Alset Inc. 10-K

Item 1. Business. Our Company We are a diversified holding company principally engaged through our subsidiaries in the development of EHome communities and other real estate, financial services, digital transformation technologies, biohealth activities and consumer products with operations in the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China. We manage our three principal businesses primarily through our 85.7% owned subsidiary, Alset International Limited (“Alset International”), a public company traded on the Singapore Stock Exchange. Through this subsidiary (and indirectly, through other public and private U.S. and Asian subsidiaries), we are actively developing real estate projects near Houston, Texas, in our real estate segment. In recent years, the Company expanded its real estate portfolio to single family rental homes, and we currently own 132 homes that are rented or are available for rent. In our digital transformation technology segment, we focus on serving business-to-business (B2B) needs in e-commerce, collaboration and social networking functions. Our biohealth segment includes sale of consumer products. We identify global businesses for acquisition, incubation and corporate advisory services, primarily related to our operating business segments. We also have ownership interests outside of Alset International, including a 36.9% equity interest in American Pacific Financial, Inc., a 48.9% equity interest in DSS Inc. (“DSS”), an indirect 48.7% equity interest in Value Exchange International, Inc., a 29.0% equity interest in Sharing Services Global Corporation and 39.7% equity interest in Impact Biomedical Inc. American Pacific Financial, Inc. is a financial network holding company. DSS is a multinational company operating businesses with five divisions: product packaging, biotechnology, direct marketing, commercial lending, and securities and investment management. DSS Inc. is listed on the NYSE American (NYSE: DSS). Value Exchange International, Inc. is a provider of information technology services for businesses, and is traded on the OTCQB (OTCQB: VEII). Sharing Services Global Corporation (OTC Pink: SHRG), is a publicly traded company dedicated to building shareholder value by developing or acquiring businesses, products and technologies in the direct selling industry and other industries that augment the Company’s product and services portfolio, business competencies, and geographic reach. Impact BioMedical Inc. is focused on discovery, development, and commercialization of products and technologies to address unmet needs in human healthcare and wellness for specialty biopharmaceuticals, antivirals, antimicrobials, consumer healthcare, and wellness products in the United States. Impact BioMedical Inc. is listed on NYSE American (NYSE: IBO). Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision makers (the “CODMs”), or decision–making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The Company’s chief operating decision makers are the two Co-CEOs, who review and assess the performance of the Company as a whole. The Company reports its segment information to reflect the manner in which the CODMs review and assess performance. The Company has four operating segments based on the products and services we offer, which include three of our principal businesses – real estate, digital transformation technology and biohealth – as well as a fourth category consisting of certain other business activities. In determination of segments, the Company, together with its CODMs, considers factors that include the nature of business activities, allocation of resources and management structure. The primary financial measures used by the CODMs to evaluate performance and allocate resources are net income (loss) and operating income (loss). The CODMs use net income (loss) and operating income (loss) to evaluate the performance of the Company’s ongoing operations and as part of the Company’s internal planning and forecasting processes. Information on net income (loss) and operating income (loss) is disclosed in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Segment expenses and other segment items are provided to the CODMs on the same basis as disclosed in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The CODMs do not evaluate performance or allocate resources based on segment assets, and therefore such information is not presented in the Notes to the Financial Statements. 3 Under the guidance of Chan Heng Fai, our founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, who is also our largest stockholder, we have positioned ourselves as a participant in these key markets through a series of strategic transactions. Our growth strategy is both to pursue acquisition opportunities that we can leverage on our global network using our capital and management resources and to accelerate the expansion of our organic businesses. We generally acquire majority and/or control stakes in innovative and promising businesses that are expected to appreciate in value over time. Our emphasis is on building businesses in industries where our management team has in-depth knowledge and experience, or where our management can provide value by advising on new markets and expansion. We have at times provided a range of global capital and management services to these companies in order to gain access to Asian markets. We have historically favored businesses that improve an individual’s quality of life or that improve the efficiency of businesses through technology in various industries. We believe our capital and management services provide us with a competitive advantage in the selection of strategic acquisitions, which creates and adds value for our Company and our stockholders. We intend at all times to operate our business in a manner as to not become inadvertently subject to the regulatory requirements under the Investment Company Act by, among other things, (i) in the event of acquisitions, purchasing all or substantially all of an acquisition target’s voting stock, and only in limited cases purchase less than 51% of the voting stock; (ii) monitoring our operations and our assets on an ongoing basis in order to ensure that we own no less than a majority, or other control, of Alset International and that Alset International, in turn, owns no less than a majority, or other control, of LiquidValue Development Inc. and other such subsidiaries with significant assets and operations; and (iii) limiting additional equity investments into affiliated companies including our majority-owned and/or controlled operating subsidiaries, except in special limited circumstances. Additionally, we will continue to hire in-house management personnel and employees with industry background and experience, rather than retaining traditional investment portfolio managers to oversee our group of companies. The Company was incorporated in the State of Delaware on March 7, 2018, as HF Enterprises Inc. Effective as of February 5, 2021, the Company changed its name from “HF Enterprises Inc.” to “Alset EHome International Inc.” The Company effected such name change pursuant to a merger entered into with a wholly owned subsidiary, Alset EHome International Inc. The Company was the surviving entity following this merger and had adopted the name of its former subsidiary. In connection with this name change, our trading symbol on the Nasdaq Stock Market was changed from “HFEN” to “AEI.” On October 4, 2022, through a merger transaction, the Company was reincorporated in Texas and changed its name to Alset Inc. The Company effected such name change pursuant to a merger entered into with a wholly owned subsidiary, Alset Inc. The Company is the surviving entity following this merger and has adopted the name of its former subsidiary. Our trading symbol on Nasdaq Stock Market did not change due to the name change. 4 The following chart illustrates the current corporate structure of our key operating entities: Our Current Operations Real Estate Property Development Business Our property development business is primarily conducted through our indirect subsidiary, LiquidValue Development Inc. (“LiquidValue Development”), a 99.9%-owned U.S. subsidiary of Alset International, which owns, operates and manages real estate development projects with a focus on land subdivision developments. We generally contract out all real estate development activities, working with engineers, surveyors, architects and general contractors through each phase, including planning, design and construction. Once the contractors complete the land development, we then sell the developed lots to builders for the construction of new homes. Where possible, we have attempted to pre-sell these lots before they are fully developed. LiquidValue Development’s main asset is a subdivision development project near Houston, Texas (known as Lakes at Black Oak). 5 Our property development business is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. For the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, our property development business accounted for 79% and 82% of our total revenues, respectively. On October 28, 2022, 150 CCM Black Oak Ltd. (the “Seller”), a Texas Limited Partnership and subsidiary of the Company, entered into a Contract for Purchase and Sale and Escrow Instructions (the “2022 Agreement”) with Century Land Holdings of Texas, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company (“Century”). Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Seller agreed to sell approximately 242 single-family detached residential lots comprising a residential community in the city of Magnolia, Texas. On November 28, 2022, the parties to the 2022 Agreement entered into an amendment to the 2022 Agreement (the “Amendment”). Pursuant to the Amendment, the parties agreed that Century would purchase approximately 131 single-family detached residential lots, instead of 242 lots. This transaction closed on April 13, 2023. On March 16, 2023, 150 CCM Black Oak Ltd. entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement (the “RC Purchase and Sale Agreement”) with Rausch Coleman Homes Houston, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“Rausch Coleman”). Pursuant to the terms of the RC Purchase and Sale Agreement, the Seller has agreed to sell approximately 110 single-family detached residential lots which comprise a section of the Lakes at Black Oak. The transaction closed on May 15, 2023. On March 17, 2023, 150 CCM Black Oak Ltd. entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement (the “DH Purchase and Sale Agreement”) with Davidson Homes, LLC, an Alabama limited liability company (“Davidson”). Pursuant to the terms of the DH Purchase and Sale Agreement, the Seller had agreed to sell approximately 189 single-family detached residential lots developed within section 2 of Lakes at Black Oak project. The sale of the first 94 lots closed on May 30, 2023. The sale of remaining lots closed on January 4, 2024. On November 13, 2023, 150 CCM Black Oak Ltd. entered into two Contracts for Purchase and Sale and Escrow Instructions (each a “2023 Agreement,” collectively, the “2023 Agreements”) with Century Land Holdings of Texas, LLC. Pursuant to the terms of one of the aforementioned 2023 Agreements, the Seller has agreed to sell approximately 142 single-family detached residential lots (the “Section 4 Agreement”) comprising a section of a residential community at the Lakes at Black Oak. Pursuant to the other 2023 Agreement, the Seller has agreed to sell 63 single-family detached residential lots (the “Alset Villas Agreement”) in the city of Magnolia, Texas. In 2021, our subsidiary Alset EHome Inc. acquired approximately 19.5 acres of partially developed land near Houston, Texas which was used to develop a community named Alset Villas (“Alset Villas”). The sale of the first 70 lots closed on July 1, 2024 generating approximately $3.8 million. The sale of the remaining 72 lots at Lakes at Black Oak closed on October 10, 2024 generating approximately $3.9 million. The sale of 63 lots at Alset Villas closed on December 16, 2024 generating approximately $3.8 million. The Company has retained four model lots within Section 1 of the property. The Company intends to enter into contract-build agreements with local, regional or national builders to construct single-family, for rent homes. These elevations and floor plans will be carefully selected to suit the for-rent tenants and/or for-sale customers. The Company will also reserve the right to sell these homes in the event this is deemed to be the highest and best use in the marketplace. The Company expects to complete these homes within the next twelve months. Home Rental Business In recent years, the Company expanded its real estate portfolio to single family rental houses. During 2022 and 2021 the Company signed multiple purchase agreements to acquire 20 and 112 homes, respectively, in Montgomery and Harris Counties, Texas. By December 31, 2022, the acquisition of all 132 homes was completed with an aggregate purchase cost of $30,998,258. All of these purchased homes are properties of our rental business. On December 9, 2022, Alset Inc. entered into an agreement with Alset EHome Inc. and Alset International Limited pursuant to which Alset Inc. agreed to reorganize the ownership of its home rental business. Previously, Alset Inc. and certain majority-owned subsidiaries collectively owned 132 single-family rental homes in Texas, of which 112 were owned by subsidiaries of Alset EHome Inc. Alset Inc. owns 85.7% of Alset International Limited, and Alset International Limited indirectly owns approximately 99.9% of Alset EHome Inc. 6 The closing of the transaction contemplated by this agreement was completed on January 13, 2023. Pursuant to this agreement, the Company has become the direct owner of AHR and its subsidiaries that collectively own these 112 homes, instead of such homes being owned indirectly through Alset International Limited’s subsidiaries. Alset EHome Inc. sold AHR to Alset Inc. for a total consideration of $26,250,933, including the forgiveness of debt in the amount of $13,900,000, a promissory note in the amount of $11,350,933 and a cash payment of $1,000,000. This purchase price represents the book value of AHR as of November 30, 2022. The closing of this transaction was approved by the shareholders of Alset International Limited. Certain members of Alset Inc.’s Board of Directors and management are also members of the Board of Directors and management of each of Alset International Limited and Alset EHome Inc. As part of our commitment to advancing smart and healthy sustainable living, we installed Tesla PV solar panels and Powerwalls in approximately 96 of the 132 single-family rental homes. In addition, we added technologies at many of the single-family rental homes such as (i) smart solar, thermostat, and energy usage controls; (ii) smart lighting controls; (iii) smart locks and security; and (iv) smart home automation devices. We believe these and other technologies will be attractive to renters. The Company has entered into a property management agreement with the property managers under which the property managers generally oversee and direct the leasing, management and advertising of the properties in our portfolio, including collecting rents and acting as liaison with the tenants. The Company pays its property managers a monthly property management fee per property unit and a leasing fee. Potential Future Projects In addition to our main projects, we are embarking on residential development activities in partnership with U.S. homebuilders, and have commenced discussions to acquire smaller U.S. residential development projects. These projects may be within both the for-sale and for-rent markets. We consider projects in diverse regions across the United States, and maintain longstanding relationships with local owners, brokers, attorneys and lenders to source projects. We will continue to focus on off-market deals and raise appropriate financing for attractive development opportunities. We believe these initiatives will provide a set of solutions to stabilize the long-term revenue associated with property development in the United States and create new ancillary service opportunities and revenue from this business. Through our subsidiaries, we will explore the potential to pursue other business opportunities related to real estate. The Company is evaluating the potential to enter into additional activities related to solar energy and energy efficient products as well as smart home technologies. Through the Company’s eco-systems of businesses based around sustainable, healthy living communities, our Alset EHome Inc. subsidiary intends to develop single family homes which are eco-friendly. They will be fitted out with solar energy products such as photovoltaic systems, battery systems, and car charging ports for sustainable transport as well as other energy efficient systems. The Company also envisions acquiring land surrounding its communities for solar farm projects to power these communities. The Company intends to continue to explore other projects in and around Houston, Texas and bring this concept to other strategic parts of the U.S. Digital Transformation Technology Our digital transformation technology business unit is committed to enabling enterprises to engage in a digital transformation by providing support, implementation and development services with various technologies including blockchain, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence customer service applications and metaverse services. We commenced our technology business in 2015 through Hapi Metaverse Inc. (“Hapi Metaverse”), our 99.6% owned subsidiary. Its technology platform focuses on business-to-business, or B2B, solutions, such as communications and workflow, through instant messaging, international calling, social media and e-commerce. Hapi Metaverse’s investment into Value Exchange International Inc. (“VEII”) expanded our offering to retail business digital transformation such as supermarket and chain stores. Hapi Metaverse is now the largest stockholder of VEII. 7 Through Hapi Metaverse, we have successfully implemented several strategic platform developments for clients, including a mobile front-end solution for network marketing, a hotel e-commerce platform for a company in Asia and a real estate agent management platform in China. We have also enhanced our technological integration capability to include artificial intelligence in the area of customer service, augmented reality and the metaverse. While focusing on development and integration services by building white label mobile applications for e-commerce and community engagement such as direct marketing and affiliate marketing, VEII has been working on I.T. Services for major retailers in Asia for retail solutions integration. We believe that the increasing deployment of the technology, both in membership engagement as well as in the retail industry, will allow for feedback from customers, and help us build a robust and scalable software. Adding latest technological framework, such as A.I. and Metaverse, allows the Company to enhance our clients’ digital transformation journey with better consumer engagement and analytics. Biohealth Business With populations aging and a growing focus on healthcare issues, biohealth science has become increasingly vital. We entered the biomedical and healthcare market by forming our biohealth division, which is engaged in developing, researching, testing, manufacturing, licensing and distributing (through retail, direct selling, network marketing and e-commerce) biohealth products and services. We strive to leverage our scientific know-how and intellectual property rights to provide solutions to pending healthcare issues. In October 2019, the Company expanded its biohealth segment into the Korean market through one of the subsidiaries of HWH International Inc., HWH World Inc. (“HWH World”). HWH World is in the business of sourcing and distributing dietary supplements and other health products through its network of members in the Republic of Korea (“South Korea”). HWH World generates product sales via its direct sale model as products are sold to its members. Through the use of a Hapi Gig platform that combines e-commerce, social media and a customized rewards system, HWH World equips, trains and empowers its members. We compete with numerous direct sales companies in South Korea. The Company hold 39.7% ownership in Impact BioMedical Inc. (“Impact BioMedical”). Impact BioMedical is focused on discovery, development, and commercialization of products and technologies to address unmet needs in human healthcare and wellness for specialty biopharmaceuticals, antivirals, antimicrobials, consumer healthcare, and wellness products in the United States. Impact BioMedical is listed on NYSE American (NYSE: IBO). Other Business Activities In addition to our three principal business activities, we oversee several smaller other business activities at the present time, which we believe complement our three principal businesses. BMI Capital Partners. Alset International’s wholly-owned Hong Kong subsidiary, BMI Capital Partners International Limited provides consultancy services on corporate restructuring efforts, debt restructuring efforts and capital markets related corporate actions, including potential stock exchange listings. Alset F&B. The Company, through Alset F&B One Pte. Ltd. (“Alset F&B One”) and Alset F&B (PLQ) Pte. Ltd. (“Alset F&B PLQ”) each acquired a restaurant franchise licenses at the end of 2021 and 2022 respectively. These licenses allow Alset F&B One and Alset F&B PLQ each to operate a Killiney Kopitiam restaurants in Singapore. Killiney Kopitiam, founded in 1919, is a Singapore-based chain of mass-market, traditional kopitiam style service cafes selling traditional coffee and tea, along with a range of local delicacies such as Curry Chicken, Laksa, Mee Siam, and Mee Rebus. In the second quarter of 2024, the Company ceased operations of its subsidiary Alset F&B (PLQ) Pte. Ltd. Hapi Cafes. The Company, through Hapi Cafe Inc. (“HCI-T”), an indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Company, commenced operation of two cafés during 2022 and 2021, which are located in Singapore and South Korea. 8 The cafes are operated by subsidiaries of HCI-T, namely Hapi Cafe SG Pte. Ltd. (“HCSG”) in Singapore and Hapi Cafe Korea Inc. (“HCKI”) in Seoul, South Korea. Hapi Cafes are distinctive lifestyle café outlets that strive to revolutionize the way individuals dine, work and live, by providing a conducive environment for everyone to relish the four facets – health and wellness, fitness, productivity, and recreation all under one roof. In February of 2024, HCI-T acquired an additional café in South Korea. In 2023 the Company incorporated new subsidiaries Guangdong LeFu Wealth Investment Consulting Co., Ltd. (f.k.a. Shenzhen Leyouyou Catering Management Co., Ltd.) and Dongguan Leyouyou Catering Management Co., Ltd. in the People’s Republic of China. These companies are principally engaged in the food and beverage business in Mainland China. Additionally, through its subsidiary Hapi Group HK Limited (f.k.a. MOC HK Limited), the Company was focusing on operating café business in Hong Kong. The café was closed on September 16, 2024. During the years ended on December 31, 2024 and 2023, the revenue from the other business activities described above was approximately 7% and 5% of the total revenue, respectively. American Pacific Financial Inc. (“APF”) APF is a financial network holding company focused on acquiring equity positions in (i) undervalued commercial bank(s), bank holding companies and nonbanking licensed financial companies operating in the United States, South East Asia, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, and (ii) companies engaged in—nonbanking activities closely related to banking, including loan syndication services, mortgage banking, trust and escrow services, banking technology, loan servicing, equipment leasing, problem asset management, SPAC (special purpose acquisition company) consulting services, and advisory capital raising services. The Company acquired 4,775,523 shares of the Class B common stock of APF, representing approximately 86.4% of the total common stock of APF. On September 8, 2021 APF sold 6,666,700 shares Series A Common Stock to DSS, Inc. for $40,000,200 cash. As a result of such share issuance, the Company’s ownership percentage of APF fell to 41.3% and subsequently to 36.9% at the end of 2022 due to APF’s share issuances. Planned Acquisition of New Energy Asia Pacific Inc. On December 13, 2023, the Company entered into a term sheet (the “Term Sheet”), with Chan Heng Fai (the “Seller”), the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer and largest stockholder of the Company. Pursuant to the Term Sheet, the Company will purchase from the Seller all of the issued and outstanding shares of New Energy Asia Pacific Inc. (“NEAPI”), a corporation incorporated in the State of Nevada. NEAPI owns 41.5% of the issued and outstanding shares of New Energy Asia Pacific Limited (“New Energy”), a Hong Kong corporation. Under the terms of the Term Sheet, the consideration for the acquisition of NEAPI will be $103,750,000, to be paid in the form of a convertible promissory note (the “Note”) to be issued to the Seller. The Note will have a term of five years and will pay interest at a rate of 3% per annum. Either the Company or the Seller may convert all or any portion of the outstanding debt contemplated by the Note into shares of the Company’s common stock during the term of the Note. The conversion price for the Note has been set at $12.00 per share (based on a calculation of the approximate adjusted NAV of the Company per share as at September 30, 2023) which is equivalent to approximately 16 times the last market trading price of AEI of $0.75 as of December 12, 2023. The closing of this acquisition will be subject to certain standard closing conditions, including stockholder approval and no objection from Nasdaq. New Energy focuses on distributing all-electric versions of special-purpose and transportation vehicles, charging stations and batteries. The Company intends for this to be a strategic move, in line with the Company’s commitment to advancing sustainable and eco-friendly solutions for the future. Currently, New Energy has a strong pipeline of demand, with signed collective sales secured via Memorandums of Understanding totaling up to $42 million in value and continues to garner strong interest from local government departments and market demand. New Energy will seek to significantly increase revenues in the coming months relating to both electric chargers and electric vehicles. New Energy’s expertise extends across Asia, with established service and training centers in China and Hong Kong, and ongoing development planned in various parts of the world. The Seller is a member of the Board of Directors of New Energy. 9 The Term Sheet was approved by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors and by the Board of Directors of the Company. The Company’s Board of Directors has received a fairness opinion reflecting that the transaction is fair to the Company’s stockholders from a financial point of view. The Seller and his son, who is also a member of the Company’s Board of Directors, recused themselves from all deliberation and voting regarding this acquisition and the Term Sheet. The Company and the Seller anticipate entering into definitive documents for this acquisition in the immediate future. Investing Activities The Company operates a portfolio of trading securities with the objective of generating profits from short-term fluctuations in market prices. The portfolio is actively managed, and securities are bought and sold with the intent to realize gains from price movements within a short-term horizon. Agreements to Sell Stock of HWH International Inc. On November 21, 2023, Alset International Limited entered into two Stock Purchase Agreements (each, a “Stock Purchase Agreement,” collectively the “Stock Purchase Agreements”), with each of Teh Wing Kwan, a citizen of Singapore, and Massive Brilliant Limited, a Hong Kong limited company (each an “Investor,” collectively, the “Investors”), the terms of each Stock Purchase Agreement being substantially the same. Pursuant to the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreements, Alset International Limited agreed to sell 640 shares (the “Shares”) of the Common Stock of HWH International Inc., a Nevada corporation and a majority owned subsidiary of the Company (“HWH International”), to each Investor. The consideration for each of the two purchases of stock was $8,000,000 paid through the issuance of a promissory note made to Alset International Limited by each Investor. Each Investor also entered into a Security Agreement, dated as of November 21, 2023. Security interest in the brokerage account into which each investor deposited the Shares (the “Collateral”) shall in each case serve as security for the Investor’s repayment of their respective promissory note, and repossession of such Collateral by Alset International Limited shall be the sole recourse for non-payment. Certain members of the Company’s Board of Directors and management are also members of the Board of Directors and management of each of Alset International Limited and HWH International. On January 9, 2024, HWH International and Alset Capital Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Alset Capital”) closed their merger as contemplated by an agreement and plan of merger (the “Merger Agreement”). The closing of the Merger Agreement resulted in HWH International surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Alset Capital (the “Merger”), and Alset Capital changing its name to HWH International Inc. (“New HWH”). The total consideration paid at the closing of the merger by New HWH to HWH International shareholders was 12,500,000 shares of New HWH common stock. Alset International Limited owned the majority of the outstanding shares of HWH International at the time of the business combination, and received 10,900,000 shares of New HWH as consideration for its shares of HWH International. Upon the closing of the sale of HWH International to Alset Capital, each of the Investors received 6.4% of the consideration for such sale, in the form of 800,000 shares of New HWH apiece. Sales and Marketing We focus our corporate marketing efforts on increasing brand awareness, communicating the advantages of our various platforms and generating qualified leads for our sales team. Our corporate marketing plan is designed to continually elevate awareness of our brand and generate demand for our offerings. We rely on a number of channels in this area, including digital advertising, email marketing, social media, affiliate marketing and broad-based media, as well as through various strategic partnerships. We maintain our website at https://www.alsetinc.com, and our various operating subsidiaries maintain individual websites, many of which are accessible through our main website. Each of our businesses has developed a field sales force in their geographic markets. These sales force teams are responsible for identifying and managing individual sales opportunities in their respective regions. 10 Competition The businesses in which we participate, real estate, digital transformation technology and biohealth, are each highly competitive. Existing and future competitors may introduce products and services in the same markets we serve, and competing products or services may have better performance, lower prices, better functionality and broader acceptance than our products. Our competitors may also add features to their products or services similar to features that presently differentiate our product and service offerings from theirs. This competition could result in decreased sales and increased marketing expenses, thereby materially reducing our operating margins, and could harm our ability to grow, or cause us to lose market share. Some of our competitors and potential competitors supply a wide variety of products and services, and have well-established relationships with our current and prospective customers. Most, if not all, of our current and potential competitors may have significantly greater resources or better competitive positions in certain product segments, geographic regions or user demographics than we do. These factors may allow our competitors to respond more effectively than us to new or emerging technologies and changes in market conditions. By way of example, in our real estate business, some of our competitors already have the advantage of having created vertically integrated businesses, while other competitors have broader and deeper relationships with sources of financing. Other competitors in our real estate business may have more substantial ties and experience in geographical areas in which we operate. Our competitors may develop products, features or services that are similar to ours or that achieve greater acceptance, may undertake more far-reaching and successful product development efforts or marketing campaigns, or may adopt more aggressive pricing policies. This is particularly relevant for our digital transformation technology business. Certain competitors could use strong or dominant positions in one or more markets to gain competitive advantage against us in our target market or markets. As a result, our competitors may acquire and engage customers or generate revenue at the expense of our own efforts. Protection of Proprietary Technology We rely on a combination of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws in the United States and other jurisdictions, as well as confidentiality procedures and contractual provisions, to protect our proprietary information, technology and brands. We protect our proprietary information and technology, in part, by generally requiring our employees to enter into agreements providing for the maintenance of confidentiality and the assignment of rights to inventions made by them while employed by us. We also may enter into non-disclosure and invention assignment agreements with certain of our technical consultants to protect our confidential and proprietary information and technology. We cannot assure that our confidentiality agreements with our employees and consultants will not be breached, that we will be able to effectively enforce these agreements, that we will have adequate remedies for any breach of these agreements, or that our trade secrets and other proprietary information and technology will not be disclosed or will otherwise be protected. We also rely on contractual and license agreements with third parties in connection with their use of our technology and services. There is no guarantee that such parties will abide by the terms of such agreements or that we will be able to adequately enforce our rights. Protection of confidential information, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights in the markets in which we operate and compete is highly uncertain and may involve complex legal questions. We cannot completely prevent the unauthorized use or infringement of our confidential information or intellectual property rights as such prevention is inherently difficult. Costly and time-consuming litigation could be necessary to enforce and determine the scope of our confidential information and intellectual property protection. Government Regulation Like many similarly diversified companies, our operations are subject to routine regulation by governmental agencies. Much of this regulation will affect us indirectly, inasmuch as, and to the extent that, it affects our customers more directly. A summary of the laws and regulations that might affect our customers is set forth below. 11 Real Estate Business. The development of our real estate projects will require us to comply with federal, state and local environmental regulations. In connection with this compliance, our real estate acquisition and development projects will require environmental studies. To date, we have spent approximately $71,431 on environmental studies and compliance. Such costs were reflected in capitalized construction costs in our financial statements and subsequently expensed. The cost of complying with governmental regulations is significant and will increase if we add additional real estate projects, become involved in homebuilding in the future and are required to comply with certain due diligence procedures related to third party lenders. At the present time, we believe that we have all of the material government approvals that we need to conduct our business as currently conducted. We are subject to periodic local permitting that must be addressed, but we do not anticipate that such requirements for government approval will have a material impact on our business as presently conducted. We are required to comply with government regulations and to make filings from time to time with various government entities. Such work is typically handled by outside contractors we retain. Digital Transformation Technology Business. Companies conducting business on the Internet are subject to a number of foreign and domestic laws and regulations. In addition, laws and regulations relating to user privacy, freedom of expression, content, advertising, information security and intellectual property rights are being debated and considered for adoption by many countries throughout the world. Online businesses face risks from some of the proposed legislation that could be passed in the future. The adoption of any laws or regulations that adversely affect the growth, popularity or use of the Internet, including laws impacting Internet neutrality, could decrease the demand for our services and increase our cost of doing business. As we expand internationally, government regulation concerning the Internet, and in particular, network neutrality, may be nascent or non-existent. Within such a regulatory environment, coupled with potentially significant political and economic power of local network operators, we could experience discriminatory or anti-competitive practices that could impede our growth, cause us to incur additional expense or otherwise negatively affect our business. In the United States, laws relating to the liability of providers of online services for activities of their users and other third parties are currently being tested by a number of claims, which include actions for libel, slander, invasion of privacy and other tort claims, unlawful activity, copyright and trademark infringement, and other theories based on the nature and content of the materials searched, the ads posted, or the content generated by users. Certain foreign jurisdictions are also testing the liability of providers of online services for activities of their users and other third parties. Any court ruling that imposes liability on providers of online services for activities of their users and other third parties could harm our licensees’ businesses, and thus, indirectly, our business. Biohealth Business. Our businesses are subject to varying degrees of governmental regulation in the countries in which our operations are conducted, and the general trend is toward increasingly stringent regulation. In the United States, the drug, device and cosmetic industries have long been subject to regulation by various federal and state agencies, primarily as to product safety, efficacy, manufacturing, advertising, labeling and safety reporting. The exercise of broad regulatory powers by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, continues to result in increases in the amounts of testing and documentation required for FDA approval of new drugs and devices and a corresponding increase in the expense of product introduction. Similar trends are also evident in major markets outside of the United States. The new medical device regulatory framework and the new privacy regulations in Europe are examples of such increased regulation. The costs of human health care have been and continue to be a subject of study, investigation and regulation by governmental agencies and legislative bodies around the world. In the United States, attention has been focused on drug prices and profits and programs that encourage doctors to write prescriptions for particular drugs, or to recommend, use or purchase particular medical devices. Payers have become a more potent force in the market place and increased attention is being paid to drug and medical device pricing, appropriate drug and medical device utilization and the quality and costs of health care generally. The regulatory agencies under whose purview we operate have administrative powers that may subject it to actions such as product withdrawals, recalls, seizure of products and other civil and criminal sanctions. In some cases, our subsidiaries may deem it advisable to initiate product recalls. 12 In addition, business practices in the health care industry have come under increased scrutiny, particularly in the United States, by government agencies and state attorneys general, and resulting investigations and prosecutions carry the risk of significant civil and criminal penalties. Further, we rely on global supply chains, and production and distribution processes, that are complex, are subject to increasing regulatory requirements, and may be faced with unexpected changes that may affect sourcing, supply and pricing of materials used in our products. These processes also are subject to lengthy regulatory approvals. As described above, certain of our businesses are subject to compliance with laws and regulations of U.S. federal and state governments, non-U.S. governments, their respective agencies and/or various self-regulatory organizations or exchanges relating to, among other things, disclosure and the privacy of client information, and any failure to comply with these regulations could expose us to liability and/or damage our reputation. Our businesses have operated for many years within a legal framework that requires us to monitor and comply with a broad range of legal and regulatory developments that affect our activities. However, additional legislation, changes in rules promulgated by self-regulatory organizations or changes in the interpretation or enforcement of existing laws and rules, either in the United States or elsewhere, may directly affect our mode of operation and profitability. Rigorous legal and compliance analysis of our businesses is endemic to our culture and risk management. Management of each of our businesses supervise our compliance personnel, who are responsible for addressing all regulatory and compliance matters that affect our activities. We strive to maintain a culture of compliance through the use of policies and procedures, including a code of ethics, electronic compliance systems, testing and monitoring, communication of compliance guidance and employee education and training. Our compliance policies and procedures address a variety of regulatory and compliance matters such as the handling of material non-public information, personal securities trading, marketing practices, gifts and entertainment, valuation of investments, recordkeeping, potential conflicts of interest, the allocation of corporate opportunities, collection of fees and expense allocation. We also monitor the information barriers that we maintain between the public and private sides of our businesses. We believe that our various businesses’ access to the intellectual knowledge and contacts and relationships that reside throughout our firm benefits all of our businesses. To maximize that access without compromising compliance with our legal and contractual obligations, our compliance group oversees and monitors the communications between groups that are on the private side of our information barrier and groups that are on the public side, as well as between different public side groups. Our compliance group also monitors contractual obligations that may be impacted and potential conflicts that may arise in connection with these inter-group discussions. Facilities We manage our worldwide business from our principal executive offices located in Bethesda, Maryland, in a leased space of approximately 2,059 square feet, under a lease that expires in 2027. We also maintain leased spaces in Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, China and Taiwan through leased spaces aggregating approximately 20,337 square feet, under leases expiring on various dates from July 2025 to April 2029. The leases have rental rates ranging from $2,267 to $23,020 per month. Our total rent expense under these office leases was $1,192,776 and $1,087,585 in 2024 and 2023, respectively. We expect total rent expense to be approximately $823,069 under office leases in 2025. We believe our present office space and locations are adequate for our current operations and for near-term planned expansion. Employees As of March 31, 2025, we had a total of 71 full-time employees. In addition to our full-time employees, we occasionally hire part-time employees and independent contractors to assist us in various operations, including food and beverage services, real estate, research and product development and production. Our future success will depend in part on our ability to attract, retain and motivate highly qualified technical and sales personnel for whom competition is intense. Our employees are not represented by any collective bargaining unit. We believe our relations with employees and contractors are good. 13 Additional Information The Company is subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act, and, in accordance therewith, files annual, quarterly, and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the Commission. The Commission maintains an Internet website at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the Commission. The periodic reports, proxy statements and other information that the Company files with the Commission are available for inspection on the Commission’s website free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the Commission. The Company maintains a website at https://www.alsetinc.com where you may also access these materials free of charge. We have included our website address as an inactive textual reference only and the information contained in, and that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated into and is not part of this report on Form 10-K.