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Relevant Laws

Title:Regulations Governing the Conduct of Securities Trading Margin Purchase and Short Sale Operations by Securities Firms (2015.11.26)
Article 11     When a securities firm processes customer applications to open a margin accounts, each customer shall open only one margin account. The conditions for opening a margin account shall be prescribed by the stock exchange and OTC exchange and reported to the competent authority for approval.
Article 14     When a securities firm conducts securities margin purchase and short sale business, the total amount of margin purchases, or the total amount of short sales plus securities loaned under Article 22, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 5 to 7, that it provides to customers may not exceed 250% of its net worth.
    When the regulatory capital adequacy ratio of a securities firm conducting margin purchase and short sale business reaches 250% or more for three consecutive months, the total amount of margin purchases, or the total amount of short sales plus securities loaned under Article 22, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 5 to 7,that it provides to customers may not exceed 400% of its net worth.
    If, after a securities firm has proceeded in accordance with the preceding paragraph, its regulatory capital adequacy ratio falls below 250% for two consecutive months and moreover the total amount of margin purchases, or the total amount of short sales plus securities loaned under Article 22, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 5 to 7, that it provides to customers exceeds 250% of its net worth, it shall temporarily suspend margin purchases or short sales for customers or securities lending under Article 22, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 5 to 7. Once the total amount of margin purchases or short sales has fallen below 250% of its net worth or its regulatory capital adequacy ratio has reached 250% for three consecutive months, it may then proceed in accordance with the two preceding paragraphs, respectively.
    When a securities firm conducts margin purchase and short sale business, the total amount of margin purchases that it provides to customers, plus the total amount of any monetary financing that it provides in connection with securities business, may not exceed 400 percent of its net worth; the total amount of short sales and securities loaned under Article 22, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 5 to 7 that it provides to customers, plus the total amount of securities loaned in conducting securities borrowing and lending business, may not exceed 400 percent of its net worth.
    If a securities firm is concurrently operated by a financial institution, the net worth referred to in the preceding four paragraphs shall be calculated based on the specially allocated operations capital; provided that the amount may not exceed the highest net worth of the securities firm referred to in the preceding four paragraphs in the same period and the limit set by the competent authority.
    The ratio referred to in paragraph 1 to paragraph 4 above may be adjusted by thecompetent authority, depending on the domestic economic and financial status and the conditions of the securities market and business of securities firms.
Article 15     In conducting securities margin purchase and short sale business, the total amount of margin purchases that a securities firm provides for any given type of securities may not exceed 10% of its net worth.
    In conducting securities margin purchase and short sale business and conducting securities borrowing and lending business, the combined total amount of short sales and loans that a securities firm provides of any given type of securities may not exceed 5% of its net worth.
    If a securities firm is concurrently operated by a financial institution, the net worth referred to in the preceding two paragraphs shall be calculated based on the specially allocated operations capital.
Article 28     Regarding the handling of margin purchase and short sale business by securities firms, the stock exchange and OTC exchange shall prescribe rules for the operation of such business, providing for matters such as the exercise of stock rights of stocks acquired through margin purchase or short sale, withholding of income tax on dividends, and the disposition of other relevant matters. Such rules shall be reported to the competent authority for approval before implementation.
    A securities firm conducting margin purchase and short sale business shall do so in compliance with the business operation rules referred to in the preceding paragraph.