MAR 5 Multilateral trading facilities (MTFs)

A firm must have:

1. (1)

   transparent rules and procedures for fair and orderly trading;

   [Note: articles 18(1) and 19(1)

   of MiFID]

2. (2)

   objective criteria for the efficient execution of orders which are established and implemented in non-discretionary rules;

   [Note: articles 18(1) and 19(1) of MiFID]

3. (2A)

   arrangements for the sound management of the technical operations of the facility, including the establishment of effective contingency arrangements to cope with the risks of systems disruption;

   [Note: article 18(1) of MiFID]

4. (3)

   transparent rules regarding the criteria for determining the financial instruments that can be traded under its systems;

   [Note: subparagraph 1 of article 18(2) of MiFID]

5. (4)

   published, transparent and non-discriminatory rules, based on objective criteria, governing access to its facility and which must provide that its members or participants are investment firms, CRDcredit institutions or other persons who:

   1. (a)

      are of sufficient good repute;

   2. (b)

      have a sufficient level of trading ability, competence and experience;

   3. (c)

      where applicable, have adequate organisational arrangements; and

   4. (d)

      have sufficient resources for the role they are to perform, taking into account the different financial arrangements that the firm operating the MTF may have established in order to guarantee the adequate settlement of transactions;

   [Note: articles 18(3), 19(2) and 53(3) of MiFID]

6. (5)

   arrangements to provide, or be satisfied that there is access to, sufficient publicly available information to enable its users to form an investment judgement, taking into account both the nature of the users and the types of instrument traded; and

   [Note: subparagraph 2 of article 18(2) of MiFID]

7. (6)

   (as between the interests of the MTF, its owners, or the firm and those of the members and participants or users in the sound functioning of the trading venue) arrangements to identify clearly and to manage any conflict with adverse consequences for:

   1. (a)

      the operation of the trading venue for the members and participants or users; or

   2. (b)

      the members and participants or users otherwise.

   [Note: article 18(4) of MiFID]

A firm must:

1. (1)

    ensure the MTF has at least three materially active members or users who each have the opportunity to interact with all the others in respect of price formation;

    [Note: article 18(7) of MiFID]

2. (2)

    have arrangements to ensure it is adequately equipped to manage the risks to which it is exposed, to implement appropriate arrangements and systems to identify all significant risks to its operation and put in place effective measures to mitigate those risks;

    [Note: article 19(3)(a) of MiFID]

3. (3)

    have available at the time of authorisation and on an ongoing basis, sufficient financial resources to facilitate its orderly functioning, having regard to the nature and extent of the transactions concluded on the venue and the range and degree of the risks to which it is exposed;

    [Note: article 19(3)(c) of MiFID]

4. (4)

    not execute orders against proprietary capital;

5. (5)

    [deleted]

6. (6)

    provide the following to the FCA:

   1. (a)

       a detailed description of the functioning of the MTF, including any links to or participation by a regulated market, an MTF, OTF or equity systematic internaliser owned by the same firm; and

   2. (b)

       a list of its members, participants and users.

   [Note: MiFID ITS 19 with regard to the content and format of the description of the functioning of MTFs]

A firm must:

1. (1)

    ensure the MTF has at least three materially active members or users who each have the opportunity to interact with all the others in respect of price formation;

    [Note: article 18(7) of MiFID]

2. (2)

    have arrangements to ensure it is adequately equipped to manage the risks to which it is exposed, to implement appropriate arrangements and systems to identify all significant risks to its operation and put in place effective measures to mitigate those risks;

    [Note: article 19(3)(a) of MiFID]

3. (3)

    have available at the time of authorisation and on an ongoing basis, sufficient financial resources to facilitate its orderly functioning, having regard to the nature and extent of the transactions concluded on the venue and the range and degree of the risks to which it is exposed;

    [Note: article 19(3)(c) of MiFID]

4. (4)

    not execute orders against proprietary capital, or engage in matched principal trading;

    [Note: article 19(5) of MiFID]

5. (5)

    [deleted]

6. (6)

    provide the following to the FCA:

   1. (a)

       a detailed description of the functioning of the MTF, including any links to or participation by a regulated market, an MTF, OTF or equity systematic internaliser owned by the same firm; and

   2. (b)

       a list of its members, participants and users.

   [Note: MiFID ITS 19 with regard to the content and format of the description of the functioning of MTFs]

Where a transferable security, which has been admitted to trading on a regulated market, is also traded on an MTF without the consent of the issuer, the firm operating the MTF must not make the issuer subject to any obligation relating to initial, ongoing or ad hoc financial disclosure with regard to that MTF.

[Note: article 18(8) of MiFID]

A firm must ensure that the systems and controls, including procedures and arrangements, used in the performance of its activities are adequate, effective and appropriate for the scale and nature of its business.

MAR 5.3A.1R applies in particular to systems and controls concerning:

1. (1)

   the resilience of the firm’s trading systems;

2. (2)

   its capacity to deal with peak order and message volumes;

3. (3)

   the ability to ensure orderly trading under conditions of severe market stress;

4. (4)

   the effectiveness of business continuity arrangements to ensure the continuity of the MTF’s services if there is any failure of its trading systems, including the testing of the MTF’s systems and controls;

5. (5)

   the ability to reject orders that exceed predetermined volume and price thresholds or which are clearly erroneous;

6. (6)

   the ability to ensure that algorithmic trading systems cannot create or contribute to disorderly trading conditions on the trading venue;

7. (7)

   the ability to ensure any disorderly trading conditions which do arise from the use of algorithmic trading systems are capable of being managed, including systems to limit the ratio of unexecuted orders to transactions that may be entered into the MTF’s trading system by a member or participant;

8. (8)

   the ability to ensure the flow of orders is capable of being slowed down if there is a risk of system capacity being reached;

9. (9)

   the ability to limit and enforce the minimum tick size which may be executed on the MTF; and

10. (10)

    the requirement for members and participants to carry out appropriate testing of algorithms, including providing environments to facilitate that testing.

[Note: article 48(1),(4) and (6) of MiFID, MiFID RTS 7, MiFID RTS 9, and MiFID RTS 11]

A firm must:

1. (1)

   have written agreements with all investment firms pursuing a market making strategy on trading venues operated by it (market making agreements);

2. (2)

   have schemes, appropriate to the nature and scale of a trading venue, to ensure that a sufficient number of investment firms enter into market making agreements which require them to post firm quotes at competitive prices with the result of providing liquidity to the market on a regular and predictable basis;

3. (3)

   monitor and enforce compliance with the market making agreements;

4. (4)

   inform the FCA of the content of its market making agreements; and

5. (5)

   provide the FCA with any information it requests which the FCA reasonably requires to be satisfied that the market making agreements comply with this rule.

[Note: article 48(2) and (3) of MiFID, and MiFID RTS 8]

A market making agreement in MAR 5.3A.3R(1) must specify:

1. (1)

   the obligations of the investment firm in relation to the provision of liquidity;

2. (2)

   where applicable, any obligations arising, or rights accruing, from the participation in a liquidity scheme mentioned in MAR 5.3A.3R(2); and

3. (3)

   any incentives in terms of rebates or otherwise offered by the firm to the investment firm in order for it to provide liquidity to the MTF on a regular and predictable basis and, where applicable, any other rights accruing to the investment firm as a result of participation in the liquidity scheme.

[Note: article 48(3) of MiFID and MiFID RTS 8]

A firm must have the ability to:

1. (1)

   temporarily halt or constrain trading on the MTF if there is a significant price movement in a financial instrument on the MTF or a related trading venue during a short period; and

2. (2)

   in exceptional cases, cancel, vary or correct any transaction.

[Note: article 48(5) of MiFID]

For the purposes of MAR 5.3A.5R and to avoid significant disruptions to the orderliness of trading, a firm must calibrate the parameters for halting trading in a way which takes into account the following:

1. (1)

   the liquidity of different asset classes and subclasses;

2. (2)

   the nature of the trading venue market model; and

3. (3)

   the types of users.

[Note: article 48(5) of MiFID]

The firm must report the parameters mentioned in MAR 5.3A.6R to the FCA in writing, by electronic mail to an address for the usual supervisory contact of the firm at the FCA, and obtain an electronic confirmation of receipt.

[Note: article 48(5) of MiFID]

A firm must have systems and procedures to notify the FCA if:

1. (1)

   an MTF operated by the firm is material in terms of the liquidity of trading of a financial instrument; and

2. (2)

   trading is halted in that instrument.

[Note: article 48(5) of MiFID]

A firm which permits direct electronic access to an MTF it operates must:

1. (1)

   not permit members or participants of the MTF to provide such services unless they are:

   1. (a)

      MiFID investment firms; or

   2. (b)

      CRD credit institutions; or

   3. (c)

      third country firms providing the direct electronic access in the course of exercising rights under article 46.1 of MiFIR; or

   4. (d)

      third country firms providing the direct electronic access in the course of exercising rights under article 47.3 of MiFIR; or

   5. (e)

      third country firms providing the direct electronic access in accordance with the; exclusion in article 72 of the RAO or

   6. (f)

      a third country firm which does not come within MAR 5.3A.9R(1)(d) to (f) but is otherwise permitted to provide the direct electronic access under the Act; or

   7. (g)

      firms that come within regulation 30(1A) of the MiFI Regulations and have a Part 4A permission relating to investment services or activities;

2. (2)

   set, and apply, criteria for the suitability of persons to whom direct electronic access services may be provided;

3. (3)

   ensure that the member or participant of the MTF retains responsibility for adherence to the requirements of MiFID in respect of orders and trades executed using the direct electronic access service;

4. (4)

   set standards for risk controls and thresholds on trading through direct electronic access;

5. (5)

   be able to distinguish and if necessary stop orders or trading on that trading venue by a person using direct electronic access separately from:

   1. (a)

      other orders; and

   2. (b)

      trading by the member or participant providing the direct electronic access; and

6. (6)

   have arrangements to suspend or terminate the provision of direct electronic access on that market by a member or participant in the case of any non-compliance with this rule.

[Note: article 48(7) of MiFID]

Where a firm permits co-location in relation to the MTF, its rules on co-location services must be transparent, fair and non-discriminatory.

[Note: article 48(8) of MiFID and MiFID RTS 10]

A firm’s fee structure, for all fees it charges and rebates it grants in relation to the MTF, must:

1. (1)

   be transparent, fair and non-discriminatory;

2. (2)

   not create incentives to place, modify or cancel orders, or execute transactions, in a way which contributes to disorderly trading or market abuse; and

3. (3)

   impose market making obligations in individual financial instruments or suitable baskets of financial instruments for any rebates that are granted.

[Note: article 48(9) of MiFID and MiFID RTS 10]

A firm must require members and participants of an MTF operated by it to flag orders generated by algorithmic trading in order for the firm to be able to identify the following:

1. (1)

   different algorithms used for the creation of orders; and

2. (2)

   the persons initiating those orders.

[Note: article 48(10) of MiFID]

A firm must adopt tick size regimes in:

1. (1)

   shares, depositary receipts, exchange-traded funds, certificates and other similar financial instruments traded on the MTF; and

2. (2)

   any other financial instrument which is traded on that trading venue, as required by a regulatory technical standard made under powers conferred by MiFIR.

[Note: article 49 of MiFID and MiFID RTS 11]

A firm adopting tick sizes in accordance with MAR 5.3A.14R may match orders large in scale at mid-point within the current bid and offer prices.

[Note: article 49 of MiFID and MiFID RTS 11]

The tick size regime referred to in MAR 5.3A.14R must:

1. (1)

   be calibrated to reflect the liquidity profile of the financial instrument in different markets and the average bid-ask spread, taking into account the desirability of enabling reasonably stable prices without unduly constraining further narrowing of spreads; and

2. (2)

   adapt the tick size for each financial instrument appropriately.

[Note: article 49 of MiFID and MiFID RTS 11]

A firm must synchronise the business clocks it uses to record the date and time of any reportable event.

[Note: article 50 of MiFID and MiFID RTS 25]

A firm must:

1. (1)

   clearly inform its users of their respective responsibilities for the settlement of transactions executed in itsMTF; and

2. (2)

   have in place the arrangements necessary to facilitate the efficient settlement of the transactions concluded under its systems.

[Note: articles 18(6) and 19(3)(b) of MiFID]

[Note: in relation to derivative transactions, MiFID RTS 26 contains requirements on the systems for the clearing of such transactions]

A firm must:

1. (1)

   have effective arrangements and procedures, relevant to its MTF, for the regular monitoring of the compliance by its users with its rules; and

2. (2)

   monitor the transactions undertaken by its users under its systems in order to identify breaches of those rules, disorderly trading conditions, system disruptions in relation to a financial instrument, or conduct that may involve market abuse.

[Note: article 31(1) of MiFID]

A firm must:

1. (1)

    report to the FCA any:

   1. (a)

       significant breaches of the firm's rules;

   2. (b)

       disorderly trading conditions;

   3. (c)

       conduct that may involve market abuse; and

   4. (d)

       system disruptions in relation to a financial instrument;

2. (2)

    supply the information required under this rule without delay to the FCA and any other authority competent for the investigation and prosecution of market abuse;

3. (3)

    provide full assistance to the FCA, and any other authority competent for the investigation and prosecution of market abuse, in its investigation and prosecution of market abuse occurring on or through the firm's systems;

4. (4)

    when assessing whether the requirement to inform the FCA immediately of significant infringements of the rules of its trading venue, or disorderly trading conditions or system disruptions in relation to a financial instrument applies, consider the signals listed in MAR 1 Annex 3R 1; and

5. (5)

    when assessing whether the requirement to immediately inform the FCA of conduct that may indicate behaviour that is prohibited under the Market Abuse Regulation applies, consider the signals listed in MAR 1 Annex 3R 2.

A firm operating an MTF must give the FCA a summary of:

1. (1)

   any proposal to introduce, amend or renew a scheme for rebating or waiving fees or charges levied on its members or participants (or any group or class of them), at the same time as the proposal is communicated to those members or participants; and

2. (2)

   any such change, no later than the date when it is published or notified to the members or participants.

The summary referred to in MAR 5.6.2R(1) must be given in the form specified in MAR 5 Annex 2R.

A firm must:

1. (1)

    not exercise any power under its rules to suspend or remove from trading any financial instrument which no longer complies with its rules, where such a step would be likely to cause significant damage to the interest of investors or the orderly functioning of the trading venue;

2. (2)

    where it does suspend or remove from trading a financial instrument, also suspend or remove derivatives that relate, or are referenced, to that financial instrument, where necessary to support the objectives of the suspension or removal of the underlying; and

3. (3)

    make public any decision in (2) and notify the FCA of it.

[Note: article 32 of MiFID, MiFID RTS 18 and MiFID ITS 2]

A firm may apply to the FCA to have an MTF registered as an SME growth market.

[Note: article 33(1) of MiFID]

For an MTF to be eligible for registration as an SME growth market, the firm must have effective rules, systems and procedures which ensure that:

1. (1)

    at least 50% of the issuers whose financial instruments are admitted to trading on the MTF are small and medium-sized enterprises at the time when the MTF is registered as an SME growth market, and in any calendar year thereafter;

2. (2)

    appropriate criteria are set for initial and ongoing admission to trading of financial instruments of issuers on the market;

3. (3)

    on initial admission to trading of financial instruments on the market, there is sufficient information to enable investors to make an informed judgement about whether or not to invest in the financial instruments published in an appropriate admission document;

   1. (b)

       a prospectus, if the Prospectus Regulation is applicable in respect of a public offer being made in conjunction with the initial admission to trading of the financial instrument on the MTF;

4. (4)

    there is appropriate ongoing periodic financial reporting by, or on behalf of, an issuer on the market, for example through audited annual reports;

5. (5)

    the following comply with the Market Abuse Regulation as applicable to each of them:

   1. (a)

       issuers on the market as defined in point (21) of article 3(1) of the Market Abuse Regulation;

   2. (b)

       persons discharging managerial responsibilities as defined in point (25) of article 3(1); and

   3. (c)

       persons closely associated with them as defined in point (26) of article 3(1);

6. (6)

    regulatory information concerning the issuers on the market is stored and disseminated to the public; and

7. (7)

    there are effective systems and controls aiming to prevent and detect market abuse on that market as required under the Market Abuse Regulation.

[Note: articles 33(2) and 33(3) of MiFID]

1. (1)

   Where a financial instrument of an issuer is admitted to trading on one SME growth market, the financial instrument must not be traded on another SME growth market unless the issuer has been informed and has not objected.

2. (2)

   In the case of (1), the issuer shall not be subject to any obligation relating to corporate governance or initial, ongoing or ad hoc disclosure with regard to the latter SME growth market.

[Note: article 33(7) of MiFID]

An MTF registered as an SME growth market may be deregistered by the FCA in the following cases:

1. (1)

   the firm operating the market applies for its deregistration; or

2. (2)

   the requirements in MAR 5.10.2R are (subject to MAR 5.10.3G(1)) no longer complied with.

[Note: article 33(5) of MiFID and article 79 of the MiFID Org Regulation]

Annex 1 – Incentive Schemes (MAR 5.6.3R)

Mar_05_ann_02_20170901