REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 6 (Reuters) - Wall Street's top regulator on Wednesday approved new rules on the funding of a comprehensive market data surveillance system to split its operating costs among buyers, sellers and the stock exchanges where they trade. This shifts away from a structure based on message traffic and market share, while allowing stock exchanges several years to recoup hundreds of millions already spent. The new rules aim to split the cost burden into equal thirds between exchanges, buyers and sellers, according to SEC officials. While the CAT system is partially operational, buyers and sellers have yet to begin paying in, officials said prior to the vote. A year ago, the SEC cited CAT data in the prosecution of an alleged $47 million front-running scheme.

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Persons: Andrew Kelly, Kara Stein, Douglas Gillison, Chizu Nomiyama, David Gregorio Our Organizations: U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Washington , D.C, REUTERS, Audit, CAT, SEC, The Securities Industry, Financial Markets Association, Thomson Locations: Washington ,