Title 17

SECTION 4.24

4.24 General disclosures required.

§ 4.24 General disclosures required.

Except as otherwise provided herein, a Disclosure Document must include the following information.

(a) Cautionary Statement. The following Cautionary Statement must be prominently displayed on the cover page of the Disclosure Document.

THE COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION HAS NOT PASSED UPON THE MERITS OF PARTICIPATING IN THIS POOL NOR HAS THE COMMISSION PASSED ON THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT.

(b) Risk Disclosure Statement. (1) The following Risk Disclosure Statement must be prominently displayed immediately following any disclosures required to appear on the cover page of the Disclosure Document as provided by the Commission, by any applicable federal or state securities laws and regulations or by any applicable laws of non-United States jurisdictions.

RISK DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER WHETHER YOUR FINANCIAL CONDITION PERMITS YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN A COMMODITY POOL. IN SO DOING, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT COMMODITY INTEREST TRADING CAN QUICKLY LEAD TO LARGE LOSSES AS WELL AS GAINS. SUCH TRADING LOSSES CAN SHARPLY REDUCE THE NET ASSET VALUE OF THE POOL AND CONSEQUENTLY THE VALUE OF YOUR INTEREST IN THE POOL. IN ADDITION, RESTRICTIONS ON REDEMPTIONS MAY AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO WITHDRAW YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE POOL. IN ADDITION, RESTRICTIONS ON REDEMPTIONS MAY AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO WITHDRAW YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE POOL.

FURTHER, COMMODITY POOLS MAY BE SUBJECT TO SUBSTANTIAL CHARGES FOR MANAGEMENT, AND ADVISORY AND BROKERAGE FEES. IT MAY BE NECESSARY FOR THOSE POOLS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THESE CHARGES TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL TRADING PROFITS TO AVOID DEPLETION OR EXHAUSTION OF THEIR ASSETS. THIS DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT CONTAINS A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF EACH EXPENSE TO BE CHARGED THIS POOL AT PAGE (insert page number) AND A STATEMENT OF THE PERCENTAGE RETURN NECESSARY TO BREAK EVEN, THAT IS, TO RECOVER THE AMOUNT OF YOUR INITIAL INVESTMENT, AT PAGE (insert page number).

THIS BRIEF STATEMENT CANNOT DISCLOSE ALL THE RISKS AND OTHER FACTORS NECESSARY TO EVALUATE YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS COMMODITY POOL. THEREFORE, BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMMODITY POOL, YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY STUDY THIS DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT, INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION OF THE PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS OF THIS INVESTMENT, AT PAGE (insert page number).

(2) If the pool may trade foreign futures or options contracts, the Risk Disclosure Statement must further state:

YOU SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT THIS COMMODITY POOL MAY TRADE FOREIGN FUTURES OR OPTIONS CONTRACTS. TRANSACTIONS ON MARKETS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING MARKETS FORMALLY LINKED TO A UNITED STATES MARKET, MAY BE SUBJECT TO REGULATIONS WHICH OFFER DIFFERENT OR DIMINISHED PROTECTION TO THE POOL AND ITS PARTICIPANTS. FURTHER, UNITED STATES REGULATORY AUTHORITIES MAY BE UNABLE TO COMPEL THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE RULES OF REGULATORY AUTHORITIES OR MARKETS IN NON-UNITED STATES JURISDICTIONS WHERE TRANSACTIONS FOR THE POOL MAY BE EFFECTED.

(3) If the potential liability of a participant in the pool is greater than the amount of the participant's contribution for the purchase of an interest in the pool and the profits earned thereon, whether distributed or not, the commodity pool operator must make the following additional statement in the Risk Disclosure Statement, to be prominently disclosed as the last paragraph thereof:

ALSO, BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS POOL, YOU SHOULD NOTE THAT YOUR POTENTIAL LIABILITY AS A PARTICIPANT IN THIS POOL FOR TRADING LOSSES AND OTHER EXPENSES OF THE POOL IS NOT LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION FOR THE PURCHASE OF AN INTEREST IN THE POOL AND ANY PROFITS EARNED THEREON. A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE LIABILITY OF A PARTICIPANT IN THIS POOL IS EXPLAINED MORE FULLY IN THIS DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT.

(4) If the pool may engage in retail Forex transactions, the Risk Disclosure Statement must further state:

YOU SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT THIS COMMODITY POOL MAY ENGAGE IN OFF-EXCHANGE FOREIGN CURRENCY TRADING. SUCH TRADING IS NOT CONDUCTED IN THE INTERBANK MARKET. THE FUNDS THAT THE POOL USES FOR OFF-EXCHANGE FOREIGN CURRENCY TRADING WILL NOT RECEIVE THE SAME PROTECTIONS AS FUNDS USED TO MARGIN OR GUARANTEE EXCHANGE-TRADED FUTURES AND OPTION CONTRACTS. IF THE POOL DEPOSITS SUCH FUNDS WITH A COUNTERPARTY AND THAT COUNTERPARTY BECOMES INSOLVENT, THE POOL'S CLAIM FOR AMOUNTS DEPOSITED OR PROFITS EARNED ON TRANSACTIONS WITH THE COUNTERPARTY MAY NOT BE TREATED AS A COMMODITY CUSTOMER CLAIM FOR PURPOSES OF SUBCHAPTER IV OF CHAPTER 7 OF THE BANKRUPTCY CODE AND THE REGULATIONS THEREUNDER. THE POOL MAY BE A GENERAL CREDITOR AND ITS CLAIM MAY BE PAID, ALONG WITH THE CLAIMS OF OTHER GENERAL CREDITORS, FROM ANY MONIES STILL AVAILABLE AFTER PRIORITY CLAIMS ARE PAID. EVEN POOL FUNDS THAT THE COUNTERPARTY KEEPS SEPARATE FROM ITS OWN FUNDS MAY NOT BE SAFE FROM THE CLAIMS OF PRIORITY AND OTHER GENERAL CREDITORS.

(5) If the pool may engage in swaps, the Risk Disclosure Statement must further state:

SWAPS TRANSACTIONS, LIKE OTHER FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS, INVOLVE A VARIETY OF SIGNIFICANT RISKS. THE SPECIFIC RISKS PRESENTED BY A PARTICULAR SWAP TRANSACTION NECESSARILY DEPEND UPON THE TERMS OF THE TRANSACTION AND YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. IN GENERAL, HOWEVER, ALL SWAPS TRANSACTIONS INVOLVE SOME COMBINATION OF MARKET RISK, CREDIT RISK, COUNTERPARTY CREDIT RISK, FUNDING RISK, LIQUIDITY RISK, AND OPERATIONAL RISK.

HIGHLY CUSTOMIZED SWAPS TRANSACTIONS IN PARTICULAR MAY INCREASE LIQUIDITY RISK, WHICH MAY RESULT IN A SUSPENSION OF REDEMPTIONS. HIGHLY LEVERAGED TRANSACTIONS MAY EXPERIENCE SUBSTANTIAL GAINS OR LOSSES IN VALUE AS A RESULT OF RELATIVELY SMALL CHANGES IN THE VALUE OR LEVEL OF AN UNDERLYING OR RELATED MARKET FACTOR.

IN EVALUATING THE RISKS AND CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH A PARTICULAR SWAP TRANSACTION, IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THAT A SWAP TRANSACTION MAY BE MODIFIED OR TERMINATED ONLY BY MUTUAL CONSENT OF THE ORIGINAL PARTIES AND SUBJECT TO AGREEMENT ON INDIVIDUALLY NEGOTIATED TERMS. THEREFORE, IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR THE COMMODITY POOL OPERATOR TO MODIFY, TERMINATE, OR OFFSET THE POOL'S OBLIGATIONS OR THE POOL'S EXPOSURE TO THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH A TRANSACTION PRIOR TO ITS SCHEDULED TERMINATION DATE.

(c) Table of contents. A table of contents showing, by subject matter, the location of the disclosures made in the Disclosure Document must appear immediately following the Risk Disclosure Statement.

(d) Information required in the forepart of the Disclosure Document. (1) The name, address of the main business office, main business telephone number and form of organization of the pool. If the mailing address of the main business office is a post office box number or is not within the United States, its territories or possessions, the pool operator must state where the pool's books and records will be kept and made available for inspection;

(2) The name, address of the main business office, main business telephone number and form of organization of the commodity pool operator. If the mailing address of the main business office is a post office box number or is not within the United States, its territories or possessions, the pool operator must state where its books and records will be kept and made available for inspection;

(3) As applicable, a statement that the pool is:

(i) Privately offered pursuant to section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (15 U.S.C. 77d(2)), or pursuant to Regulation D thereunder (17 CFR 230.501 et seq.);

(ii) A multi-advisor pool as defined in § 4.10(d)(2);

(iii) A principal-protected pool as defined in § 4.10(d)(3); or

(iv) Continuously offered. If the pool is not continuously offered, the closing date of the offering must be disclosed.

(4) The date when the commodity pool operator first intends to use the Disclosure Document; and

(5) The break-even point per unit of initial investment, as specified in § 4.10(j).

(e) Persons to be identified. The names of the following persons:

(1) Each principal of the pool operator;

(2) The pool's trading manager, if any, and each principal thereof;

(3) Each major investee pool, the operator of such investee pool, and each principal of the operator thereof;

(4) Each major commodity trading advisor and each principal thereof;

(5) Which of the foregoing persons will make trading decisions for the pool; and

(6) If known, the futures commission merchant and/or retail foreign exchange dealer through which the pool will execute its trades, and, if applicable, the introducing broker through which the pool will introduce its trades to the futures commission merchant and/or retail foreign exchange dealer.

(f) Business background. (1) The business background, for the five years preceding the date of the Disclosure Document, of:

(i) The commodity pool operator;

(ii) The pool's trading manager, if any;

(iii) Each major commodity trading advisor;

(iv) The operator of each major investee pool; and

(v) Each principal of the persons referred to in this paragraph (f)(1) who participates in making trading or operational decisions for the pool or who supervises persons so engaged.

(2) The pool operator must include in the description of the business background of each person identified in § 4.24(f)(1) the name and main business of that person's employers, business associations or business ventures and the nature of the duties performed by such person for such employers or in connection with such business associations or business ventures. The location in the Disclosure Document of any required past performance disclosure for such person must be indicated.

(g) Principal risk factors. A discussion of the principal risk factors of participation in the offered pool. This discussion must include, without limitation, risks relating to volatility, leverage, liquidity, counterparty creditworthiness, as applicable to the types of trading programs to be followed, trading structures to be employed and investment activity (including retail forex and swap transactions) expected to be engaged in by the offered pool.

(h) Investment program and use of proceeds. The pool operator must disclose the following:

(1) The types of commodity interests and other interests which the pool will trade, including:

(i) The approximate percentage of the pool's assets that will be used to trade commodity interests, securities and other types of interests, categorized by type of commodity or market sector, type of swap, type of security (debt, equity, preferred equity), whether traded or listed on a regulated exchange market, maturity ranges and investment rating, as applicable;

(ii) The extent to which such interests are subject to state or federal regulation, regulation by a non-United States jurisdiction or rules of a self-regulatory organization;

(iii)(A) The custodian or other entity (e.g., bank or broker-dealer) which will hold such interests; and

(B) If such interests will be held or if pool assets will be invested in a non-United States jurisdiction, the jurisdiction in which such interests or assets will be held or invested.

(2) A description of the trading and investment programs and policies that will be followed by the offered pool, including the method chosen by the pool operator concerning how futures commission merchants and/or retail foreign exchange dealers carrying the pool's accounts shall treat offsetting positions pursuant to § 1.46 of this chapter, if the method is other than to close out all offsetting positions or to close out offsetting positions on other than a first-in, first-out basis, and any material restrictions or limitations on trading required by the pool's organizational documents or otherwise. This description must include, if applicable, an explanation of the systems used to select commodity trading advisors, investee pools and types of investment activity to which pool assets will be committed;

(3)(i) A summary description of the pool's major commodity trading advisors, including their respective percentage allocations of pool assets, a description of the nature and operation of the trading programs such advisors will follow, including the types of interests traded pursuant to such programs, and each advisor's historical experience trading such program including material information as to volatility, leverage and rates of return and the length of time during which the advisor has traded such program;

(ii) A summary description of the pool's major investee pools or funds, including their respective percentage allocations of pool assets and a description of the nature and operation of such investee pools and funds, including for each investee pool or fund the types of interests traded, material information as to volatility, leverage and rates of return for such investee pool or fund and the period of its operation; and

(4)(i) The manner in which the pool will fulfill its margin requirements and the approximate percentage of the pool's assets that will be held in segregation pursuant to the Act and the Commission's regulations thereunder;

(ii) If the pool will fulfill its margin requirements with other than cash deposits, the nature of such deposits; and

(iii) If assets deposited by the pool as margin or as security deposit generate income, to whom that income will be paid.

(i) Fees and expenses. (1) The Disclosure Document must include a complete description of each fee, commission and other expense which the commodity pool operator knows or should know has been incurred by the pool for its preceding fiscal year and is expected to be incurred by the pool in its current fiscal year, including fees or other expenses incurred in connection with the pool's participation in investee pools and funds.

(2) This description must include, without limitation:

(i) Management fees;

(ii) Brokerage fees and commissions, including interest income paid to futures commission merchants, and any fees incurred to maintain an open position in retail forex transactions;

(iii) Fees and commissions paid in connection with trading advice provided to the pool;

(iv) Fees and expenses incurred within investments in investee pools, investee funds and other collective investment vehicles, which fees and expenses must be disclosed separately for each investment tier;

(v) Incentive fees;

(vi) Any allocation to the commodity pool operator, or any agreement or understanding which provides the commodity pool operator with the right to receive a distribution, where such allocation or distribution is greater than a pro rata share of the pool's profits based on the percentage of capital contributions made by the commodity pool operator;

(vii) Commissions or other benefits, including trailing commissions paid or that may be paid or accrue, directly or indirectly, to any person in connection with the solicitation of participations in the pool;

(viii) Professional and general administrative fees and expenses, including legal and accounting fees and office supplies expenses;

(ix) Organizational and offering expenses;

(x) Clearance fees and fees paid to national exchanges and self-regulatory organizations;

(xi) For principal-protected pools, any direct or indirect costs to the pool associated with providing the protection feature, as referred to in paragraph (o)(3) of this section; and

(xii) Any costs or fees included in the spread between bid and asked prices for retail forex or, if known, swap transactions; and

(xiii) Any other direct or indirect cost.

(3) Where any fee, commission or other expense is determined by reference to a base amount including, but not limited to, “net assets,” “allocation of assets,” “gross profits,” “net profits,” or “net gains,” the pool operator must explain how such base amount will be calculated, in a manner consistent with calculation of the break-even point.

(4) Where any fee, commission or other expense is based on an increase in the value of the pool, the pool operator must specify how the increase is calculated, the period of time during which the increase is calculated, the fee, commission or other expense to be charged at the end of that period and the value of the pool at which payment of the fee, commission or other expense commences.

(5) Where any fee, commission or other expense of the pool has been paid or is to be paid by a person other than the pool, the pool operator must disclose the nature and amount thereof and the person who paid or who is expected to pay it.

(6) The pool operator must provide, in a tabular format, an analysis setting forth how the break-even point for the pool was calculated. The analysis must include all fees, commissions and other expenses of the pool, as set forth in § 4.24(i)(2).

(j) Conflicts of interest. (1) A full description of any actual or potential conflicts of interest regarding any aspect of the pool on the part of:

(i) The commodity pool operator;

(ii) The pool's trading manager, if any;

(iii) Any major commodity trading advisor;

(iv) The commodity pool operator of any major investee pool;

(v) Any principal of the persons described in paragraphs (j)(1) (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) of this section; and

(vi) Any other person providing services to the pool, soliciting participants for the pool, acting as a counterparty to the pool's retail forex or swap transactions, or acting as a swap dealer with respect to the pool.

(2) Any other material conflict involving the pool.

(3) Included in the description of such conflicts must be any arrangement whereby a person may benefit, directly or indirectly, from the maintenance of the pool's account with the futures commission merchant and/or retail foreign exchange dealer and/or from the maintenance of the pool's swap positions with a swap dealer, or from the introduction of the pool's account to a futures commission merchant and/or retail foreign exchange dealer and/or swap dealer by an introducing broker (such as payment for order flow or soft dollar arrangements) or from an investment of pool assets in investee pools or funds or other investments.

(k) Related party transactions. A full description, including a discussion of the costs thereof to the pool, of any material transactions or arrangements for which there is no publicly disseminated price between the pool and any person affiliated with a person providing services to the pool.

(l) Litigation. (1) Subject to the provisions of § 4.24(l)(2), any material administrative, civil or criminal action, whether pending or concluded, within five years preceding the date of the Document, against any of the following persons; Provided, however, that a concluded action that resulted in an adjudication on the merits in favor of such person need not be disclosed:

(i) The commodity pool operator, the pool's trading manager, if any, the pool's major commodity trading advisors, and the operators of the pool's major investee pools;

(ii) Any principal of the foregoing; and

(iii) The pool's futures commission merchants and/or retail foreign exchange dealers and/or swap dealers and its introducing brokers, if any.

(2) With respect to a futures commission merchant and/or retail foreign exchange dealer and/or swap dealer or an introducing broker, an action will be considered material if:

(i) The action would be required to be disclosed in the notes to the futures commission merchant's, retail foreign exchange dealer's, swap dealer's or introducing broker's financial statements prepared pursuant to generally accepted accounting principles;

(ii) The action was brought by the Commission; Provided, however, that a concluded action that did not result in civil monetary penalties exceeding $50,000 need not be disclosed unless it involved allegations of fraud or other willful misconduct; or

(iii) The action was brought by any other federal or state regulatory agency, a non-United States regulatory agency or a self-regulatory organization and involved allegations of fraud or other willful misconduct.

(m) Trading for own account. If the commodity pool operator, the pool's trading manager, any of the pool's commodity trading advisors or any principal thereof trades or intends to trade commodity interests for its own account, the pool operator must disclose whether participants will be permitted to inspect the records of such person's trades and any written policies related to such trading.

(n) Performance disclosures. Past performance must be disclosed as set forth in § 4.25.

(o) Principal-protected pools. If the pool is a principal-protected pool as defined in § 4.10(d)(3), the commodity pool operator must:

(1) Describe the nature of the principal protection feature intended to be provided, the manner by which such protection will be achieved, including sources of funding, and what conditions must be satisfied for participants to receive the benefits of such protection;

(2) Specify when the protection feature becomes operative; and

(3) Disclose, in the break-even analysis required by § 4.24(i)(6), the costs of purchasing and carrying the assets to fund the principal protection feature or other limitation on risk, expressed as a percentage of the price of a unit of participation.

(p) Transferability and redemption. (1) A complete description of any restrictions upon the transferability of a participant's interest in the pool; and

(2) A complete description of the frequency, timing and manner in which a participant may redeem interests in the pool. Such description must specify:

(i) How the redemption value of a participant's interest will be calculated;

(ii) The conditions under which a participant may redeem its interest, including the cost associated therewith, the terms of any notification required and the time between the request for redemption and payment;

(iii) Any restrictions on the redemption of a participant's interest, including any restrictions associated with the pool's investments; and

(iv) Any liquidity risks relative to the pool's redemption capabilities.

(q) Liability of pool participants. The extent to which a participant may be held liable for obligations of the pool in excess of the funds contributed by the participant for the purchase of an interest in the pool.

(r) Distribution of profits and taxation. (1) The pool's policies with respect to the payment of distributions from profits or capital and the frequency of such payments;

(2) The federal income tax effects of such payments for a participant, including a discussion of the federal income tax laws applicable to the form of organization of the pool and to such payments therefrom; and

(3) If a pool is specifically structured to accomplish certain federal income tax objectives, the commodity pool operator must explain those objectives, the manner in which they will be achieved and any risks relative thereto.

(s) Inception of trading and other information. (1) The minimum aggregate subscriptions that will be necessary for the pool to commence trading commodity interests;

(2) The minimum and maximum aggregate subscriptions that may be contributed to the pool;

(3) The maximum period of time the pool will hold funds prior to the commencement of trading commodity interests;

(4) The disposition of funds received if the pool does not receive the necessary amount to commence trading, including the period of time within which the disposition will be made; and

(5) Where the pool operator will deposit funds received prior to the commencement of trading by the pool, and a statement specifying to whom any income from such deposits will be paid.

(t) Ownership in pool. The extent of any ownership or beneficial interest in the pool held by the following:

(1) The commodity pool operator;

(2) The pool's trading manager, if any;

(3) The pool's major commodity trading advisors;

(4) The operators of the pool's major investee pools; and

(5) Any principal of the foregoing.

(u) Reporting to pool participants. A statement that the commodity pool operator is required to provide all participants with monthly or quarterly (whichever applies) statements of account and with an annual report containing financial statements certified by an independent public accountant.

(v) Supplemental information. If any information, other than that required by Commission rules, the antifraud provisions of the Act, other federal or state laws or regulations, rules of a self-regulatory agency or laws of a non-United States jurisdiction, is provided, such information:

(1) May not be misleading in content or presentation or inconsistent with required disclosures;

(2) Is subject to the antifraud provisions of the Act and Commission rules and to rules regarding the use of promotional material promulgated by a registered futures association pursuant to section 17(j) of the Act; and

(3) Must be placed as follows, unless otherwise specified by Commission rules, provided that where a two-part document is used pursuant to rules promulgated by a registered futures association pursuant to Section 17(j) of the Act, all supplemental information must be provided in the second part of the two-part document:

(i) Supplemental performance information (not including proprietary trading results as defined in § 4.25(a)(8), or hypothetical, extracted, pro forma or simulated trading results) must be placed after all specifically required performance information; Provided, however, that required volatility disclosure may be included with the related required performance disclosure;

(ii) Supplemental non-performance information relating to a required disclosure may be included with the related required disclosure; and

(iii) Other supplemental information may be included after all required disclosures; Provided, however, that any proprietary trading results as defined in § 4.25(a)(8), and any hypothetical, extracted, pro forma or simulated trading results included in the Disclosure Document must appear as the last disclosure therein following all required and non-required disclosures.

(w) Material information. Nothing set forth in §§ 4.21, 4.24, 4.25 or § 4.26 shall relieve a commodity pool operator from any obligation under the Act or the regulations thereunder, including the obligation to disclose all material information to existing or prospective pool participants even if the information is not specifically required by such sections.

[60 FR 38183, July 25, 1995, as amended at 63 FR 58303, Oct. 30, 1998; 66 FR 53522, Oct. 23, 2001; 75 FR 55429, Sept. 10, 2010; 76 FR 44264, July 25, 2011; 77 FR 11285, Feb. 24, 2012; 77 FR 17330, Mar. 26, 2012; 77 FR 54358, Sept. 5, 2012]

---