Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
File No. 333-263570
PROSPECTUS
United States
Natural Gas Fund, LP®*
Shares
*Principal
U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.
The United States
Natural Gas Fund, LP (“UNG”) is an exchange traded fund organized as a limited partnership that issues shares that trade
on the NYSE Arca stock exchange (“NYSE Arca”). UNG’s investment objective is to track a benchmark of short-term natural
gas futures contracts. UNG pays its general partner, United States Commodity Funds LLC (“USCF”), a limited liability company,
a management fee and incurs operating costs. UNG and USCF are located at 1850 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Suite 640, Walnut Creek, California
94596. The telephone number for both UNG and USCF is 510.522.9600. In order for a hypothetical investment in shares to break even over
the next 12 months, assuming a selling price of $9.07 (the net asset value as of February 28, 2023), the investment would have to generate
a 0.00% or $0.00 return.
UNG is an exchange
traded fund. This means that most investors who decide to buy or sell shares of UNG place their trade orders through their brokers and
may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges. Shares trade on the NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol “UNG” and are
bought and sold throughout the trading day at bid and ask prices like other publicly traded securities.
Shares trade
on the NYSE Arca after they are initially purchased by “Authorized Participants,” institutional firms that purchase and redeem
shares in blocks of 100,000 shares called “baskets” through UNG’s marketing agent, ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Marketing
Agent”). The price of a basket is equal to the net asset value (“NAV”) of 100,000 shares on the day that the order
to purchase the basket is accepted by the Marketing Agent. The NAV per share is calculated by taking the current market value of UNG’s
total assets (after close of NYSE Arca) subtracting any liabilities and dividing that total by the total number of outstanding shares.
The offering of UNG’s shares is a “best efforts” offering, which means that neither the Marketing Agent nor any Authorized
Participant is required to purchase a specific number or dollar amount of shares. USCF pays the Marketing Agent a marketing fee consisting
of a fixed annual amount plus an incentive fee based on the amount of shares sold. Authorized Participants will not receive from UNG,
USCF or any of their affiliates, any fee or other compensation in connection with the sale of shares. Aggregate compensation paid to
the Marketing Agent and any affiliate of USCF for distribution-related services in connection with this offering of shares will not exceed
ten percent (10%) of the gross proceeds of the offering.
Investors who
buy or sell shares during the day from their broker may do so at a premium or discount relative to the market value of the underlying
natural gas futures contracts in which UNG invests due to supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares
that are closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of natural gas and the natural gas futures
contracts that serve as UNG’s investment benchmark. INVESTING IN UNG INVOLVES RISKS SIMILAR TO THOSE INVOLVED WITH AN INVESTMENT
DIRECTLY IN THE NATURAL GAS MARKET, BUT IT IS NOT A PROXY FOR TRADING DIRECTLY IN THE NATURAL GAS MARKETS. Investing in UNG also
involves the correlation risk described below and other significant risks. You should consider carefully the risks described below before
making an investment decision. See “Risk Factors Involved with an Investment in UNG” beginning on page 7.
The offering
of UNG’s shares is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in accordance with the Securities
Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”). The offering is intended to be a continuous offering and is not expected to terminate until
all of the registered shares have been sold or three years from the date of the original offering, whichever is earlier, unless extended
as permitted under the rules under the 1933 Act, although the offering may be temporarily suspended if and when no suitable investments
for UNG are available or practicable. UNG is not a mutual fund registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”)
and is not subject to regulation under the 1940 Act.
NEITHER THE
SEC NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THE SECURITIES OFFERED IN THIS PROSPECTUS, OR DETERMINED IF THIS
PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
UNG is a commodity
pool and USCF is a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) subject to regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”)
and the National Futures Association (“NFA”) under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”).
THE COMMODITY
FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION HAS NOT PASSED UPON THE MERITS OF PARTICIPATING IN THIS POOL NOR HAS THE COMMISSION PASSED ON THE ADEQUACY
OR ACCURACY OF THIS DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT.
The date of
this prospectus is April 26, 2023.
COMMODITY
FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION
RISK DISCLOSURE
STATEMENT
YOU SHOULD
CAREFULLY CONSIDER WHETHER YOUR FINANCIAL CONDITION PERMITS YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN A COMMODITY POOL. IN SO DOING, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE
THAT COMMODITY INTEREST TRADING CAN QUICKLY LEAD TO LARGE LOSSES AS WELL AS GAINS. SUCH TRADING LOSSES CAN SHARPLY REDUCE THE NET ASSET
VALUE OF THE POOL AND CONSEQUENTLY THE VALUE OF YOUR INTEREST IN THE POOL. IN ADDITION, RESTRICTIONS ON REDEMPTIONS MAY AFFECT YOUR ABILITY
TO WITHDRAW YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE POOL.
FURTHER,
COMMODITY POOLS MAY BE SUBJECT TO SUBSTANTIAL CHARGES FOR MANAGEMENT, AND ADVISORY AND BROKERAGE FEES. IT MAY BE NECESSARY FOR THOSE
POOLS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THESE CHARGES TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL TRADING PROFITS TO AVOID DEPLETION OR EXHAUSTION OF THEIR ASSETS. THIS DISCLOSURE
DOCUMENT CONTAINS A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF EACH EXPENSE TO BE CHARGED THIS POOL AT PAGE 6 AND A STATEMENT OF THE PERCENTAGE RETURN NECESSARY
TO BREAK EVEN, THAT IS, TO RECOVER THE AMOUNT OF YOUR INITIAL INVESTMENT, AT PAGE 46.
THIS BRIEF
STATEMENT CANNOT DISCLOSE ALL THE RISKS AND OTHER FACTORS NECESSARY TO EVALUATE YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS COMMODITY POOL. THEREFORE,
BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMMODITY POOL, YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY STUDY THIS DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT, INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION
OF THE PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS OF THIS INVESTMENT, AT PAGE 7.
YOU SHOULD
ALSO BE AWARE THAT THIS COMMODITY POOL MAY TRADE FOREIGN FUTURES OR OPTIONS CONTRACTS. TRANSACTIONS ON MARKETS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE UNITED
STATES, INCLUDING MARKETS FORMALLY LINKED TO A UNITED STATES MARKET, MAY BE SUBJECT TO REGULATIONS WHICH OFFER DIFFERENT OR DIMINISHED
PROTECTION TO THE POOL AND ITS PARTICIPANTS. FURTHER, UNITED STATES REGULATORY AUTHORITIES MAY BE UNABLE TO COMPEL THE ENFORCEMENT OF
THE RULES OF REGULATORY AUTHORITIES OR MARKETS IN NON-UNITED STATES JURISDICTIONS WHERE TRANSACTIONS FOR THE POOL MAY BE EFFECTED.
SWAPS TRANSACTIONS,
LIKE OTHER FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS, INVOLVE A VARIETY OF SIGNIFICANT RISKS. THE SPECIFIC RISKS PRESENTED BY A PARTICULAR SWAP TRANSACTION
NECESSARILY DEPEND UPON THE TERMS OF THE TRANSACTION AND YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. IN GENERAL, HOWEVER, ALL SWAPS TRANSACTIONS INVOLVE SOME
COMBINATION OF MARKET RISK, CREDIT RISK, COUNTERPARTY CREDIT RISK, FUNDING RISK, LIQUIDITY RISK, AND OPERATIONAL RISK.
HIGHLY CUSTOMIZED
SWAPS TRANSACTIONS IN PARTICULAR MAY INCREASE LIQUIDITY RISK, WHICH MAY RESULT IN A SUSPENSION OF REDEMPTIONS. HIGHLY LEVERAGED TRANSACTIONS
MAY EXPERIENCE SUBSTANTIAL GAINS OR LOSSES IN VALUE AS A RESULT OF RELATIVELY SMALL CHANGES IN THE VALUE OR LEVEL OF AN UNDERLYING OR
RELATED MARKET FACTOR.
IN EVALUATING
THE RISKS AND CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH A PARTICULAR SWAP TRANSACTION, IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THAT A SWAP TRANSACTION
MAY BE MODIFIED OR TERMINATED ONLY BY MUTUAL CONSENT OF THE ORIGINAL PARTIES AND SUBJECT TO AGREEMENT ON INDIVIDUALLY NEGOTIATED TERMS.
THEREFORE, IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR THE COMMODITY POOL OPERATOR TO MODIFY, TERMINATE, OR OFFSET THE POOL’S OBLIGATIONS OR THE
POOL’S EXPOSURE TO THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH A TRANSACTION PRIOR TO ITS SCHEDULED TERMINATION DATE.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROSPECTUS
SUMMARY
This is only
a summary of the prospectus and, while it contains material information about UNG and its shares, it does not contain or summarize all
of the information about UNG and the shares contained in this prospectus that is material and/or which may be important to you. You should
read this entire prospectus, including “Risk Factors Involved with an Investment in UNG” beginning on page 7, before making
an investment decision about the shares. For a glossary of defined terms, see Appendix A.
UNG
United States
Natural Gas Fund, LP (“UNG”), a Delaware limited partnership, is a commodity pool that continuously issues common shares
of beneficial interest that may be purchased and sold on the NYSE Arca stock exchange (“NYSE Arca”). UNG is managed and controlled
by United States Commodity Funds LLC (“USCF”), a Delaware limited liability company. USCF is registered as a CPO with the
CFTC and is a member of the NFA.
UNG’s Investment Objective
and Strategy:
The investment
objective of UNG is for the daily changes in percentage terms of its shares’ per share net asset value (“NAV”) to reflect
the daily changes in percentage terms of the spot price of natural gas delivered at the Henry Hub, Louisiana, as measured by the daily
changes in the price of a specified short-term futures contract called the “Benchmark Futures Contract,” plus interest earned
on UNG’s collateral holdings, less UNG’s expenses.
What
is the “Benchmark Futures Contract”? |
The
Benchmark Futures Contract is the futures contract on natural gas as traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (the “NYMEX”)
that is the near month contract to expire, except when the near month contract is within two weeks of expiration, in which case it
will be measured by the futures contract that is the next month contract to expire. |
|
UNG seeks to
achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in futures contracts for natural gas that are traded on the NYMEX, ICE Futures
Europe and ICE Futures U.S. (together, “ICE Futures”), or other U.S. and foreign exchanges (collectively, “Futures
Contracts”), and to a lesser extent, in order to comply with regulatory requirements, risk mitigation measures, liquidity requirements,
or in view of market conditions, other natural gas-related investments such as cash-settled options on Futures Contracts, forward contracts
for natural gas, cleared swap contracts, and non-exchange traded (“over-the-counter” or “OTC”) transactions that
are based on the price of natural gas, crude oil and other petroleum-based fuels, as well as futures contracts for crude oil, heating
oil, gasoline, and other petroleum-based fuels, Futures Contracts and indices based on the foregoing (collectively, “Other Natural
Gas-Related Investments”). Market conditions that USCF currently anticipates could cause UNG to invest in Other Natural Gas-Related
Investments include, but are not limited to, those allowing UNG to obtain greater liquidity or to execute transactions with more favorable
pricing. For convenience and unless otherwise specified, Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments, collectively are
referred to as “Natural Gas Interests” in this prospectus.
In addition,
USCF believes that market arbitrage opportunities will cause daily changes in UNG’s share price on the NYSE Arca on a percentage
basis to closely track daily changes in UNG’s per share NAV on a percentage basis. USCF further believes that the daily changes
in prices of the Benchmark Futures Contract have historically tracked the daily changes in the spot price of natural gas. USCF believes
that the net effect of these relationships will be that the daily changes in the price of UNG’s shares on the NYSE Arca on a percentage
basis will closely track the daily changes in the spot price of natural gas on a percentage basis, less UNG’s expenses.
Specifically,
UNG seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing so that the average daily percentage change in UNG’s NAV for any period
of 30 successive valuation days will be within plus/minus ten percent (10%) of the average daily percentage change in the price of the
Benchmark Futures Contract over the same period.
Investors should be
aware that UNG’s investment objective is not for its NAV or market price of shares to equal, in dollar terms, the spot price
of natural gas or any particular futures contract based on natural gas, nor is UNG’s investment objective for the percentage
change in its NAV to reflect the percentage change of the price of any particular futures contract as measured over a time period greater
than one day. This is because natural market forces called contango and backwardation have impacted the total return on an investment
in UNG’s shares during the past year relative to a hypothetical direct investment in natural gas and, in the future, it is likely
that the relationship between the market price of UNG’s shares and changes in the spot prices of natural gas will continue to be
impacted by contango and backwardation. (It is important to note that the disclosure above ignores the potential costs associated with
physically owning and storing natural gas, which could be substantial.)
Principal Investment Risks of an
Investment in UNG
An investment
in UNG involves a degree of risk. Some of the risks you may face are summarized below. A more extensive discussion of these risks appears
beginning on page 7.
Investment Risk
Investors may
choose to use UNG as a means of investing indirectly in natural gas. INVESTING IN UNG INVOLVES RISKS SIMILAR TO THOSE INVOLVED WITH
AN INVESTMENT DIRECTLY IN THE NATURAL GAS MARKET, BUT IT IS NOT A PROXY FOR TRADING DIRECTLY IN THE NATURAL GAS MARKETS. Investing
in UNG also involves the correlation risk described below and other significant risks. You should carefully consider the risks described
below before making an investment decision. An investment in UNG includes the following investment risks:
| · | The
NAV of UNG’s shares relates directly to the value of the Benchmark Futures Contract
and other assets held by UNG and fluctuations in the prices of these assets could materially
adversely affect an investment in UNG’s shares. Past performance is not necessarily
indicative of future results; all or substantially all of an investment in UNG could be lost. |
| · | The
demand for natural gas correlates closely with general economic growth rates. |
| · | Other
factors that may affect the demand for natural gas and therefore its price, include technological
improvements in energy efficiency; seasonal weather patterns, which affect the demand for
natural gas associated with heating and cooling; increased competitiveness of alternative
energy sources that have so far generally not been competitive with natural gas without the
benefit of government subsidies or mandates; and changes in technology or consumer preferences
that alter fuel choices, such as toward alternative fueled or electric transportation and
broad-based changes in personal income levels. |
| · | Natural
gas prices also vary depending on a number of factors affecting supply and demand of natural
gas, including geopolitical risk associated with wars, terrorist acts and tensions between
countries. |
| · | The
supply of and demand for natural gas may also be impacted by changes in interest rates, inflation,
and other local or regional market conditions, as well as by the development of alternative
energy sources. |
| · | Price
volatility may possibly cause the total loss of your investment. |
| · | Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine, and sanctions brought by the United States and other countries against
Russia and others, have caused disruptions in many business sectors, resulting in significant
market disruptions that may lead to increased volatility in the price of certain commodities,
and may lead to volatility in UNG’s NAV or share price. |
| · | COVID-19
and other infectious disease outbreaks could negatively affect the valuation and performance
of UNG’s investments. |
| · | Historical
performance of UNG and the Benchmark Futures Contract is not indicative of future performance. |
Correlation Risk
As further described
below, an investment in UNG includes the following correlation risks:
| · | An
investment in UNG may provide little or no diversification benefits. Thus, in a declining
market, UNG may have no gains to offset losses from other investments, and an investor may
suffer losses on an investment in UNG while incurring losses with respect to other asset
classes. |
| · | The
market price at which investors buy or sell shares may be significantly less or more than
NAV. |
| · | Daily
percentage changes in UNG’s NAV may not correlate with daily percentage changes in
the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract. |
| · | Daily
percentage changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract may not correlate with
daily percentage changes in the spot price of natural gas. |
| · | An
investment in UNG is not a proxy for investing in the natural gas markets, and the daily
percentage changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract, or the NAV of UNG, may
not correlate with daily percentage changes in the spot price of natural gas. |
| · | Natural
forces in the natural gas futures market known as “backwardation” and “contango”
may increase UNG’s tracking error and/or negatively impact total return. |
| · | Accountability
levels, position limits, and daily price fluctuation limits set by the exchanges have the
potential to cause tracking error, by limiting UNG’s investments, including its ability
to fully invest in the Benchmark Futures Contract, which could cause the price of shares
to substantially vary from the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract. |
| · | Risk
mitigation measures that could be imposed by UNG’s futures commission merchants (“FCMs”)
have the potential to cause tracking error by limiting UNG’s investments, including
its ability to fully invest in the Benchmark Futures Contract and other Futures Contracts,
which could cause the price of UNG’s shares to substantially vary from the price of
the Benchmark Futures Contract. |
To the extent
that investors use UNG as a means of indirectly investing in natural gas, there is the risk that the daily changes in the price of UNG’s
shares on the NYSE Arca on a percentage basis will not closely track the daily changes in the spot price of natural gas on a percentage
basis. This could happen if the price of shares traded on the NYSE Arca does not correlate closely with the value of UNG’s NAV;
the changes in UNG’s NAV do not correlate closely with the changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract; or the changes
in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract do not closely correlate with the changes in the cash or spot price of natural gas. This
is a risk because if these correlations do not exist, then investors may not be able to use UNG as a cost-effective way to indirectly
invest in natural gas or as a hedge against the risk of loss in natural gas-related transactions.
The price relationship
between the near month contract to expire and the next month contract to expire that compose the Benchmark Futures Contract will vary
and may impact both the total return over time of UNG’s NAV, as well as the degree to which its total return tracks other natural
gas price indices’ total returns. In cases in which the near month contract’s price is lower than the next month contract’s
price (a situation known as “contango” in the futures markets), then absent the impact of the overall movement in natural
gas prices the value of the Benchmark Futures Contract would tend to decline as it approaches expiration. In cases in which the near
month contract’s price is higher than the next month contract’s price (a situation known as “backwardation” in
the futures markets), then absent the impact of the overall movement in natural gas prices the value of the Benchmark Futures Contract
would tend to rise as it approaches expiration.
Volatility in
the natural gas market could limit UNG’s ability to have a substantial portion of its assets invested in the Benchmark Futures
Contract. In such a circumstance, UNG could, if it determined it appropriate to do so in light of market conditions and regulatory requirements,
invest in other Futures Contract and/or Other Natural-Gas Related Investments.
Tax Risk
UNG is organized
and operated as a limited partnership in accordance with the provisions of its limited partnership agreement (the “LP Agreement”)
and applicable state law, and therefore, has a more complex tax treatment than conventional mutual funds. An investment in UNG includes
the following tax risks:
| · | An
investor’s tax liability may exceed the amount of distributions, if any, on its shares. |
| · | An
investor’s allocable share of taxable income or loss may differ from its economic income
or loss on its shares. |
| · | Items
of income, gain, deduction, loss and credit with respect to shares could be reallocated for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, and UNG could be liable for U.S. federal income tax, if
the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) does not accept the assumptions and
conventions applied by UNG in allocating those items, with potential adverse consequences
for an investor. |
| · | UNG
could be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which may substantially
reduce the value of the shares. |
| · | UNG
is organized and operated as a limited partnership in accordance with the provisions of the
LP Agreement and applicable state law, and therefore, UNG has a more complex tax treatment
than traditional mutual funds. |
| · | If
UNG is required to withhold tax with respect to any non-U.S. shareholders, the cost of such
withholding may be borne by all shareholders. |
| · | The
impact of changes in U.S. federal income tax laws on UNG is uncertain. |
Over-the-Counter (“OTC”)
Contract Risk
UNG may also
invest in Other Natural Gas-Related Investments, many of which are negotiated or “OTC” contracts that are not as liquid as
Natural Gas Futures Contracts and expose UNG to credit risk that its counterparty may not be able to satisfy its obligations to UNG.
An investment in UNG includes the following OTC contract risks:
| · | UNG
will be subject to credit risk with respect to counterparties to OTC contracts entered into
by UNG or held by special purpose or structured vehicles. |
| · | Valuing
OTC derivatives may be less certain than actively traded financial instruments. |
| · | UNG’s
rights under an OTC contract may be restricted by regulations. |
| · | The
use of swap agreements may expose UNG to early termination risk, which could result in significant
losses to UNG. |
Other Risks
UNG pays fees
and expenses that are incurred regardless of whether UNG is profitable.
Unlike mutual
funds, commodity pools or other investment pools that manage their investments in an attempt to realize income and gains and distribute
such income and gains to their investors, UNG generally does not distribute cash to shareholders. You should not invest in UNG if you
will need cash distributions from UNG to pay taxes on your share of income and gains of UNG, if any, or for any other reason.
You will have
no rights to participate in the management of UNG and will have to rely on the duties and judgment of USCF to manage UNG.
UNG is subject
to actual and potential inherent conflicts involving USCF, various commodity futures brokers and “Authorized Participants,”
the institutional firms that directly purchase and redeem shares in baskets. USCF’s officers, directors and employees do not devote
their time exclusively to UNG. USCF’s persons are directors, officers or employees of other entities that may compete with UNG
for their services, including other commodity pools (funds) that USCF manages. USCF could have a conflict between its responsibilities
to UNG and to those other entities. As a result of these and other relationships, parties involved with UNG have a financial incentive
to act in a manner other than in the best interests of UNG and the shareholders.
In addition,
an investment in UNG includes the following other risks:
| · | UNG
is not leveraged, but it could become leveraged if it had insufficient assets to completely
meet its margin or collateral requirements relating to its investments. |
| · | UNG
may temporarily limit the offering of Creation Baskets. |
| · | Certain
of UNG’s investments could be illiquid, which could cause large losses to investors
at any time or from time to time. |
| · | UNG
is not actively managed and its investment objective is to track the Benchmark Futures Contract
so that the average daily percentage change in UNG’s NAV for any period of 30 successive
valuation days will be within plus/minus ten percent (10%) of the average daily percentage
change in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract over the same period. |
| · | UNG
may not meet the listing standards of NYSE Arca, which would adversely impact an investor’s
ability to sell shares. |
| · | The
NYSE Arca may halt trading in UNG’s shares, which would adversely impact an investor’s
ability to sell shares. |
| · | The
liquidity of UNG’s shares may also be affected by the withdrawal from participation
of Authorized Participants, which could adversely affect the market price of the shares. |
| · | Shareholders
that are not Authorized Participants may only purchase or sell their shares in secondary
trading markets, and the conditions associated with trading in secondary markets may adversely
affect investors’ investment in the shares. |
| · | The
lack of an active trading market for UNG’s shares may result in losses on an investor’s
investment in UNG at the time the investor sells the shares. |
| · | Limited
partners and shareholders do not participate in the management of UNG and do not control
USCF, so they do not have any influence over basic matters that affect UNG. |
| · | Limited
partners may have limited liability in certain circumstances, including potentially having
liability for the return of wrongful distributions. |
| · | USCF’s
LLC Agreement provides limited authority to the Non-Management Directors, and any Director
of USCF may be removed by USCF’s parent company, which is wholly owned by The Marygold
Companies, Inc., formerly Concierge Technologies, Inc., a controlled public company where
the majority of shares are owned by Nicholas D. Gerber along with certain of his other family
members and certain other shareholders. |
| · | There
is a risk that UNG will not earn trading gains sufficient to compensate for the fees and
expenses that it must pay and as such UNG may not earn any profit. |
| · | UNG
is subject to extensive regulatory reporting and compliance. |
| · | Regulatory
changes or actions, including the implementation of new legislation, are impossible to predict
but may significantly and adversely affect UNG. |
| · | UNG
is not a registered investment company so shareholders do not have the protections of the
1940 Act. |
| · | Trading
in international markets could expose UNG to credit and regulatory risk. |
| · | UNG
and USCF may have conflicts of interest, which may permit them to favor their own interests
to the detriment of shareholders. |
| · | UNG
could terminate at any time and cause the liquidation and potential loss of an investor’s
investment and could upset the overall maturity and timing of an investor’s investment
portfolio. |
| · | UNG
does not expect to make cash distributions. |
| · | An
unanticipated number of Redemption Basket requests during a short period of time could have
an adverse effect on UNG’s NAV. |
| · | The
suspension in the ability of Authorized Participants to purchase Creation Baskets could cause
UNG’s NAV to differ materially from its trading price. |
| · | UNG
may determine that, to allow it to reinvest the proceeds from sales of its Creation Baskets
in currently permitted assets in a manner that meets its investment objective, it may limit
its offers of Creation Baskets. |
| · | In
a rising rate environment, UNG may not be able to fully invest at prevailing rates until
any current investments in Treasury Bills mature in order to avoid selling those investments
at a loss. |
| · | UNG
may potentially lose money by investing in government money market funds. |
| · | The
failure or bankruptcy of a clearing broker or UNG’s Custodian could result in a substantial
loss of UNG’s assets and could impair UNG in its ability to execute trades. |
| · | The
failure or bankruptcy of UNG’s Custodian could result in a substantial loss of UNG’s
assets. |
| · | Due
to the increased use of technologies, intentional and unintentional cyber-attacks pose operational
and information security risks. |
| · | UNG’s
investment returns could be negatively affected by climate change and greenhouse gas restrictions. |
| · | USCF
is the subject of class action, derivative, and other litigation. In light of the inherent
uncertainties involved in litigation matters, an adverse outcome in this litigation could
materially adversely affect USCF’s financial condition. |
UNG’s Fees and Expenses
This table
describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of UNG. You should note that you may pay brokerage commissions
on purchases and sales of UNG’s shares, which are not reflected in the table. Authorized Participants will pay applicable creation
and redemption fees. See “Creation and Redemption of Shares—Creation and Redemption Transaction Fee,”
page 74.
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage
of the value of your investment)
Management Fees | |
| 0.60 | %(1) |
Distribution Fees | |
| NONE | |
Other Fund Expenses | |
| 0.46 | %(2) |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| 1.06 | % |
| (1) | UNG
is contractually obligated to pay USCF a management fee equal to 0.60% per annum, which is
based on average daily total net assets of $1,000,000,000 or less and paid monthly. If the
average daily total net assets are greater than $1,000,000,000 then the management fee would
be 0.50% on the incremental average daily total net assets and the Total Annual Fund Operating
Expenses would be lower. |
| (2) | Based
on amounts for the year ended December 31, 2022. The individual expense amounts in dollar
terms are shown in the table below. As used in this table, (i) Professional Expenses include
expenses for legal, audit, tax accounting and printing; and (ii) Independent Director and
Officer Expenses include amounts paid to independent directors and for officers’ liability
insurance. |
The table
below shows the total dollar amount of fees and expenses paid by UNG for the year ended December 31, 2022:
Management Fees | |
$ | 2,824,586 | |
Brokerage Commissions | |
$ | 702,686 | |
Professional Expenses | |
$ | 1,283,049 | |
License Fees | |
$ | 70,615 | |
Independent Director and Officer Expenses | |
$ | 106,413 | |
Registration Fees | |
$ | 0 | |
| |
| | |
These amounts are based on
UNG’s average total net assets, which are the sum of daily total net assets of UNG divided by the number of calendar days in the
year. For the year ended December 31, 2022, UNG’s average daily total net assets were $470,764,283.
RISK FACTORS
INVOLVED WITH AN INVESTMENT IN UNG
You should
consider carefully the risks described below before making an investment decision. You should also refer to the other information included
in this prospectus, as well as information found in our periodic reports, which include UNG’s financial statements and the related
notes, that are incorporated by reference. See “Incorporation by Reference of Certain Information,” page 77.
UNG’s
investment objective is for the daily percentage changes in the NAV per share to reflect the daily percentage changes of the spot price
of natural gas delivered at the Henry Hub, Louisiana as measured by the daily percentage changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures
Contract, plus interest earned on UNG’s collateral holdings, less UNG’s expenses. UNG seeks to achieve its investment objective
by investing so that the average daily percentage change in UNG’s NAV for any period of 30 successive valuation days will be within
plus/minus ten percent (10%) of the average daily percentage change in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract over the same period.
UNG’s investment strategy is designed to provide investors with a cost-effective way to invest indirectly in natural gas and to
hedge against movements in the spot price of natural gas.
An investment
in UNG involves investment risk similar to a direct investment in Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments, but it
is not a proxy for investing in the natural gas markets. Investing in UNG also involves correlation risk, or the risk that investors
purchasing shares to hedge against movements in the price of natural gas will have an efficient hedge only if the price they pay for
their shares closely correlates with the price of natural gas. In addition to investment risk and correlation risk, an investment in
UNG involves tax risks, OTC risks, and other risks.
Investment Risk
The NAV
of UNG’s shares relates directly to the value of the Benchmark Futures Contract and other assets held by UNG and fluctuations in
the prices of these assets could materially adversely affect an investment in UNG’s shares. Past performance is not necessarily
indicative of future results; all or substantially all of an investment in UNG could be lost.
The net assets
of UNG consist primarily of investments in Futures Contracts and, to a lesser extent, in Other Natural Gas-Related Investments. The NAV
of UNG’s shares relates directly to the value of these assets (less liabilities, including accrued but unpaid expenses), which
in turn relates to the price of natural gas in the marketplace. Natural gas prices depend on local, regional, and global events or conditions
that affect supply and demand for natural gas.
Economic
conditions impacting natural gas. The demand for natural gas correlates closely with general economic growth rates. The
occurrence of recessions or other periods of low or negative economic growth will typically have a direct adverse impact on natural gas
demand and, therefore, may have an adverse impact on natural gas prices. Other factors that affect general economic conditions in the
world or in a major region, such as changes in population growth rates, periods of civil unrest, military conflicts, war (such as the
current war between Russia and Ukraine), pandemics (e.g., COVID-19), government austerity programs, or currency exchange rate fluctuations,
can also impact the demand for natural gas. Sovereign debt downgrades, defaults, inability to access debt markets due to credit or legal
constraints, liquidity crises, the breakup or restructuring of fiscal, monetary, or political systems such as the European Union, and
other events or conditions (e.g., pandemics such as COVID-19) that impair the functioning of financial markets and institutions also
may adversely impact the demand for natural gas.
Other
natural gas demand-related factors. Other factors that may affect the demand for natural gas and therefore its price, include
technological improvements in energy efficiency; seasonal weather patterns, which affect the demand for natural gas associated with heating
and cooling; increased competitiveness of alternative energy sources that have so far generally not been competitive with natural gas
without the benefit of government subsidies or mandates; and changes in technology or consumer preferences that alter fuel choices, such
as toward alternative fueled vehicles or electric transportation and broad-based changes in personal income levels.
Other
natural gas supply-related factors. Natural gas prices also vary depending on a number of factors affecting supply, including
geopolitical risk associated with wars (such as the current war between Russia and Ukraine), terrorist attacks and tensions between countries,
including sanctions imposed as a result of the foregoing that can adversely affect natural gas and other energy trade flows by limiting
or disrupting trade between countries or regions. For example, increased supply from the development of new natural gas sources and technologies
to enhance recovery from existing sources tends to reduce natural gas prices to the extent such supply increases are not offset by commensurate
growth in demand. Similarly, increases in industry refining or manufacturing capacity may impact the supply of natural gas. Natural gas
supply levels can also be affected by factors that reduce available supplies, such as geopolitical risk associated with wars, terrorist
attacks and tensions between countries, including sanctions imposed as a result of the foregoing that can adversely affect commodity
trade flows by limiting or disrupting trade between countries or regions, natural disasters, disruptions
in competitors’ operations, or unexpected unavailability of distribution channels that may disrupt supplies. Technological change
can also alter the relative costs for companies in the natural gas industry to find, produce, and transport natural gas, which in turn,
may affect the supply of and demand for natural gas.
Other
factors impacting the natural gas market. The supply of and demand for natural gas may also be impacted by changes in
interest rates, inflation, and other local or regional market conditions, as well as by the development of alternative energy sources.
Price
volatility may possibly cause the total loss of your investment.
Futures contracts
have a high degree of price variability and are subject to occasional rapid and substantial changes. Consequently, you could lose all
or substantially all of your investment in UNG.
Significant
market volatility has recently occurred in the commodities markets and the natural gas markets. Such volatility is attributable in part
to the COVID-19 pandemic, related supply chain disruptions, war, including the war between Russia and Ukraine, and continuing disputes
among oil-producing countries. These and other events could cause continuing or increased volatility in the future, which may affect
the value, pricing and liquidity of some investments or other assets, including those held by or invested in by UNG and the impact of
which could limit UNG’s ability to have a substantial portion of its assets invested in the Benchmark Futures Contract. In such
a circumstance, UNG could, if it determined it appropriate to do so in light of market conditions and regulatory requirements, invest
in other Futures Contracts and/or Other Natural-Gas Related Investments.
Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine, and sanctions brought by the United States and other countries against Russia and others, have caused disruptions
in many business sectors, resulting in significant market disruptions that may lead to increased volatility in the price of certain commodities,
and may lead to volatility in UNG’s NAV or share price.
On February
24, 2022, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine. The extent and duration of the military action, and resulting sanctions,
and future market or supply disruptions in the region, are impossible to predict, but could be significant and may have a severe adverse
effect on the region.
The United States
and other countries and certain international organizations have imposed broad-ranging economic sanctions on Russia and certain Russian
individuals, banking entities and corporations as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and additional sanctions may be imposed
in the future. Such sanctions (and any future sanctions) will adversely impact the economies of Russia and Ukraine, and certain sectors
of each country’s economy may be particularly affected, including but not limited to, financial services, energy, metals and mining,
engineering and defense and defense-related materials sectors. Among other things, the extent and duration of the military action, the
responses of countries and political bodies to Russia’s actions, including sanctions, future market or supply disruptions, and
Ukraine’s military response and the potential for wider conflict may increase financial market volatility generally, have severe
adverse effects on regional and global economic markets, and cause volatility in the markets for commodities including the price of energy,
including energy futures, and the NAV or share price of UNG.
A resolution
to the war in Ukraine also could impact the markets for certain commodities, and may have collateral impacts, including increased volatility,
and cause disruptions to the availability of certain commodities, commodity and futures prices and the supply chain globally. The longer-term
impact on commodities and futures prices, including the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract, is difficult to predict and depends
on a number of factors that may have a negative impact on UNG in the future.
Infectious
disease outbreaks like COVID-19 could negatively affect the valuation and performance of UNG’s investments.
An outbreak
of infectious respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 was first detected in China in December 2019 and spread
globally. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. COVID-19 resulted in numerous deaths,
travel restrictions, closed international borders, enhanced health screenings at ports of entry and elsewhere, disruption of and delays
in healthcare service preparation and delivery, prolonged quarantines and the imposition of both local and more widespread “work
from home” measures, cancellations, loss of employment, supply chain disruptions, and lower consumer and institutional demand for
goods and services, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The spread of COVID-19 had a material adverse impact on local economies
in the affected jurisdictions and also on the global economy, as cross border commercial activity and market sentiment were impacted
by the outbreak and government and other measures seeking to contain its spread. COVID-19 had a material adverse impact on the crude
oil markets and oil futures markets to the extent economic activity and the use of crude oil continues to be curtailed, which in turn
had a significant adverse effect on the prices of Oil Futures Contracts, including the Benchmark Futures Contract, and Other Natural
Gas-Related Investments.
Infectious disease
outbreaks like COVID-19 may arise in the future and could adversely affect individual issuers and capital markets in ways that cannot
necessarily be foreseen. In addition, actions taken by government and quasi-governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world
in response to such an outbreak, including the potential for significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, may affect the value, volatility,
pricing and liquidity of some investments or other assets, including those held by or invested in by UNG. Public health crises caused
by infectious disease outbreaks may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally
and their duration cannot be determined with certainty.
Historical
performance of UNG and the Benchmark Futures Contract is not indicative of future performance.
Past performance
of UNG or the Benchmark Futures Contract is not necessarily indicative of future results. Therefore, past performance of UNG or the Benchmark
Futures Contract should not be relied upon in deciding whether to buy shares of UNG.
Correlation Risk
An investment
in UNG may provide little or no diversification benefits. Thus, in a declining market, UNG may have no gains to offset losses from other
investments, and an investor may suffer losses on an investment in UNG while incurring losses with respect to other asset classes.
Investors purchasing
shares to hedge against movements in the price of natural gas will have an efficient hedge only if the price investors pay for their
shares closely correlates with the price of natural gas. Investing in UNG’s shares for hedging purposes includes the following
risks:
| · | The
market price at which the investor buys or sells shares may be significantly less or more
than NAV. |
| · | Daily
percentage changes in NAV may not closely correlate with daily percentage changes in the
price of the Benchmark Futures Contract. |
| · | Daily
percentage changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract may not closely correlate
with daily percentage changes in the price of natural gas. |
Historically,
Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments have generally been non-correlated to the performance of other asset classes
such as stocks and bonds. Non-correlation means that there is a low statistically valid relationship between the performance of futures
and other commodity interest transactions, on the one hand, and stocks or bonds, on the other hand.
However, there
can be no assurance that such non-correlation will continue during future periods. If, contrary to historic patterns, UNG’s performance
were to move in the same general direction as the financial markets, investors will obtain little or no diversification benefits from
an investment in UNG’s shares. In such a case, UNG may have no gains to offset losses from other investments, and investors may
suffer losses on their investment in UNG at the same time they incur losses with respect to other investments.
Variables such
as drought, floods, weather, military conflicts, pandemics (such as COVID-19), embargoes, tariffs and other political events may have
a larger impact on natural gas prices and natural gas linked instruments, including Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments,
than on traditional securities. These additional variables may create additional investment risks that subject UNG’s investments
to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.
Non-correlation
should not be confused with negative correlation, where the performance of two asset classes would be opposite of each other. There is
no historical evidence that the spot price of natural gas and prices of other financial assets, such as stocks and bonds, are negatively
correlated. In the absence of negative correlation, UNG cannot be expected to be automatically profitable during unfavorable periods
for the stock market, or vice versa.
The market
price at which investors buy or sell shares may be significantly less or more than NAV.
UNG’s NAV
per share will change throughout the day as fluctuations occur in the market value of UNG’s portfolio investments. The public trading
price at which an investor buys or sells shares during the day from their broker may be different from the NAV of the shares, which is
also the price shares can be redeemed with UNG by Authorized Participants in Redemption Baskets. Generally, price differences may relate
primarily to supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for shares that are closely related to, but not identical
to, the same forces influencing the prices of natural gas and the Benchmark Futures Contract at any point in time. USCF expects that
exploitation of certain arbitrage opportunities by Authorized Participants and their clients will tend to cause the public trading price
to track NAV per share closely over time, but there can be no assurance of that. For example, a shortage of UNG’s shares in the
market and other factors could cause UNG’s shares to trade at a premium. Investors should be aware that such premiums can be transitory.
To the extent an investor purchases shares that include a premium (e.g., because of a shortage of shares in the market due to the inability
of Authorized Participants to purchase additional shares from UNG that could be resold into the market) and the cause of the premium
no longer exists causing the premium to disappear (e.g., because more shares are available for purchase from UNG by Authorized Participants
that could be resold into the market) such investor’s return on its investment would be adversely impacted due to the loss of the
premium.
The NAV of UNG’s
shares may also be influenced by non-concurrent trading hours between the NYSE Arca and the various futures exchanges on which natural
gas is traded. While the shares trade on the NYSE Arca from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the trading hours for the futures exchanges
on which natural gas trades may not necessarily coincide during all of this time. For example, while the shares trade on the NYSE Arca
until 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, liquidity in the natural gas market will be reduced after the close of the NYMEX at 2:30 p.m.
Eastern Time. As a result, during periods when the NYSE Arca is open and the futures exchanges on which natural gas is traded are closed,
trading spreads and the resulting premium or discount on the shares may widen and, therefore, increase the difference between the price
of the shares and the NAV of the shares.
Daily percentage
changes in UNG’s NAV may not correlate with daily percentage changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract.
It is possible
that the daily percentage changes in UNG’s NAV per share may not closely correlate to daily percentage changes in the price of
the Benchmark Futures Contract. Non-correlation may be attributable to disruptions in the market for natural gas, the imposition of position
or accountability limits by regulators or exchanges, or other extraordinary circumstances. As UNG approaches or reaches position limits
with respect to the Benchmark Futures Contract and other Futures Contracts or in view of market conditions, UNG may begin investing in
Other Natural Gas-Related Investments. In addition, UNG is not able to replicate exactly the changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures
Contract because the total return generated by UNG is reduced by expenses and transaction costs, including those incurred in connection
with UNG’s trading activities, and increased by interest income from UNG’s holdings of Treasuries (defined below). Tracking
the Benchmark Futures Contract requires trading of UNG’s portfolio with a view to tracking the Benchmark Futures Contract over
time and is dependent upon the skills of USCF and its trading principals, among other factors.
Daily percentage
changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract may not correlate with daily percentage changes in the spot price of natural gas.
The correlation
between changes in price of the Benchmark Futures Contract and the spot price of natural gas may at times be only approximate. The degree
of imperfection of correlation depends upon circumstances such as variations in the speculative natural gas market, supply and demand
for Futures Contracts (including the Benchmark Futures Contract) and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments, and technical influences
in natural gas futures trading.
An investment
in UNG is not a proxy for investing in the natural gas markets, and the daily percentage changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures
Contract, or the NAV of UNG, may not correlate with daily percentage changes in the spot price of natural gas.
An investment
in UNG is not a proxy for investing in the natural gas markets. To the extent that investors use UNG as a means of indirectly investing
in natural gas, there is the risk that the daily changes in the price of UNG’s shares on the NYSE Arca, on a percentage basis,
will not closely track the daily changes in the spot price of natural gas on a percentage basis. This could happen if the price of shares
traded on the NYSE Arca does not correlate closely with the value of UNG’s NAV; the changes in UNG’s NAV do not correlate
closely with the changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract; or the changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract
do not closely correlate with the changes in the cash or spot price of natural gas. This is a risk because if these correlations do not
exist, then investors may not be able to use UNG as a cost-effective way to indirectly invest in natural gas or as a hedge against the
risk of loss in natural gas-related transactions. The degree of correlation among UNG’s share price, the price of the Benchmark
Futures Contract and the spot price of natural gas depends upon circumstances such as variations in the speculative natural gas market,
supply of and demand for Futures Contracts (including the Benchmark Futures Contract) and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments, and
technical influences on trading natural gas futures contracts. Investors who are not experienced in investing in natural gas futures
contracts or the factors that influence that market or speculative trading in the natural gas markets and may not have the background
or ready access to the types of information that investors familiar with these markets may have and, as a result, may be at greater risk
of incurring losses from trading in UNG shares than such other investors with such experience and resources.
Natural
forces in the natural gas futures market known as “backwardation” and “contango” may increase UNG’s tracking
error and/or negatively impact total return.
The design of
UNG’s Benchmark Futures Contract is such that every month it begins by using the near month contract to expire until
the near month contract is within two weeks of expiration, when, over a four-day period, it transitions to the next month contract
to expire as its benchmark contract and keeps that contract as its benchmark until it becomes the near month contract and close
to expiration. In the event of a natural gas futures market where near month contracts trade at a higher price than next month
to expire contracts, a situation described as “backwardation” in the futures market, then absent the impact of the overall
movement in natural gas prices the value of the benchmark contract would tend to rise as it approaches expiration. Conversely, in the
event of a natural gas futures market where near month contracts trade at a lower price than next month contracts, a situation
described as “contango” in the futures market, then absent the impact of the overall movement in natural gas prices the value
of the benchmark contract would tend to decline as it approaches expiration.
While contango
and backwardation are consistently present in trading in the futures markets, such conditions can be exacerbated by market forces. For
example, extraordinary market conditions in the crude oil markets, including “super contango” (a higher level of contango
arising from the overabundance of oil being produced and the limited availability of storage for such excess supply), occurred in the
crude oil futures markets in April 2020 due to over-supply of crude oil in the face of weak demand during the COVID-19 pandemic when
disputes among oil-producing countries regarding limitations on the production of oil also were occurring.
Volatility in
the natural gas market was also elevated, but it did not reach the same extreme levels as the volatility in the oil futures market did.
It is possible that the Benchmark Futures Contract may experience periods of super contango or negative prices in the future. In any
such circumstance, UNG could, if it determined it appropriate to do so in light of market conditions and regulatory requirements, invest
in other Futures Contract and/or Other Natural-Gas Related Investments.
When compared
to total return of other price indices, such as the spot price of natural gas, the impact of backwardation and contango may cause the
total return of UNG’s per share NAV to vary significantly. Moreover, absent the impact of rising or falling natural gas prices,
a prolonged period of contango could have a significant negative impact on UNG’s per share NAV and total return and investors could
lose part or all of their investment.
See “Additional
Information About UNG, its Investment Objective and Investments” for a discussion of the potential effects of contango and backwardation.
Accountability
levels, position limits, and daily price fluctuation limits set by the exchanges have the potential to cause tracking error, which could
cause the price of shares to substantially vary from the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract.
Designated contract
markets, such as the NYMEX and ICE Futures, have established accountability levels and position limits on the maximum net long or net
short futures contracts in commodity interests that any person or group of persons under common trading control (other than as a hedge,
which an investment by UNG is not) may hold, own or control. These levels and position limits apply to the futures contracts that UNG
invests in to meet its investment objective. In addition to accountability levels and position limits, the NYMEX and ICE Futures may
also set daily price limits on futures contracts. The daily price fluctuation limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of
a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price. Once the daily price fluctuation limit
has been reached in a particular futures contract, no trades may be made at a price beyond that limit.
The accountability
levels for the Benchmark Futures Contract and other Futures Contracts traded on U.S.-based futures exchanges, such as the NYMEX, are
not a fixed ceiling, but rather a threshold above which the NYMEX may exercise greater scrutiny and control over an investor’s
positions. The current accountability level for investments for any one month in the Benchmark Futures Contract is 6,000 contracts. In
addition, the NYMEX imposes an accountability level for all months of 12,000 net futures contracts for natural gas. In addition, ICE
Futures maintains accountability levels, position limits and monitoring authority for its futures contracts for natural gas. If UNG and
the Related Public Funds exceed these accountability levels for investments in the futures contracts for natural gas, the NYMEX and ICE
Futures will monitor such exposure and may ask for further information on their activities, including the total size of all positions,
investment and trading strategy, and the extent of liquidity resources of UNG and the Related Public Funds. If deemed necessary by the
NYMEX and/or ICE Futures, UNG could be ordered to reduce its aggregate net futures contracts back to the accountability level.
Position limits
differ from accountability levels in that they represent fixed limits on the maximum number of futures contracts that any person may
hold and cannot be exceeded without express CFTC authority to do so. In addition to accountability levels and position limits that may
apply at any time, the NYMEX and ICE Futures impose position limits on contracts held in the last few days of trading in the near month
contract to expire. It is unlikely that UNG will run up against such position limits because UNG’s investment strategy is to close
out its positions and “roll” from the near month contract to expire to the next month contract during a four-day period beginning
two weeks from expiration of the contract. The foregoing accountability levels and position limits are subject to change.
Part 150 of the
CFTC’s regulations (the “Position Limits Rule”) establishes federal position limits for 25 core referenced futures
contracts (comprised of agricultural, energy and metals futures contracts), futures and options linked to the core referenced futures
contracts, and swaps that are economically equivalent to the core referenced futures contracts that all market participants must comply
with, with certain exemptions. The Benchmark Futures Contract is subject to position limits under the Position Limits Rule, and UNG’s
trading does not qualify for an exemption therefrom. Accordingly, the Position Limits Rule could negatively impact the ability of UNG
to meet its investment objective by inhibiting USCF’s ability to effectively invest the proceeds from sales of Creation Baskets
of UNG in particular amounts and types of its permitted investments.
All of these
limits may potentially cause a tracking error between the price of UNG’s shares and the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract.
This may in turn prevent investors from being able to effectively use UNG as a way to hedge against crude oil-related losses or as a
way to indirectly invest in natural gas.
UNG has not
limited the size of its offering and is committed to utilizing substantially all of its proceeds to purchase Benchmark Futures Contracts
and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments. If UNG encounters accountability levels, position limits, or price fluctuation limits for
natural gas Futures Contracts on the NYMEX or ICE Futures, it may then, if permitted under applicable regulatory requirements, purchase
natural gas Futures Contracts on other exchanges that trade listed natural gas futures or enter into swaps or other transactions to meet
its investment objective. In addition, if UNG exceeds accountability levels on either the NYMEX or ICE Futures, and is required by such
exchanges to reduce its holdings, such reduction could potentially cause a tracking error between the price of UNG’s shares and
the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract.
Risk mitigation
measures that could be imposed by UNG’s futures commission merchants (“FCMs”) have the potential to cause tracking
error by limiting UNG’s investments, including its ability to fully invest in the Benchmark Futures Contract and other Futures
Contracts, which could cause the price of UNG’s shares to substantially vary from the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract.
UNG’s FCMs
have discretion to impose limits on the positions that UNG may hold in the Benchmark Futures Contract, as well as certain other months.
To date, UNG’s FCMs have not imposed any such limits. However, were UNG’s FCMs to impose limits, UNG’s ability to have
a substantial portion of its assets invested in the Benchmark Futures Contract and other Futures Contracts could be severely limited,
which could lead UNG to invest in other Futures Contracts or, potentially, Other Natural-Gas Related Investments. UNG could also have
to more frequently rebalance and adjust the types of holdings in its portfolio than is currently the case. This could inhibit UNG from
pursuing its investment objective in the same manner that it has historically and currently.
In addition,
when offering Creation Baskets for purchase, limitations imposed by exchanges and/or any of UNG’s FCMs could limit UNG’s
ability to invest the proceeds of the purchases of Creation Baskets in Benchmark Futures Contract and other Futures Contracts. If this
were the case, UNG may invest in other permitted investments, including Other Natural-Gas Related Investments, and may hold larger amounts
of Treasuries, cash and cash equivalents, which could impair UNG’s ability to meet its investment objective.
Tax Risk
An investor’s
tax liability may exceed the amount of distributions, if any, on its shares.
Cash or property
will be distributed at the sole discretion of USCF. USCF has not and does not currently intend to make cash or other distributions with
respect to shares. Investors will be required to pay U.S. federal income tax and, in some cases, state, local, or foreign income tax,
on their allocable share of UNG’s taxable income, without regard to whether they receive distributions or the amount or value of
any such distributions. Therefore, the tax liability of an investor with respect to its shares may exceed the amount of cash or value
of property (if any) distributed with respect to such shares.
An investor’s
allocable share of taxable income or loss may differ from its economic income or loss on its shares.
Due to the application
of the assumptions and conventions applied by UNG in making allocations for tax purposes and other factors, an investor’s allocable
share of UNG’s income, gain, deduction, loss, or credit may be different than its economic profit or loss from its shares for a
taxable year. This difference could be temporary or permanent and, if permanent, could result in it being taxed on amounts in excess
of its economic income.
Items
of income, gain, deduction, loss and credit with respect to shares could be reallocated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and UNG
could be liable for U.S. federal income tax, if the IRS does not accept the assumptions and conventions applied by UNG in allocating
those items, with potential adverse consequences for an investor.
The U.S. federal
income tax rules pertaining to partnerships are complex and their application to large, publicly traded partnerships such as UNG is in
many respects uncertain. UNG applies certain assumptions and conventions in an attempt to comply with the intent of the applicable rules
and to report taxable income, gains, deductions, losses and credits in a manner that properly reflects shareholders’ economic gains
and losses. It is possible that the IRS could successfully challenge the application by UNG of these assumptions and conventions as not
fully complying with all aspects of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and applicable Treasury Regulations,
which would require UNG to reallocate items of income, gain, deduction, loss or credit in a manner that adversely affects investors.
If this occurs, investors may be required to file an amended U.S. federal income tax return and to pay additional taxes, plus deficiency
interest, and may be subject to penalties.
UNG may be liable
for U.S. federal income tax on any “imputed underpayment” of tax resulting from an adjustment as a result of an IRS audit.
The amount of the imputed underpayment generally includes increases in allocations of items of income or gain to any investor and decreases
in allocations of items of deduction, loss, or credit to any investor without any offset for corresponding reductions in allocations
of items of income or gain to any investor or increases in allocations of items of deduction, loss, or credit to any investor. If UNG
is required to pay any U.S. federal income taxes on any imputed underpayment, the resulting tax liability would reduce the net assets
of UNG and would likely have an adverse impact on the value of the shares. Under certain circumstances, UNG may be eligible to make an
election to cause the investors to take into account the amount of any imputed underpayment, including any associated interest and penalties.
The ability of a publicly traded partnership such as UNG to elect this treatment is uncertain. If the election is made, UNG would be
required to provide investors who owned beneficial interests in the shares in the year to which the adjusted allocations relate with
a statement setting forth their proportionate shares of the adjustment (“Adjusted K-1s”). The investors would be required
to take the adjustment into account in the taxable year in which the Adjusted K-1s are issued.
UNG could
be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which may substantially reduce the value of the shares.
UNG has received
an opinion of counsel that, under current U.S. federal income tax laws, UNG will be treated as a partnership that is not taxable as a
corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, provided that (i) at least 90 percent of UNG’s annual gross income will be derived
from (a) income and gains from commodities (not held as inventory) or futures, forwards, options, swaps and other notional principal
contracts with respect to commodities, and (b) interest income; (ii) UNG is organized and operated in accordance with its governing agreements
and applicable law; and (iii) UNG does not elect to be taxed as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Although USCF anticipates
that UNG has satisfied and will continue to satisfy the “qualifying income” requirement for all taxable years, that result
cannot be assured. UNG has not requested and will not request any ruling from the IRS with respect to its classification as a partnership
for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the IRS were to successfully assert that UNG is taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income
tax purposes in any taxable year, rather than passing through its income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits proportionately to its
shareholders, UNG would be subject to U.S. federal income tax imposed at the corporate flat rate of 32% on its net income for the year.
In addition, although UNG does not currently intend to make distributions with respect to shares, if UNG were treated as a corporation
for U.S. federal income tax purposes, any distributions made with respect to UNG shares would be taxable to shareholders as dividend
income to the extent of UNG’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Taxation of UNG as a corporation could materially reduce
the after-tax return on an investment in shares and could substantially reduce the value of the shares.
UNG is
organized and operated as a limited partnership in accordance with the provisions of the LP Agreement and applicable state law, and therefore,
UNG has a more complex tax treatment than traditional mutual funds.
UNG is organized
and operated as a limited partnership in accordance with the provisions of the LP Agreement and applicable state law and is treated as
a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. No U.S. federal income tax is paid by UNG on its income. Instead, UNG will furnish
shareholders each year with tax information on IRS Schedules K-1 and/or K-3 (Form 1065) and each U.S. shareholder is required to report
on its U.S. federal income tax return its allocable share of the income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit of UNG.
These amounts
must be reported without regard to the amount of cash or value of property the shareholder receives (if any) as a distribution from UNG
during the taxable year. A shareholder, therefore, may be allocated income or gain by UNG but receive no cash distribution with which
to pay the tax liability resulting from the allocation, or may receive a distribution that is insufficient to pay such liability.
In addition
to U.S. federal income taxes, shareholders may be subject to other taxes, such as state and local income taxes, unincorporated business
taxes, business franchise taxes and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which
UNG does business or owns property or where the shareholders reside. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here,
each prospective shareholder should consider their potential impact on its investment in UNG. It is each shareholder’s responsibility
to file the appropriate U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax returns.
If UNG
is required to withhold tax with respect to any non-U.S. shareholders, the cost of such withholding may be borne by all shareholders.
Under certain
circumstances, UNG may be required to pay withholding tax with respect to allocations to non-U.S. shareholders. Although the LP Agreement
provides that any such withholding will be treated as being distributed to the non-U.S. shareholder, UNG may not be able to cause the
economic cost of such withholding to be borne by the non-U.S. shareholder on whose behalf such amounts were withheld since it does not
generally expect to make any distributions. Under such circumstances, the economic cost of the withholding may be borne by all shareholders,
not just the shareholders on whose behalf such amounts were withheld. This could have a material impact on the value of the shares.
The impact
of changes in U.S. federal income tax laws on UNG is uncertain.
In general,
legislative or other actions relating to U.S. federal income taxes could have a negative effect on UNG or its investors. The rules dealing
with U.S. federal income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S.
Treasury Department. On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IRA”) into law.
At this time, we cannot predict with certainty how the tax provisions of the IRA or any other proposed or future tax legislation might
affect UNG, its investors, or UNG’s investments. Investors are urged to consult with their tax advisor with respect to the status
of legislative, regulatory or administrative developments and proposals and their potential effect on an investment in our shares.
OTC Contract Risk
UNG will
be subject to credit risk with respect to counterparties to OTC contracts entered into by UNG or held by special purpose or structured
vehicles.
UNG faces the
risk of non-performance by its counterparties counterparties to OTC contracts. Unlike in futures contracts, the counterparty to these
contracts is generally a single bank or other financial institution, rather than a clearing organization backed by a group of financial
institutions. As a result, there will be greater counterparty credit risk in these transactions. A counterparty may not be able to meet
its obligations to UNG, in which case UNG could suffer significant losses on these contracts. The two-way margining requirements imposed
by U.S. regulators are intended to mitigate this risk.
If a counterparty
becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations due to financial difficulties, UNG may experience significant delays in
obtaining any recovery in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. UNG may obtain only limited recovery or may obtain no recovery
in such circumstances.
UNG mitigates
these risks by typically entering into transactions only with major, global financial institutions.
Valuing
OTC derivatives may be less certain than actively traded financial instruments.
In general,
valuing OTC derivatives is less certain than valuing actively traded financial instruments such as exchange traded futures contracts
and securities or cleared swaps because, for OTC derivatives, the price and terms on which such OTC derivatives are entered into or can
be terminated are individually negotiated, and those prices and terms may not reflect the best price or terms available from other sources.
In addition, while market makers and dealers generally quote indicative prices or terms for entering into or terminating OTC contracts,
they typically are not contractually obligated to do so, particularly if they are not a party to the transaction. As a result, it may
be difficult to obtain an independent value for an outstanding OTC derivatives transaction.
UNG’s
rights under an OTC contract may be restricted by regulations.
Regulations
adopted by global prudential regulators that are now in effect require certain prudentially regulated entities and certain of their affiliates
and subsidiaries (including swap dealers) to include in their derivatives contracts and certain other financial contracts terms that
delay or restrict the rights of counterparties (such as UNG) to terminate such contracts, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default
rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the prudentially regulated entity and/or its affiliates are subject
to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. Similar regulations and laws have been adopted in non-U.S. jurisdictions that
may apply to UNG’s counterparties located in those jurisdictions. It is possible that these new requirements, as well as potential
additional resulted government regulation, could adversely affect UNG’s ability to terminate existing derivatives contracts, exercise
default rights, or satisfy obligations owed to it with collateral received under such contracts.
The use
of swap agreements may expose UNG to early termination risk, which could result in significant losses to UNG.
Swap agreements
do not have uniform terms. A swap counterparty may have the right to close out UNG’s position due to the occurrence of certain
events (for example, if a counterparty is unable to hedge its obligations to UNG, or if UNG defaults on certain terms of the swap agreement,
or if there is a material decline in UNG’s NAV on a particular day) and request immediate payment of amounts owed by UNG under
the agreement. If the level of UNG’s NAV has a dramatic intraday move, the terms of the swap agreement may permit the counterparty
to close out a transaction with UNG at a price calculated by the counterparty that, in good faith, represents such counterparty’s
loss. which may not represent fair market value. A swap counterparty may also have the right to close out UNG’s position for no
reason, in some cases with same day notice.
Other Risks
UNG is
not leveraged, but it could become leveraged if it had insufficient assets to completely meet its margin or collateral requirements relating
to its investments.
UNG has not
leveraged, and does not intend to leverage, its assets through borrowings or otherwise, and makes its investments accordingly. Consistent
with the foregoing, UNG’s announced investment intentions, and any changes thereto, will take into account the need for UNG to
make permitted investments that also allow it to maintain adequate liquidity to meet its margin and collateral requirements and to avoid,
to the extent reasonably possible, UNG becoming leveraged. If market conditions require it, UNG may implement risk reduction procedures,
which may include changes to UNG’s investments, and such changes may occur on short notice if they occur other than during a roll
or rebalance period.
Although UNG
does not and will not borrow money or use debt to satisfy its margin or collateral obligations in respect of its investments, it could
become leveraged if UNG were to hold insufficient assets that would allow it to meet not only the current, but also future, margin or
collateral obligations required for such investments. Such a circumstance could occur if UNG were to hold assets that have a value of
less than zero.
USCF endeavors
to have the value of UNG’s Treasuries, cash and cash equivalents, whether held by UNG or posted as margin or other collateral,
at all times approximate the aggregate market value of its obligations under its Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments.
Although permitted to do so under its LP Agreement, UNG has not and does not intend to leverage its assets by making investments beyond
its potential ability to meet the potential margin and collateral obligations relating to such investments. Consistent with this, UNG’s
investment decisions will take into account the need for UNG to make permitted investments that also allow it to maintain adequate liquidity
to meet its margin and collateral requirements and to avoid, to the extent reasonably possible, UNG becoming leveraged, including by
its holding of assets that have a high probability of having a value of less than zero. If market conditions require it, these risk reduction
measures may occur on short notice.
UNG may
temporarily limit the offering of Creation Baskets.
UNG may determine
to limit the issuance of its shares through the offering of Creation Baskets to its Authorized Participants in order to allow it to reinvest
the proceeds from sales of its Creation Baskets in currently permitted assets in a manner that meets its investment objective. UNG will
announce to the market through the filing of a Current Report on Form 8-K if it intends to limit the offering of Creation Baskets at
any time. In such case, orders for Creation Baskets will be considered for acceptance in the order they are received by UNG and UNG would
continue to accept requests for redemption of its shares from Authorized Participants through Redemption Baskets during the period of
the limited offering of Creation Baskets.
Certain
of UNG’s investments could be illiquid, which could cause large losses to investors at any time or from time to time.
Futures positions
cannot always be liquidated at the desired price. It is difficult to execute a trade at a specific price when there is a relatively small
volume of buy and sell orders in a market. A market disruption, such as war or a foreign government taking political actions that disrupt
the market for its currency, its natural gas production or exports, or another major export, can also make it difficult to liquidate
a position. Because both Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments may be illiquid, UNG’s Natural Gas Interests
may be more difficult to liquidate at favorable prices in periods of illiquid markets and losses may be incurred during the period in
which positions are being liquidated. The large size of the positions that UNG may acquire increases the risk of illiquidity both by
making its positions more difficult to liquidate and by potentially increasing losses while trying to do so.
OTC contracts
that are not subject to clearing may be even less marketable than futures contracts because they are not traded on an exchange, do not
have uniform terms and conditions, and are entered into based upon the creditworthiness of the parties and the availability of credit
support, such as collateral, and in general, they are not transferable without the consent of the counterparty. These conditions make
such contracts less liquid than standardized futures contracts traded on a commodities exchange and could adversely impact UNG’s
ability to realize the full value of such contracts. In addition, even if collateral is used to reduce counterparty credit risk, sudden
changes in the value of OTC transactions may leave a party open to financial risk due to a counterparty default since the collateral
held may not cover a party’s exposure on the transaction in such situations.
UNG is
not actively managed and its investment objective is to track the Benchmark Futures Contract so that the average daily percentage change
in UNG’s NAV for any period of 30 successive valuation days will be within plus/minus ten percent (10%) of the average daily percentage
change in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract over the same period.
UNG is not actively
managed by conventional methods. Accordingly, if UNG’s investments in Natural Gas Interests are declining in value, in the ordinary
course, UNG will not close out such positions except in connection with paying the proceeds to an Authorized Participant upon the redemption
of a basket or closing out its positions in Futures Contracts and other permitted investments (i) in connection with the monthly
change in the Benchmark Futures Contract; (ii) when UNG otherwise determines it would be appropriate to do so, e.g., due to regulatory
requirements or risk mitigation measures; or (iii) to avoid UNG becoming leveraged, and it reinvests the proceeds in new Futures Contracts
or Other Natural Gas-Related Investments to the extent possible. USCF will seek to cause the NAV of UNG’s shares to track the Benchmark
Futures Contract during periods in which its price is flat or declining as well as when the price is rising.
UNG’s ability
to invest in the Benchmark Futures Contract could be limited as a result of any or all of the following: evolving market conditions,
a change in regulatory accountability levels and position limits imposed on UNG with respect to its investment in Futures Contracts,
additional or different risk mitigation measures taken by market participants, generally, including UNG, with respect to UNG acquiring
additional Futures Contracts, or UNG selling additional shares.
UNG may
not meet the listing standards of NYSE Arca, which would adversely impact an investor’s ability to sell shares.
NYSE Arca may
suspend UNG’s shares from trading on the exchange with or without prior notice to UNG, upon failure of UNG to comply with the NYSE’s
listing requirements, or when in its sole discretion, the NYSE Arca determines that such suspension of dealings is in the public interest
or otherwise warranted. There can be no assurance that the requirements necessary to maintain the listing of UNG’s shares will
continue to be met or will remain unchanged. If UNG were unable to meet the NYSE’s listing standards and were to become delisted,
an investor’s ability to sell its shares would be adversely impacted.
The NYSE
Arca may halt trading in UNG’s shares, which would adversely impact an investor’s ability to sell shares.
Trading in shares
may be halted due to market conditions or, in light of NYSE Arca rules and procedures, for reasons that, in the view of the NYSE Arca,
make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant
to “circuit breaker” rules that require trading to be halted for a specified period based on a specified market decline.
The liquidity
of UNG’s shares may also be affected by the withdrawal from participation of Authorized Participants, which could adversely affect
the market price of the shares.
In the event
that one or more Authorized Participants which have substantial interests in the shares withdraw from participation, the liquidity of
the shares will likely decrease, which could adversely affect the market price of the shares and result in investors incurring a loss
on their investment.
Shareholders
that are not Authorized Participants may only purchase or sell their shares in secondary trading markets, and the conditions associated
with trading in secondary markets may adversely affect investors’ investment in the shares.
Only Authorized
Participants may directly purchase shares from, or redeem shares with, UNG through Creation Baskets or Redemption Baskets respectively.
All other investors that desire to purchase or sell shares must do so through the NYSE Arca or in other markets, if any, in which the
shares may be traded. Shares may trade at a premium or discount relative to NAV per share.
The lack
of an active trading market for UNG’s shares may result in losses on an investor’s investment in UNG at the time the investor
sells the shares.
Although UNG’s
shares are listed and traded on the NYSE Arca, there can be no guarantee that an active trading market for the shares will be maintained.
If an investor needs to sell shares at a time when no active trading market for them exists, the price the investor receives upon sale
of the shares, assuming they were able to be sold, likely would be lower than if an active market existed.
Limited
partners and shareholders do not participate in the management of UNG and do not control USCF, so they do not have any influence over
basic matters that affect UNG.
The limited partners
and shareholders take no part in the management or control, and have a minimal voice in UNG’s operations or business. Limited partners
and shareholders must therefore rely upon the duties and judgment of USCF to manage UNG’s affairs. Limited partners and shareholders
have no right to elect USCF on an annual or any other continuing basis. If USCF voluntarily withdraws, however, the holders of a majority
of UNG’s outstanding shares (excluding for purposes of such determination shares owned, if any, by the withdrawing general partner
and its affiliates) may elect its successor. USCF may not be removed as general partner except upon approval by the affirmative vote
of the holders of at least 66 2/3 percent of UNG’s outstanding shares (excluding shares, if any, owned by USCF and its affiliates),
subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions set forth in the LP Agreement.
Limited
partners may have limited liability in certain circumstances, including potentially having liability for the return of wrongful distributions.
Under Delaware
law, a limited partner might be held liable for UNG’s obligations as if it were a general partner if the limited partner participates
in the control of the partnership’s business and the persons who transact business with the partnership think the limited partner
is the general partner.
A limited partner
will not be liable for assessments in addition to its initial capital investment in any of UNG’s shares. However, a limited partner
may be required to repay to UNG any amounts wrongfully returned or distributed to it under some circumstances. Under Delaware law, UNG
may not make a distribution to limited partners if the distribution causes UNG’s liabilities (other than liabilities to partners
on account of their partnership interests and nonrecourse liabilities) to exceed the fair value of UNG’s assets. Delaware law provides
that a limited partner who receives such a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution violated the law
will be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years from the date of the distribution.
USCF’s
LLC Agreement provides limited authority to the Non-Management Directors, and any Director of USCF may be removed by USCF’s parent
company, which is wholly owned by The Marygold Companies, Inc., a controlled public company where the majority of shares are owned by
Nicholas D. Gerber along with certain of his other family members and certain other shareholders.
USCF’s
Board of Directors currently consists of four Management Directors, who are also executive officers or employees of USCF, and three Non-Management
Directors, who are considered independent for purposes of applicable NYSE Arca and SEC rules. Under USCF’s LLC Agreement, the Non-Management
Directors have only such authority as the Management Directors expressly confer upon them, which means that the Non-Management Directors
may have less authority to control the actions of the Management Directors than is typically the case with the independent members of
a company’s Board of Directors. In addition, any Director may be removed by written consent of USCF Investments, Inc. (“USCF
Investments”), formerly Wainwright Holdings, Inc., which is the sole member of USCF. The sole shareholder of USCF Investments is
The Marygold Companies, Inc., formerly Concierge Technologies, Inc. (“Marygold”), a company publicly traded under the ticker
symbol “MGLD.” Mr. Nicholas D. Gerber, along with certain of his family members and certain other shareholders, owns the
majority of the shares in Marygold, which is the sole shareholder of USCF Investments, the sole member of USCF. Accordingly, although
USCF is governed by the USCF Board of Directors, which consists of both Management Directors and Non-Management Directors, pursuant to
the LLC Agreement, it is possible for Mr. Gerber to exercise his indirect control of USCF Investments to effect the removal of any Director
(including the Non-Management Directors which comprise the Audit Committee) and to replace that Director with another Director. Having
control in one person could have a negative impact on USCF and UNG, including their regulatory obligations.
There is
a risk that UNG will not earn trading gains sufficient to compensate for the fees and expenses that it must pay and as such UNG may not
earn any profit.
UNG pays brokerage
charges of approximately 0.10% of average total net assets based on brokerage fees of $3.50 per buy or sell, management fees of 0.60%
of NAV on its average net assets of $1,000,000 or less and 0.50% of NAV on its average net assets that are greater than $1,000,000, and
OTC spreads and extraordinary expenses (e.g., subsequent offering expenses, other expenses not in the ordinary course of business, including
the indemnification of any person against liabilities and obligations to the extent permitted by law and required under the LP Agreement
and under agreements entered into by USCF on UNG’s behalf and the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and otherwise
engaging in the conduct of litigation and the incurring of legal expenses and the settlement of claims and litigation) that cannot be
quantified.
These fees and
expenses must be paid in all cases regardless of whether UNG’s activities are profitable. Accordingly, UNG must earn trading gains
sufficient to compensate for these fees and expenses before it can earn any profit.
UNG is subject
to extensive regulatory reporting and compliance.
UNG is subject
to a comprehensive scheme of regulation under the federal commodities and securities laws. UNG could be subject to sanctions for a failure
to comply with those requirements, which could adversely affect its financial performance (in the case of financial penalties) or ability
to pursue its investment objective (in the case of a limitation on its ability to trade).
Because UNG’s
shares are publicly traded, UNG is subject to certain rules and regulations of federal, state and financial market exchange entities
charged with the protection of investors and the oversight of companies whose securities are publicly traded. These entities include
the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”), the SEC, the CFTC, the NFA, and NYSE Arca and these authorities
have continued to develop additional regulations or interpretations of existing regulations. UNG’s ongoing efforts to comply with
these regulations and interpretations have resulted in, and are likely to continue resulting in, a diversion of management’s time
and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance related activities.
UNG is responsible
for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. UNG’s internal control system is designed
to provide reasonable assurance to its management regarding the preparation and fair presentation of published financial statements.
All internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Therefore, even those systems determined to be
effective may provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.
Regulatory
changes or actions, including the implementation of new legislation, is impossible to predict but may significantly and adversely affect
UNG.
The futures markets
are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations, and margin requirements. In addition, the CFTC and futures exchanges are authorized
to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the retroactive implementation of speculative
position limits or higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading. Regulation of commodity
interest transactions in the United States is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to ongoing modification by governmental and
judicial action. Considerable regulatory attention has been focused on non-traditional investment pools that are publicly distributed
in the United States. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market
emergency, including, for example, the retroactive implementation of speculative position limits or higher margin requirements, the establishment
of daily price limits and the suspension of trading. Further, various national governments outside of the United States have expressed
concern regarding the disruptive effects of speculative trading in the commodities markets and the need to regulate the derivatives markets
in general. The effect of any future regulatory change on UNG is impossible to predict, but it could be substantial and adverse.
UNG is
not a registered investment company so shareholders do not have the protections of the 1940 Act.
UNG is not an
investment company subject to the 1940 Act. Accordingly, investors do not have the protections afforded by that statute, which, for example,
requires investment companies to have a majority of disinterested directors and regulates the relationship between the investment company
and its investment manager.
Trading
in international markets could expose UNG to credit and regulatory risk.
UNG invests primarily
in Futures Contracts, a significant portion of which are traded on United States exchanges, including the NYMEX. However, a portion of
UNG’s trades may take place on markets and exchanges outside the United States. Trading on such non-U.S. markets or
exchanges presents risks because they are not subject to the same degree of regulation as their U.S. counterparts, including potentially
different or diminished investor protections. In trading contracts denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars, UNG is
subject to the risk of adverse exchange-rate movements between the dollar and the functional currencies of such contracts. Additionally,
trading on non-U.S. exchanges is subject to the risks presented by exchange controls, expropriation, increased tax burdens and exposure
to local economic declines and political instability. An adverse development with respect to any of these variables could reduce the
profit or increase the loss earned on trades in the affected international markets.
UNG and
USCF may have conflicts of interest, which may permit them to favor their own interests to the detriment of shareholders.
UNG is subject
to actual and potential inherent conflicts involving USCF, various commodity futures brokers and Authorized Participants. USCF’s
officers, directors and employees do not devote their time exclusively to UNG and also are directors, officers or employees of other
entities that may compete with UNG for their services. They could have a conflict between their responsibilities to UNG and to those
other entities. As a result of these and other relationships, parties involved with UNG have a financial incentive to act in a manner
other than in the best interests of UNG and the shareholders. USCF has not established any formal procedure to resolve conflicts of interest.
Consequently, investors are dependent on the good faith of the respective parties subject to such conflicts of interest to resolve them
equitably. Although USCF attempts to monitor these conflicts, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for USCF to ensure that these
conflicts do not, in fact, result in adverse consequences to the shareholders.
USCF serves as
the general partner or sponsor to each of UNG and the Related Public Funds. USCF may have a conflict to the extent that its trading decisions
for UNG may be influenced by the effect they would have on the other funds it manages. By way of example, if, as a result of reaching
position limits imposed by the NYMEX, UNG purchased Natural Gas Futures Contracts, this decision could impact UNG’s ability to
purchase additional Natural Gas Futures Contracts if the number of contracts held by funds managed by USCF reached the maximum allowed
by the NYMEX. Similar situations could adversely affect the ability of other Related Public Funds to track their benchmark futures contract(s).
UNG may also
be subject to certain conflicts with respect to its FCMs, including, but not limited to, conflicts that result from the FCM receiving
greater amounts of compensation from other clients, or purchasing opposite or competing positions on behalf of third-party accounts traded
through the FCMs. In addition, USCF’s principals, officers, directors or employees may trade futures and related contracts for
their own account. A conflict of interest may exist if their trades are in the same markets and at the same time as UNG trades using
the clearing broker to be used by UNG. A potential conflict also may occur if USCF’s principals, officers, directors or employees
trade their accounts more aggressively or take positions in their accounts which are opposite, or ahead of, the positions taken by UNG.
UNG could
terminate at any time and cause the liquidation and potential loss of an investor’s investment and could upset the overall maturity
and timing of an investor’s investment portfolio.
UNG may terminate
at any time, regardless of whether UNG has incurred losses, subject to the terms of the LP Agreement. In particular, unforeseen circumstances,
including, but not limited to, (i) market conditions, regulatory requirements, risk mitigation measures taken by UNG or third parties
or otherwise that would lead UNG to determine that it could no longer foreseeably meet its investment objective or that UNG’s aggregate
net assets in relation to its operating expenses or its margin or collateral requirements make the continued operation of UNG unreasonable
or imprudent, or (ii) adjudication of incompetence, bankruptcy, dissolution, withdrawal, or removal of USCF as the general partner of
UNG could cause UNG to terminate unless a majority interest of the limited partners within 90 days of the event elects to continue the
partnership and appoints a successor general partner, or the affirmative vote of a majority in interest of the limited partners subject
to certain conditions. However, no level of losses will require USCF to terminate UNG. UNG’s termination would cause the liquidation
and potential loss of an investor’s investment. Termination could also negatively affect the overall maturity and timing of an
investor’s investment portfolio.
UNG does
not expect to make cash distributions.
UNG has not previously
made any cash distributions and intends to reinvest any realized gains in additional Natural Gas Interests rather than distributing cash
to limited partners, or other shareholders. Therefore, unlike mutual funds, commodity pools or other investment pools that actively manage
their investments in an attempt to realize income and gains from their investing activities and distribute such income and gains to their
investors, UNG generally does not expect to distribute cash to limited partners. An investor should not invest in UNG if the investor
will need cash distributions from UNG to pay taxes on its share of income and gains of UNG, if any, or for any other reason. Nonetheless,
although UNG does not intend to make cash distributions, the income earned from its investments held directly or posted as margin may
reach levels that merit distribution, e.g., at levels where such income is not necessary to support its underlying investments
in Natural Gas Interests and investors adversely react to being taxed on such income without receiving distributions that could be used
to pay such tax. If this income becomes significant then cash distributions may be made.
An unanticipated
number of Redemption Basket requests during a short period of time could have an adverse effect on UNG’s NAV.
If a substantial
number of requests for redemption of Redemption Baskets are received by UNG during a relatively short period of time, UNG may not be
able to satisfy the requests from UNG’s assets not committed to trading. As a consequence, it could be necessary to liquidate positions
in UNG’s trading positions before the time that the trading strategies would otherwise dictate liquidation.
The suspension
in the ability of Authorized Participants to purchase Creation Baskets could cause UNG’s NAV to differ materially from its trading
price.
In the event
that there was a suspension in the ability of Authorized Participants to purchase additional Creation Baskets, Authorized Participants
and other groups that make a market in shares of UNG would likely still continue to actively trade the shares. However, in such a situation,
Authorized Participants and other market makers may seek to adjust the market they make in the shares. Specifically, such market participants
may increase the spread between the prices that they quote for offers to buy and sell shares to allow them to adjust to the potential
uncertainty as to when they might be able to purchase additional Creation Baskets of shares. In addition, Authorized Participants may
be less willing to offer to quote offers to buy or sell shares in large numbers. The potential impact of either wider spreads between
bid and offer prices, or reduced number of shares on which quotes may be available, could increase the trading costs to investors in
UNG compared to the quotes and the number of shares on which bids and offers are made if the Authorized Participants still were able
to freely create new baskets of shares. In addition, there could be a significant variation between the market price at which shares
are traded and the shares’ NAV, which is also the price shares can be redeemed with UNG by Authorized Participants in Redemption
Baskets. The foregoing could also create significant deviations from UNG’s investment objective. Any potential impact to the market
for shares of UNG that could occur from the Authorized Participant’s inability to create new baskets would likely not extend beyond
the time when additional shares would be registered and available for distribution.
UNG may
determine that, to allow it to reinvest the proceeds from sales of its Creation Baskets in currently permitted assets in a manner that
meets its investment objective, it may limit its offers of Creation Baskets.
UNG may determine
to limit the issuance of its shares through the offering of Creation Baskets to its Authorized Participants. As a result of certain circumstances
described herein, including (1) the need to comply with regulatory requirements (including, but not limited to, exchange accountability
levels and position limits); (2) market conditions (including but not limited to those allowing UNG to obtain greater liquidity or to
execute transactions with more favorable pricing); and (3) risk mitigation measures taken by UNG’s current and other FCMs that
limit UNG and other market participants from investing in particular natural gas futures contracts, UNG’s management can determine
that it will limit the issuance of shares and the offerings of Creation Baskets because it is unable to invest the proceeds from such
offerings in investments that would permit it to reasonably meet its investment objective.
If such a determination
is made, the same consequences associated with a suspension of the offering of Creation Baskets, as described in the foregoing risk factor,
“The suspension in the ability of Authorized Participants to purchase Creation Baskets could cause UNG’s NAV to differ
materially from its trading price.”
In a rising
rate environment, UNG may not be able to fully invest at prevailing rates until any current investments in Treasury Bills mature in order
to avoid selling those investments at a loss.
When interest
rates rise, the value of fixed income securities typically falls. In a rising interest rate environment, UNG may not be able to fully
invest at prevailing rates until any current investments in Treasury Bills mature in order to avoid selling those investments at a loss.
Interest rate risk is generally lower for shorter term investments and higher for longer term investments. The risk to UNG of rising
interest rates may be greater in the future due to the end of a long period of historically low rates, the effect of potential monetary
policy initiatives, including actions taken by the U.S. Federal Reserve and other foreign equivalents to curb inflation, and resulting
market reactions to those initiatives. When interest rates fall, UNG may be required to reinvest the proceeds from the sale, redemption
or early prepayment of a Treasury Bill or money market security at a lower interest rate.
UNG may
potentially lose money by investing in government money market funds.
UNG invests in
government money market funds. Although such government money market funds seek to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share,
there is no guarantee that they will be able to do so and UNG may lose money by investing in a government money market fund. An investment
in a government money market fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”),
or any other government agency. The share price of a government money market fund can fall below the $1.00 share price. UNG cannot rely
on or expect a government money market fund’s adviser or its affiliates to enter into support agreements or take other actions
to maintain the government money market fund’s $1.00 share price. The credit quality of a government money market fund’s
holdings can change rapidly in certain markets, and the default of a single holding could have an adverse impact on the government money
market fund’s share price. Due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of securities held by a government money market
fund may vary. A government money market fund’s share price can also be negatively affected during periods of high redemption pressures
and/or illiquid markets.
The failure
or bankruptcy of a clearing broker could result in a substantial loss of UNG’s assets and could impair UNG in its ability to execute
trades.
The CEA and CFTC
regulations impose several requirements on FCMs and clearing houses that are designed to protect customers, including mandating the implementation
of risk management programs, internal monitoring and controls, capital and liquidity standards, customer disclosures, and auditing and
examination programs. In particular, the CEA and CFTC regulations require FCMs and clearing houses to segregate all funds received from
customers from proprietary assets. There can be no assurance that the requirements imposed by the CEA and CFTC regulations will prevent
losses to, or not materially adversely affect, UNG or its investors.
In particular,
in the event of an FCM’s or clearing house’s bankruptcy, UNG could be limited to recovering either a pro rata share of all
available funds segregated on behalf of the FCM’s combined customer accounts or UNG may not recover any assets at all. UNG may
also incur a loss of any unrealized profits on its open and closed positions. This is because if such a bankruptcy were to occur, UNG
would be afforded the protections granted to customers of an FCM, and participants to transactions cleared through a clearing house,
under the United States Bankruptcy Code and applicable CFTC regulations. Such provisions generally provide for a pro rata distribution
to customers of customer property held by the bankrupt FCM or an Exchange’s clearing house if the customer property held by the
FCM or the Exchange’s clearing house is insufficient to satisfy all customer claims.
Bankruptcy of
a clearing FCM can be caused by, among other things, the default of one of the FCM’s customers. In this event, the Exchange’s
clearing house is permitted to use the entire amount of margin posted by UNG (as well as margin posted by other customers of the FCM)
to cover the amounts owed by the bankrupt FCM. Consequently, UNG could be unable to recover amounts due to it on its futures positions,
including assets posted as margin, and could sustain substantial losses.
Notwithstanding
that UNG could sustain losses upon the failure or bankruptcy of its FCM, the majority of UNG’s assets are held in Treasuries, cash
and/or cash equivalents with UNG’s Custodian and would not be impacted by the bankruptcy of an FCM.
The failure
or bankruptcy of UNG’s Custodian could result in a substantial loss of UNG’s assets.
The majority
of UNG’s assets are held in Treasuries, cash and/or cash equivalents with the Custodian. The insolvency of the Custodian could
result in a complete loss of UNG’s assets held by that Custodian, which, at any given time, would likely comprise a substantial
portion of UNG’s total assets.
Due to
the increased use of technologies, intentional and unintentional cyber-attacks pose operational and information security risks.
With the increased
use of technologies such as the internet and the dependence on computer systems to perform necessary business functions, UNG is susceptible
to operational and information security risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events
such as a cyber-attack against UNG, a natural catastrophe, an industrial accident, failure of UNG’s disaster recovery systems,
or consequential employee error. Cyber-attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems for purposes
of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried
out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites. Cyber security
failures or breaches of UNG’s clearing broker or third party service provider (including, but not limited to, index providers,
the administrator and transfer agent, the custodian), have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially
resulting in financial losses, the inability of UNG shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws,
regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. Adverse
effects can become particularly acute if those events affect UNG’s electronic data processing, transmission, storage, and retrieval
systems, or impact the availability, integrity, or confidentiality of our data. In addition, a service provider that has experienced
a cyber-security incident may divert resources normally devoted to servicing UNG to addressing the incident, which would be likely to
have an adverse effect on UNG’s operations. Cyber-attacks may also cause disruptions to the futures exchanges and clearinghouses
through which UNG invests in futures contracts, which could result in disruptions to UNG’s ability to pursue its investment objective,
resulting in financial losses to UNG and its shareholders.
In addition,
substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. UNG and its shareholders could be negatively
impacted as a result. While USCF and the Related Public Funds, including UNG, have established business continuity plans, there are inherent
limitations in such plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified or that new risks will emerge before
countervailing measures can be implemented. Furthermore, UNG cannot control cybersecurity plans and systems of its service providers,
market makers or Authorized Participants.
UNG’s
investment returns could be negatively affected by climate change and greenhouse gas restrictions.
Driven by concern
over the risks of climate change, a number of countries have adopted, or are considering the adoption of, regulatory frameworks to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions or production and use of oil and gas. These include adoption of cap and trade regimes, carbon taxes, trade tariffs,
minimum renewable usage requirements, restrictive permitting, increased efficiency standards, and incentives or mandates for renewable
energy. Political and other actors and their agents increasingly seek to advance climate change objectives indirectly, such as by seeking
to reduce the availability of or increase the cost for, financial and investment in the oil and gas sector and taking actions intended
to promote changes in business strategy for oil and gas companies. Many governments are also providing tax advantages and other subsidies
to support transitioning to alternative energy sources or mandating the use of specific fuels other than oil or natural gas. Depending
on how policies are formulated and applied, they could have the potential to negatively affect UNG’s investment returns and make
oil and natural gas products more expensive or less competitive.
USCF is
the subject of class action, derivative, and other litigation. In light of the inherent uncertainties involved in litigation matters,
an adverse outcome in this litigation could materially adversely affect USCF’s financial condition.
USCF and USCF’s
directors and certain of its officers are currently subject to litigation. Estimating an amount or range of possible losses resulting
from litigation proceedings to USCF is inherently difficult and requires an extensive degree of judgment, particularly where the matters
involve indeterminate claims for monetary damages and are subject to appeal. In addition, because most legal proceedings are resolved
over extended periods of time, potential losses are subject to change due to, among other things, new developments, changes in legal
strategy, the outcome of intermediate procedural and substantive rulings and other parties’ settlement posture and their evaluation
of the strength or weakness of their case against USCF. For these reasons, we are currently unable to predict the ultimate timing or
outcome of, or reasonably estimate the possible losses or a range of possible losses resulting therefrom. In light of the inherent uncertainties
involved in such matters, an adverse outcome in this litigation could materially adversely affect USCF’s financial condition, results
of operations or cash flows in any particular reporting period. In addition, litigation could result in substantial costs and divert
USCF’s management’s attention and resources from conducting USCF’s operations, including the management of UNG and
the Related Public Funds.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ABOUT UNG, ITS INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND INVESTMENTS
UNG is a Delaware
limited partnership organized on September 11, 2006. It operates pursuant to the terms of the Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership dated as of December 15, 2017 (as amended from time to time, the “LP Agreement”), which grants full management
control of UNG to USCF. UNG maintains its main business office at 1850 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Suite 640, Walnut Creek, California 94596.
The net assets
of UNG consist primarily of investments in Futures Contracts and, to a lesser extent, in order to comply with regulatory requirements,
risk mitigation measures, liquidity requirements, or in view of market conditions, Other Natural Gas-Related Investments. Market conditions
that USCF currently anticipates could cause UNG to invest in Other Natural Gas-Related Investments include those allowing UNG to obtain
greater liquidity or to execute transactions with more favorable pricing.
UNG invests
substantially the entire amount of its assets in Futures Contracts while supporting such investments by holding the amounts of its margin,
collateral and other requirements relating to these obligations in short-term obligations of the United States of two years or less (“Treasuries”),
cash and cash equivalents. The daily holdings of UNG are available on UNG’s website at www.uscfinvestments.com.
UNG invests
in Natural Gas Interests to the fullest extent possible without being leveraged or unable to satisfy its current or potential margin
or collateral obligations with respect to its investments in Natural Gas Interests. In pursuing this objective, the primary focus of
USCF, is the investment in Futures Contracts and the management of UNG’s investments in Treasuries, cash and/or cash equivalents
for margining purposes and as collateral.
UNG seeks to
invest in a combination of Natural Gas Interests such that the daily changes in its NAV, measured in percentage terms, will closely track
the average daily changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract, also measured in percentage terms. As a specific benchmark,
USCF endeavors to place UNG’s trades in Natural Gas Interests and otherwise manage UNG’s investments so that “A”
will be within plus/minus ten percent (10%) of “B,” where:
| · | A
is the average daily percentage change in UNG’s per share NAV for any period of 30
successive valuation days; i.e., any NYSE Arca trading day as of which UNG calculates
its per share NAV; and |
| · | B
is the average daily percentage change in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract over
the same period. |
USCF believes
that market arbitrage opportunities will cause the daily changes in UNG’s share price on the NYSE Arca on a percentage basis to
closely track the daily changes in UNG’s per share NAV. USCF further believes that the daily changes in UNG’s NAV in percentage
terms will closely track the daily changes in percentage terms in the Benchmark Futures Contract, less UNG’s expenses.
The following
two charts demonstrate the correlation between the changes in UNG’s NAV and the changes in the Benchmark Futures Contract. The
first chart below shows the daily movement of UNG’s per share NAV versus the daily movement of the Benchmark Futures Contract for
the 30-valuation day period ended December 31, 2022, the last trading day in December. The second chart below shows the monthly total
returns of UNG as compared to the monthly value of the Benchmark Futures Contract for the five years ended December 31, 2022.
*PAST PERFORMANCE
IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS
*PAST PERFORMANCE
IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS
USCF employs
a “neutral” investment strategy in order to track changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract regardless of whether
the price goes up or goes down. UNG’s “neutral” investment strategy is designed to permit investors generally to purchase
and sell UNG’s shares for the purpose of investing indirectly in natural gas in a cost-effective manner, and/or to permit participants
in the natural gas or other industries to hedge the risk of losses in their natural gas-related transactions. Accordingly, depending
on the investment objective of an individual investor, the risks generally associated with investing in natural gas and/or the risks
involved in hedging may exist. In addition, an investment in UNG involves the risk that the daily changes in the price of UNG’s
shares, in percentage terms, will not accurately track the daily changes in the Benchmark Futures Contract, in percentage terms, and
that daily changes in the Benchmark Futures Contract, in percentage terms, will not closely correlate with daily changes in the spot
prices of natural gas, in percentage terms.
An alternative
tracking measurement of the return performance of UNG versus the return of its Benchmark Futures Contract can be calculated by comparing
the actual return of UNG, measured by changes in its per share NAV, versus the expected changes in its per share NAV under the assumption
that UNG’s returns had been exactly the same as the daily changes in its Benchmark Futures Contract.
For the year
ended December 31, 2022, the actual total return of UNG as measured by changes in its per share NAV was 14.77%. This is based on an initial
per share NAV of $12.39 as of December 31, 2021 and an ending per share NAV as of December 31, 2022 of $14.22. During this time period,
UNG made no distributions to its shareholders. However, if UNG’s daily changes in its per share NAV had instead exactly tracked
the changes in the daily total return of the Benchmark Futures Contract, UNG would have had an estimated per share NAV of $14.17 as of
December 31, 2022, for a total return over the relevant time period of 14.37%. The difference between the actual per share NAV total
return of UNG of 14.77% and the expected total return based on the Benchmark Futures Contract of 14.37% was a difference over the time
period of 0.40%, which is to say that UNG’s actual total return outperformed its benchmark by that percentage. UNG incurs expenses
primarily composed of the management fee, brokerage commissions for the buying and selling of futures contracts, and other expenses.
The impact of these expenses, offset by interest and dividend income, and net of positive or negative execution, tends to cause daily
changes in the per share NAV of UNG to track slightly lower or higher than daily changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract.
Impact of Contango and Backwardation
on Total Returns
Several factors
determine the total return from investing in futures contracts. One factor arises from “rolling” futures contracts that will
expire at the end of the current month (the “near” or “front” month contract) forward each month prior to expiration.
For a strategy that entails holding the near month contract, the price relationship between that futures contract and the next month
futures contract will impact returns. For example, if the price of the near month futures contract is higher than the next futures month
contract (a situation referred to as “backwardation”), then absent any other change, the price of a next month futures contract
tends to rise in value as it becomes the near month futures contract and approaches expiration. Conversely, if the price of a near month
futures contract is lower than the next month futures contract (a situation referred to as “contango”), then absent any other
change, the price of a next month futures contract tends to decline in value as it becomes the near month futures contract and approaches
expiration.
As an example,
assume that the price of natural gas for immediate delivery, is $3 per MMbtu, and the value of a position in the near month futures contract
is also $3. Over time, the price of natural gas will fluctuate based on a number of market factors, including demand for oil relative
to supply. The value of the near month futures contract will likewise fluctuate in reaction to a number of market factors. If an investor
seeks to maintain a position in a near month futures contract and not take delivery of physical MMbtu of natural gas, the investor must
sell the current near month futures contract as it approaches expiration and invest in the next month futures contract. In order to continue
holding a position in the current near month futures contract, this “roll” forward of the futures contract must be executed
every month.
Contango and
backwardation are natural market forces that have impacted the total return on an investment in UNG’s shares during the past year
relative to a hypothetical direct investment in natural gas. In the future, it is likely that the relationship between the market price
of UNG’s shares and changes in the spot prices of natural gas will continue to be impacted by contango and backwardation. It is
important to note that this comparison ignores the potential costs associated with physically owning and storing natural gas, which could
be substantial.
If the futures
market is in backwardation, e.g., when the price of the near month futures contract is higher than the price of the next month futures
contract, the investor would buy a next month futures contract for a lower price than the current near month futures contract. Assuming
the price of the next month futures contract was $2.94 per MMbtu, or 2% cheaper than the $3 near month futures contract, then, hypothetically,
and assuming no other changes (e.g., to either prevailing natural gas prices or the price relationship between the spot price, the near
month contract and the next month contract, and, ignoring the impact of commission costs and the income earned on cash and/or cash equivalents),
the value of the $2.94 next month futures contract would rise to $3 as it approaches expiration. In this example, the value of an investment
in the next month futures contract would tend to outperform the spot price of natural gas. As a result, it would be possible for the
new near month futures contract to rise 12% while the spot price of natural gas may have risen a lower amount, e.g., only 10%. Similarly,
the spot price of natural gas could have fallen 10% while the value of an investment in the futures contract might have fallen another
amount, e.g., only 8%. Over time, if backwardation remained constant, this difference between the spot price and the futures contract
price would continue to increase.
If the futures
market is in contango, an investor would be buying a next month futures contract for a higher price than the current near month futures
contract. Again, assuming the near month futures contract is $3 per MMbtu, the price of the next month futures contract might be $3.06
per MMbtu, or 2% more expensive than the front month futures contract. Hypothetically, and assuming no other changes, the value of the
$3.06 next month futures contract would fall to $3 as it approaches expiration. In this example, the value of an investment in the second
month would tend to underperform the spot price of natural gas. As a result, it would be possible for the new near month futures contract
to rise only 10% while the spot price of natural gas may have risen a higher amount, e.g., 12%. Similarly, the spot price of natural
gas could have fallen 10% while the value of an investment in the second month futures contract might have fallen another amount, e.g.,
12%. Over time, if contango remained constant, this difference between the spot price and the futures contract price would continue to
increase.
The chart below
compares the daily price of the near month natural gas futures contract to the price of 13th month natural gas futures contract (i.e.,
a contract one year forward) over the last 10 years. When the price of the near month futures contract is higher than the price of the
13th month futures contract, the market would be described as being in backwardation. When the price of the near month futures contract
is lower than the 13th month futures contract, the market would be described as being in contango. Although the price of the near month
futures contract and the price of the 13th month futures contract tend to move together, it can be seen that at times the near month
futures contract prices are higher than the 13th month futures contract prices (backwardation) and, at other times, the near month futures
contract prices are lower than the 13th month futures contract prices (contango).
*PAST PERFORMANCE
IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS
An alternative
way to view the same data is to subtract the dollar price of the 13th month natural gas futures contract from the dollar price of the
near month natural gas futures contract, as shown in the chart below. When the difference is positive, the market is in backwardation.
When the difference is negative, the market is in contango. The natural gas market spent time in both backwardation and contango during
the last ten years. The chart below shows the results from subtracting the average dollar price of the near 12-month contracts from the
near month price for the 10-year period between December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2022. Investors will note that the natural gas market
spent time in both backwardation and contango during that period.
*PAST PERFORMANCE
IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS
An investment
in a portfolio that owned only the near month natural gas futures contract would likely produce a different result than an investment
in a portfolio that owned an equal number of each of the near 12 months’ of natural gas futures contracts. Generally speaking,
when the natural gas futures market is in backwardation, a portfolio of only the near month natural gas futures contract may tend to
have a higher total return than a portfolio of 12 months’ of the natural gas futures contract. Conversely, if the natural gas futures
market was in contango, the portfolio containing only 12 months’ of natural gas futures contracts may tend to outperform the portfolio
holding only the near month natural gas futures contract.
Historically,
the natural gas futures market has experienced periods of contango and backwardation. Because natural gas demand is seasonal, it is possible
for the price of natural gas futures contracts for delivery within one or two months to rapidly move from backwardation into contango
and back again within the relatively short period of time of less than one year.
The Russian
invasion of Ukraine and related developments have placed upward pressure on the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract. From 2011 to
2021, the average difference in price between the front-month Benchmark Futures Contract and the 1-year ahead Benchmark Futures Contract
was ($0.17). A negative price difference such as this indicates that the Benchmark Futures Contract was generally in contango during
the 2011 to 2021 ten-year period. During this time frame, the natural gas market experienced several intermittent periods of backwardation,
mostly due to extreme cold winter weather. Recently, there was a temporary spike in backwardation in late January 2022 that reflected
the reaction of futures prices to extreme weather. However, there has been a more sustained increase in backwardation as well that has
continued into the second quarter of 2022 that reflects the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As of the end of 2021, the spread
between the front-month Benchmark Futures Contract and the 1-year ahead Benchmark Futures Contract was ($0.25), with the front month
Benchmark Futures Contract trading at a price that is 6.3% lower than the price for the 1-year ahead futures contract. The spread changed
from contango into backwardation in January 2022 and was $1.74 by March 31, 2022. This represents a 44.5% price premium for the front
month Benchmark Futures Contract relative to the 1-year ahead Benchmark Futures Contract.
During the year
ended December 31, 2022, the price of the front month natural gas contract traded in a range between $3.717 and $9.680. Prices increased
19.97% from December 31, 2021 through December 31, 2022, finishing the year at $4.475. The number of rigs dedicated to natural gas product
rose from 106 at the start of the year to 156 by the end of 2022. Natural gas stored in the United States stood at 2891 billion cubic
feet as of December 31, 2022, about 9.5% lower than the same time last year. Both domestic demand and U.S. exports of natural gas have
increased over the last five years and rising demand relative to gas in storage led to the best returns for the commodity in almost a
decade. The robust ability of the U.S. energy industry to meet demand may constrain natural gas prices except during periods of extreme
temperatures.
There can be
no assurance that this current period of backwardation will continue, nor is it possible to predict how long backwardation will continue.
If the war in Ukraine continues and/or escalates, or if sanctions or responses by the United States and/or other nations, lead to a reduction
in the supply of natural gas from Russia to Europe, then all natural gas prices could rise, and distortions in the futures curve for
the Benchmark Futures Contract could become more pronounced. In contrast, if concerns about a natural gas shortage resulting from the
war in Ukraine ebb due to an expected or actual resolution of the war, then natural gas prices for all delivery months could decline,
and the premium for the Benchmark Futures Contracts closer to expiration would most likely fall. Periods of contango or backwardation
do not materially impact UNG’s investment objective of having the daily percentage changes in its per share NAV track the daily
percentage changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract since the impact of backwardation and contango tend to equally impact
the daily percentage changes in price of both UNG’s shares and the Benchmark Futures Contract. It is impossible to predict with
any degree of certainty whether backwardation or contango will occur in the future. It is likely that both conditions will occur during
different periods and, because of the seasonal nature of natural gas demand, both may occur within a single year’s time.
In managing UNG’s
assets, USCF does not use a technical trading system that issues buy and sell orders. USCF instead employs a quantitative methodology
whereby each time a Creation Basket is sold, USCF purchases Natural Gas Interests, such as the Benchmark Futures Contract, that have
an aggregate market value that approximates the amount of Treasuries and/or cash received upon the issuance of the Creation Basket.
The specific
Futures Contracts purchased depend on various factors, including a judgment by USCF as to the appropriate diversification of UNG’s
investments in futures contracts with respect to the month of expiration, and the prevailing price volatility of particular contracts.
While USCF has made significant investments in NYMEX Futures Contracts, for various reasons, including the ability to enter into the
precise amount of exposure to the natural gas market, position limits or other regulatory requirements limiting UNG’s holdings,
and market conditions, it may invest in Futures Contracts traded on other exchanges or invest in Other Natural Gas-Related Investments.
To the extent that UNG invests in Other Natural Gas-Related Investments, it would prioritize investments in contracts and instruments
that are economically equivalent to the Benchmark Futures Contract, including cleared swaps that satisfy such criteria, and then, to
a lesser extent, it would invest in other types of cleared swaps and other contracts, instruments and non-cleared swaps, such as swaps
in the over-the-counter market (or commonly referred to as the “OTC market”). If UNG is required by law or regulation, or
by one of its regulators, including a futures exchange, to reduce its position in the Benchmark Futures Contract to the applicable position
limit or to a specified accountability level or if market conditions dictate it would be more appropriate to invest in Other Natural
Gas-Related Investments, a substantial portion of UNG’s assets could be invested in accordance with such priority in Other Natural
Gas-Related Investments that are intended to replicate the return on the Benchmark Futures Contract. As UNG’s assets reach higher
levels, it is more likely to exceed position limits, accountability levels or other regulatory limits and, as a result, it is more likely
that it will invest in accordance with such priority in Other Natural Gas-Related Investments at such higher levels. In addition, market
conditions that USCF currently anticipates could cause UNG to invest in Other Natural Gas-Related Investments include those allowing
UNG to obtain greater liquidity or to execute transactions with more favorable pricing. See “Risk Factors Involved with an Investment
in UNG” for a discussion of the potential impact of regulation on UNG’s ability to invest in OTC transactions and cleared
swaps.
USCF may not
be able to fully invest UNG’s assets in the Benchmark Futures Contract having an aggregate notional amount exactly equal to UNG’s
NAV. For example, as a standardized contract, the Benchmark Futures Contract is for a specified amount of a particular commodity, and
UNG’s NAV and the proceeds from the sale of a Creation Basket are unlikely to be an exact multiple of the amounts of that contract.
As a result, in such circumstances, UNG may be better able to achieve the exact amount of exposure to changes in price of the Benchmark
Futures Contract through the use of Other Natural Gas-Related Investments, such as OTC contracts that have better correlation with changes
in price of the Benchmark Futures Contract.
UNG anticipates
that to the extent it invests in Futures Contracts other than contracts on natural gas (such as futures contracts for diesel-heating
oil, natural gas, and other petroleum-based fuels) and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments, it will enter into various non-exchange-traded
derivative contracts to hedge the short-term price movements of such Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments against
the current Benchmark Futures Contract.
USCF does not
anticipate letting UNG’s Futures Contracts expire and taking delivery of the underlying commodity. Instead, USCF will close existing
positions, e.g., when it changes the Benchmark Futures Contract or Other Natural Gas-Related Investments or it otherwise determines it
would be appropriate to do so and reinvests the proceeds in new Futures Contracts or Other Natural Gas-Related Investments. Positions
may also be closed out to meet orders for Redemption Baskets and in such case proceeds for such baskets will not be reinvested.
The
Benchmark Futures Contract is changed from the near month contract to the next month contract over a four-day period. Each month,
the Benchmark Futures Contract changes starting at the end of the day on the date two weeks prior to expiration of the near month
contract for that month. During the first three days of the period, the applicable value of the Benchmark Futures Contract is based
on a combination of the near month contract and the next month contract as follows: (1) day 1 consists of 75% of the then near month
contract’s price plus 25% of the price of the next month contract, (2) day 2 consists of 50% of the then near month
contract’s price plus 50% of the price of the next month contract, and (3) day 3 consists of 25% of the then near month
contract’s price plus 75% of the price of the next month contract. On day 4, the Benchmark Futures Contract is the next month
contract to expire at that time and that contract remains the Benchmark Futures Contract until the beginning of the following
month’s change in the Benchmark Futures Contract over a four-day period.
On each day
during the four-day period, USCF anticipates it will “roll” UNG’s positions in Natural Gas Interests by closing, or
selling, a percentage of UNG’s positions in Natural Gas Interests and reinvesting the proceeds from closing those positions in
new Natural Gas Interests that reflect the change in the Benchmark Futures Contract.
The anticipated
dates that the monthly four-day roll period will commence are posted on UNG’s website at www.uscfinvestments.com, and are
subject to change without notice.
By remaining
invested as fully as possible in Futures Contracts or Other Natural Gas-Related Investments, USCF believes that the daily changes in
percentage terms in UNG’s per share NAV will continue to closely track the daily changes in percentage terms in the price of the
Benchmark Futures Contract. USCF believes that certain arbitrage opportunities result in the price of the shares traded on the NYSE Arca
closely tracking the per share NAV of UNG. Additionally, Futures Contracts traded on the NYMEX have closely tracked the spot price of
natural gas. Based on these expected interrelationships, USCF believes that the daily changes in the price of UNG’s shares traded
on the NYSE Arca, on a percentage basis, have closely tracked and will continue to closely track the changes in the spot price of natural
gas, on a percentage basis.
What are the Trading Policies
of UNG?
Investment Objective
The investment
objective of UNG is for the daily percentage changes in the NAV per share to reflect the daily percentage changes of the spot price of
natural gas delivered at the Henry Hub, Louisiana, as measured by the daily percentage changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures
Contract, plus interest earned on UNG’s collateral holdings, less UNG’s expenses. The Benchmark Futures Contract is the futures
contract on natural gas as traded on the NYMEX that is the near month contract to expire, except when the near month contract is within
two weeks of expiration, in which case it will be measured by the futures contract that is the next month contract to expire.
UNG seeks to
achieve its investment objective by investing so that the average daily percentage change in UNG’s NAV for any period of 30 successive
valuation days will be within plus/minus ten percent (10%) of the average daily percentage change in the price of the Benchmark Futures
Contract over the same period. UNG’s investment strategy is designed to provide investors with a cost-effective way to invest indirectly
in natural gas and to hedge against movements in the spot price of natural gas.
Liquidity
UNG invests
only in Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments that, in the opinion of USCF, are traded in sufficient volume to
permit the ready taking and liquidation of positions in these financial interests and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments that, in
the opinion of USCF, may be readily liquidated with the original counterparty or through a third party assuming the position of UNG.
Spot Commodities
While Futures
Contracts can be physically settled, UNG does not intend to take or make physical delivery. UNG may from time to time trade in Other
Natural Gas-Related Investments, including contracts based on the spot price of natural gas.
Leverage
USCF endeavors
to have the value of UNG’s Treasuries, cash and cash equivalents, whether held by UNG or posted as margin or other collateral,
at all times approximate the aggregate market value of its obligations for its Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments.
Commodity pools’ trading positions in futures contracts or other related investments are typically required to be secured by the
deposit of margin funds that represent only a small percentage of a futures contract’s (or other commodity interest’s) entire
market value. While USCF has not and does not intend to leverage UNG’s assets, it is not prohibited from doing so under the LP
Agreement.
Although permitted
to do so under its LP Agreement, UNG has not and does not intend to leverage its assets and makes its investments accordingly. Consistent
with the foregoing, UNG’s announced investment intentions noted above, and any changes thereto, will take into account the need
for UNG to make permitted investments that also allow it to maintain adequate liquidity to meet its margin and collateral requirements
and to avoid, to the extent reasonably possible, UNG becoming leveraged. If market conditions require it, these risk reduction procedures,
including the sale of investments, may occur on short notice if they occur other than during a roll or rebalance period.
Borrowings
Borrowings are
not used by UNG, unless UNG is required to borrow money in the event of physical delivery, if UNG trades in cash commodities, or for
short-term needs created by unexpected redemptions.
OTC Derivatives (Including
Spreads and Straddles)
In addition
to Futures Contracts, there are also a number of listed options on the Futures Contracts on the principal futures exchanges. These contracts
offer investors and hedgers another set of financial vehicles to use in managing exposure to the natural gas market. Consequently, UNG
may purchase options on natural gas Futures Contracts on these exchanges in pursuing its investment objective.
In addition
to the Futures Contracts and options on the Futures Contracts, there also exists an active non-exchange-traded market in derivatives
tied to natural gas. These derivatives transactions (also known as OTC contracts) are usually entered into between two parties in private
contracts. Unlike most of the exchange-traded Futures Contracts or exchange-traded options on the Futures Contracts, each party to such
contract bears the credit risk of the other party, i.e., the risk that the other party may not be able to perform its obligations under
its contract. To reduce the credit risk that arises in connection with such contracts, UNG will generally enter into an agreement with
each counterparty based on the Master Agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (“ISDA”)
that provides for the netting of its overall exposure to its counterparty and requires the posting by each party to cover the mark-to-market
exposure of a counterparty to the other counterparty.
USCF assesses
or reviews, as appropriate, the creditworthiness of each potential or existing counterparty to an OTC contract pursuant to guidelines
approved by USCF’s Board of Directors.
UNG may enter
into certain transactions where an OTC component is exchanged for a corresponding futures contract (“Exchange for Related Position”
or “EFRP” transactions). In the most common type of EFRP transaction entered into by UNG, the OTC component is the purchase
or sale of one or more baskets of UNG’s shares. These EFRP transactions may expose UNG to counterparty risk during the interim
period between the execution of the OTC component and the exchange for a corresponding futures contract. Generally, the counterparty
risk from the EFRP transaction will exist only on the day of execution.
UNG may employ
spreads or straddles in its trading to mitigate the differences in its investment portfolio and its goal of tracking the price of the
Benchmark Futures Contract. UNG would use a spread when it chooses to take simultaneous long and short positions in futures written on
the same underlying asset, but with different delivery months.
During the year
ended December 31, 2022, UNG limited its OTC activities to EFRP transactions.
Pyramiding
UNG has not
employed and will not employ the technique, commonly known as pyramiding, in which the speculator uses unrealized profits on existing
positions as variation margin for the purchase or sale of additional positions in the same or another commodity interest.
Prior Performance of UNG
*PAST PERFORMANCE
IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS
USCF manages
UNG which is a commodity pool that issues shares traded on the NYSE Arca. The chart below shows, as of February 28, 2023, the number
of Authorized Participants, the total number of baskets created and redeemed since inception and the number of outstanding shares for
UNG.
#
of Authorized
Participants |
|
Baskets
Purchased |
|
Baskets
Redeemed |
|
Outstanding
Shares |
13 |
|
18,676 |
|
18,807 |
|
132,984,588 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The table below
shows the relationship between the trading prices of the shares and the daily NAV of UNG, since inception through February 28, 2023.
The first row shows the average amount of the variation between UNG’s closing market price and NAV, computed on a daily basis since
inception, while the second and third rows depict the maximum daily amount of the end of day premiums and discounts to NAV since inception,
on a percentage basis. USCF believes that maximum and minimum end of day premiums and discounts typically occur because trading in the
shares continues on the NYSE Arca until 4:00 p.m. New York time while regular trading in the Benchmark Futures Contract on the NYMEX
ceases at 2:30 p.m. New York time and the value of the relevant Benchmark Futures Contract, for purposes of determining its end of day
NAV, can be determined at that time.
| |
UNG | |
Average Difference | |
$ | 0.57 | |
Max Premium% | |
| 16.855 | |
Max Discount% | |
| (3.243 | )% |
| |
| | |
For more information on the performance
of UNG, see the Performance Tables below.
*PAST PERFORMANCE
IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS
COMPOSITE PERFORMANCE
DATA FOR UNG
Name of Pool: United States Natural
Gas Fund, LP
Type of Pool: Exchange traded security
Inception of Trading: April 18, 2007
Aggregate Subscriptions (from inception
through February 28, 2023): $32,845,851,449
Total Net Assets as of February 28,
2023: $1,126,866,043.91
NAV per Share as of February 28, 2023:
$9.07
Worst Monthly Percentage Draw-down:
January 2023 (35.58)%
Worst Peak-to-Valley Draw-down: June
2008 - December 2020 (99.54)%
*PAST PERFORMANCE
IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS
| |
Rates of Return* | |
Month | |
2018 | | |
2019 | | |
2020 | | |
2021 | | |
2022 | | |
2023** | |
January | |
| 8.49 | % | |
| 3.08 | % | |
| (14.90 | )% | |
| 2.07 | % | |
| 37.69 | % | |
| (35.58 | )% |
February | |
| (12.17 | )% | |
| (1.24 | )% | |
| (9.38 | )% | |
| 10.33 | % | |
| (9.14 | )% | |
| (0.98 | )% |
March | |
| 1.44 | % | |
| (5.53 | )% | |
| (4.68 | )% | |
| (7.24 | )% | |
| 27.03 | % | |
| | |
April | |
| 0.00 | % | |
| (4.82 | )% | |
| 8.45 | % | |
| 9.26 | % | |
| 26.36 | % | |
| | |
May | |
| 5.90 | % | |
| (5.74 | )% | |
| (15.36 | )% | |
| 0.00 | % | |
| 11.01 | % | |
| | |
June | |
| (0.67 | )% | |
| (5.62 | )% | |
| (10.08 | )% | |
| 21.43 | % | |
| (33.20 | )% | |
| | |
July | |
| (3.75 | )% | |
| (2.17 | )% | |
| (0.10 | )% | |
| 7.61 | % | |
| 53.82 | % | |
| | |
August | |
| 4.86 | % | |
| 2.06 | % | |
| 37.85 | % | |
| 11.37 | % | |
| 11.21 | % | |
| | |
September | |
| 3.89 | % | |
| 0.66 | % | |
| (19.67 | )% | |
| 32.79 | % | |
| (26.24 | )% | |
| | |
October | |
| 6.60 | % | |
| 4.32 | % | |
| 11.98 | % | |
| (10.70 | )% | |
| (11.86 | )% | |
| | |
November | |
| 40.83 | % | |
| (15.87 | )% | |
| (17.94 | )% | |
| (17.44 | )% | |
| 2.92 | % | |
| | |
December | |
| (34.75 | )% | |
| (3.32 | )% | |
| (11.79 | )% | |
| (17.18 | )% | |
| (32.67 | )% | |
| | |
Annual Rate of Return | |
| 4.33 | % | |
| (30.55 | )% | |
| (45.59 | )% | |
| 34.67 | % | |
| 14.77 | % | |
| (36.22 | )%** |
* | The
monthly rate of return is calculated by dividing the ending NAV of a given month by the ending
NAV of the previous month, subtracting 1 and multiplying this number by 100 to arrive at
a percentage increase or decrease. |
** | Through
February 28, 2023. |
Draw-down:
Losses experienced by UNG over a specified period. Draw-down is measured on the basis of monthly returns only and does not reflect intra-month
figures.
Worst Monthly
Percentage Draw-down: The largest single month loss sustained during the most recent five calendar years and year-to-date.
Worst Peak-to-Valley
Draw-down: The largest percentage decline in the NAV per share over the history of UNG. This need not be a continuous decline, but can
be a series of positive and negative returns where the negative returns are larger than the positive returns. Worst Peak-to-Valley Draw-down
represents the greatest cumulative percentage decline in month-end per share NAV is not equaled or exceeded by a subsequent month-end
per share NAV.
UNG’S Operations
USCF and its Management and Traders
USCF is a single
member limited liability company that was formed in the state of Delaware on May 10, 2005. USCF maintains its main business office at
1850 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Suite 640, Walnut Creek, California 94596. USCF is a wholly-owned subsidiary of USCF Investments, a Delaware
corporation, which is an intermediate holding company that owns USCF and another advisor of exchange traded funds. USCF Investments is
a wholly owned subsidiary of Marygold (publicly traded under the ticker MGLD), a publicly traded holding company that owns various financial
and non-financial businesses. Mr. Nicholas Gerber (discussed below), along with certain family members and certain other shareholders,
owns the majority of the shares in Marygold. USCF Investments is a holding company that currently holds both USCF, as well as USCF Advisers
LLC, an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“USCF Advisers”). USCF Advisers
serves as the investment adviser for the USCF SummerHaven Dynamic Commodity Strategy No K-1 Fund (“SDCI”), the USCF Midstream
Energy Income Fund (“UMI”), the USCF Gold Strategy Plus Income Fund (“GLDX”), the USCF Dividend Income Fund (“UDI”),
and the USCF Sustainable Battery Metals Strategy Fund (“ZSB”), each of which is a series of the USCF ETF Trust. It was also
the investment adviser for two series of the USCF ETF Trust that liquidated all of their assets and distributed cash pro rata to all
remaining shareholders: the USCF SummerHaven SHPEI Index Fund (“BUY”), until October 2020, and the USCF SummerHaven SHPEN
Index Fund (“BUYN”), until May 2020. The USCF ETF Trust is registered under the 1940 Act. The Board of Trustees for the USCF
ETF Trust consists of different independent trustees than those independent directors who serve on the Board of Directors of USCF. USCF
is a member of the NFA and registered as a CPO with the CFTC on December 1, 2005 and as a swaps firm on August 8, 2013.
USCF serves
as the general partner of UNG. USCF is also the general partner of the United States Oil Fund, LP (“USO”), the United States
12 Month Oil Fund, LP (“USL”), the United States Gasoline Fund, LP (“UGA”), the United States 12 Month Natural
Gas Fund, LP (“UNL”) and the United States Brent Oil Fund, LP (“BNO”).
USCF is also
the sponsor of the United States Commodity Index Fund (“USCI”) and the United States Copper Index Fund (“CPER”),
each a series of the United States Commodity Index Funds Trust (“USCIFT”).
BNO, UGA, UNL,
USL, USO, USCI and CPER are referred to collectively herein as the “Related Public Funds.”
UNG and the
Related Public Funds are subject to reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”).
For more information about each of the Related Public Funds, investors in UNG may call 1-800-920-0259 or visit www.uscfinvestments.com
or the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
USCF is required
to evaluate the credit risk of UNG to the FCMs, oversee the purchase and sale of UNG’s shares by certain authorized participants
(“Authorized Participants”), review daily positions and margin requirements of UNG and manage UNG’s investments. USCF
also pays the fees of ALPS Distributors, Inc., which serves as the marketing agent for UNG (the “Marketing Agent”), and The
Bank of New York Mellon (“BNY Mellon”), which serves as the administrator (the “Administrator”) and the custodian
(the “Custodian”), and provides accounting and transfer agent services for UNG since April 1, 2020. In no event may the aggregate
compensation paid for the Marketing Agent and any affiliate of USCF for distribution-related services in connection with the offering
of shares exceed ten percent (10%) of the gross proceeds of this offering.
The limited
partners take no part in the management or control, and have a minimal voice in UNG’s operations or business. Limited partners
have no right to elect USCF on an annual or any other continuing basis. If USCF voluntarily withdraws, however, the holders of a majority
of UNG’s outstanding shares (excluding for purposes of such determination shares owned, if any, by the withdrawing general partner
and its affiliates) may elect its successor. USCF may not be removed as general partner except upon approval by the affirmative vote
of the holders of at least 66 2/3 percent of UNG’s outstanding shares (excluding shares, if any, owned by USCF and its affiliates),
subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions set forth in the LP Agreement.
The business
and affairs of USCF are managed by the Board, which is comprised of the Management Directors, each of whom are also executive officers
and employees of USCF, and three independent directors who meet the independent director requirements established by the NYSE Arca Equities
Rules and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Management Directors have the authority to manage USCF pursuant to the terms of the LLC
Agreement. Through its Management Directors, USCF manages the day-to-day operations of UNG. The Board has an audit committee, which is
made up of the three independent directors (Gordon L. Ellis, Malcolm R. Fobes III and Peter M. Robinson,). The audit committee is governed
by an audit committee charter that is posted on UNG’s website at www.uscfinvestments.com. The Board has determined that
each member of the audit committee meets the financial literacy requirements of the NYSE Arca and the audit committee charter. The Board
has further determined that each of Messrs. Ellis and Fobes have accounting or related financial management expertise, as required by
the NYSE Arca, such that each of them is considered an “Audit Committee Financial Expert” as such term is defined in Item
407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K.
UNG has no executive
officers. Pursuant to the terms of the LP Agreement, UNG’s affairs are managed by USCF.
The following
are individual Principals, as that term is defined in CFTC Rule 3.1, for USCF: John P. Love, Stuart P. Crumbaugh, Daphne G. Frydman,
Nicholas D. Gerber, Melinda D. Gerber, Andrew F Ngim, Robert L. Nguyen, Peter M. Robinson, Kathryn D. Rooney, Scott Schoenberger, Gordon
L. Ellis, Malcolm R. Fobes III, Ray W. Allen, Kevin A. Baum, and USCF Investments, Inc., formerly Wainwright Holdings, Inc. The individuals
who are Principals due to their positions are John P. Love, Stuart P. Crumbaugh, Daphne G. Frydman, Andrew F Ngim, Robert L. Nguyen,
Peter M. Robinson, Kathryn D. Rooney, Gordon L. Ellis, Malcolm R. Fobes III, Ray W. Allen and Kevin A. Baum. In addition, USCF Investments
is a Principal because it is the sole member of USCF. None of the Principals owns or has any other beneficial interest in UNG. Ray W.
Allen makes trading and investment decisions for UNG. Ray W. Allen, Darius Coby, Seth Lancaster and Zach Sanchez execute trades on behalf
of UNG. In addition, Nicholas D. Gerber, John P. Love, Robert L. Nguyen, Ray W. Allen, Kevin A. Baum, Kathryn Rooney, Maya Lowry, and
Ryan Katz are registered with the CFTC as Associated Persons of USCF and are NFA Associate Members. John P. Love, Kevin A. Baum and Ray
W. Allen are also registered with the CFTC as Swaps Associated Persons.
Ray W.
Allen, 66, Portfolio Manager of USCF since January 2008. Mr. Allen was the portfolio manager of: (1) UGA from
February 2008 until March 2010, and then portfolio manager since May 2015, (2) UHN from April 2008 until March 2010,
and then portfolio manager from May 2015 to September 2018, (3) UNL from November 2009 until March 2010, and then
portfolio manager since May 2015. In addition, he has been the portfolio manager of: (1) DNO from September 2009 to September
2018, (2) USO and USL since March 2010, (3) BNO since June 2010, (4) UNG since May 2015, and (4) United
States 3x Oil Fund and United States 3x Short Oil Fund from July 2017 to December 2019, and (5) the USCF Commodity
Strategy Fund, a series of USCF Mutual Funds Trust, from October 2017 to March 2019. Mr. Allen also has served as the portfolio
manager of the USCF SummerHaven Dynamic Commodity Strategy No K-1 Fund, a series of the USCF ETF Trust, from May 2018 to October
2021 and then portfolio manager since January 2022. Mr. Allen has been a principal of USCF listed with the CFTC and NFA since March 2009
and has been registered as an associated person of USCF since July 2015 and from March 2008 to November 2012. Additionally,
Mr. Allen has been approved as an NFA swaps associated person of USCF since July 2015. As of February 2017, he also is
an associated person and swap associated person of USCF Advisers, LLC (“USCF Advisers”). USCF Advisers, an affiliate of USCF,
is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and, as of February 2017, is registered as a commodity
pool operator, NFA member and swap firm. Mr. Allen earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley and
holds an NFA Series 3 registration.
Kevin
A. Baum, 52, has served as the Chief Investment Officer of USCF since September 1, 2016 and as a Portfolio Manager of USCF from
March 2016 to April 2017. He also serves as the Chief Investment Officer of USCF Advisers since June 2021. Prior to joining USCF, Mr.
Baum temporarily retired from December 2015 to March 2016. Mr. Baum served as the Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager for Invesco,
an investment manager that manages a family of exchange-traded funds, from October 2014 through December 2015. Mr. Baum was temporarily
retired from May 2012 through September 2014. From May 1993 to April 2012, Mr. Baum worked as the Senior Portfolio Manager, Head of Commodities
for OppenheimerFunds, Inc., a global asset manager. Mr. Baum has been approved with respect to USCF as an NFA principal and associated
person since April 2016 and a swap associated person since November 2020. He also is an associated person of USCF Advisers as of February
2017, and, as of June 2021, a principal and swap associated person of USCF Advisers. USCF Advisers, an affiliate of USCF, is an investment
adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and, as of February 2017, is registered as a commodity pool operator, NFA
member and swap firm. Mr. Baum is a CFA Charterholder, CAIA Charterholder, earned a B.B.A. in Finance from Texas Tech University and
holds an NFA Series 3 registration.
Stuart
P. Crumbaugh, 59, Management Director of USCF since April 2023 and Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer of USCF since
May 2015. Also, Mr. Crumbaugh is the Chief Financial Officer of The Marygold Companies, Inc., formerly Concierge Technologies, Inc. (“Marygold”),
the parent of USCF Investments, Inc. (formerly Wainwright Holdings, Inc.) (“USCF Investments”) since December 2017. He is
also the Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of Marygold & Co., a subsidiary of Marygold, since November 2019. In addition,
Mr. Crumbaugh has served as a director of USCF Investments, the parent and sole member of USCF, since December 2016. Mr. Crumbaugh has
been a principal of USCF listed with the CFTC and NFA since July 1, 2015 and, as of January 2017, he is a principal of USCF Advisers.
USCF Advisers, an affiliate of USCF, is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and, as of February
2017, is registered as a commodity pool operator, NFA member and swap firm. Since June 2015, Mr. Crumbaugh has been the Treasurer and
Secretary of USCF Advisers. He has served as a Management Trustee, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of USCF ETF Trust since May
2015 and (2) USCF Mutual Funds Trust since October 2016. Mr. Crumbaugh joined USCF as the Assistant Chief Financial Officer on April
6, 2015. Prior to joining USCF, Mr. Crumbaugh was the Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Sikka Software Corporation,
a software service healthcare company providing optimization software and data solutions from April 2014 to April 6, 2015. Mr. Crumbaugh
served as a consultant providing technical accounting, IPO readiness and M&A consulting services to various early stage companies
with the Connor Group, a technical accounting consulting firm, for the periods of January 2014 through March 2014; October 2012 through
November 2012; and January 2011 through February 2011. From December 2012 through December 2013, Mr. Crumbaugh was Vice President, Corporate
Controller and Treasurer of Auction.com, LLC, a residential and commercial real estate online auction company. From March 2011 through
September 2012, Mr. Crumbaugh was Chief Financial Officer of IP Infusion Inc., a technology company providing network routing and switching
software enabling software-defined networking solutions for major mobile carriers and network infrastructure providers. Mr. Crumbaugh
earned a B.A. in Accounting and Business Administration from Michigan State University in 1987 and is a Certified Public Accountant –
Michigan (inactive).
Daphne
G. Frydman, 48, General Counsel of USCF and USCF Advisers, LLC since May 2018, and Director of Compliance of USCF since April
2022. She is also the Chief Legal Officer of USCF ETF Trust since May 2018 and Secretary of the same since December 2021. Ms. Frydman
served as Deputy General Counsel of USCF and USCF Advisers, LLC from May 2016 through May 2018. From September 2001 through April 2016,
Ms. Frydman was an attorney in private practice at the law firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP. Ms. Frydman is listed as a principal
of USCF as of June 1, 2022. Ms. Frydman earned her JD from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and a B.A. in College of
Letters and Spanish from Wesleyan University.
John P.
Love, 51, President and Chief Executive Officer of USCF since May 15, 2015, Management Director of USCF since October 2016
and Chairman of the Board of Directors of USCF since October 2019. Mr. Love also is a director of USCF Investments, a position he
has held since December 2016. Mr. Love previously served as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Related Public Funds from March 2010
through May 15, 2015. Prior to that, while still at USCF, he was a Portfolio Manager beginning with the launch of USO in April 2006.
Mr. Love was the portfolio manager of USO from April 2006 until March 2010 and the portfolio manager for USL from December 2007
until March 2010. Mr. Love has been the portfolio manager of UNG since April 2007, and the portfolio manager of UGA, UHN,
and UNL since March 2010. Mr. Love has served as on the Board of Managers of USCF Advisers since November 2016 and as
its President since June 18, 2015. USCF Advisers, an affiliate of USCF, is an investment adviser registered under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940, and, as of February 2017, is registered as a commodity pool operator, NFA member and swap firm. He also acted as
co-portfolio manager of the Stock Split Index Fund, a series of the USCF ETF Trust for the period from September 2014 to December 2015,
when he was promoted to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the USCF ETF Trust. Since October 2016 to present,
he also has served as the President and Chief Executive of the USCF Mutual Funds Trust. Mr. Love has been a principal of USCF listed
with the CFTC and NFA since January 17, 2006. Mr. Love has been registered as an associated person of USCF since February 2015
and from December 1, 2005 to April 16, 2009. Additionally, Mr. Love has been approved as an NFA swaps associated person
since February 2015. Mr. Love is a principal of USCF Advisers LLC as of January 2017. Additionally, effective as of February 2017,
he is an associated person and swap associated person of USCF Advisers. Mr. Love earned a B.A. from the University of Southern California,
holds an NFA Series 3 and FINRA Series 7 registrations and is a CFA Charterholder.
Andrew
F Ngim, 62, co-founded USCF in 2005 and has served as a Management Director from May 2005 to April 2023 and, since August 15,
2016, has served as the Chief Operating Officer of USCF. Mr. Ngim has served as the portfolio manager for USCI and CPER since January 2013
and for the United States Agriculture Index Fund from January 2013 to September 2018. Mr. Ngim also served as USCF’s Treasurer
from June 2005 to February 2012. In addition, he has been on the Board of Managers and has served as the Assistant Secretary
and Assistant Treasurer of USCF Advisers since its inception in June 2013 and Chief Operating Officer of USCF Advisers since March
2021. Prior to and concurrent with his services to USCF and USCF Advisers, from January 1999 to January 2013, Mr. Ngim
served as a Managing Director for Ameristock Corporation, a California-based investment adviser, which he co-founded in March 1995,
and was Co-Portfolio Manager of Ameristock Mutual Fund, Inc. from January 2000 to January 2013. Mr. Ngim also served
as portfolio manager of (a) the following series of the USCF ETF Trust: (1) the Stock Split Index Fund from September 2014 to October
2017, (2) the USCF Restaurant Leaders Fund from November 2016 to October 2017, (3) USCF SummerHaven SHPEI Index Fund from December 2017
to October 2020, (4) USCF SummerHaven SHPEN Index Fund from December 2017 to April 2020, and (b) a series of USCF Mutual Funds Trust,
the USCF Commodity Strategy Fund, from March 2017 to March 2019. Mr. Ngim also serves as the portfolio manager for the following series
of the USCF ETF Trust: (1) USCF SummerHaven Dynamic Commodity Strategy No K-1 Fund, from May 2018 to present, and (2) the USCF Sustainable
Battery Metals Strategy Fund from January 2023 to present. Mr. Ngim serves as a Management Trustee of: (1) the USCF ETF Trust
from August 2014 to the present and (2) the USCF Mutual Funds Trust from October 2016 to present. Mr. Ngim has been
a principal of USCF listed with the CFTC and NFA since November 2005 and a principal of USCF Advisers LLC since January 2017.
USCF Advisers, an affiliate of USCF, is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and, as of February 2017,
is registered as a commodity pool operator, NFA member and swap firm. Mr. Ngim earned his B.A. from the University of California
at Berkeley.
Robert
L. Nguyen, 63, Management Director and principal since July 2015. Mr. Nguyen served on the Board of USCF Investments
from December 2014 to December 2016. Mr. Nguyen co-founded USCF in 2005 and served as a Management Director until March 2012.
Mr. Nguyen was an Investment Manager with Ribera Investment Management, an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers
Act of 1940, from January 2013 to March 2015. Prior to and concurrent with his services to USCF, from January 2000 to
January 2013, Mr. Nguyen served as a Managing Principal for Ameristock Corporation, a California-based investment adviser registered
under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, which he co-founded in March 1995. Mr. Nguyen was a principal of USCF listed with
the CFTC and NFA from November 2005 through March 2012 and an associated person of USCF listed with the CFTC and NFA from November 2007
through March 2012. Mr. Nguyen has been a principal of USCF listed with the CFTC and NFA since July 2015 and an associated
person of USCF listed with the CFTC and NFA since December 2015. As of February 2017, he also is an associated person of USCF
Advisers. USCF Advisers, an affiliate of USCF, is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and, as
of February 2017, is registered as a commodity pool operator, NFA member and swap firm. Mr. Nguyen earned his B.S. from California
State University at Sacramento, and holds NFA Series 3 and FINRA Series 7 registrations.
Kathryn
D. Rooney, 50, Management Director of USCF since April 2023 and Chief Marketing Officer of USCF since January 2016. Since January
2017, she also has served as a member of the Board of Directors of The Marygold Companies, which is the parent of USCF Investments, Inc.
USCF Investments, Inc. is the sole member of USCF. Previously, Ms. Rooney was the National Sales Director at USCF from January 2007 to
December 2015. Ms. Rooney was the Director of Business Development at the Ameristock Corporation, a California-based registered investment
adviser, from September 2003 to January 2007. Prior to joining the Ameristock Corporation, she was Regional Sales Director at Accessor
Capital Management, a registered investment adviser that was based in Seattle, Washington, from October 2002 to August 2003, National
Sales Director at ALPS Mutual Fund Services, Inc., a boutique investment services company offering outsourced back office operations
and distribution services to mutual fund managers, from June 1999 to October 2002, and Trust Officer at Fifth Third Bancorp, an American
bank holding company headquartered in Ohio, from June 1994 to May 1999. Additionally, Ms. Rooney has been registered as an associated
person of USCF since August 2015 and from December 2005 to April 2009 and is listed as a principal of USCF effective as of April 2023.
Additionally, effective as of February 2017, she is an associated person of USCF Advisers, LLC, an affiliate of USCF, which is an investment
adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and, as of February 2017, is registered as a commodity pool operator, NFA
member and swap firm. Ms. Rooney graduated from Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and psychology in June 1994.
Gordon
L. Ellis, 76, Independent Director of USCF since September 2005. Previously, Mr. Ellis was a founder of International Absorbents,
Inc., Director and Chairman since July 1985 and July 1988, respectively, and Chief Executive Officer and President since November 1996.
He also served as Chairman of Absorption Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Absorbents, Inc., which is a leading developer
and producer of environmentally friendly pet care and industrial products, from May July 1985 until July 2010 when it was sold to Kinderhook
Industries, a private investment banking firm and remained as a director until March 2013 when Absorption Corp was sold again to J. Rettenmaier
& Söhne Group, a German manufacturing firm. Concurrent with that, he founded and has served as Chairman from November 2010 to
present of Lupaka Gold Corp., a firm that acquires, explores and developed mining properties and is currently driving an arbitration
suit against the Republic of Peru. He also serves as a director of Goldhaven Resources, a firm that acquires, explores and develops mining
properties in Canada and Chile, from August 2020 to present. Mr. Ellis has his Chartered Directors designation from The Director’s
College (a joint venture of McMaster University and The Conference Board of Canada). He has been a principal of USCF listed with the
CFTC and NFA since November 2005. Mr. Ellis is a professional engineer, retired, and earned an MBA in international finance.
Malcolm
R. Fobes III, 58, Independent Director of USCF and Chairman of USCF’s audit committee since September 2005. He founded
and is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Berkshire Capital Holdings, Inc., a California-based
investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 that has been sponsoring and providing portfolio management services
to mutual funds since June 1997. Mr. Fobes serves as Chairman and President of The Berkshire Funds, a mutual fund investment
company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Since 1997, Mr. Fobes has also served as portfolio manager of the Berkshire
Focus Fund, a mutual fund registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which concentrates its investments in the electronic technology
industry. He was also contributing editor of Start a Successful Mutual Fund: The Step-by-Step Reference Guide to Make It Happen (JV Books,
1995). Mr. Fobes has been a principal of USCF listed with the CFTC and NFA since November 2005. He earned a B.S. in finance
with a minor in economics from San Jose State University in California.
Peter M.
Robinson, 65, Independent Director of USCF since September 2005. Mr. Robinson has been a Research Fellow since 1993
with the Hoover Institution, a public policy think tank located on the campus of Stanford University. He authored three books and has
been published in the New York Times, Red Herring, and Forbes ASAP and is the editor of Can Congress Be Fixed?: Five Essays on Congressional
Reform (Hoover Institution Press, 1995). Mr. Robinson has been a principal of USCF listed with the CFTC and NFA since December 2005.
He earned an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, graduated from Oxford University in 1982 after studying politics,
philosophy, and economics and graduated summa cum laude from Dartmouth College in 1979.
UNG’s Service Providers
Custodian, Registrar, Transfer
Agent, and Administrator
In its capacity
as the Custodian for UNG, The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNY Mellon” or the “Custodian”) holds UNG’s Treasuries,
cash and/or cash equivalents pursuant to a custody agreement. BNY Mellon is also the registrar and transfer agent for the shares. In
addition, in its capacity as Administrator for UNG, BNY Mellon performs certain administrative and accounting services for UNG and prepares
certain SEC, NFA and CFTC reports on behalf of UNG.
As compensation
for the services that BNY Mellon provides to UNG in the foregoing capacities, and the services BNY Mellon provides to the Related Public
Funds, BNY Mellon receives certain out of pocket costs, transaction fees, and asset based fees, which are accrued daily and paid monthly
by USCF.
BNY Mellon is
authorized to conduct a commercial banking business in accordance with the provisions of New York State Banking Law, and is subject to
regulation, supervision, and examination by the New York State Department of Financial Services and the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System.
Marketing Agent
UNG also employs
ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ALPS Distributors”) as the Marketing Agent, which is further discussed under “What is the
Plan of Distribution?” USCF pays the Marketing Agent an annual fee. In no event may the aggregate compensation paid to the Marketing
Agent and any affiliate of USCF for distribution-related services in connection with the offering of shares exceed ten percent (10%)
of the gross proceeds of the offering.
ALPS Distributors’
principal business address is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000, Denver, CO 80203. ALPS Distributors is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC
and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and a member of the Securities Investor Protection
Corporation.
Payments to Certain Third Parties
USCF or the Marketing
Agent, or an affiliate of USCF or the Marketing Agent, may directly or indirectly make cash payments to certain broker-dealers for participating
in activities that are designed to make registered representatives and other professionals more knowledgeable about exchange-traded funds
and exchange-traded products, including UNG and the Related Public Funds, or for other activities, such as participation in marketing
activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems.
Additionally,
pursuant to written agreements, USCF may make payments, out of its own resources, to financial intermediaries in exchange for providing
services in connection with the sale or servicing of UNG’s shares, including waiving commissions on the purchase or sale of shares
of participating exchange-traded products.
Payments to a
broker-dealer or intermediary may create potential conflicts of interest between the broker-dealer or intermediary and its clients. The
amounts described above, which may be significant, are paid by USCF and/or the Marketing Agent from their own resources and not from
the assets of UNG or the Related Public Funds.
Futures Commission Merchants
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
On October 8,
2013, USCF entered into a Futures and Cleared Derivatives Transactions Customer Account Agreement with RBC Capital Markets, LLC (“RBC
Capital” or “RBC”) to serve as UNG’s FCM, effective October 10, 2013. This agreement requires RBC Capital to
provide services to UNG, as of October 10, 2013, in connection with the purchase and sale of Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related
Investments that may be purchased or sold by or through RBC Capital for UNG’s account. For the period October 10, 2013 and after,
UNG pays RBC Capital commissions for executing and clearing trades on behalf of UNG.
RBC Capital’s
primary address is 30 Hudson Street, 27th Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07302. Effective October 10, 2013, RBC Capital became the futures clearing
broker for UNG. RBC Capital is registered in the United States with FINRA as a broker-dealer and with the CFTC as an FCM. RBC Capital
is a member of various U.S. futures and securities exchanges.
RBC Capital is
a large broker dealer subject to many different complex legal and regulatory requirements. As a result, certain of RBC Capital’s
regulators may from time to time conduct investigations, initiate enforcement proceedings and/or enter into settlements with RBC Capital
with respect to issues raised in various investigations. RBC Capital complies fully with its regulators in all investigations being conducted
and in all settlements it reaches. In addition, RBC Capital is and has been subject to a variety of civil legal claims in various jurisdictions,
a variety of settlement agreements and a variety of orders, awards and judgments made against it by courts and tribunals, both in regard
to such claims and investigations. RBC Capital complies fully with all settlements it reaches and all orders, awards and judgments made
against it.
RBC Capital has
been named as a defendant in various legal actions, including arbitrations, class actions and other litigation including those described
below, arising in connection with its activities. Certain of the actual or threatened legal actions include claims for substantial compensatory
and/or punitive damages or claims for indeterminate amounts of damages. RBC Capital is also involved, in other reviews, investigations
and proceedings (both formal and informal) by governmental and self-regulatory agencies regarding RBC Capital’s business, including
among other matters, accounting and operational matters, certain of which may result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, penalties,
injunctions or other relief.
RBC Capital contests
liability and/or the amount of damages as appropriate in each pending matter. In view of the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome
of such matters, particularly in cases where claimants seek substantial or indeterminate damages or where investigations and proceedings
are in the early stages, RBC Capital cannot predict the loss or range of loss, if any, related to such matters; how or if such matters
will be resolved; when they will ultimately be resolved; or what the eventual settlement, fine, penalty or other relief, if any, might
be. Subject to the foregoing, RBC Capital believes, based on current knowledge and after consultation with counsel, that the outcome
of such pending matters will not have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial condition of RBC Capital.
On April 27,
2017, pursuant to an offer of settlement, a Panel of the Chicago Board of Trade Business Conduct Committee (“Panel”) found
that RBC Capital engaged in EFRP transactions which failed to satisfy the Rules of the Chicago Board of Trade (the “Chicago Board
of Trade”) in one or more ways. Specifically, the Panel found that RBC Capital traders entered into EFRP trades in which RBC Capital
accounts were on both sides of the transactions. While the purpose of the transactions was to transfer positions between the RBC Capital
accounts, the Panel found that the manner in which the trades occurred violated the Chicago Board of Trade’s prohibition on wash
trades. The Panel found that RBC Capital thereby violated CBOT Rules 534 and (legacy) 538.B. and C. In accordance with the settlement
offer, the Panel ordered RBC Capital to pay a $175,000 fine. On October 1, 2019, the CFTC issued an order filing and settling charges
against RBC Capital for the above activity, as well as related charges. The order required that RBC Capital cease and desist from violating
the applicable regulations, pay a $5 million civil monetary penalty, and comply with various conditions, including conditions regarding
public statements and future cooperation with the CFTC.
Various regulators
are conducting inquiries regarding potential violations of antitrust law by a number of banks and other entities, including RBC Capital,
regarding foreign exchange trading. Beginning in 2015, putative class actions were brought against RBC Capital and/or Royal Bank of Canada,
RBC Capital’s indirect parent, in the U.S. and Canada. These actions were each brought against multiple foreign exchange dealers
and allege, among other things, collusive behavior in global foreign exchange trading. In August 2018, the U.S. District Court entered
a final order approving RBC Capital’s settlement with class plaintiffs. In November 2018, certain institutional plaintiffs who
had previously opted-out of participating in the settlement filed their own lawsuit in U.S. District Court. In May 2020, the U.S. District
Court dismissed RBC Capital from the opt-out action, but granted the plaintiffs’ motion to amend the complaint. The Canadian class
actions remain pending and RBC Capital has reached a settlement for an immaterial amount with respect to an action brought by a class
of indirect purchasers. RBC Capital is awaiting the court’s final approval of the settlement. In October 2020, RBC Capital and
Royal Bank of Canada moved to dismiss the amended complaint. On July 28, 2021, the court dismissed Royal Bank of Canada from the case
but denied the motion as to RBC. Based on the facts currently known, it is not possible at this time for management to predict the ultimate
outcome of these collective matters or the timing of their ultimate resolution.
On April 13,
2015, RBC Capital’s affiliate, Royal Bank of Canada Trust Company (Bahamas) Limited (RBC Bahamas), was charged in France with complicity
in tax fraud. RBC Bahamas believes that its actions did not violate French law and contested the charge in the French court. The trial
of this matter has concluded and a verdict was delivered on January 12, 2017, acquitting the company and the other defendants and on
June 29, 2018, the French appellate court affirmed the acquittals. On January 6, 2021, the French Supreme Court issued a judgment reversing
the decision of the French Court of Appeal dated June 29, 2018 and sent the case back to the French Court of Appeal for rehearing and,
therefore, the proceeding is currently awaiting a new trial with the French Court of Appeal.
Royal Bank of
Canada and other panel banks for the setting of the U.S. dollar London interbank offered rate (“LIBOR”) have been named as
defendants in private lawsuits filed in the U.S. with respect to the setting of U.S. dollar LIBOR including a number of class action
lawsuits which have been consolidated before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. RBC Capital has also been
named as a defendant in one of those lawsuits. The complaints in those private lawsuits assert claims under various U.S. laws, including
U.S. antitrust laws, the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, and state law.
In addition
to the LIBOR actions, in January 2019, a number of financial institutions, including RBC Capital, were named in a purported class action
in New York alleging violations of the U.S. antitrust laws and common law principles of unjust enrichment in the setting of LIBOR after
the Intercontinental Exchange took over administration of the benchmark interest rate from the British Bankers’ Association in
2014 (the “ICE LIBOR action”). On March 26, 2020, the defendants’ motion to dismiss the ICE LIBOR action was granted.
The plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal of that ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on April 24, 2020
and, thereafter, sought to substitute named plaintiffs. The Second Circuit permitted substitution, but has not yet ruled on the merits
of the appeal. In August 2020, Royal Bank of Canada and other financial institutions were named as defendants in a separate, individual
(i.e., non-class) action filed in California alleging that the usage and setting of LIBOR constitutes per se collusive conduct. In November
2020 and May 2021, plaintiffs sought a preliminary injunction with respect to the setting of ICE LIBOR; defendants opposed these motions
and sought to transfer the matter to New York. On June 3, 2021, the court denied defendants’ motion to transfer. Defendants then
moved to dismiss. Plaintiffs’ motions for a preliminary injunction and defendants’ motion to dismiss remain pending. Based
on the facts currently known, it is not possible at this time to predict the ultimate outcome of these proceedings or the timing of their
resolution.
Please see RBC
Capital’s Form BD, which is available on the FINRA BrokerCheck program, for more details.
RBC Capital
will act only as clearing broker for UNG and as such will be paid commissions for executing and clearing trades on behalf of UNG. RBC
Capital has not passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. RBC Capital will not act in any supervisory capacity with respect
to USCF or participate in the management of USCF or UNG.
RBC Capital
is not affiliated with UNG or USCF. Therefore, neither USCF nor UNG believes that there are any conflicts of interest with RBC Capital
or its trading principals arising from its acting as UNG’s FCM.
Marex North America, LLC
On May 28, 2020,
UNG entered into a Commodity Futures Customer Agreement with RCG Division of Marex Spectron, now Marex North America, LLC (“MNA”)
to serve as an FCM for UNG. This agreement requires MNA to provide services to UNG in connection with the purchase and sale of futures
that may be purchased or sold by or through MNA for UNG’s account. Under this agreement, UNG pays MNA commissions for executing
and clearing trades on behalf of UNG.
MNA’s
primary address is 140 E 45th Street, 10th Floor New York, NY 10017. MNA is registered in the United States with FINRA as a broker-dealer
and with the CFTC as an FCM. MNA is a member of various U.S. futures and securities exchanges.
MNA is a large
broker dealer subject to many different complex legal and regulatory requirements. As a result, certain of MNA’s regulators may
from time to time conduct investigations, initiate enforcement proceedings and/or enter into settlements with MNA with respect to issues
raised in various investigations. MNA complies fully with its regulators in all investigations which may be conducted and in all settlements
it may reach.
MNA settled with
the CFTC in September 2020 to pay a monetary penalty of $250,000 for failure to meet minimum adjusted net capital requirements. MNA improperly
accounted for deductions arising out of an agreement that it entered to guarantee a revolving line of credit for an affiliated company
when computing its net capital requirements.
MNA will act
only as clearing broker for UNG and as such will be paid commissions for executing and clearing trades on behalf of UNG. MNA has not
passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. MNA will not act in any supervisory capacity with respect to USCF or participate
in the management of USCF or UNG.
MNA is not affiliated
with UNG or USCF. Therefore, neither USCF nor UNG believes that there are any conflicts of interest with MNA or its trading principals
arising from its acting as UNG’s FCM.
Marex Capital Markets, Inc., formerly
E D & F Man Capital Markets Inc.
On June 5, 2020,
UNG entered into a Customer Agreement with E D & F Man Capital Markets Inc. (“MCM”) to serve as an FCM for UNG. This
agreement requires MCM to provide services to UNG in connection with the purchase and sale of Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related
Investments that may be purchased or sold by or through MCM for UNG’s account. Under this agreement, UNG pays MCM commissions for
executing and clearing trades on behalf of UNG.
MCM’s primary
address is 140 East 45th Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10017. MCM is registered in the United States with FINRA as a broker-dealer
and with the CFTC as an FCM. MCM is a member of various U.S. futures and securities exchanges.
MCM is a large
broker dealer subject to many different complex legal and regulatory requirements. As a result, certain of MCM’s regulators may
from time to time conduct investigations, initiate enforcement proceedings and/or enter into settlements with MCM with respect to issues
raised in various investigations. MCM complies fully with its regulators in all investigations which may be conducted and in all settlements
it may reach. As of the date hereof, MCM has no material litigation to disclose as that term is defined under the CEA and the regulations
promulgated thereunder.
MCM was acquired
by the Marex Group in phases during the second half of 2022 and went from doing business as E D & F Man Capital Markets, Inc. to
Marex Capital Markets, Inc.
MCM will act
only as clearing broker for UNG and as such will be paid commissions for executing and clearing trades on behalf of UNG. MCM has not
passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. MCM will not act in any supervisory capacity with respect to USCF or participate
in the management of USCF or UNG.
MCM is not affiliated
with UNG or USCF. Therefore, neither USCF nor UNG believes that there are any conflicts of interest with MCM or its trading principals
arising from its acting as UNG’s FCM.
Macquarie Futures USA LLC
On December
3, 2020, UNG engaged Macquarie Futures USA LLC (“MFUSA”) to serve as an additional FCM for UNG. The Customer Agreement between
UNG and MFUSA requires MFUSA to provide services to UNG in connection with the purchase and sale of futures that may be purchased or
sold by or through MFUSA for UNG’s account. Under this agreement, UNG pays MFUSA commissions for executing and clearing trades
on behalf of UNG.
MFUSA’s
primary address is 125 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019. MFUSA is registered in the United States with the CFTC as an FCM providing
futures execution and clearing services covering futures exchanges globally. MFUSA is a member of various U.S. futures and securities
exchanges.
MFUSA is a large
broker dealer subject to many different complex legal and regulatory requirements. As a result, certain of MFUSA’s regulators may
from time to time conduct investigations, initiate enforcement proceedings and/or enter into settlements with MFUSA with respect to issues
raised in various investigations. MFUSA complies fully with its regulators in all investigations which may be conducted and in all settlements
it may reach. As of the date hereof, MFUSA has no material litigation to disclose as that term is defined under the CEA and the regulations
promulgated thereunder.
MFUSA will act
only as clearing broker for UNG and as such will be paid commissions for executing and clearing trades on behalf of UNG. MFUSA has not
passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. MFUSA will not act in any supervisory capacity with respect to USCF or participate
in the management of USCF or UNG.
MFUSA is not
affiliated with UNG or USCF. Therefore, neither USCF nor UNG believes that there are any conflicts of interest with MFUSA or its trading
principals arising from its acting as UNG’s FCM.
Introducing Broker
On January 14,
2019, USCF entered into agreements with BTIG, LLC to serve as UNG’s introducing broker. Under the agreements, BTIG, LLC provide
services to UNG in connection with the purchase and sale of Natural Gas Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments that
may be purchased or sold by or through RBC Capital for UNG’s account. RBC pays BTIG, LLC in connection with certain trades on behalf
of UNG.
BTIG, LLC, whose
principal address is 600 Montgomery Street, Sixth Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94111, will act as an introducing broker for UNG’s
futures trading. BTIG, LLC is registered with the SEC as a broker-dealer, with the CFTC as an introducing broker, and is a member of
FINRA and other regulatory agencies and exchanges. In the normal course of its regulated business activities, BTIG, LLC receives examinations,
subpoenas, and inquiries from the regulatory organizations that oversee its various business activities.
On May 19, 2021,
the SEC charged BTIG, LLC with repeatedly violating the order-marking and locate provisions of SEC Regulation SHO, which regulates the
short-selling of securities. According to the SEC’s complaint, from December 2016 through July 2017, BTIG, LLC violated Rule 200(g)
of Regulation SHO when it mismarked more than 90 sale orders from a hedge fund customer – representing total sales of more than
$250 million – as “long” and “short exempt” when those orders should have been marked as “short”.
The SEC’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charges BTIG, LLC with violating Rules
200(g) and 203(b)(1) of Regulation SHO. The SEC seeks injunctive relief, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with prejudgment interest,
and civil penalties.
BTIG, LLC is
not affiliated with UNG or USCF. Therefore, neither USCF nor UNG believes that there will be any conflicts of interest with BTIG, LLC
or its trading principals arising from its acting as UNG’s introducing broker.
Commodity Trading Advisor
Currently, USCF
does not employ commodity trading advisors for the trading of UNG contracts. USCF currently does, however, employ SummerHaven Investment
Management, LLC as a commodity trading advisor for USCF’s own account and for USCI and CPER. If, in the future, USCF employs commodity
trading advisors for UNG, it will choose each advisor based on arm’s-length negotiations and will consider the advisor’s
experience, fees and reputation.
Swap Dealers
Macquarie Futures USA LLC
On November
30, 2021, UNG entered into an ISDA 2002 Master Agreement (the “Macquarie ISDA”) with Macquarie Bank Limited, pursuant to
which Macquarie Bank Limited has agreed to serve as an over-the-counter (“OTC”) swaps counterparty for UNG.
Macquarie Bank
Limited’s principal address is Level 6, 50 Martin Place, Sydney, Nsw 200, Australia. Macquarie Bank Limited is registered with
the CFTC as a swap dealer. As of the date hereof, Macquarie Bank Limited has no material litigation to disclose as that term is defined
under the CEA and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Macquarie Bank
Limited is not affiliated with UNG or USCF. Therefore, neither USCF nor UNG believes that there will be any conflicts of interest with
Macquarie Bank Limited or its trading principals arising from Macquarie Bank Limited acting as an OTC swaps counterparty to UNG.
The Macquarie
ISDA provides UNG the ability to invest in OTC swaps in furtherance of its investment objective by providing it with investment flexibility
in light of market conditions, liquidity, regulatory requirements, and risk diversification. UNG may enter into OTC swap transactions
with Macquarie under the Macquarie ISDA in light of the foregoing. UNG’s OTC swap transactions outstanding under the Macquarie
ISDA, along with UNG’s other holdings, will be published on UNG’s webpage, www.uscfinvestments.com.
Société Générale
S.A
On June 13, 2022,
UNG entered into an ISDA 2002 Master Agreement (the “SocGen ISDA”) with Société Générale S.A.,
pursuant to which Société Générale S.A. has agreed to serve as an OTC swaps counterparty for UNG.
Société
Générale S.A.’s principal address is 17 Cours Valmy Paris La Defense, 92987, CEDEX France. Société
Générale S.A. is registered with the CFTC as a swap dealer.
Société
Générale S.A. is a large swap dealer subject to many different complex legal and regulatory requirements. As a result,
certain of Société Générale S.A.’s regulators may from time to time conduct investigations, initiate
enforcement proceedings and/or enter into settlements with Société Générale S.A. with respect to issues raised
in various investigations. In addition, Société Générale S.A. is and has been subject to a variety of civil
legal claims in various jurisdictions, a variety of settlement agreements and a variety of orders, awards and judgments made against
it by courts and tribunals, both in regard to such claims and investigations. Listed below are the civil, administrative, and/or criminal
proceedings pending, on appeal, or concluded against Société Générale S.A. in the past five (5) years that
are material to Société Générale S.A. serving as an OTC swaps counterparty to UNG.
Notwithstanding
agreements reached in 2018 with United States authorities regarding certain London Interbank Offered Rates and the Euro Interbank Offered
Rate (the “IBOR matter”) and the dismissal on 30 November 2021 of legal proceedings brought by the United States Department
of Justice in this matter, Société Générale S.A. continues to defend civil proceedings in the United States
and has responded to information requests received from other authorities, including the Attorneys General of various States of the United
States and the New York Department of Financial Services.
In the United
States, Société Générale S.A., along with other financial institutions, has been named as a defendant in
putative class actions involving the setting of U.S. Dollar LIBOR, Japanese Yen LIBOR, and Euribor rates and trading in instruments indexed
to those rates. Société Générale S.A. has also been named in several individual (non-class) actions concerning
the U.S. Dollar LIBOR rate. All of these actions are pending in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
As to US Dollar
LIBOR, all claims against Société Générale S.A. were dismissed by the District Court or voluntarily dismissed
by the plaintiffs, except in two putative class actions and one individual action that are effectively stayed. The class plaintiffs and
a number of individual plaintiffs appealed the dismissal of their antitrust claims to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second
Circuit (“Second Circuit”). On 30 December 2021, the Second Circuit reversed the dismissal and reinstated the antitrust claims.
These reinstated claims include those asserted by a proposed class of OTC plaintiffs and by OTC plaintiffs that have filed individual
actions.
As to Japanese
Yen LIBOR, the District Court dismissed the complaint brought by purchasers of Euroyen OTC derivative products. On 1 April 2020, the
Second Circuit reversed the dismissal and reinstated the claims. On 30 September 2021, the District Court dismissed plaintiffs’
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act claims but upheld plaintiffs’ antitrust and state law claims against Société
Générale S.A. In the other action, brought by purchasers or sellers of Euroyen derivative contracts on the Chicago Mercantile
Exchange on 27 September 2019, plaintiff filed a motion for class certification. On 25 September 2020, the District Court granted defendants’
motion for judgment on the pleadings and dismissed plaintiffs’ remaining claims. Plaintiff has appealed to the Second Circuit.
As to Euribor,
the District Court dismissed all claims against Société Générale S.A. in the putative class action and denied
the plaintiffs’ motion to file a proposed amended complaint. Plaintiffs have appealed those rulings to the Second Circuit.
In Argentina,
Société Générale S.A., along with other financial institutions, has been named as a defendant in litigation
brought by a consumer association on behalf of Argentine consumers who held government bonds or other specified instruments that paid
interest tied to US Dollar LIBOR. The allegations concern violations of Argentine consumer protection law in connection with alleged
manipulation of the US Dollar LIBOR rate. Société Générale S.A. has not yet been served with the complaint
in this matter.
On June 4, 2018,
the CFTC issued an order filing and settling charges against Société Générale S.A. for attempted manipulation
of and false reporting in connection with the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) for U.S. Dollar, Yen, and Euro, and the Euro Interbank
Offered Rate (Euribor), certain instances of manipulation of Yen LIBOR, and aiding and abetting traders at another bank in their attempts
to manipulate Euribor. The Bank’s misconduct spanned more than six years, from 2006 through mid-2012. The CFTC order required Société
Générale to pay a civil monetary penalty of $475 million, cease and desist from further violations as charged, and adhere
to specific undertakings to ensure the integrity of its LIBOR, Euribor, and other benchmark interest rate submissions in the future.
Beginning on
15 January 2019, Société Générale S.A. and SG Americas Securities, LLC, along with other financial institutions,
were named in three putative antitrust class actions in the US District Court in Manhattan, which have since been consolidated. Plaintiffs
allege that the USD ICE LIBOR panel banks conspired to make artificially low submissions to that benchmark in order to profit on their
trading in derivatives tied to USD ICE LIBOR. Plaintiffs seek to certify a class comprised of US residents (individuals and entities)
that transacted with a defendant in floating rate debt instruments or interest rate swaps tied to USD ICE LIBOR and received a payment
at any time between 1 February 2014 to the present, regardless of when the instrument was purchased. By order dated 26 March 2020, the
District Court dismissed the action. Plaintiffs appealed that ruling. On 6 April 2021, the Second Circuit permitted a new proposed class
representative to intervene as a plaintiff in the appeal and denied defendants’ motion which sought dismissal of the appeal because
the original proposed class representatives withdrew from the action.
Société
Générale S.A., along with several other financial institutions, was named as a defendant in a putative class action
alleging violations of US antitrust laws and the Commodity Exchange Act in connection with foreign exchange spot and derivatives trading.
The action was brought by persons or entities that transacted in certain over-the-counter and exchange-traded foreign exchange instruments.
Société Générale S.A. reached a settlement of USD 18 million, which was approved by the Court on 6 August
2018. On 7 November 2018, a group of individual entities that elected to opt out of the settlement filed a lawsuit against Société
Générale S.A., SG Americas Securities, LLC and several other financial institutions. SG Americas Securities, LLC was dismissed
by order dated 28 May 2020. Discovery is proceeding as to Société Générale S.A. and the other remaining defendants.
On 11 November 2020, Société Générale S.A. was named, along with several other banks, in an action in the
United Kingdom alleging collusion in the market for FX instruments. Société Générale S.A. is defending the
action.
In May 2019,
Société Générale Americas Securities (“SGAS”) was named, along with other financial institutions,
as a defendant in a putative class action in the US alleging anticompetitive behavior in the pricing of agency bonds issued by USA Government
Sponsored Enterprises (“GSEs”), including Federal Home Loan Bank, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, and Federal National
Mortgage Association. On 16 June 2020, SGAS and twelve other bank defendants reached a final settlement with plaintiffs. Although SGAS’
share of the settlement is not public, the amount was not material from a financial statement perspective. SGAS was also named in four
separate individual opt-out litigations by the following plaintiffs: the State of Louisiana (filed September 2019), the City of Baton
Rouge/East Baton Rouge Parish and related entities (October 2019), Louisiana Asset Management Pool (April 2020), and the City of New
Orleans and related entities (September 2020). These suits also asserted antitrust claims (and in some cases other related claims) against
SGAS and multiple other bank defendants based on these plaintiffs’ purchases of GSE bonds. As to the opt-out litigations, a settlement
was reached involving all defendants in June 2021, of which SGAS’s share was immaterial, and these actions have been dismissed.
SGAS also received a subpoena from the United States Department of Justice in connection with its US agency bond business. SGAS responded
to these requests and is cooperating with the Department of Justice investigation.
On 15 October
2020, Vestia, a Dutch housing developer, brought proceedings against Société Générale S.A. before the High
Court of England regarding the conditions pursuant to which Vestia contracted derivative products with Société Générale
S.A. between 2008 and 2011. Vestia claims that these transactions were outside of its capacity and alleges they were induced by corruption.
Vestia seeks to rescind the transactions and recover the amounts paid to Société Générale S.A. pursuant to
these transactions. On 8 January 2021, Société Générale S.A. filed a Statement of Defence and Counterclaim.
On 11 October 2021, Société Générale S.A. and Vestia reached an agreement to settle this dispute without
any admission of liability for Société Générale S.A.
On 29 September
2021, the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) filed and settled charges against Société
Générale S.A. for Société Générale S.A.’s failure to comply with certain swap dealer
requirements for disclosing mid-market marks to counterparties, reporting inaccurate swap valuation data to a swaps data repository (SDR),
and related supervision failures. Société Générale S.A. agreed to a $1,500,000 civil monetary penalty, to
cease and desist from further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC regulations and to comply with certain undertakings,
including continuing remediation efforts and updating the CFTC on its remediation efforts and compliance.
Société
Générale S.A., along with other financial institutions, was named as a defendant in a putative class action alleging violations
of US antitrust laws and the Commodity Exchange Act in connection with its involvement in the London Gold Market Fixing. The action is
brought on behalf of persons or entities that sold physical gold, sold gold futures contracts traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange,
sold shares in gold exchange-traded funds, sold gold call options traded on Chicago Mercantile Exchange, bought gold put options traded
on Chicago Mercantile Exchange, sold OTC gold spot or forward contracts or gold call options, or bought OTC gold put options. Société
Générale S.A., along with three other defendants, has reached a settlement to resolve this action for USD 50 million. By
order dated 13 January 2022, the Court granted preliminary approval of the settlement. The final fairness hearing has been scheduled
for 5 August 2022. Although Société Générale S.A.’s share of the settlement is not public, it was not
material from a financial perspective. Société Générale S.A., along with other financial institutions, is
also named as a defendant in two putative class actions in Canada (in the Ontario Superior Court in Toronto and Quebec Superior Court
in Quebec City) involving similar claims. Société Générale S.A. is defending the claims.
Société
Générale S.A. is not affiliated with UNG or USCF. Therefore, neither USCF nor UNG believes that there will be any conflicts
of interest with Société Générale S.A. or its trading principals arising from Société Générale
S.A. acting as an OTC swaps counterparty to UNG.
The SocGen ISDA
provides UNG with the ability to invest in OTC swaps in furtherance of its investment objective by providing it with investment flexibility
in light of regulatory requirements, risk mitigation measures, market conditions, liquidity requirements or other factors. When UNG enters
into OTC swap transactions with Société Générale S.A. under the SocGen ISDA, UNG’s OTC swap transactions
outstanding under the SocGen ISDA, along with UNG’s other holdings, will be published on UNG’s webpage, www.uscfinvestments.com.
UNG’s Fees and Expenses
This table
describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of UNG. You should note that you may pay brokerage commissions
on purchases and sales of UNG’s shares, which are not reflected in the table. Authorized Participants will pay applicable creation
and redemption fees. See “Creation and Redemption of Shares—Creation and Redemption Transaction Fee,”
page 74.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees | |
| 0.60 | %(1) |
Distribution Fees | |
| NONE | |
Other Fund Expenses | |
| 0.46 | %(2) |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| 1.06 | % |
| |
| | |
| (1) | UNG
is contractually obligated to pay USCF a management fee equal to 0.60% per annum, which is
based on average daily total net assets of $1,000,000,000 or less and paid monthly. If the
average daily total net assets are greater than $1,000,000,000 then the management fee would
be 0.50% on the incremental average daily total net assets and the Total Annual Fund Operating
Expenses would be lower. |
| (2) | Based
on amounts for the year ended December 31, 2022. The individual expense amounts in dollar
terms are shown in the table below. As used in this table, (i) Professional Expenses include
expenses for legal, audit, tax accounting and printing; and (ii) Independent Director and
Officer Expenses include amounts paid to independent directors and for officers’ liability
insurance. |
The table
below shows the total dollar amount of fees and expenses paid by UNG for the year ended December 31, 2022:
Management Fees | |
$ | 2,824,586 | |
Brokerage Commissions | |
$ | 702,686 | |
Professional Expenses | |
$ | 1,283,049 | |
License Fees | |
$ | 70,615 | |
Independent Director and Officer Expenses | |
$ | 106,413 | |
Registration Fees | |
$ | 0 | |
These amounts are based
on UNG’s average total net assets, which are the sum of daily total net assets of UNG divided by the number of calendar days in
the year. For the year ended December 31, 2022, UNG’s average daily total net assets were $470,764,283.
Breakeven Analysis
The breakeven
analysis below indicates the approximate dollar returns and percentage required for the redemption value of a hypothetical initial investment
in a single share to equal the amount invested twelve months after the investment was made. For purposes of this breakeven analysis,
we have assumed an initial selling price of $9.07 per share, which equals the NAV per share on February 28, 2023. In order for a hypothetical
investment in shares to break even over the next 12 months, assuming a selling price of $9.07 per share, the investment would have to
generate a 0.00% return or $0.00.
This breakeven
analysis refers to the redemption of baskets by Authorized Participants and is not related to any gains an individual investor would
have to achieve in order to break even. The breakeven analysis is an approximation only. As used in this table, (i) Professional Expenses
include expenses for legal, audit, tax accounting and printing; and (ii) Independent Director and Officer Expenses include amounts paid
to independent directors and for officers’ liability insurance. You should note that you may pay brokerage commissions on purchases
and sales of UNG’s shares, which are not reflected in the table; however, UNG’s brokerage fees and commissions are included
(those costs associated with rolling futures contracts).
Assumed initial selling price per share(1) | |
$ | 9.07 | |
Management Fees (0.600%)(2) | |
$ | 0.054 | |
Creation Basket Fee (0.010%)(3) | |
$ | (0.001 | ) |
Estimated Brokerage Fee (0.149%)(4) | |
$ | 0.014 | |
Interest Income (1.5445)(5) | |
$ | (0.14 | ) |
Registration Fee (0.000%)(6) | |
$ | 0.00 | |
NYMEX Licensing Fee (0.015%)(7) | |
$ | 0.001 | |
Independent Director and Officer Expenses (0.023%)(8) | |
$ | 0.002 | |
Professional Expenses (0.273%)(9) | |
$ | 0.025 | |
Amount of trading income (loss) required for the redemption value at the end of one year to equal the initial selling price of the share | |
$ | 0.00 | |
Percentage of initial selling price per share | |
| 0 | % |
(1) | In
order to show how a hypothetical investment in shares would break even over the next 12 months,
this breakeven analysis uses an assumed initial selling price of $9.07 per share, which is
based on the NAV per share for UNG at the close of trading on February 28, 2023. Investors
should note that, because UNG’s NAV changes on a daily basis, the breakeven amount
on any given day could be higher or lower than the amount reflected here. |
(2) | UNG
is contractually obligated to pay USCF a management fee of 0.600% per annum on its average
total net assets. “Average total net assets” are the sum of the daily total net
assets of UNG (the NAV of UNG calculated as set forth in “Calculating Per Share NAV”
beginning on page 70) divided by the number of calendar days in the year. On days when markets
are closed, the daily total net assets are the daily total net assets from the last day when
the market was open. See page 6 for a discussion of net assets of UNG. |
(3) | Authorized
Participants are required to pay a Creation Basket fee of $1,000 for each order they place
to create one or more baskets. This breakeven analysis assumes a hypothetical investment
in a single share, which would equal the $1,000 Creation Basket fee divided by the total
number of outstanding shares plus the 100,000 shares created by the Creation Basket. This
calculation will always result in a value that is below 0.010%, but for purposes of this
breakeven analysis we assume a creation basket fee of 0.010%. |
(4) | This
amount is based on the actual brokerage fees for UNG calculated on an annualized basis and
includes an estimated half-turn commission of $3.50. A half-turn commission is the commissions
liability related to FCM transaction fees for futures contracts on a half-turn basis. |
(5) | For
the year ended December 31, 2022, UNG’s dividend and interest income earned in its
Treasuries, cash, and/or cash equivalent, annualized based on its average daily total net
assets was 1.5445%. |
(6) | UNG
pays fees to the SEC to register its shares for sale. This amount is based on actual registration
fees for UNG calculated on an annualized basis. This fee may vary in the future. |
(7) | The
NYMEX Licensing Fee is 0.015% of the aggregate net assets of UNG and the Related Public Funds,
except BNO, USCI, and CPER. For more information, see “UNG’s Fees and Expenses.” |
(8) | Independent
Director and Officer Expenses include amounts paid to independent directors and for officers’
liability insurance. The foregoing assumes that the average total net assets of UNG as of
December 31, 2022, which were $470,764,283, were aggregated with the average total net assets
of the Related Public Funds as of December 31, 2022, that the aggregate fees paid to the
independent directors for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $1,258,000 and that the allocable
portion of the fees borne by UNG based on the proportion of its average total net assets
when aggregated with the average total net assets of the Related Public Funds equals $106,413. |
(9) | Professional
Expenses include expenses for legal, audit, tax accounting and printing. UNG’s costs
attributable to Professional Expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 is $922,743. The
number in the break-even table assumes UNG had $470,764,283 in average daily total net assets
during the calendar year ended December 31, 2022. |
Conflicts of Interest
There are present
and potential future conflicts of interest in UNG’s structure and operation you should consider before you purchase shares. USCF
will use this notice of conflicts as a defense against any claim or other proceeding made. If USCF is not able to resolve these conflicts
of interest adequately, it may impact UNG’s and the Related Public Funds’ ability to achieve their investment objectives.
UNG and USCF
may have inherent conflicts to the extent USCF attempts to maintain UNG’s asset size in order to preserve its fee income and this
may not always be consistent with UNG’s objective of having the value of its share’s NAV track changes in the price of the
Benchmark Futures Contract.
USCF’s
officers, directors and employees, do not devote their time exclusively to UNG. These persons are directors, officers or employees of
other entities which may compete with UNG for their services. They could have a conflict between their responsibilities to UNG and to
those other entities.
USCF has adopted
policies that prohibit their principals, officers, directors and employees from trading futures and related contracts in which either
UNG or any of the Related Public Funds invests. These policies are intended to prevent conflicts of interest occurring where USCF, or
their principals, officers, directors or employees could give preferential treatment to their own accounts or trade their own accounts
ahead of or against UNG or any of the Related Public Funds.
USCF has sole
current authority to manage the investments and operations of UNG, and this may allow it to act in a way that furthers its own interests
which may create a conflict with your best interests. Limited partners have limited voting control, which will limit their ability to
influence matters such as amendment of the LP Agreement, change in UNG’s basic investment policy, dissolution of UNG, or the sale
or distribution of UNG’s assets.
USCF serves
as the general partner or sponsor to each of UNG and the Related Public Funds. USCF may have a conflict to the extent that its trading
decisions for UNG may be influenced by the effect they would have on the other funds it manages. By way of example, if, as a result of
reaching position limits imposed by the NYMEX, UNG purchased natural gas futures contracts, this decision could impact UNG’s ability
to purchase additional natural gas futures contracts if the number of contracts held by funds managed by USCF reached the maximum allowed
by the NYMEX. Similar situations could adversely affect the ability of any fund to track its benchmark futures contract.
In addition,
USCF is required to indemnify the officers and directors of UNG and the Related Public Funds, if the need for indemnification arises.
This potential indemnification will cause USCF’s assets to decrease. If USCF’s other sources of income are not sufficient
to compensate for the indemnification, then USCF may terminate and you could lose your investment.
Whenever a conflict
of interest exists or arises between USCF on the one hand, and the partnership or any limited partner, on the other hand, any resolution
or course of action by USCF in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by all partners and shall
not constitute a breach of the LP Agreement or of any agreement contemplated hereby or of a duty stated or implied by law or equity,
if the resolution or course of action is, or by operation of the LP Agreement is deemed to be, fair and reasonable to the partnership.
If a dispute arises, under the LP Agreement it will be resolved either through negotiations with USCF or by courts located in the State
of Delaware.
Under the LP
Agreement, any resolution is deemed to be fair and reasonable to the partnership if the resolution is:
| · | approved
by the audit committee, although no party is obligated to seek approval and USCF may adopt
a resolution or course of action that has not received approval; |
| · | on
terms no less favorable to the limited partners than those generally being provided to or
available from unrelated third parties; or |
| · | fair to the limited partners, taking into account the totality of the relationships of the parties involved including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to the limited partners. |
The previous
risk factors and conflicts of interest are complete as of the date of this prospectus; however, additional risks and conflicts may occur
which are not presently foreseen by USCF. You may not construe this prospectus as legal or tax advice. Before making an investment in
UNG, you should read this entire prospectus, including the LP Agreement which can be found on UNG’s website at www.uscfinvestments.com.
You should also consult with your personal legal, tax, and other professional advisors.
Interests of Named Experts and
Counsel
USCF has employed
Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP to prepare this prospectus. Neither the law firm nor any other expert hired by UNG to give advice on the
preparation of this offering document has been hired on a contingent fee basis. None of them have any present or future expectation of
interest in USCF, Marketing Agent, Authorized Participants, Custodian, Administrator or other service providers to UNG.
Ownership or Beneficial Interest
in UNG
As of February
28, 2023, neither USCF nor any of the directors or executive officers of USCF own any shares of UNG.
USCF’s Responsibilities
and Remedies
Pursuant to
the DRULPA (“Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act”), parties may contractually modify or even eliminate fiduciary
duties in a limited partnership agreement to the limited partnership itself, or to another partner or person otherwise bound by the limited
partnership agreement. Parties may not, however, eliminate the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Where parties unambiguously
provide for fiduciary duties in a limited partnership agreement, those expressed duties become the standard that courts will use to determine
whether such duties were breached. For this reason, the LP Agreement does not explicitly provide for any fiduciary duties so that common
law fiduciary duty principles will apply to measure USCF’s conduct.
A prospective
investor should be aware that USCF has a responsibility to limited partners of UNG to exercise good faith and fairness in all dealings.
The fiduciary responsibility of USCF to limited partners is a developing and changing area of the law and limited partners who have questions
concerning the duties of USCF should consult with their counsel. In the event that a limited partner of UNG believes that USCF has violated
its fiduciary duty to the limited partners, he may seek legal relief individually or on behalf of UNG under applicable laws, including
under DRULPA and under commodities laws, to recover damages from or require an accounting by USCF. Limited partners may also have the
right, subject to applicable procedural and jurisdictional requirements, to bring class actions in federal court to enforce their rights
under the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the SEC. Limited partners who have suffered
losses in connection with the purchase or sale of the shares may be able to recover such losses from USCF where the losses result from
a violation by USCF of the federal securities laws. State securities laws may also provide certain remedies to limited partners. Limited
partners should be aware that performance by USCF of its fiduciary duty is measured by the terms of the LP Agreement as well as applicable
law. Limited partners are afforded certain rights to institute reparations proceedings under the CEA for violations of the CEA or of
any rule, regulation or order of the CFTC by USCF.
Liability and Indemnification
Under the LP
Agreement, neither a general partner nor any employee or other agent of UNG nor any officer, director, stockholder, partner, employee
or agent of a general partner (a “Protected Person”) shall be liable to any partner or UNG for any mistake of judgment or
for any action or inaction taken, nor for any losses due to any mistake of judgment or to any action or inaction or to the negligence,
dishonesty or bad faith of any officer, director, stockholder, partner, employee, agent of UNG or any officer, director, stockholder,
partner, employee or agent of such general partner, provided that such officer, director, stockholder, partner, employee, or agent of
the partner or officer, director, stockholder, partner, employee or agent of such general partner was selected, engaged or retained by
such general partner with reasonable care, except with respect to any matter as to which such general partner shall have been finally
adjudicated in any action, suit or other proceeding not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that such Protected Person’s
action was in the best interests of UNG and except that no Protected Person shall be relieved of any liability to which such Protected
Person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in
the conduct of the Protected Person’s office.
UNG shall, to
the fullest extent permitted by law, but only out of UNG assets, indemnify and hold harmless a general partner and each officer, director,
stockholder, partner, employee or agent thereof (including persons who serve at UNG’s request as directors, officers or trustees
of another organization in which UNG has an interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise) and their respective Legal Representatives
and successors (hereinafter referred to as a “Covered Person”) against all liabilities and expenses, including but not limited
to amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and counsel fees reasonably incurred by any Covered
Person in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceedings, whether civil or criminal, before any
court or administrative or legislative body, in which such Covered Person may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise or
with which such person may be or may have been threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason of an alleged act or omission as
a general partner or director or officer thereof, or by reason of its being or having been such a general partner, director or officer,
except with respect to any matter as to which such Covered Person shall have been finally adjudicated in any such action, suit or other
proceeding not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that such Covered Person’s action was in the best interest
of UNG, and except that no Covered Person shall be indemnified against any liability to UNG or limited partners to which such Covered
Person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved
in the conduct of such Covered Person’s office. Expenses, including counsel fees so incurred by any such Covered Person, may be
paid from time to time by UNG in advance of the final disposition of any such action, suit or proceeding on the condition that the amounts
so paid shall be repaid to UNG if it is ultimately determined that the indemnification of such expenses is not authorized hereunder.
Meetings
Meetings of
limited partners may be called by USCF and may be called by it upon the written request of limited partners holding at least 20% of the
outstanding shares of UNG. USCF shall deposit written notice to all limited partners of the meeting and the purpose of the meeting, which
shall be held on a date not less than 30 nor more than 60 days after the date of mailing of such notice, at a reasonable time and place.
USCF may also call a meeting upon not less than 20 and not more than 60 days prior notice.
Each limited
partner appoints USCF and each of its authorized officers as its attorney-in-fact with full power and authority in its name, place and
stead to execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record all ballots, consents, approval waivers, certificates and other instruments
necessary or appropriate, in the sole discretion of USCF, to make, evidence, give, confirm or ratify any vote, consent, approval, agreement
or other action that is made or given by the partner of UNG. However, when the LP Agreement establishes a percentage of the limited partners
required to take any action, USCF may exercise such power of attorney made only after the necessary vote, consent or approval of the
limited partners.
Termination Events
UNG will dissolve
at any time upon the happening of any of the following events:
| · | The bankruptcy, dissolution, withdrawal, or removal of USCF, unless a majority in interest of the limited partners within 90 days after such event elects to continue UNG and appoints a successor general partner; or |
| · | The affirmative vote of a majority in interest of the limited partners, provided that prior to or concurrently with such vote, there shall have been established procedures for the assumption of UNG’s obligations arising under any agreement to which UNG is a party and which is still in force immediately prior to such vote regarding termination, and there shall have been an irrevocable appointment of an agent who shall be empowered to give and receive notices, reports and payments under such agreements, and hold and exercise such other powers as are necessary to permit all other parties to such agreements to deal with such agent as if the agent were the sole owner of UNG’s interest, which procedures are agreed to in writing by each of the other parties to such agreements. |
Provisions of Law
According to
applicable law, indemnification of USCF is payable only if USCF determined, in good faith, that the act, omission or conduct that gave
rise to the claim for indemnification was in the best interest of UNG and the act, omission or activity that was the basis for such loss,
liability, damage, cost or expense was not the result of negligence or misconduct and such liability or loss was not the result of negligence
or misconduct by USCF, and such indemnification or agreement to hold harmless is recoverable only out of the assets of UNG and not from
the members, individually.
Provisions of Federal and State
Securities Laws
This offering
is made pursuant to federal and applicable state securities laws. The SEC and state securities agencies take the position that indemnification
of USCF that arises out of an alleged violation of such laws is prohibited unless certain conditions are met.
Those conditions
require that no indemnification of USCF or any underwriter for UNG may be made in respect of any losses, liabilities or expenses arising
from or out of an alleged violation of federal or state securities laws unless: (i) there has been a successful adjudication on the merits
of each count involving alleged securities law violations as to the party seeking indemnification and the court approves the indemnification;
(ii) such claim has been dismissed with prejudice on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction as to the party seeking indemnification;
or (iii) a court of competent jurisdiction approves a settlement of the claims against the party seeking indemnification and finds that
indemnification of the settlement and related costs should be made, provided that, before seeking such approval, USCF or other indemnitee
must apprise the court of the position held by regulatory agencies against such indemnification. These agencies are the SEC and the securities
administrator of the State or States in which the plaintiffs claim they were offered or sold membership interests.
Provisions of the 1933 Act
and NASAA Guidelines
Insofar as indemnification
for liabilities arising under the 1933 Act may be permitted to USCF or its directors, officers, or persons controlling UNG, UNG has been
informed that the SEC and the various state administrators believe that such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in
the 1933 Act and the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc. (“NASAA”) commodity pool guidelines and is
therefore unenforceable.
Books and Records
UNG keeps its
books of record and account at the office of USCF located at 1850 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Suite 640, Walnut Creek, California 94596 or
at the offices of the Administrator located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York, 10286, or such office, including of an administrative
agent, as it may subsequently designate upon notice. These books and records are open to inspection by any person who establishes to
UNG’s satisfaction that such person is a limited partner upon reasonable advance notice at all reasonable times during the usual
business hours of UNG.
UNG keeps a
copy of the LP Agreement on file in its office which is available for inspection on reasonable advance notice at all reasonable times
during its usual business hours by any limited partner.
Statements, Filings, and Reports
At the end of
each fiscal year, UNG will furnish to banks, broker dealers and trust companies (“DTC Participants”) for distribution to
each person who is a shareholder at the end of the fiscal year an annual report containing UNG’s audited financial statements and
other information about UNG. USCF is responsible for the registration and qualification of the shares under the federal securities laws
and federal commodities laws and any other securities and blue-sky laws of the United States or any other jurisdiction as USCF may select.
USCF is responsible for preparing all reports required by the SEC, CFTC, and the NYSE Arca, but has entered into an agreement with the
Administrator to prepare these reports as required by the SEC, CFTC and the NYSE Arca on UNG’s behalf.
The financial
statements of UNG will be audited, as required by law and as may be directed by USCF, by an independent registered public accounting
firm designated from time to time by USCF. The accountants report will be furnished by UNG to shareholders upon request. UNG will make
such elections, file such tax returns, and prepare, disseminate and file such tax reports, as it is advised by its counsel or accountants
are from time to time required by any applicable statute, rule or regulation.
Reports to Limited Partners
In addition
to periodic reports filed with the SEC, including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on
Form 8-K, all of which can be accessed on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or on UNG’s website at www.uscfinvestments.com,
UNG, pursuant to the LP Agreement, will provide the following reports to limited partners in the manner prescribed below:
Annual Reports.
Within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, USCF shall cause to be delivered to each limited partner who was a limited partner
at any time during the fiscal year, an annual report containing the following:
| (i) | financial
statements of the partnership, including, without limitation, a balance sheet as of the end
of the partnership’s fiscal year and statements of income, partners’ equity and
changes in financial position, for such fiscal year, which shall be prepared in accordance
with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America consistently
applied and shall be audited by a firm of independent certified public accountants registered
with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, |
| (ii) | a
general description of the activities of the partnership during the period covered by the
report, and |
| (iii) | a
report of any material transactions between the partnership and USCF or any of its affiliates,
including fees or compensation paid by the partnership and the services performed by USCF
or any such affiliate for such fees or compensation. |
Quarterly
Reports. Within 45 days after the end of each quarter of each fiscal year, USCF shall cause to be delivered to each limited partner
who was a limited partner at any time during the quarter then ended, a quarterly report containing a balance sheet and statement of income
for the period covered by the report, each of which may be unaudited but shall be certified by USCF as fairly presenting the financial
position and results of operations of the partnership during the period covered by the report. The report shall also contain a description
of any material event regarding the business of the partnership during the period covered by the report.
Monthly Reports.
Within 30 days after the end of each month, USCF shall cause to be posted on its website and, upon request, to be delivered to each
limited partner who was a limited partner at any time during the month then ended, a monthly report containing an account statement,
which will include a statement of income (loss) and a statement of changes in NAV, for the prescribed period. In addition, the account
statement will disclose any material business dealings between the partnership, USCF, commodity trading advisor (if any), FCMs, or the
principals thereof that previously have not been disclosed in this prospectus or any amendment thereto, other account statements or annual
reports.
UNG will provide
information to its shareholders to the extent required by applicable SEC, CFTC, and NYSE Arca requirements. An issuer, such as UNG, of
exchange-traded securities may not always readily know the identities of the investors who own those securities. UNG will post the same
information that would otherwise be provided in UNG’s reports to limited partners described above including its monthly account
statements, which will include, without limitation, UNG’s NAV, on UNG’s website at www.uscfinvestments.com.
Fiscal Year
The fiscal year
of UNG is the calendar year. USCF may select an alternate fiscal year.
Governing Law; Consent to Delaware
Jurisdiction
The rights of
USCF, UNG, DTC (as registered owner of UNG’s global certificate for shares) and the shareholders, are governed by the laws of the
State of Delaware. USCF, UNG and DTC and, by accepting shares, each DTC Participant and each shareholder, consent to the jurisdiction
of the courts of the State of Delaware and any federal courts located in Delaware. Such consent is not required for any person to assert
a claim of Delaware jurisdiction over USCF or UNG.
Legal Matters
Litigation and Claims
From time to
time, UNG may be involved in legal proceedings arising primarily from the ordinary course of its business. UNG is not currently party
to any material legal proceedings. In addition, USCF, as the general partner of UNG and the Related Public Funds may, from time to time,
be involved in litigation arising out of its operations in the ordinary course of business. Except as described herein, USCF is not currently
party to any material legal proceedings.
Optimum Strategies Action
On April 6,
2022, USO and USCF were named as defendants in an action filed by Optimum Strategies Fund I, LP, a purported investor in call option
contracts on USO (the “Optimum Strategies Action”). The action is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of
Connecticut at Civil Action No. 3:22-cv-00511.
The Optimum
Strategies Action asserts claims under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), Rule 10b-5 thereunder,
and the Connecticut Uniform Securities Act (“CUSA”). It purports to challenge statements in registration statements that
became effective in February 2020, March 2020, and on April 20, 2020, as well as public statements between February 2020 and May 2020,
in connection with certain extraordinary market conditions and the attendant risks that caused the demand for oil to fall precipitously,
including the COVID-19 global pandemic and the Saudi Arabia-Russia oil price war. The complaint seeks damages, interest, costs, attorney’s
fees, and equitable relief.
USCF and USO
intend to vigorously contest such claims and have moved for their dismissal. On March 15, 2023, the Court issued a decision granting
defendants’ motion to dismiss, with prejudice as to the Exchange Act claims and without prejudice as to the CUSA claim.
Settlement of SEC and CFTC Investigations
On November
8, 2021, USCF and USO announced a resolution with each of the SEC and the CFTC relating to matters set forth in certain Wells Notices
issued by the staffs of each of the SEC and CFTC as more fully described below. On August 17, 2020, USCF, USO, and John Love received
a “Wells Notice” from the staff of the SEC (the “SEC Wells Notice”). The SEC Wells Notice stated that the SEC
staff made a preliminary determination to recommend that the SEC file an enforcement action against USCF, USO, and Mr. Love alleging
violations of Sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and Section 10(b)
of the 1934 Act, and Rule 10b-5 thereunder.
Subsequently,
on August 19, 2020, USCF, USO, and Mr. Love received a Wells Notice from the staff of the CFTC (the “CFTC Wells Notice”).
The CFTC Wells Notice stated that the CFTC staff made a preliminary determination to recommend that the CFTC file an enforcement action
against USCF, USO, and Mr. Love alleging violations of Sections 4o(1)(A) and (B) and 6(c)(1) of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, as
amended (the “CEA”), 7 U.S.C. §§ 6o(1)(A) and (B) and 9(1) (2018), and CFTC Regulations 4.26, 4.41, and 180.1(a),
17 C.F.R. §§ 4.26, 4.41, 180.1(a) (2019).
On November
8, 2021, acting pursuant to an offer of settlement submitted by USCF and USO, the SEC issued an order instituting cease-and-desist proceedings,
making findings, and imposing a cease-and-desist order pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act, directing USCF and USO to cease and desist
from committing or causing any violations of Section 17(a)(3) of the 1933 Act, 15 U.S.C. § 77q(a)(3) (the “SEC Order”).
In the SEC Order, the SEC made findings that, from April 24, 2020 to May 21, 2020, USCF and USO violated Section 17(a)(3) of 1933 Act,
which provides that it is “unlawful for any person in the offer or sale of any securities to engage in any transaction, practice,
or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon the purchaser.” USCF and USO consented to entry
of the SEC Order without admitting or denying the findings contained therein, except as to jurisdiction.
Separately,
on November 8, 2021, acting pursuant to an offer of settlement submitted by USCF, the CFTC issued an order instituting cease-and-desist
proceedings, making findings, and imposing a cease-and-desist order pursuant to Section 6(c) and (d) of the CEA, directing USCF to cease
and desist from committing or causing any violations of Section 4o(1)(B) of the CEA, 7 U.S.C. § 6o(1) (B), and CFTC Regulation 4.41(a)(2),
17 C.F.R. § 4.41(a)(2) (the “CFTC Order”). In the CFTC Order, the CFTC made findings that, from on or about April 22,
2020 to June 12, 2020, USCF violated Section 4o(1)(B) of the CEA and CFTC Regulation 4.41(a)(2), which make it unlawful for any commodity
pool operator (“CPO”) to engage in “any transaction, practice, or course of business which operates as a fraud or deceit
upon any client or participant or prospective client or participant” and prohibit a CPO from advertising in a manner which “operates
as a fraud or deceit upon any client or participant or prospective client or participant,” respectively. USCF consented to entry
of the CFTC Order without admitting or denying the findings contained therein, except as to jurisdiction.
Pursuant to
the SEC Order and the CFTC Order, in addition to the command to cease and desist from committing or causing any violations of Section
17(a)(3) of the 1933 Act, Section 4o(1)(B) of the CEA, and CFTC Regulation 4.14(a)(2), civil monetary penalties totaling two million
five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) in the aggregate were required to be paid to the SEC and CFTC, of which one million two hundred
fifty thousand dollars ($1,250,000) was paid by USCF to each of the SEC and the CFTC, respectively, pursuant to the offsets permitted
under the orders.
In re: United States Oil Fund,
LP Securities Litigation
On June 19,
2020, USCF, USO, John P. Love, and Stuart P. Crumbaugh were named as defendants in a putative class action filed by purported shareholder
Robert Lucas (the “Lucas Class Action”). The Court thereafter consolidated the Lucas Class Action with two related putative
class actions filed on July 31, 2020 and August 13, 2020, and appointed a lead plaintiff. The consolidated class action is pending in
the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York under the caption In re: United States Oil Fund, LP Securities Litigation,
Civil Action No. 1:20-cv-04740.
On November
30, 2020, the lead plaintiff filed an amended complaint (the “Amended Lucas Class Complaint”). The Amended Lucas Class Complaint
asserts claims under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, and Rule 10b-5. The Amended Lucas Class Complaint challenges statements in registration
statements that became effective on February 25, 2020 and March 23, 2020 as well as subsequent public statements through April 2020 concerning
certain extraordinary market conditions and the attendant risks that caused the demand for oil to fall precipitously, including the COVID-19
global pandemic and the Saudi Arabia-Russia oil price war. The Amended Lucas Class Complaint purports to have been brought by an investor
in USO on behalf of a class of similarly-situated shareholders who purchased USO securities between February 25, 2020 and April 28, 2020
and pursuant to the challenged registration statements. The Amended Lucas Class Complaint seeks to certify a class and to award the class
compensatory damages at an amount to be determined at trial as well as costs and attorney’s fees. The Amended Lucas Class Complaint
named as defendants USCF, USO, John P. Love, Stuart P. Crumbaugh, Nicholas D. Gerber, Andrew F Ngim, Robert L. Nguyen, Peter M. Robinson,
Gordon L. Ellis, and Malcolm R. Fobes III, as well as the marketing agent, ALPS Distributors, Inc., and the Authorized Participants:
ABN Amro, BNP Paribas Securities Corporation, Citadel Securities LLC, Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., Credit Suisse Securities USA LLC,
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Goldman Sachs & Company, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corporation,
Morgan Stanley & Company Inc., Nomura Securities International Inc., RBC Capital Markets LLC, SG Americas Securities LLC, UBS Securities
LLC, and Virtu Financial BD LLC.
The lead plaintiff
has filed a notice of voluntary dismissal of its claims against BNP Paribas Securities Corporation, Citadel Securities LLC, Citigroup
Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities USA LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Company, Inc., Nomura Securities
International, Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC, SG Americas Securities LLC, and UBS Securities LLC.
USCF, USO, and
the individual defendants in In re: United States Oil Fund, LP Securities Litigation intend to vigorously contest such claims
and have moved for their dismissal.
Wang Class Action
On July 10,
2020, purported shareholder Momo Wang filed a putative class action complaint, individually and on behalf of others similarly situated,
against defendants USO, USCF, John P. Love, Stuart P. Crumbaugh, Nicholas D. Gerber, Andrew F Ngim, Robert L. Nguyen, Peter M. Robinson,
Gordon L. Ellis, Malcolm R. Fobes, III, ABN Amro, BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citadel Securities LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc.,
Credit Suisse Securities USA LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Goldman Sachs & Company, JP Morgan Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch
Professional Clearing Corp., Morgan Stanley & Company Inc., Nomura Securities International Inc., RBC Capital Markets LLC, SG Americas
Securities LLC, UBS Securities LLC, and Virtu Financial BD LLC, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California as
Civil Action No. 3:20-cv-4596 (the “Wang Class Action”).
The Wang Class
Action asserted federal securities claims under the 1933 Act, challenging disclosures in a March 19, 2020 registration statement. It
alleged that the defendants failed to disclose to investors in USO certain extraordinary market conditions and the attendant risks that
caused the demand for oil to fall precipitously, including the COVID-19 global pandemic and the Saudi Arabia-Russia oil price war. The
Wang Class Action was voluntarily dismissed on August 4, 2020.
Mehan Action
On August 10,
2020, purported shareholder Darshan Mehan filed a derivative action on behalf of nominal defendant USO, against defendants USCF, John
P. Love, Stuart P. Crumbaugh, Nicholas D. Gerber, Andrew F Ngim, Robert L. Nguyen, Peter M. Robinson, Gordon L. Ellis, and Malcolm R.
Fobes, III (the “Mehan Action”). The action is pending in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of
Alameda as Case No. RG20070732.
The Mehan Action
alleges that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties to USO and failed to act in good faith in connection with a March 19, 2020
registration statement and offering and disclosures regarding certain extraordinary market conditions that caused demand for oil to fall
precipitously, including the COVID-19 global pandemic and the Saudi Arabia-Russia oil price war. The complaint seeks, on behalf of USO,
compensatory damages, restitution, equitable relief, attorney’s fees, and costs. All proceedings in the Mehan Action are stayed
pending disposition of the motion(s) to dismiss in In re: United States Oil Fund, LP Securities Litigation.
USCF, USO, and
the other defendants intend to vigorously contest such claims.
In re United States Oil Fund,
LP Derivative Litigation
On August 27,
2020, purported shareholders Michael Cantrell and AML Pharm. Inc. DBA Golden International filed two separate derivative actions on behalf
of nominal defendant USO, against defendants USCF, John P. Love, Stuart P. Crumbaugh, Andrew F Ngim, Gordon L. Ellis, Malcolm R. Fobes,
III, Nicholas D. Gerber, Robert L. Nguyen, and Peter M. Robinson in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York at
Civil Action No. 1:20-cv-06974 (the “Cantrell Action”) and Civil Action No. 1:20-cv-06981 (the “AML Action”),
respectively.
The complaints
in the Cantrell and AML Actions are nearly identical. They each allege violations of Sections 10(b), 20(a) and 21D of the 1934 Act, Rule
10b-5 thereunder, and common law claims of breach of fiduciary duties, unjust enrichment, abuse of control, gross mismanagement, and
waste of corporate assets. These allegations stem from USO’s disclosures and defendants’ alleged actions in light of the
extraordinary market conditions in 2020 that caused demand for oil to fall precipitously, including the COVID-19 global pandemic and
the Saudi Arabia-Russia oil price war. The complaints seek, on behalf of USO, compensatory damages, restitution, equitable relief, attorney’s
fees, and costs. The plaintiffs in the Cantrell and AML Actions have marked their actions as related to the Lucas Class Action.
The Court consolidated
the Cantrell and AML Actions under the caption In re United States Oil Fund, LP Derivative Litigation, Civil Action No. 1:20-cv-06974
and appointed co-lead counsel. All proceedings in In re United States Oil Fund, LP Derivative Litigation are stayed pending disposition
of the motion(s) to dismiss in In re: United States Oil Fund, LP Securities Litigation.
USCF, USO, and
the other defendants intend to vigorously contest the claims in In re United States Oil Fund, LP Derivative Litigation.
Legal Opinion
Eversheds Sutherland
(US) LLP is counsel to and advises UNG and USCF with respect to the shares being offered hereby and has passed upon the validity of the
shares being issued hereunder. Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP has also provided USCF with its opinion with respect to federal income tax
matters addressed herein.
Experts
Spicer Jeffries
LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, has audited the statements of financial condition of UNG as of December 31, 2022
and December 31, 2021, including the schedule of investments as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, and the related statements
of operations, changes in partners’ capital and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, that appear in
the annual report on Form 10-K that is incorporated by reference. The financial statements of UNG in the Form 10-K were included therein
in reliance upon the report of Spicer Jeffries LLP dated March 1, 2023, given on its authority of such firm as experts in accounting
and auditing.
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax
Considerations
The following
discussion summarizes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares in UNG,
and the U.S. federal income tax treatment of UNG, as of the date hereof. In general, this discussion is applicable to a shareholder who
holds its shares as a capital asset. This summary does not purport to be a complete description of the income tax considerations applicable
to an investment in shares. For example, we have not described tax consequences that may be relevant to certain types of shareholders
subject to special treatment under United States federal income tax laws, including dealers or traders in securities, commodities, or
currencies, financial institutions, tax-exempt entities, insurance companies, persons holding shares as a part of a position in a “straddle”
or as part of a “hedging,” “conversion” or other integrated transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes,
or holders of shares whose “functional currency” is not the U.S. dollar.
Furthermore,
the discussion below is based upon the provisions of the Code and U.S. Treasury Regulations, rulings and judicial decisions thereunder
as of the date hereof, and such authorities may be repealed, revoked or modified (possibly with retroactive effect) so as to result in
U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below.
Investors considering
the purchase, ownership or disposition of shares should consult their own tax advisors concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences
in light of their particular situations as well as any consequences arising under the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.
As used herein,
a “U.S. shareholder” is a beneficial owner of a share that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes: (i) an individual who
is a citizen or resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation) created or organized in
or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia; (iii) an estate the income of which is subject
to U.S. federal income tax, regardless of its source; or (iv) a trust (x) the administration of which is subject to the primary supervision
of a U.S. court and one or more “United States persons” (within the meaning of the Code) have the authority to control all
substantial decisions of the trust, or (y) that has made a valid election under applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations to be treated as
a “United States person” (within the meaning of the Code). A “non-U.S. shareholder” generally is a beneficial
owner of a share that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor a partnership (or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership) for U.S.
federal income tax purposes. If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes)
holds our shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities
of the partnership. A partnership, or a partner of a partnership, holding our shares should consult his, her, or its own tax advisor
regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in our shares.
USCF, on behalf
of UNG, has received the opinion of Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, counsel to UNG, that the material U.S. federal income tax consequences
to UNG and to U.S. shareholders and non-U.S. shareholders will be as described below. In rendering its opinion, Eversheds Sutherland
(US) LLP has relied on the facts and assumptions described in this prospectus as well as certain factual representations made by UNG
and USCF. The opinion of Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP is not binding on the IRS, and as a result, the IRS may not agree with the U.S.
federal income tax positions taken by UNG. If challenged by the IRS, UNG’s U.S. federal income tax positions might not be sustained
by the courts. No ruling has been requested from the IRS with respect to any matter affecting UNG or prospective investors.
INVESTORS CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE
OF SHARES SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS
AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN LAWS, AND TAX TREATIES.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Status
of UNG
UNG is organized
and operated as a limited partnership in accordance with the provisions of the LP Agreement and applicable state law, and is treated
as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, the trading of shares on the NYSE Arca will cause UNG to be classified
as a “publicly traded partnership” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under the Code, a publicly traded partnership generally
is taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Code provides an exception to this general rule for a publicly
traded partnership whose gross income for each taxable year of its existence consists of at least 90% “qualifying income”
(the “qualifying income exception”). For this purpose, Code section 7704 defines “qualifying income” as including,
in pertinent part, interest (other than from a financial business), dividends and gains from the sale or disposition of capital assets
held for the production of interest or dividends. In addition, in the case of a partnership a principal activity of which is the buying
and selling of commodities (other than as inventory) or of futures, forwards and options with respect to commodities, “qualifying
income” includes income and gain from such commodities and futures, forwards and options with respect to commodities. UNG and USCF
have represented, among other items, the following to Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP:
| · | At
least 90% of UNG’s gross income for each taxable year will constitute “qualifying
income” within the meaning of Code section 7704 (as described above); |
| · | UNG
is organized and operated in accordance with its governing agreements and applicable law; |
| · | UNG
(i) has not registered, and will not register, under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended, as a management company or unit investment trust, and (ii) has not elected, and
will not elect, to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended; |
| · | UNG
has not elected, and will not elect, to be classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income
tax purposes. |
Based in part
on these representations, Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP is of the opinion that UNG will be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal
income tax purposes and that it is not taxable as a corporation for such purposes. UNG’s taxation as a partnership rather than
a corporation will require USCF to conduct UNG’s business activities in such a manner that it satisfies the qualifying income exception
on a continuing basis. No assurance can be given that UNG’s operations for any given year will produce income that satisfies the
requirements of the qualifying income exception. Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP will not review UNG’s ongoing compliance with these
requirements and will have no obligation to advise UNG or UNG’s shareholders in the event of any subsequent change in the facts,
representations or applicable law relied upon in reaching its opinion.
If UNG failed
to satisfy the qualifying income exception in any year, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that
is cured within a reasonable time after discovery, UNG would be taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes and would
be subject to U.S. federal income tax imposed at the corporate flat rate of 21%. In that event, shareholders would not report their share
of UNG’s income or loss on their U.S. federal income tax returns. In addition, any distributions to shareholders would be treated
as dividends to the extent of UNG’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Subject to holding period and other requirements,
any such dividend to a non-corporate distributee may be a qualified dividend that is subject to U.S. federal income tax at the lower
maximum U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to long-term capital gains, and corporate distributees may be eligible for the dividends-received
deduction. To the extent a distribution exceeded UNG’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, the distribution would be
treated as a return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in its shares and would reduce the shareholder’s
adjusted tax basis in its shares accordingly (but not below zero), and to the extent that the amount of the distribution exceeded the
shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in its shares, such excess is treated as gain from the sale or exchange of property. Accordingly,
if UNG were to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such treatment would likely have a material adverse
effect on the economic return from an investment in UNG and on the value of the shares.
The remainder
of this summary assumes that UNG is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and not taxable as a corporation.
U.S. Shareholders
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
of Ownership of Shares
Taxation
of UNG’s Income. No U.S. federal income tax is paid by UNG on its income. Instead, UNG files annual information returns, and
each U.S. shareholder is required to report on its U.S. federal income tax return its allocable share of the income, gain, loss, deduction,
and credit of UNG. For example, shareholders must take into account their share of ordinary income realized by UNG from accruals of interest
on Treasuries and other investments, and their share of gain from Natural Gas Interests. These items must be reported by the applicable
shareholder without regard to the amount (if any) of cash or property the shareholder receives as a distribution from UNG during the
taxable year. Consequently, a shareholder may be allocated income or gain by UNG but receive no cash distribution with which to pay its
tax liability resulting from the allocation, or may receive a distribution that is insufficient to pay such liability. Because USCF currently
does not intend to make distributions, it is likely that in any year UNG realizes net income and/or gain that a U.S. shareholder will
be required to pay taxes on its allocable share of such income or gain from sources other than UNG distributions.
Allocations
of UNG’s Profit and Loss. Under Code section 704, the determination of a partner’s distributive share of any item of
income, gain, loss, deduction or credit is governed by the applicable organizational document unless the allocation provided by such
document lacks “substantial economic effect.”
An allocation
that lacks substantial economic effect nonetheless will be respected if it is in accordance with the partners’ interests in the
partnership, determined by taking into account all facts and circumstances relating to the economic arrangements among the partners.
Subject to the discussion below concerning certain conventions to be used by UNG, allocations of UNG income pursuant to the LP Agreement
should be considered as having substantial economic effect or as being in accordance with a shareholder’s interest in UNG.
In general,
UNG applies a monthly closing-of-the-books convention in determining allocations of economic profit or loss to shareholders. Income,
gain, loss and deduction are determined on a monthly “mark-to-market” basis, taking into account accrued income and deductions
and realized and unrealized gains and losses for the month. Items of taxable income, deduction, gain, loss and credit recognized by UNG
for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year are allocated among holders in a manner that equitably reflects the allocation
of economic profit or loss.
Under the monthly
allocation convention used by UNG, an investor who holds a share as of the close of business on the last trading day of the previous
month will be treated for purposes of making allocations as if it owned the share throughout the current month even if such investor
disposes of such share during the current month. For example, an investor who buys a share on April 10 of a year and sells it on May
20 of the same year will be allocated all of the tax items attributable to May (because the investor is deemed to hold the share through
the last day of May) but will not be allocated any of the tax items attributable to April. The tax items attributable to that share for
April will be allocated to the person who is the actual or deemed holder of the share as of the close of business on the last trading
day of March.
Under the monthly
convention, an investor who purchases and sells a share during the same month, and therefore does not hold (and is not deemed to hold)
the share at the close of business on the last trading day of either that month or the previous month, will receive no allocations with
respect to that share for any period. Accordingly, investors may receive no allocations with respect to shares that they actually held,
or may receive allocations with respect to shares attributable to periods that they did not actually hold the shares.
By investing
in shares, a U.S. shareholder agrees that, in the absence of new legislation, regulatory or administrative guidance, or judicial rulings
to the contrary, it will file its U.S. federal income tax returns in a manner that is consistent with the monthly allocation convention
as described above and with the IRS Schedules K-1, K-3, or any successor form provided to shareholders by UNG.
UNG applies
certain conventions in determining and allocating items for tax purposes in order to reduce the complexity and costs of administration.
USCF believes that application of these conventions is consistent with the intent of the partnership provisions of the Code and the applicable
Treasury Regulations, and that the resulting allocations should have substantial economic effect or otherwise should be respected as
being in accordance with shareholders’ interests in UNG for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Code and existing U.S. Treasury
Regulations do not expressly permit adoption of these conventions, although the monthly allocation convention described above is consistent
with methods permitted under the applicable Treasury Regulations, as well as the legislative history for the provisions that require
allocations to appropriately reflect changes in ownership interests. It is possible that the IRS could successfully challenge UNG’s
allocation conventions on the ground that they do not satisfy the technical requirements of the Code or U.S. Treasury Regulations, requiring
a shareholder to report a greater or lesser share of items of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit than if our conventions were respected.
USCF is authorized to revise our allocation method to conform to the requirements of future U.S. Treasury Regulations.
The assumptions
and conventions used in making tax allocations may cause a shareholder to be allocated more or less income or loss for U.S. federal income
tax purposes than its proportionate share of the economic income or loss realized by UNG during the period it held its shares. This “mismatch”
between taxable and economic income or loss in some cases may be temporary, reversing itself in a later period when the shares are sold,
but could be permanent.
Section 754
Election. UNG has made the election permitted by section 754 of the Code, which election is irrevocable without the consent of the
IRS. The effect of this election is that, in connection with secondary market sales, UNG adjusts the purchaser’s proportionate
share of the adjusted tax basis of its assets to fair market value, as reflected in the price paid for the shares, as if the purchaser
had directly acquired an interest in our assets. The section 754 election is intended to eliminate disparities between a partner’s
adjusted tax basis in its partnership interest and its share of the adjusted tax bases of the partnership’s assets, so that the
partner’s allocable share of taxable gain or loss on a disposition of an asset will correspond to its share of the appreciation
or depreciation in the value of the asset since it acquired its interest. Depending on the price paid for shares and the adjusted tax
bases of UNG’s assets at the time of the purchase, the effect of the section 754 election on a purchaser of shares may be favorable
or unfavorable. In order to make the appropriate basis adjustments in a cost-effective manner, UNG will use certain simplifying conventions
and assumptions. It is possible the IRS will successfully assert that the conventions and assumptions applied are improper and require
different basis adjustments to be made, which could adversely affect some shareholders.
Mark-to-Market
of Certain Exchange-Traded Contracts. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, UNG generally is required to use a “mark-to-market”
method of accounting under which unrealized gains and losses on instruments constituting “section 1256 contracts” are recognized
currently. A section 1256 contract is defined as: (1) a futures contract that is traded on or subject to the rules of a national securities
exchange which is registered with the SEC, a domestic board of trade designated as a contract market by the CFTC, or any other board
of trade or exchange designated by the Secretary of the Treasury, and with respect to which the amount required to be deposited and the
amount that may be withdrawn depends on a system of “marking-to-market”; (2) a forward contract on exchange-traded foreign
currencies, where the contracts are traded in the interbank market; (3) a non-equity option traded on or subject to the rules of a qualified
board or exchange; (4) a dealer equity option; or (5) a dealer securities futures contract.
Under these
rules, section 1256 contracts held by UNG at the end of each taxable year, including for example Futures Contracts and options on Futures
Contracts traded on a U.S. exchange or board of trade or certain foreign exchanges, are treated as if they were sold for their fair market
value on the last business day of the taxable year (i.e., are “marked to market”). In addition, any gain or loss realized
from a disposition, termination, or marking-to-market of a section 1256 contract generally is treated as long-term capital gain or loss
to the extent of 60% thereof, and as short-term capital gain or loss to the extent of 40% thereof, without regard to the actual holding
period (“60 – 40 treatment”).
Many of UNG’s
Futures Contracts and some of their other commodity interests will qualify as “section 1256 contracts” under the Code. Gain
or loss recognized through disposition, termination or marking-to-market of UNG’s section 1256 contracts will be subject to 60
– 40 treatment and allocated to shareholders in accordance with the monthly allocation convention. Cleared swaps and other commodity
swaps will likely not qualify as section 1256 contracts. If a commodity swap is not treated as a section 1256 contract, any gain or loss
on the swap recognized at the time of disposition or termination will be long-term or short-term capital gain or loss depending on the
holding period of the swap.
Limitations
on Deductibility of Losses and Certain Expenses. A number of different provisions of the Code may defer or disallow the deduction
of losses or expenses allocated to you by UNG, including, but not limited to, those described below.
A shareholder’s
deduction of its allocable share of any loss of UNG is limited to the lesser of (1) the adjusted tax basis in its shares or (2) in the
case of a shareholder that is an individual or a closely held corporation, the amount which the shareholder is considered to have “at
risk” with respect to UNG’s activities. In general, the amount at risk will be your invested capital plus your share of any
recourse debt of UNG for which you are liable. Losses in excess of the lesser of (1) the adjusted tax basis in a shareholder’s
share or (2) the amount at risk, must be deferred until years in which UNG generates additional taxable income against which to offset
such carryover losses or until additional capital is placed at risk.
Noncorporate
taxpayers are permitted to deduct capital losses only to the extent of their capital gains for the taxable year plus $3,000 of other
income. Unused capital losses can be carried forward and used to offset capital gains in future years. In addition, a noncorporate taxpayer
may elect to carry back net losses on section 1256 contracts to each of the three preceding years and use them to offset section 1256
contract gains in those years, subject to certain limitations. Corporate taxpayers generally may deduct capital losses only to the extent
of capital gains, subject to special carryback and carryforward rules.
For taxable
years beginning before January 1, 2026, otherwise deductible expenses incurred by noncorporate taxpayers constituting “miscellaneous
itemized deductions,” generally including investment-related expenses (other than interest and certain other specified expenses),
are not deductible. For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, such miscellaneous itemized deductions are deductible only
to the extent they exceed 2% of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income for the year. Although the matter is not free from doubt,
UNG believes management fees it pays to USCF and other expenses it incurs will constitute investment-related expenses subject to the
miscellaneous itemized deduction limitation, rather than expenses incurred in connection with a trade or business, and will report these
expenses consistent with that interpretation. In addition, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, the Code imposes
additional limitations on the amount of certain itemized deductions allowable to individuals with adjusted gross income in excess of
certain amounts by reducing the otherwise allowable portion of such deductions by an amount equal to the lesser of:
| · | 3%
of the individual’s adjusted gross income in excess of certain threshold amounts; or |
| · | 80%
of the amount of certain itemized deductions otherwise allowable for the taxable year. |
For taxable
years beginning before January 1, 2026, noncorporate shareholders are entitled to a deduction (subject to certain limitations) equal
to their “combined qualified business income.” “Combined qualified business income” for this purpose includes
20% of a noncorporate taxpayer’s “qualified publicly traded partnership income.” In general, “qualified publicly
traded partnership income” includes a noncorporate taxpayer’s allocable share of “qualified items” of income,
gain, deduction, and loss. A “qualified item” for this purpose is an item of income, gain deduction, or loss that (1) is
effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States and (2) is includible income for the taxable year.
As discussed below, although the matter is not free from doubt, UNG believes that the activities directly conducted by UNG will not result
in UNG being engaged in a trade or business within in the United States. See “Non-U.S. Shareholders—Withholding on
Allocations and Distributions” below. As a result, we do not anticipate that any of our items of income, gain, deduction, or loss
will be reported as “qualified publicly traded partnership income” eligible for the deduction for “combined qualified
business income.” “Qualified publicly traded partnership income” also includes any gain or loss from the sale of an
interest in a partnership to the extent attributable to “unrealized receivables” or “inventory” under section
751(for a discussion of section 751, see “Tax Consequences of Disposition of Shares” below). A noncorporate taxpayer
that recognizes any gain or loss from the sale of an interest in UNG that is attributable to “unrealized receivables” or
“inventory” under section 751 should consult with such taxpayer’s tax advisor to determine whether any portion of such
gain or loss constitutes “qualified publicly traded partnership income” eligible for the deduction for “combined qualified
business income.”
A taxpayer is
generally prohibited from deducting business interest to the extent that it exceeds the sum of (i) business interest income of such taxpayer,
(ii) 30% of the adjusted taxable income of such taxpayer, plus (iii) the floor plan financing interest of such taxpayer. In the case
of partnerships, this determination is made at the partnership level. To the extent that the business income of the partnership exceeds
the amount necessary to absorb all of the partnership’s business interest, such excess amount is allocated to the partners as excess
business income, which amount may be used against any business interest of the partner (but not any other partnerships). To the extent
that the partnership has any disallowed business interest expense, such amount is allocated among the partners, reduces the partners’
adjusted tax basis in their partnership interests by their allocable shares, and is carried forward to future years. Such carryforward
may only be used as a deduction to the extent that the partnership has excess business income in the future. In the event that a partner
transfers a partnership interest with any excess business interest carryforward amounts, such amounts increase the partner’s adjusted
tax basis in its partnership interest immediately before the transfer. Although it is not free from doubt, UNG does not anticipate that
it will be treated as engaged in a trade or business. As a result, UNG does not anticipate that any portion of its interest expense (if
any) will constitute business interest or that shareholders will be allocated any excess business income as a result of holding UNG shares.
Noncorporate
shareholders generally may deduct “investment interest expense” only to the extent of their “net investment income.”
“Investment interest expense” of a shareholder will generally include any interest accrued by UNG and any interest paid or
accrued on direct borrowings by a shareholder to purchase or carry its shares, such as interest with respect to a margin account. Net
investment income generally includes gross income from property held for investment (including “portfolio income” under the
passive loss rules but not, absent an election, long-term capital gains or certain qualifying dividend income), less deductible expenses
other than interest directly connected with the production of investment income.
To the extent
that UNG allocates losses or expenses to you that must be deferred or are disallowed as a result of these or other limitations in the
Code, the U.S. Treasury Regulations thereunder, or other U.S. federal income tax authorities, you may be taxed on income in excess of
your economic income or distributions (if any) on your shares. As one example, you could be allocated and required to pay tax on your
share of interest income accrued by UNG for a particular taxable year, and in the same year be allocated a share of a capital loss that
you cannot deduct currently because you have insufficient capital gains against which to offset the loss. As another example, you could
be allocated and required to pay tax on your share of interest income and capital gain for a year, but be unable to deduct some or all
of your share of management fees and/or margin account interest incurred by you with respect to your shares. Shareholders are urged to
consult their own professional tax advisors regarding the effect of limitations under the Code, the U.S. Treasury Regulations thereunder,
and other U.S. federal income tax authorities on their ability to deduct your allocable share of UNG’s losses and expenses.
Tax Basis of Shares
A shareholder’s
adjusted tax basis in its shares is important in determining (1) the amount of taxable gain or loss it will realize on the sale or other
disposition of its shares, (2) the amount of non-taxable distributions that it may receive from UNG and (3) its ability to utilize its
distributive share of any losses of UNG on its tax return. A shareholder’s initial tax basis of its shares will equal its cost
for the shares plus its share of UNG’s liabilities (if any) at the time of purchase. In general, a shareholder’s “share”
of those liabilities will equal the sum of (i) the entire amount of any otherwise nonrecourse liability of UNG as to which the shareholder
or an affiliate is the creditor, guarantor, or otherwise bears the economic risk of loss (a “partner nonrecourse liability”)
and (ii) a pro rata share of any nonrecourse liabilities of UNG that are not partner nonrecourse liabilities as to any shareholder.
A shareholder’s
adjusted tax basis in its shares generally will be (1) increased by (a) its allocable share of UNG’s taxable income and gain and
(b) any additional contributions by the shareholder to UNG and (2) decreased (but not below zero) by (a) its allocable share of UNG’s
tax deductions and losses and (b) any distributions by UNG to the shareholder. For this purpose, a net increase in a shareholder’s
share of UNG’s liabilities will be treated as a contribution of cash by the shareholder to UNG and a net decrease in that share
will be treated as a distribution of cash by UNG to the shareholder. Pursuant to certain IRS rulings, a shareholder will be required
to maintain a single, “unified” adjusted tax basis in all shares that it owns. As a result, when a shareholder that acquired
its shares at different prices sells less than all of its shares, such shareholder will not be entitled to specify particular shares
(e.g., those with a higher adjusted tax basis) as having been sold. Rather, it must determine its gain or loss on the sale by
using an “equitable apportionment” method to allocate a portion of its unified adjusted tax basis in its shares to the shares
sold.
Treatment
of UNG Distributions. If UNG makes non-liquidating distributions to shareholders, such distributions generally will not be taxable
to the shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes except to the extent that the sum of (i) the amount of cash and (ii) the fair
market value (subject to certain exceptions and adjustments) of marketable securities distributed exceeds the shareholder’s adjusted
basis of its interest in UNG immediately before the distribution. Any cash distributions in excess of a shareholder’s adjusted
tax basis generally will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of shares.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
of Disposition of Shares
If a shareholder
sells its shares, it will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and its adjusted tax basis for the
shares sold. A shareholder’s amount realized will be the sum of the cash and the fair market value of other property received,
plus its share of any UNG debt outstanding.
Gain or loss
recognized by a shareholder on the sale or exchange of shares held for more than one year will generally be taxable as long-term capital
gain or loss; otherwise, such gain or loss will generally be taxable as short-term capital gain or loss. A special election is available
under the U.S. Treasury Regulations that will allow shareholders to identify and use the actual holding periods for the shares sold for
purposes of determining whether the gain or loss recognized on a sale of shares will give rise to long-term or short-term capital gain
or loss. It is expected that most shareholders will be eligible to elect, and generally will elect, to identify and use the actual holding
period for shares sold. If a shareholder fails to make the election or is unable to identify the holding periods of the shares sold,
the shareholder may have a split holding period in the shares sold. Under such circumstances, a shareholder will be required to determine
its holding period in the shares sold by first determining the portion of its entire interest in UNG that would give rise to long-term
capital gain or loss if its entire interest were sold and the portion that would give rise to short-term capital gain or loss if the
entire interest were sold. The shareholder would then treat each share sold as giving rise to long-term capital gain or loss and short-term
capital gain or loss in the same proportions as if it had sold its entire interest in UNG.
Under section
751 of the Code, a portion of a shareholder’s gain or loss from the sale of shares (regardless of the holding period for such shares),
will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss to the extent attributable to “unrealized receivables” or
“inventory” owned by UNG. The term “unrealized receivables” includes, among other things, market discount bonds
and short-term debt instruments to the extent such items would give rise to ordinary income if sold by UNG. However, the short-term capital
gain on section 1256 contracts resulting from 60 – 40 treatment, described above, should not be subject to this rule.
If some or all
of your shares are lent by your broker or other agent to a third party — for example, for use by the third party in covering a
short sale — you may be considered as having made a taxable disposition of the loaned shares. Shareholders desiring to avoid the
possible consequences of a deemed disposition of their shares are urged to seek advice from their tax advisors.
Other U.S. Federal Income Tax
Matters
Information
Reporting. UNG will report tax information to the beneficial owners of shares and the IRS. Shareholders of UNG are generally treated
as its beneficial owners for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, UNG will furnish its shareholders each year with tax information
on IRS Schedules K-1 or K-3 (Form 1065), as applicable, which will be used by the shareholders in completing their tax returns. The IRS
has ruled that assignees of partnership interests who have not been admitted to a partnership as partners, but who have the capacity
to exercise substantial dominion and control over the assigned partnership interests, will be considered beneficial owners for U.S. federal
income tax purposes. On the basis of such ruling and except as otherwise provided herein, UNG will treat any person whose shares are
held on their behalf by a broker or other nominee as a shareholder, if that person has the right to direct the nominee in the exercise
of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of the shares.
Persons who
hold an interest in UNG as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us the following information: (1) the name, address
and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee; (2) whether the beneficial owner is (a) a person that is
not a U.S. person, (b) a foreign government, an international organization, or any wholly-owned agency or instrumentality of either of
the foregoing, or (c) a tax-exempt entity; (3) the amount and description of shares acquired or transferred for the beneficial owner;
and (4) certain information, including the dates of acquisitions and transfers, means of acquisitions and transfers, and acquisition
cost for purchases, as well as the amount of net proceeds from sales. Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional
information, including whether they are U.S. persons and certain information on shares they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account.
The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the shares with the information furnished to UNG. Penalties may apply with
respect to the failure to report required information.
Partnership
Audit Procedures. The IRS may audit the U.S. federal income tax returns filed by UNG. Partnerships are generally treated as separate
entities for purposes of U.S. federal income tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS, and tax settlement
proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit are determined at the partnership level
in a unified partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings with the shareholders.
UNG may be liable
for U.S. federal income tax on any “imputed underpayment” resulting from an adjustment due to an IRS audit. The amount of
the imputed underpayment generally includes increases in allocations of items of income or gains to any shareholder and decreases in
allocations of items of deduction, loss, or credit to any shareholder without any offset for any corresponding reductions in allocations
of items of income or gain to any shareholder or increases in allocations of items of deduction, loss, or credit to any shareholder.
If UNG is required to pay any U.S. federal income tax arising from an imputed underpayment, the resulting tax liability would reduce
the net assets of UNG and would likely have an adverse impact on the value of the shares. Under certain circumstances, UNG may be eligible
to make an election to cause the shareholders to take into account the amount of any imputed underpayment, including any interest and
penalties. The ability of a publicly traded partnership such as UNG to elect this treatment is uncertain. If the election is made, UNG
would be required to provide shareholders who owned beneficial interests in the shares in the year to which the adjusted allocations
relate with a statement setting forth their proportionate shares of the adjustment (“Adjusted K-1s”). The shareholders would
be required to take the adjustment into account in the taxable year in which the Adjusted K-1s are issued. The Code generally requires
UNG to designate one person as the “partnership representative” who has sole authority to defend against an audit with the
IRS, challenge any adjustment in a court of law, and settle any audit or other proceeding. The LP Agreement appoints USCF as the partnership
representative of UNG.
Reportable
Transaction Disclosure Rules. In certain circumstances the Code, U.S. Treasury Regulations, and certain IRS administrative guidance
require that the IRS be notified of certain taxable transactions through a disclosure statement attached to a taxpayer’s U.S. federal
income tax return. These disclosure rules may apply to transactions, irrespective of whether they are structured to achieve particular
tax benefits. These disclosure rules could require disclosure by UNG or shareholders if a shareholder incurs a loss in excess of a specified
threshold from a sale or redemption of its shares or possibly in other circumstances. While these rules generally do not require disclosure
of a loss recognized on the disposition of an asset in which the taxpayer has a “qualifying basis” (generally is an adjusted
tax basis equal to and solely determined by the amount of cash paid by the taxpayer for such asset), and satisfies certain other requirements,
they do apply to a loss recognized with respect to interests in a pass-through entity, such as the shares. Significant penalties may
be imposed in connection with a failure to comply with these reporting requirements. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisors
concerning the application of these reporting requirements to their specific situation.
Additional
Tax on Investment Income. Individuals with income in excess of $200,000 ($250,000 in the case of married individuals filing jointly),
and certain estates and trusts, are subject to an additional 3.8% tax on their “net investment income,” which generally includes
income from interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, rents, and net capital gains (other than certain amounts earned from trades or
businesses). The income subject to the additional 3.8% tax includes any income from businesses involved in the trading of financial instruments
or commodities.
Regulated
Investment Companies. Interests in and income from “qualified publicly traded partnerships” satisfying certain gross
income tests are treated as qualifying assets and income, respectively, for purposes of determining eligibility for regulated investment
company (“RIC”) status. A RIC may invest up to 25% of its assets in interests in a qualified publicly traded partnership.
The determination of whether a publicly traded partnership, such as UNG, is a qualified publicly traded partnership is made on an annual
basis. UNG expects to be a qualified publicly traded partnership in each of its taxable years. However, such qualification is not assured.
Non-U.S. Shareholders
Generally, non-U.S.
shareholders who derive U.S. source income or gain from investing or engaging in a U.S. business are subject to tax in the United States
with respect to two categories of income. The first category consists of amounts that are fixed, determinable, annual and periodic income,
such as interest, dividends and rent that are not connected with the operation of a U.S. trade or business (“FDAP”). The
second category is income that is effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business (“ECI”). FDAP income
(other than interest that is considered “portfolio interest”) is generally subject to a withholding tax imposed at a 30%
rate, which may be reduced for certain categories of income by an income tax treaty between the United States and the recipient’s
country of residence. In contrast, ECI is generally subject to U.S. tax on a net basis at graduated rates upon the filing of a U.S. tax
return.
Withholding
on Allocations and Distributions. The Code provides that a non-U.S. shareholder who is a partner in a partnership that is engaged
in the conduct of a U.S. trade or business during a taxable year will also be considered to be engaged in the conduct of a U.S. trade
or business during that year. Classifying an activity by a partnership as an investment or an operating business is a factual determination.
Under certain safe harbors in the Code, an investment fund whose activities consist of trading in stocks, securities, or commodities
for its own account generally will not be considered to be engaged in the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, unless it is a dealer
in such stocks, securities, or commodities. This safe harbor applies to investments in commodities only if the commodities are of a kind
customarily dealt on an organized commodity exchange and if the transaction is of a kind customarily consummated at such place. Although
the matter is not free from doubt, UNG believes that the activities directly conducted by UNG will not result in UNG being engaged in
the conduct of a trade or business within in the United States. However, there can be no assurance that the IRS would not successfully
assert that UNG’s activities constitute a U.S. trade or business.
In the event
that UNG’s activities were considered to constitute a U.S. trade or business, UNG would be required to withhold at the highest
rate specified in section 1 of the Code (currently 37% (39.6% for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025)) on allocations of
income to individual non-U.S. shareholders, and the highest rate specified in Code Section 11(b) (currently 21%) on allocations of income
to corporate non-U.S. shareholders, when such income is allocated or distributed. A non-U.S. shareholder with ECI will generally be required
to file a U.S. federal income tax return, and the return will provide the non-U.S. shareholder with the mechanism to seek a refund of
any withholding in excess of such shareholder’s actual U.S. federal income tax liability. Any amount withheld by UNG on behalf
of a non-U.S. shareholder will be treated as a distribution to the non-U.S. shareholder to the extent possible. In some cases, UNG may
not be able to match the economic cost of satisfying its withholding obligations to a particular non-U.S. shareholder, which may result
in such cost being borne by UNG, generally, and accordingly, by all shareholders.
If UNG is not
treated as engaged in the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, a non-U.S. shareholder may nevertheless be treated as having FDAP income,
with respect to its allocable share of UNG’s income that consists of FDAP income. Such allocations would be subject to withholding
tax imposed at a 30% rate (possibly subject to reduction by an income tax treaty). Amounts withheld on behalf of a non-U.S. shareholder
will be treated as being distributed to such shareholder to the extent possible. In some cases, UNG may not be able to match the economic
cost of satisfying its withholding obligations to a particular non-U.S. shareholder, which may result in such cost being borne by UNG,
generally, and accordingly, by all shareholders.
To the extent
any interest income allocated to a non-U.S. shareholder that otherwise constitutes FDAP is considered “portfolio interest,”
neither the allocation of such interest income to the non-U.S. shareholder nor a subsequent distribution of such interest income to the
non-U.S. shareholder will be subject to withholding, provided that the non-U.S. shareholder is not otherwise engaged in the conduct of
a trade or business in the United States and provides UNG with a timely and properly completed and executed IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E,
or other applicable form. In general, “portfolio interest” is interest paid on debt obligations issued in registered form,
unless the “recipient” owns 10% or more of the voting power of the issuer.
UNG expects
that most of its interest income will qualify as “portfolio interest.” In order for UNG to avoid withholding on any interest
income allocable to non-U.S. shareholders that would qualify as “portfolio interest,” it will be necessary for all non-U.S.
shareholders to provide UNG with a timely and properly completed and executed Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable form). If
a non-U.S. shareholder fails to provide a properly completed Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, or other applicable form, USCF may request that the
non-U.S. shareholder provide, within 15 days after the request by USCF, a properly completed Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, or other applicable
form. If a non-U.S. shareholder fails to comply with this request, the shares owned by such non-U.S. shareholder will be subject to redemption.
U.S. Treasury
Regulations require withholding on certain distributions occurring on or after January 1, 2023 made by a publicly traded partnership.
An exception under these rules applies if a publicly traded partnership certifies that it is not engaged in a trade or business within
the United States at any time during its taxable year through the publicly traded partnership’s designated date. In order to make
this certification, the publicly traded partnership must issue a “qualified notice” indicating that it qualifies for this
exception. A broker may not rely on such a certification if it has actual knowledge that the certification is incorrect or unreliable.
UNG intends to issue qualified notices that satisfy the applicable requirements and which confirms this exception from withholding. Certain
aspects of these rules remain unclear. Until the IRS issues guidance further clarifying these rules, non-U.S. shareholders are urged
to consult their tax advisors regarding the impact of these rules on an investment in our shares, and brokers are urged consult their
tax advisors in making withholding decisions pursuant to these rules.
Gain from
Sale of Shares. Gain from the sale or exchange of the shares may be taxable to a non-U.S. shareholder if the non-U.S. shareholder
is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year. In such case, the nonresident
alien individual will be subject to withholding tax imposed at a rate of 30% on the amount of such individual’s gain. In addition,
if UNG is treated as being engaged in a U.S. trade or business, a portion of the gain on the sale or exchange will be treated as effectively
connected income subject to U.S. federal income tax to the extent that a sale of UNG’s assets would give rise to effectively connected
income. Section 1446(f) of the Code provides that certain transfers of a partnership interest, including an interest in a publicly traded
partnership, may be subject to withholding tax imposed at a rate of 10%.
Under U.S. Treasury
Regulations, brokers generally are required to withhold on certain transfers of interests in partnerships, including interests in publicly
traded partnerships. An exception under these rules applies if a publicly traded partnership certifies that it is not engaged in a trade
or business within the United States at any time during its taxable year through the publicly traded partnership’s designated date.
In order to make this certification, the publicly traded partnership must issue a “qualified notice” indicating that it qualifies
for this exception. A broker may not rely on such a certification if it has actual knowledge that the certification is incorrect or unreliable.
UNG intends to issue qualified notices that satisfy the applicable requirements and which confirms this exception from withholding. In
addition, certain aspects of these rules remain unclear. Until the IRS issues guidance further clarifying these rules, non-U.S. shareholders
are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the impact of these rules on an investment in our shares, and brokers are urged to
consult their tax advisors in making withholding decisions pursuant to these rules.
Branch Profits
Tax on Corporate Non-U.S. Shareholders. In addition to the taxes noted above, any non-U.S. shareholders that derive ECI and are classified
as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes may also be subject to an additional tax, the branch profits tax, at a rate of 30
percent. The branch profits tax is imposed on a corporate non-U.S. shareholder’s dividend equivalent amount, which generally consists
of the corporation’s after-tax earnings and profits that are effectively connected with the conduct of the corporation’s
U.S. trade or business but are not reinvested in a U.S. trade or business. This tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty
between the United States and the country in which the non-U.S. shareholder is a “qualified resident.”
Prospective
non-U.S. shareholders should consult their tax advisor with regard to these and other issues unique to non-U.S. shareholders.
Backup Withholding
U.S. Shareholders.
A U.S. shareholder
may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding when such U.S. shareholder receives taxable distributions on the
shares and proceeds from the sale or other disposition of the shares (including a redemption of the shares). Certain U.S. shareholders,
including but not limited to banks and corporations, generally are exempt from information reporting or backup withholding. A U.S. shareholder
will be subject to backup withholding if such U.S. shareholder is not otherwise exempt and such U.S. shareholder:
| · | fails
to furnish the U.S. shareholder’s U.S. taxpayer identification number or “TIN,”
which, for an individual, generally is his or her U.S. social security number; |
| · | furnishes
an incorrect U.S. TIN; |
| · | is
notified by the IRS that the U.S. shareholder has failed properly to report payments
of interest or dividends; or |
| · | fails
to certify, under penalties of perjury, on an IRS Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification
Number and Certification) or a suitable substitute form (or other applicable certificate),
that the U.S. shareholder has furnished a correct U.S. TIN and that the IRS has not
notified the U.S. shareholder that the U.S. shareholder is subject to backup withholding. |
U.S. shareholders
should consult their tax advisors regarding their qualification for an exemption from backup withholding and the procedures for obtaining
such an exemption, if applicable. Backup withholding is not an additional U.S. federal income tax, and taxpayers may use amounts withheld
as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability or may claim a refund if they timely provide certain information to
the IRS.
Non-U.S.
Shareholders.
The amount of
taxable distributions that we pay to any non-U.S. shareholder on the shares will be reported to the non-U.S. shareholder and
to the IRS annually on an IRS Form 1042-S, regardless of the amount of U.S. federal income tax withheld. Copies of these information
returns may also be made available under the provisions of a specific income tax treaty or agreement with the tax authorities of the
country in which the non-U.S. shareholder resides. However, a non-U.S. shareholder generally will not be subject to backup
withholding and certain other information reporting with respect to payments that we make to the non-U.S. shareholder, provided
that we do not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such non-U.S. shareholder is a “United States person”
within the meaning of the Code, and the non-U.S. shareholder complies with applicable certification and disclosure requirements
and furnishes to us the requisite information.
If a non-U.S. shareholder
sells or exchanges a share through a United States broker or the United States office of a foreign broker or such sale is deemed
to occur through a United States office of a foreign broker, the proceeds from such sale or exchange will be subject to information
reporting and backup withholding, unless the non-U.S. shareholder provides a withholding certificate establishing that such holder
is not a U.S. shareholder to the broker and such broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such holder is a U.S. shareholder,
or the non-U.S. shareholder is an exempt recipient eligible for an exemption from information reporting and backup withholding.
If a non-U.S. shareholder sells or exchanges a share through the foreign office of a broker who is a “United States person”
(within the meaning of the Code) or a “U.S. middleman” (as that that term is defined under applicable U.S. Treasury
Regulations), the proceeds from such sale or exchange will be subject to information reporting, unless the non-U.S. shareholder
provides to such broker a withholding certificate establishing that such shareholder is not a U.S. shareholder and such broker does
not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such evidence is false, or the non-U.S. shareholder is an exempt recipient eligible
for an exemption from information reporting. In circumstances where information reporting by the foreign office of such a broker is required,
backup withholding will be required only if the broker has actual knowledge that the holder is a U.S. shareholder.
A non-U.S. shareholder
generally will be entitled to credit any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules against the non-U.S. shareholder’s
U.S. federal income tax liability or may claim a refund, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS in a timely
manner.
Non-U.S. shareholders
are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of information reporting and backup withholding to their particular
situations, the availability of an exemption therefrom, and the procedures for obtaining such an exemption, if available.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance
Act Provisions
Legislation
commonly referred to as the “Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act,” or “FATCA,” generally imposes a 30% withholding
tax on payments of certain types of income to foreign financial institutions (“FFIs”) unless such FFIs either: (1) enter
into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury Department to report certain required information with respect to accounts held by certain specified
U.S. persons (or held by foreign entities that have certain specified U.S. persons as substantial owners); or (2) reside in a jurisdiction
that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement (“IGA”) with the United States to collect and share such information
and comply with the terms of such IGA and any enabling legislation or regulations. The types of income subject to the tax include U.S.-source
interest and dividends. While the Code would also require withholding on the payments of the gross proceeds from the sale of any property
that could produce U.S.-source interest or dividends, the U.S. Treasury Department has indicated its intent to eliminate this requirement.
The information required to be reported includes the identity and taxpayer identification number of each account holder that is a specified
U.S. person and transaction activity within the holder’s account. In addition, subject to certain exceptions, this legislation
also imposes a 30% withholding tax on certain payments to certain foreign entities that are not FFIs unless the foreign entity certifies
that it does not have a greater than 10% owner that is a specified U.S. person or provides the withholding agent with identifying information
on each greater than 10% owner that is a specified U.S. person. Depending on the status of a beneficial owner and the status of the intermediaries
through which the owner holds its shares, a beneficial owner could be subject to this 30% withholding tax with respect to distributions
on its shares. Under certain circumstances, a beneficial owner might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.
Other Tax Considerations
In addition
to U.S. federal income taxes, shareholders may be subject to other taxes, such as foreign (non-US) income taxes, state and local income
taxes, unincorporated business taxes, business franchise taxes, gift and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that may be imposed
by the various jurisdictions in which UNG does business or owns property or where the shareholders reside. Although an analysis of those
various taxes is not presented here, each prospective shareholder should consider their potential impact on its investment in UNG. It
is each shareholder’s responsibility to file the appropriate U.S. federal, state, local, and foreign tax returns. Eversheds Sutherland
(US) LLP has not provided an opinion concerning any aspects of state, local or foreign tax or U.S. federal tax other than those U.S.
federal income tax issues discussed herein.
Certain ERISA and Related Considerations
General
Many employee
benefit plans and individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”) are subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended (“ERISA”) or the Code, or both. This section discusses certain considerations that arise under ERISA and the Code
that a fiduciary of: (i) an employee benefit plan as defined in ERISA; (ii) a plan as defined in Section 4975 of the Code; or (iii) any
collective investment vehicle, business trust, investment partnership, pooled separate account or other entity the assets of which are
treated as comprised (at least in part) of “plan assets” under the ERISA plan asset rules (“plan asset entity”);
who has investment discretion should take into account before deciding to invest in the entity’s assets in UNG. Employee benefit
plans, plans defined under Section 4975 of the Code and plan asset entities are collectively referred to below as “plans”,
and fiduciaries with investment discretion are referred to below as “plan fiduciaries.”
This summary
is based on the provisions of ERISA, the Code and applicable guidance as of the date hereof. This summary is not intended to be complete,
but only to address certain questions under ERISA and the Code. The summary does not include state or local law.
Potential
plan investors are urged to consult with their own professional advisors concerning the appropriateness of an investment in UNG and the
manner in which limited partnership interests should be purchased. USCF does not represent that the limited partnership interests hereby
offered are appropriate for plans or any particular plan.
Special Investment Considerations
Investments
by plans governed by ERISA are subject to ERISA’s fiduciary requirements, including the requirements of investment prudent and
diversification. As a result, each plan fiduciary must consider the facts and circumstances that are relevant to their plan’s specific
circumstances when evaluating an investment in UNG, including the role that an investment in UNG would play in the plan’s overall
investment portfolio, taking into account the plan’s purpose, the risk and loss of potential return with respect to the investment,
the liquidity, the current return of the total portfolio relative to the anticipated cash flow needs of the plan, and the projected return
of the portfolio and relative to the plan’s investment objectives. Each plan fiduciary, before deciding to invest in UNG, must
be satisfied that its investment in the limited partnership interests in UNG is prudent for the plan, that the investments of the plan
are properly diversified and that an investment in UNG complies with the terms of the plan.
UNG and Plan Assets
Regulations
issued under ERISA contains rules for determining when an investment by a plan in an equity interest of a limited partnership will result
in the underlying assets of the partnership being deemed “plan assets” for purposes of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code.
Those rules provide that assets of a limited partnership will not be deemed to be assets of a plan that purchases an equity interest
in the partnership if the equity interest purchased qualifies as a publicly-offered security. If the underlying assets of a limited partnership
are considered to be assets of any plan for purposes of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, the operations of that partnership would be
subject to and, in some cases, limited by, the provisions of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code.
An equity interest
will qualify as a publicly offered security if it is:
| 1. | freely
transferable (determined based on the relevant facts and circumstances); |
| 2. | part
of a class of securities that is widely held (meaning that the class of securities is owned
by 100 or more investors independent of the issuer and of each other); and |
| 3. | either
(a) part of a class of securities registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the 1934 Act
or (b) sold to the plan as part of a public offering pursuant to an effective registration
statement under the 1933 Act and the class of which such security is a part is registered
under the 1934 Act within 120 days (or such later time as may be allowed by the SEC) after
the end of the fiscal year of the issuer in which the offering of such security occurred. |
Regulations
under ERISA state that the determination of whether a security is “freely transferable” is to be made based on all of the
relevant facts and circumstances. In the case of a security that is part of an offering in which the minimum investment is $10,000 or
less, the following requirements, alone or in combination, ordinarily will not affect a finding that the security is freely transferable:
(1) a requirement that no transfer or assignment of the security or rights relating to the security be made that would violate any federal
or state law, (2) a requirement that no transfer or assignment be made without advance written notice given to the entity that issued
the security, and (3) any restriction on the substitution of an assignee as a limited partner of a partnership, including a general partner
consent requirement, provided that the economic benefits of ownership of the assignor may be transferred or assigned without regard to
such restriction or consent (other than compliance with any of the foregoing restrictions).
USCF believes
that the conditions described above are satisfied with respect to the limited partnership interests. USCF believes that the limited partnership
interests therefore constitute publicly-offered securities, and the underlying assets of UNG will not be deemed to be “plan assets”
under applicable ERISA regulations.
Prohibited Transactions
ERISA and the
Code generally prohibit certain transactions involving plans and persons who have certain specified relationships to plans.
In general, UNG
limited partnership interests may not be purchased with the assets of a plan if USCF, the clearing brokers, the trading advisors (if
any), or any of their affiliates, agents or employees:
| · | exercise
any discretionary authority or discretionary control with respect to management of the plan; |
| · | exercise
any authority or control with respect to management or disposition of the assets of the plan; |
| · | render
investment advice for a fee or other compensation, direct or indirect, with respect to any
money or other property of the plan; |
| · | have
any authority or responsibility to render investment advice with respect to any money or
other property of the plan; or |
| · | have
any discretionary authority or discretionary responsibility in the administration of the
plan. |
Also, a prohibited
transaction may occur under ERISA or the Code when circumstances indicate that (1) the investment in an equity interest is made or retained
for the purpose of avoiding application of the fiduciary standards of ERISA, (2) the investment in an equity interest share constitutes
an arrangement under which UNG is expected to engage in transactions that would otherwise be prohibited if entered into directly by the
plan purchasing the share, (3) the investing plan, by itself, has the authority or influence to cause UNG to engage in such transactions,
or (4) a person who is prohibited from transacting with the investing plan may, but only with the aid of certain of its affiliates and
the investing plan, cause UNG to engage in such transactions with such person.
Special IRA Rules
Individual retirement
accounts (“IRAs”) are not subject to ERISA’s fiduciary standards, but are subject to their own rules, including the
prohibited transaction rules of Section 4975 of the Code, which generally mirror ERISA’s prohibited transaction rules. For example,
IRAs are subject to special custody rules and must maintain a qualifying IRA custodial arrangement separate and distinct from UNG and
its custodial arrangement. Otherwise, if a separate qualifying custodial arrangement is not maintained, an investment in the limited
partnership interests will be treated as a distribution from the IRA. Additionally, IRAs are prohibited from investing in certain commingled
investments, and USCF makes no representation regarding whether an investment in limited partnership interests is an inappropriate commingled
investment for an IRA. Finally, in applying the prohibited transaction provisions of Section 4975 of the Code, in addition to the rules
summarized above, the individual for whose benefit the IRA is maintained is also treated as the creator of the IRA. For example, if the
owner or beneficiary of an IRA enters into any transaction, arrangement, or agreement involving the assets of his or her IRA to benefit
the IRA owner or beneficiary (or his or her relatives or business affiliates) personally, or with the understanding that such benefit
will occur, directly or indirectly, such transaction could give rise to a prohibited transaction that is not exempted by any available
exemption. Moreover, in the case of an IRA, the consequences of a non-exempt prohibited transaction are that the IRA’s assets will
be treated as if they were distributed, causing immediate taxation of the assets (including any early distribution penalty tax applicable
under Section 72 of the Code), in addition to any other fines or penalties that may apply.
Exempt Plans
Governmental
plans and church plans are generally not subject to ERISA, and the above-described prohibited transaction provisions described above
do not apply to them. These plans are, however, subject to prohibitions against certain related-party transactions under Section 503
of the Code, which operate similar to the prohibited transaction rules described above. In addition, the fiduciary of any governmental
or church plan should consider any applicable state or local laws and any restrictions and duties of common law imposed upon the plan.
No view is expressed
as to whether an investment in UNG (and any continued investment in UNG), or the operation and administration of UNG, is appropriate
or permissible for any governmental plan or church plan under Code Section 503, or under any state, county, local or other law relating
to that type of plan.
Allowing
an investment in UNG is not to be construed as a representation by USCF, any trading advisor, any clearing broker, the Marketing Agent
or legal counsel or other advisors to such parties or any other party that this investment meets some or all of the relevant legal requirements
with respect to investments by any particular plan or that this investment is appropriate for any such particular plan. The person with
investment discretion should consult with the plan’s attorney and financial advisors as to the propriety of an investment in UNG
in light of the circumstances of the particular plan, current tax law and ERISA.
THE FOREGOING
SUMMARY OF ERISA CONSIDERATIONS IS BASED UPON ERISA, JUDICIAL DECISIONS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR REGULATIONS AND RULINGS IN EXISTENCE ON
THE DATE HEREOF, ALL OF WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THE SUMMARY IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT ADDRESS EVERY ERISA ISSUE THAT MAY
BE APPLICABLE TO AN INVESTMENT IN UNG OR TO A PARTICULAR INVESTOR.
Form of Shares
Registered
Form. Shares are issued in registered form in accordance with the LP Agreement. The Administrator has been appointed registrar
and transfer agent for the purpose of transferring shares in certificated form. The Administrator keeps a record of all limited partners
and holders of the shares in certificated form in the registry (the “Register”). USCF recognizes transfers of shares in certificated
form only if done in accordance with the LP Agreement. The beneficial interests in such shares are held in book-entry form through participants
and/or accountholders in the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”).
Book Entry.
Individual certificates are not issued for the shares. Instead, shares are represented by one or more global certificates, which
are deposited by the Administrator with DTC and registered in the name of Cede& Co., as nominee for DTC. The global certificates
evidence all of the shares outstanding at any time. Shareholders are limited to (1) participants in DTC such as banks, brokers, dealers
and trust companies (“DTC Participants”), (2) those who maintain, either directly or indirectly, a custodial relationship
with a DTC Participant (“Indirect Participants”), and (3) those banks, brokers, dealers, trust companies and others who hold
interests in the shares through DTC Participants or Indirect Participants, in each case who satisfy the requirements for transfers of
shares. DTC Participants acting on behalf of investors holding shares through such participants’ accounts in DTC will follow the
delivery practice applicable to securities eligible for DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System. Shares are credited to DTC Participants’
securities accounts following confirmation of receipt of payment.
DTC.
DTC has advised UNG as follows: DTC is a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York and is a
member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code
and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the 1934 Act. DTC holds securities for DTC
Participants and facilitates the clearance and settlement of transactions between DTC Participants through electronic book-entry changes
in accounts of DTC Participants.
Transfer of Shares
Transfers
of Shares Only Through DTC. The shares are only transferable through the book-entry system of DTC. Limited partners who
are not DTC Participants may transfer their shares through DTC by instructing the DTC Participant holding their shares (or by instructing
the Indirect Participant or other entity through which their shares are held) to transfer the shares. Transfers are made in accordance
with standard securities industry practice.
Transfers of
interests in shares with DTC are made in accordance with the usual rules and operating procedures of DTC and the nature of the transfer.
DTC has established procedures to facilitate transfers among the participants and/or accountholders of DTC. Because DTC can only act
on behalf of DTC Participants, who in turn act on behalf of Indirect Participants, the ability of a person or entity having an interest
in a global certificate to pledge such interest to persons or entities that do not participate in DTC, or otherwise take actions in respect
of such interest, may be affected by the lack of a certificate or other definitive document representing such interest.
DTC has advised
UNG that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a shareholder (including, without limitation, the presentation of a global
certificate for exchange) only at the direction of one or more DTC Participants in whose account with DTC interests in global certificates
are credited and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of the global certificate as to which such DTC Participant
or Participants has or have given such direction.
Transfer/Application
Requirements. All purchasers of UNG’s shares, and potentially any purchasers of shares in the future, who wish to
become limited partners or other record holders and receive cash distributions, if any, or have certain other rights, must deliver an
executed transfer application in which the purchaser or transferee must certify that, among other things, he, she or it agrees to be
bound by UNG’s LP Agreement and is eligible to purchase UNG’s securities. Each purchaser of shares offered by this prospectus
must execute a transfer application and certification. The obligation to provide the form of transfer application will be imposed on
the seller of shares or, if a purchase of shares is made through an exchange, the form may be obtained directly through UNG. Further,
USCF may request each record holder to furnish certain information, including that record holder’s nationality, citizenship or
other related status. A record holder is a shareholder that is, or has applied to be, a limited partner. An investor who is not a U.S.
resident may not be eligible to become a record holder or one of UNG’s limited partners if that investor’s ownership would
subject UNG to the risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any of UNG’s assets under any federal, state or local law or regulation.
If the record holder fails to furnish the information or if USCF determines, on the basis of the information furnished by the holder
in response to the request, that such holder is not qualified to become one of UNG’s limited partners, USCF may be substituted
as a holder for the record holder, who will then be treated as a non-citizen assignee, and UNG will have the right to redeem those securities
held by the record holder.
A transferee’s
broker, agent or nominee may complete, execute and deliver a transfer application and certification. UNG may, at its discretion, treat
the nominee holder of a share as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder’s rights are limited solely to those that
it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.
A person purchasing
UNG’s existing shares, who does not execute a transfer application and certify that the purchaser is eligible to purchase those
securities acquires no rights in those securities other than the right to resell those securities. Whether or not a transfer application
is received or the consent of USCF obtained, UNG’s shares are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfers
of securities.
Any transfer
of shares will not be recorded by the transfer agent or recognized by USCF unless a completed transfer application is delivered to USCF
or the Administrator. When acquiring shares, the transferee of such shares that completes a transfer application will:
| · | be
an assignee until admitted as a substituted limited partner upon the consent and sole discretion
of USCF and the recording of the assignment on the books and records of the partnership; |
| · | automatically
request admission as a substituted limited partner; |
| · | agree
to be bound by the terms and conditions of, and execute, the LP Agreement; |
| · | represent
that such transferee has the capacity and authority to enter into the LP Agreement; |
| · | grant
powers of attorney to USCF and any liquidator of UNG; and |
| · | make
the consents and waivers contained in the LP Agreement. |
An assignee
will become a limited partner in respect of the transferred shares upon the consent of USCF and the recordation of the name of the assignee
on UNG’s books and records. Such consent may be withheld in the sole discretion of USCF.
If consent of
USCF is withheld, such transferee shall be an assignee. An assignee shall have an interest in the partnership equivalent to that of a
limited partner with respect to allocations and distributions, including, without limitation, liquidating distributions, of the partnership.
With respect to voting rights attributable to shares that are held by assignees, USCF shall be deemed to be the limited partner with
respect thereto and shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such shares on any matter, vote such shares at the written direction
of the assignee who is the record holder of such shares. If no such written direction is received, such shares will not be voted. An
assignee shall have no other rights of a limited partner.
Until a share
has been transferred on UNG’s books, UNG and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the share as the absolute owner
for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.
What is the Plan of Distribution?
Buying and Selling Shares
Most investors
buy and sell shares of UNG in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares trade on the NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol “UNG.”
Shares are bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded securities. When buying or selling shares through a
broker, most investors incur customary brokerage commissions and charges. Investors are encouraged to review the terms of their brokerage
account for details on applicable charges.
Marketing Agent and Authorized
Participants
The offering
of UNG’s shares is a best efforts offering. UNG continuously offers Creation Baskets consisting of 100,000 shares through the Marketing
Agent, to Authorized Participants. All Authorized Participants pay a $1,000 fee for each order they place to create or redeem one or
more Creation Baskets or Redemption Baskets. Through September 30, 2022, the fee of the Marketing Agent, which is borne by USCF, was
equal to 0.06% on UNG’s assets up to the first $3 billion and 0.04% on UNG’s assets in excess of $3 billion. The agreement
with the Marketing Agent has been amended and, commencing October 1, 2022, the fee of the Marketing Agent, which is calculated daily
and payable monthly and borne by USCF, is equal to 0.025% of UNG’s total net assets. In no event may the aggregate compensation
paid to the Marketing Agent and any affiliate of USCF for distribution-related services in connection with this offering exceed ten percent
(10%) of the gross proceeds of this offering.
The offering
of baskets is being made in compliance with Conduct Rule 2310 of FINRA. Accordingly, Authorized Participants will not make any sales
to any account over which they have discretionary authority without the prior written approval of a purchaser of shares.
The per share
price of shares offered in Creation Baskets on any subsequent day will be the total NAV of UNG calculated shortly after the close of
the core trading session on the NYSE Arca on that day divided by the number of issued and outstanding shares. An Authorized Participant
is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of shares.
When an Authorized
Participant executes an agreement with USCF on behalf of UNG (each such agreement, an “Authorized Participant Agreement”),
such Authorized Participant becomes part of the group of parties eligible to purchase baskets from, and put baskets for redemption to,
UNG. An Authorized Participant is under no obligation to create or redeem baskets, and an Authorized Participant is under no obligation
to offer to the public shares of any baskets it does create.
As of February
28, 2023, UNG had the following Authorized Participants: ABN Amro Clearing Corp., BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citadel Securities LLC,
Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities USA LLC, Goldman Sachs & Company, JP Morgan Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch
Professional Clearing Corp., Morgan Stanley & Company Inc., RBC Capital Markets LLC, SG Americas Securities LLC, UBS Securities LLC
and Virtu Americas LLC.
Because new
shares can be created and issued on an ongoing basis, at any point during the life of UNG, a “distribution”, as such term
is used in the 1933 Act, will be occurring. Authorized Participants, other broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some of
their activities may result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner that would render them statutory underwriters
and subject them to the prospectus-delivery and liability provisions of the 1933 Act. In addition, any purchaser who purchases shares
with a view towards distribution of such shares may be deemed to be a statutory underwriter.
Authorized Participants
will comply with the prospectus-delivery requirements in connection with the sale of shares to customers. For example, an Authorized
Participant, other broker-dealer firm or its client will be deemed a statutory underwriter if it purchases a Creation Basket from UNG,
breaks the Creation Basket down into the constituent shares and sells the shares to its customers; or if it chooses to couple the creation
of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for the shares. Authorized
Participants may also engage in secondary market transactions in shares that would not be deemed “underwriting”. For example,
an Authorized Participant may act in the capacity of a broker or dealer with respect to shares that were previously distributed by other
Authorized Participants. A determination of whether a particular market participant is an underwriter must take into account all the
facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned
above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that would lead to designation as an underwriter and subject
them to the prospectus-delivery and liability provisions of the 1933 Act.
Dealers who
are neither Authorized Participants nor “underwriters” but are nonetheless participating in a distribution (as contrasted
to ordinary secondary trading transactions), and thus dealing with shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the
meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the 1933 Act, would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus-delivery exemption provided by Section
4(a)(3) of the 1933 Act.
USCF may qualify
the shares in states selected by USCF and intends that sales be made through broker-dealers who are members of FINRA. Investors intending
to create or redeem baskets through Authorized Participants in transactions not involving a broker-dealer registered in such investor’s
state of domicile or residence should consult their legal advisor regarding applicable broker-dealer or securities regulatory requirements
under the state securities laws prior to such creation or redemption.
While the Authorized
Participants may be indemnified by USCF, they will not be entitled to receive a discount or commission from UNG for their purchases of
Creation Baskets.
Calculating Per Share NAV
UNG’s per
share NAV is calculated by:
| · | Taking the current market value of its total assets; |
| · | Subtracting any liabilities; and |
| · | Dividing that total by the total number of outstanding shares. |
The Administrator
calculates the per share NAV of UNG once each NYSE Arca trading day. The per share NAV for a normal trading day is released after 4:00
p.m. New York time. Trading during the core trading session on the NYSE Arca typically closes at 4:00 p.m. New York time. The Administrator
uses the NYMEX closing price (determined at the earlier of the close of the NYMEX or 2:30 p.m. New York time) for the Futures Contracts
traded on the NYMEX, but calculates or determines the value of all other UNG investments (including Natural Gas Futures Contracts not
traded on the NYMEX, Other Natural Gas-Related Investments and Treasuries) using market quotations, if available, or other information
customarily used to determine the fair value of such investments as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE Arca or 4:00 p.m. New York
time, in accordance with the current Administrative Agency Agreement among the Administrator, UNG and USCF. “Other information”
customarily used in determining fair value includes information consisting of market data in the relevant market supplied by one or more
third parties including, without limitation, relevant rates, prices, yields, yield curves, volatilities, spreads, correlations or other
market data in the relevant market; or information of the types described above from internal sources if that information is of the same
type used by UNG in the regular course of its business for the valuation of similar transactions. The information may include costs of
funding, to the extent costs of funding are not and would not be a component of the other information being utilized. Third parties supplying
quotations or market data may include, without limitation, dealers in the relevant markets, end-users of the relevant product, information
vendors, brokers and other sources of market information.
In addition,
in order to provide updated information relating to UNG for use by investors and market professionals, the NYSE Arca calculates and disseminates
throughout the core trading session on each trading day an updated indicative fund value. The indicative fund value is calculated by
using the prior day’s closing per share NAV of UNG as a base and updating that value throughout the trading day to reflect changes
in the most recently reported trade price for the active Futures Contracts on the NYMEX. The prices reported for the active Futures Contract
month are adjusted based on the prior day’s spread differential between settlement values for the relevant contract and the spot
month contract. In the event that the spot month contract is also the Benchmark Futures Contract, the last sale price for that contract
is not adjusted. The indicative fund value share basis disseminated during NYSE Arca core trading session hours should not be viewed
as an actual real time update of the per share NAV, because the per share NAV is calculated only once at the end of each trading day
based upon the relevant end of day values of UNG’s investments.
The indicative
fund value is disseminated on a per share basis every 15 seconds during regular NYSE Arca core trading session hours of 9:30 a.m. New
York time to 4:00 p.m. New York time. The normal trading hours of the NYMEX are 9:00 a.m. New York time to 2:30 p.m. New York time. This
means that there is a gap in time at the beginning and the end of each day during which UNG’s shares are traded on the NYSE Arca,
but real-time NYMEX trading prices for futures contracts traded on the NYMEX are not available. During such gaps in time, the indicative
fund value will be calculated based on the end of day price of such Futures Contracts from the NYMEX’s immediately preceding trading
session. In addition, Natural Gas Interests and Treasuries held by UNG will be valued by the Administrator, using rates and points received
from client-approved third-party vendors (such as Reuters and WM Company) and advisor quotes. These investments will not be included
in the indicative fund value.
The NYSE Arca
disseminates the indicative fund value through the facilities of CTA/CQ High Speed Lines. In addition, the indicative fund value is published
on the NYSE Arca’s website and is available through on-line information services such as Bloomberg and Reuters.
Dissemination
of the indicative fund value provides additional information that is not otherwise available to the public and is useful to investors
and market professionals in connection with the trading of UNG shares on the NYSE Arca. Investors and market professionals are able throughout
the trading day to compare the market price of UNG and the indicative fund value. If the market price of UNG shares diverges significantly
from the indicative fund value, market professionals will have an incentive to execute arbitrage trades. For example, if UNG appears
to be trading at a discount compared to the indicative fund value, a market professional could buy UNG shares on the NYSE Arca and sell
short futures contracts. Such arbitrage trades can tighten the tracking between the market price of UNG and the indicative fund value
and thus can be beneficial to all market participants.
UNG reserves
the right to adjust the share price of UNG in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be
accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits. Such splits would decrease (in the case of a split) or increase (in the case
of a reverse split) the proportionate NAV per share, but would have no effect on the net assets of UNG or the proportionate voting rights
of shareholders or limited partners.
Creation and Redemption of Shares
UNG creates
and redeems shares from time to time, but only in one or more Creation Baskets or Redemption Baskets. The creation and redemption of
baskets are only made in exchange for delivery to UNG or the distribution by UNG of the amount of Treasuries and any cash represented
by the baskets being created or redeemed, the amount of which is based on the combined NAV of the number of shares included in the baskets
being created or redeemed determined as of 4:00 p.m. New York time on the day the order to create or redeem baskets is properly received.
Authorized Participants
are the only persons that may place orders to create and redeem baskets. Authorized Participants must be (1) registered broker-dealers
or other securities market participants, such as banks and other financial institutions, that are not required to register as broker-dealers
to engage in securities transactions as described below, and (2) DTC Participants. To become an Authorized Participant, a person must
enter into an Authorized Participant Agreement with USCF on behalf of UNG (each such agreement, an “Authorized Participant Agreement”).
The Authorized Participant Agreement provides the procedures for the creation and redemption of baskets and for the delivery of the Treasuries
and any cash required for such creations and redemptions. The Authorized Participant Agreement and the related procedures attached thereto
may be amended by USCF, without the consent of any limited partner or shareholder or Authorized Participant. Authorized Participants
pay a transaction fee of $1,000 to UNG for each order they place to create one or more Creation Baskets or to redeem one or more Redemption
Baskets. The transaction fee may be reduced, increased or otherwise changed by USCF. Authorized Participants who make deposits with UNG
in exchange for baskets receive no fees, commissions or other form of compensation or inducement of any kind from either USCF or UNG,
and no such person will have any obligation or responsibility to UNG or USCF to effect any sale or resale of shares.
Certain Authorized
Participants are expected to be capable of participating directly in the physical natural gas market and the natural gas futures market.
In some cases, Authorized Participants or their affiliates may from time to time buy or sell natural gas or Natural Gas Interests and
may profit in these instances. USCF believes that the size and operation of the natural gas market make it unlikely that an Authorized
Participant’s direct activities in the natural gas or securities markets will significantly affect the price of natural gas, Natural
Gas Interests, or the price of the shares.
Each Authorized
Participant is required to be registered as a broker-dealer under the 1934 Act and is a member in good standing with FINRA, or exempt
from being or otherwise not required to be registered as a broker-dealer or a member of FINRA, and qualified to act as a broker or dealer
in the states or other jurisdictions where the nature of its business so requires. Certain Authorized Participants may also be regulated
under federal and state banking laws and regulations. Each Authorized Participant has its own set of rules and procedures, internal controls
and information barriers as it determines is appropriate in light of its own regulatory regime.
Under the Authorized
Participant Agreement, USCF, and UNG under limited circumstances, have agreed to indemnify the Authorized Participants against certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the 1933 Act, and to contribute to the payments the Authorized Participants may be required
to make in respect of those liabilities.
The following
description of the procedures for the creation and redemption of baskets is only a summary and an investor should refer to the relevant
provisions of the LP Agreement and the form of Authorized Participant Agreement for more detail, each of which is incorporated by reference
into this prospectus.
Creation Procedures
On any business
day, an Authorized Participant may place an order with the Marketing Agent to create one or more baskets. For purposes of processing
purchase and redemption orders, a “business day” means any day other than a day when any of the NYSE Arca, the NYMEX or the
NYSE is closed for regular trading. Purchase orders must be placed by 12:00 p.m. New York time or the close of regular trading on the
NYSE Arca, whichever is earlier. The day on which the Marketing Agent receives a valid purchase order is referred to as the purchase
order date.
By placing a
purchase order, an Authorized Participant agrees to deposit Treasuries, cash, or a combination of Treasuries and cash, as described below.
Prior to the delivery of baskets for a purchase order, the Authorized Participant must also have wired to the Custodian the non-refundable
transaction fee due for the purchase order. Authorized Participants may not withdraw a creation request, except as otherwise set forth
in the procedures in the Authorized Participant Agreement.
The manner by
which creations are made is dictated by the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement. By placing a purchase order, an Authorized
Participant agrees to (1) deposit Treasuries, cash, or a combination of Treasuries and cash with the Custodian of UNG, and (2) if required
by USCF in its sole discretion, enter into or arrange for a block trade, an exchange for physical or exchange for swap, or any other
OTC energy transaction (through itself or a designated acceptable broker) with UNG for the purchase of a number and type of futures contracts
at the closing settlement price for such contracts on the purchase order date. If an Authorized Participant fails to consummate (1) and
(2), the order shall be cancelled. The number and types of contracts specified shall be determined by USCF, in its sole discretion, to
meet UNG’s investment objective and shall be purchased as a result of the Authorized Participant’s purchase of shares.
Determination of Required Deposits
The total deposit
required to create each Creation Basket (“Creation Basket Deposit”) is the amount of Treasuries and/or cash that is in the
same proportion to the total assets of UNG (net of estimated accrued but unpaid fees, expenses and other liabilities) on the purchase
order date as the number of shares to be created under the purchase order is in proportion to the total number of shares outstanding
on the purchase order date. USCF determines, directly in its sole discretion or in consultation with the Administrator, the requirements
for Treasuries and the amount of cash, including the maximum permitted remaining maturity of a Treasury and proportions of Treasury and
cash that may be included in deposits to create baskets. The Marketing Agent will publish such requirements at the beginning of each
business day. The amount of cash deposit required is the difference between the aggregate market value of the Treasuries required to
be included in a Creation Basket Deposit as of 4:00 p.m. New York time on the date the order to purchase is properly received and the
total required deposit.
Delivery of Required Deposits
An Authorized
Participant who places a purchase order is responsible for transferring to UNG’s account with the Custodian the required amount
of Treasuries and cash by the end of the second business day following the purchase order date. Upon receipt of the deposit amount, the
Administrator directs DTC to credit the number of baskets ordered to the Authorized Participant’s DTC account on the second business
day following the purchase order date. The expense and risk of delivery and ownership of Treasuries until such Treasuries have been received
by the Custodian on behalf of UNG shall be borne solely by the Authorized Participant.
Because orders
to purchase baskets must be placed by 12:00 p.m., New York time, but the total payment required to create a basket during the continuous
offering period will not be determined until after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the date the purchase order is received, Authorized Participants
will not know the total amount of the payment required to create a basket at the time they submit an irrevocable purchase order for the
basket. UNG’s per share NAV and the total amount of the payment required to create a basket could rise or fall substantially between
the time an irrevocable purchase order is submitted and the time the amount of the purchase price in respect thereof is determined.
Rejection of Purchase Orders
USCF acting by
itself or through the Marketing Agent shall have the absolute right but no obligation to reject a purchase order or a Creation Basket
Deposit if:
| · | it
determines that the investment alternative available to UNG at that time will not enable
it to meet its investment objective; |
| · | it
determines that the purchase order or the Creation Basket Deposit is not in proper form; |
| · | it
believes that the purchase order or the Creation Basket Deposit would have adverse tax consequences
to UNG, the limited partners or its shareholders; |
| · | the
acceptance or receipt of the Creation Basket Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel to
USCF, be unlawful; or |
| · | circumstances
outside the control of USCF, Marketing Agent or Custodian make it, for all practical purposes,
not feasible to process creations of baskets. |
None of USCF,
the Marketing Agent or the Custodian will be liable for the rejection of any purchase order or Creation Basket Deposit.
Redemption Procedures
The procedures
by which an Authorized Participant can redeem one or more baskets mirror the procedures for the creation of baskets. On any business
day, an Authorized Participant may place an order with the Marketing Agent to redeem one or more baskets. Redemption orders must be placed
by 12:00 p.m. New York time or the close of regular trading on the NYSE Arca, whichever is earlier. A redemption order so received will
be effective on the date it is received in satisfactory form by the Marketing Agent (“Redemption Order Date”). The redemption
procedures allow Authorized Participants to redeem baskets and do not entitle an individual shareholder to redeem any shares in an amount
less than a Redemption Basket, or to redeem baskets other than through an Authorized Participant.
By placing a
redemption order, an Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the baskets to be redeemed through DTC’s book-entry system to UNG,
as described below. Prior to the delivery of the redemption distribution for a redemption order, the Authorized Participant must also
have wired to UNG’s account at the Custodian the non-refundable transaction fee due for the redemption order. An Authorized Participant
may not withdraw a redemption order, except as otherwise set forth in the procedures in the Authorized Participant Agreement.
The manner by
which redemptions are made is dictated by the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement. By placing a redemption order, an Authorized
Participant agrees to (1) deliver the Redemption Basket to be redeemed through DTC’s book-entry system to UNG’s account with
the Custodian not later than 3:00 p.m. New York time on the second business day following the effective date of the redemption order
(“Redemption Distribution Date”), and (2) if required by USCF in its sole discretion, enter into or arrange for a block trade,
an exchange for physical or exchange for swap, or any other OTC energy transaction (through itself or a designated acceptable broker)
with UNG for the sale of a number and type of futures contracts at the closing settlement price for such contracts on the Redemption
Order Date. If an Authorized Participant fails to consummate (1) and (2) above, the order shall be cancelled. The number and type of
contracts specified shall be determined by USCF, in its sole discretion, to meet UNG’s investment objective and shall be sold as
a result of the Authorized Participant’s sale of shares.
Determination of Redemption
Distribution
The redemption
distribution from UNG consists of a transfer to the redeeming Authorized Participant of an amount of Treasuries and/or cash that is in
the same proportion to the total assets of UNG (net of estimated accrued but unpaid fees, expenses and other liabilities) on the date
the order to redeem is properly received as the number of shares to be redeemed under the redemption order is in proportion to the total
number of shares outstanding on the date the order is received. USCF, directly or in consultation with the Administrator, determines
the requirements for Treasuries and the amounts of cash, including the maximum permitted remaining maturity of a Treasury, and the proportions
of Treasuries and cash that may be included in distributions to redeem baskets. The Marketing Agent will publish an estimate of the redemption
distribution per basket as of the beginning of each business day.
Delivery of Redemption Distribution
The redemption
distribution due from UNG will be delivered to the Authorized Participant by 3:00 p.m. New York time on the second business day following
the redemption order date if, by 3:00 p.m. New York time on such second business day, UNG’s DTC account has been credited with
the baskets to be redeemed. If UNG’s DTC account has not been credited with all of the baskets to be redeemed by such time, the
redemption distribution will be delivered to the extent of whole baskets received. Any remainder of the redemption distribution will
be delivered on the next business day to the extent of remaining whole baskets received if UNG receives the fee applicable to the extension
of the redemption distribution date which USCF may, from time to time, determine and the remaining baskets to be redeemed are credited
to UNG’s DTC account by 3:00 p.m. New York time on such next business day. Any further outstanding amount of the redemption order
shall be cancelled. Pursuant to information from USCF, the Custodian will also be authorized to deliver the redemption distribution notwithstanding
that the baskets to be redeemed are not credited to UNG’s DTC account by 3:00 p.m. New York time on the second business day following
the redemption order date if the Authorized Participant has collateralized its obligation to deliver the baskets through DTC’s
book entry-system on such terms as USCF may from time to time determine.
Suspension or Rejection of
Redemption Orders
USCF may, in
its discretion, suspend the right of redemption, or postpone the redemption settlement date, (1) for any period during which the NYSE
Arca or the NYMEX is closed other than customary weekend or holiday closings, or trading on the NYSE Arca or the NYMEX is suspended or
restricted, (2) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which delivery, disposal or evaluation of Treasuries is
not reasonably practicable, or (3) for such other period as USCF determines to be necessary for the protection of the limited partners
or shareholders. For example, USCF may determine that it is necessary to suspend redemptions to allow for the orderly liquidation of
UNG’s assets at an appropriate value to fund a redemption. If USCF has difficulty liquidating UNG positions, e.g., because
of a market disruption event in the futures markets, a suspension of trading by the exchange where the futures contracts are listed or
an unanticipated delay in the liquidation of a position in an OTC contract, it may be appropriate to suspend redemptions until such time
as such circumstances are rectified. None of USCF, the Marketing Agent, the Administrator, or the Custodian will be liable to any person
or in any way for any loss or damages that may result from any such suspension or postponement.
Redemption orders
must be made in whole baskets. USCF will reject a redemption order if the order is not in proper form as described in the Authorized
Participant Agreement or if the fulfillment of the order, in the opinion of its counsel, might be unlawful. USCF may also reject a redemption
order if the number of shares being redeemed would reduce the remaining outstanding shares to 100,000 shares (i.e., one basket)
or less.
Creation and Redemption Transaction
Fee
To compensate
UNG for its expenses in connection with the creation and redemption of baskets, an Authorized Participant is required to pay a transaction
fee to UNG of $1,000 per order to create or redeem baskets, regardless of the number of baskets in such order. An order may include multiple
baskets. The transaction fee may be reduced, increased or otherwise changed by USCF. USCF shall notify DTC of any change in the transaction
fee and will not implement any increase in the fee for the redemption of baskets until thirty (30) days after the date of the notice.
Tax Responsibility
Authorized Participants
are responsible for any transfer tax, sales or use tax, stamp tax, recording tax, value added tax or similar tax or governmental charge
applicable to the creation or redemption of baskets, regardless of whether or not such tax or charge is imposed directly on the Authorized
Participant, and agree to indemnify USCF and UNG if they are required by law to pay any such tax, together with any applicable penalties,
additions to tax and interest thereon.
Secondary Market Transactions
As noted, UNG
creates and redeems shares from time to time, but only in one or more Creation Baskets or Redemption Baskets. The creation and redemption
of baskets are only made in exchange for delivery to UNG or the distribution by UNG of the amount of Treasuries and cash represented
by the baskets being created or redeemed, the amount of which will be based on the aggregate NAV of the number of shares included in
the baskets being created or redeemed determined on the day the order to create or redeem baskets is properly received.
As discussed
above, Authorized Participants are the only persons that may place orders to create and redeem baskets. Authorized Participants must
be registered broker-dealers or other securities market participants, such as banks and other financial institutions that are not required
to register as broker-dealers to engage in securities transactions. An Authorized Participant is under no obligation to create or redeem
baskets, and an Authorized Participant is under no obligation to offer to the public shares of any baskets it does create. Authorized
Participants that do offer to the public shares from the baskets they create will do so at per-share offering prices that are expected
to reflect, among other factors, the trading price of the shares on the NYSE Arca, the per share NAV of UNG at the time the Authorized
Participant purchased the Creation Baskets and the per share NAV at the time of the offer of the shares to the public, the supply of
and demand for shares at the time of sale, and the liquidity of the Futures Contract market and the market for Other Natural Gas-Related
Investments.
Shares initially
comprising the same basket but offered by Authorized Participants to the public at different times may have different offering prices.
An order for one or more baskets may be placed by an Authorized Participant on behalf of multiple clients. Authorized Participants who
make deposits with UNG in exchange for baskets receive no fees, commissions or other forms of compensation or inducement of any kind
from either UNG or USCF, and no such person has any obligation or responsibility to USCF or UNG to effect any sale or resale of shares.
Shares trade in the secondary market on the NYSE Arca. Shares may trade in the secondary market at prices that are lower or higher relative
to their NAV per share.
The amount of
the discount or premium in the trading price relative to the per share NAV may be influenced by various factors, including, among other
things, the number of investors who seek to purchase or sell shares in the secondary market, availability of Creation Baskets, the liquidity
of the Futures Contracts market and the market for Other Natural Gas-Related Investments. In addition, while UNG’s shares trade
during the core trading session on the NYSE Arca until 4:00 p.m. New York time, liquidity in the market for Futures Contracts and Other
Natural Gas-Related Investments may be reduced after the determination of the settlement price by the NYMEX at 2:30 p.m. New York time.
UNG’s NAV is calculated based on the settlement price of the Benchmark Futures Contract at 2:30 p.m. New York time and the closing
share price of UNG on the NYSE takes into account changes in the price of the Benchmark Futures Contract that occur after the settlement
price is determined. As a result, during this time, particularly if UNG has invested in Benchmark Futures Contracts and Other Natural
Gas-Related Investments, trading spreads, and the resulting premium or discount, on the shares may widen.
Use of Proceeds
USCF causes UNG
to transfer the proceeds from the sale of Creation Baskets to the Custodian or other custodian for trading activities. USCF will invest
UNG’s assets in Natural Gas Interests and investments in Treasuries, cash and/or cash equivalents. When UNG purchases a Futures
Contract and certain exchange-traded Other Natural Gas-Related Investments, UNG is required to deposit typically 5% to 30% with the selling
FCMs on behalf of the exchange as a portion of the value of the contract or other interest as security to ensure payment for the obligation
under Natural Gas Interests at maturity. This deposit is known as initial margin. Counterparties in transactions in OTC contracts will
generally impose similar collateral requirements on UNG. USCF will invest the assets that remain after margin and collateral are posted
in Treasuries, cash and/or cash equivalents subject to these margin and collateral requirements. USCF has sole authority to determine
the percentage of assets that are:
| · | held
on deposit with the FCMs or other custodian, |
| · | used
for other investments, and |
| · | held
in bank accounts to pay current obligations and as reserves. |
An FCM, a counterparty,
a government agency, or a commodity exchange could increase margin or collateral requirements applicable to UNG to hold trading positions
at any time. The percentage of assets committed as margin may be substantially more, or less than the 5% to 30% range described above.
Ongoing margin and collateral payments will generally be required for both exchange-traded and OTC contracts based on changes in the
value of the Natural Gas Interests.
Furthermore,
ongoing collateral requirements with respect to OTC contracts are negotiated by the parties, and may be affected by overall market volatility,
volatility of the underlying commodity or index, the ability of the counterparty to hedge its exposure under a Natural Gas Interest,
and each party’s creditworthiness. Margin is merely a security deposit and has no bearing on the profit or loss potential for any
positions held. In light of the differing requirements for initial payments under exchange-traded and OTC contracts and the fluctuating
nature of ongoing margin and collateral payments, it is not possible to estimate what portion of UNG’s assets will be posted as
margin or collateral at any given time. The Treasuries, cash and cash equivalents held by UNG will constitute reserves that will be available
to meet ongoing margin and collateral requirements. All interest income will be used for UNG’s benefit.
The assets of
UNG posted as margin for Futures Contracts are held in segregated accounts pursuant to the CEA and CFTC regulations.
If UNG enters
into a swap agreement, UNG must post both collateral and independent amounts to its swap counterparty(ies). The amount of collateral
UNG posts changes according to the amounts owed by UNG to its counterparty on a given swap transaction, while independent amounts are
fixed amounts posted by UNG at the start of a swap transaction. Collateral and independent amounts posted to swap counterparties will
be held by a third-party custodian.
INFORMATION
YOU SHOULD KNOW
This prospectus
contains information you should consider when making an investment decision about the shares. You may rely on the information contained
in this prospectus. Neither UNG nor USCF has authorized any person to provide you with different information and, if anyone provides
you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus is not an offer to sell the shares in any
jurisdiction where the offer or sale of the shares is not permitted.
The information
contained in this prospectus was obtained from us and other sources believed by us to be reliable.
You should rely
only on the information contained in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement or any information incorporated by reference
to this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any information that is different. If you receive any unauthorized
information, you must not rely on it. You should disregard anything we said in an earlier document that is inconsistent with what is
included in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement or any information incorporated by reference to this prospectus.
Where the context requires, when we refer to this “prospectus,” we are referring to this prospectus and (if applicable) the
relevant prospectus supplement.
You should not
assume that the information in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement is current as of any date other than the date
on the front page of this prospectus or the date on the front page of any applicable prospectus supplement.
We include cross
references in this prospectus to captions in these materials where you can find further related discussions. The table of contents tells
you where to find these captions.
SUMMARY OF
PROMOTIONAL AND SALES MATERIAL
UNG uses the following promotional
or sales material:
| · | UNG’s
website, www.uscfinvestments.com; and |
| · | UNG
fact sheet found on UNG’s website. |
The materials
described above are not a part of this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and have been submitted
to the staff of the SEC for their review pursuant to Industry Guide 5.
This section
is provided here as a convenience to you.
INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY
USCF owns trademark
registrations for UNITED STATES NATURAL GAS FUND (U.S. Reg. No. 3407494) for “Fund investment services in the field of natural
gas Futures Contracts, cash-settled options on natural gas Futures Contracts, forward contracts for natural gas, over-the-counter transactions
based on the price of natural gas, and indices based on the foregoing,” in use since April 18, 2007, and UNG UNITED STATES NATURAL
GAS FUND, LP (and Flame Design) (U.S. Reg. No. 4343873) for “Financial investment services in the field of natural gas Futures
Contracts, cash-settled options on natural gas Futures Contracts, forward contracts for natural gas, over-the-counter transactions based
on the price of natural gas, and indices based on the foregoing,” in use since September 30, 2012. USCF relies upon these trademarks
through which it markets its services and strives to build and maintain brand recognition in the market and among current and potential
investors. So long as USCF continues to use these trademarks to identify its services, without challenge from any third party, and properly
maintains and renews the trademark registrations under applicable laws, rules and regulations, it will continue to have indefinite protection
for these trademarks under current laws, rules and regulations.
USCF owns trademark
registrations for USCF (and Design) (U.S. Reg. No. 5127374) for “fund investment services,” in use since April 10,
2016, USCF (U.S. Reg. No. 5040755) for “fund investment services,” in use since June 24, 2008, and INVEST IN WHAT’S
REAL (U.S. Reg. No. 5450808) for “fund investment services,” in use since April 2016. USCF relies upon these trademarks
and service mark through which it markets its services and strives to build and maintain brand recognition in the market and among current
and potential investors. So long as USCF continues to use these trademarks to identify its services, without challenge from any third
party, and properly maintains and renews the trademark registrations under applicable laws, rules and regulations; it will continue
to have indefinite protection for these trademarks under current laws, rules and regulations. USCF has been granted two patents
Nos. 7,739,186 and 8,019,675, for systems and methods for an exchange traded fund (ETF) that tracks the price of one or more commodities.
WHERE YOU
CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
USCF has filed
on behalf of UNG a registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC under the 1933 Act. This prospectus does not contain all of the information
set forth in the registration statement (including the exhibits to the registration statement), parts of which have been omitted in accordance
with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information about UNG or the shares, please refer to the registration statement,
which you may access online at www.sec.gov. Information about UNG and the shares can also be obtained from UNG’s website,
http://www.uscfinvestments.com. UNG’s website address is only provided here as a convenience to you and the information
contained on or connected to the website is not part of this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus is part.
UNG is subject to the informational requirements of the 1934 Act and USCF, on behalf of UNG, will file certain reports and other information
with the SEC under the 1934 Act. USCF will file an updated prospectus annually for UNG pursuant to the 1933 Act. The reports and other
information can be accessed online at www.sec.gov.
STATEMENT
REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus
includes “forward-looking statements” which generally relate to future events or future performance. In some cases, you can
identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,”
“plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential”
or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. All statements (other than statements of historical fact) included in
this prospectus that address activities, events or developments that will or may occur in the future, including such matters as changes
in inflation in the United States, movements in the stock market, movements in U.S. and foreign currencies, and movements in the commodities
markets and indexes that track such movements, UNG’s operations, USCF’s plans and references to UNG’s future success
and other similar matters, are forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ
materially. These statements are based upon certain assumptions and analyses USCF has made based on its perception of historical trends,
current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors appropriate in the circumstances. Whether or not actual
results and developments will conform to USCF’s expectations and predictions, however, is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties,
including the special considerations discussed in this prospectus, general economic, market and business conditions, changes in laws
or regulations, including those concerning taxes, made by governmental authorities or regulatory bodies, and other world economic and
political developments. See “Risk Factors Involved with an Investment in UNG” Consequently, all the forward-looking statements
made in this prospectus are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments
USCF anticipates will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will result in the expected consequences to, or have
the expected effects on, UNG’s operations or the value of the shares.
INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION
We are a reporting
company and file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC. The rules of the SEC allow us to “incorporate
by reference” information that we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you
to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Any reports filed by us with the
SEC subsequent to the date of this prospectus and before the date that any offering of any securities by means of this prospectus and
any accompanying prospectus supplement is terminated will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede any information contained
in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future
filings we will make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act after the date of this prospectus until all
of the securities offered by this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement have been sold or we otherwise terminate the
offering of these securities; provided, however, that information “furnished” under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K or
other information “furnished” to the SEC which is not deemed filed is not and will not be incorporated by reference. This
prospectus incorporates by reference the documents set forth below that have been previously filed with the SEC.
| · | Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2022, filed with the SEC on February 27, 2023. |
| · | Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on April 3, 2023. |
We will provide
to each person to whom a prospectus is delivered, including any beneficial owner, a copy of these filings at no cost, upon written or
oral request at the following address or telephone number:
United States
Natural Gas Fund, LP
Attention: Katie Rooney
1850 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Suite 640,
Walnut Creek, California 94596
(510) 522-9600
Privacy Policy
UNG and USCF
may collect or have access to certain nonpublic personal information about current and former investors. Nonpublic personal information
may include information received from investors, such as an investor’s name, social security number and address, as well as information
received from brokerage firms about investor holdings and transactions in shares of UNG.
UNG and USCF
do not disclose nonpublic personal information except as required by law or as described in their Privacy Policy. In general, UNG and
USCF restrict access to the nonpublic personal information they collect about investors to those of their and their affiliates’
employees and service providers who need access to such information to provide products and services to investors.
UNG and USCF
maintain safeguards that comply with federal and applicable state law to protect investors’ nonpublic personal information. These
safeguards are reasonably designed to (1) ensure the security and confidentiality of investors’ records and information, (2) protect
against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of investors’ records and information, and (3) protect
against unauthorized access to or use of investors’ records or information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience
to any investor. Third-party service providers with whom UNG and USCF share nonpublic personal information about investors must agree
to follow appropriate standards of security and confidentiality, which includes safeguarding such nonpublic personal information physically,
electronically and procedurally.
A copy of USCF’s
current Privacy Policy is available at http://www.uscfinvestments.com.
APPENDIX A
Glossary of
Defined Terms
In this prospectus,
each of the following terms has the meaning set forth after such term:
1933 Act:
The Securities Act of 1933.
1934 Act:
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
1940 Act:
Investment Company Act of 1940.
Adjusted
K-1: A statement to investors who owned beneficial interests in the shares in the year to which the adjusted allocations relate setting
forth their proportionate shares of the adjustment.
Administrator:
BNY Mellon.
Authorized
Participant: A person that purchases or redeems Creation Baskets or Redemption Baskets, respectively, from or to UNG.
Authorized
Participant Agreement: An agreement with USCF on behalf of UNG whereby a person becomes an Authorized Participant.
Backup Withholding:
U.S. federal income tax that is required to be withheld.
Basket: A
block of 50,000 shares.
Benchmark
Futures Contract: The near month futures contract for natural gas traded on the NYMEX unless the near month futures contract will
expire within two weeks of the valuation day, in which case the Benchmark Futures Contract is the next month futures contract for natural
gas traded on the NYMEX.
BNO:
United States Brent Oil Fund, LP.
BNY Mellon:
The Bank of New York Mellon.
Board:
USCF’s board of directors.
Business
Day: Any day other than a day when any of the NYSE Arca, the NYMEX or the New York Stock Exchange is closed for regular trading.
CEA: Commodity
Exchange Act.
CFTC:
Commodity Futures Trading Commission, an independent agency with the mandate to regulate commodity futures and options in the United
States.
Cleared Swap
Contract: A financial contract, whose value is designed to track the return on stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities, or some other
benchmark, that is submitted to a central clearinghouse after it is either traded OTC or on an exchange or other trading platform.
Code:
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
Commodity
Pool: An enterprise in which several individuals contribute funds in order to trade futures contracts or options on futures contracts
collectively.
Commodity
Pool Operator or CPO: Any person engaged in a business which is of the nature of an investment trust, syndicate, or similar enterprise,
and who, in connection therewith, solicits, accepts, or receives from others, funds, securities, or property, either directly or through
capital contributions, the sale of stock or other forms of securities, or otherwise, for the purpose of trading in any commodity for
future delivery or commodity option on or subject to the rules of any contract market.
CPER:
United States Copper Index Fund.
Creation
Basket: A block of 100,000 shares used by UNG to issue shares.
Creation
Basket Deposit: The total deposit required to create each basket.
Custodian:
The Bank of New York Mellon
DCM:
Designated contract market.
DNO:
United States Short Oil Fund, LP.
DTC:
The Depository Trust Company. DTC will act as the securities depository for the shares.
DTC Participant:
An entity that has an account with DTC.
DTEF:
A derivatives transaction execution facility.
ECI:
Income that is effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business.
ERISA:
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
Exchange
for Related Position (EFRP): An off market transaction which involves the swapping (or exchanging) of an over-the-counter (OTC) position
for a futures position. The OTC transaction must be for the same or similar quantity or amount of a specified commodity, or a substantially
similar commodity or instrument. The OTC side of the EFRP can include swaps, swap options, or other instruments traded in the OTC market.
In order that an EFRP transaction can take place, the OTC side and futures components must be “substantially similar” in
terms of either value and or quantity. The net result is that the OTC position (and the inherent counterparty credit exposure) is transferred
from the OTC market to the futures market. EFRPs can also work in reverse, where a futures position can be reversed and transferred to
the OTC market.
FDAP:
Amounts that are fixed, determinable, annual and periodic income, such as interest, dividends and rent that are not connected with the
operation of a U.S. trade or business.
FCM:
Futures Commission Merchant.
FFI:
Foreign financial institution.
FINRA:
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
Futures Contracts:
Futures contracts for natural gas, crude oil, gasoline, heating oil and other petroleum-based fuels that are traded on NYMEX, ICE Futures
or other U.S. and foreign exchanges.
ICE Futures
Exchange (ICE Futures): The leading electronic regulated futures and options exchange for global energy markets. UNG expects to invest
primarily in futures contracts, and particularly in futures contracts traded on ICE Futures.
IGA:
Intergovernmental agreement.
Indirect
Participants: Banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant,
either directly or indirectly.
IRA:
Individual retirement account.
IRS:
U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
ISDA:
International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc.
Limited Liability
Company (LLC): A type of business ownership combining several features of corporation and partnership structures.
LLC Agreement:
The Sixth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of USCF, dated as of May 15, 2015 (as amended from time to time).
LP Agreement:
The Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership dated as of December 15, 2017.
Management
Directors: The four management directors that make up USCF’s board of directors.
Margin:
The amount of equity required for an investment in futures contracts.
Marketing
Agent: ALPS Distributors, Inc.
Marygold:
The Marygold Companies, Inc., formerly Concierge Technologies Inc., a company publicly traded under the ticker symbol “MGLD.”
MMbtu:
10,000 million British thermal shares.
NAV: Net
asset value of UNG.
NFA: National
Futures Association.
New York Mercantile
Exchange (NYMEX): The primary exchange on which futures contracts are traded in the U.S. UNG expects to invest primarily in futures
contracts, and particularly in futures contracts traded on the NYMEX. UNG expressly disclaims any association with the Exchange or endorsement
of UNG by the Exchange and acknowledges that “NYMEX” and “New York Mercantile Exchange” are registered trademarks
of the NYMEX.
Natural Gas
Futures Contracts: Futures contracts for natural gas that are traded on the NYMEX, ICE Futures or other U.S. and foreign exchanges.
Natural Gas
Interests: Natural Gas Futures Contracts and Other Natural Gas-Related Investments.
NYSE Arca:
NYSE Arca, Inc.
Option:
The right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a futures contract or forward contract at a specified price on or before a specified
date.
Other Natural
Gas–Related Investments: Other natural gas related investments other than Natural Gas Futures Contracts, such as cash-settled
options on Futures Contracts, forward contracts for natural gas, cleared swap contracts, and non-exchange traded (“OTC”)
transactions that are based on the price of natural gas, crude oil and other petroleum-based fuels, as well as futures contracts for
crude oil, heating oil, gasoline, and other petroleum-based fuels and indices based on the foregoing.
OTC Derivative:
A financial contract, whose value is designed to track the return on stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities, or some other benchmark,
that is traded OTC or off organized exchanges.
Position Limits
Rule: Regulatory limits imposed by the CFTC on speculative positions in certain physical commodity futures and option contracts and
swaps that are economically equivalent to such contracts in the agriculture, energy and metals markets and rules addressing the circumstances
under which market participants would be required to aggregate their positions with other persons under common ownership or control.
Prudential
Regulators: The CFTC, the SEC and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Farm Credit Administration and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, collectively.
Redemption
Basket: A block of 100,000 shares used by UNG to redeem shares.
Redemption
Order Date: The date a redemption order is received in satisfactory form and approved by the Marketing Agent.
Register:
The record of all Shareholders and holders of the shares in certificated form kept by the Administrator.
Related Public
Funds: United States 12 Month Natural Gas Fund, LP (“UNL”); United States 12 Month Oil Fund, LP (“USL”);
United States Oil Fund, LP (“USO”); United States Gasoline Fund, LP (“UGA”); United States Brent Oil Fund, LP
(“BNO”); United States Copper Index Fund (“CPER”); United States Commodity Index Fund (“USCI”).
SEC: Securities
and Exchange Commission.
SEF: A
swap execution facility.
Secondary
Market: The stock exchanges and the OTC market. Securities are first issued as a primary offering to the public. When the securities
are traded from that first holder to another, the issues trade in these secondary markets.
Shareholders:
Holders of Shares.
Shares:
Common shares representing fractional undivided beneficial interests in UNG.
Spot Contract:
A cash market transaction in which the buyer and seller agree to the immediate purchase and sale of a commodity, usually with a two-day
settlement.
Swap Contract:
Swap transactions generally involve contracts between two parties to exchange a stream of payments computed by reference to a notional
amount and the price of the asset that is the subject of the swap. Some swap transactions are cleared through central counterparties.
These transactions, known as cleared swaps, involve two counterparties first agreeing to the terms of a swap transaction, then submitting
the transaction to a clearing house that acts as the central counterparty. Swap transactions that are not cleared through central counterparties
are called “uncleared” or “over-the-counter” (“OTC”) swaps.
Tracking
Error: Possibility that the daily NAV of UNG will not track the price of natural gas.
Treasuries:
Obligations of the U.S. government with remaining maturities of 2 years or less.
UBTI:
Unrelated business taxable income.
UGA:
United States Gasoline Fund, LP.
UHN:
United States Diesel-Heating Oil Fund, LP.
UNG:
United States Natural Gas Fund, LP.
UNL:
United States 12 Month Natural Gas Fund, LP.
USCF:
United States Commodity Funds LLC (the general partner), a Delaware limited liability company, which is registered as a Commodity Pool
Operator, who controls the investments and other decisions of UNG.
USCF Investments:
USCF Investments, Inc., formerly Wainwright Holdings, Inc.
USCI:
United States Commodity Index Fund.
USL:
United States 12 Month Oil Fund, LP.
USO:
United States Oil Fund, LP.
Valuation
Day: Any day as of which UNG calculates its NAV.
You:
The owner or holder of shares.
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