may disable any person's identifying code and password and terminate the person's ability to access the database at any time, without notice or a hearing, in NFA's sole discretion, if NFA believes that the person has not complied with this Financial Requirements Section 5 or any procedures that NFA establishes to implement this Financial Requirements Section 5.

(c) A Member IB that is required to file any document with or give any notice to the CFTC under CFTC Regulations 1.10 [Financial reports of futures commission merchants and introducing brokers], 1.12 [Maintenance of minimum financial requirements by futures commission merchants and introducing brokers], 1.16 [Qualifications and reports of accountants], or 1.17 [Minimum financial requirements for futures commission merchants and introducing brokers] or is required to file any financial report or statement (e.g., FOCUS Reports) with any other securities or futures self-regulatory organization of which it is a member shall also file one copy of such document with or give such notice to NFA at its Chicago office no later than the date such document or notice is due to be filed with or given to the CFTC or the self-regulatory organization.

[See NFA Financial Requirements for the Electronic Filing of Financial Reports.]

[¶ 7006] SECTION 6. LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
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[Effective dates of amendments: December 17, 1999.]

Each Leverage Transaction Merchant (hereinafter "Member LTM") is required to file any document with or give notice to the CFTC under CFTC Regulations 31.7 [Maintenance of minimum financial, cover and segregation requirements by leverage transaction merchants], 31.13 [Financial reports of leverage transaction merchants], 31.16 [Monthly reporting requirements], and 31.26 [Quarterly reporting requirements] shall also file one copy of such document with or give such notice to NFA at its Chicago office no later than the date such document or notice is due to be filed with or given to the CFTC.

[¶ 7007] SECTION 7. PERFORMANCE MARGIN.
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[Effective dates of amendments: December 17, 1999.]

Every Member FCM that is not a member of a contract market or a foreign board of trade must collect performance margin (initial and maintenance) for all customer accounts at a level no less than that established for customer accounts by the rules of the applicable contract market or a foreign board of trade.

[¶ 7008] SECTION 8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REQUESTS.
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[Effective dates of amendments: December 17, 1999.]

If requested by NFA, a Member FCM or IB must promptly submit such additional reports and supplemental financial information which NFA deems necessary.

[¶ 7009] SECTION 9. NOTIFICATION OF REPORTABLE POSITIONS.
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[Effective dates of amendments: December 17, 1999.]

Each Member FCM for which NFA is the DSRO and which is required to file any document with or give notice to the CFTC under CFTC Regulation 15.03 shall also file one copy of such document with or give such notice to NFA at its Chicago office no later than the date such document or notice is due to be filed with or given to the CFTC.

[¶ 7010] SECTION 10. LATE FINANCIAL REPORTS.
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[Adopted Effective April 7, 2003.]

Each financial report required by Section 1, 5, or 6 that is filed after it is due shall be accompanied by a fee of $200 for each business day it is late. Payment and acceptance of the fee does not preclude NFA from filing a disciplinary action under the Compliance Rules for failure to comply with the deadlines imposed by NFA Financial Requirements or CFTC rules.

[¶ 7011] SECTION 11. FOREX DEALER MEMBER FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS.
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[Adopted Effective December 1, 2003. Effective dates of amendments: November 30, 2005; July 31, 2006; August 9, 2006; February 13, 2007; March 31, 2007; May 7, 2007; December 17, 2007; December 21, 2007; and October 31, 2008.]

(a) Each Forex Dealer Member must maintain "Adjusted Net Capital" (as defined in CFTC Regulation 1.17) equal to or in excess of the greatest of:

    (i) $10,000,000 through January 16, 2009, $15,000,000 from January 17, 2009 through May 15, 2009, and $20,000,000 from May 16, 2009 forward;

    (ii) 5% of all liabilities owed to customers (as customer is defined in Compliance Rule 2-36(i); or

    (iii) For FCMs, any other amount required by Section 1 of these Financial Requirements.

(b) A Forex Dealer Member may not include assets held by an affiliate (unless approved by NFA) or an unregulated person in its current assets for purposes of determining its adjusted net capital under CFTC Rule 1.17. An affiliate is any person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Forex Dealer Member.

For purposes of this section and section (c), a person is unregulated unless it is:

    (i) a financial institution regulated by a U.S. banking regulator;

    (ii) a broker-dealer registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority;

    (iii) a futures commission merchant registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and a Member of NFA;

    (iv) a retail foreign exchange dealer registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and a Member of NFA;

    (v) an insurance company regulated by any U.S. state;

    (vi) an entity regulated as a foreign equivalent of any of the above if regulated in a money center country as defined in CFTC Regulation 1.49; or

    (vii) any other entity approved by NFA.

(c) A Forex Dealer Member may not use an affiliate (unless approved by NFA) or an unregulated person, as defined in section (b), to cover its currency positions for purposes of CFTC Rule 1.17(c)(5).

(d) Each RFED must file financial reports with NFA for each month-end, including its fiscal year-end, within 17 business days of the date for which the report is prepared. All financial reports must be filed on the forms required by CFTC regulations, and all financial reports except those required to be certified by a Certified Public Accountant must be filed electronically using an electronic media approved by NFA.

(e) For purposes of this rule:

    (1) "Forex" has the same meaning as in Bylaw 1507(b);

    (2) "Forex Dealer Member" has the same meaning as in Bylaw 306; and

    (3) As used in section (c), "currency" refers to open foreign currency positions with counterparties regardless of whether those counterparties are eligible contract participants as defined in Section 1a(12) of the Act.

[¶ 7012] SECTION 12. SECURITY DEPOSITS FOR FOREX TRANSACTIONS WITH FOREX DEALER MEMBERS.
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[Adopted Effective December 1, 2003. Effective dates of amendments: June 6, 2004; September 15, 2005; February 13, 2007; May 14, 2008; and October 31, 2008.]

(a) Except as provided in (b) below, each Forex Dealer Member shall collect and maintain the following minimum security deposit for each forex transaction between the Forex Dealer Member and a person that is not an eligible contract participant as defined in Section 1a(12) of the Act:

(i) 1% of the notional value of transactions in the British pound, the Swiss franc, the Canadian dollar, the Japanese yen, the Euro, the Australian dollar, the New Zealand dollar, the Swedish krona, the Norwegian krone, and the Danish krone;

(ii) 4% of the notional value of other transactions;

(iii) for short options, the above amount plus the premium received; and

(iv) for long options, the entire premium.

(b) A Forex Dealer Member that consistently maintains adjusted net capital of at least 150% of the greater of the amount required by Section 11(a)(i) or (ii) of these Financial Requirements is exempt from (a) above.

(c)The Executive Committee may temporarily increase these requirements under extraordinary market conditions.

(d) For purposes of this rule:

    (1) "Forex" has the same meaning as in Bylaw 1507(b); and

    (2) "Forex Dealer Member" has the same meaning as in Bylaw 306.

(e) In addition to cash, a Forex Dealer Member required to collect and maintain a minimum security deposit under (a) above may accept those instruments described in CFTC Rule 1.25 as collateral for customers' security deposit obligations. The collateral must be in the FDM's possession and control and is subject to the haircuts in CFTC Rule 1.17.

[See Notice to Members I-03-05: New Requirements Will Become Effective on July 1, 2003]

[¶ 7013] SECTION 13. FOREX DEALER MEMBER WEEKLY REPORTS.
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[Adopted Effective July 25, 2006.]

(a) Each Forex Dealer Member must file weekly electronic reports showing liabilities to customers and other financial information required by NFA. The report must be prepared as of the last business day of the week and must be filed by noon on the following business day in the format and using the electronic filing method provided by NFA.

(1) No Forex Dealer Member may access NFA's electronic financial reports database until NFA has assigned it a unique identifying code and password. Each Forex Dealer Member is responsible for maintaining the security and confidentiality of its identifying code and password and that of each person it authorizes to file weekly electronic reports on its behalf.

(2) Submitting the report certifies that the person filing it is duly authorized to bind the Forex Dealer Member and that, to the best of that person's knowledge, all information in the report is true, correct, and complete.

(b) Each weekly report that is filed after it is due shall be accompanied by a fee of $200 for each business day it is late. Payment and acceptance of the fee does not preclude NFA from filing a disciplinary action for failure to comply with the deadlines imposed by this rule.

[¶ 7014] SECTION 14. ASSETS COVERING LIABILITIES TO RETAIL FOREX CUSTOMERS.
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[Adopted Effective July 1, 2007. Effective dates of amendments: December 17, 2007.]

(a) Each Forex Dealer Member shall calculate the amount owed to U.S. customers for forex transactions and shall hold assets equal to or in excess of that amount at one or more qualifying institutions in the United States or money center countries (as defined in CFTC Regulation 1.49).

(b) The amount owed to U.S. customers shall be calculated by adding up the net liquidating values of each forex account that liquidates to a positive number, using the fair market value for each asset other than open positions and the current market value for open positions.

(c) For assets held in the United States, a qualifying institution is:

    (i) a bank or trust company regulated by a U.S. banking regulator;

    (ii) a broker-dealer registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority; or

    (iii) a futures commission merchant registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and a Member of NFA.

(d) For assets held in a money center country as defined in CFTC Regulation 1.49, a qualifying institution is:

    (i) a bank or trust company regulated in the money center country 1) which has in excess of $1 billion in regulatory capital or 2) whose commercial paper or long-term debt instrument or, if part of a holding company system, its holding company's commercial paper or long-term debt instrument, is rated in one of the two highest rating categories by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization;

    (ii) an entity regulated in the money center country as an equivalent of a broker-dealer or futures commission merchant 1) which has in excess of $100 million in regulatory capital or 2) whose commercial paper or long-term debt instrument or, if part of a holding company system, its holding company's commercial paper or long-term debt instrument, is rated in one of the two highest rating categories by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization; or

    (iii) a futures commission merchant registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and a Member of NFA.

(e) Assets held in a money center country are not eligible to meet the requirements of this rule unless the Forex Dealer Member and the qualifying institution have entered into an agreement, acceptable to NFA, authorizing the institution to provide NFA and the CFTC with information regarding the Forex Dealer Member's accounts and to provide that information directly to NFA or the CFTC upon their request. The Forex Dealer Member must file the signed agreement with NFA.

(f) For purposes of this rule, a U.S. customer is a retail customer that is:

    (i) a natural person who is a resident of the United States;

    (ii) a partnership, corporation, or other entity (including a collective investment vehicle) organized under the laws of the United States or which has its principal place of business in the United States;

    (iii) an estate or trust, the income of which is subject to United States income tax regardless of source; or

    (iv) an entity organized principally for passive investment (e.g., a commodity pool or investment company) in which U.S. persons beneficially own, in the aggregate, a 10% or greater interest.

[¶ 7015] SECTION 15. FOREX DEALER MEMBER INTERNAL FINANCIAL CONTROLS.
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[Adopted Effective September 21, 2007.]

(a) No Member may act as a Forex Dealer Member (as defined in Bylaw 306) until it has provided NFA with an internal control report prepared and certified by an independent public accountant who is registered under Section 102 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The internal control report shall contain, at a minimum, a detailed explanation of the examination performed by the accountant and a representation by the accountant that it has examined and tested the Forex Dealer Member's system of internal controls to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The internal control report must also represent that the accountant has found that the Forex Dealer Member's system of internal financial controls has no material weaknesses and that it is adequate for establishing and maintaining internal control over financial reporting by the Member.

After a Forex Dealer Member has commenced business, NFA's Compliance Director may require it to provide an internal control report that complies with the requirements above if NFA believes that the Forex Dealer Member's internal controls are inadequate.

(b) Provided NFA's Compliance Director believes that a Forex Dealer Member's financial records are inadequate, the Compliance Director may require a Forex Dealer Member's annual certified financial statements to be prepared by an independent public accountant who is registered under Section 102 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

(c) The individuals who prepare the Forex Dealer Member's financial books and records must be under the ultimate supervision of a listed principal and registered associated person of the Member. This principal must also be responsible for researching and selecting the independent public accountant that certifies the firm's annual financial statements.

 
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