(a) Every broker or dealer must at all times have and maintain net capital no less than the greater of the highest minimum requirement applicable to its ratio requirement under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, or to any of its activities under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, and must otherwise not be "insolvent" as that term is defined in paragraph (c)(16) of this section. In lieu of applying paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section, an OTC derivatives dealer shall maintain net capital pursuant to paragraph (a)(5) of this section. Each broker or dealer also shall comply with the supplemental requirements of paragraphs (a)(4) and (a)(9) of this section, to the extent either paragraph is applicable to its activities. In addition, a broker or dealer shall maintain net capital of not less than its own net capital requirement plus the sum of each broker's or dealer's subsidiary or affiliate minimum net capital requirements, which is consolidated pursuant to appendix C, §240.15c3-1c.
RATIO REQUIREMENTS
Aggregate Indebtedness Standard
(1)
(i) No broker or dealer, other than one that elects the provisions of paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section, shall permit its aggregate indebtedness to all other persons to exceed 1500 percent of its net capital (or 800 percent of its net capital for 12 months after commencing business as a broker or dealer).
Alternative Standard
(ii) A broker or dealer may elect not to be subject to the Aggregate Indebtedness Standard of paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section. That broker or dealer shall not permit its net capital to be less than the greater of $250,000 or 2 percent of aggregate debit items computed in accordance with the Formula for Determination of Reserve Requirements for Brokers and Dealers (Exhibit A to Rule 15c3-3, §240.15c3-3a). Such broker or dealer shall notify its Examining Authority, in writing, of its election to operate under this paragraph (a)(1)(ii). Once a broker or dealer has notified its Examining Authority, it shall continue to operate under this paragraph unless a change is approved upon application to the Commission. A broker or dealer that elects this standard and is not exempt from Rule 15c3-3 shall:
(A) Make the computation required by §240.15c3-3(e) and set forth in Exhibit A, §240.15c3-3a, on a weekly basis and, in lieu of the 1 percent reduction of certain debit items required by Note E (3) in the computation of its Exhibit A requirement, reduce aggregate debit items in such computation by 3 percent;
(B) Include in Items 7 and 8 of Exhibit A, §240.15c3-3a, the market value of items specified therein more than 7 business days old;
(C) Exclude credit balances in accounts representing amounts payable for securities not yet received from the issuer or its agent which securities are specified in paragraphs (c)(2)(vi) (A) and (E) of this section and any related debit items from the Exhibit A requirement for 3 business days; and
(D) Deduct from net worth in computing net capital 1 percent of the contract value of all failed to deliver contracts or securities borrowed that were allocated to failed to receive contracts of the same issue and which thereby were excluded from Items 11 or 12 of Exhibit A, §240.15c3-3a.
Futures Commission Merchants
(iii) No broker or dealer registered as a futures commission merchant shall permit its net capital to be less than the greater of its requirement under paragraph (a)(1) (i) or (ii) of this section, or 4 percent of the funds required to be segregated pursuant to the Commodity Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder (less the market value of commodity options purchased by option customers on or subject to the rules of a contract market, each such deduction not to exceed the amount of funds in the customer's account).
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
See Appendix E (§240.15c3-1E) for temporary minimum requirements.
Brokers or Dealers That Carry Customer Accounts
(2)
(i) A broker or dealer (other than one described in paragraphs (a)(2)(ii) or (a)(8) of this section) shall maintain net capital of not less than $250,000 if it carries customer or broker or dealer accounts and receives or holds funds or securities for those persons. A broker or dealer shall be deemed to receive funds, or to carry customer or broker or dealer accounts and to receive funds from those persons if, in connection with its activities as a broker or dealer, it receives checks, drafts, or other evidences of indebtedness made payable to itself or persons other than the requisite registered broker or dealer carrying the account of a customer, escrow agent, issuer, underwriter, sponsor, or other distributor of securities. A broker or dealer shall be deemed to hold securities for, or to carry customer or broker or dealer accounts, and hold securities of, those persons if it does not promptly forward or promptly deliver all of the securities of customers or of other brokers or dealers received by the firm in connection with its activities as a broker or dealer. A broker or dealer, without complying with this paragraph (a)(2)(i), may receive securities only if its activities conform with the provisions of paragraphs (a)(2) (iv) or (v) of this section, and may receive funds only in connection with the activities described in paragraph (a)(2)(v) of this section.
(ii) A broker or dealer that is exempt from the provisions of §240.15c3-3 pursuant to paragraph (k)(2)(i) thereof shall maintain net capital of not less than $100,000.
Dealers
(iii) A dealer shall maintain net capital of not less than $100,000. For the purposes of this section, the term "dealer" includes:
(A) Any broker or dealer that endorses or writes options otherwise than on a registered national securities exchange or a facility of a registered national securities association; and
(B) Any broker or dealer that effects more than ten transactions in any one calendar year for its own investment account. This section shall not apply to those persons engaging in activities described in paragraphs (a)(2)(v), (a)(2)(vi) or (a)(8) of this section, or to those persons whose underwriting activities are limited solely to acting as underwriters in best efforts or all or none underwritings in conformity with paragraph (b)(2) of §240.15c2-4, so long as those persons engage in no other dealer activities.
Brokers or Dealers That Introduce Customer Accounts And Receive Securities
(iv) A broker or dealer shall maintain net capital of not less than $50,000 if it introduces transactions and accounts of customers or other brokers or dealers to another registered broker or dealer that carries such accounts on a fully disclosed basis, and if the broker or dealer receives but does not hold customer or other broker or dealer securities. A broker or dealer operating under this paragraph (a)(2)(iv) of this section may participate in a firm commitment underwriting without being subject to the provisions of paragraph (a)(2)(iii) of this section, but may not enter into a commitment for the purchase of shares related to that underwriting.
Brokers or Dealers Engaged in the Sale of Redeemable Shares of Registered Investment Companies and Certain Other Share Accounts
(v) A broker or dealer shall maintain net capital of not less than $25,000 if it acts as a broker or dealer with respect to the purchase, sale and redemption of redeemable shares of registered investment companies or of interests or participations in an insurance company separate account directly from or to the issuer on other than a subscription way basis. A broker or dealer operating under this section may sell securities for the account of a customer to obtain funds for the immediate reinvestment in redeemable securities of registered investment companies. A broker or dealer operating under this paragraph (a)(2)(v) must promptly transmit all funds and promptly deliver all securities received in connection with its activities as a broker or dealer, and may not otherwise hold funds or securities for, or owe money or securities to, customers.
Other Brokers or Dealers
(vi) A broker or dealer that does not receive, directly or indirectly, or hold funds or securities for, or owe funds or securities to, customers and does not carry accounts of, or for, customers and does not engage in any of the activities described in paragraphs (a)(2) (i) through (v) of this section shall maintain net capital of not less than $5,000. A broker or dealer operating under this paragraph may engage in the following dealer activities without being subject to the requirements of paragraph (a)(2)(iii) of this section:
(A) In the case of a buy order, prior to executing such customer's order, it purchases as principal the same number of shares or purchases shares to accumulate the number of shares necessary to complete the order, which shall be cleared through another registered broker or dealer or
(B) In the case of a sell order, prior to executing such customer's order, it sells as principal the same number of shares or a portion thereof, which shall be cleared through another registered broker or dealer.
Capital Requirements for Market Makers
(4) A broker or dealer engaged in activities as a market maker as defined in paragraph (c)(8) of this section shall maintain net capital in an amount not less than $2,500 for each security in which it makes a market (unless a security in which it makes a market has a market value of $5 or less, in which event the amount of net capital shall be not less than $1,000 for each such security) based on the average number of such markets made by such broker or dealer during the 30 days immediately preceding the computation date. Under no circumstances shall it have net capital less than that required by the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section, or be required to maintain net capital of more than $1,000,000 unless required by paragraph (a) of this section.
(5)
(i) In accordance with appendix F to this section (§240.15c3-1f), the Commission may grant an application by an OTC derivatives dealer when calculating net capital to use the market risk standards of appendix F as to some or all of its positions in lieu of the provisions of paragraph (c)(2)(vi) of this section and the credit risk standards of appendix F to its receivables (including counterparty net exposure) arising from transactions in eligible OTC derivative instruments in lieu of the requirements of paragraph (c)(2)(iv) of this section. An OTC derivatives dealer shall at all times maintain tentative net capital of not less than $100 million and net capital of not less than $20 million.
(ii) An OTC derivatives dealer that is also registered as a security-based swap dealer under section 15F of the Act ( 15 U.S.C. 78
o-10) is subject to the capital requirements in §§ 240.18a-1, 240.18a-1a, 240.18a-1b, 240.18a-1c and 240.18a-1d instead of the capital requirements of this section and its appendices.
Market Makers, Specialists and Certain Other Dealers
(6)
(i) A dealer who meets the conditions of paragraph (a)(6)(ii) of this section may elect to operate under this paragraph (a)(6) and thereby not apply, except to the extent required by this paragraph (a)(6), the provisions of paragraphs (c)(2)(vi) or appendix A (§240.15c3-1a) of this section to market maker and specialist transactions and, in lieu thereof, apply thereto the provisions of paragraph (a)(6)(iii) of this section.
(ii) This paragraph (a)(6) shall be available to a dealer who does not effect transactions with other than brokers or dealers, who does not carry customer accounts, who does not effect transactions in options not listed on a registered national securities exchange or facility of a registered national securities association, and whose market maker or specialist transactions are effected through and carried in a market maker or specialist account cleared by another broker or dealer as provided in paragraph (a)(6)(iv) of this section.
(iii) A dealer who elects to operate pursuant to this paragraph (a)(6) shall at all times maintain a liquidating equity in respect of securities positions in his market maker or specialist account at least equal to:
(A) An amount equal to 25 percent (5 percent in the case of exempted securities) of the market value of the long positions and 30 percent of the market value of the short positions; provided, however, in the case of long or short positions in options and long or short positions in securities other than options which relate to a bona fide hedged position as defined in paragraph (c)(2)(x)(C) of this section, such amount shall equal the deductions in respect of such positions specified by appendix A (§240.15c3-1a).
(B) Such lesser requirement as may be approved by the Commission under specified terms and conditions upon written application of the dealer and the carrying broker or dealer.
(C) For purposes of this paragraph (a)(6)(iii), equity in such specialist or market maker account shall be computed by (1) marking all securities positions long or short in the account to their respective current market values, (2) adding (deducting in the case of a debit balance) the credit balance carried in such specialist or market maker account, and (3) adding (deducting in the case of short positions) the market value of positions long in such account.
(iv) The dealer shall obtain from the broker or dealer carrying the market maker or specialist account a written undertaking which shall be designated "Notice Pursuant to §240.15c3-1(a)(6) of Intention to Carry Specialist or Market Maker Account." Said undertaking shall contain the representations required by paragraph (a)(6) of this section and shall be filed with the Commission's Washington, DC, Office, the regional office of the Commission for the region in which the broker or dealer has its principal place of business and the Designated Examining Authorities of both firms prior to effecting any transactions in said account. The broker or dealer carrying such account:
(A) Shall mark the account to the market not less than daily and shall issue appropriate calls for additional equity which shall be met by noon of the following business day;
(B) Shall notify by telegraph the Commission and the Designated Examining Authorities pursuant to
17 CFR 240.17a-11, if the market maker or specialist fails to deposit any required equity within the time prescribed in paragraph (a)(6)(iv)(A) of this section; said telegraphic notice shall be received by the Commission and the Designated Examining Authorities not later than the close of business on the day said call is not met;
(C) Shall not extend further credit in the account if the equity in the account falls below that prescribed in paragraph (a)(6)(iii) of this section, and
(D) Shall take steps to liquidate promptly existing positions in the account in the event of a failure to meet a call for equity.
(v) No such carrying broker or dealer shall permit the sum of (A) the deductions required by paragraph (c)(2)(x)(A) of this section in respect of all transactions in market maker accounts guaranteed, indorsed or carried by such broker or dealer pursuant to paragraph (c)(2)(x) of this section and (B) the equity required by paragraph (iii) of this paragraph (a)(6) in respect of all transactions in the accounts of specialists of market makers in options carried by such broker or dealer pursuant to this paragraph (a)(6) to exceed 1,000 percent of such broker's or dealer's net capital as defined in paragraph (c)(2) of this section for any period exceeding five business days; Provided, That solely for purposes of this paragraph (a)(6)(v), deductions or equity required in a specialist or market maker account in respect of positions in fully paid securities (other than options), which do not underlie options listed on the national securities exchange or facility of a national securities association of which the specialist or market marker is a member, need not be recognized. Provided further, That if at any time such sum exceeds 1,000 percent of such broker's or dealer's net capital, then the broker or dealer shall immediately transmit telegraphic notice of such event to the principal office of the Commission in Washington, DC, the regional office of the Commission for the region in which the broker or dealer maintains its principal place of business, and such broker's or dealer's Designated Examining Authority. Provided further, That if at any time such sum exceeds 1,000 percent of such broker's or dealer's net capital, then such broker or dealer shall be subject to the prohibitions against withdrawal of equity capital set forth in paragraph (e) of this section, and to the prohibitions against reduction, prepayment and repayment of subordination agreements set forth in paragraph (b)(11) of §240.15c3-1d, as if such broker or dealer's net capital were below the minimum standards specified by each of the aforementioned paragraphs.
Alternative Net Capital Computation for Broker-Dealers Authorized to Use Models
(7) In accordance with § 240.15c 3-1e, the Commission may approve, in whole or in part, an application or an amendment to an application by a broker or dealer to calculate net capital using the market risk standards of § 240.15c 3-1e to compute a deduction for market risk on some or all of its positions, instead of the provisions of paragraphs (c)(2)(vi) and (vii) of this section, and § 240.15c 3-1b, and using the credit risk standards of § 240.15c 3-1e to compute a deduction for credit risk on certain credit exposures arising from transactions in derivatives instruments, instead of the provisions of paragraphs (c)(2)(iv) and (c)(2)(xv)(A) and (B) of this section, subject to any conditions or limitations on the broker or dealer the Commission may require as necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors. A broker or dealer that has been approved to calculate its net capital under § 240.15c 3-1e must:
(i)
(A) At all times maintain tentative net capital of not less than $5 billion and net capital of not less than the greater of $1 billion or the sum of the ratio requirement under paragraph (a)(1) of this section and:
(1) Two percent of the risk margin amount; or
(2) Four percent or less of the risk margin amount if the Commission issues an order raising the requirement to four percent or less on or after the third anniversary of this section's compliance date; or
(3) Eight percent or less of the risk margin amount if the Commission issues an order raising the requirement to eight percent or less on or after the fifth anniversary of this section's compliance date and the Commission had previously issued an order raising the requirement under paragraph (a)(7)(i)(B) of this section;
(B) If, after considering the capital and leverage levels of brokers or dealers subject to paragraph (a)(7) of this section, as well as the risks of their security-based swap positions, the Commission determines that it may be appropriate to change the percentage pursuant to paragraph (a)(7)(i)(A)(
2) or (
3) of this section, the Commission will publish a notice of the potential change and subsequently will issue an order regarding any such change.
(ii) Provide notice that same day in accordance with §
240.17a-11(g) if the broker's or dealer's tentative net capital is less than $6 billion. The Commission may, upon written application, lower the threshold at which notification is necessary under this paragraph (a)(7)(ii), either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, if a broker or dealer satisfies the Commission that notification at the $6 billion threshold is unnecessary because of, among other factors, the special nature of its business, its financial position, its internal risk management system, or its compliance history; and
(iii) Comply with §240.15c3-4 as though it were an OTC derivatives dealer with respect to all of its business activities, except that paragraphs (c)(5)(xiii), (c)(5)(xiv), (d)(8), and (d)(9) of §240.15c3-4 shall not apply.
(8) Municipal securities brokers' brokers.
(i) A municipal securities brokers' brokers, as defined in subsection (ii) of this paragraph (a)(8), may elect not to be subject to the limitations of paragraph (c)(2)(ix) of this section provided that such brokers' broker complies with the requirements set out in paragraphs (a)(8) (iii), (iv) and (v) of this section.
(ii) The term municipal securities brokers' broker shall mean a municipal securities broker or dealer who acts exclusively as an undisclosed agent in the purchase or sale of municipal securities for a registered broker or dealer or registered municipal securities dealer, who has no "customers" as defined in this rule and who does not have or maintain any municipal securities in its proprietary or other accounts.
(iii) In order to qualify to operate under this paragraph (a)(8), a brokers' broker shall at all times have and maintain net capital of not less than $150,000.
(iv) For purposes of this paragraph (a)(8), a brokers' broker shall deduct from net worth 1% of the contract value of each municipal failed to deliver contract which is outstanding 21 business days or longer. Such deduction shall be increased by any excess of the contract price of the fail to deliver over the market value of the underlying security.
(v) For purposes of this paragraph (a)(8), a brokers' broker may exclude from its aggregate indebtedness computation indebtedness adequately collateralized by municipal securities outstanding for not more than one business day and offset by municipal securities failed to deliver of the same issue and quantity. In no event may a brokers' broker exclude any overnight bank loan attributable to the same municipal securities failed to deliver contract for more than one business day. A brokers' broker need not deduct from net worth the amount by which the market value of securities failed to receive outstanding longer than thirty (30) calendar days exceeds the contract value of those failed to receive as required by Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(iv)(E).
Certain Additional Capital Requirements for Brokers or Dealers Engaging in Reverse Repurchase Agreements
(9) A broker or dealer shall maintain net capital in addition to the amounts required under paragraph (a) of this section in an amount equal to 10 percent of:
(i) The excess of the market value of United States Treasury Bills, Bonds and Notes subject to reverse repurchase agreements with any one party over 105 percent of the contract prices (including accrued interest) for reverse repurchase agreements with that party;
(ii) The excess of the market value of securities issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by an agency of the United States or mortgage related securities as defined in section 3(a)(41) of the Act subject to reverse repurchase agreements with any one party over 110 percent of the contract prices (including accrued interest) for reverse repurchase agreements with that party; and
(iii) The excess of the market value of other securities subject to reverse repurchase agreements with any one party over 120 percent of the contract prices (including accrued interest) for reverse repurchase agreements with that party.
Broker-Dealers Registered as Security-Based Swap Dealers
(10) A broker or dealer registered with the Commission as a security-based swap dealer, other than a broker or dealer subject to the provisions of paragraph (a)(7) of this section, must:
(i)
(A) At all times maintain net capital of not less than the greater of $20 million or the sum of the ratio requirement under paragraph (a)(1) of this section and:
(1) Two percent of the risk margin amount; or
(2) Four percent or less of the risk margin amount if the Commission issues an order raising the requirement to four percent or less on or after the third anniversary of this section's compliance date; or
(3) Eight percent or less of the risk margin amount if the Commission issues an order raising the requirement to eight percent or less on or after the fifth anniversary of this section's compliance date and the Commission had previously issued an order raising the requirement under paragraph (a)(10)(i)(B) of this section;
(B) If, after considering the capital and leverage levels of brokers or dealers subject to paragraph (a)(10) of this section, as well as the risks of their security-based swap positions, the Commission determines that it may be appropriate to change the percentage pursuant to paragraph (a)(10)(i)(A)(
2) or (
3) of this section, the Commission will publish a notice of the potential change and subsequently will issue an order regarding any such change; and
(ii) Comply with § 240.15c 3-4 as though it were an OTC derivatives dealer with respect to all of its business activities, except that paragraphs (c)(5)(xiii) and (xiv), and (d)(8) and (9) of § 240.15c 3-4 shall not apply.