Item 1A. Risk Factors
ITEM 1A – RISK FACTORS
In addition to
the information contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2025, and this Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q, we have identified the following material risks and uncertainties which reflect our outlook and conditions known to us as of
the date of this Quarterly Report. These material risks and uncertainties should be carefully reviewed by our stockholders and any potential
investors in evaluating the Company, our business and the market value of our common stock. Furthermore, any one of these material risks
and uncertainties has the potential to cause actual results, performance, achievements or events to be materially different from any future
results, performance, achievements or events implied, suggested or expressed by any forward-looking statements made by us or by persons
acting on our behalf. Refer to “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements” as disclosed in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2025.
There is no assurance
that we will be successful in preventing the material adverse effects that any one or more of the following material risks and uncertainties
may cause on our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results, which may result in a significant decrease in the market
price of our common stock. Furthermore, there is no assurance that these material risks and uncertainties represent a complete list of
the material risks and uncertainties facing us. There may be additional risks and uncertainties of a material nature that, as of the date
of this Quarterly Report, we are unaware of or that we consider immaterial that may become material in the future, any one or more of
which may result in a material adverse effect on us. You could lose all or a significant portion of your investment due to any one of
these material risks and uncertainties.
Risks Related to the Business
We have a limited operating history and,
as a result, our past results may not be indicative of future operating performance.
We have a limited operating history, which makes
it difficult to forecast our future results. You should not rely on our past results of operations as indicators of future performance.
You should consider and evaluate our prospects in light of the risks and uncertainty frequently encountered by companies like ours.
If we fail to address the risks and difficulties
that we face, including those described elsewhere in this “ Risk Factors ” section, our business, financial condition
and results of operations could be adversely affected. Further, because we have limited historical financial data and operate in an evolving
market, any predictions about our future revenue and expenses may not be as accurate as they would be if we had a longer operating history
or operated in a more predictable market. We have encountered in the past, and will encounter in the future, risks and uncertainties frequently
experienced by growing companies with limited operating histories in rapidly changing industries. If our assumptions regarding these risks
and uncertainties are incorrect or change, or if we do not address these risks successfully, our results of operations could differ materially
from our expectations and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
We have a history of net losses and we may
not be able to achieve or maintain profitability in the future.
For all annual periods of our operating history
we have experienced net losses. We generated a net loss of approximately $1.98 million during the three-month period ended May 31, 2025
and net losses of approximately $5.1 million, $3.8 million and $7.5 million for the years ended February 28, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
At May 31, 2025 and February 28, 2025, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $36.1 million and $34.2 million, respectively. We
have not achieved profitability, and we may not realize sufficient revenue to achieve profitability in future periods. Our expenses will
likely increase in the future as we develop and launch new offerings and platform features, expand in existing and new markets, increase
our sales and marketing efforts and continue to invest in our platform. These efforts may be more costly than we expect and may not result
in increased revenue or growth in our business. If we are unable to generate adequate revenue growth and manage our expenses, we may continue
to incur significant losses in the future and may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability.
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If we fail to effectively manage our growth,
our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
We are currently experiencing growth in our business.
This expansion increases the complexity of our business and has placed, and will continue to place, strain on our management, personnel,
operations, systems, technical performance, financial resources and internal financial control and reporting functions. Our ability to
manage our growth effectively and to integrate new employees, technologies and acquisitions into our existing business will require us
to continue to expand our operational and financial infrastructure and to continue to retain, attract, train, motivate and manage employees.
Continued growth could strain our ability to develop and improve our operational, financial and management controls, enhance our reporting
systems and procedures, recruit, train and retain highly skilled personnel and maintain user satisfaction. Additionally, if we do not
effectively manage the growth of our business and operations, the quality of our offerings could suffer, which could negatively affect
our reputation and brand, business, financial condition and results of operations.
We depend on our key personnel and other
highly skilled personnel, and if we fail to attract, retain, motivate or integrate our personnel, our business, financial condition and
results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our success depends in part on the continued service
of our founders, senior management team, key technical employees and other highly skilled personnel and on our ability to identify, hire,
develop, motivate, retain and integrate highly qualified personnel for all areas of our organization. We may not be successful in attracting
and retaining qualified personnel to fulfill our current or future needs. Our competitors may be successful in recruiting and hiring members
of our management team or other key employees, and it may be difficult for us to find suitable replacements on a timely basis, on competitive
terms or at all. If we are unable to attract and retain the necessary personnel, particularly in critical areas of our business, we may
not achieve our strategic goals.
Our concentration of earnings from two telecommunications
companies may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We currently derive a substantial amount of our
total revenue through contracts secured with China Unicom and China Mobile. If we were to lose the business of one or both of these mobile
telecommunications companies, if either were to fail to fulfill its obligations to us, if either were to experience difficulty in paying
rebates to us on a timely basis, if either negotiated lower pricing terms, or if either increased the number of licensed payment portals
it permits to process its payments, it could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, business, financial condition,
results of operations and cash flows. Additionally, we cannot guarantee that the volume of revenue we earn from China Unicom and China
Mobile will remain consistent going forward. Any substantial change in our relationships with either China Unicom or China Mobile, or
both, whether due to actions by our competitors, regulatory authorities, industry factors or otherwise, could have a material adverse
effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any actual or perceived security or privacy
breach could interrupt our operations, harm our brand and adversely affect our reputation, brand, business, financial condition and results
of operations.
Our business involves the processing and transmission
of our users’ personal and other sensitive data. Because techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to or to sabotage information
systems change frequently and may not be known until launched against us, we may be unable to anticipate or prevent these attacks. Unauthorized
parties may in the future gain access to our systems or facilities through various means, including gaining unauthorized access into our
systems or facilities or those of our service providers, partners or users on our platform, or attempting to fraudulently induce our employees,
service providers, partners, users or others into disclosing names, passwords, payment information or other sensitive information, which
may in turn be used to access our information technology systems, or attempting to fraudulently induce our employees, partners or others
into manipulating payment information, resulting in the fraudulent transfer of funds to criminal actors. In addition, users on our platform
could have vulnerabilities on their own mobile devices that are entirely unrelated to our systems and platform but could mistakenly attribute
their own vulnerabilities to us. Further, breaches experienced by other companies may also be leveraged against us. For example, credential
stuffing attacks are becoming increasingly common and sophisticated actors can mask their attacks, making them increasingly difficult
to identify and prevent. Certain efforts may be state-sponsored or supported by significant financial and technological resources, making
them even more difficult to detect.
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Although we have developed systems and processes
that are designed to protect our users’ data, prevent data loss and prevent other security breaches, these security measures cannot
guarantee security. Our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to cyberattacks or security breaches; also, employee
error, malfeasance or other errors in the storage, use or transmission of personal information could result in an actual or perceived
privacy or security breach or other security incident.
Any actual or perceived breach of privacy or security
could interrupt our operations, result in our platform being unavailable, result in loss or improper disclosure of data, result in fraudulent
transfer of funds, harm our reputation and brand, damage our relationships with third-party partners, result in significant legal, regulatory
and financial exposure and lead to loss of confidence in, or decreased use of, our platform, any of which could adversely affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations. Any breach of privacy or security impacting any entities with which we share or disclose
data (including, for example, our third-party providers) could have similar effects.
Additionally, defending against claims or litigation
based on any security breach or incident, regardless of their merit, could be costly and divert management’s attention. We cannot
be certain that our insurance coverage will be adequate for data handling or data security liabilities actually incurred, that insurance
will continue to be available to us on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, or that any insurer will not deny coverage as to any
future claim. The successful assertion of one or more large claims against us that exceed available insurance coverage, or the occurrence
of changes in our insurance policies, including premium increases or the imposition of large deductible or co-insurance requirements,
could have an adverse effect on our reputation, brand, business, financial condition and results of operations.
Systems failures and resulting interruptions
in the availability of our platform or offerings could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our systems, or those of third parties upon which
we rely, may experience service interruptions or degradation because of hardware and software defects or malfunctions, distributed denial-of-service
and other cyberattacks, human error, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires, natural disasters, power losses, disruptions in telecommunications
services, fraud, military or political conflicts, terrorist attacks, computer viruses, ransomware, malware or other events. Our systems
also may be subject to break-ins, sabotage, theft and intentional acts of vandalism, including by our own employees. Some of our systems
are not fully redundant and our disaster recovery planning may not be sufficient for all eventualities. Our business interruption insurance
may not be sufficient to cover all of our losses that may result from interruptions in our service as a result of systems failures and
similar events.
We have not experienced any system failures or
other events or conditions that have interrupted the availability or reduced or effected the speed or functionality of our offerings.
These events, were they to occur in the future, could adversely affect our business, reputation, results of operations and financial condition.
The successful operation of our business
depends upon the performance and reliability of Internet, mobile, and other infrastructures that are not under our control.
Our business depends on the performance and reliability
of Internet, mobile and other infrastructures that are not under our control. Disruptions in Internet infrastructure or the failure of
telecommunications network operators to provide us with the bandwidth we need to provide our services and offerings could interfere with
the speed and availability of our platform. If our platform is unavailable when platform users attempt to access it, or if our platform
does not load as quickly as platform users expect, platform users may not return to our platform as often in the future, or at all, and
may use our competitors’ products or offerings more often. In addition, we have no control over the costs of the services provided
by national telecommunications operators. If mobile Internet access fees or other charges to Internet users increase, consumer traffic
may decrease, which may in turn cause our revenue to significantly decrease.
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Our business depends on the efficient and uninterrupted
operation of mobile communications systems. The occurrence of an unanticipated problem, such as a power outage, telecommunications delay
or failure, security breach or computer virus could result in delays or interruptions to our services, offerings and platform, as well
as business interruptions for us and platform users. Furthermore, foreign governments may leverage their ability to shut down directed
services, and local governments may shut down our platform at the routing level. Any of these events could damage our reputation, significantly
disrupt our operations, and subject us to liability, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.
We have invested significant resources to develop new products to mitigate the impact of potential interruptions to mobile communications
systems, which can be used by consumers in territories where mobile communications systems are less efficient. However, these products
may ultimately be unsuccessful.
We may be subject to claims, lawsuits, government
investigations and other proceedings that may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations .
We may be subject to claims, lawsuits, arbitration
proceedings, government investigations and other legal and regulatory proceedings as our business grows and as we deploy new offerings,
including proceedings related to our products or our acquisitions, securities issuances or business practices. The results of any such
claims, lawsuits, arbitration proceedings, government investigations or other legal or regulatory proceedings cannot be predicted with
certainty. Any claims against us, whether meritorious or not, could be time-consuming, result in costly litigation, be harmful to our
reputation, require significant management attention and divert significant resources. Determining reserves for litigation is a complex
and fact-intensive process that requires significant subjective judgment and speculation. It is possible that such proceedings could result
in substantial damages, settlement costs, fines and penalties that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results
of operations. These proceedings could also result in harm to our reputation and brand, sanctions, consent decrees, injunctions or other
orders requiring a change in our business practices. Any of these consequences could adversely affect our business, financial condition
and results of operations. Furthermore, under certain circumstances, we have contractual and other legal obligations to indemnify and
to incur legal expenses on behalf of our business and commercial partners and current and former directors and officers.
We may require additional funding to support
our business.
To grow our business, FingerMotion currently looks
to take advantage of the immense growth in the total variety of mobile services provided in China. On February 1, 2022, the Xinhua News
Agency reported that the combined business revenue in the telecom sector rose 8% year on year to about US$232.43 billion in 2021, with
the growth rate up 4.1 percentage points from 2020, according to the PRC Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. For the Company
to continue to grow, the deposit with the Telecoms needs to increase, as most of the revenue we process is dependent on the size of the
deposit we have with each Telecom. We will need to raise additional capital to materially increase the amounts of these deposits with
the Telecoms and to support the rollout of our Command & Communications business. If we raise additional funds through the issuance
of equity, equity-linked or debt securities, those securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of our common
stock, and our existing stockholders may experience dilution. Any debt financing secured by us in the future could involve restrictive
covenants relating to our capital-raising activities and other financial and operational matters, which may make it more difficult for
us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities. We cannot be certain that additional funding will be available to
us on favorable terms, or at all. If we are unable to obtain adequate funding or funding on terms satisfactory to us, when we require
it, our ability to continue to support our business growth and to respond to business challenges could be significantly limited, and our
business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Claims by others that we infringed their
proprietary technology or other intellectual property rights could harm our business.
Companies in the Internet and technology industries
are frequently subject to litigation based on allegations of infringement or other violations of intellectual property rights. In addition,
certain companies and rights holders seek to enforce and monetize patents or other intellectual property rights they own, have purchased
or otherwise obtained. As we gain a public profile and the number of competitors in our market increases, the possibility of intellectual
property rights claims against us grows. From time to time, third parties may assert claims of infringement of intellectual property rights
against us. Many potential litigants, including some of our competitors and patent-holding companies, have the ability to dedicate substantial
resources to assert their intellectual property rights. Any claim of infringement by a third party, even those without merit, could cause
us to incur substantial costs defending against the claim, could distract our management from our business and could require us to cease
use of such intellectual property. Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual
property litigation, we risk compromising our confidential information during this type of litigation. We may be required to pay substantial
damages, royalties or other fees in connection with a claimant securing a judgment against us, we may be subject to an injunction or other
restrictions that prevent us from using or distributing our intellectual property, or we may agree to a settlement that prevents us from
distributing our offerings or a portion thereof, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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With respect to any intellectual property rights
claim, we may have to seek out a license to continue operations found to be in violation of such rights, which may not be available on
favorable or commercially reasonable terms and may significantly increase our operating expenses. Some licenses may be non-exclusive,
and therefore our competitors may have access to the same technology licensed to us. If a third party does not offer us a license to its
intellectual property on reasonable terms, or at all, we may be required to develop alternative, non-infringing technology, which could
require significant time (during which we would be unable to continue to offer our affected offerings), effort and expense and may ultimately
not be successful. Any of these events could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Geopolitical Tensions Between the United States
and China Could Adversely Affect Our Operations and Business Environment.
Although our services are not directly affected
by tariffs, ongoing political and trade tensions between the United States and China could lead to new regulations or restrictions that
may impact our operations. These may include changes in laws, data rules, or cross-border business policies that we cannot predict at
this time. Any unexpected government action could affect how we operate or grow our business in the future.
Risks Related to Our Securities
Our stock has limited liquidity.
Our common stock began trading on the Nasdaq Capital
Market on December 28, 2021, and before that it traded on the OTCQX operated by OTC Markets Group Inc. Trading volume in our shares may
be sporadic and the price could experience volatility. If adverse market conditions exist, you may have difficulty selling your shares.
The market price of our common stock may fluctuate
significantly in response to numerous factors, some of which are beyond our control, including the following:
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actual or anticipated fluctuations in our operating results;
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changes in financial estimates by securities analysts or our failure to perform in line with such estimates;
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changes in market valuations of other companies, particularly those that market services such as ours;
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announcements by us or our competitors of significant innovations, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments;
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introduction of product enhancements that reduce the need for our products;
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departure of key personnel; and
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changes in overall global market sentiments and economy trends
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We do not intend to pay cash dividends for
the foreseeable future.
We have never declared nor paid cash dividends
on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain any future earnings to finance the operation and expansion of our business, and we
do not expect to declare or pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. As a result, stockholders must rely on sales of their common
stock after price appreciation as the only way to realize any future gains on their investment.
If securities or industry analysts do not
publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the market price and trading volume of our common stock
could decline.
The trading market for our common stock may depend
in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us, our business, our market or our competition.
The analysts’ estimates are based upon their own opinions and are often different from our estimates or expectations. If one or
more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our common stock, provide a more favorable recommendation about our competitors or publish
inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the price of our securities would likely decline. If few securities analysts commence
coverage of us, or if one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our securities
could decrease, which might cause the price and trading volume of our common stock to decline.
The
continued sale of our equity securities will dilute the ownership percentage of our existing shareholders and may decrease the market
price for our Common Shares.
Our Certificate
of Incorporation, as amended, authorize the issuance of up to 200,000,000 Common Shares and up to 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock
(“ Preferred Shares ”). Our Board of Directors has the authority to issue additional shares of our capital stock to provide
additional financing in the future and designate the rights of the preferred shares, which may include voting, dividend, distribution
or other rights that are preferential to those held by the common stockholders. The issuance of any such common or preferred shares may
result in a reduction of the book value or market price of our outstanding common shares. To grow our business substantially, we will
likely have to issue additional equity securities to obtain working capital to deposit with the telecommunications companies for which
we process mobile recharge payments. Our efforts to fund our intended business plans will therefore result in dilution to our existing
stockholders. If we do issue any such additional common shares, such issuance also will cause a reduction in the proportionate ownership
and voting power of all other stockholders. As a result of such dilution, if you acquire common shares your proportionate ownership interest
and voting power could be decreased. Furthermore, any such issuances could result in a change of control or a reduction in the market
price for our common shares.
If we fail to maintain an effective system
of disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting, our ability to produce timely and accurate financial statements
or comply with applicable regulations could be impaired.
As a public company, we are subject to the reporting
requirements of the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “ SOX ”). The SOX requires, among other things,
that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. We are continuing to develop
and refine our disclosure controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in
the reports that we will file with the SEC is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules
and forms and that information required to be disclosed in reports under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our principal
executive and financial officers. We are also continuing to improve our internal control over financial reporting. We have expended, and
anticipate that we will continue to expend, significant resources in order to maintain and improve the effectiveness of our disclosure
controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting.
Our current controls and any new controls that
we develop may become inadequate because of changes in the conditions in our business. Further, weaknesses in our disclosure controls
or our internal control over financial reporting may be discovered in the future. Any failure to develop or maintain effective controls,
or any difficulties encountered in their implementation or improvement, could harm our results of operations or cause us to fail to meet
our reporting obligations and may result in a restatement of our financial statements for prior periods. Any failure to implement and
maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could also adversely affect the results of periodic management evaluations
and annual independent registered public accounting firm attestation reports regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over
financial reporting that we will eventually be required to include in our periodic reports that will be filed with the SEC. Ineffective
disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting could also cause investors to lose confidence in our
reported financial and other information, which would likely adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
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Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
(“FINRA”) sales practice requirements may also limit a stockholder’s ability to buy and sell our shares of common stock,
which could depress the price of our shares of common stock.
FINRA rules require broker-dealers to have reasonable
grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for a customer before recommending that investment to the customer. Prior to recommending
speculative low-priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information
about the customer’s financial status, tax status, investment objectives, and other information. Under interpretations of these
rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative low-priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers.
Thus, if our shares of common stock become speculative low-priced securities, the FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker-dealers
to recommend that their customers buy our shares of common stock, which may limit your ability to buy and sell our shares of common stock,
have an adverse effect on the market for our shares of common stock, and thereby depress our price per share of common stock.
Our shares of common
stock have been thinly traded, and you may be unable to sell at or near ask prices or at all if you need to sell your shares of common
stock to raise money or otherwise desire to liquidate your shares.
Until December 28, 2021,
our shares of common stock were quoted on the OTCQB/QX where they were “thinly traded”, meaning that the number of persons
interested in purchasing our shares of common stock at or near bid prices at any given time was relatively small or non-existent. Since
we listed on Nasdaq on December 28, 2021, the volume of our shares of common stock traded has increased, but that volume could decrease
until we are thinly traded again. That could occur due to a number of factors, including that we are relatively unknown to stock analysts,
stock brokers, institutional investors and others in the investment community that generate or influence sales volume, and that even if
we came to the attention of such persons, they tend to be risk-averse and might be reluctant to follow an unproven company such as ours
or purchase or recommend the purchase of our shares of common stock until such time as we became more seasoned. As a consequence, there
may be periods of several days or more when trading activity in our shares of common stock is minimal or non-existent, as compared to
a seasoned issuer which has a large and steady volume of trading activity that will generally support continuous sales without an adverse
effect on share price. Broad or active public trading market for our shares of common stock may not develop or be sustained.
Risks Related to the VIE Agreements
The PRC government may determine that the
VIE Agreements are not in compliance with applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations.
JiuGe Management, our WFOE, manages and operates
the mobile data business through JiuGe Technology, the VIE, pursuant to the rights its holds under the VIE Agreements. Almost all economic
benefits and risks arising from JiuGe Technology’s operations are transferred to JiuGe Management under these agreements.
There are risks involved with the operation of
our business in reliance on the VIE Agreements, including the risk that the VIE Agreements may be determined by PRC regulators or courts
to be unenforceable. Our PRC counsel has advised us that the VIE Agreements are binding and enforceable under PRC law, but has further
advised that if the VIE Agreements were for any reason determined to be in breach of any existing or future PRC laws or regulations, the
relevant regulatory authorities would have broad discretion in dealing with such breach, including:
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imposing economic penalties;
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discontinuing or restricting the operations of JiuGe Technology or JiuGe Management;
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imposing conditions or requirements in respect of the VIE Agreements with which JiuGe Technology or JiuGe Management may not be able to comply;
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requiring our company to restructure the relevant ownership structure or operations;
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taking other regulatory or enforcement actions that could adversely affect our company’s business; and
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revoking the business licenses and/or the licenses or certificates of JiuGe Management, and/or voiding the VIE Agreements.
Any of these actions could adversely affect our
ability to manage, operate and gain the financial benefits of JiuGe Technology, which would have a material adverse impact on our business,
financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, if the PRC government determines that the contractual arrangements constituting
part of our VIE structure do not comply with PRC regulations, or if regulations change or are interpreted differently in the future, we
may be unable to assert our contractual rights over the assets of our VIE, and our Common Shares may decline in value or become worthless.
Our ability to manage and operate JiuGe
Technology under the VIE Agreements may not be as effective as direct ownership.
We conduct our mobile data business in the PRC
and generate virtually all of our revenues through the VIE Agreements. Our plans for future growth are based substantially on growing
the operations of JiuGe Technology. However, the VIE Agreements may not be as effective in providing us with control over JiuGe Technology
as direct ownership. Under the current VIE arrangements, as a legal matter, if JiuGe Technology fails to perform its obligations under
these contractual arrangements, we may have to (i) incur substantial costs and resources to enforce such arrangements, and (ii) rely on
legal remedies under PRC law, which we cannot be sure would be effective. Therefore, if we are unable to effectively control JiuGe Technology,
it may have an adverse effect on our ability to achieve our business objectives and grow our revenues.
The VIE Agreements have never been challenged
or recognized in court for the time being, the PRC government may determine that the VIE Agreements are not in compliance with applicable
PRC laws, rules and regulations.
The VIE Agreements are governed by the PRC law
and provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitral proceedings pursuant to PRC law. If JiuGe Technology or its shareholders fail
to perform the obligations under the VIE Agreements, we would be required to resort to legal remedies available under PRC law, including
seeking specific performance or injunctive relief, or claiming damages. We cannot be sure that such remedies would provide us with effective
means of causing JiuGe Technology to meet its obligations or recovering any losses or damages as a result of non-performance. Further,
the legal environment in China is not as developed as in other jurisdictions. Uncertainties in the application of various laws, rules,
regulations or policies in PRC legal system could limit our liability to enforce the VIE Agreements and protect our interests.
The payment arrangement under the VIE Agreements
may be challenged by the PRC tax authorities.
We generate our revenues through the payments
we receive pursuant to the VIE Agreements. We could face adverse tax consequences if the PRC tax authorities determine that the VIE Agreements
were not entered into based on arm’s length negotiations. For example, PRC tax authorities may adjust our income and expenses for
PRC tax purposes which could result in our being subject to higher tax liability or cause other adverse financial consequences.
Shareholders of JiuGe Technology have potential
conflicts of interest with our Company which may adversely affect our business.
Li Li is the legal representative and general
manager, and also a shareholder of JiuGe Technology. There could be conflicts that arise from time to time between our interests and the
interests of Ms. Li. There could also be conflicts that arise between us and JiuGe Technology that would require our shareholders and
JiuGe Technology’s shareholders to vote on corporate actions necessary to resolve the conflict. There can be no assurance in any
such circumstances that Ms. Li will vote her shares in our best interest or otherwise act in the best interests of our company. If Ms.
Li fails to act in our best interests, our operating performance and future growth could be adversely affected.
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We rely on the approval certificates and
business license held by JiuGe Management and any deterioration of the relationship between JiuGe Management and JiuGe Technology could
materially and adversely affect our business operations.
We operate our mobile data business in China on
the basis of the approval certificates, business license and other requisite licenses held by JiuGe Management and JiuGe Technology. There
is no assurance that JiuGe Management and JiuGe Technology will be able to renew their licenses or certificates when their terms expire
with substantially similar terms as the ones they currently hold.
Further, our relationship with JiuGe Technology
is governed by the VIE Agreements that are intended to provide us with effective control over the business operations of JiuGe Technology.
However, the VIE Agreements may not be effective in providing control over the application for and maintenance of the licenses required
for our business operations. JiuGe Technology could violate the VIE Agreements, go bankrupt, suffer from difficulties in its business
or otherwise become unable to perform its obligations under the VIE Agreements and, as a result, our operations, reputations and business
could be severely harmed.
If JiuGe Management exercises the purchase
option it holds over JiuGe Technology’s share capital pursuant to the VIE Agreements, the payment of the purchase price could materially
and adversely affect our financial position.
Under the VIE Agreements, JiuGe Technology’s
shareholder has granted JiuGe Management an option for the maximum period of time permitted by law to purchase all of the equity interest
in JiuGe Technology at a price equal to one dollar or the lowest applicable price allowable by PRC laws and regulations. As JiuGe Technology
is already our contractually controlled affiliate, JiuGe Management’s exercising of the option would not bring immediate benefits
to our company, and payment of the purchase prices could adversely affect our financial position.
Risks Related to Doing Business in China
Changes in China’s political or economic
situation could harm us and our operating results.
Economic reforms adopted by the Chinese government
have had a positive effect on the economic development of the country, but the government could change these economic reforms or any of
the legal systems at any time. This could either benefit or damage our operations and profitability. Some of the things that could have
this effect are:
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Level of government involvement in the economy;
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Control of foreign exchange;
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Methods of allocating resources;
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Balance of payments position;
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International trade restrictions; and
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International conflict.
The Chinese economy differs from the economies
of most countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (the “ OECD ”), in many ways.
For example, state-owned enterprises still constitute a large portion of the Chinese economy and weak corporate governance and a lack
of flexible currency exchange policy still prevail in China. As a result of these differences, we may not develop in the same way or at
the same rate as might be expected if the Chinese economy was similar to those of the OECD member countries.
56
Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal
system could limit the legal protections available to you and us.
We conduct substantially all of our business through
our operating subsidiary and affiliate in the PRC. Our principal operating subsidiary and affiliate, JiuGe Management and JiuGe Technology,
are subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign investments in China and, in particular, laws applicable to foreign-invested
enterprises. The PRC legal system is based on written statutes, and prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited
precedential value. Since 1979, a series of new PRC laws and regulations have significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various
forms of foreign investments in China. However, since the PRC legal system continues to evolve rapidly, the interpretations of many laws,
regulations and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these laws, regulations and rules involves uncertainties, which may limit
legal protections available to you and us. In addition, any litigation in China may be protracted and result in substantial costs and
diversion of resources and management attention. In addition, most of our executive officers and all of our directors are not residents
of the United States, and substantially all the assets of these persons are located outside the United States. As a result, it could be
difficult for investors to effect service of process in the United States or to enforce a judgment obtained in the United States against
our Chinese operations, subsidiary and affiliate.
The current tensions in international trade
and rising political tensions, particularly between the United States and China, may adversely impact our business, financial condition,
and results of operations.
Recently there have been heightened tensions in
international economic relations, such as the one between the United States and China. Political tensions between the United States and
China have escalated due to, among other things, trade disputes, the COVID-19 outbreak, sanctions imposed by the U.S. Department of Treasury
on certain officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the PRC central government and the executive orders issued by
the U.S. government in November 2020 that prohibit certain transactions with certain China-based companies and their respective subsidiaries.
Rising political tensions could reduce levels of trade, investments, technological exchanges, and other economic activities between the
two major economies. Such tensions between the United States and China, and any escalation thereof, may have a negative impact on the
general, economic, political, and social conditions in China and, in turn, adversely impacting our business, financial condition, and
results of operations. Regulations were introduced which includes but not limited to Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law which states
that overseas securities regulatory authorities shall not carry out an investigation and evidence collection activities directly in China
without the consent of the securities regulatory authority of the State Council and the relevant State Council department(s). It further
defines that no organization or individual shall provide the documents and materials relating to securities business activities to overseas
parties arbitrarily. With this regulation in force, it may result in delays by the Company to fulfill any request to provide relevant
documents or materials by the regulatory authorities or in the worst-case scenario that the Company would not be able to fulfill the request
if the approval from the regulatory authority of the State Council and the relevant State Council department(s) were rejected.
You may have difficulty enforcing judgments
against us.
We are a Delaware holding company, but Finger
Motion (CN) Limited is a Hong Kong company, and our principal operating affiliate and subsidiary, JiuGe Technology and JiuGe Management,
are located in the PRC. Most of our assets are located outside the United States and most of our current operations are conducted in the
PRC. In addition, all of our directors and officers are nationals and residents of countries other than the United States. A substantial
portion of the assets of these persons is located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for you to effect service
of process within the United States upon these persons. It may also be difficult for you to enforce in U.S. courts judgments predicated
on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our officers and directors, all of whom are not residents
in the United States and the substantial majority of whose assets are located outside the United States. In addition, there is uncertainty
as to whether the courts of the PRC would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts. The recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments
are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedures Law. Courts in China may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the
requirements of the PRC Civil Procedures Law based on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on reciprocity
between jurisdictions. China does not have any treaties or other arrangements that provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement
of foreign judgments with the United States. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, courts in the PRC will not enforce
a foreign judgment against us or our directors and officers if they decide that the judgment violates basic principles of PRC law or national
sovereignty, security or the public interest. Therefore, it is uncertain whether a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court
in the United States.
57
The PRC government exerts substantial influence
over the manner in which we must conduct our business activities.
The PRC government has exercised and continues
to exercise substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through regulation and state ownership. Our ability
to operate in China may be harmed by changes in its laws and regulations, including those relating to taxation, import and export tariffs,
environmental regulations, land use rights, property and other matters. We believe that our operations in China are in material compliance
with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements. However, the central or local governments of the jurisdictions in which we operate
may impose new, stricter regulations or interpretations of existing regulations that would require additional expenditures and efforts
on our part to ensure our compliance with such regulations or interpretations.
Accordingly, government actions in the future,
including any decision not to continue to support recent economic reforms and to return to a more centrally planned economy or regional
or local variations in the implementation of economic policies, could have a significant effect on economic conditions in China or particular
regions thereof and could require us to divest ourselves of any interest we then hold in Chinese properties or joint ventures.
The PRC government may exert more oversight
and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers.
Recent statements by
the PRC government indicate an intent to take actions to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or
foreign investment in China-based issuers. On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities
Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the “ Overseas Listing Trial Measures ”) and five guidelines, which became
effective on March 31, 2023. The Overseas Listing Trial Measures have introduced a filing-based regulatory regime that regulates both
direct and indirect overseas offerings and listings of PRC domestic companies’ securities. Under the Overseas Listing Trial Measures,
if the issuer meets both of the following conditions, any overseas securities offering or listing conducted by such issuer will constitute
an indirect overseas offering that is subject to the prescribed filing procedures: (i) 50% or more of the issuer’s operating revenue,
total profit, total assets or net assets as documented in its audited consolidated financial statements for the most recent accounting
year is accounted for by domestic companies; and (ii) the main parts of the issuer’s business activities are conducted in mainland
China, or its main places of business are located in mainland China, or the senior managers in charge of its business operations and management
are mostly Chinese citizens or domiciled in mainland China. Any such issuer that submits an application for an initial public offering
to competent overseas regulators, must make the required filing with the CSRC within three business days following the date of the application.
Where a domestic company fails to comply with filing requirements or is otherwise determined to be in violation of the Overseas Listing
Trial Measures, the CSRC may order rectification, issue a warning, and impose a fine ranging from RMB1,000,000 to RMB10,000,000. Controlling
persons (including directors and officers) of the domestic company that are determined to be responsible for such filing delinquencies
or violations can also be sanctioned.
On February 17, 2023, the CSRC held a press conference
in connection with the release of the Overseas Listing Trial Measures and issued the Notice on Administration for the Filing of Overseas
Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, which, among other things, clarified that domestic companies that had been listed overseas
on or before the effective date of the Overseas Listing Trial Measures (March 31, 2023) shall be deemed to be “stock enterprises”.
Stock enterprises were exempted from having to immediately comply with the filing procedures, with their first filings being deferred
to when they undertook a further overseas offering or listing. Generally, we understand that, for these purposes, the filing requirement
would apply in respect of securities that are offered in a public overseas offering, and likely to securities that, having been offered
in a private overseas offering, become eligible for resale to the public.
Specifics of the Overseas Listing Trial Measures,
and the administrative rules, policies and practices of the CSRC, are somewhat unclear, and it remains uncertain what potential impact
such modified or new laws and regulations will have on our ability to conduct our business, accept investments or list or maintain a listing
on a U.S. or foreign exchange. If we are found to be delinquent in our filing obligations under, or are otherwise found to be in violation
of, the Overseas Listing Trial Measures, this could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer
securities to investors and could cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
58
Future inflation in China may inhibit our
ability to conduct business in China.
In recent years, the Chinese economy has experienced
periods of rapid expansion and highly fluctuating rates of inflation. During the past ten years, the rate of inflation in China has been
as high as 4.5% and as low as 0.2%. These factors have led to the adoption by the Chinese government, from time to time, of various corrective
measures designed to restrict the availability of credit or regulate growth and contain inflation. High inflation may in the future cause
the Chinese government to impose controls on credit and/or prices, or to take other action, which could inhibit economic activity in China,
and thereby harm the market for our products and our company.
Capital outflow policies in the PRC may
hamper our ability to remit income to the United States.
The PRC has adopted currency and capital transfer
regulations. These regulations may require that we comply with complex regulations for the movement of capital and as a result we may
not be able to remit all income earned and proceeds received in connection with our operations or from the sale of one of our operating
subsidiaries to the U.S. or to our shareholders.
Adverse regulatory developments in China
may subject us to additional regulatory review, and additional disclosure requirements and regulatory scrutiny to be adopted by the SEC
in response to risks related to recent regulatory developments in China may impose additional compliance requirements for companies like
us with significant China-based operations, all of which could increase our compliance costs, subject us to additional disclosure requirements.
The recent regulatory developments in China, in
particular with respect to restrictions on China-based companies raising capital offshore, may lead to additional regulatory review in
China over our financing and capital raising activities in the United States. In addition, we may be subject to industry-wide regulations
that may be adopted by the relevant PRC authorities, which may have the effect of limiting our service offerings, restricting the scope
of our operations in China, or causing the suspension or termination of our business operations in China entirely, all of which will materially
and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We may have to adjust, modify, or completely change
our business operations in response to adverse regulatory changes or policy developments, and we cannot assure you that any remedial action
adopted by us can be completed in a timely, cost-efficient, or liability-free manner or at all.
On July 30, 2021, in response to the recent regulatory
developments in China and actions adopted by the PRC government, the Chairman of the SEC issued a statement asking the SEC staff to seek
additional disclosures from offshore issuers associated with China-based operating companies before their registration statements will
be declared effective. On August 1, 2021, the CSRC stated in a statement that it had taken note of the new disclosure requirements announced
by the SEC regarding the listings of Chinese companies and the recent regulatory development in China, and that both countries should
strengthen communications on regulating China-related issuers. We cannot guarantee that we will not be subject to tightened regulatory
review and we could be exposed to government interference in China.
Compliance with China’s new Data Security
Law, Measures on Cybersecurity Review (revised draft for public consultation), Personal Information Protection Law (second draft for consultation),
regulations and guidelines relating to the multi-level protection scheme and any other future laws and regulations may entail significant
expenses and could materially affect our business.
China has implemented or will implement rules
and is considering a number of additional proposals relating to data protection. China’s new Data Security Law promulgated by the
Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China in June 2021, or the Data Security Law, took effect in September 2021.
The Data Security Law provides that the data processing activities must be conducted based on “data classification and hierarchical
protection system” for the purpose of data protection and prohibits entities in China from transferring data stored in China to
foreign law enforcement agencies or judicial authorities without prior approval by the Chinese government. As a result of the new Data
Security Law, we may need to make adjustments to our data processing practices to comply with this law.
59
Additionally, China’s Cyber Security Law,
requires companies to take certain organizational, technical and administrative measures and other necessary measures to ensure the security
of their networks and data stored on their networks. Specifically, the Cyber Security Law provides that China adopt a multi-level protection
scheme (MLPS), under which network operators are required to perform obligations of security protection to ensure that the network is
free from interference, disruption or unauthorized access, and prevent network data from being disclosed, stolen or tampered. Under the
MLPS, entities operating information systems must have a thorough assessment of the risks and the conditions of their information and
network systems to determine the level to which the entity’s information and network systems belong-from the lowest Level 1 to the
highest Level 5 pursuant to the Measures for the Graded Protection and the Guidelines for Grading of Classified Protection of Cyber Security.
The grading result will determine the set of security protection obligations that entities must comply with. Entities classified as Level
2 or above should report the grade to the relevant government authority for examination and approval.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (the “ CAC ”)
has taken action against several Chinese internet companies in connection with their initial public offerings on U.S. securities exchanges,
for alleged national security risks and improper collection and use of the personal information of Chinese data subjects. According to
the official announcement, the action was initiated based on the National Security Law, the Cyber Security Law and the Measures on Cybersecurity
Review, which are aimed at “preventing national data security risks, maintaining national security and safeguarding public interests.”
On July 10, 2021, the CAC published a revised draft of the Measures on Cybersecurity Review, expanding the cybersecurity review to data
processing operators in possession of personal information of over 1 million users if the operators intend to list their securities in
a foreign country.
It is unclear at the present time how widespread
the cybersecurity review requirement and the enforcement action will be and what effect they will have on the telecommunications sector
generally and the Company in particular. China’s regulators may impose penalties for non-compliance ranging from fines or suspension
of operations, and this could lead to us delisting from the U.S. stock market.
Also, on November 20, 2021, the National People’s
Congress passed the Personal Information Protection Law, which was implemented on November 1, 2021. The law creates a comprehensive set
of data privacy and protection requirements that apply to the processing of personal information and expands data protection compliance
obligations to cover the processing of personal information of persons by organizations and individuals in China, and the processing of
personal information of persons in China outside of China if such processing is for purposes of providing products and services to, or
analyzing and evaluating the behavior of, persons in China. The law also proposes that critical information infrastructure operators and
personal information processing entities who process personal information meeting a volume threshold to-be-set by Chinese cyberspace regulators
are also required to store in China personal information generated or collected in China, and to pass a security assessment administered
by Chinese cyberspace regulators for any export of such personal information. Lastly, the draft contains proposals for significant fines
for serious violations of up to RMB 50 million or 5% of annual revenues from the prior year.
Interpretation, application and enforcement of
these laws, rules and regulations evolve from time to time and their scope may continually change, through new legislation, amendments
to existing legislation and changes in enforcement. Compliance with the Cyber Security Law and the Data Security Law could significantly
increase the cost to us of providing our service offerings, require significant changes to our operations or even prevent us from providing
certain service offerings in jurisdictions in which we currently operate or in which we may operate in the future. Despite our efforts
to comply with applicable laws, regulations and other obligations relating to privacy, data protection and information security, it is
possible that our practices, offerings or platform could fail to meet all of the requirements imposed on us by the Cyber Security Law,
the Data Security Law and/or related implementing regulations. Any failure on our part to comply with such law or regulations or any other
obligations relating to privacy, data protection or information security, or any compromise of security that results in unauthorized access,
use or release of personally identifiable information or other data, or the perception or allegation that any of the foregoing types of
failure or compromise has occurred, could damage our reputation, discourage new and existing counterparties from contracting with us or
result in investigations, fines, suspension or other penalties by Chinese government authorities and private claims or litigation, any
of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Even if our practices are not
subject to legal challenge, the perception of privacy concerns, whether or not valid, may harm our reputation and brand and adversely
affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, the legal uncertainty created by the Data Security Law and
the recent Chinese government actions could materially adversely affect our ability, on favorable terms, to raise capital, including engaging
in follow-on offerings of our securities in the U.S. market.
60
Restrictions on currency exchange may limit
our ability to receive and use our revenues effectively.
The majority of our revenues will be settled in
Chinese Renminbi (RMB), and any future restrictions on currency exchanges may limit our ability to use revenue generated in RMB to fund
any future business activities outside China or to make dividend or other payments in U.S. dollars. Although the Chinese government introduced
regulations in 1996 to allow greater convertibility of the RMB for current account transactions, significant restrictions still remain,
including primarily the restriction that foreign-invested enterprises may only buy, sell or remit foreign currencies after providing valid
commercial documents, at those banks in China authorized to conduct foreign exchange business. In addition, conversion of RMB for capital
account items, including direct investment and loans, is subject to governmental approval in China, and companies are required to open
and maintain separate foreign exchange accounts for capital account items. We cannot be certain that the Chinese regulatory authorities
will not impose more stringent restrictions on the convertibility of the RMB.
Fluctuations in exchange rates could adversely
affect our business and the value of our securities.
The value of our common stock will be indirectly
affected by the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollars and RMB and between those currencies and other currencies in which our sales
may be denominated. Appreciation or depreciation in the value of the RMB relative to the U.S. dollar would affect our financial results
reported in U.S. dollar terms without giving effect to any underlying change in our business or results of operations. Fluctuations in
the exchange rate will also affect the relative value of any dividend we issue that will be exchanged into U.S. dollars as well as earnings
from, and the value of, any U.S. dollar-denominated investments we make in the future.
Since July 2005, the RMB is no longer pegged to
the U.S. dollar. Although the People’s Bank of China regularly intervenes in the foreign exchange market to prevent significant
short-term fluctuations in the exchange rate, the RMB may appreciate or depreciate significantly in value against the U.S. dollar in the
medium to long term. Moreover, it is possible that in the future PRC authorities may lift restrictions on fluctuations in the RMB exchange
rate and lessen intervention in the foreign exchange market.
Very limited hedging transactions are available
in China to reduce our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. To date, we have not entered into any hedging transactions. While we may
enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these transactions may be limited, and we may not
be able to successfully hedge our exposure at all. In addition, our foreign currency exchange losses may be magnified by PRC exchange
control regulations that restrict our ability to convert RMB into foreign currencies.
Restrictions under PRC law on our PRC subsidiary’s
ability to make dividends and other distributions could materially and adversely affect our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions
that could benefit our business, pay dividends to our shareholders, and otherwise fund and conduct our businesses.
Substantially all of our revenue is earned by
JiuGe Management, our PRC subsidiary. PRC regulations restrict the ability of our PRC subsidiary to make dividends and other payments
to its offshore parent company. PRC legal restrictions permit payments of dividends by our PRC subsidiary only out of its accumulated
after-tax profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Our PRC subsidiary is also required
under PRC laws and regulations to allocate at least 10% of our annual after-tax profits determined in accordance with PRC GAAP to a statutory
general reserve fund until the amount in said fund reaches 50% of our registered capital. Allocations to these statutory reserve funds
can only be used for specific purposes and are not transferable to us in the form of loans, advances or cash dividends. Any limitations
on the ability of our PRC subsidiary to transfer funds to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments
or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends and otherwise fund and conduct our business.
61
PRC regulation of loans and direct investment
by offshore holding companies to PRC entities may delay or prevent us from making loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC
subsidiary and affiliated entities, which could harm our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
As an offshore holding company of our PRC subsidiary,
we may (i) make loans to our PRC subsidiary and affiliated entities, (ii) make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiary,
(iii) establish new PRC subsidiaries and make capital contributions to these new PRC subsidiaries, and (iv) acquire offshore entities
with business operations in China in an offshore transaction. However, most of these uses are subject to PRC regulations and approvals.
For example:
●
loans by us to our wholly-owned subsidiary in China, which is a foreign-invested enterprise, cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with the State Administration of Foreign Exchange of the PRC (the “ SAFE ”) or its local counterparts;
●
loans by us to our affiliated entities, which are domestic PRC entities, over a certain threshold must be approved by the relevant government authorities and must also be registered with the SAFE or its local counterparts; and
●
capital contributions to our wholly-owned subsidiary must file a record with the PRC Ministry of Commerce (“ MOFCOM ”) or its local counterparts and shall also be limited to the difference between the registered capital and the total investment amount.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain
these government registrations or filings on a timely basis, or at all. If we fail to finish such registrations or filings, our ability
to capitalize our PRC subsidiary’s operations may be adversely affected, which could adversely affect our liquidity and our ability
to fund and expand our business.
On March 30, 2015, the SAFE promulgated a notice
relating to the administration of foreign invested company of its capital contribution in foreign currency into RMB (Hui Fa [2015]19)
(“ Circular 19 ”). Although Circular 19 has fastened the administration relating to the settlement of exchange of foreign-investment,
allows the foreign-invested company to settle the exchange on a voluntary basis, it still requires that the bank review the authenticity
and compliance of a foreign-invested company’s settlement of exchange in previous time, and the settled in RMB converted from foreign
currencies shall deposit on the foreign exchange settlement account, and shall not be used for several purposes as listed in the “negative
list”. As a result, the notice may limit our ability to transfer funds to our operations in China through our PRC subsidiary, which
may affect our ability to expand our business. Meanwhile, the foreign exchange policy is unpredictable in China, it shall be various with
the nationwide economic pattern, the strict foreign exchange policy may have an adverse impact in our capital cash and may limit our business
expansion.
Failure to comply with PRC regulations relating
to the establishment of offshore special purpose companies by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident shareholders to personal liability,
limit our ability to acquire PRC companies or to inject capital into our PRC subsidiary or affiliate, limit our PRC subsidiary’s
and affiliate’s ability to distribute profits to us or otherwise materially adversely affect us.
In October 2005, the SAFE, issued the Notice on
Relevant Issues in the Foreign Exchange Control over Financing and Return Investment Through Special Purpose Companies by Residents Inside
China, generally referred to as Circular 75, which required PRC residents to register with the competent local SAFE branch before establishing
or acquiring control over an offshore special purpose company (“ SPV ”), for the purpose of engaging in an equity financing
outside of China on the strength of domestic PRC assets originally held by those residents. Internal implementing guidelines issued by
the SAFE, which became public in June 2007 (“ Notice 106 ”), expanded the reach of Circular 75 by (1) purporting to cover
the establishment or acquisition of control by PRC residents of offshore entities which merely acquire “control” over domestic
companies or assets, even in the absence of legal ownership; (2) adding requirements relating to the source of the PRC resident’s
funds used to establish or acquire the offshore entity; covering the use of existing offshore entities for offshore financings; (3) purporting
to cover situations in which an offshore SPV establishes a new subsidiary in China or acquires an unrelated company or unrelated assets
in China; and (4) making the domestic affiliate of the SPV responsible for the accuracy of certain documents which must be filed in connection
with any such registration, notably, the business plan which describes the overseas financing and the use of proceeds. Amendments to registrations
made under Circular 75 are required in connection with any increase or decrease of capital, transfer of shares, mergers and acquisitions,
equity investment or creation of any security interest in any assets located in China to guarantee offshore obligations and Notice 106
makes the offshore SPV jointly responsible for these filings. In the case of an SPV which was established, and which acquired a related
domestic company or assets, before the implementation date of Circular 75, a retroactive SAFE registration was required to have been completed
before March 30, 2006; this date was subsequently extended indefinitely by Notice 106, which also required that the registrant establish
that all foreign exchange transactions undertaken by the SPV and its affiliates were in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Failure to comply with the requirements of Circular 75, as applied by the SAFE in accordance with Notice 106, may result in fines and
other penalties under PRC laws for evasion of applicable foreign exchange restrictions. Any such failure could also result in the SPV’s
affiliates being impeded or prevented from distributing their profits and the proceeds from any reduction in capital, share transfer or
liquidation to the SPV, or from engaging in other transfers of funds into or out of China.
62
We have advised our shareholders who are PRC residents,
as defined in Circular 75, to register with the relevant branch of SAFE, as currently required, in connection with their equity interests
in us and our acquisitions of equity interests in our PRC subsidiary and affiliate. However, we cannot provide any assurances that their
existing registrations have fully complied with, and they have made all necessary amendments to their registration to fully comply with,
all applicable registrations or approvals required by Circular 75. Moreover, because of uncertainty over how Circular 75 will be interpreted
and implemented, and how or whether the SAFE will apply it to us, we cannot predict how it will affect our business operations or future
strategies. For example, our present and prospective PRC subsidiaries’ and affiliates’ ability to conduct foreign exchange
activities, such as the remittance of dividends and foreign currency-denominated borrowings, may be subject to compliance with Circular
75 by our PRC resident beneficial holders. In addition, such PRC residents may not always be able to complete the necessary registration
procedures required by Circular 75. We also have little control over either our present or prospective direct or indirect shareholders
or the outcome of such registration procedures. A failure by our PRC resident beneficial holders or future PRC resident shareholders to
comply with Circular 75, if the SAFE requires it, could subject these PRC resident beneficial holders to fines or legal sanctions, restrict
our overseas or cross-border investment activities, limit our subsidiary’s and affiliate’s ability to make distributions or
pay dividends or affect our ownership structure, which could adversely affect our business and prospects.
We may be subject to fines and legal sanctions
by the SAFE or other PRC government authorities if we or our employees who are PRC citizens fail to comply with PRC regulations relating
to employee stock options granted by offshore listed companies to PRC citizens.
On March 28, 2007, the SAFE promulgated the Operating
Procedures for Foreign Exchange Administration of Domestic Individuals Participating in Employee Stock Ownership Plans and Stock Option
Plans of Offshore Listed Companies (“ Circular 78 ”). Under Circular 78, Chinese citizens who are granted share options
by an offshore listed company are required, through a Chinese agent or Chinese subsidiary of the offshore listed company, to register
with SAFE and complete certain other procedures, including applications for foreign exchange purchase quotas and opening special bank
accounts. We and our Chinese employees who have been granted share options are subject to Circular 78. Failure to comply with these regulations
may subject us or our Chinese employees to fines and legal sanctions imposed by the SAFE or other PRC government authorities and may prevent
us from further granting options under our share incentive plans to our employees. Such events could adversely affect our business operations.
Under the New EIT Law, we may be classified
as a “resident enterprise” of China. Such classification will likely result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our
non-PRC shareholders.
Under the New EIT Law effective on January 1,
2008, an enterprise established outside China with “de facto management bodies” within China is considered a “resident
enterprise,” meaning that it can be treated in a manner similar to a Chinese enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes. The
implementing rules of the New EIT Law define de facto management as “substantial and overall management and control over the production
and operations, personnel, accounting, and properties” of the enterprise.
On April 22, 2009, the State Administration of
Taxation issued the Notice Concerning Relevant Issues Regarding Cognizance of Chinese Investment Controlled Enterprises Incorporated Offshore
as Resident Enterprises pursuant to Criteria of de facto Management Bodies (the “ Notice ”), further interpreting the
application of the New EIT Law and its implementation non-Chinese enterprise or group controlled offshore entities. Pursuant to the Notice,
an enterprise incorporated in an offshore jurisdiction and controlled by a Chinese enterprise or group will be classified as a “non-domestically
incorporated resident enterprise” if (i) its senior management in charge of daily operations reside or perform their duties mainly
in China; (ii) its financial or personnel decisions are made or approved by bodies or persons in China; (iii) its substantial assets and
properties, accounting books, corporate chops, board and shareholder minutes are kept in China; and (iv) at least half of its directors
with voting rights or senior management often resident in China. A resident enterprise would be subject to an enterprise income tax rate
of 25% on its worldwide income and must pay a withholding tax at a rate of 10% when paying dividends to its non-PRC shareholders. However,
it remains unclear as to whether the Notice is applicable to an offshore enterprise incorporated by a Chinese natural person. Nor are
detailed measures on imposition of tax from non-domestically incorporated resident enterprises are available. Therefore, it is unclear
how tax authorities will determine tax residency based on the facts of each case.
63
Given the above conditions, although unlikely,
we may be deemed to be a resident enterprise by Chinese tax authorities. If the PRC tax authorities determine that we are a “resident
enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes, a number of unfavorable PRC tax consequences could follow. First, we may be
subject to the enterprise income tax at a rate of 25% on our worldwide taxable income as well as PRC enterprise income tax reporting obligations.
In our case, this would mean that income such as interest on financing proceeds and non-China source income would be subject to PRC enterprise
income tax at a rate of 25%. Second, although under the New EIT Law and its implementing rules dividends paid to us from our PRC subsidiary
would qualify as “tax-exempt income,” we cannot guarantee that such dividends will not be subject to a 10% withholding tax,
as the PRC foreign exchange control authorities, which enforce the withholding tax, have not yet issued guidance with respect to the processing
of outbound remittances to entities that are treated as resident enterprises for PRC enterprise income tax purposes. Finally, it is possible
that future guidance issued with respect to the new “resident enterprise” classification could result in a situation in which
a 10% withholding tax is imposed on dividends we pay to our non-PRC shareholders and with respect to gains derived by our non-PRC shareholders
from transferring our shares. We are actively monitoring the possibility of “resident enterprise” treatment.
If we were treated as a “resident enterprise”
by PRC tax authorities, we would be subject to taxation in both the U.S. and China, and our PRC tax may not be creditable against our
U.S. tax.
We may be exposed to liabilities under the
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”) and Chinese anti-corruption laws, and any determination that we violated these
laws could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We are subject to the FCPA and other laws that
prohibit improper payments or offers of payments to foreign governments and their officials and political parties by U.S. persons and
issuers as defined by the statute, for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. We have operations, agreements with third parties
and we earn the majority of our revenue in China. PRC also strictly prohibits bribery of government officials. Our activities in China
create the risk of unauthorized payments or offers of payments by our executive officers, employees, consultants, sales agents or other
representatives of our Company, even though they may not always be subject to our control. It is our policy to implement safeguards to
discourage these practices by our employees. However, our existing safeguards and any future improvements may prove to be less than effective,
and the executive officers, employees, consultants, sales agents or other representatives of our Company may engage in conduct for which
we might be held responsible. Violations of the FCPA or Chinese anti-corruption laws may result in severe criminal or civil sanctions,
and we may be subject to other liabilities, which could negatively affect our business, operating results and financial condition. In
addition, the U.S. government may seek to hold our Company liable for successor liability FCPA violations committed by companies in which
we invest or that we acquire.
Because our business is located in the PRC,
we may have difficulty establishing adequate management, legal and financial controls, which we are required to do in order to comply
with U.S. securities laws.
PRC companies have historically not adopted a
Western style of management and financial reporting concepts and practices, which includes strong corporate governance, internal controls
and computer, financial and other control systems. Some of our staff is not educated and trained in the Western system, and we may have
difficulty hiring new employees in the PRC with such training. As a result of these factors, we may experience difficulty in establishing
management, legal and financial controls, collecting financial data and preparing financial statements, books of account and corporate
records and instituting business practices that meet Western standards. Therefore, we may, in turn, experience difficulties in implementing
and maintaining adequate internal controls as required under Section 404 of the SOX. This may result in significant deficiencies or material
weaknesses in our internal controls, which could impact the reliability of our financial statements and prevent us from complying with
Commission rules and regulations and the requirements of the SOX. Any such deficiencies, weaknesses or lack of compliance could have a
materially adverse effect on our business.
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The disclosures in our reports and other
filings with the SEC and our other public announcements are not subject to the scrutiny of any regulatory bodies in the PRC. Accordingly,
our public disclosure should be reviewed in light of the fact that no governmental agency that is located in the PRC, where part of our
operations and business are located, has conducted any due diligence on our operations or reviewed or cleared any of our disclosure.
We are regulated by the SEC and our reports and
other filings with the SEC are subject to SEC review in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the Securities
Act and the Exchange Act. Unlike public reporting companies whose operations are located primarily in the United States, however, substantially
all of our operations are located in the PRC and Hong Kong. Since substantially all of our operations and business takes place outside
of United States, it may be more difficult for the staff of the SEC to overcome the geographic and cultural obstacles that are present
when reviewing our disclosure. These same obstacles are not present for similar companies whose operations or business take place entirely
or primarily in the United States. Furthermore, our SEC reports and other disclosure and public announcements are not subject to the review
or scrutiny of any PRC regulatory authority. For example, the disclosure in our SEC reports and other filings are not subject to the review
of the CSRC. Accordingly, you should review our SEC reports, filings and our other public announcements with the understanding that no
local regulator has done any due diligence on our Company and with the understanding that none of our SEC reports, other filings or any
of our other public announcements has been reviewed or otherwise been scrutinized by any local regulator.
Certain PRC regulations, including those
relating to mergers and acquisitions and national security, may require a complicated review and approval process which could make it
more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions in China.
The Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of
Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors (the “ M&A Rules ”), which became effective in September 2006 and were
further amended in June 2009, requires that if an overseas company is established or controlled by PRC domestic companies or citizens
intends to acquire equity interests or assets of any other PRC domestic company affiliated with the PRC domestic companies or citizens,
such acquisition must be submitted to the MOFCOM, rather than local regulators, for approval. In addition, the M&A Rules requires
that an overseas company controlled directly or indirectly by PRC companies or citizens and holding equity interests of PRC domestic companies
needs to obtain the approval of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or CSRC, prior to listing its securities on an overseas stock
exchange. On September 21, 2006, the CSRC published a notice on its official website specifying the documents and materials required to
be submitted by overseas special purpose companies seeking the CSRC’s approval of their overseas listings.
The M&A Rules established additional procedures
and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities in China by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. For
example, the MOFCOM must be notified in the event a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise. In addition, certain
acquisitions of domestic companies by offshore companies that are related to or affiliated with the same entities or individuals of the
domestic companies, are subject to approval by the MOFCOM. In addition, the Implementing Rules Concerning Security Review on Mergers and
Acquisitions by Foreign Investors of Domestic Enterprises, issued by the MOFCOM in November 2011, require that mergers and acquisitions
by foreign investors in “any industry with national security concerns” be subject to national security review by the MOFCOM.
In addition, any activities attempting to circumvent such review process, including structuring the transaction through a proxy or contractual
control arrangement, are strictly prohibited.
There is significant uncertainty regarding the
interpretation and implementation of these regulations relating to merger and acquisition activities in China. In addition, complying
with these requirements could be time-consuming, and the required notification, review or approval process may materially delay or affect
our ability to complete merger and acquisition transactions in China. As a result, our ability to seek growth through acquisitions may
be materially and adversely affected. In addition, if the MOFCOM determines that we should have obtained its approval for our entry into
contractual arrangements with our affiliated entities, we may be required to file for remedial approvals. There is no assurance that we
would be able to obtain such approval from the MOFCOM.
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If the MOFCOM, the CSRC and/or other PRC regulatory
agencies subsequently determine that the approvals from the MOFCOM and/or CSRC and/or other PRC regulatory agencies were required, our
PRC business could be challenged, and we may need to apply for a remedial approval and may be subject to certain administrative punishments
or other sanctions from PRC regulatory agencies. The regulatory agencies may impose fines and penalties on our operations in the PRC,
limit our operating privileges in the PRC, delay or restrict the conversion and remittance of our funds in foreign currencies into the
PRC, or take other actions that could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation
and prospects, as well as the trading price of our common stock.
As substantially all of our operations are
conducted through the VIE in China, our ability to pay dividends is primarily dependent on receiving distributions of funds from the VIE.
However, the PRC government might exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment
in China-based issuers, which would likely result in a material change in our operations, even significantly limit or completely hinder
our ability to offer or continue to offer securities or dividends to investors, and the value of our common stock may depreciate significantly
or become worthless.
On July 6, 2021, the General Office of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the Opinions on Strictly Cracking
Down on Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law (the “ Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities Opinions ”).
The Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities Opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities
activities and the supervision over overseas listings by China-based companies, and proposed to take measures, including promoting the
construction of relevant regulatory systems to control the risks and deal with the incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies.
In addition, on December 24, 2021, the CSRC issued
the draft Administration Provisions of the State Council on the Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic
Companies (the “ Draft Administration Provisions ”) and the draft Administrative Measures for the Filing of Overseas
Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the “ Draft Administrative Measures ”), for public comments. The
Draft Administration Provisions and the Draft Administrative Measures regulate overseas securities offering and listing by domestic companies
in direct or indirect form. The Draft Administration Provisions specify the responsibilities of the CSRC to regulate the activities of
overseas securities offering and listing by domestic companies and establish a filing-based regime. As a supporting measure to the Draft
Administration Provisions, the Draft Administrative Measures, detail the determination criteria for indirect overseas listing in overseas
markets. Specifically, an offering and listing shall be considered as an indirect overseas offering and listing by a domestic company
if the issuer meets the following conditions: (i) the operating income, gross profit, total assets, or net assets of the domestic enterprise
in the most recent fiscal year was more than 50% of the relevant line item in the issuer’s audited consolidated financial statement
for that year; and (ii) senior management personnel responsible for business operations and management are mostly PRC citizens or are
ordinarily resident in the PRC, or the main place of business is in the PRC or carried out in the PRC. In accordance with the Draft Administrative
Measures, the issuer or its designated material domestic company, shall file with the CSRC and report the relevant information for its
initial public offering.
On February 17, 2023,
the CSRC promulgated the Overseas Listing Trial Measures and five relevant guidelines, which became effective on March 31, 2023. The Overseas
Listing Trial Measures regulate both direct and indirect overseas offering and listing of PRC domestic companies’ securities by
adopting a filing-based regulatory regime. According to the Overseas Listing Trial Measures, if the issuer meets both the following conditions,
the overseas securities offering and listing conducted by such issuer will be determined as indirect overseas offering, which shall be
subject to the filing procedure set forth under the Overseas Listing Trial Measures: (i) 50% or more of the issuer’s operating revenue,
total profit, total assets or net assets as documented in its audited consolidated financial statements for the most recent accounting
year is accounted for by domestic companies; and (ii) the main parts of the issuer’s business activities are conducted in mainland
China, or its main places of business are located in mainland China, or the senior managers in charge of its business operations and management
are mostly Chinese citizens or domiciled in mainland China. Where an abovementioned issuer submits an application for an initial public
offering to competent overseas regulators, such issuer shall file with the CSRC within three business days after such application is submitted.
Where a domestic company fails to fulfill filing procedure or in violation of the provisions as stipulated above, in respect of its overseas
offering and listing, the CSRC shall order rectification, issue warnings to such domestic company, and impose a fine ranging from RMB1,000,000
to RMB10,000,000. Also, the directly liable persons and actual controllers of the domestic company that organize or instruct the aforementioned
violations shall be warned and/or imposed fines.
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Also on February 17,
2023, the CSRC also held a press conference for the release of the Overseas Listing Trial Measures and issued the Notice on Administration
for the Filing of Overseas Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, which, among others, clarifies that the domestic companies that
have already been listed overseas on or before the effective date of the Overseas Listing Trial Measures (March 31, 2023) shall be deemed
as “stock enterprises”. Stock enterprises are not required to complete the filling procedures immediately, and they shall
be required to file with the CSRC when subsequent matters such as refinancing are involved.
Due to the Overseas Listing
Trial Measures, we will be required to file with the CSRC with respect to an offering of new securities, which may subject us to additional
compliance requirements in the future and we cannot assure you that we will be able to get the clearance from the CSRC for any offering
of new securities on a timely manner. Any failure of us to comply with the new Overseas Listing Trial Measures may significantly limit
or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our securities, cause significant disruption to our business operations,
and severely damage our reputation.
Furthermore, it is uncertain when and whether
we will be able to obtain permission or approval from the CSRC or the PRC government to offer securities to list on U.S. exchanges or
the execution of a VIE Agreement in the future. However, our operations are conducted through the VIE in PRC, and our ability to pay dividends
is primarily dependent on receiving distributions of funds from the VIE, if we do not obtain or maintain any of the permissions or approvals
which may be required in the future by the PRC government for the operation of the VIE or the execution of VIE Agreements, our operations
and financial conditions could be adversely effected, even significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to
offer securities or dividends to investors and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or become worthless.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.