On July 18, 2018, the SEC ramped up its oversight of alternative
trading systems ("ATSs") by adopting a series of rule amendments imposing public disclosure
requirements on ATSs that trade NMS ("National Market
System") stocks (i.e., stocks listed on a national
securities exchange). The amendments also require ATSs to establish
written procedures to protect subscribers' confidential trading
information. Initially proposed in 2015, the amendments
will take effect on October 9, 2018, per the July 18th
Notice of Final Rulemaking.
As set forth in Regulation ATS, issued by the SEC in 1998,
ATSs are trading platforms that facilitate securities transactions
by providing a marketplace where buyers and sellers come together
to collect and execute orders. As its name implies, an ATS is an
alternative trading venue to a national securities exchange, such
as the NASDAQ or New York Stock Exchange, where transactions typically occur through
electronic, automated means. According to