Item
1. Business
OVERVIEW
Longfin
is a finance and technology company (“FINTECH”) that specializes in structured trade finance (Alternative Finance)
solutions and physical commodities finance (Shadow Banking) solutions. On June 19, 2017, Longfin acquired 100% of the global trade
finance technology solution provider, Longfin Tradex Pte. Ltd., (“Stampede –Tradex Pte Ltd”), - a Singapore
incorporated related party entity and post-acquisition Longfin Tradex has become a subsidiary of Longfin.
Longfin
and its subsidiary Longfin Tradex believe their business operations do not involve in any activities relating to securities,
as defined in Section 2(a)(1) of the Securities Act. Longfin has no interest in becoming a market maker to effect trading in securities
requiring registration under the Exchange Act.
Our
Core fundamentals are built on
Return on Capital Employed
Our
core Technology platform is connected to global exchanges on very low latency FIX (Financial Information Exchange) protocol platform.
Our Ultra Low-latency and High Frequency Trading Platform powered by Artificial Intelligence and Deep Machine Learning to trade
and hedge the risk in continuous time.
On
December 11, 2017, we acquired the assets and intellectual property of Ziddu.com, a Block chain powered technology to be utilized
in smart contracts for financing activities to commodity warehouses, trade houses, processors, manufacturers, suppliers,
bullion finance, Importers and Exporters with real time settlements across continents.
During 2017,
Longfin
earned revenue from two services: structured trade finance, principally the sale of physical commodities, and monthly services
related to our customers utilizing our technology platform.
Longfin
core business services:
IMPORTER
/ EXPORTER FINANCING
|
1.
|
IMPORTER
/ EXPORTER FINANCING
|
We
finance Importers and Exporters.
We
do:
|
●
|
Import
/ Export Finance
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
Buy/Sell
commodity flows
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
Discount
the Usance Letters of Credit - 180 to 365 days
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
Pay
at sight by deducting factoring charges
|
Longfin
makes spread between the Usance and at sight Payment.
|
2.
|
Electronic
Market Making (“EMM”) - Liquidity Trading Platform.
|
Trade
Finance is a natural extension arm of EMM.
TECHNOLOGY
– ELECTRONIC MARKET MAKING (EMM) PLATFORM
Global
Arbitrage EMM Platform – FX Market Intermediation
Our
Low-latency and High Frequency FX Arbitrage global platform (Electronic Market Making) is powered by Artificial Intelligence and
Machine Learning.
FX
Market Intermediation
Artificial
Intelligence and Reinforcement Learning
Longfin adopted the Artificial Intelligence Framework for its Electronic Market Making
platform in the following manner:
Probabilistic
AI
Emphasis on noisy measurements, approximation in Hard Cases, Learning, Bayesian Trading algorithmic.
Automatic
system building
Learning automatically constructs rules and supports all types of queries
Machine
Learning
Longfin has adopted the Machine Learning Framework for its ultra-low-latency trading platforms.
Our
automated ultra low-latency electronic trading platform relies upon a form of statistical analysis called Bayesian Networks and
includes price discovery algorithms providing the market makers better predictive power for the future fair values.
Global
Low-Latency Arbitrage Network reducing the cost of hedging
|
●
|
Least
Cost Routing (“LCR”) Engine seeks the best pay-in and pay-out ratio spread
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
EMM
Platform using volume weighted average price and slice seeking the cheapest price
|
Blockchain
Powered Smart Contract Solutions within the FinTech Industry
We are developing decentralized applications for Micro lending, Warehouse Finance, Trade Finance, Bullion Trading and Real-time
Derivative Settlements through the deployment of the Ziddu Warehouse Coin. Currently we are using Smart contracts for real time
foreign exchange derivatives settlements.
Ziddu
Technology:
Ziddu
Ethereum ERC20 Blockchain Token uses a technology stack in which Smart Contracts run in distributed virtual machines.
It
acts in two ways:
a)
Everyone can see the copy of open ledger and transparent execution
b) Everyone can see the result of contract execution
Ziddu
AppFabric is built to serve as an integrated platform to provide robust automation for deployment of smart contracts, and settlements
over physical events on Ethereum Blockchain.
We
keep the substantial portion of Ziddu tokens and these tokens are not meant for redemption or listing. These tokens are
used to validate the transactions within our business clients/partners on the public Ethereum block chain.
Our
intention is not to sell the crypto currency but to use it as a tool to utilize Ethereum Blockchain Technology in token form to
facilitate smart contracts of real time settlements between our business partners.
Acquisition
of Ziddu.com - Block chain powered Smart Contracts
Our
acquisition of the Ziddu.com assets of Meridian Enterprises Pte. Ltd. on December 11, 2017, gave us access to a Blockchain empowered
technology that can offer Micro-Lending against Collateralized Warehouse Receipts in the form of Ziddu Tokens to Small and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs), Processors, Manufactures, Importers and Exporters across continents.
Our
Ethereum Blockchain Ziddu Token (www.ziddu.com) is a utility token powered by ERC20 Smart Contract.
The Ziddu
warehouse coin implements a technology stack in which Smart Contracts run in distributed virtual machines. There is public availability for the view of the open ledger, transparent execution,
and the result of contract execution.
Exchange
Execution
We,
through Longfin Tradex, have entered into membership agreements with the following exchanges.
S.
No.
|
|
Exchange
|
Exchange
Profile
|
|
Description
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
SGX
– Singapore
|
Singapore
Exchange Limited (SGX) is an investment holding company located in Singapore and provides different services related to securities
and derivatives trading and others.
|
|
Admission
as a SGX-DT Limited Trading Member (Proprietary)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
DGCX
– Dubai
|
The
Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange(DGCX) is a financial and commodity derivatives exchange located in Dubai, the United
Arab Emirates. DGCX commenced trading in November 2005 as the first derivatives exchange in the Middle East and North Africa
(MENA) region. The Exchange is owned by the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC).
|
|
Trade
Member of Dubai Gold and Commodity Exchange
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
|
CME
– Chicago
|
CME
Group Inc. (Chicago Mercantile Exchange & Chicago Board of Trade) is an American financial market company operating the
world’s largest options and futures exchange. It owns and operates large derivatives and futures exchanges in Chicago,
New York City, and exchange facilities in London, using online trading platforms.
|
|
International
Incentive Program in CME Group
|
Government
Regulations
The
Company is currently a proprietary trading member of Singapore Exchange Derivatives Clearing Limited (“SGX”),
Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (“DGCX”), Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (“CME”) Group,
Intercontinental Exchange (“ICE”), Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (“HKEX”). To the extent
our expansion into the North American market results in Longfin being deemed a “money services business”
(“MSB”) pursuant to the regulations promulgated by FinCEN under the authority of the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act,
Longfin may be required to comply with FinCEN regulations, including those that would mandate us to register with FinCEN,
implement anti-money laundering programs, make certain reports to FinCEN and maintain certain records. FinCEN registration
would likely also require Longfin to register as an MSB or in a similar capacity in all states requiring such registration
where Longfin conducts business. In addition, some states, such as New York, also require that a virtual currency business
obtain a separate license.
Until
February 2014, the only U.S. federal regulator to release official guidance on cryptocurrencies was FinCEN, a bureau of the U.S.
Department of the Treasury responsible for the federal regulation of currency market participants. On March 18th, 2013, FinCEN
issued interpretive guidance relating to the application of the Bank Secrecy Act to distributing, exchanging and transmitting
“virtual currencies.” More specifically, it determined that a cryptocurrency user will not be considered an MSB or
be required to register, report and perform recordkeeping; however, an administrator or exchanger of bitcoin must be a registered
MSB under FinCEN’s money transmitter regulations. As a result, Bitcoin Exchanges that deal with U.S. residents or otherwise
fall under U.S. jurisdiction are required to obtain licenses and comply with FinCEN regulations. FinCEN released additional guidance
on January 30, 2014, April 29, 2014, October 27, 2014 and August 14, 2015, clarifying that most miners, software developers, hardware
manufacturers, escrow service providers and investors in cryptocurrencies would not be required to register with FinCEN on the
basis of such activity alone, but that cryptocurrency exchanges, payment processors and convertible Digital Asset administrators
would likely be required to register with FinCEN on the basis of the activities described in the October 2014 and August 2015
letters. Longfin does not process payments for or on behalf of the customers using the ZidduWC, and therefore does not believe
its activities require registration as an MSB.
ZidduWC
Cryptocurrencies
and tokens are recent technological innovations and the regulatory schemes to which they may be subject have not been fully explored
or developed in most jurisdictions around the world. Recent actions taken by the SEC in its Report that digital assets may be
securities and actions taken by the CFTC including its July 24, 2017 order approving the first derivative clearing organization
for digital currency swaps reflects that we may face increased government regulation and oversight.
The
principal regulations applicable to the ZidduWC depend on its status as a “security” under the U.S. federal
securities laws. The key definition in this regard is the term “investment contract” and what is an investment contract.
In 1946, the U.S. Supreme Court held that an investment in an orange grove operated and controlled by a third party was an investment
contract and therefore a security subject to various provisions of the federal securities laws, known as the
Howey Test
.
Most members of the cryptocurrency industry agree that the application of the Howey Test to Digital Assets is the fundamental
issue for the industry, at least insofar as the U.S. regulation is concerned.
We
analyze whether the ZidduWC is a security under the investment contract analysis from the leading case and the lower court cases
which have followed it. The test for determining if an asset is an investment contract based upon whether there was: (i) an investment
of money, (ii) in a common enterprise, (iii) with the expectation of profits, and (iv) primarily through the efforts of
others. Our clients using the ZidduWC invest ETH, a virtual currency to obtain the ZidduWC, therefore meeting the first part of
the Howey Test.
Courts
have focused on three distinct types of common enterprise: (i) horizontal commonality; (ii) broad vertical commonality; and (iii)
strict vertical commonality. The horizontal commonality test requires a pooling of investments and profit sharing. Although ZidduWC
holders pay ETH to Longfin, who then administers the validation of blocks on the blockchain, ZidduWC holders view the ZidduWC
as a convenient medium for cross-border exchange not as a common enterprise and in no circumstances share in any profits resulting
from holding ZidduWC. Thus, the ZidduWC does not satisfy the test for horizontal commonality.
With
broad vertical commonality, the key is the investors’ dependence on the efforts and expertise of the promoter or in the
case of virtual currencies based on blockchain, the developer. There is no central promoter or common seller for the ZidduWC,
as the underlying protocol was developed by the Ethereum Foundation and the smart contracts implementing the ZidduWC were designed
by Longfin. The lack of continuing management by Longfin in the development of the Ethereum Blockchain and lack of continuing
management by the Ethereum Foundation in the use of the ZidduWC is similar to the land development cases where the courts have
concluded that initial development services by a promoter do not lead to the conclusion that the sale of a real estate parcel
is a security. Thus, the ZidduWC does not satisfy the test for broad vertical commonality.
Strict
vertical commonality differs from broad vertical commonality by requiring that the fortunes of the investors be tied to the efforts
of the promoter or third parties; pooling is not an element. Because Longfin provides further services in the form of validating
blocks on the Blockchain (although it does not share in future price increases once the customers have executed their smart contracts
and exchanged the ZidduWC), it is possible the ZidduWC satisfies the test for strict vertical commonality, although the strict
vertical commonality theory has only been adopted by two circuit courts that have ruled on the issue.
The
speculative fever surrounding cryptocurrency means that buyers of it often expect profits arising from value of the appreciation
of cryptocurrency just as has historically happened with gold and silver. As holders may only acquire the ZidduWC in order to
exchange it pursuant to smart contracts designed by Longfin to implement our fintech solutions, as described elsewhere in this
report, and there is no exchange on which their ZidduWC may be resold for profit in the form of price appreciation, we do not
believe the “expectation of profit” test is met in the case of the ZidduWC.
The
Supreme Court’s use of “solely” has been interpreted by an appellate court to mean “the efforts made by
those other than the investor are the undeniably significant ones, those essential managerial efforts which affect the failure
or success of the enterprise.” However, the effort to create profit need not come exclusively from the efforts of others
so long as the efforts of others are significant and primary. Any holder of the ZidduWC holding for investment, and an expectation
of profits, would necessarily expect those profits to arise not from any efforts of Longfin but from mere hoped for appreciation
of value. This is similar to commodities such as gold or diamonds. As such, the ZidduWC does not satisfy this prong of the Supreme
Court’s test.
As
a result of failing to meet the foregoing prongs of the Howey Test, we believe that the ZidduWC does not constitute an investment
contract and is not a security.
On
March 5, 2018, the Division of Enforcement of the SEC informed the Company that it is conducting an investigation
In the Matter
of Trading in the Securities of Longfin Corp.
and requested that the Company provide certain documents in connection with
its investigation, including documents related to our IPO and other financings and the acquisition of Ziddu.com. We are in the
process of responding to this document request and will cooperate with the SEC in connection with its investigation. While the
SEC is trying to determine whether there have been any violations of the federal securities laws, the investigation does not mean
that the SEC has concluded that anyone has violated the law. Also, the investigation does not mean that the SEC has a negative
opinion of any person, entity or security.
Intellectual
Property and Patents
Our
success depends in part on our ability to protect our intellectual property and proprietary technologies. To protect our proprietary
rights, we rely on a combination of intellectual property rights in the United States and other jurisdictions, including trade
secret laws, license agreements, internal procedures, and contractual provisions. Our internal controls restrict access to proprietary
technology.
As
of April 2, 2018, we had one trademark registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. We may not be able to obtain
protection for our intellectual property, and our existing and future trademark and other intellectual property rights may not
provide us with competitive advantages or distinguish our products and services from those of our competitors. Additionally, our
current and future trademark and other intellectual property rights may be contested, circumvented, or found unenforceable or
invalid, and we may not be able to prevent third parties from infringing them. Our internal controls and contractual provisions
may not always be effective at preventing unauthorized parties from obtaining our intellectual property and proprietary technologies.
We
license technology and other intellectual property from our partners and rely on our license agreements with those partners to
use the intellectual property. We also enter into licensing agreements with third parties to receive rights to intellectual property
and other know-how. Third parties may assert claims related to intellectual property rights against our partners or us.
Employees
Longfin
currently has 18 personnel working full time on behalf of the Company.
Subsidiaries
As
of December 31, 2017, the Company has only one subsidiary, namely Longfin Tradex, located in Singapore.
During
the first quarter of 2018, the Company added five new wholly owned subsidiaries Longcom India Private Ltd. (formerly LongHash
commodities Private Ltd), Longfin FZC, UAE, Longfin Bullion FZC, UAE, Longfin St. Vincent and Longfin HK Limited.
Facilities
We
are in current negotiations for larger office accommodations in New York City and plan to move all our key management personnel
to this office. We will have sufficient space for expansion of trading activities as required
CORPORATE
INFORMATION
Longfin
Corp. was incorporated in Delaware on February 1, 2017. Our executive offices are located 16-017, 85 Broad Street, New York NY
10004. Our telephone number is (646)-202-9550, and our email address is info@Longfincorp.com.
We
maintain a website with the address www.Longfincorp.com. We make available through our Internet website our annual reports on
Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to these reports, as soon as reasonably
practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish such material to, the SEC. We are not including the information
on our website as a part of, nor incorporating it by reference into, this report. You may read and copy any such reports and amendments
thereto at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549 on official business days during
the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for information on the Public Reference Room. Additionally,
the SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements, and other information that
issuers (including us) file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website address is http://www.sec.gov.
Item
1A. Risk Factors
The
following information sets forth risk factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained
in the forward-looking statements we have made in this report and those we may make from time to time. You should carefully
consider the risks described below, in addition to the other information contained in this report, before making an
investment decision. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be harmed by any of these risks. The
risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or other
factors not perceived by us to present significant risks to our business at this time also may impair our business
operations.
Risks
Related to Our Business and Industry
We
have a limited operating history, which makes it difficult to predict our future operating results.
Longfin
Corp was incorporated in February 2017 and its subsidiary Longfin Tradex has limited operating history since 2014.
Following our organization, we began offering our technology solutions that were developed by our current subsidiary company Longfin
Tradex. Longfin Tradex has launched its products in 2014, although it was incorporated in 2010. As a result of our limited operating
history in the Structured Trade Finance solutions, our ability to forecast our future operating results is limited and subject
to a number of uncertainties, including our ability to plan for and model future growth. We have encountered and will encounter
risks and uncertainties frequently experienced by growing companies in rapidly changing industries, such as the risks and uncertainties
described herein. If our assumptions regarding these risks and uncertainties (which we use to plan our business) are incorrect
or change due to changes in our markets, or if we do not address these risks successfully, our operating and financial results
could differ materially from our expectations and our business could suffer.
Risks
Relating
to Our Financial Condition and Going Concern
If
we are unable to continue as a going concern, our securities will have little or no value.
The
report of our independent registered public accounting firm that accompanies our audited consolidated financial
statements for period from February 1, 2017 (inception) through December 31, 2017 includes a going concern explanatory
paragraph in which such firm expressed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
The
Company has limited operating history and experienced a net loss of $26.4 million since its inception. The Company has $2.1 million
of cash at December 31, 2017. The Company operates primarily in structured trade finance and providing technology services and
our operating costs are primarily related to the cost of providing those services, employee compensation and administrative expenses.
On
January 22, 2018, pursuant to a Securities Purchase Agreement (“SPA”) entered into by an institutional investor
(the “Investor”), the Company agreed to sell and issue (1) (i) Senior Convertible Notes to the Investor in the
aggregate principal amount of $52,700,000 (each, a “Note” and collectively, the “Notes”), consisting
of a Series A Note in the principal amount of $10,095,941 and (ii) a Series B Note in the principal amount of $42,604,059,
and (2) a warrant to purchase 751,894 shares of Longfin Class A Common Stock, exercisable for a period of five years at an
exercise price of $38.55 per share (the “Warrant”), for consideration consisting of (i) a cash payment of
$5,000,000, and (ii) a secured promissory note payable by the Investor to Longfin (the “Investor Note”) in the
principal amount of $42,604,059 (collectively, the “Financing”). On February 13, 2018, the Company completed the
Financing and related sale and issuance of the Notes, the Warrant and a placement agent warrant. The maturity date of the
Notes is August 13, 2019 and the Investor Note is February 13, 2048. To date, the Company has received $3.7 million in net
proceeds ($5.0 million net of costs of $1.3 million) related to the Financing and will not be able to obtain additional
monies through the Financing until the Company files a Registration Statement to register the common shares underlying the
Notes and Warrant and such Registration Statement is declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission or such
shares are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or the investor elects to convert or exercise
such securities not with standing the underlying shares have not been so registered or are then so eligible.
The
continuation of the Company as a going concern is dependent upon the ability of the Company to obtain the monies from the Financing
and the attainment of profitable operations. These factors, which are not within the Company’s control, raise substantial doubt
regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Although it is actively working on obtaining the additional
funding pursuant to the Financing, the Company cannot make any assurances that the additional monies will be available to it and,
if available, on a timely basis. If the Company is unable to obtain the monies from the Financing, it would negatively impact
its business and operations and could also lead to the reduction or suspension of the Company’s operations and ultimately
force the Company to cease operations. These financial statements do not include any adjustments to the recoverability and classification
of recorded asset amounts and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as
a going concern.
We
are an early stage company.
There
is no assurance that Longfin along with its subsidiaries will be profitable or generate sufficient revenue in future. If planned
operating levels are changed, higher operating costs encountered, lower sales revenue received, more time is needed to implement
the plan, or less funding received from Longfin Tradex current operations, more funds than currently anticipated may be required.
Additional difficulties may be encountered during this stage of development, such as unanticipated problems relating to the financial
industry demand, if additional capital is not available when required, if at all, or is not available on acceptable terms, Longfin
may be forced to modify or abandon its business plan.
Failure
to manage our growth may adversely affect our business or operations.
Longfin
is newly established company; however, our subsidiary company, Longfin Tradex, is incorporated in 2010 and started operations
in 2014, has experienced significant growth in the business, customer base, employee headcount and operations, and we expect to
continue to grow our business rapidly over the next several years. This growth places a significant strain on our management team
and employees and on our operating and financial systems. To manage our future growth, we must continue to scale our business
functions, improve our financial and management controls and our reporting systems and procedures and expand and train our work
force. We anticipate that additional investments in sales personnel, technology and research and development spending will be
required to:
|
●
|
scale
our operations and increase productivity;
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
address
the needs of our customers;
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
further
develop and enhance our existing solutions and offerings;
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
develop
new technology; and
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
expand
our markets and opportunity under management, including into innovative solutions and geographic areas.
|
We
cannot assure you that our controls, systems and procedures will be adequate to support our future operations or that we will
be able to manage our growth effectively. We also cannot assure you that we will be able to continue to expand our market presence
in the United States and other current markets or successfully establish our presence in other markets. Failure to effectively
manage growth could result in difficulty or delays in deploying customers, declines in quality or customer satisfaction, increases
in costs, difficulties in introducing new features or other operational difficulties, and any of these difficulties could adversely
impact our business performance and results of operations.
Our
solutions face intense competition in the marketplace. If we are unable to compete effectively, our operating results could be
adversely affected.
The
market for our solutions is increasingly competitive, rapidly evolving and fragmented, and is subject to changing technology and
shifting customer needs. Although we believe that our platform and the solutions that it offers are unique, many vendors develop
and market products and services that compete to varying extents with our offerings, and we expect competition in our market to
continue to intensify. Moreover, industry consolidation may increase competition. In addition, many companies have chosen to invest
in their own internal reporting solutions and therefore may be reluctant to switch to solutions such as ours.
We
compete with many types of companies, including diversified enterprise software providers; providers of professional trading services,
such as trading platforms or ECNs. Many of our existing competitors, as well as a number of potential new competitors, have longer
operating histories, greater name recognition, more established customer bases and significantly greater financial, technical,
marketing and other resources than we do. As a result, our competitors may be able to respond more quickly and effectively than
we can to new or changing opportunities, technologies, standards or customer requirements. We could lose customers if our competitors
introduce new competitive products and technologies, add new features, acquire competitive products, reduce prices, form strategic
alliances with other companies or are acquired by third parties with greater available resources. We also face competition from
a variety of vendors of cloud-based and on-premise software applications that address only a portion of one of our solutions.
We may also face increasing competition from open source software initiatives, in which competitors may provide software and intellectual
property for free. In addition, if a prospective customer is currently using a competing solution, the customer may be unwilling
to switch to our solutions without access to setup support services. If we are unable to provide those services on terms attractive
to the customer, the prospective customer may be unwilling to utilize our solutions. If our competitors’ products, services
or technologies become more accepted than our solutions, if they are successful in bringing their products or services to market
earlier than ours, or if their products or services are more technologically capable than ours, then our revenue could be adversely
affected. In addition, some of our competitors may offer their products and services at a lower price. If we are unable to achieve
our target pricing levels, our operating results would be negatively affected. Pricing pressures and increased competition could
result in reduced sales, reduced margins, losses or a failure to maintain or improve our competitive market position, any of which
would adversely affect our business.
If
we do not keep pace with technological changes, our solutions may become less competitive and our business may suffer.
Our
market is characterized by rapid technological change, frequent product and service innovation and evolving industry standards.
If we are unable to provide enhancements and new features for our existing solutions or new solutions that achieve market acceptance
or that keep pace with these technological developments, our business could be adversely affected. The success of enhancements,
new features and solutions depends on several factors, including the timely completion, introduction and market acceptance of
the enhancements or new features or solutions. Failure in this regard may significantly impair our revenue growth. In addition,
because our solutions are designed to operate on a variety of systems, we will need to continuously modify and enhance our solutions
to keep pace with changes in internet-related hardware, software, communication, browser and database technologies. We may not
be successful in either developing these modifications and enhancements or in bringing them to market in a timely fashion. Furthermore,
uncertainties about the timing and nature of new network platforms or technologies, or modifications to existing platforms or
technologies, could increase our research and development expenses. Any failure of our solutions to keep pace with technological
changes or operate effectively with future network platforms and technologies could reduce the demand for our solutions, result
in customer dissatisfaction and adversely affect our business.
If
we fail to manage our technical operations infrastructure, our existing customers may experience service outages, and our new
customers may experience delays in the deployment of our solutions.
Longfin
together with its subsidiary has experienced significant growth in the number of users, projects and data that our operations
infrastructure supports. We seek to maintain sufficient excess capacity in our operations infrastructure to meet the needs of
all of our customers. We also seek to maintain excess capacity to facilitate the rapid provision of new customer deployments and
the expansion of existing customer deployments. In addition, we need to properly manage our technological operations infrastructure
in order to support changes in hardware and software parameters and the evolution of our solutions, all of which require significant
lead time. Our platform interacts with technology provided third-party providers, and our technological infrastructure depends
on this technology. We have experienced, and may in the future experience, website disruptions, outages and other performance
problems. These problems may be caused by a variety of factors, including infrastructure changes, human or software errors, viruses,
security attacks, fraud, spikes in customer usage and denial of service issues. In some instances, we may not be able to identify
the cause or causes of these performance problems within an acceptable period. If we do not accurately predict our infrastructure
requirements, our existing customers may experience service outages that may subject us to financial penalties, financial liabilities
and customer losses. If our operations infrastructure fails to keep pace with increased sales, customers may experience delays
as we seek to obtain additional capacity, which could adversely affect our reputation and our revenue.
As
a Fintech solution provider, we rely on the services of third-party data center hosting facilities. Interruptions or delays in
those services could impair the delivery of our service and harm our business.
Our
platform has been developed with, and is based on, cloud computing technology. It is hosted pursuant to service agreements on
servers by third-party service providers. We do not control the operation of these providers or their facilities, and the facilities
are vulnerable to damage, interruption or misconduct. Unanticipated problems at these facilities could result in lengthy interruptions
in our services. If the services of one or more of these providers are terminated, disrupted, interrupted or suspended for any
reason, we could experience disruption in our ability to offer our solutions, or we could be required to retain the services of
replacement providers, which could increase our operating costs and harm our business and reputation. In addition, as we grow,
we may move or transfer our data and our customers’ data to other cloud hosting providers. Despite precautions taken during
this process, any unsuccessful data transfers may impair the delivery of our service. Further, any damage to, or failure of, the
cloud servers that we use could result in interruptions in our services. Interruptions in our service may damage our reputation,
reduce our revenue, cause us to issue credits or pay penalties, cause customers to terminate their subscriptions and adversely
affect our renewal rates and our ability to attract new customers. Our business would be harmed if our customers and potential
customers believe our service is unreliable.
If
the market for our technology delivery model and proprietary software develops more slowly than we expect, our business could
be harmed.
The
market for cloud-based software is not as mature as the market for packaged software, and it is uncertain whether these services
will sustain high levels of demand and market acceptance. Our success will depend to a substantial extent on the willingness of
companies to increase their use of cloud-based services in general, and of our solutions in particular. Many companies have invested
substantial personnel and financial resources to integrate traditional software into their businesses, and therefore may be reluctant
or unwilling to migrate to a cloud-based service. Furthermore, some companies may be reluctant or unwilling to use cloud-based
services because they have concerns regarding the risks associated with security capabilities, among other things, of the technology
delivery model associated with these services. If companies do not perceive the benefits of cloud-based software, then the market
for our solutions may develop more slowly than we expect, or the market for our new solutions may not develop at all, either of
which would significantly adversely affect our operating results. We may not be able to adjust our spending quickly enough if
market growth falls short of our expectations or we may make errors in predicting and reacting to relevant business trends, either
of which could harm our business. If the market for our cloud solutions does not evolve in the way we anticipate, or if customers
do not recognize the benefits of our cloud solutions over traditional on-premise enterprise software products, and as a result
we are unable to increase sales of subscriptions to our solutions, then our revenue may not grow or may decline, and our operating
results would be harmed.
The
success of our Fintech based solutions largely depends on our ability to provide reliable solutions to our customers. If a customer
were to experience a product defect, a disruption in its ability to use our solutions or a security flaw, demand for our solutions
could be diminished, we could be subject to substantial liability and our business could suffer.
Because
our solutions are complex, and we continually release new features, our solutions could have errors, defects, viruses or security
flaws that could result in unanticipated downtime for our subscribers and harm our reputation and our business. Internet-based
software frequently contains undetected errors or security flaws when first introduced or when new versions or enhancements are
released. We might from time to time find such defects in our solutions, the detection and correction of which could be time consuming
and costly. Since our customers use our solutions for important aspects of their business, any errors, defects, disruptions in
access, security flaws, viruses, data corruption or other performance problems with our solutions could hurt our reputation and
may damage our customers’ businesses. If that occurs, customers could elect not to renew, could delay or withhold payment
to us or may make warranty or other claims against us, which could result in an increase in our provision for doubtful accounts,
an increase in collection cycles for accounts receivable or the expense and risk of litigation. We could also lose future sales.
In addition, if the public becomes aware of security breaches of our solutions, our future business prospects could be adversely
impacted.
Any
failure or interruptions in the internet infrastructure, bandwidth providers, data center providers, other third parties or our
own systems for providing our solutions to customers could negatively impact our business.
Our
ability to deliver our solutions is dependent on the development and maintenance of the internet and other telecommunications
services by third parties. Such services include maintenance of a reliable network backbone with the necessary speed, data capacity
and security for providing reliable internet access and services and reliable telecommunications systems that connect our operations.
While our solutions are designed to operate without interruption, we may experience interruptions and delays in services and availability
from time to time. We rely on systems as well as third-party vendors, including data center, bandwidth, and telecommunications
equipment providers, to provide our solutions. We do not maintain redundant systems or facilities for some of these services.
In the event of a catastrophic event with respect to one or more of these systems or facilities, we may experience an extended
period of system unavailability, which could negatively impact our relationship with our customers.
Any
failure to offer high-quality technical support services may adversely affect our relationships with our customers and our financial
results.
Once
our solutions are deployed, our customers depend on our customer success organization to resolve technical issues relating to
our solutions. We may be unable to respond quickly enough to accommodate short-term increases in customer demand for support services.
We also may be unable to modify the format of our support services to compete with changes in support services provided by our
competitors. Increased customer demand for these services, without corresponding revenue, could increase costs and adversely affect
our operating results. In addition, our sales process is highly dependent on our solutions and business reputation and on positive
recommendations from our existing customers. Any failure to maintain high-quality technical support, or a market perception that
we do not maintain high-quality support, could adversely affect our reputation, our ability to sell our solutions to existing
and prospective customers, and our business, operating results and financial position.
Adverse
economic conditions or reduced technology spending may adversely impact our business.
Our
business depends on the overall demand for technology and on the economic health of our current and prospective customers. In
general, worldwide economic conditions remain unstable, and these conditions make it difficult for our customers, prospective
customers and us to forecast and plan future business activities accurately, and they could cause our customers or prospective
customers to reevaluate their decision to purchase our solutions. Weak global economic conditions, or a reduction in technology
spending even if economic conditions improve, could adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations
in a number of ways, including longer sales cycles, lower prices for our solutions, reduced bookings and lower or no growth.
If
we cannot maintain our corporate culture as we grow, we could lose the innovation, teamwork, passion and focus on execution that
we believe contribute to our success, and our business may be harmed.
We
believe our corporate culture is a critical component to our success. We have invested substantial time and resources in building
our team. As we grow and develop the infrastructure of a public company, we may find it difficult to maintain our corporate culture.
Any failure to preserve our culture could negatively affect our future success, including our ability to retain and recruit personnel
and effectively focus on and pursue our corporate objectives.
We
depend on our senior management team and other key employees, and the loss of one or more key employees could adversely affect
our business.
Our
success depends largely upon the continued services of our key executive officers. We also rely on our leadership team and other
mission-critical individuals in the areas of research and development, marketing, sales, services and general and administrative
functions. From time to time, there may be changes in our management team resulting from the hiring or departure of executives
or other key employees, which could disrupt our business. Our senior management and key employees are generally employed on an
at-will basis, which means that they could terminate their employment with us at any time. The loss of one or more of our executive
officers or key employees could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our
ability to attract, train and retain qualified employees is crucial to our results of operations and any future growth.
To
execute our growth plan, we must attract and retain highly qualified personnel. Competition for these individuals is intense,
especially for engineers with high levels of experience in designing and developing software and internet-related services, senior
sales executives and professional services personnel with appropriate financial reporting experience. We have, from time to time,
experienced, and we expect to continue to experience, difficulty in hiring and retaining employees with appropriate qualifications.
Many of the companies with which we compete for experienced personnel have greater resources than we have. If we hire employees
from competitors or other companies, their former employers may attempt to assert that these employees have breached their legal
obligations or that we have induced such breaches, resulting in a diversion of our time and resources. If we fail to attract new
personnel or fail to retain and motivate our current personnel, our business and future growth prospects could be adversely affected.
Changes
in laws and regulations related to the internet or changes in the internet infrastructure itself may diminish the demand for our
solutions and could have a negative impact on our business.
The
future success of our business depends upon the continued use of the internet as a primary medium for commerce, communication
and business solutions. Federal, state or foreign government bodies or agencies have in the past adopted, and may in the future
adopt, laws or regulations affecting the use of the internet as a commercial medium. Changes in these laws or regulations could
require us to modify our solutions in order to comply with these changes. In addition, government agencies or private organizations
may begin to impose taxes, fees or other charges for accessing the internet or commerce conducted via the internet. These laws
or charges could limit the growth of internet-related commerce or communications generally or result in reductions in the demand
for internet-based solutions such as ours.
In
addition, the use of the internet as a business tool could be adversely affected due to delays in the development or adoption
of new standards and protocols to handle increased demands of internet activity, security, reliability, cost, ease of use, accessibility
and quality of service. The performance of the internet and its acceptance as a business tool has been adversely affected by “viruses,”
“worms” and similar malicious programs, and the internet has experienced a variety of outages and other delays as
a result of damage to portions of its infrastructure. If the use of the internet is adversely affected by these issues, demand
for our solutions could suffer.
Data
security concerns and laws or other domestic or foreign regulations may reduce the effectiveness of our solutions and adversely
affect our business.
We
manage private and confidential information and documentation related to our customers’ finances and transactions, often
prior to public dissemination. The use of insider information is highly regulated in the United States and abroad, and violations
of securities laws and regulations may result in civil and criminal penalties. Privacy and data security are rapidly evolving
areas of regulation, and additional regulation in those areas, some of it potentially difficult and costly for us to accommodate,
is frequently proposed and occasionally adopted. Changes in laws restricting or otherwise governing data and transfer thereof
could result in increased costs and delay operations.
In
addition to government activity, the technology industry and other industries are considering various new, additional or different
self-regulatory standards that may place additional burdens on us. If the processing of private and confidential information were
to be curtailed in this manner, our software solutions may be less effective, which may reduce demand for our solutions and adversely
affect our business. Furthermore, government agencies may seek to access sensitive information that our customers upload to our
service providers or restrict customers’ access to our service providers. Laws and regulations relating to government access
and restrictions are evolving, and compliance with such laws and regulations could limit adoption of our services by customers
and create burdens on our business. Moreover, regulatory investigations into our compliance with privacy-related laws and regulations
could increase our costs and divert management attention.
If
we or our service providers fail to keep our customers’ information confidential or otherwise handle their information improperly,
our business and reputation could be significantly and adversely affected.
If
we fail to keep customers’ proprietary information and documentation confidential, we may lose existing customers and potential
new customers and may expose them to significant loss of revenue based on the premature release of confidential information. While
we have security measures in place to protect customer information and prevent data loss and other security breaches, these measures
may be breached as a result of third-party action, employee error, malfeasance or otherwise. Because the techniques used to obtain
unauthorized access or sabotage systems change frequently and generally are not identified until they are launched against a target,
we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures.
In
addition, our service providers (including, without limitation, hosting facilities, disaster recovery providers and software providers)
may have access to our customers’ data and could suffer security breaches or data losses that affect our customers’
information.
If
an actual or perceived security breach or premature release occurs, our reputation could be damaged, and we may lose future sales
and customers. We may also become subject to civil claims, including indemnity or damage claims in certain customer contracts,
or criminal investigations by appropriate authorities, any of which could harm our business and operating results. Furthermore,
while our errors and omissions insurance policies include liability coverage for these matters, if we experienced a widespread
security breach that impacted a significant number of our customers for whom we have these indemnity obligations, we could be
subject to indemnity claims that exceed such coverage.
Any
failure to protect our intellectual property rights could impair our ability to protect our proprietary technology and our brand.
Our
success substantially depends upon our proprietary methodologies and other intellectual property rights. Unauthorized use of our
trade secret by third parties may damage our brand and our reputation. We rely on a trade secret laws, employee and third-party
non-disclosure and non-competition agreements and other methods to protect our intellectual property. However, unauthorized parties
may attempt to copy or obtain and use our technology to develop products with the same functionality as our solutions. We cannot
assure you that the steps we take to protect our intellectual property will be adequate to deter misappropriation of our proprietary
information or that we will be able to detect unauthorized use and take appropriate steps to protect our intellectual property.
United States federal and state intellectual property laws offer limited protection, and the laws of some countries provide even
less protection. Moreover, changes in intellectual property laws, such as changes in the law regarding the patentability of software,
could also impact our ability to obtain protection for our solutions. In addition, patents may not be issued with respect to our
pending or future patent applications. Those patents that are issued may not be upheld as valid, may be contested or circumvented,
or may not prevent the development of competitive solutions.
We
might be required to spend significant resources and divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel to monitor and
protect our intellectual property. Litigation brought to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights could be costly,
time-consuming and distracting to management and could result in the impairment or loss of portions of our intellectual property.
Furthermore, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights may be met with defenses, counterclaims and countersuits
attacking the validity and enforceability of our intellectual property rights. Any failure to secure, protect and enforce our
intellectual property rights could seriously adversely affect our brand and adversely impact our business.
Assertions
by third parties of infringement or other violations by us of their intellectual property rights could result in significant costs
and harm our business and operating results.
Our
success depends upon our ability to refrain from infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others. Some companies, including
some of our competitors, own large numbers of patents, copyrights and trademarks, which they may use to assert claims against
us. As we grow and enter new markets, we will face a growing number of competitors. As the number of competitors in our industry
grows and the functionality of products in different industry segments overlaps, we expect that software and other solutions in
our industry may be subject to such claims by third parties. Third parties may in the future assert claims of infringement, misappropriation
or other violations of intellectual property rights against us. We cannot assure you that infringement claims will not be asserted
against us in the future, or that, if asserted, any infringement claim will be successfully defended. A successful claim against
us could require that we pay substantial damages or ongoing royalty payments, prevent us from offering our services, or require
that we comply with other unfavorable terms. We may also be obligated to indemnify our customers or business partners or pay substantial
settlement costs, including royalty payments, in connection with any such claim or litigation and to obtain licenses, modify applications
or refund fees, which could be costly. Even if we were to prevail in such a dispute, any litigation regarding our intellectual
property could be costly and time-consuming and divert the attention of our management and key personnel from our business operations.
If
we fail to continue to develop our brand, our business may suffer.
We
believe that continuing to develop and maintain awareness of our brand is critical to achieving widespread acceptance of our solution
and is an important element in attracting and retaining customers. Efforts to build our brand may involve significant expense
and may not generate customer awareness or increase revenue at all, or in an amount sufficient to offset expenses we incur in
building our brand.
Promotion
and enhancement of our name and the brand names of our solutions depends largely on our success in being able to provide high
quality, reliable and cost-effective solutions. If customers do not perceive our solutions as meeting their needs, or if we fail
to market our solutions effectively, we will likely be unsuccessful in creating the brand awareness that is critical for broad
customer adoption of our solutions. That failure could result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition
and operating results.
Demand
for our solutions is subject to legislative or regulatory changes and volatility in demand, which could adversely affect our business.
The
market for our solutions depends in part on the requirements of the SEC and other regulatory bodies. Any legislation or rulemaking
substantially affecting the content or method of trading to be filed with these regulatory bodies could have an adverse effect
on our business. In addition, evolving market practices in light of regulatory developments could adversely affect the demand
for our solutions.
We
may need to raise additional capital, which may not be available to us.
We
will require substantial funds to support the implementation of our business plan. Our future liquidity and capital requirements
are difficult to predict as they depend upon many factors, including the success of our solutions and competing technological
and market developments. In the future, we may require additional capital to respond to business opportunities, challenges, acquisitions,
a decline in the level of customer prepayments or unforeseen circumstances and may determine to engage in equity or debt financings
or enter into credit facilities for other reasons, and we may not be able to timely secure additional debt or equity financing
on favorable terms, or at all. Any debt financing obtained 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, including potential acquisitions. If we raise additional funds through
further issuances of equity, convertible debt securities or other securities convertible into equity, our existing stockholders
could suffer significant dilution in their percentage ownership of our company, and any new equity securities we issue could have
rights, preferences and privileges senior to those of holders of our common stock. If we are unable to obtain adequate
financing or financing on terms satisfactory to us when we require it, our ability to continue to grow or support our business
and to respond to business challenges could be significantly limited.
We
operate and offer our services in many jurisdictions and, therefore, may be subject to federal, state, local and foreign taxes
that could harm our business.
As
an organization that operates in many jurisdictions in the United States and around the world, we may be subject to taxation in
several jurisdictions with increasingly complex tax laws, the application of which can be uncertain. The authorities in these
jurisdictions, including state and local taxing authorities in the United States, could successfully assert that we are obligated
to pay additional taxes, interest and penalties. In addition, the amount of taxes we pay could increase substantially as a result
of changes in the applicable tax principles, including increased tax rates, new tax laws or revised interpretations of existing
tax laws and precedents, which could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity and operating results. The authorities could
also claim that various withholding requirements apply to us or our subsidiaries or assert that benefits of tax treaties are not
available to us or our subsidiaries, any of which could have a material impact on us and the results of our operations. In addition,
we may lose sales or incur significant costs should various tax jurisdictions impose taxes on either a broader range of services
or services that we have performed in the past. We may be subject to audits of the taxing authorities in any such jurisdictions
that would require us to incur costs in responding to such audits. Imposition of such taxes on our services could result in substantially
unplanned costs, would effectively increase the cost of such services to our customers and could adversely affect our ability
to retain existing customers or to gain new customers in the areas in which such taxes are imposed.
Some
of the jurisdictions in which we operate may give us the benefit of either relatively low tax rates, tax holidays or government
grants, in each case that are dependent on how we operate or how many jobs we create and employees we retain. We plan on utilizing
such tax incentives in the future as opportunities are made available to us. Any failure on our part to operate in conformity
with applicable requirements to remain qualified for any such tax incentives or grants may result in an increase in our taxes.
In addition, jurisdictions may choose to increase rates at any time due to economic or other factors. Any such rate increase could
harm our results of operations.
In
addition, changes to U.S. tax laws that may be enacted in the future could impact the tax treatment of our foreign earnings. Due
to expansion of our international business activities, any changes in the U.S. taxation of such activities could increase our
worldwide effective tax rate and adversely affect our financial position and results of operations.
We
are subject to general litigation that may materially adversely affect us.
From
time to time, we may be involved in disputes or regulatory inquiries that arise in the ordinary course of business. We expect
that the number and significance of these potential disputes may increase as our business expands and our company grows larger.
While our agreements with customers limit our liability for damages arising from our solutions, we cannot assure you that these
contractual provisions will protect us from liability for damages in the event we are sued. Although we may carry general liability
insurance coverage, our insurance may not cover all potential claims to which we are exposed or may not be adequate to indemnify
us for all liability that may be imposed. Any claims against us, whether meritorious or not, could be time consuming, result in
costly litigation, require significant amounts of management time, and result in the diversion of significant operational resources.
Because litigation is inherently unpredictable, we cannot assure you that the results of any of these actions will not have a
material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
We
are controlled by our Chairman/founder, whose interests may differ from those of the other shareholders.
As
of the April 2, 2018, Mr. Venkata Srinivas Meenavalli owns the majority of shares of Longfin’s Common Stock. Therefore,
Mr. Meenavalli is now and could be in the future in a position to elect or change the members of the board of directors and to
control Longfin’s business and affairs including certain significant corporate actions, including but not limited to acquisitions,
the sale or purchase of assets and the issuance and sale of Longfin’s shares. Longfin also may be prevented from entering
into transactions that could be beneficial to the other holders of the shares without Mr. Meenavalli’s consent. Mr. Meenavalli’s
interests might differ from the interests of other shareholders.
Market
risks and the economy conditions might cause significant risks and uncertainties
Downturns
in sectors of the economy generally and a lack of availability of credit could adversely impact clients and lower demand for our
products, which in turn could cause our revenues and net income to decrease. Our variety of products are used for several financial
needs. Amount of spending on financial tools and investments depends significantly on the availability of finances, as well as
other factors such as interest rates, client confidence, government regulations and economy. Any of these factors could result
in a tightening of standards by financial institutions and reduce the need of clients to use our products.
Implications
of Being an Emerging Growth Company
We
qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act. As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage
of specified reduced disclosure and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions
include:
|
●
|
only
two years of audited financial statements in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements with correspondingly
reduced “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” disclosure;
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
reduced
disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements;
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
no
non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements; and
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
exemption
from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting.
|
We
may take advantage of these exemptions for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company.
We would cease to be an emerging growth company on the date that is the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which
we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more; (ii) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary
of the date of the completion of this offering; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in nonconvertible
debt during the previous three years; or (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules
of the SEC. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these exemptions. We have taken advantage of reduced reporting
requirements in this filing. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different from the information you receive from
other public companies in which you hold stock. We have irrevocably elected to “opt out” of the exemption for the
delayed adoption of certain accounting standards and, therefore, will be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards
as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies.
We
depend on key personnel
Longfin’s
future success depends on the efforts of key personnel, including its senior executive team. Longfin does not currently carry
any key man life insurance on its key personnel or its senior executive team. Regardless of such insurance, the loss of services
of any of these or other key personnel may have an adverse effect on Longfin. There can be no assurance that Longfin will be successful
in attracting and retaining the personnel.
Legal
claims could be filed that would have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. We
may in the future face risks of litigation and liability claims on technological liability and other matters, the extent of such
exposure can be difficult or impossible to estimate and which can negatively impact our financial condition and results of operations.
Although
there is no current pending litigation against Longfin or its subsidiary, in the future, investors, clients or competitors may
threaten lawsuit for what they believe to be infractions against themselves.
During
the period from December 15, 2017 to March 30, 2018, the trading price of our Class A Common Stock on the NASDAQ Capital
Market has exhibited extreme volatility, leading many law firms widely recognized as members of the “plaintiffs’ bar”
to announce investigations into such trading. While as of March 30, 2018, no lawsuits have been filed following this trading
bubble, there can be no assurance that these announcements will not lead to one or more class action lawsuits being filed against
us seeking damages resulting from the extreme price swings in our trading prices.
Our
operations are subject to numerous US and Singapore laws and regulations relating to the protection of the public and necessary
disclosures in regard to financial services. Liability under these laws involves inherent uncertainties. Violations of financial
regulation laws are subject to civil, and, in some cases, criminal sanctions. Although we are not aware of any compliance related
issues, we may not have been, or may not be, at all times, in complete compliance with all requirements, and we may incur costs
or liabilities in connection with such requirements. We may also incur unexpected interruptions to our operations, administrative
injunctions requiring operation stoppages, fines and other penalties. Continued government and public emphasis on financial issues
may require increased future investments for service or technology adjustments at new or ongoing operations, which could negatively
impact our financial condition and results of operations.
There
can also be no assurance that any insurance coverage we take will be adequate or that we will prevail in any future cases. We
can provide no assurance that we will be able to obtain liability insurance that would protect us from any such lawsuits. We are
not currently subject to any claims from our employees or customers; however, we may be subject to such claims in the future.
In the event that are not covered by insurance, our management could expend significant time addressing any such issues.
Our
results of operations may be adversely affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates and we may not have adequately hedged
against them.
The
exchange rates between foreign currencies can change rapidly due to a wide range of economic, political and other conditions.
Future currency exchange rate fluctuations that we have not adequately hedged could adversely affect our profitability.
Fraud
risks
There
are various types of fraud which may adversely affect our business. Unfortunately, there are some countries which are renowned
for harboring fraudsters. We may prove, in some cases, unable to detect fraudulent activities.
We
will incur increased costs as a result of being a public company, and the requirements of being a public company may divert management’s
attention from our business.
As
a result of our initial public offering, we became a public company and our securities are listed on NASDAQ. As such, we are required
to comply with laws, regulations, and requirements that we did not need to comply with as a private company, including certain
provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and related SEC regulations, as well as the requirements of NASDAQ. Compliance with the requirements
of being a public company have required us to increase our operating expenses in order to pay our employees, legal counsel, and
accountants to assist us in, among other things, external reporting, instituting and monitoring a more comprehensive compliance
and board governance function, establishing and maintaining internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Section
404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and preparing and distributing periodic public reports in compliance with our obligations under
the federal securities laws. In addition, in connection with Section 404(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, management will be required
to deliver a report that assesses the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting beginning with the Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. However, in connection with Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act,
our auditors are not required to attest to our internal controls over financial reporting until we no longer qualify as an emerging
growth company under the JOBS Act. In order to maintain and improve the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures
and internal control over financial reporting, significant resources and management oversight will be required. As a result, our
management’s attention might be diverted from other business concerns, which could have a material adverse effect on our
business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations. Furthermore, we might not be able to retain our independent
directors or attract new independent directors for our committees.
If
we do not maintain compliance with its listing standards, NASDAQ may delist our Class A Common Stock from trading on its exchange,
which could limit stockholders’ ability to trade our Class A Common Stock.
Our
Class A Common Stock currently trades on the NASDAQ. This market has continued listing standards that we must maintain on an ongoing
basis in order to continue the listing of our Class A Common Stock. If we fail to meet these continued listing requirements, our
Class A Common Stock may be subject to delisting. If our Class A Common Stock is delisted and we are not able to list our Class
A Common Stock on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities would be quoted on an over-the-counter market.
If this were to occur, our stockholders could face significant material adverse consequences, including limited availability of
market quotations for our Class A Common Stock and reduced liquidity for the trading of our securities. In addition, we could
experience a decreased ability to issue additional securities and obtain additional financing in the future.
If
securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our
stock price and trading volume could decline.
The
trading market for our Common Stock will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish
about us or our business. If few securities analysts commence coverage of us, or if industry analysts cease coverage of us, the
trading price for our Common Stock would be negatively affected. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our Common
Stock or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our Common Stock price would likely decline. If one or
more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our Common Stock could decrease,
which might cause our Common Stock price and trading volume to decline.
We
may fail to meet our publicly announced guidance or other expectations about our business, which would cause our stock price to
decline.
We
expect to provide guidance regarding our expected financial and business performance, such as projections regarding sales, as well as anticipated future revenues, gross margins, profitability and cash flows. Correctly identifying key factors
affecting business conditions and predicting future events is inherently an uncertain process and our guidance may not ultimately
be accurate. Our guidance is based on certain assumptions such as those relating to anticipated production and sales volumes and
average sales prices, supplier and commodity costs, and planned cost reductions. If our guidance is not accurate or varies from
actual results due to our inability to meet our assumptions or the impact on our financial performance that could occur as a result
of various risks and uncertainties, the market value of our Common Stock could decline significantly.
Risks
Related to Cryptocurrency
The
further development and acceptance of the Ethereum Network and other Digital Asset systems, which represent a new and rapidly
changing industry, are subject to a variety of factors that are difficult to evaluate. The slowing or stopping of the development
or acceptance of the Ethereum Network may adversely affect an investment in our Company.
The
ZidduWC is a cryptographic token similar to bitcoin, ETHeum and numerous other cryptocurrencies (“Digital Assets”)
that may be used, among other things, to exchange value, buy and sell goods and services and execute contracts with predetermined
execution parameters (“smart contracts”). The ZidduWC runs on the Ethereum Blockchain, meaning that the methods by
which transactions are blocked and verified are dependent on the underlying Ethereum Network.
Digital
Assets are a new and rapidly evolving industry of which the Ethereum Network is a prominent, but not unique, part.
The growth
of the Digital Assets industry in general, and the Ethereum Network in particular, is subject to a high degree of uncertainty.
The factors affecting the further development of the Digital Assets industry, as well as the Ethereum Network, include:
●
|
continued
worldwide growth in the adoption and use of Ethereum (“ETH”) and other Digital Assets;
|
|
|
●
|
government
and quasi-government regulation of ETH and other Digital Assets and their use, or restrictions on or regulation of access
to and operation of the Ethereum Network or similar Digital Assets systems;
|
|
|
●
|
the
maintenance and development of the open-source software protocol of the Ethereum Network;
|
●
|
changes
in consumer demographics and public tastes and preferences;
|
|
|
●
|
the
availability and popularity of other forms or methods of buying and selling goods and services, including new means of using
fiat currencies;
|
|
|
●
|
general
economic conditions and the regulatory environment relating to Digital Assets; and
|
|
|
●
|
the
impact of regulators focusing on Digital Assets and the costs associated with such regulatory oversight.
|
A
decline in the popularity or acceptance of the Ethereum Network could adversely affect the functionality of the ZidduWC and, accordingly,
an investment in us.
Currently,
there is relatively small use of ETH in the retail and commercial marketplace in comparison to relatively large use by speculators,
thus contributing to price volatility that could adversely affect an investment in us.
As
relatively new products and technologies, ETH and the Ethereum Network have only recently become widely accepted as a means of
payment for goods and services by many major retail and commercial outlets and use of ETH by consumers to pay such retail and
commercial outlets remains limited. Conversely, a significant portion of ETH demand is generated by speculators and investors
seeking to profit from the short- or long-term holding of ETH. A lack of expansion by ETH into retail and commercial markets,
or a contraction of such use, may result in increased volatility or a reduction in the price of ETH, either of which could adversely
impact an investment in us.
The
open-source structure of the Ethereum Network protocol means that the contributors to the protocol are generally not directly
compensated for their contributions in maintaining and developing the protocol. A failure to properly monitor and upgrade the
protocol could damage the Ethereum Network and an investment in us.
The
Ethereum Network operates based on an open-source protocol maintained by contributors, largely on the Official Go implementation
of the Ethereum protocol on GitHub. An open-source project, Ethereum was launched in August 2014 by the Ethereum Foundation, a
Swiss non-profit, and is generally acknowledged to be the work of inventor and co-founder Vitalik Buterin. As the Ethereum Network
protocol is not sold and its use does not generate revenues for contributors, contributors are generally not compensated for maintaining
and updating the Ethereum Network protocol. The lack of guaranteed financial incentive for contributors to maintain or develop
the Ethereum Network and the lack of guaranteed resources to adequately address emerging issues with the Ethereum Network may
reduce incentives to address the issues adequately or in a timely manner. This may adversely affect the functionality of the ZidduWC
and, accordingly, an investment in us.
If
a malicious actor or botnet obtains control in excess of 50 percent of the processing power active on the Ethereum Network, it
is possible that such actor or botnet could manipulate the Ethereum Blockchain in a manner that adversely affects an investment
in us.
If
a malicious actor or botnet (a volunteer or hacked collection of computers controlled by networked software coordinating the actions
of the computers) obtains a majority of the processing power dedicated to mining on the Ethereum Network, it may be able to alter
the Blockchain on which the Ethereum Network and all ZidduWC transactions rely by constructing alternate blocks if it is able
to solve for such blocks faster than the remainder of the miners on the Ethereum Network can add valid blocks. In such alternate
blocks, the malicious actor or botnet could control, exclude or modify the ordering of transactions, though it could not generate
new ZidduWC or transactions using such control. Using alternate blocks, the malicious actor could “double-spend” its
own ZidduWC (i.e., spend the same ZidduWC in more than one transaction) and prevent the confirmation of other users’ transactions
for so long as it maintains control. To the extent that such malicious actor or botnet does not yield its majority control of
the processing power on the Ethereum Network or the ZidduWC community does not reject the fraudulent blocks as malicious, reversing
any changes made to the Blockchain may not be possible. Such changes could adversely affect an investment in us.
The
acceptance of Ethereum Network software patches or upgrades by a significant, but not overwhelming, percentage of the users and
miners in the Ethereum Network could result in a “fork” in the Blockchain, resulting in the operation of two separate
networks until such time as the forked Blockchains are merged. The temporary or permanent existence of forked Blockchains could
adversely impact an investment in us.
Ethereum
is an open source project and, although there is an influential group of leaders in the Ethereum Network community including the
Ethereum Foundation, there is no official developer or group of developers that formally controls the Ethereum Network. Any individual
can download the Ethereum Network software and make any desired modifications, which are proposed to users and miners on the Ethereum
Network through software downloads and upgrades, typically posted to the ETH development forum on GitHub.com. A substantial majority
of miners and ETH users must consent to those software modifications by downloading the altered software or upgrade that implements
the changes; otherwise, the changes do not become a part of the Ethereum Network. Since the Ethereum Network’s inception,
changes to the Ethereum Network have been accepted by the vast majority of users and miners, ensuring that the Ethereum Network
remains a coherent economic system; however, a developer or group of developers could potentially propose a modification to the
Ethereum Network that is not accepted by a vast majority of miners and users, but that is nonetheless accepted by a substantial
population of participants in the Ethereum Network. In such a case, and if the modification is material and/or not backwards compatible
with the prior version of Ethereum Network software, a fork in the Blockchain could develop and two separate Ethereum Networks
could result, one running the pre-modification software program and the other running the modified version (i.e., a second “Ethereum”
network). Such a fork in the Blockchain typically would be addressed by community-led efforts to merge the forked Blockchains,
and several prior forks have been so merged. This kind of split in the Ethereum Network could materially and adversely impact
an investment in us and, in the worst-case scenario, harm the sustainability of the Ethereum Network’s economy.
Demand
for ETH is driven, in part, by its status as the most prominent and secure Digital Asset. It is possible that a Digital Asset
other than ETH could have features that make it more desirable to a material portion of the Digital Asset user base, resulting
in a reduction in demand for ETH, which could have a negative impact on the functionality of the ZidduWC ETH and adversely affect
an investment in us.
The
Ethereum Network and ETH, as an asset, hold an earlier mover advantage over other Digital Assets. This early mover advantage is
driven in large part by having a larger user base and, more importantly, large combined mining power in use to secure the Blockchain
and transaction verification system. Having a large mining network results in greater user confidence regarding the security and
long-term stability of a Digital Asset’s network and its block chain; as a result, the advantage of more users and miners
makes a Digital Asset more secure, which makes it more attractive to new users and miners, resulting in a network effect that
strengthens the first-to-market advantage.
As
of January 16, 2018, there were over one thousand four hundred (1,400) alternate Digital Assets (or altcoins) tracked by CoinMarketCap,
having a total market capitalization (including the market capitalization of ETH) of approximately $579 billion, using market
prices and total available supply of each Digital Asset. This included altcoins using a “proof of work” mining structure
similar to Ethereum, and those using a “proof of stake” transaction verification system that is different than Ethereum’s
mining system (e.g., Peercoin, Bitshares and NXT). As of January 16, 2018, ETH’s market cap was $108 billion. Despite the
early-mover advantage of the Ethereum Network over other Digital Assets, it is possible that another Digital Asset could become
materially popular due to either a perceived or exposed shortcoming of the Ethereum Network protocol that is not immediately addressed
by the Ethereum contributor community or a perceived advantage of an altcoin that includes features not incorporated into Ethereum.
If a Digital Asset obtains significant market share (either in market capitalization, mining power or use as a payment technology),
this could reduce ETH’s market share as well as other Digital Assets we may become involved in and have a negative impact
on the demand for, and price of, the ZidduWC and could adversely affect an investment in us.
Our
ability to adopt technology in response to changing security needs or trends poses a challenge to the safekeeping of our Digital
Assets.
The
history of the Ethereum Exchange Market has shown that Ethereum Exchanges and large holders of ETH must adapt to technological
change in order to secure and safeguard their ETH and other Digital Assets. We believe that we may be an appealing target of security
threats based on the size of our ZidduWC holdings. To the extent that we are unable to identify and mitigate or stop new security
threats, our ZidduWC may be subject to theft, loss, destruction or other attack, which could adversely affect an investment in
us. We regularly monitor our Ethereum Blockchain transactions by using two-factor
authorization by e-mail and
text message verification.
Security
threats to us could result in, a loss of Company’s Digital Assets, or damage to the reputation and our brand, each of which
could adversely affect an investment in us.
Security
breaches, computer malware and computer hacking attacks have been a prevalent concern in the Ethereum Exchange Market since the
launch of the Ethereum Network. Any security breach caused by hacking, which involves efforts to gain unauthorized access to information
or systems, or to cause intentional malfunctions or loss or corruption of data, software, hardware or other computer equipment,
and the inadvertent transmission of computer viruses, could harm our business operations or result in loss of our ZidduWC and
other Digital Assets. Any breach of our infrastructure could result in damage to our reputation which could adversely affect an
investment in us. Furthermore, we believe that, as our assets grow, it may become a more appealing target for security threats
such as hackers and malware.
The
security system and operational infrastructure may be breached due to the actions of outside parties, error or malfeasance of
an employee of ours, or otherwise, and, as a result, an unauthorized party may obtain access to our, private keys, data or ZidduWC.
Additionally, outside parties may attempt to fraudulently induce employees of ours to disclose sensitive information in order
to gain access to our infrastructure. As the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service, or sabotage
systems change frequently, or may be designed to remain dormant until a predetermined event and often are not recognized until
launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventative measures. If an
actual or perceived breach of our security system occurs, the market perception of the effectiveness of our security system could
be harmed, which could adversely affect an investment in us.
In
the event of a security breach, we may be forced to cease operations, or suffer a reduction in assets, the occurrence of each
of which could adversely affect an investment in us.
A
loss of confidence in our security system, or a breach of our security system, may adversely affect us and the value of an investment
in us.
We
will take measures to protect us and our ZidduWC and other Digital Assets from unauthorized access, damage or theft; however,
it is possible that the security system may not prevent the improper access to, or damage or theft of our ZidduWC. A security
breach could harm our reputation or result in the loss of some or all of our ZidduWC. A resulting perception that our measures
do not adequately protect our Digital Assets could result in a loss of current or potential shareholders, reducing demand for
our Common Stock and causing our shares to decrease in value.
Our
ZidduWC and other Digital Assets may be subject to loss, damage, theft or restriction on access.
There
is a risk that part or all of our ZidduWC could be lost, stolen or destroyed. We believe that our ZidduWC and other Digital Assets
will be an appealing target to hackers or malware distributors seeking to destroy, damage or steal our ZidduWC and other Digital
Assets. Access to our Digital Assets could also be restricted by natural events (such as an earthquake or flood) or human actions
(such as a terrorist attack). Any of these events may adversely affect our operations and, consequently, an investment in us.
The
limited rights of legal recourse against us, and our lack of insurance protection expose us and our shareholders to the risk of
loss of our ZidduWC and other Digital Assets for which no person is liable.
The
ZidduWC and other Digital Assets held by us are not insured. Therefore, a loss may be suffered with respect to our ZidduWC which
is not covered by insurance and for which no person is liable in damages which could adversely affect our operations and, consequently,
an investment in us.
Techniques
employed by manipulative short sellers in cyptocurrency stocks may drive down the market price of our common stock.
Short
selling is the practice of selling securities that the seller does not own but rather has, supposedly, borrowed from a third party
with the intention of buying identical securities back at a later date to return to the lender. The short seller hopes to profit
from a decline in the value of the securities between the sale of the borrowed securities and the purchase of the replacement
shares, as the short seller expects to pay less in that purchase than it received in the sale. As it is therefore in the short
seller’s best interests for the price of the stock to decline, many short sellers (sometime known as “disclosed shorts”)
publish, or arrange for the publication of, negative opinions regarding the relevant issuer and its business prospects in order
to create negative market momentum and generate profits for themselves after selling a stock short. While traditionally these
disclosed shorts were limited in their ability to access mainstream business media or to otherwise create negative market rumors,
the rise of the Internet and technological advancements regarding document creation, YouTube and publication by Tweeting or blogging
have allowed many disclosed shorts to publicly attack a company’s credibility, strategy and veracity by means of so-called
research reports that mimic the type of investment analysis performed by large Wall Street firm and independent research analysts.
These short attacks have, in the past, led to selling of shares in the market, on occasion in large scale and broad base. Issuers
with limited trading volumes are susceptible to higher volatility levels than U.S. domestic large-cap stocks, and can be particularly
vulnerable to such short attacks.
These
short seller publications are not regulated by any governmental, self-regulatory organization or other official authority in the
U.S., are not subject to the certification requirements imposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission in Regulation AC (Regulation
Analyst Certification) and, accordingly, the opinions they express may be based on distortions of actual facts or, in some cases,
fabrications of facts. In light of limited risks involved in publishing such information, and the enormous profit that can be
made from running just one successful short attack, unless the short sellers become subject to significant penalties, it is more
likely than not that disclosed shorts will continue to issue such reports.
You
should be aware that in light of the relative freedom to operate that such persons enjoy, in case of a short-seller attack, our
stock may suffer from a temporary, or possibly long term, decline in market price should the rumors created not be dismissed by
market participants.
In
March of 2018, Andrew Left of Citron Research tweeted “If you are fortunate enough to get a borrow, indeed $LFIN is a pure
stock scheme. @sec_enforcement should not be far behind. Filings and press releases are riddled with inaccuracies and fraud.”
In addition, a report published on the Seeking Alpha website on March 23, 2018 alleged that the addition of our Class A Stock
to the Russell 2000 index was in error, which led to our Class A Common Stock being removed from the Russell 2000 index. As a
result of these communications, our Class A Stock price declined almost 40% in a two day period.
Regulatory
changes or actions may restrict the use of Digital Assets or the operation of trading markets in a manner that adversely affects
an investment in us.
Until
recently, little or no regulatory attention has been directed toward ETH, other Digital Assets and the markets where they trade
by U.S. federal and state governments, foreign governments and self-regulatory agencies. As ETH has grown in popularity and in
market size and initial coin offerings which tend to be Digital Securities, the SEC, Federal Reserve Board, U.S. Congress and
certain other U.S. agencies (e.g., the CFTC, FinCEN and the Federal Bureau of Investigation) have begun to examine the operations
of the initial coin offerings, Ethereum Network, ETH users and the Ethereum Exchange Market.
On
July 25, 2017, the SEC issued its Report which concluded that Digital Assets or tokens issued for the purpose of raising funds
may be securities within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The Report focused on the activities of a virtual organization
which offered tokens in exchange for ETH. The Report emphasized that whether Digital Asset is a security is based on the facts
and circumstances. Although the Company’s activities are not focused on raising capital or assisting others that do so,
the federal securities laws are very broad, and there can be no assurances that the SEC will not take enforcement action against
the Company in the future including for the sale of unregistered securities in violation of the Securities Act or acting as an
unregistered investment company in violation of the Investment Company Act. The SEC has taken various actions against persons
or entities misusing ETH in connection with fraudulent schemes (e.g., Ponzi scheme), inaccurate and inadequate publicly disseminated
information, and the offering of unregistered securities. More recently, the SEC suspended trading in three Digital Asset public
companies. The CFTC has determined that ETH and other virtual currencies are commodities and the sale of derivatives based on
digital currencies must be done in accordance with the provisions of the CEA and CFTC regulations. Also of significance, is that
the CFTC appears to have taken the position that ETH is not encompassed by the definition of currency under the CEA and CFTC regulations.
The CFTC defined ETH and other “virtual currencies” as “a digital representation of value that functions as
a medium of exchange, a unit of account, and/or a store of value, but does not have legal tender status in any jurisdiction. Bitcoin
and other virtual currencies are distinct from ‘real’ currencies, which are the coin and paper money of the United
States or another country that are designated as legal tender, circulate, and are customarily used and accepted as a medium of
exchange in the country of issuance.” To the extent that the ZidduWC itself is determined to be a security, commodity future
or other regulated asset, or to the extent that a US or foreign government or quasi-governmental agency exerts regulatory authority
over the Ethereum Network or ETH trading and ownership, trading or ownership in ZidduWC or an investment in us may be adversely
affected.
The
CFTC affirmed its approach to the regulation of Bitcoin and Bitcoin-related enterprises on June 2, 2016, when the CFTC settled
charges against Bitfinex, a Ethereum Exchange based in Hong Kong. In its Order, the CFTC found that Bitfinex engaged in “illegal,
off-exchange commodity transactions and failed to register as a futures commission merchant” when it facilitated borrowing
transactions among its users to permit the trading of Bitcoin on a “leveraged, margined or financed basis” without
first registering with the CFTC. In 2017 the CFTC stated that it would consider Bitcoin and other virtual currencies as commodities
or derivatives depending on the facts of the offering. In December 2017, Bitcoin and ETH futures trading commenced on two CFTC
regulated futures markets.
Local
state regulators such as the NYSDFS have also initiated examinations of ETH, the Ethereum Network and the regulation thereof.
In July 2014, the NYSDFS proposed the first US regulatory framework for licensing participants in “virtual currency business
activity.” The regulations, known as the “BitLicense,” are intended to focus on consumer protection and, the
NYSDFS issued its final “BitLicense” regulatory framework in June 2015. The “BitLicense” regulates the
conduct of businesses that are involved in “virtual currencies” in New York or with New York customers and prohibits
any person or entity involved in such activity to conduct activities without a license.
Ethereum
currently faces an uncertain regulatory landscape in not only the United States but also in many foreign jurisdictions such as
the European Union, China and Russia.
The
effect of any future regulatory actionon us, the ZidduWC, ETH, or other Digital Assets is impossible to predict, but such change
could be substantial and adverse to us and could adversely affect an investment in us.
It
may be illegal now, or in the future, to acquire, own, hold, sell or use ZidduWC or other Digital Assets in one or more countries,
and ownership of, holding or trading in our Company’s securities may also be considered illegal and subject to sanction.
Although
currently ZidduWC and other Digital Assets are not regulated or are lightly regulated in most countries, including the United
States, one or more countries such as China may take regulatory actions in the future that restricts the right to acquire, own,
hold, sell or use ZidduWC or other Digital Assets or to exchange Digital Assets for currency. Such an action may also result in
the restriction of ownership, holding or trading in our securities. Such restrictions may adversely affect an investment in us.
If
regulatory changes or interpretations of our activities require our registration as a MSB under the regulations promulgated by
FinCEN under the authority of the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act, we may be required to register and comply with such regulations. If regulatory
changes or interpretations of our activities require the licensing or other registration of us as a money transmitter (or equivalent
designation) under state law in any state in which we operate, we may be required to seek licensure or otherwise register and
comply with such state law. In the event of any such requirement, to the extent the Company decides to continue, the required
registrations, licensure and regulatory compliance steps may result in extraordinary, non-recurring expenses to us. We may also
decide to cease the Company’s operations. Any termination of certain Company operations in response to the changed regulatory
circumstances may be at a time that is disadvantageous to investors.
To
the extent that the activities of the Company cause it to be deemed a MSB under the regulations promulgated by FinCEN under the
authority of the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act, the Company may be required to comply with FinCEN regulations, including those that would
mandate the Company to implement anti-money laundering programs, make certain reports to FinCEN and maintain certain records.
To
the extent that the activities of the Company cause it to be deemed a “money transmitter” (or equivalent designation)
under state law in any state in which the Company operates, the Company may be required to seek a license or otherwise register
with a state regulator and comply with state regulations that may including the implementation of anti-money laundering programs,
maintenance of certain records and other operational requirements. Currently, the NYSDFS has finalized its “BitLicense”
framework for businesses that conduct “virtual currency business activity,” the Conference of State Bank Supervisors
has proposed a model form of state level “virtual currency” regulation and additional state regulators including those
from California, Idaho, Virginia, Kansas, Texas, South Dakota and Washington have made public statements indicating that virtual
currency businesses may be required to seek licenses as money transmitters. In July 2016, North Carolina updated the law to define
“virtual currency” and the activities that trigger licensure in a business-friendly approach that encourages companies
to use virtual currency and blockchain technology. Specifically, the North Carolina law does not require miners or software providers
to obtain a license for multi-signature software, smart contract platforms, smart property, colored coins and non-hosted, non-custodial
wallets. Starting January 1, 2016, New Hampshire requires anyone exchanges a digital currency for another currency must become
a licensed and bonded money transmitter. In numerous other states, including Connecticut and New Jersey, legislation is being
proposed or has been introduced regarding the treatment of ETH and other Digital Assets. The Company will continue to monitor
for developments in such legislation, guidance or regulations.
Such
additional federal or state regulatory obligations may cause the Company to incur extraordinary expenses, possibly affecting an
investment in the Class A Common Stock in a material and adverse manner. Furthermore, the Company and its service providers may
not be capable of complying with certain federal or state regulatory obligations applicable to MSBs and MTs. If the Company is
deemed to be subject to and determines not to comply with such additional regulatory and registration requirements, we may act
to dissolve and liquidate the Company. Any such action may adversely affect an investment in us.
Current
interpretations require the regulation of ETH and other Digital Assets under the CEA by the CFTC, we may be required to register
and comply with such regulations. To the extent that we decide to continue operations, the required registrations and regulatory
compliance steps may result in extraordinary, non-recurring expenses to us. We may also decide to cease certain operations. Any
disruption of our operations in response to the changed regulatory circumstances may be at a time that is disadvantageous to investors.
Current
and future legislation, CFTC and other regulatory developments, including interpretations released by a regulatory authority,
may impact the manner in which ZidduWC and other Digital Assets are treated for classification and clearing purposes. In particular,
derivatives on these assets are not excluded from the definition of “commodity future” by the CFTC. We cannot be certain
as to how future regulatory developments will impact the treatment of ZidduWC and other Digital Assets under the law.
Ethereum
has been deemed to fall within the definition of a commodity and, we may be required to register and comply with additional regulation
under the CEA, including additional periodic report and disclosure standards and requirements. Moreover, we may be required to
register as a commodity pool operator and to register us as a commodity pool with the CFTC through the National Futures Association.
Such additional registrations may result in extraordinary, non-recurring expenses, thereby materially and adversely impacting
an investment in us. If we determine not to comply with such additional regulatory and registration requirements, we may seek
to cease certain of our operations. Any such action may adversely affect an investment in us. No CFTC orders or rulings are applicable
to our business.
If
regulatory changes or interpretations require the regulation of ETH and other Digital Assets (in contrast to Digital Securities)
under the Securities Act and Investment Company Act by the SEC, we may be required to register and comply with such regulations.
To the extent that we decide to continue operations, the required registrations and regulatory compliance steps may result in
extraordinary, non-recurring expenses to us. We may also decide to cease certain operations. This would likely have a material
adverse effect on us and investors may lose their investment.
Current
and future legislation and SEC rulemaking and other regulatory developments, including interpretations released by a regulatory
authority, may impact the manner in which ETH are treated for classification and clearing purposes. The SEC’s July 25, 2017
Report expressed its view that Digital Assets may be securities depending on the facts and circumstances. As of the date of this
report, we are not aware of any rules that have been proposed to regulate the ZidduWC as securities. We cannot be certain as to
how future regulatory developments will impact the treatment of ZidduWC and other Digital Assets under the law. Such additional
registrations may result in extraordinary, non-recurring expenses, thereby materially and adversely impacting an investment in
us. If we determine not to comply with such additional regulatory and registration requirements, we may seek to cease certain
of our operations. Any such action may adversely affect an investment in us.
To
the extent that Digital Assets including the ZidduWC are deemed by the SEC to fall within the definition of a security, we may
be required to register and comply with additional regulation under the Investment Company Act, including additional periodic
reporting and disclosure standards and requirements and the registration of our Company as an investment company. Additionally,
one or more states may conclude ZidduWC are a security under state securities laws which would require registration under state
laws including merit review laws which would adversely impact us since we would likely not comply. As stated earlier in this report,
some states including California define the term “investment contract” more strictly than the SEC. Such additional
registrations may result in extraordinary, non-recurring expenses of our Company, thereby materially and adversely impacting an
investment in our Company. If we determine not to comply with such additional regulatory and registration requirements, we may
seek to cease all or certain parts of our operations. Any such action would likely adversely affect an investment in us and investors
may suffer a complete loss of their investment.
We
believe that ZidduWC is not a security. As such, we do not intend to acquire securities in amounts that are equal to or greater
than 40% of our assets. Should the total value of securities which we hold rise to more than 40% of our assets (exclusive of cash)
we note that SEC Rule 3a-2 under the Investment Company Act provides temporary relief, as long as the issuer has a bona fide intent
to not be an investment company as soon as possible. The rule may not be relied upon more than once every three years. In order
to comply with the Investment Company Act, we anticipate having increased management time and legal expenses in order to analyze
which Digital Assets are securities and periodically analyze our total holdings to ensure that we do not maintain more than 40%
of our total assets (exclusive of cash) as securities.
If
federal or state legislatures or agencies initiate or release tax determinations that change the classification of ETH or other
Digital Assets as property for tax purposes (in the context of when such Digital Assets are held as an investment), such determination
could have a negative tax consequence on our Company or our shareholders.
Current
IRS guidance indicates that Digital Assets such as ZidduWC should be treated and taxed as property, and that transactions involving
the payment of Digital Assets for goods and services should be treated as barter transactions. While this treatment creates a
potential tax reporting requirement for any circumstance where the ownership of a ETH passes from one person to another, usually
by means of ETH transactions (including off-Blockchain transactions), it preserves the right to apply capital gains treatment
to those transactions which may have adversely affect an investment in our Company.
On
December 5, 2014, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance issued guidance regarding the application of state tax
law to Digital Assets such as ETH. The agency determined that New York State would follow IRS guidance with respect to the treatment
of Digital Assets such as ETH for state income tax purposes. Furthermore, they defined Digital Assets such as ETH to be a form
of “intangible property,” meaning the purchase and sale of ETH for fiat currency is not subject to state income tax
(although transactions of ETH for other goods and services maybe subject to sales tax under barter transaction treatment). It
is unclear if other states will follow the guidance of the IRS and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance with
respect to the treatment of Digital Assets such as ETH for income tax and sales tax purposes. If a state adopts a different treatment,
such treatment may have negative consequences including the imposition of greater a greater tax burden on investors in ETH or
imposing a greater cost on the acquisition and disposition of ETH, generally; in either case potentially having a negative effect
on prices in the Ethereum Exchange Market and may adversely affect an investment in our Company.
Foreign
jurisdictions may also elect to treat Digital Assets such as ETH differently for tax purposes than the IRS or the New York State
Department of Taxation and Finance. To the extent that a foreign jurisdiction with a significant share of the market of ETH users
imposes onerous tax burdens on ETH users, or imposes sales or value added tax on purchases and sales of ETH for fiat currency,
such actions could result in decreased demand for ETH in such jurisdiction, which could impact the price of ETH and negatively
impact an investment in our Company.
We
have identified several material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If our planned remediation
of these material weaknesses is not effective, or if we experience additional material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fail
to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting in the future, we may not be able to accurately or
timely report our financial condition or results of operations, which may adversely affect investor confidence in us and, as a
result, the value of our securities.
In
connection with the audit of our financial statements beginning on page F-1, the Company identified several material weaknesses
in its internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is defined as a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies,
in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the
Company’s financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Below are the material weaknesses identified:
|
●
|
the
Company lacks qualified personnel who fully understand GAAP reporting requirements, possess appropriate skills to identify
and determine proper accounting for new, complex or unusual transactions or have a proficiency in the SEC reporting environment;
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
the
Company did not maintain sufficient personnel with the technical knowledge and skills to perform accounting functions for
complex/non-recurring transactions and financial reporting functions;
|
|
●
|
the
Company exhibited an overall lack of sufficient knowledge, organized and sufficient audit support, documented positions and
assessments, and policies/procedures related to the accounting treatment for both complex and non-complex transactions;
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
certain
segregation of duties issues exist (i.e., the same person
performs the process and the control in certain areas);
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
the
Company does not have any formal or documented accounting policies and procedures, including with respect to intangible assets
and monitoring related parties;
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
senior
financial reporting personnel have the ability to make journal entries; and
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
there
is no formal review process around journal entries recorded.
|
Neither
we nor our independent registered public accounting firm has performed an evaluation of our internal control over financial reporting
in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. In light of the material weaknesses that were identified, we believe
that it is possible that additional material weaknesses and control deficiencies may have been identified if such an evaluation
had been performed.
The
Company is working to remediate the material weaknesses, has taken steps to enhance the internal control environment, and plans
to take additional steps to remediate the material weaknesses. Specifically, we will:
|
●
|
seek
technically competent staff with appropriate experience applying GAAP accounting guidance and are currently utilizing
a consultant with US GAAP/SEC experience to assist with financial reporting requirements;
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
design
additional controls around identification, documentation and application of technical accounting guidance;
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
implement
additional internal reporting procedures, including those designed to add depth to the review processes and improve
segregation of duties; and
|
|
|
|
|
●
|
restructur
internal controls to eliminate or improve known control issues.
|
The
actions that we are taking are subject to ongoing senior management review as well as audit committee oversight. Although we plan
to complete this remediation process as quickly as possible, we cannot at this time estimate how long it will take, and our efforts
may not be successful in remediating these material weaknesses. In addition, we will incur additional costs in improving our internal
control over financial reporting. If we are unable to successfully remediate these material weaknesses or if we identify additional
material weaknesses, we may not detect errors on a timely basis. This could harm our operating results, cause us to fail to meet
our SEC reporting obligations or NASDAQ Capital Market listing requirements on a timely basis, adversely affect our reputation,
cause our stock price to decline or result in inaccurate financial reporting or material misstatements in our annual or interim
financial statements.
In
addition to the remediation efforts related to the material weaknesses described above, we are in the process of designing and
implementing the internal control over financial reporting required to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act. This
process will be time consuming, costly and complicated. If during the evaluation and testing process, we identify one or more
other material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, our management will be unable to assert that our internal
control over financial reporting is effective. Even if our management concludes that our internal control over financial reporting
is effective, our independent registered public accounting firm may conclude that there are material weaknesses with respect to
our internal controls or the level at which our internal controls are documented, designed, implemented or reviewed. If we are
unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or when required in the future, if our independent
registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial
reporting, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of our
securities could be adversely affected, and we could become subject to investigations by the stock exchange on which our securities
are listed, the SEC, or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources.
Risks
Related to Our Business
If
we lose the services of our Chief Executive Officer, our operations would be disrupted and our business could be harmed.
Our
business plan relies significantly on the continued services of our CEO, Venkata S. Meenavalli. If we were to lose his services,
including through death or disability, our ability to continue to execute our business plan would be materially impaired. The
Company has not entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Meenavalli and is reliant on certain relationships of Mr. Meenavalli
with third parties, including, but not limited to, customers representing approximately 68% of the Company’s current revenues.
The
Company and its Subsidiaries have limited insurance for their operations and are subject to various risks of loss
The
Company and its subsidiaries carry directors’ and officers’ insurance. However, we do not carry general business liability
insurance or other insurance applicable to our business. Successful claims against the Company would likely render us insolvent.
The Company has not reserved any amounts in connection with self-insuring against any claims against the Company or its subsidiaries.
The
Company is subject to market perceptions
Market
perceptions of us are very important to our business, especially market perceptions of our Company and brands and the safety and
quality of our products. If we, our partners and suppliers, or our brands suffer from negative publicity, or if any of our products
or similar products which other companies distribute are subject to market withdrawal or recall or are proven to be, or are claimed
to be, ineffective or harmful to consumers, then this could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition,
results of operations, cash flows, and/or share price. Also, because we are dependent on market perceptions, negative publicity
associated with product quality, patient illness, or other adverse effects resulting from, or perceived to be resulting from,
our products, or our partners’ and suppliers’ manufacturing facilities, could have a material adverse effect on our
business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, and/or share price.
International
Risks
Our
business is subject to risks associated with doing business internationally. Sales outside of the US make up 100% percentage of
our net sales. Additional risks associated with our international operations include: differing local product preferences and
product requirements; trade protection measures and import or export licensing requirements; difficulty in establishing, staffing,
and managing operations; differing labor regulations; potentially negative consequences from changes in or interpretations of
tax laws; political and economic instability, including sovereign debt issues; price controls, limitations on participation in
local enterprises, expropriation, nationalization, and other governmental action; inflation, recession, and fluctuations in interest
rates; compulsory licensing or diminished protection of intellectual property; and potential penalties or other adverse consequences
for violations of anti-corruption, anti-bribery, and other similar laws and regulations, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices
Act and the U.K. Bribery Act. Events contemplated by these risks may, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
effect on our revenues and profitability.
We
may interpret or implement required policies incorrectly.
We
follow generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for the United States in preparing our financial statements. As part of
this work, we must make many estimates and judgments about future events. These affect the value of the assets and liabilities,
contingent assets and liabilities, and revenue and expenses that we report in our financial statements. We believe these estimates
and judgments are reasonable, and we make them in accordance with our accounting policies based on information available at the
time. However, actual results could differ from our estimates, and this could require us to record adjustments to expenses or
revenues that could be material to our financial position and results of operations in future periods.