Proposed Rule

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PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO NFA FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS
SECTIONS 1, 2 AND 5
(additions are underscored and deletions are stricken through)

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

SECTION 1. FUTURES COMMISSION MERCHANT FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS.

(a) Each 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) $250,000;

    (ii) Four (4) percent of the funds required to be segregated pursuant to the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC Regulations and the foreign futures or foreign options secured amount, less the market value of commodity options purchased by customers on or subject to the rules of a contract market or a foreign board of trade for which full premiums have been paid: Provided, however, the deduction for each customer shall be limited to the amount of customer funds in such customer's account and foreign futures and foreign options secured amounts;

    (iii)(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);

    (iv)(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);

    (v)(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)); or

    (vi)(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 or futures contracts excluding the risk margin associated with naked long options positions.

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(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 by 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.

SECTION 2. ELIGIBILITY TO GUARANTEE IBS.

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

    (i) $375,000;

    (ii) Six(6) percent of the funds required to be segregated pursuant to the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC Regulations and the foreign futures or foreign options secured amount, less the market value of commodity options purchased by customers on or subject to the rules of a contract market or a foreign board of trade for which full premiums have been paid: Provided, however, the deduction for each customer shall be limited to the amount of customer funds in such customer's account and foreign futures and foreign options secured amounts;

    (iii)(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);

    (iv)(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);

    (v)(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

    (vi)(v) One hundred and ten (110) percent of the amount required in Financial Requirements Section 1(a)(v). Eight (8) percent of domestic and foreign domiciled customer and four (4) four 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 positions

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.

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SECTION 5. INTRODUCING BROKER FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS.

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(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 by 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.

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