17 CFR § 31.11 - Disclosure.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (i) of this section, prior to the opening of a leverage customer account, a leverage transaction merchant soliciting an order for any leverage contract shall furnish to the prospective leverage customer a dated Disclosure Document and receive from such prospective leverage customer a signed and dated copy of the risk disclosure statement contained in such document which acknowledges that the customer received and understood the Disclosure Document. The Disclosure Document shall contain then current information with respect to the leverage contract being offered by the person soliciting the order therefor, and shall contain:
(1) The following bold-faced risk disclosure statement in at least ten-point type on the first page of the Disclosure Document:
BECAUSE OF THE UNPREDICTABLE NATURE OF THE PRICES OF PRECIOUS AND OTHER METALS, LEVERAGE CONTRACTS INVOLVE A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK AND ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR MANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THE LEVERAGE CUSTOMER SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE VALUE OF A LEVERAGE CONTRACT ORIGINALLY PURCHASED BY A CUSTOMER (“LONG LEVERAGE CONTRACT”) MUST EXCEED THE BREAK-EVEN PRICE BEFORE IT IS POSSIBLE TO REALIZE A PROFIT ON THE CONTRACT. SIMILARLY, THE VALUE OF A LEVERAGE CONTRACT ORIGINALLY SOLD BY A LEVERAGE CUSTOMER (“SHORT LEVERAGE CONTRACT”) MUST BE LESS THAN THE BREAK-EVEN PRICE BEFORE IT IS POSSIBLE TO REALIZE A PROFIT ON THE CONTRACT. A FILLED IN VERSION OF THE CUSTOMER CONFIRMATION STATEMENT REFLECTING A SINGLE TRANSACTION IN A REPRESENTATIVE LEVERAGE COMMODITY FOR A LONG LEVERAGE TRANSACTION AND A SHORT LEVERAGE TRANSACTION WHICH INCLUDES A FORMULA FOR CALCULATING AN ESTIMATE OF THE LEVERAGE CONTRACT'S BREAK-EVEN VALUE IS ATTACHED TO THIS DOCUMENT. THIS IS IN THE SAME FORMAT AS THE CONFIRMATION STATEMENT YOU WILL RECEIVE TO CONFIRM YOUR ACTUAL TRANSACTION. BE CERTAIN THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THIS STATEMENT BEFORE YOU ENTER INTO A LEVERAGE TRANSACTION.
YOU SHOULD ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CHARGES FOR SIMILAR LEVERAGE CONTRACTS WHICH ARE REFLECTED ON THE FILLED-IN CONFIRMATION STATEMENT AS ESTIMATED MAY VARY AMONG LEVERAGE FIRMS, AND THAT SUCH FIRMS HAVE COMPLETE DISCRETION IN SETTING THEIR CHARGES AND THE PRICE OF THE LEVERAGE CONTRACTS THEY OFFER. PRIOR TO ENTERING INTO ANY LEVERAGE CONTRACT A PROSPECTIVE LEVERAGE CUSTOMER SHOULD COMPARE THE CHARGES AND PRICES OF SUCH FIRMS WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE COMMISSIONS FOR AND PRICES OF FUTURES CONTRACTS TRADED ON DESIGNATED EXCHANGES.
YOU SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT YOU ARE SUBJECT TO MARGIN CALLS. THE LEVERAGE FIRM RESERVES THE RIGHT TO LIQUIDATE YOUR POSITION IF YOU DO NOT RESPOND TO A MARGIN CALL WITHIN THE TIME SPECIFIED IN YOUR LEVERAGE AGREEMENT. IN ANY EVENT, IF THE EQUITY IN YOUR CONTRACT AT ANY TIME FALLS BELOW 50% OF THE MINIMUM MARGIN, YOUR CONTRACT MAY BE LIQUIDATED WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. YOU MUST, HOWEVER, BE NOTIFIED OF LIQUIDATION WITHIN NO MORE THAN 24 HOURS THEREAFTER AND PERMITTED TO REESTABLISH YOUR CONTRACT FOR A PERIOD OF 5 BUSINESS DAYS. LEVERAGE CONTRACTS PURCHASED FROM A LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT ARE RE-ESTABLISHED AT THE THEN PREVAILING BID PRICE AND LEVERAGE CONTRACTS SOLD TO A LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT ARE RE-ESTABLISHED AT THE THEN PREVAILING ASK PRICE WITHOUT COMMISSIONS, FEES OR OTHER MARK-UPS OR CHARGES UNDER RULES SET BY THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION, AS MORE COMPLETELY DESCRIBED IN THIS DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT. IN CASE OF LIQUIDATION, ALL OF YOUR FUNDS MAY BE USED TO SETTLE THE DEFICIT IN THE ACCOUNT, AND YOU MAY BE LIABLE FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO SETTLE IN FULL.
IF YOU ARE A FIRST-TIME LEVERAGE CUSTOMER, YOU MAY RESCIND YOUR FIRST LEVERAGE TRANSACTION SUBJECT ONLY TO ACTUAL PRICE LOSSES BUT OTHERWISE WITHOUT PENALTY FOR THREE BUSINESS DAYS FOLLOWING AND INCLUDING THE DAY OF RECEIPT OF THE CONFIRMATION.
YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT IN ORDER TO REALIZE ANY VALUE FROM A LONG LEVERAGE CONTRACT, THE LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT WHICH SOLD YOU THE LEVERAGE CONTRACT MUST REPURCHASE IT, OR YOU MUST PAY THE LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT THE FULL PURCHASE PRICE FOR THE LEVERAGE CONTRACT, TAKE DELIVERY OF THE LEVERAGE COMMODITY, AND THEN SELL THE LEVERAGE COMMODITY, POSSIBLY AT A LOWER PRICE THAN THE PRICE PAID TO PURCHASE THE LEVERAGE COMMODITY FROM THE LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT. YOU SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT IN ORDER TO REALIZE ANY VALUE FROM A SHORT LEVERAGE CONTRACT, THE LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT TO WHICH YOU SOLD THE LEVERAGE CONTRACT MUST RESELL IT TO YOU, OR YOU MUST ACQUIRE THE LEVERAGE COMMODITY IN ORDER TO MAKE DELIVERY TO THE LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT, POSSIBLY AT A HIGHER PRICE THAN THE PRICE YOU WILL RECEIVE FROM THE LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT.
THERE IS NO MARKET FOR THE LEVERAGE CONTRACT ITSELF OTHER THAN TO HAVE IT REPURCHASED BY OR RESOLD TO THE LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT. A LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO OFFER TO REPURCHASE OR RESELL A LEVERAGE CONTRACT AT ALL TIMES, ALTHOUGH THE LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT MUST OFFER TO REPURCHASE ANY LONG LEVERAGE CONTRACT PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED BY A LEVERAGE CUSTOMER AND MUST ALSO OFFER TO RESELL ANY SHORT LEVERAGE CONTRACT PREVIOUSLY SOLD BY A LEVERAGE CUSTOMER AT ANY TIME DURING WHICH THE LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT IS OFFERING TO ENTER INTO NEW LONG OR SHORT LEVERAGE CONTRACTS WITH CUSTOMERS INVOLVING THE SAME LEVERAGE COMMODITY. AS NOTED ABOVE, HOWEVER, A LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT HAS COMPLETE DISCRETION IN SETTING THE PRICE AND ANY CHARGES RELATED THERETO.
THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION HAS NOT PASSED UPON THE MERITS OF THESE LEVERAGE CONTRACTS AS AN INVESTMENT VEHICLE NOR UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A VIOLATION OF THE COMMODITY EXCHANGE ACT AND THE REGULATIONS THEREUNDER.
(2) Immediately following the statement required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section, a section, captioned “Provisions of Leverage Contract” in at least ten point type, containing the terms and conditions of the leverage contract being offered. This information must be provided in the order specified in paragraphs (a)(2) (i) through (xi) of this section, with a clear demarcation or separation between each item according to the paragraph of the section to which it corresponds, and include:
(i) The duration or expiration date of the leverage contract;
(ii) The distinguishing characteristics of the contract and of the leverage commodity, including, in particular, those characteristics of the leverage commodity enumerated in § 31.4(g)(1)–(4) of this part;
(iii) A description of the following charges for each leverage contract:
(A) Initial charges;
(B) Carrying charges;
(C) Termination charges;
(iv) A description of the bid and ask prices of each leverage contract;
(v) An explanation of the margins applicable to each leverage contract, including, as required, initial margins, minimum margins and maintenance margins;
(vi) A description of the leverage customer's responsibilities with respect to margin calls, including the timing of such calls and, if applicable, the circumstances under which, time after which, and the order in which the leverage transaction merchant may, consistent with § 31.18 liquidate a customer's position in the leverage contract;
(vii) A description of the manner in which a leverage customer may seek to have a leverage contract repurchased or resold by the leverage transaction merchant, including an explanation of the procedure to be followed by the leverage transaction merchant to effect such repurchase or resale and the manner in which the repurchase or resale price is determined;
(viii) A statement to the effect that other persons may be unwilling to buy from the leverage customer the leverage commodity that is deliverable on the leverage contract without first requiring an inspection or assay at the expense of the leverage customer; a statement to the effect that the leverage transaction merchant may be unwilling to accept delivery and pay for such leverage commodity without first requiring an inspection or assay at the expense of the leverage customer; and a description of any other requirements for the delivery of a leverage commodity by a leverage customer to a leverage transaction merchant in connection with a short leverage contract;
(ix) A clear explanation of any force majeure clauses pertaining to each leverage contract;
(x) A description of any material risks not included in the statements required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section; and
(xi) An identification of the commercial or retail cash price series filed in accordance with § 31.6, along with clearly specified premiums and discounts, if applicable, which the leverage customer or prospective leverage customer can use to evaluate a leverage contract and a widely available source from which such price quotes may be obtained on a timely basis.
(3) A filled-in version of the customer Confirmation Statement in the format specified by the Commission for a representative single long leverage contract and a representative single short leverage contract which includes a formula which can be used to estimate the break-even price.
(4)
(i) The name, address of the main business office, main business telephone number and form of organization of the leverage transaction merchant. If the address of the main business office is a post office box number, the leverage transaction merchant must state where its books and records will be kept;
(ii) The name of each principal of the leverage transaction merchant;
(iii) The business background, for the five years preceding the date of the statement, of:
(A) The leverage transaction merchant; and
(B) Each principal of the leverage transaction merchant.
(5)
(i) A statement whether any principal of the leverage transaction merchant has entered into or intends to enter into long or short leverage contracts for his own account and, if so, whether leverage customers will be permitted to inspect the records of that person's trades; and
(ii) If principals of the leverage transaction merchant will not enter into or do not intend to enter into long or short leverage contracts for their own account, the leverage transaction merchant must so state with respect to each principal.
(6)
(i) Any material administrative or civil action involving any activity or conduct, or related to any statute, set forth in sections 8a(2) or 8a(3) of the Act, or any material criminal action brought within the five years preceding the date of the document against the leverage transaction merchant or any principal of the leverage transaction merchant; and
(ii) If there has been no such action against any of the foregoing persons, the leverage transaction merchant must make a statement to that effect with respect to each such person.
(b)
(1) If the leverage transaction merchant knows or should know that the Disclosure Document is materially inaccurate or incomplete in any respect, it must correct that defect and must distribute the correction to:
(i) All existing leverage customers within 30 calendar days after the date upon which the leverage transaction merchant first knows or has reason to know of the defect; and
(ii) Each prospective leverage customer prior to opening an account for such person.
(2) The leverage transaction merchant may not use the document until such correction is made.
(c) The leverage transaction merchant must date each document and amendment thereto as of the date it is first used.
(d) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section, all information contained in the document must be current as of the date of the document.
(e)
(1) The leverage transaction merchant must file with the National Futures Association three copies and with the Commission at its Washington, DC headquarters, Attn: Secretariat, one copy of the document for each leverage contract that it offers or that it intends to offer not less than 21 calendar days prior to the date the leverage transaction merchant first intends to furnish the document to a prospective leverage customer. The leverage transaction merchant must specify with the filing the date it first intends to deliver the document to a prospective leverage customer;
(2) Subject to paragraphs (h) and (m) of this section, the leverage transaction merchant must file with the National Futures Association three copies and with the Commission at its Washington, DC headquarters, Attn: Secretariat, one copy of all subsequent amendments to the document for each leverage contract that it offers or that it intends to offer within 30 calendar days after the date upon which the leverage transaction merchant first knows or has reason to know of the defect requiring the amendment.
(f) This section does not relieve a leverage transaction merchant from any obligation under the Act or the regulations thereunder, including the obligation to disclose all material information to existing or prospective leverage customers even if the information is not specifically required by this section.
(g) If any contract term set forth in accordance with paragraph (a)(2) of this section provides that such term is subject to change, the leverage transaction merchant must ensure that this fact, the conditions under which the change may take place, and the foreseeable consequences of the change are clearly stated in the Disclosure Document, in describing that contract term.
(h) A leverage transaction merchant must transmit a notification to each leverage customer within 24 hours of making any change not otherwise permitted under the contract terms set forth in accordance with paragraph (a)(2) of this section. A notification of any change in the interest rate charged by the leverage transaction merchant must also be transmitted to each leverage customer within twenty-four hours of each change: Provided, however, That no notification is required if the change in interest rate is one percent or less as compared to the rate charged at the prior month-end and the new interest rate is made available to customers by means of a toll-free telephone call, and such availability is set forth in the Disclosure Document. The notification required by this paragraph must be transmitted by first class mail or other, at least equivalent, means of communication.
(i) A person soliciting or accepting an order for a leverage contract is not required to deliver a Disclosure Document leverage to a leverage customer, as required by paragraph (a) of this section, if a disclosure document meeting all of the requirements of this section previously has been delivered by the person to the leverage customer: Provided, however, That such a Disclosure Document must be delivered:
(1) Upon the request of a leverage customer, or
(2) If the previously delivered Disclosure Document has become outdated or has become inaccurate in any material respect.
(j) Prior to the entry into a leverage contract, the person soliciting the order therefor shall inform the leverage customer or the prospective leverage customer, to the extent these amounts are known or can reasonably be approximated, of all charges for the initiation, carrying and termination of a leverage contract and the leverage transaction merchant's bid-ask spread on the leverage contract as set forth in paragraph (a)(2)(iii) and (a)(2)(iv), respectively, of this section and the margins applicable to such contracts as set forth in paragraph (a)(2)(v) and (a)(2)(vi) of this section.
(k)
(1) Not later than the next business day after the entry into a long leverage contract with a customer, each leverage transaction merchant shall furnish to such customer, by first-class mail or other, at least equivalent, means of communication, a written Confirmation Statement in a format specified by the Commission containing:
(i) For a leverage customer's first leverage transaction, the following bold-faced statement in at least ten-point type:
IF YOU ARE A FIRST-TIME LEVERAGE CUSTOMER, YOU MAY RESCIND YOUR FIRST LEVERAGE TRANSACTION SUBJECT ONLY TO ACTUAL PRICE LOSSES BUT OTHERWISE WITHOUT PENALTY FOR THREE BUSINESS DAYS FOLLOWING AND INCLUDING RECEIPT OF THIS CONFIRMATION. ACTUAL LOSSES ON A LEVERAGE CONTRACT PURCHASED FROM A LEVERAGE TRANSACTION MERCHANT ARE CALCULATED BY SUBTRACTING THE ASK PRICE OF THE LEVERAGE CONTRACT AT THE TIME OF THE CUSTOMER'S RESCISSION FROM THE ASK PRICE AT WHICH THE LEVERAGE CONTRACT WAS PURCHASED AND WHICH APPEARS ON THIS CONFIRMATION. TO RESCIND THIS CONTRACT SEND A TELEGRAM TO (name and address of LTM) OR YOU MAY TELEPHONE (name of LTM) AT (telephone number). IF YOU RESCIND BY TELEPHONE, YOU MUST ALSO SEND IMMEDIATE WRITTEN AFFIRMATION BY TELEGRAM, CERTIFIED LETTER OR BY AT LEAST EQUIVALENT MEANS TO THE ADDRESS PROVIDED ABOVE; and
(ii) For every leverage transaction, the following information:
(A) The date the leverage contract was entered into;
(B) The transaction identification number;
(C) The name of the leverage commodity;
(D) The expiration date of the leverage contract;
(E) The total cost of the leverage contracts covered in the Confirmation Statement, which equals the leverage transaction merchant's ask price in dollars per unit multiplied by the number of units multiplied by the number of contracts;
(F) The total unpaid balance for this transaction;
(G) The total initial charges for the transaction;
(H) The total initial margin for the transaction, in dollars and as a percentage of the contract price;
(I) The total amount due (or paid) to initiate the transaction, which equals the total initial charges plus the total initial margin in dollars;
(J) The current equity in the individual customer's account as of the date of this transaction, but excluding this transaction;
(K) The total variable carrying charges to be billed each period, in dollars and as an annual percentage rate, based on the carrying charge rate prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(L) The total bid/ask spread, based on prices prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(M) The total termination charges incurred if the contract is repurchased, liquidated by the leverage transaction merchant or settled by delivery, based on charges prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(N) Any other charges associated with terminating the transaction, based on charges prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(O) Any special charges associated with liquidating the transaction, based on charges prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(P) The total delivery charges incurred if the customer takes delivery on the contract, based on charges prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(Q) The following formula enabling a customer to calculate the estimated total contract value to break-even: Initial contract value plus the bid-ask spread plus the intitial charges plus any other charges plus the termination charges plus the carrying charges for the period the contract is intended to be held open;
(R) The total minimum margin, in dollars and as a percentage of contract price, based on the rate prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(S) The total maintenance margin, in dollars and as a percentage of contract price, based on the rate prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(T) The commercial or retail cash price series filed in accordance with § 31.6 available to the leverage customer to evaluate the leverage contract (including any applicable premiums or discounts), and where quotes of this series can be obtained on a timely basis; and
(2) Not later than the next business day after entry into a short leverage contract with a customer, each leverage transaction merchant shall furnish to such customer by first-class mail or other, at least equivalent, means of communication, a written Confirmation Statement in a format specified by the Commission containing:
(i) For a leverage customer's first leverage transaction, the following bold-faced statement in at least ten-point type:
(ii) For every leverage transaction, the following information:
(A) The date the leverage contract was entered into;
(B) The transaction identification number;
(C) The name of the leverage commodity;
(D) The expiration date of the leverage contract;
(E) The total cost of the leverage contracts covered in the Confirmation Statement, which equals the leverage transaction merchant's bid price in dollars per unit multiplied by the number of units multiplied by the number of contracts;
(F) The total initial charges for the transaction;
(G) The total initial margin for the transaction, in dollars and as a percentage of the contract price;
(H) The total amount due (or paid) to initiate the transaction, which equals the total initial charges plus the total initial margin in dollars;
(I) The current equity in the individual customer's account as of the date of this transaction, but excluding this transaction;
(J) The total variable carrying charges to be credited each period, in dollars and as an annual percentage rate, based on the carrying charge rate prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(K) The total bid/ask spread, based on prices prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(L) The total termination charges incurred if the contract is resold, liquidated by the leverage transaction merchant or settled by delivery, based on charges prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(M) Any other charges associated with terminating the transaction, based on charges prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(N) Any special charges associated with liquidating the transaction, based on charges prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(O) The total delivery (including assay) charges incurred if the customer makes delivery on the contract, based on charges prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(P) The following formula enabling a customer to calculate the estimated total contract value to break-even: Initial contract value plus carrying charges for the period the contract is intended to be held open, minus the bid-ask spread, minus the initial charges, minus any other charges, minus the termination charges;
(Q) The total minimum margin, in dollars and as a percentage of contract price, based on the rate prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(R) The total maintenance margin, in dollars and as a percentage of contract price, based on the rate prevailing at the time the contract is entered into;
(S) The commercial or retail cash price series filed in accordance with § 31.6 available to the leverage customer to evaluate the leverage contract (including any applicable premiums or discounts), and where quotes of this series can be obtained on a timely basis.
(l) Each leverage transaction merchant shall furnish, upon request, by first-class mail or other generally accepted means of communication, to all leverage customers with open leverage contracts and to prospective leverage customers who are being solicited to enter leverage contracts with it, a true copy of portions of the quarterly unaudited or annual audited financial statement most recently filed with the Commission pursuant to § 31.13, except that the portions of those statements which will generally be accorded non-public treatment by the Commission need not be so furnished.
(m)
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision in this section, if a leverage transaction merchant is not offering to enter into, entering into or confirming the execution of, soliciting or accepting a leverage customer's order for, or accepting any leverage customer funds from a leverage customer to enter into or maintain any short leverage contract, the leverage transaction merchant may delete or disregard references to short leverage contracts in its Disclosure Document as follows:
(i) The third sentence of the first paragraph of the required bold-faced risk disclosure statement in paragraph (a)(1) of this section;
(ii) The words “and a short leverage transaction” in the fourth sentence of the first paragraph of the required bold-faced risk disclosure statement in paragraph (a)(1) of this section;
(iii) The words “and leverage contracts sold to a leverage transaction merchant are re-established at the then prevailing ask price” in the fifth sentence of the third paragraph of the required bold-faced risk disclosure statement in paragraph (a)(1) of this section;
(iv) The second sentence of the fifth paragraph of the required bold-faced risk disclosure statement in paragraph (a)(1) of this section;
(v) The words “or resold to” in the first sentence of the sixth paragraph of the required bold-faced risk disclosure statement in paragraph (a)(1) of this section;
(vi) The words “or resell,” “and must also offer to resell any short leverage contract previously sold by a leverage customer,” and “or short” in the second sentence of the sixth paragraph of the required bold-faced risk disclosure statement in paragraph (a)(1) of this section;
(vii) The words “or resold” and “or resale” (twice) in paragraph (a)(2)(vii) of this section;
(viii) All of the words following the first semicolon in paragraph (a)(2)(viii) of this section;
(ix) The words “and a representative single short leverage contract” in paragraph (a)(3) of this section; and
(x) The words “or short” in paragraphs (a)(5)(i) and (a)(5)(ii) of this section.
(2) Any leverage transaction merchant using a Disclosure Document that deletes or disregards references to short leverage contracts as permitted by paragraph (m)(1) of this section must file, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (e)(2) of this section, a new Disclosure Document meeting all of the requirements of paragraphs (a) through (i) of this section at least 30 calendar days before it begins to offer any short leverage contract.