Exhibit
(p)(1)
USCF
ADVISERS LLC AND
USCF ETF TRUST
CODE
OF ETHICS
SEC Rule 17j-1 Personal Investment Activities of
Investment Company Personnel
The
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) requires registered investment advisers to adopt codes of ethics. Rule 204A-1
under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 impose separate code of ethic requirements
that apply to the Adviser’s personnel, which includes Access Persons, Advisory Persons, Investment Personnel and Supervised Persons,
each as defined below in “Definitions”. The Acts set forth minimum standards of conduct of ethical behavior expected of Advisory
Persons where conflicts of interest may arise from the personal trading of Advisory Persons. The Acts are designed to promote compliance
with fiduciary standards by the Adviser and its Investment Personnel.
The
Adviser and USCF ETF Trust adopt the code of ethics set forth below (the “Code”).
| (a) | “Acts”
mean the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 together with the Investment Company Act of 1940. |
| (b) | “Access
Person” means any director, trustee, officer, or other Advisory Persons of the Trust
or of the Adviser. |
| (c) | “Adviser”
means USCF Advisers LLC. |
| (d) | “Advisory
Person” means (i) any director, trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust or the Adviser
(or of any company in a control relationship to a Fund or the Adviser) who, in connection
with his or her regular functions or duties, makes, participates in, or obtains information
regarding the purchase or sale of covered securities by a Fund, or whose functions relate
to the making of any recommendations with respect to such purchases or sales; (ii) any natural
person in a control relationship to a Fund or the Adviser who obtains information concerning
recommendations made to a Fund with regard to the purchase or sale of covered securities
by a Fund; and (iii) any Supervised Person of the Adviser (A) who is involved in making securities
recommendations for a Fund, or (B) who has access to such recommendations that are nonpublic,
access to nonpublic information regarding a Fund’s purchase or sale of securities,
or access to nonpublic information regarding the portfolio holdings of a Fund. |
| (e) | “Automatic
investment plan” means a program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals)
are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined
schedule and allocation. An automatic investment plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan. |
| (f) | “Beneficial
ownership” shall be interpreted in the same manner as it would be under Rule 16a-1(a)(2)
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in determining whether a person is the beneficial
owner of security for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
rules and regulations thereunder. An Access Person may be deemed to have beneficial ownership
of securities owned by another person if, by reason of any contract, arrangement, understanding,
relationship or otherwise, the Access Person can share in any profit from the securities.
Securities are beneficially owned by a person if they are held by a family member sharing
the same household, by a corporation controlled by the Access Person, or by certain trusts
of which the Access Person is a trustee, beneficiary or settlor. |
| (g) | “Control”
shall have the same meaning as that set forth in Section 2(a)(9) of the Investment Company
Act. In general, a person is presumed to control a company if he or she beneficially owns,
directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of the company, and a natural
person is presumed not to be controlled by any other person. |
| (h) | “Covered
security” means a security as defined in Section 2(a)(36) of the Investment Company
Act, except that it does not include: |
| (1) | Direct
obligations of the Government of the United States; |
| (2) | Bankers’
acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt
instruments, including repurchase agreements; and |
| (3) | Shares
issued by open-end registered investment companies other than the Funds. |
| (i) | “Discretionary
Account” is an account: (a) for which an Access Person has granted a trustee or a discretionary
third party manager investment authority over the account; and (b) over which the Access
Person has no direct or indirect influence or control with respect to purchases or sales
of securities or allocations of investments (e.g., the holder does not make security recommendations
to the third party). |
| (j) | “Fund”
(collectively the “Funds”) means each series or portfolio of the Trust or any
other registered investment company advised or sub-advised by the Adviser. |
| (k) | “Independent
trustee” means a trustee of the Trust who is not an “interested person”
of the Trust within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act, and who
would be required to make a report under Section 4 of this Code solely by reason of being
a trustee of the Trust. |
| (l) | “Initial
public offering” means an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act
of 1933, the issuer of which, immediately before the registration, was not subject to the
reporting requirements of Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
| (m) | “Investment
Personnel” of the Funds or the Adviser means: (i) any employee of the Funds or the
Adviser (or of any company in a control relationship to the Funds or the Adviser) who, in
connection with his or her regular functions or duties, makes or participates in making recommendations
regarding the purchase or sale of securities by a Fund; and (ii) any natural person who controls
the a Fund or the Adviser and who obtains information concerning recommendations regarding
the purchase or sale of securities by a Fund. |
| (n) | “Limited
offering” means an offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act
of 1933 pursuant to Section 4(2) or Section 4(6) of such Act or pursuant to Rule 504, Rule
505, or Rule 506 thereunder. |
| (o) | “Marygold”
means The Marygold Companies, Inc. (NYSE American: MGLD), which is the parent of the Adviser. |
| (p) | “Portfolio
manager” means the person (or one of the persons) primarily responsible for the day-to-day
management of any Fund. |
| (q) | “Purchase
or sale of a covered security” includes, among other things, the writing of an option
to purchase or sell a covered security. |
| (r) | “Supervised
Person” means any partner, officer, director (or other person occupying a similar status
or performing similar functions), or employee of the Adviser, or other person who provides
investment advice on behalf of the Adviser and is subject to the supervision and control
of the Adviser. |
| (s) | “Trust”
means the USCF ETF Trust. |
| 3. | Statement
of General Fiduciary Principles |
The following
general fiduciary principles shall govern personal investment activities and the interpretation and administration of this Code:
| · | The
interests of Fund shareholders must be placed first at all times; |
| · | All
personal securities transactions must be conducted consistent with this Code and in such
a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of an individual’s
position of trust and responsibility; |
| · | Trust
and Adviser personnel should not take inappropriate advantage of their positions; and |
| · | Such
personnel should comply with all applicable Federal Securities Laws. |
This Code
does not attempt to identify all possible conflicts of interest, and literal compliance with each of its specific provisions will not
shield Trust or Adviser personnel from liability for personal trading or other conduct that violates a fiduciary duty to Fund shareholders.
| 4. | Substantive
Restrictions on Personnel Investing Activities |
| (1) | No
Access Person shall execute a securities transaction on a day during which, to his knowledge,
any Fund has a pending “buy” or “sell” order in that same security
until that order is executed or withdrawn. |
| (2) | No
portfolio manager of a Fund shall buy or sell a security within at least seven calendar days
before and after the Fund trades in that security. |
| (b) | Initial
Public Offerings and Limited Offerings |
Investment
Personnel of the Adviser or of any Fund must obtain approval from the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust or Adviser, or his/her designee,
before directly or indirectly acquiring beneficial ownership in any securities in an initial public offering or in a limited offering.
| (c) | Transactions
in Fund Shares |
All
Access Persons must obtain pre-approval by submitting a request to either the Chief Compliance Officer or Chief Legal Officer, prior
to purchasing or selling any shares in a Fund. Each approval for a transaction shall be valid on the day approval is received by the
Access Person through the end of the following business day financial markets are open for trading. If such Access Person’s order
has not been executed in the market at the end of this period, the approval expires, and a new request must be submitted.
To avoid
any possible appearance of a conflict of interest, an Access Person’s request for pre-approval to purchase/sell shares of a Fund
may be denied if: (1) there is a pending purchase by or sale of the Fund’s shares from another Fund that is being transacted under
Rule 12d1-4 under the Investment Company Act, and (2) any other reason(s) identified by the Chief Compliance Officer or the Chief Legal
Officer.
| (d) | Transactions
in Shares of the Adviser’s Parent Company |
All Access
Persons must obtain pre-approval by submitting a request to either the Chief Compliance Officer or Chief Legal Officer, prior to purchasing
or selling any shares in Marygold. Each approval for a transaction shall be valid on the day approval is received by the Access Person
through the end of the following business day financial markets are open for trading. If such Access Person’s order has not been
executed in the market at the end of this period, the approval expires, and a new request must be submitted.
| (e) | Financial
Wagering Instruments and Prediction Markets |
All Access
Persons, Advisory Persons, Investment Personnel, and Supervised Persons are prohibited from engaging in any transaction that constitutes
a financial wager on the outcome of market, economic, or geopolitical events, where the participant does not acquire a direct interest
in the underlying asset.
This
includes, but is not limited to:
| (1) | Prediction
Markets: Platforms that allow participants to bet on the likelihood of specific outcomes
(e.g., interest rate decisions, election results, corporate earnings) through event contracts, options, or similar
instruments. |
| (2) | Spread
Betting and Contracts for Difference (CFDs): Instruments that enable speculation on the price
movement of financial assets without ownership of the underlying asset. |
| (3) | Other
Financial Wagering Instruments: Any product or platform—regulated or unregulated—that
facilitates betting on financial outcomes without asset ownership, including synthetic derivatives
(e.g., futures, options) or similar instruments. |
Such transactions
are considered speculative and can pose significant compliance and reputational risks. This prohibition does not apply to wagering on
non-financial events such as sports, entertainment, or cultural outcomes (e.g., Super Bowl, Oscars, World Cup), which fall outside the
scope of this Code. However, be mindful that such activities are not permitted while engaged in Trust and Adviser business.
| (a) | Initial
Holdings Reports |
| (1) | Except
as otherwise provided below, every Access Person shall report to the Chief Compliance Officer
of the Trust or Adviser, or his/her designee, no later than 10 days after the person becomes
an Access Person, the following information current as of a date no more than 45 days prior
to the date the person becomes an Access Person: |
| (A) | The
title and type of security, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number,
number of shares (for equity securities) and principal amount (for debt securities) of each
covered security in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership
when the person became an Access Person; |
| (B) | The
name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintained an account in which
any securities were held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person as of the
date the person became an Access Person; and |
| (C) | The
date that the report is submitted by the Access Person. |
| (2) | An
independent trustee of the Trust need not make an initial holdings report. |
| (b) | Quarterly
Transaction Reports. |
| (1) | Except
as otherwise provided below, every Access Person shall report to the Chief Compliance Officer
of the Trust or Adviser, or his/her designee, no later than 30 days after the end of each
calendar quarter, the following information: |
| (A) | With
respect to transactions during the quarter in any covered security in which such Access Person
has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership: |
| (i) | The
date of the transaction, the title, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP
number, interest rate and maturity date, and the number of shares (for equity securities)
and the principal amount (for debt securities) of each covered security involved; |
| (ii) | The
nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition); |
| (iii) | The
price of the covered security at which the transaction was effected; |
| (iv) | The
name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through which the transaction was effected; and |
| (v) | The
date that the report is submitted by the Access Person. |
| (B) | With
respect to any account established by the Access Person in which any securities were held
during the quarter for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person: |
| (i) | The
name of the broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person established the account; |
| (ii) | The
date the account was established; and |
| (iii) | The
date that the report is submitted by the Access Person. |
| (2) | An
independent trustee of the Trust need only report a transaction in a covered security in
a quarterly transaction report if such independent trustee, at the time of that transaction,
knew or, in the ordinary course of fulfilling his or her official duties as a trustee of
the Trust, should have known that, during the 15-day period immediately before or after the
date of the transaction by the independent trustee, such covered security was purchased or
sold by a Fund or was being considered by the Adviser or the applicable Fund for purchase
or sale by the Fund. |
| (3) | An
Access Person need not make a quarterly transaction report under this section if the report
would duplicate information contained in broker trade confirmations or account statements
received by the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust or Adviser, or his/her designee, with
respect to the Access Person during the applicable time period, provided that all of the
information required by Section 4(b)(1) is contained in the broker trade confirmations or
account statements, or in the records of the Adviser or the applicable Fund. |
| (c) | Annual
Holdings Reports |
| (1) | Except
as otherwise provided below, not later than August 14 of each year, every Access Person shall
report to the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust or Adviser, or his/her designee, the
following information (which must be current as of June 30 of such year). |
| (A) | The
title and type of security, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number,
number of shares (for equity securities) and principal amount (for debt securities) of each
covered security in which the Access Person had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership; |
| (B) | The
name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintains an account in which
any securities are held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person; and |
| (C) | The
date that the report is submitted by the Access Person. |
| (2) | An
independent trustee of need not make an annual holdings report. |
| (d) | Disclosure
Requirements for Discretionary Accounts |
To the extent
an Access Person has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Chief Compliance Officer that an account is a Discretionary Account, the
Chief Compliance Officer may, in his or her sole discretion, exempt such account from any pre-clearance and reporting requirements set
forth herein. No Initial Holdings Report, Annual Holdings Report or Quarterly Transaction Report is required to be filed by an Access
Person with respect to securities held in any Discretionary Accounts.
All Access
Persons who maintain Discretionary Accounts are required to disclose the following to the Chief Compliance Officer:
| · | Name and Contact Information
of the trustee or discretionary third party manager. |
| · | The trustee’s or discretionary
third party manager’s firm; and |
| · | Description of the Access Person’s
relationship to the trustee or discretionary third party Manager, if any, including any affiliation or family relationship that may exist
between the Access Person and the person or firm managing the account. |
In addition,
all Access Persons with Discretionary Accounts will be required to provide the Chief Compliance Officer with:
| · | A notification within 10 days
of opening a new Discretionary Account (Exhibit A); and |
| · | An annual attestation to be
completed by the Access Person for any accounts that are being excluded on the basis that they are Discretionary Accounts (Exhibit B). |
The Chief
Compliance Officer Compliance may require the provision of account statements for all Discretionary Accounts periodically to facilitate
oversight and monitoring of such accounts.
An
Access Person need not make a transaction report under Section 4(b) with respect to purchases of covered securities that are part of
an automatic investment plan.
Any report
under this section may contain a statement that the report shall not be construed as an admission by the person making such report that
he or she has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security to which the report relates.
| 6. | Administration
of the Code of Ethics |
The Trust
and the Adviser must use reasonable diligence and institute procedures reasonably necessary to prevent violations of the Code.
| (b) | Distribution
to and Acknowledgement by Investment Personnel |
All Investment
Personnel and Supervised Persons will be provided with a copy of the Code and any amendments and will be required to sign a written acknowledgement
of their receipt of the Code and any amendments.
| (c) | Written
Report to Board of Trustees |
No less
frequently than annually, the Trust and the Adviser must furnish to the board of trustees, and the board must consider, a written report
that:
| (1) | Describes
any issues arising under the Code or procedures since the last report to the board, including,
but not limited to, information about material violations of the Code or procedures and sanctions
imposed in response to the material violations; and |
| (2) | Certifies
that the Trust and the Adviser has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access
Persons from violating the Code. |
| (d) | Reporting
of Violations |
All employees
of the Trust and Supervised Persons of the Adviser must promptly report any violations of the Code to the Chief Compliance Officer of
the Trust and the Adviser.
Upon discovering
a violation of this Code, the Trust or the Adviser, as the case may be, may impose such sanctions as it deems appropriate, including,
among other things, disgorgement of profits, a letter of censure or suspension or termination of the employment of the violator.
USCF
ADVISERS LLC AND
USCF ETF TRUST
1850
Mt. Diablo Blvd, Suite 640
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Acknowledgment
Regarding
Code of Ethics
This
acknowledgment is to be signed and returned to the Chief Compliance Officer and will be retained as part of your permanent personnel
file.
I
have received a copy of the Code of Ethics of USCF ADVISERS LLC and USCF ETF TRUST (the “Code”). I have read the Code and
understand that it contains the expectations of USCF ADVISERS LLC and USCF ETF TRUST regarding ethical conduct. During the year ended
202__, I have reported all securities transactions in which I have, or any member of my immediate family has, a beneficial interest.
During such year, I have complied with the Code in all other respects. I also understand that the Code is issued for informational purposes
and that it is not intended to create, nor does it represent, a contract of employment or retention.
| |
|
| |
Name
(Printed) |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Signature |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Date |
| |
|
The
failure to read and/or sign this acknowledgment in no way relieves you of your responsibility to comply with the USCF ADVISERS LLC and
USCF ETF TRUST–Code of Ethics.
Exhibit
A - Discretionary Accounts Initial Notification Form
I have retained a trustee
or third party manager (the “Manager”) to manage the following accounts over which I have no direct or indirect influence
or control (the “Accounts”):
| Name
of Broker, Dealer, or Bank |
Account
Number |
Relationship
to Manager
(independent professional, friend, relative, etc.) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| o | I
acknowledge and certify that: |
| 1. | I
will have no direct or indirect influence or control over the Accounts. |
| 2. | If
my control over the Accounts should change in any way, I will immediately notify the Chief
Compliance Officer in writing of such change and will provide any required information regarding
holdings and transactions in the Accounts. |
| 3. | I
agree to provide reports of holdings and/or transactions (including, but not limited to,
duplicate account statements and trade confirmations) made in the Accounts at the request
of the Chief Compliance Officer. |
| 4. | I
will not suggest that the Manager make any particular purchases or sales of securities for
the Accounts. |
| 5. | I
will not direct the Manager to make any particular purchases or sales of securities for the
Accounts; and |
| 6. | I
will not consult with the Manager as to the particular allocation of investments to be made
in the Accounts. |
I
certify and acknowledge that the information in this form is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and agree to immediately notify
the firm if such information becomes inaccurate in any way.
Exhibit
B - Discretionary Accounts Annual Disclosure Form
| 1. | PLEASE
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX: |
| o | I
have no Discretionary Accounts (e.g., accounts over which I have no direct or indirect influence
or control); |
OR
| o | I
have retained a trustee or third party manager (the “Manager”) to manage certain
of my accounts. Following is a list of the accounts over which I have no direct or indirect
influence or control (the “Accounts”): |
| Name
of Broker, Dealer, or Bank |
Account Number |
Relationship to Manager
(independent professional, friend, relative, etc.) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| o | I
acknowledge and certify that: |
| 1. | I
have no direct or indirect influence or control over the Accounts. |
| 2. | If
my control over the Accounts should change in any way, I will immediately notify the Chief
Compliance Officer in writing of such change and will provide any required information regarding
holdings and transactions in the Accounts. |
| 3. | I
agree to provide reports of holdings and/or transactions (including, but not limited to,
duplicate account statements and trade confirmations) made in the Accounts at the request
of the Chief Compliance Officer. |
| 4. | I
did not suggest that the Manager make any particular purchases or sales of securities for
the Accounts during the period covered by this report. |
| 5. | I
did not direct the Manager to make any particular purchases or sales of securities for the
Accounts during the period covered by this report. |
| 6. | I
did not consult with the Manager as to the particular allocation of investments to be made
in the Accounts during the period covered by this report; and |
| 7. | I
will contact the Chief Compliance Officer immediately in the event that a non-discretionary
or fully managed account over which I have direct or indirect beneficial ownership is opened. |
I
certify and acknowledge that the information in this form is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and agree to immediately notify
the firm if such information becomes inaccurate in any way.
| |
SIGNATURE: ________________________________ |
|
| |
|
|
| |
NAME: ____________________________________ |
|
| |
|
|
| |
DATE: _____________________________________ |
|
APPENDIX
F
STATEMENT
OF POLICY ON INSIDER TRADING
USCF
ADVISERS, LLC
Introduction
This
document sets forth the Statement of Policy on Insider Trading of USCF Advisers LLC (the “Company”), adopted on December
7, 2018 and updated as of June 29, 2026. The Company is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, (the “Advisers Act”), that serves as the investment
adviser to the USCF ETF Trust (the “Trust” and each series of the Trust, a “Fund” and, collectively, the “Funds”),
an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
The Company does not have any clients other than the Trust. The objective of this Insider Trading Policy is to protect you, the Company
and the Funds from violations, of (or the appearance of violations of) (1) federal securities laws and regulations governing insider
trading and tipping, and (2) federal commodities and derivatives laws and regulations governing fraud, misappropriation of confidential
information, deceptive conduct, and manipulation. All directors, officers and Supervised Persons of the Company (collectively, “Covered
Persons”) must comply with this Insider Trading Policy.
Applicable
Legal Standards
The
term “insider trading” is used broadly to describe different legal concepts in different markets. Under federal securities
laws and regulations, it is illegal for any person, either personally or on behalf of others, to trade in securities on the basis of
material, non-public information (“MNPI”). For purposes of this policy, “trading” also includes the purchase
and redemption of mutual fund and investment company shares. It is also illegal to communicate (or “tip”) MNPI to others
who may trade in securities on the basis of that information.
In
contrast, federal commodities and derivatives laws and regulations focus on prohibiting deceptive or manipulative conduct but do not
prohibit trading based on lawfully obtained nonpublic information (e.g., research, analytics, or fundamental commercial information).
It is illegal to trade on the basis of confidential information obtained through fraud, deception, or in breach of a pre-existing duty
of trust or confidence (commonly described as “misappropriation”) in connection with commodity transactions, swaps and futures
transactions. For example, employees who have access to confidential information obtained in the course of their employment and/or who
are subject to a non-disclosure agreement may not trade on the basis of such confidential information.
Potential
Consequences
A
Covered Person’s failure to comply with the Insider Trading Policy may subject such person to sanctions imposed by the Company,
including dismissal for cause, whether or not such person’s failure to comply with this Insider Trading Policy results in a violation
of law. In addition, a Covered Person could become subject to potential penalties under applicable laws which are described below.
All
Covered Persons are encouraged to ask questions and seek any follow-up information concerning the matters set forth in this Insider Trading
Policy. Any questions should be directed to the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel.
Federal
Securities Laws
Violations
of the federal securities laws with respect to insider trading may result in severe civil and criminal penalties for individuals and
entities, including imprisonment, significant fines, disgorgement of profits, and reputational harm, including:
| · | imprisonment
for up to 25 years and/or criminal penalties of up to $5 million for individuals who commit
“willful” violations,1 |
| · | criminal
penalties for entities of up to $25 million,2 and |
| · | civil
penalties may be levied against a person who committed the violation not to exceed three
times the amount of either the profit gained or loss avoided from illegal activities or penalties
not to exceed the greater of $1 million, or three times the amount of either the profit gained
or loss avoided for the controlling person.3 |
Federal
Commodities Laws
Violations
of the federal commodities laws with respect to insider trading also may result in severe civil and criminal penalties, including:
| · | imprisonment
for up to 10 years and/or criminal penalties of up to $1 million,4 and |
| · | civil
penalties including trading/registration bans, disgorgement of profits, restitution, and
additional civil monetary penalties of up to three time the amount of either the profit gained
or loss avoided from the illegal activities.5 |
Statement
of Policy
It
is the policy of the Company that no Covered Person may, directly or indirectly, including through family members or other persons or
entities, (i) buy or sell securities of the Funds, or (ii) engage in trading in commodities or commodity derivatives related to or traded
by the Funds. Also, it is the policy of the Company that no Covered Person who is aware of MNPI relating to the Funds may, directly or
indirectly, including through family members or other persons or entities, (a) engage in any other action to take personal advantage
of that information, or (b) pass that information on to others outside of the Company (and if appropriate, the Funds) including to family
and friends.
1
See, e.g., 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (penalties for mail & wire fraud of up to 20 years);
18 U.S.C. § 1348 (penalties for criminal securities fraud of up to 25 years); 15 U.S. Code § 78ff (penalties of up to a $5
million fine and/or 20 years imprisonment for willful violations of certain securities laws).
2
See 15 U.S. Code § 78ff.
3
See 15 U.S. Code § 78u-1 (for certain violations of securities laws).
4
See, e.g., 7 U.S. Code § 13 (penalties of up to a $1 million fine and 10 years
imprisonment for knowing or willful violations of certain commodities laws).
5
See 7 U.S. Code § 13a-1 (for certain violations of commodities laws).
Although
it is most likely that any MNPI you might learn would be about the Funds or its affiliates, these prohibitions also apply to trading
in the securities of any company, including any potential merger
partner or other business partner, and in any commodities or commodity derivatives related to or traded by such company, for which you
have obtained MNPI in the course of working for the Company. In addition, it is the policy of the Company that no Covered Person who,
in the course of working for the Company, learns of MNPI about a company with which the Funds or the Company does business, including
a customer or supplier of the Company, Trust or Funds, may trade in such company’s securities, or any commodities or commodity
derivatives related to or traded by such company, until the information becomes public or is no longer material or confidential (as applicable).
Transactions
that may be necessary or justifiable for independent reasons (such as the need to raise money for an emergency expenditure) are not excepted
from this Insider Trading Policy. The federal securities and commodities laws do not recognize such mitigating circumstances, and, in
any event, even the appearance of an improper transaction must be avoided to preserve the Company’s reputation for adhering to
the highest standards of conduct.
Insider
Trading Under Securities Laws
Under
the federal securities laws and regulations, it is generally unlawful to trade in a security (or to tip others to trade) while in possession
of MNPI related to that security when there is a duty to disclose that information or abstain from trading.
What
information is material? All information that an investor might consider important in
deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold securities is considered material. Information that is likely to affect the price of a company’s
securities is almost always material. Examples of some types of material information are:
| · | financial
results or expectations for the quarter or the year; |
| · | possible
mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and other purchases and sales of companies and investments
in companies; |
| · | changes
in customer relationships with significant customers; |
| · | obtaining
or losing important contracts; |
| · | important
product developments; |
| · | major
financing developments; |
| · | major
personnel changes; and |
| · | major
litigation developments. |
What
is non-public information? Information is considered to be non-public unless it has been
effectively disclosed to the public. Examples of public disclosure include public filings with the SEC and press releases issued by the
company or a Fund. Not only must the information have been publicly disclosed, but there must also have been adequate time for the market
as a whole to digest the information. Although timing may vary depending upon the circumstances, a
good rule of thumb is that information is considered non-public until the third business day after public disclosure.
Transactions
by Family Members. As noted above, this Insider Trading Policy applies to your family members
who reside with you, anyone else who lives in your household, and any family members who do not live in your household but whose transactions
in the securities of any Fund are directed by you or are subject to your influence or control (such as parents or children who consult
with you before they trade in the securities of any Fund). You are responsible for the transactions of these other persons.
Insider
Trading under Commodities Laws
The
federal commodities laws and regulations do not contain a single, standalone “insider trading” provision that mirrors the
“material nonpublic information” framework under federal securities laws. Instead, the principal standard for “insider
trading” misconduct under federal commodities laws and regulations prohibits intentional or reckless manipulative or deceptive
devices, schemes, or conduct in connection with swaps, contracts of sale of commodities in interstate commerce, and futures.6
Trading
(or tipping) on the basis of confidential nonpublic information may violate applicable commodities laws and regulations if: (1) the information
was obtained through fraud or deception, or (2) the trading constitutes a deceptive practice because it involves misappropriation of
confidential information in breach of a pre-existing duty of trust or confidence (arising under contract, common law, company policy,
exchange rules, or other sources).
Accordingly,
Covered Persons are prohibited from using nonpublic information, even if such information is not MNPI, where such use involves deception
or a breach of a duty of trust or confidence to the information’s source, including by violating confidentiality restrictions or
using information for personal benefit contrary to an obligation to maintain its confidentiality (e.g., to the Company). Covered Persons
are prohibited from trading in commodities or commodity derivatives related to nonpublic or confidential information obtained in the
course of working for the Company. In addition, Covered Persons should not discuss nonpublic, confidential information obtained in the
course of working for the Company with others except in accordance with their regular duties and consistent with applicable confidentiality
and information security obligations.
Post-Termination
Transactions
This
Insider Trading Policy continues to apply to your transactions in the securities of the Funds even after you have terminated employment
with the Company or its affiliates. If you are in possession of MNPI or other confidential information when your employment terminates,
you may not trade in the securities of any Fund or in commodities or commodity derivatives related to or traded by any Fund until that
information has become public or is no longer material or confidential (as applicable).
6
See, e.g., 17 C.F.R. § 180.1.
Unauthorized
Disclosure
As
discussed above, the disclosure of MNPI or confidential information to others can lead to significant legal and regulatory consequences.
Therefore, you should not discuss MNPI about any Fund with anyone, including other employees of the Company, except as required in the
performance of your regular duties.
Questions
about this Insider Trading Policy
Compliance
by Covered Persons with this policy is of the utmost importance for you and for the Funds and the Company. If you have any questions
about the application of this policy to any particular case, please immediately contact the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel.
Your
failure to observe this policy could lead to significant legal problems, as well as other serious consequences, including termination
of your employment.
Annual
Acknowledgement
At
least annually, or upon revision of the Statement of Policy on Insider Trading, Covered Persons must execute the Acknowledgement Regarding
the Statement of Policy on Insider Trading. A form of the Acknowledgement is attached as Appendix A to the Statement of Policy on Insider
Trading.
APPENDIX
A
Acknowledgment
Regarding
Statement
of Policy on Insider Trading
This
Acknowledgment is to be signed and returned to the Chief Compliance Officer.
I
have received a copy of the Statement of Policy on Insider Trading for USCF Advisers LLC, read it, and understand that the policy contains
the expectations regarding insider trading policies and practices.
| |
|
|
| |
Name (Printed) |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Signature |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Date |
|
The
failure to read and/or sign this acknowledgment in no way relieves you of your responsibility to comply with the Statement of Policy
on Insider Trading.