Instinet BlockCross

amendment_reason

This filing amends Part III, Items 8(c) and (e) to add the SEC definition of "Round Lot" to be adopted November 3, 2025. The ATS will follow the Round Lot Tier designations assigned to each NMS stock. Additionally, the ATS will retire functionality that allowed Subscribers to limit their order executions to round lots. Previously, if a Subscriber elected to use this functionality, the ATS automatically rounded down the execution amount for both sides of the potential trade to the nearest hundred shares. The changes herein apply to all Subscribers and the Broker-Dealer Operator.

amendment_reason

This filing amends Part III, Items 4 and 10 to correct the times outside of normal trading hours during which the ATS is available to accept orders. The ATS will accept orders beginning at 5:30 p.m. the night before each trading day and ending at 4:45 p.m. ET each normal trading day. The ATS continues to match and execute orders only during market trading hours. The changes herein apply to all Subscribers and the Broker-Dealer Operator.

ats_name

Instinet BlockCross

order_types

ORDER TYPES: The ATS accepts both "buy" and "sell" orders. BlockCross offers market orders, limit orders, and pegged orders. "Market" is an order to buy or sell immediately at the best available price. "Limit" is an order to buy or sell at a specified price or better. "Pegged" is an order to buy or sell at a price relative to a benchmark reference price. All Subscribers may submit orders to sell "long" or "short," but only broker-dealer Subscribers may submit orders marked "short sale exempt." All of the above listed order types are available across all forms of connectivity to the ATS. All of the above pricing instructions are available for both committed and uncommitted orders and in both AutoEx and Confirm modes. PRIORITY: BlockCross supports two trading modes: AutoEx and Confirm mode (See Part III, Item 11 for a discussion of Trading Modes). Both AutoEx and Confirm modes allow for "committed" and "uncommitted" orders. Orders submitted in any trading mode, whether committed or uncommitted, are executed based on strict time priority, marketability and in accordance with the order's designated trading mode and any Subscriber-selected counterparty restrictions (i.e. for priority purposes, the ATS does not differentiate between orders based on trading mode or whether the order is committed or uncommitted). Additionally, uncommitted orders retain their time priority when converted to and from committed orders. No two orders can enter BlockCross at precisely the same time, so time priority is determined by the actual time an order is received by BlockCross. The ATS does not adjust the time of receipt of pegged orders to account for reference price changes. Except as otherwise noted herein, all orders will retain the original time-stamp received upon entry to the ATS. PRICING INSTRUCTIONS: BlockCross currently supports the following reference prices for pegged orders: (1) Last Executed Price: limit is derived from the last executed trade price as published to the consolidated tape; (2) Volume Weighted Average Price: limit is the trading day's current volume-weighted average price as determined by IMDS; (3) Midpoint: limit is the current midpoint of the NBBO; (4) Market: limit is the current national best offer ("NBO") for buy orders and current national best bid ("NBB") for sell orders; and (5) Primary: limit is the current NBB for buy orders and current NBO for sell orders. The ATS does not adjust the time of receipt of pegged orders to account for reference price changes. Orders pegged to the NBB or NBO may include a peg-offset (e.g., Buy 100 shares XYZ pegged at the NBB plus/minus $.02). For orders priced at $1.00 per share or higher, peg-offsets may only be expressed in whole penny amounts. Orders pegged to the midpoint of the NBBO may not include a peg-offset. COMMITTED AND UNCOMMITTED ORDERS: Subscribers may submit orders to the ATS designated as "committed" or "uncommitted." A committed order is an order submitted by a Subscriber for execution on BlockCross where the shares are unavailable for execution on any other platform. An uncommitted order is a "conditional" order submitted by a Subscriber to BlockCross where the shares underlying the order are being represented at another market center. Uncommitted orders are not executed on BlockCross until BlockCross has verified that the Subscriber's shares are still available. Generally, Subscribers registering trading interest on the Front End may submit both committed and uncommitted orders. Trading interest submitted to the Front End automatically via blotter integration is submitted on an uncommitted basis. TIME IN FORCE: Subscribers that submit orders or trading interest to the Front End for possible matching and execution in BlockCross through a FIX connection may designate their orders as either "day" or immediate or cancel ("IOC"). The IOC instruction is available in both AutoEx and Confirm mode. Orders designated as immediate or cancel may only be submitted as committed orders and are canceled promptly following their submission unless those orders are immediately matched (i.e., against an existing resting order) in BlockCross. In either mode, following an initial match, the matching logic will repeat until the IOC order is fully filled or no longer matches a contra order. Subscribers submitting orders as IOC must set standing instructions regarding the handling of IOC orders following a match (i.e., preselect an amount of time where the matching logic will attempt subsequent matches prior to cancelling the IOC order). By default, BlockCross designates all orders submitted manually to BlockCross by Subscribers using the Desktop Application as "day" orders. BlockCross Subscribers utilizing the Desktop Application may also utilize the following timing options: (1) Automatic cancelation of "day" orders in the event the remaining shares are less than 100 shares after a partial fill; (2) Automatic cancelation of "day" orders that have not received a partial fill from BlockCross within a period of time configurable by the Subscriber (the configured period of time will reset after each partial fill); (3) Automatic cancelation of "day" orders where the Subscriber logs out of or is otherwise disconnected from the Desktop Application, unless the relevant Subscriber has provided a separate standing instruction to the Firm indicating this event should not result in the removal of any orders from the ATS; and (4) Automatic cancelation of "market" orders for Subscribers that have instructed that every order have a limit and the Subscriber has submitted an order through the Front End without a limit. Subscribers not electing to utilize the Desktop Application may also include the following timing options: (1) Automatic cancelation of "day" orders in the event the remaining shares are less than 100 shares after a partial fill; (2) Automatic cancelation of "day" orders in the event that the connectivity between the Subscriber's systems and the ATS or Front End, as applicable, is disconnected; (3) Automatic cancelation of "day" orders that have not received a partial fill from BlockCross within a period of time configurable by the Subscriber (the configured period of time will reset after each partial fill); and (4) Automatic cancelation of "market" orders for Subscribers that have instructed that every order have a limit and the Subscriber has submitted an order through the Front End without a limit. BlockCross treats all uncommitted orders as "day" orders. However, if the ATS is informed that the shares underlying an uncommitted order have been removed from the Subscriber's blotter, the ATS will cancel the relevant uncommitted order. ORDER MODIFICATION: Subscribers may modify, replace, or cancel their orders at their discretion. Except as noted below, modifications to a Subscriber order (e.g. switching trading modes for a specific order or changing the orders designation as committed or uncommitted) do not affect the order's priority. Orders that are cancelled will not maintain their original priority. As described in Part III, Item 8 below, BlockCross has certain minimum size requirements. In the event a Subscriber enters an order or trading interest in Confirm Mode, in a quantity below the required minimum, and subsequently raises the share quantity to a value at or above the minimum size requirement, that order will not retain its original priority. ROUTABILITY: Subscribers may route orders through the Front End to the ATS and to other market centers, including other alternative trading systems operated by ILLC. Subscribers may elect to represent in the ATS, on a conditional basis, trading interest routed to another market center (i.e., submit an uncommitted order to the ATS where "firm" trading interest has been submitted to another market center). Where eligible contra-side interest exists, the ATS will request that the Front End "confirm" an uncommitted order in the ATS. Following such a confirmation, the ATS will release any unexecuted shares back to the Front End, which may route those shares to another market center, including other alternative trading systems operated by ILLC. The ATS is not involved in any such routing determinations.

pricing_methodology

The ATS consumes the Securities Information Processor feed (SIP) for matching purposes as well as for Activity Alerts, Subscriber Generated IOIs, and Agency IOIs. The SIP data feeds are combined by an ILLC market data consolidator that sits outside of the ATS and calculates a consolidated NBBO based on the SIP. The ATS utilizes the NBBO to price, prioritize and execute orders as described in Part III, Item 11. The ATS is designed to operate in compliance with all applicable rules and regulations (e.g., Reg NMS, Reg SHO, etc.). The ATS can also use market data from the SIP to interpret any condition disseminated by the marketplace (e.g. Limit Up/Limit Down bands).

counterparty_selection

Institutional Subscribers may elect to only interact with other institutional Subscribers in confirm mode. This functionality is not available in AutoEx Mode. By default, orders submitted by a Subscriber will be prevented from interacting with orders from the same Subscriber ("Self-Crossing Prevention"). All Subscribers may elect to permit self-crossing, and/or to prevent interacting with one or more of their affiliates in any trading mode.

financial_condition_summary

ILLC charges Direct Subscribers to the ATS on a per share basis. ILLC does not charge Subscribers access fees (e.g. monthly access fees, hookup fees, port fees, or connection fees). Fees charged for executions within the ATS are not standardized. For Direct Subscriber order flow to the ATS, Subscribers are charged a commission in the range of $0 - $0.02 per share for executions in the ATS. The fee associated with the ATS may vary within the ranges above based on the Direct Subscriber's trading volume and or the level of service required by each client, including, but not limited to, whether a client will utilize ILLC execution services, research services, analytics tools, Instinet Algorithms, or OMS/EMS systems. Additionally, the level of custom modifications to each product requested by the client may impact pricing. ILLC is assessed certain Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT) regulatory fees relating to trading on the ATS as an execution venue. In each transaction on the ATS where the buying and selling Subscribers are brokers, or the buying Subscriber is an institution and the selling Subscriber is a broker, INCA is identified as the CAT Executing Broker for the buyer and the Subscriber is reported as the CAT Executing Broker for the seller. FINRA assesses CAT fees (i) on ILLC, on behalf of the buying Subscriber, and (ii) directly on the selling Subscriber. If the buying Subscriber has a cost-plus pricing arrangement with ILLC, ILLC passes through to the buying Subscriber the CAT-related fees that ILLC is assessed on behalf of the buying Subscriber. In each transaction on the ATS where the buying and selling Subscribers are both institutions, or the buying Subscriber is a broker and the selling Subscriber is an institution, INCA is identified as the CAT Executing Broker for both the Buyer and the Seller. FINRA assesses CAT fees on ILLC for both the Buyer and the Seller. In this case, ILLC will pass through the CAT fees to Subscribers that utilize the Cost Plus Model.

conflict_description

Instinet Incorporated ("Instinet") operates through locally registered brokerage entities worldwide. "Instinet-branded" affiliates outside of the United States (collectively, the "Instinet BD Affiliates") send their clients" orders in U.S. symbols to ILLC for execution. Orders sent by the Instinet BD Affiliates to ILLC may be routed to, and receive executions in the ATS. ILLC utilizes the INCA MPID, with the exceptions noted above. The Instinet BD Affiliates do not have their own MPIDs. Affiliates that have had orders executed in the ATS since the effective date of the initial Form ATS-N: Instinet Australia PTY Limited - broker-dealer, agency, no MPID Instinet Canada Limited - broker-dealer, agency, no MPID Instinet Europe Limited - broker-dealer, agency, no MPID Instinet Pacific Limited - broker-dealer, agency, no MPID Instinet Singapore Services Private Limited, broker-dealer, agency, no MPID Instinet Germany GmbH - broker-dealer, agency, no MPID Nomura Securities International, Inc. ("NSI") is a U.S. entity engaged in investment advisory and broker-dealer activities, and is a client of ILLC. NSI places orders with ILLC that may be routed to the ATS for execution. NSI acts in a principal and agency capacity and its MPID is NMRA. Additional affiliates within the Nomura financial services group (the "Nomura Group Affiliates") may place orders with NSI or another entity that has a client relationship with ILLC. Such orders may be routed to ILLC for further handling and may subsequently be routed to, and receive executions in, the ATS. The Nomura Group Affiliates may act in a principal or agency capacity. No Nomura-branded affiliates have had orders executed in the ATS since the effective date of the initial Form ATS-N. The Broker-Dealer Operator will update this list as necessary to (1) add any Affiliate that newly executes orders in the ATS, and (2) remove any entity that ceases to be an Affiliate of the Broker-Dealer Operator. Please note the above does not represent an exhaustive listing of all Affiliates that have the ability to enter or direct the entry of orders and trading interest into the ATS through ILLC.

compliance_officer

BACKGROUND AND SCOPE: ILLC's primary system comprises an integrated core messaging system with numerous applications providing, reading, and consuming data messages from the core messaging system (the "ILLC Core"). ILLC's systems used to support its agency broker-dealer business primarily run on the ILLC Core. ILLC maintains policies and procedures designed to safeguard the confidential trading information of Subscribers as well as virtual barriers to prevent unauthorized access to such information. The ILLC Core is the conduit through which firm-wide order information is processed (e.g., agency broker-dealer order and execution information and certain ATS order information). All orders routed to the ATS pass through or are drop copied to the ILLC Core. Each application on the ILLC Core subscribes to different message types and is permissioned to subscribe only to the message types necessary for its designated function. For example, the Instinet Trading Products (Instinet Algorithms, SOR, and OMS/EMS) are subscribed to utilize messages regarding the orders routed by the relevant product, including where orders were routed and/or executed, which may include the ATS or any other market center. Except for a real-time, continuous data feed provided from the Main Session of the CBX ATS, a separate ATS operated by the broker-dealer operator, to the SOR, the Instinet Trading Products may not access data messages on the ILLC Core related to other ILLC functions, including data messages related to the ATS generally, Direct Subscriber orders, ATS order priority, or counterparty information. The ATS consists of standalone hardware comprising dedicated servers (collectively the "ATS System") and software applications separate from the ILLC systems described above. The connection between the ILLC Core and the ATS System is limited. Instinet Trading Products, housed on the ILLC Core may access the ATS and, by extension, the ATS System through FIX connections, similar to any external market center. Additionally, ATS order and execution information is periodically copied onto the ILLC Core, as further discussed below. EMPLOYEES WITH ACCESS TO ATS CONFIDENTIAL TRADING INFORMATION: Instinet does not have any employees solely responsible for the ATS. The employees described in response to Part II, Item 6(a) have access to confidential trading information. These employees are prohibited from sharing any confidential trading information with persons not expressly permissioned to receive such information under Instinet policy, as described in Part II, Item 7(a). SYSTEMS WITH ACCESS TO ATS CONFIDENTIAL TRADING INFORMATION - DIRECT SUBSCRIBER: SUPPORT TOOLS: Instinet maintains support tools (i.e., applications) specific to the ATS System (the "Support Tools") designed to allow permissioned employees the ability to view certain types of data necessary to the performance of the employee's job function. As discussed below, ILLC grants employees access to the Support Tools necessary to perform their responsibilities and in line with ILLC's Regulation ATS WSPs. ILLC may permission employees with full access to the Support Tools. Full access allows a permissioned employee to view and manage all data on the ATS System, including open orders in the ATS. Permissioned employees will also have the ability to cancel orders in the ATS. Permissioned employees may also view each order's status (e.g. whether the order has been matched, exposed via the Subscriber IOI functionality, or has been routed out of the ATS via an Instinet Algorithm). Permissioned employees may also edit standing instructions on how the ATS System should handle each order that a Subscriber submits. Full access to the Support Tools is limited to personnel supporting the operations of the ATS System and compliance supervisory personnel. Employees responsible for operating the ATS System include Operations and Technology Personnel. ILLC may also permission employees with read-only access to the Support Tools. Such employees can view all data described in the preceding paragraph, but they may not cancel orders or make any changes to standing instructions. Read-only access to the Support Tools is limited to Operations, Compliance, Technology, and ETP Personnel. DESKTOP APPLICATION: The Desktop Application can transmit Subscribers' confidential trading information to the extent orders or trading interest is entered into the Front End or receives executions in the ATS. Users with access to the Desktop Application may only access ATS data and cannot use the Desktop Application to access data from another Instinet ATS. ILLC may permission employees may with live access to the Desktop Application on a client-by-client basis. Such permissioned employees may view client orders, including open orders in the ATS specific to a given client. Permissioned employees may also view each order's status (e.g. whether the order has been matched, exposed via the Subscriber IOI functionality, or has been routed out of the ATS via an Instinet Algorithm). Technology and ETP Personnel responsible for customer support as well as Operations and compliance personnel may be permissioned, on a client-by-client basis, to access confidential trading information in this manner. Such personnel provide clients technology and order routing and execution support and, accordingly, are responsible for addressing Subscriber inquiries related to orders or trading interest that has been submitted to the Front End or has been executed in the ATS. Sales and Trading Personnel may also be permissioned, on a client-by-client basis, to access the Desktop Application to provide order and execution support and analytics to clients who request it. ILLC may permission employees may to access the Desktop Application on a post-execution basis, which allows a permissioned employee to view orders that have been executed in the ATS, including the identity of the parties to each trade. Access to the post-execution view is limited to Technology and ETP Personnel responsible for customer support as well as Operations and compliance personnel. Sales and Trading Personnel may also be permissioned to access the Executions Support Tool to provide post-execution support and analytics to clients who request it. PHYSICAL ACCESS: The data on the ATS System is accessible through direct access to the ATS System servers and databases. ILLC limits physical access to the ATS System servers and data bases to employees responsible for operating the system and further limits access to employees performing necessary IT functions. The ATS System servers and databases are housed in locked rooms requiring keycard access. Entry and exit are monitored via video surveillance. CONNECTION TO ILLC SYSTEMS: Drop copies of ATS orders and executions are sent to the Core Messaging System at the end of each day in a single large batch file delivered after the close of trading. Each copy contains all relevant trade data for each order. ATS order information that has been drop copied to the Core Messaging System. However, the ATS System uses a dedicated FIX connection to transmit ATS execution information to the Core Messaging System, in real time, for the purposes of the clearance and settlement of transactions occurring in the ATS. SYSTEMS WITH ACCESS TO ATS CONFIDENTIAL TRADING INFORMATION -- DIRECT SUBSCRIBER: ILLC data messages are periodically written to a database for storage and retention (the "Core Database"). ATS orders and executions that have been copied to the Core Messaging System will also be written to the Core Database. This information includes both Direct and Indirect Subscriber order and execution information, as well as other ILLC data. Instinet maintains certain support tools, which allow a user to query the Core Database for the purposes of monitoring, reporting, and testing the Instinet systems and applications, including the ATS (the "Support Tools"). Access to the Support Tools is limited to personnel supporting the operations of the Core Messaging System and related databases and compliance supervisory personnel. Employees responsible for operating the Core Messaging System include Operations and Technology Personnel and ETP Personnel whose responsibilities include the operation of the ATS. Members of the Liquidity Venues Team are permissioned to access Subscriber order and execution information. ATS data, including Direct and Indirect Subscriber order and execution information, is a subset of the data retained on the Core Database. Personnel whose responsibilities include the operations of the ATS and related systems or its compliance with applicable rules, may be permissioned to access Subscriber order and execution information via the Support Tools. Other personnel may be permissioned for access to the Support Tools, but will be prevented from accessing Subscriber confidential trading information. ILLC reviews and permissions employees for access to the Support Tools in accordance with the policies and procedures outlined in Part II, Item 7(a) (ii) below. ILLC limits physical access to its servers and databases to employees responsible for operating the system and generally further limits access to employees performing necessary IT functions. Instinet servers and databases are housed in locked rooms requiring keycard access. Entry and exit are monitored via video surveillance. ILLC reviews and permissions employees for physical access to Instinet's servers and databases in accordance with the policies and procedures outlined in Part II, Item 7(a) (ii) below. ILLC SYSTEMS WITH ACCESS TO INDIRECT SUBSCRIBER CONFIDENTIAL TRADING INFORMATION: The Newport OMS and Instinet Algorithms can transmit Subscribers' confidential trading information to the extent orders are managed by the Newport OMS or routed through an Instinet Algorithm. Data related to Indirect Subscriber orders managed by the Newport OMS or routed through an Instinet Algorithm is accessible through certain GUIs that can disseminate information regarding the destination market center for a given order (e.g., the ATS) and whether a previously routed order was executed or cancelled. Through the Newport OMS, Technology and ETP Personnel who support the Instinet Algorithms or the OMS utilized may access real-time and post-trade Indirect Subscriber order and execution information routed or managed through the relevant strategy or OMS (Direct Subscriber order and execution information will not pass through an Instinet OMS or the Instinet Algorithms). Sales and Trading Personnel may also be permissioned, based on client coverage, to access real-time and post-trade order and execution via the Newport OMS. Note, certain members of the Electronic Sales Trading component group of the ILLC trading desk are considered client coverage for all clients utilizing the Instinet Algorithms. The information available to such support or trading personnel is provided by systems supporting the relevant strategy or OMS and does not include information regarding an order's priority or status in the ATS or another market center. Information regarding ATS orders and executions that do not relate to the relevant strategy or were not managed by the OMS is not transmitted by these systems. SUBSCRIBER CONFIDENTIAL TRADING INFORMATION SAFEGUARDS: ILLC requires permissioned logins to access Instinet Systems. Additionally, Instinet's global cyber security efforts, including measures to detect and prevent unauthorized access to Instinet systems, apply to ILLC and its affiliates, including the operation of the ATS. Relevant Principals and Supervisors must approve employee access to Instinet systems, including the ATS and the applications with the ability to access Subscriber confidential trading information outlined above. SEPARATION: ILLC has implemented virtual information barriers to separate ATS data from other ILLC data and, in turn, separate personnel and systems with access to Subscriber confidential trading information from those not permitted to access such information. ACCESS TO DIRECT SUBSCRIBER INFORMATION: Employees seeking to access the systems that may transmit or disseminate Direct Subscriber information (see above section titled Systems with Access to Direct Subscriber Confidential Trading Information) must receive approval from the ATS Operations Principal. In reviewing such requests, the ATS Operations Principal considers factors including the employee's current role and whether the employee performs a function related to the operations of the ATS and related systems or its compliance with applicable rules that requires access to Direct Subscriber information. An employee's request for access may be denied if, based on the ATS Operations Principal's review: (1) the employee's stated job function does not relate to the operations of the ATS and related systems or its compliance with applicable rules, (2) the employee has requested a type of permissioning (see below) that is too broad for the employee's stated job function, or (3) the employee can perform their stated duties without such access. If an employee changes roles, the ATS Operations Principal will adjust the employee's access to appropriately reflect the employee's new role. Based on this review, the ATS Operations Principal or delegate may revoke, suspend, or modify access. Decisions to approve access are subject to a periodic review pursuant to ILLC's Regulation ATS written supervisory procedures ("WSPs") described below. On a monthly basis, the ATS Operations Principal or delegate conducts a review to confirm the appropriateness of user access to Subscriber confidential trading information, including verification that users whose roles have changed and/or, employees who have been inactive, transferred or terminated have their permissioned access modified accordingly. Based on this review, the ATS Operations Principal or delegate may revoke, suspend, or modify access. ACCESS TO INDIRECT SUBSCRIBER INFORMATION: Employees seeking to access the systems that may transmit or disseminate Indirect Subscriber information (see above section entitled Systems with Access to Indirect Subscriber Confidential Trading Information) may be permissioned to do so on an as needed basis. PERSONAL TRADING RESTRICTIONS: Instinet Incorporated maintains an Employee Investment Policy (the "EIP") which covers employees of all U.S. subsidiaries, and includes employees supporting the ATS. The EIP is designed to encourage long-term investments and prohibits employees from engaging in day-trading activities. Instinet prohibits all employees, including those with access to Subscriber confidential trading information, from trading based on non-public, or other confidential information. The EIP requires employees to maintain EIP covered accounts at specified brokers that have agreed to provide Instinet daily trading information for employee personal accounts. EIP covered securities are subject to a 15-day holding period. Prior to entering any trades in a personal account covered by the EIP, employees must enter a trade approval request via the Personal Trading Control Center ("PTCC") tool and receive an approval from both their supervisor and PTCC group. The PTCC tool requires the employee to certify that the employee: (1) is not in possession of any material non-public information concerning the security or commodity the employee proposes to buy or sell; (2) does not know of a pending customer trade nor of a pending research report in the security or commodity; (3) is not engaging in personal trading activity that violates Instinet's policies and procedures, including the Code of Ethics, or any duties owed to Instinet or its clients; (4) has reviewed Instinet's restricted list and the proposed transaction is not on the restricted list; (5) has confirmed that the proposed transaction meets the holding period requirement; (6) agrees that the proposed transaction must be effected on the same day on which approval is given; and (7) has confirmed that the proposed transaction(s) does not involve the purchase of an initial public offering (IPO) or any other type of new equity issue. In approving or denying such a request, supervisors may review the employee's trades for any unusual activity, possible front-running customer trades or research, or conflicts with any of Instinet's businesses. In addition, supervisors consider whether transactions are appropriate, given the employee's economic status and investment experience and whether the transactions are of such a frequency that they may distract the employee from his or her responsibilities at Instinet. Separately, the Compliance Department reviews personal trades daily and consults with managers if irregularities are identified. Generally, if an approval for an employee trade is given, it remains in force for the trading day in which it was received. Once an employee receives written confirmation approving a covered transaction, the employee may enter a trade in that symbol. Employee supervisors review each employee's trading activity on a post trade basis and check for irregularities and potential red flags. In the event any irregularities or red flags are discovered, supervisors are to escalate the matter to Instinet management and the ILLC Chief Compliance Officer. Instinet, in its discretion, may take any action against an employee found to have violated the EIP, up to and including termination. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND INSIDER TRADING: Instinet Incorporated maintains a policy regarding confidential information and insider trading which covers employees of all U.S. subsidiaries, including employees supporting the ATS. Employees must not disclose any confidential information to anyone who is not authorized by Instinet to receive it pursuant to these policies and may not use such information, other than in the course of their employment and in connection with the performance of the duties for which access to such information has been granted. Accordingly, employees may not use confidential information to: (1) trade securities for their own accounts, accounts in which they have a direct or indirect beneficial interest, or accounts over which they can exercise control; or (2) advise relatives, friends, or other persons about possible securities transactions. Nor may employees authorize anyone else to disclose or use confidential information in a manner that would violate these prohibitions. WRITTEN PROCEDURES: ILLC's Regulation ATS WSPs provide specific guidelines for the initial review and approval process, as well as the ongoing evaluation of, employee access to ATS data. Prior to granting any employee access to Instinet's systems, including the ATS and the applications with the ability to access Subscriber confidential trading information must review and document each employee's level and type of access requested, the role and responsibilities of the employee, and the purpose for which access was requested. On a monthly basis, employee access is reviewed by the ATS Supervisor to determine whether their level of access to Instinet's systems, including the ATS and the applications with the ability to access Subscriber confidential trading information remains appropriate. The ATS Supervisor must document each review and the changes made, if any, to employee access. Periodically, the Internal Audit group reviews the ATS operations generally. Such reviews typically include testing the ATS WSPs, assessing the ATS Supervisor's review of employee access, and confirming that each review has been properly documented.

hours_of_operation

The ATS accepts orders from 5:30 p.m. ET the night before each trading day through 4:45 p.m. ET each normal trading day. The ATS matches and executes orders from 9:30 a.m. ET to 4 p.m. ET on normal trading days. During market holidays or shortened trading days this period of operation will be amended. Orders received when the ATS is not in operation are rejected and open orders, if any, are canceled back at the end of trading hours.

display_best_quotes

All orders submitted to the ATS pass through the Front End system. Where an order passes through the Front End, including where a previously submitted order is modified, the terms of such order, including the identity of the Subscriber submitting the order, are displayed to the Front End. The Front End also receives messages indicating when an order has been executed in the ATS (in whole or in part) and where an order has been cancelled (in whole or in part). Additionally, the Front End receives messages related to the status of conditional trading interest, including: (1) where an uncommitted order has been changed to a committed order; (2) System Matches of trading interest (e.g., requests to "firm up" in Confirm Mode) and Subscriber responses; (3) Preliminary Matches of trading interest submitted in AutoEx Mode and Subscriber responses (e.g. matches involving uncommitted orders). ACTIVITY ALERTS: Activity Alerts display only symbol and side of the contra-side interest and are only received by Desktop Application Users. Activity Alerts are only displayed to Subscribers. CONFIRM MODE: System Matches of trading interest (e.g., requests to "firm up" in Confirm Mode) display only symbol and side of the contra-side interest and are only received by Desktop Application Users. System Matches are only displayed to Subscribers and remain displayed for no more than 30 seconds. SUBSCRIBER GENERATED IOIS: Subscriber Generated IOIs are displayed to the market participants listed in Part III, Item 9 and to Subscribers utilizing the Desktop Application. Subscriber Generated IOIs are displayed as "BLKX" on Bloomberg and NYSE's ioinet and include symbol and side but the identity of the Subscriber sending the IOI is not displayed. IOIs received by Subscribers utilizing the Desktop Application display only symbol and side. Subscribers may elect to send an IOI once, or may elect to have the system resend the IOI, at intervals that must be at least 30 minutes long. AGENCY IOIS: The Agency IOI functionality does not allow for any Subscriber name, order or trade position information to flow from the Front End to the ILLC agency trading desk. However, as described in response to Part III, Item 9, the ILLC agency trading desk is aware of the identity of Subscribers that are eligible to receive Agency IOIs. Subscribers will remain eligible to receive Agency IOIs unless the Subscriber elects to no longer receive such IOIs. Subscribers receiving an Agency IOI would receive a "pop-up" message on their Desktop Application alerting the Subscriber to the trading opportunity. The "pop-up" message displays to the receiving Subscriber symbol, side, and size of the trading opportunity. Other than the functionalities described above and in response to Part III, Items 9 and 11, orders are not displayed.

execution_services

The ATS does not perform an opening or reopening cross. The ATS opens for trading on a security-by-security basis. Trading in a security begins once the ATS has received a last sale eligible print in a security, during regular market hours, as reported by the SIP. Once the ATS receives a last sale eligible print in a security, the ATS applies the standard prioritization, matching, and execution rules noted in Part III Item 11(c). For priority purposes, an order's receipt time is the actual time of receipt by the ATS, regardless of whether an order is received prior, or during, regular trading hours (e.g., an order received at 2:30 a.m. ET has priority over an order received at 6:00 a.m. ET, and both orders have priority over an order received at 9:45 a.m. ET). When the ATS has received a notice that a security is subject to a regulatory halt, the ATS automatically halts trading in the security. The ATS does not cancel open order interest and continues to accept orders in a halted security. Order time of receipt, for priority purposes, is the time the order was actually received by the ATS system, and is not impacted by a trading halt (unless the trading halt delays the ATS' receipt of the relevant order). The ATS will resume trading in the security once it receives notice that the regulatory halt has been lifted. Activity Alerts are not generated until the security has opened for trading on the ATS. Subscribers may generate Subscriber Generated IOIs, and receive Agency IOIs even if the security has not opened for trading on the ATS.