FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * MERKEL STEPHEN M   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol BGC Partners, Inc. [BGCP] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) EVP, Gen Counsel & Secretary (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O BGC PARTNERS, INC., 499 PARK AVE. 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/13/2012 (Street) NEW YORK, NY 10022 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share 03/13/2012   D(1)   35,205 (1) D (1) 39,464 D   Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share 03/13/2012   D(2)   6,318 (2) D (2) 0 I By various trusts (2) Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share               9,351 (3) I By 401(k) plan (3) Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share               2,250 I By reporting person's spouse

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
MERKEL STEPHEN M C/O BGC PARTNERS, INC. 499 PARK AVE. NEW YORK, NY 10022			EVP, Gen Counsel & Secretary

Signatures

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel		03/15/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Represents shares of BGC Partners, Inc. ("BGC Partners") Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Class A Common Stock"), sold by the reporting person to BGC Partners at a price of $7.664 per share, which was the closing price on the date of sale less 2%.
(2)	Represents shares of Class A Common Stock sold by certain trusts f/b/o the reporting person's immediate family, of which the reporting person's spouse is the sole trustee of each trust and the reporting person has the power to remove and replace such trustee, to BGC Partners at a price of $7.664 per share, which was the closing price on the date of sale less 2%.
(3)	Represents shares of Class A Common Stock held under the BGC Partners 401(k) plan based on a plan statement dated as of January 31, 2012.

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