As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission on June 14, 2023
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM F-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT OF 1933
Meta Data Limited
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Cayman Islands |
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Not Applicable |
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization) |
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(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number) |
Flat H 3/F, Haribest Industrial Building, 45-47
Au Pui Wan Street
Sha Tin New Territories
Hong Kong
+86-13655939932
(Address and telephone number of Registrant’s
principal executive offices)
Puglisi & Associates
850 Library Avenue,
Suite 204
Newark, Delaware 19711
+1 (302) 738-6680
(Name, address, and telephone number of agent for
service)
With a Copy to:
Joan Wu Esq.
Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
950 Third Avenue, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10022
212-530-2206
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale
to the public: From time to time after the effective date of the registration statement.
If only securities being registered on this Form are
being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this
Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following
box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional
securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities
Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment
filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement
number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement
pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment
to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of
securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant
is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.
Emerging growth company ☒
If an emerging growth company that prepares its
financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition
period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of
the Securities Act. ☐
†The term “new or revised financial
accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification
after April 5, 2012.
The Registrant hereby amends this registration
statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment that
specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the
Securities Act, or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting
pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The
information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell the securities until the registration statement
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is
not soliciting any offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale is not permitted. |
SUBJECT
TO COMPLETION, DATED JUNE 14, 2023
PROSPECTUS
$70,000,000 of
Class A Ordinary Shares
Class A Ordinary Shares Underlying American
Depositary Shares
Preferred Shares
Preferred Shares Underlying American Depositary
Shares
Debt Securities
Warrants
Rights
and
Units
Meta Data Limited
Meta Data Limited (“Meta Data,” “we,”
“us,” “our,” or the “Company”) may, from time to time, in one or more offerings, offer and sell up
to $70,000,000 of any combination, together or separately, of Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.0005 per share; Class A ordinary
shares in the form of American Depositary Shares, or ADSs; preferred shares, par value US$0.0005 per share; preferred shares in the form
of ADSs; debt securities; warrants; units; rights; or any combination thereof as described in this prospectus. Any ADS will represent
a specified number of ordinary shares or preference shares. The warrants may be convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for ordinary
shares or preferred shares or debt securities, the preferred shares may be convertible into or exchangeable for ordinary shares and the
debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for ordinary shares or preference shares or other debt securities. In this prospectus,
references to the term “securities” refers, collectively, to our Class A ordinary shares, preferred shares, debt securities,
warrants, rights, and units, which may be represented by ADSs. The prospectus supplement for each offering of securities or securities
underlying the ADSs will describe in detail the plan of distribution for that offering.
We may offer and sell the ADSs or securities from
time to time at fixed prices, at market prices, or at negotiated prices, to or through underwriters, to other purchasers, through agents,
or through a combination of these methods. If any underwriters are involved in the sale of any ADSs or securities with respect to which
this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters and any applicable commissions or discounts will be set forth in a
prospectus supplement. The offering price of such ADSs or securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also
be set forth in a prospectus supplement. See “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus for a more complete description of
the ways in which the ADSs or securities may be sold.
In addition, from time to time, the selling shareholders
to be named in a prospectus supplement may offer and sell our ADSs or securities held by them. The selling shareholders may sell shares
of our ADSs or securities through public or private transactions at prevailing market prices or at privately negotiated prices. We will
not receive any proceeds from the sale of our ADSs or securities by the selling shareholders.
This prospectus provides a general description
of the securities we may offer. We will provide the specific terms of the securities offered in one or more supplements to this prospectus.
We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. You should read
this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, and any free writing prospectus before you invest in any of our securities. The prospectus
supplement and any related free writing prospectus may add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read
carefully this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement, and any related free writing prospectus, as well as the documents incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated by reference, before you invest in any of our securities. This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell
any securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement. This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell any
ADSs or securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement.
Our Class A ordinary shares, in the form of ADSs
are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the symbol “AIU.” Each ADS represents two (2) Class A ordinary shares,
par value US$0.0005 per share. On June 12, 2023, the last reported sale price of our shares on the NYSE was $1.03 per ADS. The aggregate
market value of our outstanding Class A ordinary shares held by non-affiliates, or public float, as of June 12, 2023, was approximately
$68.83 million, which was calculated based on 109,257,366 Class A ordinary shares held by non-affiliates and the price of $1.26 per ADS
as the closing price of our ADS on NYSE on April 17, 2023. Pursuant to General Instruction I.B.5 of Form F-3, in no event will we
sell our securities or securities underlying the ADSs in a public primary offering with a value exceeding more than one-third of our public
float in any 12-month period so long as our public float remains below $75 million. During the 12 calendar months prior to and including
the date of this prospectus, we have not offered or sold any securities pursuant to General Instruction I.B.5 of Form F-3.
Investing in our securities involves a high
degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, please read the information under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning
on page 11 of this prospectus and risk factors set forth under “Item 3. Key Information—D.
Risk Factors” in the 2022 Annual Report, which is incorporated herein by reference, and in an applicable prospectus supplement
under the heading “Risk Factors.”
We are not an operating company but a Cayman Islands
holding company with operations conducted by our directly-owned subsidiary established in Hong Kong. Investors are cautioned that you
are not buying shares of a Hong Kong-based operating company but instead are buying shares of a Cayman Islands holding company with no
operations of its own.
The PRC government has recently initiated a series
of regulatory actions and public statements on the regulation of business operations in China, including cracking down on illegal activities
in the securities market, enhancing supervision over China-based companies listed overseas, adopting new measures to extend the scope
of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. All of our operations are conducted by our subsidiary based
in Hong Kong and having all of its operations to date in Hong Kong. Accordingly, the PRC laws and regulations do not currently have any
material impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Although there have not yet been comparable developments
in Hong Kong, but such developments may occur. Since these statements and regulatory actions by the PRC government are relatively newly
published and official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued, it is highly uncertain what potential impacts such
modified or new laws and regulations will have on our daily business operations, ability to accept foreign investments, or maintain our
listing on the NYSE or list on another U.S. or foreign exchange, although they have had no impacts to date. In the event that we or our
Hong Kong subsidiary were to become subject to PRC laws and regulations, we could incur material costs to ensure compliance, and we or
our Hong Kong subsidiary might be subject to fines, experience devaluation of securities or delisting, no longer be permitted to conduct
offerings to foreign investors, andor no longer be permitted to continue business operations as presently conducted. Please
see the factors set forth under “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in Hong Kong
and Having Clients in mainland China” in the 2022 Annual Report and “Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Doing Business in Hong Kong and Having Clients in mainland China” beginning on page 11 for a detailed description
of various risks related to doing business in Hong Kong and mainland China and other information that should be considered before making
a decision to purchase any of our securities.
The
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) may determine that it is unable to inspect our auditor in relation to
its audit work to its satisfaction, and our common shares may be prohibited from trading in the United States under the Holding Foreign
Companies Accountable Act, as amended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, (“HFCA Act”) if the PCAOB is unable to
inspect or fully investigate our auditor for two consecutive years. While our auditor is based in Singapore and is registered with
PCAOB and has been inspected by the PCAOB on a regular basis, in the event it is later determined that the PCAOB is unable to inspect
or investigate completely our auditor because of a position taken by an authority in a foreign jurisdiction, then such lack of inspection
could cause trading in the our securities to be prohibited under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, and ultimately result
in a determination by a securities exchange to delist the our securities. On August 26, 2022, the China Securities Regulatory Commission,
the Ministry of Finance of the PRC (the “MOF”), and the PCAOB signed a Statement of Protocol (the “Protocol”),
governing inspections and investigations of audit firms based in mainland China and Hong Kong, taking the first step toward opening access
for the PCAOB to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong. Pursuant to
the fact sheet with respect to the Protocol disclosed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the PCAOB
shall have independent discretion to select any issuer audits for inspection or investigation and has the unfettered ability to transfer
information to the SEC. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB Board determined that the PCAOB was able to secure complete access to inspect
and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong and voted to vacate its previous determinations
to the contrary. However, should PRC authorities obstruct or otherwise fail to facilitate the PCAOB’s access in the future, the
PCAOB Board will consider the need to issue a new determination. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in Hong
Kong and Having Clients in mainland China—Recent joint statement by the SEC and the PCAOB, rule changes by the HFCA Act all call
for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to emerging market companies upon assessing the qualification of their auditors,
especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments could add uncertainties to our continued listing
or future offerings of our securities in the U.S.”
Cash and asset transfers through the Company and
subsidiaries are primarily for the purpose of providing working capital between Meta Data and its subsidiaries. Under PRC laws and regulations,
we are subject to various restrictions on inter-company fund transfers and foreign exchange controls. Our operating subsidiary receives
substantially all of its revenue in USD. The PRC governments or Hong Kong governments could prevent the RMB maintained in the mainland
China or Hong Kong from leaving, impose controls on its conversion into foreign currencies, restrict deployment of the RMB into the business
of our subsidiaries and restrict the ability to pay dividends. As of the date of this prospectus, there are no restrictions or limitations
imposed by the Hong Kong government on the transfer of capital within, into and out of Hong Kong (including funds from Hong Kong to the
mainland China), except for the transfer of funds involving money laundering and criminal activities. However, there is no guarantee that
the Hong Kong government will not promulgate new laws or regulations that may impose such restrictions in the future. To the extent cash
in the business is in the mainland China or Hong Kong or our Hong Kong subsidiary, the funds may not be available to fund operations or
for other use outside of the mainland China or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on
the ability of us or our subsidiaries by the PRC or Hong Kong governments to transfer cash. We cannot assure you that the PRC or Hong
Kong governments will not intervene in or impose restrictions on our ability to make inter-company cash transfers.
PRC laws and regulations may restrict our ability
to make dividends and distributions to investors, including U.S. investors. For more information, see “Item 3. Key Information—D.
Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—We rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our subsidiaries
to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, and any limitation on the ability of our subsidiaries to make payments to us
could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business” of the 2022 Annual Report.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
nor any state securities commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this
prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is ,
2023.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement
that we filed with the SEC utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time
to time, sell the securities or securities underlying the ADSs described in this prospectus in one or more offerings, up to a total offering
amount of $70,000,000.
This prospectus provides you with a general description
of the securities or ADSs we may offer. This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement do not contain all of the information
included in the registration statement. We have omitted parts of the registration statement in accordance with the rules and regulations
of the SEC. Statements contained in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement about the provisions or contents of any
agreement or other documents are not necessarily complete. If the SEC rules and regulations require that an agreement or other document
be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, please see that agreement or document for a complete description of these matters.
This prospectus may be supplemented by a prospectus supplement that may add, update, or change information contained or incorporated by
reference in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement or other offering materials together
with additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Incorporation
of Documents by Reference.”
Each time we sell securities or securities underlying
the ADSs under this shelf registration, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain certain specific information about the
terms of that offering, including a description of any risks related to the offering. A prospectus supplement may also add, update, or
change information contained in this prospectus (including documents incorporated herein by reference). If there is any inconsistency
between the information in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus
supplement. The registration statement we filed with the SEC includes exhibits that provide more details on the matters discussed in this
prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the related exhibits filed with the SEC and the accompanying prospectus supplement together
with additional information described under the headings “Incorporation of Documents by Reference” before investing in any
of the securities or ADSs offered.
The information in this prospectus is accurate
as of the date on the front cover. Information incorporated by reference into this prospectus is accurate as of the date of the document
from which the information is incorporated. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of
any other date.
You should rely only on the information provided
or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in the prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with additional
or different information. This document may only be used where it is legal to sell these securities.
As permitted by SEC rules and regulations,
the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part includes additional information not contained in this prospectus. You
may read the registration statement and the other reports we file with the SEC at its website or at its offices described below under
“Where You Can Find Additional Information.”
COMMONLY USED DEFINED TERMS
Unless otherwise indicated or the context requires
otherwise, references in this prospectus or in a prospectus supplement to:
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“ADSs” refers to our American depositary shares, each of which represents two (2) Class A ordinary shares; |
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“Annual Report” are to our latest annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended August 31, 2022, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus; |
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“China” or the “PRC” are to the People’s Republic of China; |
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“Class A ordinary shares” are to the Class A ordinary shares of Meta Data, par value US$0.0005 per share; |
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“Class B ordinary shares” are to the Class B ordinary shares of Meta Data, par value US$0.0005 per share; |
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“Exchange Act” are to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; |
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“fiscal year” are to the period from September 1 to August 31 of the next year; |
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“Hong Kong” refer to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China for the purposes of this prospectus only; |
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“mainland China” are to the mainland China of the PRC, excluding Taiwan, the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau for the purposes of this prospectus only; |
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“Meta BVI” are to Metaverse Information Technology Limited, our subsidiary incorporated in British Virgin Islands in December 2022; |
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“Meta HK,” “Hong Kong subsidiary” and “operating subsidiary” are to Metaverse Information Technology Limited, which was incorporated under the laws of Hong Kong in January 2022 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Meta BVI; |
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“PRC government” or “Chinese government” are to the government of mainland China for the purposes of this prospectus only; |
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“PRC laws and regulations” or “PRC laws” are to the laws and regulations of mainland China for the purposes of this prospectus only; |
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“RMB” or “Renminbi” are to the legal currency of China; |
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“Sarbanes-Oxley Act” are to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; |
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“Securities Act” are to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; |
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“Securities Exchange Commission,” the “SEC,” “Commission,” or similar terms are to the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission; |
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“selling shareholder” are to a shareholder named in a prospectus supplement who may, from time to time, offer and sell some or all of the shares of our Class A ordinary Shares pursuant to this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement; |
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“US$,” “U.S. dollars,” “$,” or “dollars” are to the legal currency of the United States; |
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“U.S. GAAP” are to generally accepted accounting principles in the United States; and |
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“VIE” are to variable interest entity. |
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, an applicable prospectus supplement,
and our SEC filings that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus contain or incorporate by reference forward-looking statements
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. All statements other than statements
of historical fact are “forward-looking statements,” including any projections of earnings, revenue or other financial items,
any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations, any statements concerning proposed new projects
or other developments, any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance, any statements of management’s beliefs,
goals, strategies, intentions, and objectives, and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. The words “believe,”
“anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “could,”
“should,” “potential,” “likely,” “projects,” “continue,” “will,”
and “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking
statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events, are based
on assumptions, and are subject to risks and uncertainties. We cannot guarantee that we actually will achieve the plans, intentions, or
expectations expressed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on these statements. There are a number
of important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements.
These important factors include those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” contained or incorporated by reference in
this prospectus and in the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus we may authorize for use in connection with
a specific offering. These factors and the other cautionary statements made in this prospectus should be read as being applicable to all
related forward-looking statements whenever they appear in this prospectus. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update
publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Prospectus
Summary
This summary highlights certain information
about us, this offering and selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary is not complete and does not contain
all of the information that you should consider before deciding whether to invest in the securities covered by this prospectus. This summary
is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed information included in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable
prospectus supplement. For a more complete understanding of the Company and our ADSs or securities, we encourage you to read in their
entirety and consider carefully the more detailed information in this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement, including the
documents referred to in “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Incorporation of Documents by Reference,”
before making an investment decision. Some of the statements in this prospectus constitute, and certain statements in any prospectus supplement
or the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein may be, forward-looking statements that involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties
as further described in “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Business Overview
We are a holding company that does not have
operations of our own. We conduct our business in China through our Hong Kong subsidiary, Meta HK. The following description of our business
is a description of the business of Meta HK.
Historically, the Company, through its directly-held
subsidiaries or subsidiaries held through VIE contractual arrangements, operated as one the
leading providers of K-12 after-school education services in China which developed a comprehensive K-12 after-school education platform
that primarily focused on young children mathematics training services and FasTrack English services through a nationwide network of 480
learning centers across 40 cities in China. The Company had three primary segments, i. e. OneSmart VIP, OneSmart Young Children Education
and One Smart Online.
After the General Office of Central Committee
of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly released Opinions on what they termed “Further
Reducing the Burden of Homework and Off-campus Tutoring for Compulsory Education Students,” (the “Double Reduction Policy”)
on July 24, 2021, which basically requires suspension of all subject-based off-campus tutoring business targeting pre-school kids and
K12 students, the Company suspended all education programs and learning centers in China and started to have a new business in artificial
intelligent education (AIE), artificial intelligent universe (AIU) IAAS and smart ID card services since 2nd quarter of fiscal 2023 (December
2021 to February 2023).
We sold our after-school tutoring service segment
on November 25, 2022. Since then, the Company has been actively implementing its new business model, using the original channels to carry
out quality education and technology output, including 5G technology, smart campus system, and virtual training systems based on the Metaverse.
The new business model is based on using the six core technologies of Metaverse and artificial intelligence blockchain network computing,
interaction, game technology, and the Internet of Things (“IoT”) as core technologies, building a new type of blockchain smart
student card and global smart employment quality educational virtual world (a new type of artificial intelligence employment training),
a combination of virtual and real prediction world (digital education, risk prediction, computing power output), VR shopping world (new
e-commerce) and other products to provide global customers with a new digital world experience.
The new business model takes many of the components
not affected by the suspension and expands with new initiatives. The model consists of the following segments but will not include providing
subject-based off-campus training and tutoring to pre-school kids or K-12 students in China. As such, the new business will not be adversely
affected by the Double Reduction Policy.
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Artificial Intelligent Education (AIE). The Company has started building a smart training system incorporating virtual reality, artificial intelligence, blockchain and other technologies in order to facilitate the teaching and training process. If successfully developed and implemented, the smart training system is expected to enhance the immersion and interactivity of virtual reality and is suitable for many education and training scenarios. |
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Artificial Intelligent Universe (AIU) IAAS. The Company provides software & hardware infrastructure (IAAS) to Metaverse business operators or individual users. The IAAS package is targeted to improve the accessibility of rendering modes through cloud computing and edge computing algorithms and computing power to improve the virtual world. Use of spatial localization algorithm, virtual scene fitting, real-time network transmission, GPU server, and edge computing to reduce cost and network congestion. |
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 and
2021, we generated our revenue primarily from tuition fees from our premium tutoring services for exam preparation under the brand of
“OneSmart VIP,” premium young children education services under the brand of “HappyMath” and “FasTrack English,”
and online business. As of August 31, 2021, we operated a nationwide network of 498 learning centers across 44 cities in China. Our average
monthly enrollments for the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and 2021 were 170,995 and 170,854, respectively. The total number of class
units consumed in the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and 2021 were 20,089,538 and 20,073,009, respectively.
Due to the impact of Double Reduction policy on
education from Chinese’s central government, we suspended our legacy business operation from 1st quarter of fiscal 2022 (September
2021 to November 2021) onwards and is transforming us into a different sector in Metaverse business. For the fiscal year ended August
31, 2022, all of our revenues were generated from artificial intelligent education (AIE) and artificial intelligent universe (AIU) IAAS
services.
Our Corporate Structure
We first established Shanghai OneSmart Education
and Training Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Shanghai OneSmart Education Information Consulting Co., Ltd.), or Shanghai OneSmart, a domestic
company in China, in 2007. In January 2008, we opened our first learning center in Shanghai to provide premium K-12 after-school education
services.
In March 2017, we incorporated Meta Data Limited
(formerly known as OneSmart International Education Group Limited), or Meta Data, an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the
Cayman Islands, as our offshore holding company to facilitate financing and offshore listing.
On March 28, 2018, our ADSs commenced trading
on the NYSE under the symbol “ONE.” We raised approximately US$162.7 million in net proceeds from the issuance of new shares
from the initial public offering after deducting underwriting commissions and the offering expenses payable by us.
In December 2021, Metaverse Information Technology
Limited, or Meta BVI, was incorporated in British Virgin Islands. In January 2022, Metaverse Information Technology Limited, or Meta HK,
was incorporated in Hong Kong as a wholly owned subsidiary of Meta BVI.
On January 11, 2022, Metaverse Digital Technology
Co., Ltd. was formed in Wyoming, USA.
On April 28, 2022, our shareholders approved the
change of the Company’s name from OneSmart International Education Group Limited to Meta Data Limited at the Company’s annual
general meeting. In connection with the change of name, we changed our ticker symbol from “ONE” to “AIU.”
On October 28, 2022, we, OneSmart
Edu Inc., and Muckle Capital Investment Co., Ltd. (“Muckle Capital”) entered into a certain share purchase agreement,
pursuant to which Muckle Capital agreed to purchase OneSmart BVI in cash consideration of $1,000,000. On November 25, 2022, we completed
the Disposition after the satisfaction or waiver of all closing conditions, and Muckle Capital became the sole shareholder of OneSmart
BVI and as a result, assumed all assets and liabilities of all the subsidiaries and VIE entities owned or controlled by OneSmart BVI.
As of the date of this prospectus, we do not have
any contractual arrangements for the establishment of any VIE structure with any entity in mainland China.
The chart below summarizes our corporate legal
structure as of the date of this prospectus:
Regulatory Risks Related to Our Operations in China
We are a holding company incorporated in the Cayman
Islands with all of the operations conducted by our operating subsidiary in Hong Kong. We currently do not have, nor do we currently intend
to establish, any subsidiary nor do we plan to enter into any contractual arrangements to establish a VIE structure with any entity in
mainland China. As of the date of this prospectus, we and our Hong Kong subsidiary have received all requisite licenses, permissions,
or approvals from Hong Kong and Cayman Islands authorities needed to engage in the businesses currently conducted in Hong Kong and Cayman
Islands, and no permission or approval has been denied.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of
the PRC and the basic policies of the PRC regarding Hong Kong are reflected in the Basic Law, which serves as Hong Kong’s constitution.
The Basic Law provides Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy and executive, legislative and independent judicial powers, including
that of final adjudication under the principle of “one country, two systems”. Accordingly, we believe that the PRC laws and
regulations on cybersecurity, M&A and the oversight and control over overseas securities offerings do not currently have any material
impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations. However, there is no assurance that there will not be any changes
in the economic, political and legal environment in Hong Kong in the future.
Recently, the PRC government initiated a series
of regulatory actions and statements to regulate business operations in certain areas in mainland China with little advance notice, including
a cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, enhancing supervision over mainland China-based companies listed overseas
using the variable interest entity structure, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding the efforts
in anti-monopoly enforcement.
Although they have had no impacts on our business
to date, recent statements and regulatory actions by the Chinese government could have a significant impact on our ability to conduct
our business, accept foreign investments, or maintain our listing on NYSE or list on another U.S. or foreign exchange. There have not
been comparable developments in Hong Kong yet, but such developments may occur.
Cybersecurity Review
On January 4, 2022, the Measures for Cybersecurity
Review (the “Measures”) were published and became effective on February 15, 2022, which were originally promulgated on April
13, 2020, and, as revised on July 10, 2021, require that, among other things, and in addition to any “operator of critical information
infrastructure”, any “data processor” controlling personal information of no less than one million users (which to be
further specified) which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review, and which the Measures
further elaborate on the factors to be considered when assessing the national security risks of the relevant activities.
Our Hong Kong subsidiary may collect and store
data (including certain personal information) from its customers, some of whom may be individuals in mainland China, in connection with
its business and operations. It remains unclear whether a Hong Kong company which collects personal
information from mainland Chinese individuals shall be subject to the Measures. We do not expect the Measures to have an impact
on our business, operations or this offering as we do not believe that Meta HK is deemed to be an
“operator of critical information infrastructure” or a “data processor” controlling personal information of no
less than one million users, that are required to file for cybersecurity review before listing in the U.S., because (i) Meta HK is incorporated
and operating in Hong Kong and the Measures remains unclear whether it shall be applied to a Hong Kong company; (ii) Meta HK operates
without any subsidiary or VIE structure in mainland China; (iii) as of date of this prospectus, Meta HK has not yet collected any personal
or customer or vendor information from mainland China, and it has two customers and one vendor from the U.S.; and (iv) as of the date
of this prospectus, Meta HK has not been informed by any PRC governmental authority of any requirement that it file for a cybersecurity
review.
However,
there remains significant uncertainty in the interpretation and enforcement of relevant PRC cybersecurity laws and regulations. If Meta
HK is deemed to be an “operator of critical information infrastructure” or a “data processor” controlling personal
information of no less than one million users, Meta HK’s operation and the listing of our ADSs in the U.S. could be subject to the
cybersecurity review of Cyberspace Administration of China (“CAC”) in the future.
We believe, as of the date of this prospectus, Meta HK is not required to obtain any permission or approval from Hong Kong authorities
to operate our business. We are also not required to obtain permissions or approvals from Hong Kong authorities nor any PRC authorities
for our listing in the U.S. or issuing our ADSs to foreign investors, including the China Securities Regulatory Commission (“CSRC”)
or the CAC.
Data Security Law
On June 10, 2021, the Standing Committee of the
PRC National People’s Congress promulgated the PRC Data Security Law, which took effect in September 2021. The PRC Data Security
Law imposes data security and privacy obligations on entities and individuals carrying out data activities (e.g., collection, storage,
usage, reorganization, transmission, provision, disclosure and deletion) and introduces a data classification and hierarchical protection
system based on the importance of data in economic and social development, and the degree of harm it will cause to national security,
public interests, or legitimate rights and interests of individuals or organizations when such data is tampered with, destroyed, leaked,
illegally acquired or used. The PRC Data Security Law also provides for a national security review procedure for data activities that
may affect national security and imposes export restrictions on certain data and information. We believe that our business is not in an
industry related to national security, but we cannot preclude the possibility that PRC government authorities may publish explanations
contrary to our understanding or broaden the scope of such reviews in the future, in which case our future activities may be closely scrutinized
or prohibited. Moreover, given the PRC authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and applying their laws, rules and regulations,
if we undertake a transaction in the PRC that involves data security or an industry that the PRC government is focusing on, we could be
subject to review by the CSRC, CAC or other applicable governmental agency. Such review could be time consuming, could cause us to incur
significant costs in responding to such agencies and/or rectifying any potential issues noted by such agencies or completely abandon a
potential transaction.
M&A Rules — CSRC Filing or Approval
On July 6, 2021, the General Office of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the Opinions on Strictly Cracking
Down on Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law. These opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration
over illegal securities activities and supervision of overseas listings by China-based companies and proposed to take effective measures,
such as promoting the construction of regulatory systems. On December 24, 2021, the State Council issued a draft of the Provisions of
the State Council on the Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the “Draft Provisions”)
and the CSRC issued a draft of the Administrative Measures for the Filing of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies
(the “Draft Administrative Measures”) for public comment. The Draft Provisions and the Draft Administrative Measures propose
to establish a new filing-based regime to regulate overseas offerings of stock, depository receipts, convertible corporate bonds, or other
equity securities, and overseas listing of these securities for trading, by PRC companies.
As of the date of this prospectus, our operating
subsidiary is located and operates in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of the PRC. We believe that the PRC government
does not exert direct influence and discretion over the manner we conduct our business operations in Hong Kong. However, it remains
uncertain whether the PRC government will adopt additional requirements or extend the existing requirements to apply to our Operating
Subsidiaries located in Hong Kong. It is also uncertain whether the Hong Kong government will be mandated by the PRC government,
despite the constitutional constraints of the Basic Law, to control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment of entities
in Hong Kong, including our Operating Subsidiaries.
If it is determined in the future that approval
from or filing with the CSRC or other regulatory authorities or other procedures are required for our offshore offerings and/or listings,
it is uncertain whether we can or how long it will take us to obtain such approval or complete such filing procedures and any such approval
or filing could be rescinded or rejected. Any failure to obtain or delay in obtaining such approval or completing such filing procedures
for our offshore offerings, including by our inadvertent conclusion that such approval or filing was not required when in fact it was,
or a rescission of any such approval or filing if obtained by us, could subject us to sanctions by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities.
These regulatory authorities may impose fines and penalties on our operations in China, limit our ability to pay dividends outside of
China, limit our operating privileges in China, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from our offshore offerings into China
or take other actions that could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects,
as well as the trading price of our listed securities. The CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities also may take actions requiring us,
or making it advisable for us, to halt our offshore offerings before settlement and delivery of the securities offered.
Recent Development
Smart Training System
The Company is actively developing an intelligent
training system based on intelligent training platform to provide the maximum immersive experience and the best technical foundation for
learning. The company charges users a one-time sign-up fee plus consumption usage/hours one month following the month sales, creating
a reoccurring revenue stream. The Company plans to sell the platform to academics and professional training centers. This smart training
system known as (the “Metaverse Smart Training Module”) will become a technical service provider in the smart education/training
industry.
The services include technical services including
simulation teaching modules, 3D teaching modules, VR (virtual reality modules), etc. for smart education business operation service providers.
Users will be able to exercise, cook, practice Tai Chi and yoga, learning through smart devices, VR devices, and through the Metaverse
Smart Training Module to be developed by the Company. The Company plans to sell its modules in the form of chapters according to the needs
of its operators and services providers, collecting an annual fee per module chapter.
The Company has been working closely with several
companies and has entered into several strategic cooperation agreements with HK XINRONG Technology Global Limited, Cinda Communication
Co., Limited and TT Motor HK Industrial Co., Ltd. to pre-launch in the near-term its smart education training business.
AI Computing Power Output, Software/Hardware
Services
The Company provides software & hardware infrastructure
(IAAS) to Metaverse business operators or individual users. The IAAS package is targeted to improve the accessibility of rendering modes
through cloud computing and edge computing algorithms and computing power to improve the virtual world. Use of spatial localization algorithm,
virtual scene fitting, real-time network transmission, GPU server, and edge computing to reduce cost and network congestion. It allows
the operator to reduce the performance threshold requirements for terminal equipment and improve the immersive user experience. There
are two key drivers of revenue growth for this segment, number of customers/contracts and unit price. According to Mordor Intelligence,
the global gaming market was valued at over $170 billion in 2020, and it is expected to reach over $300 billion by 2026 (CAGR of 9.64%).
Management believes that GameFi will continue to be one of the hottest trends to emerge from the crypto industry.
The Company has entered into a strategic cooperation
agreement with Sesame Technology Corporation and Spirtas Worldwide to provide them with AI Computing.
COVID-19 Impact
COVID-19 has spread to many countries and
has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be a pandemic, resulting in actions from national and local governments that
have significantly affected virtually all facets of the PRC and global economies. The PRC government has implemented enhanced screenings,
quarantine requirements and travel restrictions in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic from early 2020 through the end of 2022.
As
of the date of this prospectus, we have generated all of our revenues from China. Although the PRC government loosened almost all stringent
COVID-19 pandemic control measures in December 2022, China grappled with a massive surge in COVID-19 cases since then. To the extent
that future waves of COVID-19 may disrupt normal business operations in China, the COVID-19 may continue to affect our business
operations, financial condition and operating results in the future, including but not limited to negative impact to our total revenues,
fair value adjustments or impairment to our long-term investments. Because of the significant uncertainties surrounding the future development
of the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot reasonably estimate the full extent of the business disruption and the related financial impact at
this time.
Summary of Risk Factors
Investing in our ADSs and securities involves
significant risks. You should carefully consider all of the information in this prospectus before making an investment in our securities.
Below please find a summary of the principal risks we face, organized under relevant headings. These risks are discussed more fully under
“Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors” in the 2022 Annual Report and in the section titled “Risk Factors”
beginning on page 11 of this prospectus.
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
(for a more detailed discussion, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business” in
the 2022 Annual Report and “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry” beginning on page 14 of this prospectus)
Risks and uncertainties related to our business
include, but are not limited to, the following:
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we suspended operations in China and focuses on developing Artificial Intelligent Education (AIE) and Artificial Intelligent Universe (AIU) IAAS services, integrating VR, AI, and blockchain technologies for teaching and training. We are transitioning our business from a PRC based business to being internationally operated, and our business plan is at its early stage of development (see “We are transitioning our business from a PRC based business to being internationally operated. Our business plan is at its early stage of development” on page 3 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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our business relies on the performance and integrity of our technology systems, and any inability to handle increased demand or operational failures may lead to service disruptions, slower response times, and delays in introducing new services (see “System limitations or failures could harm our business” on page 4 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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the success of our business depends on our ability to market and advertise the services we provide effectively (see “The success of our business depends on our ability to market and advertise the services we provide effectively” on page 4 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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inadequate management of growth may adversely affect our employee efficiency, product quality, working capital levels, and overall profitability, hindering our ability to meet customer demands and maintain quality standards (see “The failure to manage growth effectively could have an adverse effect on our employee efficiency, product quality, working capital levels, and results of operations” on page 4 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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without access to sufficient financing on reasonable terms, our expansion plans may be hindered, necessitating modifications to our business plans, and there is no guarantee that we will secure the necessary additional financing (see “If we need additional capital to fund our growing operations, we may not be able to obtain sufficient capital and may be forced to limit the scope of our operations” on page 4 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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our ability to effectively implement our business strategy and expand operations depends on successfully attracting and retaining qualified personnel, but competition in our industry may hinder our ability to recruit and retain sufficient talent (see “We are dependent on a trained workforce and any inability to retain or effectively recruit such employees, particularly distribution personnel and regional retail managers for our business, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations” on page 5 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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security breaches and attacks against our systems and network, and any potentially resulting breach or failure to otherwise protect confidential and proprietary information, could damage our reputation and negatively impact our business, as well as materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations (see Security breaches and attacks against our systems and network, and any potentially resulting breach or failure to otherwise protect confidential and proprietary information, could damage our reputation and negatively impact our business, as well as materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations” on page 5 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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safeguarding our intellectual property rights, including copyrights, trademarks, and patents, is crucial for brand recognition, but but unauthorized use can damage our reputation and business. Enforcement intellectual property rights may be difficult and costly, while inadequate protection could harm our brand, impact our business and financial results, and potentially lead to time-consuming litigation and management distraction (see “If we fail to protect our intellectual property rights, our brand and business may suffer” on page 6 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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the industry we operate in undergoes constant changes, including technological advancements, evolving customer demands, and emerging industry standards. Our success depends on our ability to effectively respond to these changes in a timely and cost-effective manner, and anticipate new technologies. However, uncertainties in commercializing our research and development results, potential technology obsolescence, and failure to anticipate market trends may negatively impact our business (see “The industry in which we operate is characterized by constant changes. If we fail to innovate or to provide products that meet the expectations of our customers, we may be unable to attract new customers or retain existing customers, and as a result our business and results of operations may be adversely affected” on page 14 of this prospectus); |
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our business is in the early stages of development, and our future growth relies on successfully establishing our brand in new markets. Building and maintaining credibility and confidence in our brand depends on effective marketing and branding efforts. Additionally, our reputation and brand are vulnerable to unpredictable threats that can be costly to address and may be beyond our control (see “We may not succeed in growing our brand in new markets. Our brand, reputation, public credibility and consumer confidence in our business could be harmed by negative publicity” on page 14 of this prospectus); and |
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our future growth depends on the demand and adoption of digital educational technology and metaverse experiences. Various factors, including implementation costs, internet reliability, technological complexity, data privacy regulations, and societal attitudes, can influence this demand (see “Our future growth is dependent on the demand for, and upon consumers’ willingness to adopt digital educational technology and metaverse experiences, which may be affected by various factors, including developments in AI, VR, blockchain, and other related technologies” on page 15 of this prospectus). |
Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure
(for a more detailed discussion, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Our Corporate Structure” in our 2022 Annual Report)
We are subject to risks and uncertainties relating
to our corporate structure, including, but not limited to, the following:
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we rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our subsidiaries for our cash and financing requirements, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders and service any debt we may incur. If any of our subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us, which could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business (see “We rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, and any limitation on the ability of our subsidiaries to make payments to us could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business” on page 9 of the 2022 Annual Report); and |
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uncertainties exist regarding the interpretation and application of PRC laws and regulations, which could be vague, subject to future changes, and their enforcement involves substantial uncertainty. Any changes in such laws and regulations and interpretations of which may impair our ability to operate profitably (see “PRC laws and regulations related to our current business operations are sometimes vague and uncertain and any changes in such laws and regulations and interpretations of which may impair our ability to operate profitably” on page 9 of the 2022 Annual Report). |
Risks Related to Doing Business in Hong
Kong and Having Clients in mainland China (for a more detailed discussion, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Doing Business in Hong Kong and Having Clients in mainland China” in our 2022 Annual Report and “Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Doing Business in Hong Kong and Having Clients in mainland China” beginning on page 11 of this prospectus)
We face risks and uncertainties relating to doing
business in the PRC in general, including, but not limited to, the following:
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recent statements from the Chinese government indicate a desire to strengthen oversight and control over offerings conducted overseas and foreign investments in China-based issuers. Measures have been proposed to enhance cross-border oversight, law enforcement cooperation, and supervision of China-based companies listed overseas, as well as the establishment of an improved system for the extraterritorial application of PRC securities laws. The increased oversight and control may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer ADSs to investors and cause the value of our ADSs to significantly decline or be worthless (see “If the Chinese government chooses to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China based issuers, such action may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer ADSs to investors and cause the value of our ADSs to significantly decline or be worthless” on page 10 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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it may be difficult for overseas shareholders and/or regulators to conduct investigation or collect evidence within China (see “It may be difficult for overseas shareholders and/or regulators to conduct investigation or collect evidence within China” on page 11 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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part of our operations is conducted outside the United States, and part of our assets are located outside the United States. You may incur additional costs and procedural obstacles in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in Hong Kong against us or our management named in the prospectus based on Hong Kong laws (see “You may incur additional costs and procedural obstacles in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in Hong Kong against us or our management named in the prospectus based on Hong Kong laws” on page 11 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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the agreement between mainland China and Hong Kong has granted Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy and the ability to maintain its own legal and parliamentary systems, currency, and rights and freedoms. However, if the PRC seeks to modify this agreement, it may affect Hong Kong’s common law legal system and introduce uncertainty in enforcing contractual rights, which could have a material and adverse impact on the business and operations of our operating subsidiary (see “The enforcement of laws and rules and regulations in China can change quickly with little advance notice. Additionally, the PRC laws and regulations and the enforcement of such that apply or are to be applied to Hong Kong can change quickly with little or no advance notice. As a result, the Hong Kong legal system embodies uncertainties which could limit the availability of legal protections, which could result in a material change in our operating subsidiary’s operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale” on page 11 of this prospectus); |
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as our operating subsidiary is based in Hong Kong, any adverse economic, social, or political conditions, including changes in the political arrangements, social unrest, or natural disasters, may directly and adversely affect our subsidiary’s business operations and financial position (see “There are some political risks associated with conducting business in Hong Kong” on page 11 of this prospectus); |
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given the Chinese government’s significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our business, the Chinese government may intervene or influence our operations at any time, which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our securities (see “Given the Chinese government’s significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our business, the Chinese government may intervene or influence our operations at any time, which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our securities” on page 12 of this prospectus); and |
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recent joint statement by the SEC and the PCAOB, rule changes by the HFCA Act all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to emerging market companies upon assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments could add uncertainties to our continued listing or future offerings of our securities in the U.S. (see “Recent joint statement by the SEC and the PCAOB, rule changes by the HFCA Act all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to emerging market companies upon assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments could add uncertainties to our continued listing or future offerings of our securities in the U.S.” on page 12 of this prospectus). |
Risks Related to Our Class A Ordinary Shares
and ADSs (for a more detailed discussion, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Our ADSs” in our 2022 Annual Report and “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Class A Ordinary Shares
and ADSs” beginning on page 15 of this prospectus)
In addition to the risks described above, we are
subject to general risks and uncertainties relating to our ADSs, Class A ordinary shares and the trading market, including, but not limited
to, the following:
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the trading price of our ADSs is likely to be volatile and could fluctuate widely due to factors beyond our control, which could result in substantial losses to investors (see “The trading price of our ADSs is likely to be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors” on page 14 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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we have a dual-class voting structure such that our ordinary shares consist of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. This may restrict your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage potential merger, takeover, or change of control transactions, potentially depriving Class A ordinary shareholders and ADS holders of opportunities to sell their shares at a premium (see “Our dual-class voting structure will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any change of control transactions that holders of our Class A ordinary shares and ADSs may view as beneficial” on page 15 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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we do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future. Therefore, you should not rely on an investment in our ADSs as a source for any future dividend income. (see “Because we do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future, you must rely on a price appreciation of our ADSs for a return on your investment” on page 16 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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holders of ADSs do not have the same rights as our registered shareholders. As a holder of our ADSs, you may have fewer rights than holders of our Class A ordinary shares and must act through the deposit to exercise those rights. You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited, because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law (see “You, as holders of ADSs, may have fewer rights than holders of our Class A ordinary shares and must act through the deposit to exercise those rights. You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited, because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law” on page 17 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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you may experience dilution of your holdings due to the inability to participate in rights offerings and may be subject to limitations on the transfer of your ADSs (see “You may experience dilution of your holdings due to the inability to participate in rights offerings and may be subject to limitations on the transfer of your ADSs” on page 18 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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we are an emerging growth company within the meaning of the Securities Act and may take advantage of certain reduced reporting requirements. We will incur increased costs as a result of being a public company, particularly after we cease to qualify as an “emerging growth company” (see “We are an emerging growth company within the meaning of the Securities Act and may take advantage of certain reduced reporting requirements” and “We will incur increased costs as a result of being a public company, particularly after we cease to qualify as an ‘emerging growth company’” on page 18 of the 2022 Annual Report); |
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the laws of the Cayman Islands may not provide our shareholders with benefits comparable to those provided to shareholders of corporations incorporated in the United States (see “As a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, we are permitted to adopt certain home country practices in relation to corporate governance matters that differ significantly from the New York Stock Exchange corporate governance listing standards; these practices may afford less protection to shareholders than they would enjoy if we complied fully with the NYSE corporate governance listing standards” on page 19 of the 2022 Annual Report); and |
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raising additional capital may cause dilution to holders of our ADSs, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies or product candidates (see “Raising additional capital may cause dilution to holders of our ADSs, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies or product candidates” on page 15 of this prospectus). |
Dividends or Distributions Made to Our Company
and U.S. Investors and Tax Consequences
As of the date of this prospectus, none of our
subsidiaries have made any dividends or distributions to our Company and our Company has not made any dividends or distributions to our
shareholders. We intend to keep any future earnings to finance the expansion of our business, and we do not anticipate that any cash dividends
will be paid in the foreseeable future. Subject to the passive foreign investment company rules, the gross amount of distributions we
make to investors with respect to our Class A ordinary shares underlying the ADSs (including the amount of any taxes withheld therefrom)
will be taxable as a dividend, to the extent that the distribution is paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as
determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. See “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—United States
Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the 2022 Annual Report.
Any cash
distributions (including the amount of any PRC tax withheld) paid on our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares out of our current or accumulated
earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles, will generally be includible in the gross income of a U.S.
Holder as dividend income on the day actually or constructively received by the U.S. Holder, in the case of Class A ordinary shares, or
by the depositary, in the case of ADSs. Because we do not intend to determine our earnings and profits on the basis of U.S. federal income
tax principles, any distribution we pay will generally be treated as a “dividend” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Dividends
received on our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction allowed to corporations. A non-corporate
U.S. Holder will be subject to tax at the lower capital gain tax rate applicable to “qualified dividend income,” provided
that certain conditions are satisfied, including that (1) the ADSs or ordinary shares on which the dividends are paid are readily tradable
on an established securities market in the United States, or, in the event that we are deemed to be a PRC resident enterprise under the
PRC tax law, we are eligible for the benefit of the United States-PRC income tax treaty, (2) we are neither a PFIC nor treated as such
with respect to a U.S. Holder (as discussed below) for the taxable year in which the dividend was paid or the preceding taxable year,
and (3) certain holding period requirements are met. Our ADSs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, which is an established securities
market in the United States, and are expected to be readily tradable. There can be no assurance, however, that our ADSs will continue
to be considered readily tradable on an established securities market in later years.
In
the event that we are deemed to be a PRC resident enterprise under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law (see “Item 10. Additional Information—E.
Taxation—People’s Republic of China Taxation” in the annual report for
the fiscal year ended August 31, 2021), we may be eligible for the benefits of the United States-PRC income tax treaty. If we are eligible
for such benefits, dividends we pay on our Class A ordinary shares, regardless of whether such shares are represented by the ADSs, would
be eligible for the reduced rates of taxation described in the preceding paragraph (subject to clauses (2) and (3) of such paragraph).
U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the availability of the reduced tax rate on dividends in their particular
circumstances. Dividends will generally be treated as income from foreign sources for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes and will generally
constitute passive category income. Depending on the U.S. Holder’s individual facts and circumstances, a U.S. Holder may be eligible,
subject to a number of complex limitations, to claim a foreign tax credit in respect of any non-refundable foreign withholding taxes imposed
on dividends received on our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares. A U.S. Holder who does not elect to claim a foreign tax credit for foreign
tax withheld may instead claim a deduction, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in respect of such withholding, but only for a year
in which such holder elects to do so for all creditable foreign income taxes. The rules governing the foreign tax credit are complex and
their outcome depends in large part on the U.S. Holder’s individual facts and circumstances. Accordingly, U.S. Holders are urged
to consult their tax advisors regarding the availability of the foreign tax credit under their particular circumstances.
Corporate Information
Our principal executive offices are located at
Flat H 3/F, Haribest Industrial Building, 45-47 Au Pui Wan Street, Sha Tin New Territories, Hong Kong. Our telephone number is +86-13655939932.
Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is located at the offices of Maples Corporate Services Limited, PO Box 309, Ugland House,
Grand Cayman, KY1-1104, Cayman Islands. We have appointed Puglisi & Associates, located at 850 Library Avenue, Suite 204, Newark,
Delaware 19711, as our agent upon whom process may be served in any action brought against us under the securities laws of the United
States in connection with offerings of securities registered by the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov
that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding registrants that make electronic filings with
the SEC using its EDGAR system. We maintain a corporate website at www.aiumeta.com. The information contained on our website
is not a part of this prospectus.
RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities involves risks.
Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” in the applicable
prospectus supplement and under the heading “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report
on Form 20-F filed on December 31, 2022, which is incorporated in this prospectus by reference, as updated by our subsequent filings under
the Exchange Act that are incorporated herein by reference, together with all of the other information appearing in this prospectus or
incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, in light of your particular investment objectives
and financial circumstances. In addition to those risk factors, there may be additional risks and uncertainties of which management is
not aware or focused on or that management deems immaterial. Our business, financial condition, or results of operations could be materially
adversely affected by any of these risks. The trading price of our securities could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose
all or part of your investment.
In addition to the risk factors referenced
above, as described in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F, or the 2022 Annual Report, we want to disclose the additional risk
factors below.
Risks Related to Doing Business in Hong Kong and Having Clients
in mainland China
The enforcement of laws and rules and regulations
in China can change quickly with little advance notice. Additionally, the PRC laws and regulations and the enforcement of such that apply
or are to be applied to Hong Kong can change quickly with little or no advance notice. As a result, the Hong Kong legal system embodies
uncertainties which could limit the availability of legal protections, which could result in a material change in our operating subsidiary’s
operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale.
As one of the conditions for the handover of the
sovereignty of Hong Kong to China, China accepted conditions such as Hong Kong’s Basic Law. The Basic Law ensured Hong Kong will
retain its own currency (the Hong Kong Dollar), legal system, parliamentary system and people’s rights and freedom for fifty years
from 1997. This agreement has given Hong Kong the freedom to function with a high degree of autonomy. The Special Administrative Region
of Hong Kong is responsible for its own domestic affairs including, but not limited to, the judiciary and courts of last resort, immigration
and customs, public finance, currencies and extradition. Hong Kong continues using the English common law system.
However, if the PRC attempts to alter its agreement
to allow Hong Kong to function autonomously, this could potentially impact Hong Kong’s common law legal system and may in turn bring
about uncertainty in, for example, the enforcement of our contractual rights. This could, in turn, materially and adversely affect our
operating subsidiary’s business and operations. Additionally, intellectual property rights and confidentiality protections in Hong
Kong may not be as effective as in the United States or other countries. Accordingly, we cannot predict the effect of future developments
in the Hong Kong legal system, including the promulgation of new laws, changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement thereof,
or the preemption of local regulations by national laws. These uncertainties could limit the legal protections available to us, including
the ability to enforce agreements with the customers.
There are some political risks associated
with conducting business in Hong Kong.
Our operating subsidiary’s operations are
principally based in Hong Kong. Accordingly, our operating subsidiary’s business operations and financial conditions will be affected
by the political and legal developments in Hong Kong. We derive all of our revenue from operations of our Hong Kong subsidiary and, specifically,
from Meta HK. Any adverse economic, social and/or political conditions, material social unrest, strike, riot, civil disturbance or disobedience,
as well as significant natural disasters, may affect the market and may adversely affect the business operations of Meta HK. Hong Kong
is a special administrative region of the PRC and the basic policies of the PRC regarding Hong Kong are reflected in the Basic Law, namely,
Hong Kong’s constitutional document, which provides Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy and executive, legislative and independent
judicial powers, including that of final adjudication under the principle of “one country, two systems”. However, there is
no assurance that there will not be any changes in the economic, political and legal environment in Hong Kong in the future. Since all
of our operating subsidiary’s operations are based in Hong Kong, any change of such political arrangements may pose an immediate
threat to the stability of the economy in Hong Kong, thereby directly and adversely affecting our results of operations and financial
positions.
In addition, our revenue is susceptible to any
incidents or factors which materially affect the stability of the social, economic and political conditions in Hong Kong. Any drastic
events may adversely affect our operating subsidiary’s business operations. Such adverse events may include changes in economic
conditions and regulatory environment, social and/or political conditions, civil disturbance or disobedience, as well as significant natural
disasters. Given the relatively small geographical size of Hong Kong, any of such incidents may have a widespread effect on our operating
subsidiary’s business operations, which could in turn adversely and materially affect our business, results of operations and financial
condition.
Given the Chinese government’s significant
oversight and discretion over the conduct of our business, the Chinese government may intervene or influence our operations at any time,
which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our securities.
The Chinese government has significant oversight
and discretion over the conduct of our business and may intervene or influence our operations at any time as the government deems appropriate
to further regulatory, political and societal goals, which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our
securities or securities underlying the ADSs.
The Chinese government has continuously published
new policies that significantly affected certain industries such as the education and internet industries, and we cannot rule out the
possibility that it will in the future release regulations or policies regarding our industry that could adversely affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, if China adopts more stringent standards with respect to certain areas such
as corporate social responsibilities, we may incur increased compliance costs or become subject to additional restrictions in our operations.
Certain areas of the law, including intellectual property rights and confidentiality protections in China may also not be as effective
as in the United States or other countries. In addition, we cannot predict the effects of future developments in the PRC legal system
on our business operations, including the promulgation of new laws, or changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement thereof.
These uncertainties could limit the legal protections available to us and our investors, including you.
Recent joint statement by the SEC and the
PCAOB, rule changes by the HFCA Act all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to emerging market companies upon
assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments
could add uncertainties to our continued listing or future offerings of our securities in the U.S.
On April 21, 2020, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and
PCAOB Chairman William D. Duhnke III, along with other senior SEC staff, released a joint statement highlighting the risks associated
with investing in companies based in or have substantial operations in emerging markets including China. The joint statement emphasized
the risks associated with lack of access for the PCAOB to inspect auditors and audit work papers in China and higher risks of fraud in
emerging markets.
On May 20, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed the HFCA
Act requiring a foreign company to certify it is not owned or controlled by a foreign government if the PCAOB is unable to audit specified
reports because the company uses a foreign auditor not subject to PCAOB inspection. If the PCAOB is unable to inspect the company’s
auditors for three consecutive years, the issuer’s securities are prohibited to trade on a national exchange. On December 2, 2020,
the U.S. House of Representatives approved the HFCA Act. On December 18, 2020, the HFCA Act was signed into law.
On March 24, 2021, the SEC adopted interim final
rules relating to the implementation of certain disclosure and documentation requirements of the HFCA Act.
On September 22, 2021, the PCAOB adopted a final
rule implementing the HFCA Act, which provides a framework for the PCAOB to use when determining, as contemplated under the HFCA Act,
whether the board of directors of a company is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms located
in a foreign jurisdiction because of a position taken by one or more authorities in that jurisdiction.
On December 2, 2021, the SEC adopted amendments
to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the HFCA Act.
On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a report
on its determinations that it is unable to inspect or investigate completely PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in
mainland China and in Hong Kong because of positions taken by PRC and Hong Kong authorities in those jurisdictions.
On December 23, 2022, the Accelerating Holding
Foreign Companies Accountable Act was enacted, which amended the HFCA Act by requiring the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities
from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three.
The lack of access to the PCAOB inspection in
China prevents the PCAOB from fully evaluating audits and quality control procedures of the auditors based in China. As a result, investors
may be deprived of the benefits of such PCAOB inspections. The inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of auditors in China makes
it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of these accounting firm’s audit procedures or quality control procedures as compared
to auditors outside of China that are subject to the PCAOB inspections, which could cause investors and potential investors to lose confidence
in the audit procedures and reported financial information and the quality of the financial statements of those companies who have China-based
auditors.
On December
16, 2021, the PCAOB issued the HFCAA Determination Report, according to which our auditor is subject to the determinations that the PCAOB
is unable to inspect or investigate completely. The HFCAA Determination Report is a report relaying to the SEC its determinations that
the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms in Mainland China and Hong Kong due to positions
taken by Chinese authorities. The report, issued under Rule 6100, lists dozens of accounting firms based in Mainland China and Hong Kong
subject to the determinations. Under Rule 6100, the PCAOB will reassess its determinations at least annually. Our auditor, the independent
registered public accounting firm that issues the audit report included elsewhere in this prospectus, as an auditor of companies that
are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the United States pursuant to which
the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. Our auditor, Onestop Assurance
PAC, is headquartered in Singapore, not mainland China or Hong Kong and was not identified in this report as a firm subject to the PCAOB’s
determination. Therefore, our auditor is not currently subject to the determinations announced by the PCAOB on December 16, 2021, and
it is currently subject to PCAOB inspections.
While
our auditor is based in Singapore and is registered with PCAOB and has been inspected by the PCAOB on a regular basis, in the event it
is later determined that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely our auditor because of a position taken by an authority
in a foreign jurisdiction, then such lack of inspection could cause trading in the our securities to be prohibited under the Holding Foreign
Companies Accountable Act, and ultimately result in a determination by a securities exchange to delist the our securities. In addition,
the recent developments would add uncertainties to our offering and we cannot assure you whether NYSE or regulatory authorities would
apply additional and more stringent criteria to us after considering the effectiveness of our auditor’s audit procedures and quality
control procedures, adequacy of personnel and training, or sufficiency of resources, geographic reach or experience as it relates to the
audit of our financial statements. It remains unclear what the SEC’s implementation process related to the above rules will entail
or what further actions the SEC, the PCAOB or NYSE will take to address these issues and what impact those actions will have on U.S. companies
that have significant operations in the PRC and have securities listed on a U.S. stock exchange (including a national securities exchange
or over-the-counter stock market). In addition, the above amendments and any additional actions, proceedings, or new rules resulting from
these efforts to increase U.S. regulatory access to audit information could create some uncertainty for investors, the market price of
our ADSs could be adversely affected, and we could be delisted if we and our auditor are unable to meet the PCAOB inspection requirement
or being required to engage a new audit firm, which would require significant expense and management time.
On August 26, 2022, the China Securities Regulatory
Commission, the MOF, and the PCAOB signed the Protocol, governing inspections and investigations of audit firms based in mainland China
and Hong Kong, taking the first step toward opening access for the PCAOB to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms
headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong. Pursuant to the fact sheet with respect to the Protocol disclosed by the SEC, the PCAOB
shall have independent discretion to select any issuer audits for inspection or investigation and has the unfettered ability to transfer
information to the SEC. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB Board determined that the PCAOB was able to secure complete access to inspect
and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong and voted to vacate its previous determinations
to the contrary. However, should PRC authorities obstruct or otherwise fail to facilitate the PCAOB’s access in the future, the
PCAOB Board will consider the need to issue a new determination.
On December 29, 2022, the HFCA Act was signed
into law by President Biden. The Consolidated Appropriations Act contained, among other things, an identical provision to Accelerating
Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which reduces the number of consecutive non-inspection years required for triggering the prohibitions
under the HFCA Act from three years to two.
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
The industry in which we operate is characterized
by constant changes. If we fail to innovate or to provide products that meet the expectations of our customers, we may be unable to attract
new customers or retain existing customers, and as a result our business and results of operations may be adversely affected.
The industry in which we operate is characterized
by constant changes, including rapid technological evolution, continual shifts in customer demand, frequent introductions of new products
and solutions and constant emergence of new industry standards and practices. Thus, our success will depend, in part, on our ability to
respond to these changes in a cost-effective and timely manner. We need to anticipate the emergence of new technologies and assess their
market acceptance. We also need to invest significant resources in research and development in order to keep our products competitive
in the market.
However, research and development activities are
inherently uncertain, and we might encounter practical difficulties in commercializing our research and development results in out artificial
intelligent products, which could result in excessive research and development expenses or delays. Given the fast pace with which
artificial intelligent technologies have been and will continue to be developed, we may not be able to timely upgrade our technologies
in an efficient and cost-effective manner, or at all. In addition, new developments in deep learning, IoT, computer vision,
and artificial intelligent could render our products obsolete or unattractive. If we are unable to keep up with the technological
developments and anticipate market trends, or if new technologies render our technologies or solutions obsolete, customers may no longer
be attracted to our products. As a result, our business, results of operations and financial condition would be materially and adversely
affected.
We may not succeed in growing our brand
in new markets. Our brand, reputation, public credibility and consumer confidence in our business could be harmed by negative publicity.
Since October 12, 2021, the Company suspended
all education programs and learning centers in China, and started to expand our business to Artificial Intelligent Education (AIE) service
and Artificial Intelligent Universe (AIU) IAAS service and develop smart training systems incorporating VR (virtual reality), AI (artificial
intelligence), blockchain and other technologies to facilitate the teaching and training process. We are currently in an early development
stage and may be subject to growth-related risks. See “We are transitioning our business from a PRC based business to being internationally
operated. Our business plan is at its early stage of development.” for more details.
Our business is at an early stage of development.
Our future business and prospects are affected by our ability to grow our brand in new markets. We expect that our ability to develop,
maintain, and strengthen credibility and confidence in our brand will depend on the success of our marketing and branding efforts. Our
reputation and brand are vulnerable to threats that can be difficult or impossible to predict, control, and costly or impossible to remediate.
From time to time, our products and services will be reviewed by media or other third parties. Any negative reviews or reviews that compare
us unfavorably to competitors could adversely affect consumer confidence in our products and services. Negative publicity about us can
harm our ability to attract and retain customers, third-party partners, and key employees, our reputation, business, and results of operations,
even if they are baseless or satisfactorily addressed. These allegations, even if unproven or meritless, may lead to inquiries, investigations,
or other legal actions against us by regulatory or government authorities as well as private parties. Any regulatory inquiries or investigations
and lawsuits against us, perceptions of inappropriate business conduct by us or perceived wrongdoing by any member of our management team,
among other things, could substantially damage our reputation and public credibility and cause us to incur significant costs to defend
ourselves. Any negative market perception or publicity regarding our suppliers or other business partners that we closely cooperate with,
or any regulatory inquiries or investigations and lawsuits initiated against them, may also have an impact on our brand, public credibility
and customer confidence in our products, or subject us to regulatory inquiries, investigations or lawsuits. We may incur additional costs
on marketing activities to rehabilitate our brand and reputation.
Our future growth is dependent on the demand
for, and upon consumers’ willingness to adopt digital educational technology and metaverse experiences, which may be affected by
various factors, including developments in AI, VR, blockchain, and other related technologies.
Our future growth is dependent on the demand for,
and upon consumers’ willingness to adopt, digital educational technology and metaverse experiences. Demand for such experiences may be
influenced by many factors, such as the cost of implementing and maintaining these technologies, the reliability and accessibility of
high-speed internet, the complexity of the technology, governmental regulations regarding data privacy and security, and overall societal
attitudes towards virtual education and workspaces. Volatility in demand for digital educational technology and metaverse experiences
could lead to fewer users and thus less revenue, which could adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of
operations, and cash flows.
The market for AI, VR, and blockchain-based education
and metaverse experiences is still evolving. It’s characterized by rapidly changing technologies, a competitive pricing environment, evolving
government regulations and industry standards, and shifting consumer demands and behaviors. We may struggle to keep pace with changes
in these technologies or alternatives to our current products and service offerings, which could affect our competitive position in the
future. Developments in other digital technologies, such as augmented reality or advanced machine learning algorithms, could materially
and adversely affect our business and prospects in ways we don’t currently anticipate.
As the technological landscape changes, we may
need to source and integrate the latest technology into our services. Introducing and integrating new technologies into our products or
services may increase our costs and capital expenditures. Any failure by us to cost efficiently implement new technologies or adjust our
operations could adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
Risks Related to Our Class A Ordinary Shares
and ADSs
Raising additional capital may cause dilution
to holders of our ADSs, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies or product candidates.
We expect that additional capital may be needed
in the future to continue our new business plan, including conducting commercialization efforts, expanded research and development activities
and costs associated with operating a public company. We may, from time to time, in one or more offerings, offer and sell up to $70,000,000
of any combination, together or separately, of Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.0005 per share; Class A ordinary shares in the
form of ADSs; preferred shares, par value US$0.0005 per share; preferred shares in the form of ADSs; debt securities; warrants; units;
rights; or any combination thereof as described in this prospectus. Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial product or
service revenue, we expect to finance our cash needs through any or a combination of securities offerings, debt financings, license and
collaboration agreements and research grants. If we raise capital through securities offerings, such sales may also result in material
dilution to our existing shareholders, and new investors could gain rights, preferences and privileges senior to the holders of our ADSs
or securities.
To the extent that we raise additional capital
through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, your ownership interest will be diluted, and the terms of these securities
may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect your rights as a shareholder. Debt financing and preferred equity financing,
if available, could result in fixed payment obligations, and we may be required to accept terms that restrict our ability to incur additional
indebtedness, force us to maintain specified liquidity or other ratios or restrict our ability to pay dividends or make acquisitions.
If we raise additional funds through collaborations,
strategic alliances or marketing, distribution or licensing arrangements with third parties, we may be required to relinquish valuable
rights to our technologies, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates or to grant licenses on terms that may not
be favorable to us. In addition, we could also be required to seek funds through arrangements with collaborators or others at an earlier
stage than otherwise would be desirable. If we raise funds through research grants, we may be subject to certain requirements, which may
limit our ability to use the funds or require us to share information from our research and development. If we are unable to raise additional
funds through equity or debt financing when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development or
future commercialization efforts or grant rights to a third party to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer
to develop and market ourselves.
OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE
We may from time to time, offer and sell any combination
of the securities and/or securities underlying the ADSs described in this prospectus up to a total dollar amount of $70,000,000 in one
or more offerings. The securities or securities underlying the ADSs offered under this prospectus may be offered separately, together,
or in separate series, and in amounts, at prices, and on terms to be determined at the time of sale. We will keep the registration statement
of which this prospectus is a part effective until such time as all of the securities covered by this prospectus have been disposed of
pursuant to and in accordance with such registration statement.
CAPITALIZATION AND INDEBTEDNESS
Our capitalization will be set forth in the applicable
prospectus supplement or in a report on Form 6-K subsequently furnished to the SEC and specifically incorporated by reference into
this prospectus.
DILUTION
If required, we will set forth in a prospectus
supplement the following information regarding any material dilution of the equity interests of investors purchasing securities in an
offering under this prospectus:
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the net tangible book value per share of our equity securities before and after the offering; |
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the amount of the increase in such net tangible book value per share attributable to the cash payments made by purchasers in the offering; and |
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the amount of the immediate dilution from the public offering price which will be absorbed by such purchasers. |
USE OF PROCEEDS
We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale
of securities or ADSs we offer as indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference, or free writing
prospectus.
DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL
The following description of our share capital
and provisions of our sixth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association are summaries and do not purport to be complete.
Reference is made to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which are currently effective (and which is referred
to in this section as, respectively, the “memorandum” and the “articles”).
Meta Data (formerly known as OneSmart International
Education Group Limited) was incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability under the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman
Islands, or the “Cayman Islands Companies Act” in March 2017. A Cayman Islands exempted company:
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is a company that conducts its business mainly outside the Cayman Islands; |
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is prohibited from trading in the Cayman Islands with any person, firm or corporation except in furtherance of the business of the exempted company carried on outside the Cayman Islands (and for this purpose can effect and conclude contracts in the Cayman Islands and exercise in the Cayman Islands all of its powers necessary for the carrying on of its business outside the Cayman Islands); |
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does not have to hold an annual general meeting; |
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does not have to make its register of members open to inspection by shareholders of that company; |
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may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation; |
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may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands; |
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may register as a limited duration company; and |
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Ordinary Shares
As of the date of this prospectus, our authorized
share capital is US$100,000 consisting of 200,000,000 shares of a par value of US$0.0005 each comprising of (i) 140,000,000 Class A ordinary
shares of a par value of US$0.0005 each, (ii) 20,000,000 Class B ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0005 each and (iii) 40,000,000
shares of a par value of US$0.0005 each of such class or classes (however designated) as our board of directors may determine in accordance
with our sixth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. All of our issued and
outstanding ordinary shares are fully paid and non-assessable. Our ordinary shares are issued in registered form, and are issued when
registered in our register of members. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their ordinary
shares. Under our sixth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, our company may not issue bearer shares.
Markets
Our ADSs, each representing 2 of our Class A ordinary
shares, have been listed on the NYSE since March 28, 2018. Our ADSs trade under the symbol “AIU.”
Dividends
The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled
to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors. Dividends may be declared and paid out of our profits, share premium account
or any other fund or account which can be authorized for this purpose in accordance with the Cayman Islands Companies Act. Under the laws
of the Cayman Islands, our company may pay a dividend out of either profit or share premium account, provided that in no circumstances
may a dividend be paid if this would result in our company being unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business.
Voting Rights
Voting at any shareholders’ meeting is by
show of hands unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by the chairman of such meeting or any shareholder present in person or
by proxy at the meeting.
An ordinary resolution to be passed at a meeting
by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes attaching to the ordinary shares cast at a meeting,
while a special resolution requires the affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds of the votes cast attaching to the outstanding ordinary
shares at a meeting. A special resolution will be required for important matters such as a change of name or making changes to our sixth
amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Holders of our ordinary shares may effect certain changes by ordinary resolution,
including increasing the amount of our authorized share capital, consolidating all or any of our share capital into shares of larger amount
than our existing shares, sub-dividing our shares or any of them into shares of an amount smaller than that fixed by our memorandum, and
cancelling any unissued shares. Both ordinary resolution and special resolution may also be passed by an unanimous written resolution
signed by all the shareholders of our company, as permitted by the Cayman Islands Companies Act and our sixth amended and restated memorandum
and articles of association.
Appointment
and Removal of Directors
Our
board of directors may, by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the directors present and voting at a board meeting, appoint any
person as a director, to fill a casual vacancy on the board. Directors may be removed by ordinary resolution of our shareholders.
General
Meetings of Shareholders
As
a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obliged by the Cayman Islands Companies Act to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.
Our sixth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that we may (but are not obliged to) in each year hold a
general meeting as our annual general meeting in which case we shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it, and the annual
general meeting shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by our directors.
Shareholders’
general meetings may be convened by the chairman of board of directors or a majority of our board of directors. Advance notice of at least
ten days is required for the convening of our annual general shareholders’ meeting (if any) and any other general meeting of our
shareholders. A quorum required for any general meeting of shareholders consists of at least one shareholder present or by proxy, representing
not less than one-third of all votes attaching to all of our shares in issue and entitled to vote.
The
Cayman Islands Companies Act provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide shareholders
with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles of association.
Our sixth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that upon the requisition of shareholders representing in
aggregate not less than one-third of the votes attaching to the outstanding shares of our company entitled to vote at general meetings,
our board will convene an extraordinary general meeting and put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting. However, our
sixth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association do not provide our shareholders with any right to put any proposals
before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings not called by such shareholders.
Transfer
of Ordinary Shares
Subject
to the restrictions set out below, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her ordinary shares by an instrument of transfer
in the usual or common form or any other form approved by our board of directors.
Our
board of directors may, in its absolute discretion, decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share which is not fully paid up
or on which we have a lien. Our board of directors may also decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share unless:
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the instrument of transfer is lodged with us, accompanied by the certificate for the ordinary shares to which it relates and such other evidence as our board of directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer; |
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the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of ordinary shares; |
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the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required; |
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in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the ordinary share is to be transferred does not exceed four; and |
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a fee of such maximum sum as the New York Stock Exchange may determine to be payable or such lesser sum as our directors may from time to time require is paid to us in respect thereof. |
If
our directors refuse to register a transfer they shall, within three months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged,
send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.
The
registration of transfers may, after compliance with any notice required of the New York Stock Exchange, be suspended and the register
closed at such times and for such periods as our board of directors may from time to time determine, provided, however, that the registration
of transfers shall not be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 days in any year as our board may determine.
Liquidation
On
the winding up of our company, if the assets available for distribution amongst our shareholders shall be more than sufficient to repay
the whole of the share capital at the commencement of the winding up, the surplus shall be distributed amongst our shareholders in proportion
to the par value of the shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up, subject to a deduction from those shares in respect
of which there are monies due, of all monies payable to our company for unpaid calls or otherwise. If our assets available for distribution
are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up capital, the assets will be distributed so that the losses are borne by our shareholders
in proportion to the par value of the shares held by them.
Calls
on Shares and Forfeiture of Shares
Our
board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their shares in a notice served to such
shareholders at least 14 days prior to the specified time and place of payment. The shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid
are subject to forfeiture.
Redemption,
Repurchase and Surrender of Shares
We
may issue shares on terms that such shares are subject to redemption, at our option or at the option of the holders of these shares, on
such terms and in such manner as may be determined by our board of directors or by the shareholders by special resolution. Our Company
may also repurchase any of our shares on such terms and in such manner as have been approved by our board of directors or by an ordinary
resolution of our shareholders. Under the Cayman Islands Companies Act, the redemption or repurchase of any share may be paid out of our
Company’s profits or out of the proceeds of a new issue of shares made for the purpose of such redemption or repurchase, or out
of capital (including share premium account and capital redemption reserve) if our company can, immediately following such payment, pay
its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. In addition, under the Cayman Islands Companies Act no such share may be
redeemed or repurchased (a) unless it is fully paid up, (b) if such redemption or repurchase would result in there being no shares outstanding
or (c) if the company has commenced liquidation. In addition, our company may accept the surrender of any fully paid share for no consideration.
Variations
of Rights of Shares
If
at any time, our share capital is divided into different classes or series of shares, the rights attached to any class or series of shares
(unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class or series), whether or not our company is being wound-up,
may be varied with the consent in writing of the holders of two-thirds of the issued shares of that class or series or with the sanction
of a special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of the class or series. The rights conferred upon the
holders of the shares of any class issued shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class,
be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with such existing class of shares.
Issuance
of Additional Shares
Our
amended and restated amended and restated memorandum of association authorizes our board of directors to issue additional ordinary shares
from time to time as our board of directors shall determine, to the extent of available authorized but unissued shares.
Our
amended and restated amended and restated memorandum of association also authorizes our board of directors to establish from time to time
one or more series of preference shares and to determine, with respect to any series of preference shares, the terms and rights of that
series, including:
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the designation of the series; |
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the number of shares of the series; |
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the dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, voting rights; and |
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the rights and terms of redemption and liquidation preferences. |
Our
board of directors may issue preference shares without action by our shareholders to the extent authorized but unissued. Issuance of these
shares may dilute the voting power of holders of ordinary shares.
Inspection
of Books and Records
Holders
of our ordinary shares will have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or
our corporate records (other than copies of our memorandum and articles of association, our register of mortgage and charges, and any
special resolution passed by our shareholders). However, we will provide our shareholders with annual audited financial statements.
Changes
in Capital
Our
shareholders may from time to time by ordinary resolution to:
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increase our share capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such classes and amount, as the resolution shall prescribe; |
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consolidate and divide all or any of our share capital into shares of a larger amount than our existing shares; |
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sub-divide our existing shares, or any of them into shares of a smaller amount, provided that in the subdivision the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced share shall be the same as it was in case of the share from which the reduced share is derived; or |
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cancel any shares that, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person and diminish the amount of our share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled. |
Our
shareholders may, by special resolution and subject to confirmation by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands on an application by our
company for an order confirming such reduction, reduce our share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorized by
law.
Anti-Takeover
Provisions
Some
provisions of our sixth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control
of our company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including provisions that:
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authorize our board of directors to issue preference shares in one or more series and to designate the price, rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of such preference shares without any further vote or action by our shareholders; and |
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limit the ability of shareholders to requisition and convene general meetings of shareholders. |
However,
under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our sixth amended and restated memorandum
and articles of association for a proper purpose and for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our company.
Exempted
Company
We
are an exempted company with limited liability under the Cayman Islands Companies Act. The Cayman Islands Companies Act distinguishes
between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business
mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted company are essentially
the same as for an ordinary company except that an exempted company:
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does not have to file an annual return of its shareholders with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands; |
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is not required to open its register of members for inspection; |
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does not have to hold an annual general meeting; |
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may issue negotiable or bearer shares or shares with no par value; |
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may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 20 years in the first instance); |
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may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands; |
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may register as a limited duration company; and |
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may register as a segregated portfolio company. |
“Limited
liability” means that the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount unpaid by the shareholder on the shares of the
company (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper
purpose or other circumstances in which a court may be prepared to pierce or lift the corporate veil).
Differences in Corporate Law
The Cayman Islands Companies Act is derived, to
a large extent, from the older Companies Acts of England and Wales but does not follow recent United Kingdom statutory enactments, and
accordingly there are significant differences between the Cayman Islands Companies Act and the current Companies Act of England and Wales.
In addition, the Cayman Islands Companies Act differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth
below is a summary of certain significant differences between the provisions of the Cayman Islands Companies Act applicable to us and
the comparable laws applicable to companies incorporated in the State of Delaware in the United States.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements
The Cayman Islands Companies Act permits mergers
and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and between Cayman Islands companies and non-Cayman Islands companies. For these purposes,
(a) “merger” means the merging of two or more constituent companies and the vesting of their undertaking, property, and
liabilities in one of such companies as the surviving company, and (b) a “consolidation” means the combination of two
or more constituent companies into a consolidated company and the vesting of the undertaking, property and liabilities of such companies
to the consolidated company. In order to effect such a merger or consolidation, the directors of each constituent company must approve
a written plan of merger or consolidation, which must then be authorized by (a) a special resolution of the shareholders of each
constituent company, and (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of
association. The plan must be filed with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands together with a declaration as to the solvency
of the consolidated or surviving company, a list of the assets and liabilities of each constituent company, and an undertaking that a
copy of the certificate of merger or consolidation will be given to the shareholders and creditors of each constituent company and that
notification of the merger or consolidation will be published in the Cayman Islands Gazette. Court approval is not required for a merger
or consolidation which is effected in compliance with these statutory procedures.
A merger between a Cayman Islands parent company
and its Cayman Islands subsidiary or subsidiaries does not require authorization by a resolution of shareholders. For this purpose, a
subsidiary is a company of which at least 90% of the issued shares entitled to vote are owned by the parent company.
The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating
security interest of a constituent company is required unless this requirement is waived by a court in the Cayman Islands.
Except in certain limited circumstances, a dissenting
shareholder of a Cayman Islands constituent company is entitled to payment of the fair value of his or her shares (which, if not agreed
between the parties, will be determined by the Cayman Islands court) upon dissenting from a merger or consolidation, provided that the
dissenting shareholder complies strictly with the procedures set out in the Cayman Islands Companies Act. The exercise of such dissenter
rights will preclude the exercise by the dissenting shareholder of any other rights to which he or she might otherwise be entitled by
virtue of holding shares, except for the right to seek relief on the grounds that the merger or consolidation is void or unlawful.
In addition, there are statutory provisions that
facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies, provided that the arrangement is approved by (a) a majority in number representing
75% in value of the creditors or class of creditors, as the case may be, or (b) 75% in value of the members or class of members, as the
case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meetings, convened for that purpose. The convening
of the meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder
has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the court can be expected to approve the
arrangement if it determines that:
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the statutory provisions as to the required majority vote have been met; |
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the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question and the statutory majority are acting bona fide without coercion of the minority to promote interests adverse to those of the class; |
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the arrangement is such that may be reasonably approved by an intelligent and honest man of that class acting in respect of his interest; and |
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the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Cayman Islands Companies Act. |
When a takeover offer is made and accepted by
holders of 90% of the shares affected within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period commencing on the expiration of such
four month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be
made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands but this is unlikely to succeed in the case of an offer which has been so approved unless
there is evidence of fraud, bad faith or collusion.
If an arrangement and reconstruction is thus approved
and santioned, or if a takeover offer is made and accepted, a dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights,
which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of Delaware corporations, providing rights to receive payment
in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.
Shareholders’ Suits
In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff
to sue for a wrong done to us as a company, and as a general rule, a derivative action may not be brought by a minority shareholder. However,
based on English law authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority in the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands courts
can be expected to follow and apply the common law principles (namely the rule in Foss v. Harbottle and the exceptions thereto)
so that a non-controlling shareholder may be permitted to commence a class action against or derivative actions in the name of the company
to challenge:
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an act which is illegal or ultra vires with respect to the company and is therefore incapable of ratification by the shareholders; |
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an act which, although not ultra vires, requires authorization by a qualified (or special) majority (that is, more than a simple majority) which has not been obtained; and |
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an act which constitutes a “fraud on the minority” where the wrongdoers are themselves in control of the company. |
Indemnification of Directors and Executive
Officers and Limitation of Liability
The Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent
to which a company’s articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any
such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil
fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our articles provide to the extent permitted by law, we shall indemnify each existing
or former secretary, director (including alternate director), and any of our other officers (but not including our auditor) and their
personal representatives against:
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all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages, or liabilities incurred or sustained by the existing or former director (including alternate director), secretary, or officer in or about the conduct of our business or affairs or in the execution or discharge of the existing or former director (including alternate director), secretary’s or officer’s duties, powers, authorities, or discretions; and |
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without limitation to paragraph (a) above, all costs, expenses, losses, or liabilities incurred by the existing or former director (including alternate director), secretary, or officer in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning us or our affairs in any court or tribunal, whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere. |
No such existing or former director (including
alternate director), secretary, or officer, however, shall be indemnified in respect of any matter arising out of his own dishonesty.
To the extent permitted by law, we may make a
payment, or agree to make a payment, whether by way of advance, loan, or otherwise, for any legal costs incurred by an existing or former
director (including alternate director), secretary, or any of our officers in respect of any matter identified in above on condition that
the director (including alternate director), secretary, or officer must repay the amount paid by us to the extent that it is ultimately
found not liable to indemnify the director (including alternate director), the secretary, or that officer for those legal costs.
This standard of conduct is generally the same
as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation. In addition, we intend to enter into indemnification
agreements with our directors and executive officers that will provide such persons with additional indemnification beyond that provided
in our articles.
Anti-Takeover Provisions in Our Articles
Some provisions of our articles may discourage,
delay, or prevent a change in control of our company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including provisions that
authorize our board of directors to issue shares at such times and on such terms and conditions as the board of directors may decide without
any further vote or action by our shareholders.
Under the Cayman Islands Companies Act, our directors
may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our articles for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests
of our company and for a proper purpose.
Directors’
Fiduciary Duties
Under
Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty
has two components: the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care
that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and
disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires
that a director act in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. He or she must not use
his or her corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best
interests of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer, or controlling
shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed
basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption
may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by
a director, a director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction, and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.
As
a matter of Cayman Islands law, a director owes three types of duties to the company: (i) statutory duties, (ii) fiduciary
duties, and (iii) common law duties. The Cayman Islands Companies Act imposes a number of statutory duties on a director. A Cayman
Islands director’s fiduciary duties are not codified, however the courts of the Cayman Islands have held that a director owes the
following fiduciary duties (a) a duty to act in what the director bona fide considers to be in the best interests of the company,
(b) a duty to exercise their powers for the purposes they were conferred, (c) a duty to avoid fettering his or her discretion
in the future, and (d) a duty to avoid conflicts of interest and of duty. The common law duties owed by a director are those to
act with skill, care, and diligence that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by
that director in relation to the company and, also, to act with the skill, care, and diligence in keeping with a standard of care commensurate
with any particular skill they have which enables them to meet a higher standard than a director without those skills. In fulfilling
their duty of care to us, our directors must ensure compliance with our articles, as amended and restated from time to time. We have
the right to seek damages if a duty owed by any of our directors is breached.
Shareholder
Proposals
Under
the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, provided
it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. The Delaware General Corporation Law does not provide shareholders
an express right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, but in keeping with common law, Delaware corporations
generally afford shareholders an opportunity to make proposals and nominations provided that they comply with the notice provisions in
the certificate of incorporation or bylaws. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors or any other person authorized
to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special meetings.
The
Cayman Islands Companies Act provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide shareholders
with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles of association.
Our articles provide that general meetings shall be convened on the written requisition of one or more of the shareholders entitled to
attend and vote at our general meetings who (together) hold not less than one-third of the rights to vote at such general meeting in
accordance with the notice provisions in the articles of association, specifying the purpose of the meeting and signed by each of the
shareholders making the requisition. If the directors do not convene such meeting for a date not later than 21 clear days’ after
the date of receipt of the written requisition, those shareholders who requested the meeting may convene the general meeting themselves
within three months after the end of such period of 21 clear days in which case reasonable expenses incurred by them as a result of the
directors failing to convene a meeting shall be reimbursed by us. Our articles provide no other right to put any proposals before annual
general meetings or extraordinary general meetings. As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obligated by law to call shareholders’
annual general meetings. However, our corporate governance guidelines require us to call such meetings every year.
Cumulative
Voting
Under
the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s certificate
of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders
on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled on a single
director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director. There are no prohonitions in relation
to cumulative voting under the Cayman Islands Companies Act but our articles do not provide for cumulative voting. As a result, our shareholders
are not afforded any less protections or rights on this issue than shareholders of a Delaware corporation.
Removal
of Directors
Under
the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval
of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Subject to the
provisions of our articles (which include the removal of a director by ordinary resolution), the office of a director shall be vacated
if the director (a)becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors; (b) dies or is found to be or becomes
of unsound mind; (c) resigns his office by notice in writing to the Company; (d) without special leave of absence from the Board, is
absent from meetings of the Board for three consecutive meetings and the Board resolves that his office be vacated; or (e) is removed
from office pursuant to any other provision of our articles.
Transactions
with Interested Shareholders
The
Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware public corporations whereby, unless the
corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation or bylaws that
is approved by its shareholders, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder”
for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is a person
or a group who or which owns or owned 15% or more of the target’s outstanding voting stock or who or which is an affiliate or associate
of the corporation and owned 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock within the past three years. This has the
effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer to make a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be
treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested
shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the person becoming
an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquirer of a Delaware corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition
transaction with the target’s board of directors.
The
Cayman Islands Companies Act has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by
the Delaware business combination statute. However, although the Cayman Islands Companies Act does not regulate transactions between
a company and its significant shareholders, under Cayman Islands law such transactions must be entered into bona fide in the best interests
of the company and for a proper corporate purpose and not with the effect of constituting a fraud on the minority shareholders.
Dissolution;
Winding Up
Under
the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by
shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors
may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to
include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board
of directors.
Under
the Cayman Islands Companies Act, the Company may be wound up by a special resolution of our shareholders, or, if our company is unable
to pay its debts as they fall due, by an ordinary resolution of our members. In addition, a company may be wound up by an order of the
courts of the Cayman Islands. The court has authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where it is,
in the opinion of the court, just and equitable to do so.
Variation
of Rights of Shares
Under
the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding
shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under the Cayman Islands Companies Act and our articles,
if our share capital is divided into more than one class of shares, the rights attaching to any class of share (unless otherwise provided
by the terms of issue of the shares of that class) may be varied either with the consent in writing of the holders of not less than two-thirds
of the issued shares of that class, or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate general meeting of the holders
of shares of that class.
Amendment
of Governing Documents
Under
the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s certificate of incorporation may be amended only if adopted and declared
advisable by the board of directors and approved by a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, and the bylaws may be amended
with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote and may, if so provided in the certificate of incorporation,
also be amended by the board of directors. Under the Cayman Islands Companies Act, our articles may only be amended by special resolution
of our shareholders.
DESCRIPTION
OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES
American
Depositary Shares
Deutsche
Bank Trust Company Americas, as depositary, will register and deliver the ADSs. Each ADS will represent ownership of 2 Class A ordinary
shares deposited with the office in Deutsche Bank AG, Hong Kong Branch, as custodian for the depositary. Each ADS will also represent
ownership of any other securities, cash or other property which may be held by the depositary. The depositary’s corporate trust
office at which the ADSs will be administered is located at 1 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019, USA. The principal executive office
of the depositary is located at 1 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019, USA.
The
Direct Registration System, or DRS, is a system administered by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, pursuant to which the depositary
may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary
to the ADS holders entitled thereto.
We
will not treat ADS holders as our shareholders and accordingly, you, as an ADS holder, will not have shareholder rights. Cayman Islands
law governs shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. As a holder of ADSs, you
will have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary and you, as an ADS holder, and the beneficial owners of ADSs
sets out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. The laws of the State of New York govern the deposit
agreement and the ADSs.
The
following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read the entire
deposit agreement and the form of American Depositary Receipt. For directions on how to obtain copies of those documents, see “Where
You Can Find Additional Information.”
Holding
the ADSs
How
will you hold your ADSs?
You
may hold ADSs either (1) directly (a) by having an American Depositary Receipt, or ADR, which is a certificate evidencing a
specific number of ADSs, registered in your name, or (b) by holding ADSs in the DRS, or (2) indirectly through your broker
or other financial institution. If you hold ADSs directly, you are an ADS holder. This description assumes you hold your ADSs directly.
If you hold the ADSs indirectly, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of
ADS holders described in this section. You should consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures
are.
Dividends
and Other Distributions
How
will you receive dividends and other distributions on the shares?
The
depositary has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on ordinary shares or other
deposited securities, after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of ordinary
shares your ADSs represent as of the record date (which will be as close as practicable to the record date for our ordinary shares) set
by the depositary with respect to the ADSs.
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Cash.
The depositary will convert or cause to be converted any cash dividend or other cash
distribution we pay on the ordinary shares or any net proceeds from the sale of any ordinary shares, rights, securities or other
entitlements under the terms of the deposit agreement into U.S. dollars if it can do so on a practicable basis, and can transfer
the U.S. dollars to the United States and will distribute promptly the amount thus received. If the depositary shall determine
in its judgment that such conversions or transfers are not practical or lawful or if any government approval or license is
needed and cannot be obtained at a reasonable cost within a reasonable period or otherwise sought, the deposit agreement allows the
depositary to distribute the foreign currency only to those ADS holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold or cause the
custodian to hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid and such funds
will be held for the respective accounts of the ADS holders. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for
any interest for the respective accounts of the ADS holders. |
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Before
making a distribution, any taxes or other governmental charges, together with fees and expenses of the depositary, that must be paid,
will be deducted. It will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional cents to the nearest whole
cent. If the exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some
or all of the value of the distribution. |
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Shares.
For any ordinary shares we distribute as a dividend or free distribution, either (1) the
depositary will distribute additional ADSs representing such ordinary shares or (2) existing ADSs as of the applicable record
date will represent rights and interests in the additional ordinary shares distributed, to the extent reasonably practicable and
permissible under law, in either case, net of applicable fees, charges and expenses incurred by the depositary and taxes and/or other
governmental charges. The depositary will only distribute whole ADSs. It will try to sell ordinary shares which would require it
to deliver a fractional ADS and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. The depositary may sell a portion
of the distributed ordinary shares sufficient to pay its fees and expenses, and any taxes and governmental charges, in connection
with that distribution. |
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Elective
Distributions in Cash or Shares. If we offer holders of our ordinary shares the option
to receive dividends in either cash or shares, the depositary, after consultation with us and having received timely notice as described
in the deposit agreement of such elective distribution by us, has discretion to determine to what extent such elective distribution
will be made available to you as a holder of the ADSs. We must timely first instruct the depositary to make such elective distribution
available to you and furnish it with satisfactory evidence that it is legal to do so. The depositary could decide it is not legal
or reasonably practicable to make such elective distribution available to you. In such case, the depositary shall, on the basis of
the same determination as is made in respect of the ordinary shares for which no election is made, distribute either cash in the
same way as it does in a cash distribution, or additional ADSs representing ordinary shares in the same way as it does in a share
distribution. The depositary is not obligated to make available to you a method to receive the elective dividend in shares rather
than in ADSs. There can be no assurance that you will be given the opportunity to receive elective distributions on the same terms
and conditions as the holders of ordinary shares. |
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Rights to Purchase
Additional Shares. If we offer holders of our ordinary shares any rights to subscribe
for additional shares, the depositary shall having received timely notice as described in the deposit agreement of such distribution
by us, consult with us, and we must determine whether it is lawful and reasonably practicable to make these rights available to you.
We must first instruct the depositary to make such rights available to you and furnish the depositary with satisfactory evidence
that it is legal to do so. If the depositary decides it is not legal or reasonably practicable to make the rights available but that
it is lawful and reasonably practicable to sell the rights, the depositary will endeavor to sell the rights and in a riskless principal
capacity or otherwise, at such place and upon such terms (including public or private sale) as it may deem proper distribute the
net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. The depositary will allow rights that are not distributed or sold to lapse. In
that case, you will receive no value for them. |
If
the depositary makes rights available to you, it will establish procedures to distribute such rights and enable you to exercise the rights
upon your payment of applicable fees, charges and expenses incurred by the depositary and taxes and/or other governmental charges. The
Depositary shall not be obliged to make available to you a method to exercise such rights to subscribe for ordinary shares (rather than
ADSs).
U.S.
securities laws may restrict transfers and cancellation of the ADSs represented by shares purchased upon exercise of rights. For example,
you may not be able to trade these ADSs freely in the United States. In this case, the depositary may deliver restricted depositary shares
that have the same terms as the ADSs described in this section except for changes needed to put the necessary restrictions in place.
There
can be no assurance that you will be given the opportunity to exercise rights on the same terms and conditions as the holders of ordinary
shares or be able to exercise such rights.
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Other
Distributions. Subject to receipt of timely notice, as described in the deposit agreement, from us with the request to make
any such distribution available to you, and provided the depositary has determined such distribution is lawful and reasonably practicable
and feasible and in accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement, the depositary will distribute to you anything else we distribute
on deposited securities by any means it may deem practicable, upon your payment of applicable fees, charges and expenses incurred
by the depositary and taxes and/or other governmental charges. If any of the conditions above are not met, the depositary will endeavor
to sell, or cause to be sold, what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash; or, if it
is unable to sell such property, the depositary may dispose of such property in any way it deems reasonably practicable under the
circumstances for nominal or no consideration, such that you may have no rights to or arising from such property. |
The
depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We
have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take
any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that you may not receive
the distributions we make on our shares or any value for them if we and/or the depositary determines that it is illegal or not practicable
for us or the depositary to make them available to you.
Deposit,
Withdrawal and Cancellation
How
are ADSs issued?
The
depositary will deliver ADSs if you or your broker deposit ordinary shares or evidence of rights to receive ordinary shares with the
custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the
depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names you request and will deliver the ADSs to or upon the order of the
person or persons entitled thereto.
Except
for ordinary shares deposited by us in connection with an offering pursuant to this prospectus, no shares will be accepted for deposit
during a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus. The 180-day lock-up period is subject to adjustment under certain
circumstances as described in the section entitled “Shares Eligible for Future Sales—Lock-up Agreements” in the applicable
prospectus supplement.
How
do ADS holders cancel an American Depositary Share?
You
may turn in your ADSs at the depositary’s corporate trust office or by providing appropriate instructions to your broker. Upon
payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will
deliver the ordinary shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to you or a person you designate at the office of
the custodian. Or, at your request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its corporate trust office,
to the extent permitted by law.
How
do ADS holders interchange between Certificated ADSs and Uncertificated ADSs?
You
may surrender your ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging your ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary will cancel that
ADR and will send you a statement confirming that you are the owner of uncertificated ADSs. Alternatively, upon receipt by the depositary
of a proper instruction from a holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs, the
depositary will execute and deliver to you an ADR evidencing those ADSs.
Voting
Rights
How
do you vote?
You
may instruct the depositary to vote the ordinary shares or other deposited securities underlying your ADSs at any meeting at which you
are entitled to vote pursuant to any applicable law, the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, and the provisions
of or governing the deposited securities. Otherwise, you could exercise your right to vote directly if you withdraw the ordinary shares.
However, you may not know about the meeting sufficiently enough in advance to withdraw the ordinary shares.
If
we ask for your instructions and upon timely notice from us by regular, ordinary mail delivery, or by electronic transmission, as described
in the deposit agreement, the depositary will notify you of the upcoming meeting at which you are entitled to vote pursuant to any applicable
law, the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, and the provisions of or governing the deposited securities, and arrange
to deliver our voting materials to you. The materials will include or reproduce (a) such notice of meeting or solicitation of consents
or proxies; (b) a statement that the ADS holders at the close of business on the ADS record date will be entitled, subject to any applicable
law, the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, and the provisions of or governing the deposited securities, to instruct
the depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights, if any, pertaining to the ordinary shares or other deposited securities represented
by such holder’s ADSs; and (c) a brief statement as to the manner in which such instructions may be given to the depositary. Voting
instructions may be given only in respect of a number of ADSs representing an integral number of ordinary shares or other deposited securities.
For instructions to be valid, the depositary must receive them in writing on or before the date specified. The depositary will try, as
far as practical, subject to applicable law and the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, to vote or to have its
agents vote the ordinary shares or other deposited securities (in person or by proxy) as you instruct. The depositary will only vote
or attempt to vote as you instruct.
We
cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote the ordinary
shares underlying your ADSs. In addition, there can be no assurance that ADS holders and beneficial owners generally, or any holder or
beneficial owner in particular, will be given the opportunity to vote or cause the custodian to vote on the same terms and conditions
as the holders of our ordinary shares.
The
depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions.
This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to vote and you may have no recourse if the ordinary shares underlying
your ADSs are not voted as you requested.
In
order to give you a reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to deposited securities,
if we request the depositary to act, we will give the depositary notice of any such meeting and details concerning the matters to be
voted at least 30 business days in advance of the meeting date.
Compliance
with Regulations
Information
Requests
Each
ADS holder and beneficial owner shall (a) provide such information as we or the depositary may request pursuant to law, including, without
limitation, relevant Cayman Islands law, any applicable law of the United States of America, our memorandum and articles of association,
any resolutions of our Board of Directors adopted pursuant to such memorandum and articles of association, the requirements of any markets
or exchanges upon which the ordinary shares, ADSs or ADRs are listed or traded, or to any requirements of any electronic book-entry system
by which the ADSs or ADRs may be transferred, regarding the capacity in which they own or owned ADRs, the identity of any other persons
then or previously interested in such ADRs and the nature of such interest, and any other applicable matters, and (b) be bound by and
subject to applicable provisions of the laws of the Cayman Islands, our memorandum and articles of association, and the requirements
of any markets or exchanges upon which the ADSs, ADRs or ordinary shares are listed or traded, or pursuant to any requirements of any
electronic book-entry system by which the ADSs, ADRs or ordinary shares may be transferred, to the same extent as if such ADS holder
or beneficial owner held ordinary shares directly, in each case irrespective of whether or not they are ADS holders or beneficial owners
at the time such request is made.
Disclosure
of Interests
Each
ADS holder and beneficial owner shall comply with our requests pursuant to Cayman Islands law, the rules and requirements of the New
York Stock Exchange and any other stock exchange on which the ordinary shares are, or will be, registered, traded or listed or our memorandum
and articles of association, which requests are made to provide information, inter alia, as to the capacity in which such ADS holder
or beneficial owner owns ADS and regarding the identity of any other person interested in such ADS and the nature of such interest and
various other matters, whether or not they are ADS holders or beneficial owners at the time of such requests.
Fees
and Charges
As
an ADS holder, you will be required to pay the following service fees to the depositary bank and certain taxes and governmental charges
(in addition to any applicable fees, expenses, taxes and other governmental charges payable on the deposited securities represented by
any of your ADSs):
Service |
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Fees |
To any person to which ADSs are issued or to any person to which a distribution is made in respect of ADS distributions pursuant to stock dividends or other free distributions of stock, bonus distributions, stock splits or other distributions (except where converted to cash) |
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Up to US$0.05 per ADS issued |
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Cancellation of ADSs, including the case of termination of the deposit agreement |
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Up to US$0.05 per ADS canceled |
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Distribution of cash dividends |
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Up to US$0.05 per ADS held |
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Distribution of cash entitlements (other than cash dividends) and/or cash proceeds from the sale of rights, securities and other entitlements |
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Up to US$0.05 per ADS held |
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Distribution of ADSs pursuant to exercise of right |
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Up to US$0.05 per ADS held |
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Distribution of securities other than ADSs or rights to purchase additional ADSs |
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Up to US$0.05 per ADS held |
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Depositary services |
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Up to US$0.05 per ADS held on the applicable record date(s) established by the depositary bank |
As
an ADS holder, you will also be responsible to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the depositary bank and certain taxes and governmental
charges (in addition to any applicable fees, expenses, taxes and other governmental charges payable on the deposited securities represented
by any of your ADSs) such as:
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Fees
for the transfer and registration of Class A ordinary shares charged by the registrar and transfer agent for the Class A ordinary
shares in the Cayman Islands (i.e., upon deposit and withdrawal of Class A ordinary shares).
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Expenses incurred for converting
foreign currency into U.S. dollars. |
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Expenses for cable, telex
and fax transmissions and for delivery of securities. |
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Taxes
and duties upon the transfer of securities, including any applicable stamp duties, any stock transfer charges or withholding taxes
(i.e., when Class A ordinary shares are deposited or withdrawn from deposit). |
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Fees and expenses incurred
in connection with the delivery or servicing of Class A ordinary shares on deposit.
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Fees and expenses incurred
in connection with complying with exchange control regulations and other regulatory requirements applicable to Class A ordinary shares,
deposited securities, ADSs and ADRs. |
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Any
applicable fees and penalties thereon. |
The
depositary fees payable upon the issuance and cancellation of ADSs are typically paid to the depositary bank by the brokers (on behalf
of their clients) receiving the newly issued ADSs from the depositary bank and by the brokers (on behalf of their clients) delivering
the ADSs to the depositary bank for cancellation. The brokers in turn charge these fees to their clients. Depositary fees payable in
connection with distributions of cash or securities to ADS holders and the depositary services fee are charged by the depositary bank
to the holders of record of ADSs as of the applicable ADS record date.
The
depositary fees payable for cash distributions are generally deducted from the cash being distributed or by selling a portion of distributable
property to pay the fees. In the case of distributions other than cash (i.e., share dividends, rights), the depositary bank charges the
applicable fee to the ADS record date holders concurrent with the distribution. In the case of ADSs registered in the name of the investor
(whether certificated or uncertificated in direct registration), the depositary bank sends invoices to the applicable record date ADS
holders. In the case of ADSs held in brokerage and custodian accounts (via DTC), the depositary bank generally collects its fees through
the systems provided by DTC (whose nominee is the registered holder of the ADSs held in DTC) from the brokers and custodians holding
ADSs in their DTC accounts. The brokers and custodians who hold their clients’ ADSs in DTC accounts in turn charge their clients’
accounts the amount of the fees paid to the depositary banks.
In
the event of refusal to pay the depositary fees, the depositary bank may, under the terms of the deposit agreement, refuse the requested
service until payment is received or may set off the amount of the depositary fees from any distribution to be made to the ADS holder.
The
depositary may make payments to us or reimburse us for certain costs and expenses, by making available a portion of the ADS fees collected
in respect of the ADR program or otherwise, upon such terms and conditions as we and the depositary bank agree from time to time.
Payment
of Taxes
You
will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable, or which become payable, on your ADSs or on the deposited securities
represented by any of your ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register or transfer your ADSs or allow you to withdraw the deposited securities
represented by your ADSs until such taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell deposited securities represented
by your ADSs to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it will,
if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to you any net proceeds, or send to you any property, remaining
after it has paid the taxes. You agree to indemnify us, the depositary, the custodian and each of our and their respective agents, directors,
employees and affiliates for, and hold each of them harmless from, any claims with respect to taxes (including applicable interest and
penalties thereon) arising from any refund of taxes, reduced rate of withholding at source or other tax benefit obtained for you. Your
obligations under this paragraph shall survive any transfer of ADRs, any surrender of ADRs and withdrawal of deposited securities or
the termination of the deposit agreement.
Reclassifications,
Recapitalizations and Mergers
If
we: |
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Then: |
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Change the nominal or par
value of our ordinary shares |
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The cash, shares or other
securities received by the depositary will become deposited securities. |
Reclassify, split up or
consolidate any of the deposited securities |
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Each ADS will automatically
represent its equal share of the new deposited securities. |
Distribute securities on
the ordinary shares that are not distributed to you or Recapitalize, reorganize, merge, liquidate, sell all or substantially all
of our assets, or take any similar action |
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The depositary may distribute
some or all of the cash, shares or other securities it received. It may also deliver new ADSs or ask you to surrender your outstanding
ADRs in exchange for new ADRs identifying the new deposited securities. |
Amendment
and Termination
How
may the deposit agreement be amended?
We
may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the form of ADR without your consent for any reason. If an amendment
adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees,
facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, including expenses incurred in connection with foreign exchange control regulations
and other charges specifically payable by ADS holders under the deposit agreement, or materially prejudices a substantial existing right
of ADS holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADSs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADS holders of the amendment.
At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold your ADSs, to agree to the amendment and to
be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended. If any new laws are adopted which would require the deposit agreement
to be amended in order to comply therewith, we and the depositary may amend the deposit agreement in accordance with such laws and such
amendment may become effective before notice thereof is given to ADS holders.
How
may the deposit agreement be terminated?
The
depositary will terminate the deposit agreement if we ask it to do so, in which case the depositary will give notice to you at least
90 days prior to termination. The depositary may also terminate the deposit agreement if the depositary has told us that it would like
to resign, or if we have removed the depositary, and in either case we have not appointed a new depositary within 90 days. In either
such case, the depositary must notify you at least 30 days before termination.
After
termination, the depositary and its agents will do the following under the deposit agreement but nothing else: collect distributions
on the deposited securities, sell rights and other property and deliver ordinary shares and other deposited securities upon cancellation
of ADSs after payment of any fees, charges, taxes or other governmental charges. Six months or more after the date of termination, the
depositary may sell any remaining deposited securities by public or private sale. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received
on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement, for the pro rata benefit of the ADS holders that have
not surrendered their ADSs. It will not invest the money and has no liability for interest. After such sale, the depositary’s only
obligations will be to account for the money and other cash. After termination, we shall be discharged from all obligations under the
deposit agreement except for our obligations to the depositary thereunder.
Books
of Depositary
The
depositary will maintain ADS holder records at its depositary office. You may inspect such records at such office during regular business
hours but solely for the purpose of communicating with other holders in the interest of business matters relating to the Company, the
ADRs and the deposit agreement.
The
depositary will maintain facilities in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York to record and process the issuance, cancellation,
combination, split-up and transfer of ADRs.
These
facilities may be closed at any time or from time to time when such action is deemed necessary or advisable by the depositary in connection
with the performance of its duties under the deposit agreement or at our reasonable written request.
Limitations
on Obligations and Liability
Limits
on our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary and the Custodian; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs
The
deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary and the custodian. It also limits our liability
and the liability of the depositary. The depositary and the custodian:
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are
only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without gross negligence or willful misconduct;
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are
not liable if any of us or our respective controlling persons or agents are prevented or forbidden from, or subjected to any civil
or criminal penalty or restraint on account of, or delayed in, doing or performing any act or thing required by the terms of the
deposit agreement and any ADR, by reason of any provision of any present or future law or regulation of the United States or any
state thereof, the Cayman Islands or any other country, or of any other governmental authority or regulatory authority or stock exchange,
or on account of the possible criminal or civil penalties or restraint, or by reason of any provision, present or future, of our
memorandum and articles of association or any provision of or governing any deposited securities, or by reason of any act of God
or war or other circumstances beyond its control (including, without limitation, nationalization, expropriation, currency restrictions,
work stoppage, strikes, civil unrest, revolutions, rebellions, explosions and computer failure); |
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are
not liable by reason of any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in the deposit agreement or in our memorandum
and articles of association or provisions of or governing deposited securities; |
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are
not liable for any action or inaction of the depositary, the custodian or us or their or our respective controlling persons or agents
in reliance upon the advice of or information from legal counsel, any person presenting ordinary shares for deposit or any other
person believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information; |
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are
not liable for the inability of any holder of ADSs to benefit from any distribution on deposited securities that is not made available
to holders of ADSs under the terms of the deposit agreement; |
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are not liable for any special, consequential, indirect
or punitive damages for any breach of the terms of the deposit agreement, or otherwise; |
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may
rely upon any documents we believe in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party; |
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disclaim
any liability for any action or inaction or inaction of any of us or our respective controlling persons or agents in reliance upon
the advice of or information from legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting ordinary shares for deposit, holders and beneficial
owners (or authorized representatives) of ADSs, or any person believed in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information;
and |
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disclaim
any liability for inability of any holder to benefit from any distribution, offering, right or other benefit made available to holders
of deposited securities but not made available to holders of ADS. |
The
depositary and any of its agents also disclaim any liability (i) for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote, the manner in
which any vote is cast or the effect of any vote or failure to determine that any distribution
or action may be lawful or reasonably practicable or for allowing any rights to lapse in accordance with the provisions of the deposit
agreement, (ii) the failure or timeliness of any notice from us, the content of any information submitted to it by us for distribution
to you or for any inaccuracy of any translation thereof, (iii) any investment risk associated with the acquisition of an interest
in the deposited securities, the validity or worth of the deposited securities, the credit-worthiness of any third party, (iv) for
any tax consequences that may result from ownership of ADSs, ordinary shares or deposited securities, or (v) for any acts or omissions
made by a successor depositary whether in connection with a previous act or omission of the depositary or in connection with any matter
arising wholly after the removal or resignation of the depositary, provided that in connection with the issue out of which such potential
liability arises the depositary performed its obligations without gross negligence or willful misconduct while it acted as depositary.
Jurisdiction
and Arbitration
The
laws of the State of New York govern the deposit agreement and the ADSs and we have agreed with the depositary that the federal or state
courts in the City of New York shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine any dispute arising from or in connection with
the deposit agreement and that the depositary will have the right to refer any claim or dispute arising from the relationship created
by the deposit agreement to arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association.
The arbitration provisions of the deposit agreement do not preclude you from pursuing claims under the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act in federal or state courts.
Jury
Trial Waiver
Each
party to the Deposit Agreement (including, for avoidance of doubt, each holder and beneficial owner and/or holder of interests in any
ADRs) hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in any suit,
action or proceeding against the depositary and/or the company directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to the shares or other
deposited securities, the ADSs or the ADRs, the Deposit Agreement or any transaction contemplated herein or therein, or the breach hereof
or thereof (whether based on contract, tort, common law or any other theory).
Requirements
for Depositary Actions
Before
the depositary will issue, deliver or register a transfer of an ADS, make a distribution on an ADS, or permit withdrawal of ordinary
shares, the depositary may require:
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payment
of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties for the
transfer of any ordinary shares or other deposited securities and payment of the applicable fees, expenses and charges of the depositary;
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satisfactory
proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and |
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compliance
with (A) any laws or governmental regulations relating to the execution and delivery of ADRs or ADSs or to the withdrawal or delivery
of deposited securities and (B) such reasonable regulations and procedures as the depositary may establish, from time to time, consistent
with the deposit agreement and applicable laws, including presentation of transfer documents. |
The
depositary may refuse to issue and deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs generally when the register of the depositary or our transfer
books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it is necessary or advisable to do so.
Your
Right to Receive the Shares Underlying Your ADSs
You
have the right to cancel your ADSs and withdraw the underlying ordinary shares at any time except:
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when
temporary delays arise because: (1) the depositary has closed its transfer books or we have closed our transfer books; (2) the
transfer of ordinary shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders’ meeting; or (3) we are paying a dividend on
our ordinary shares; |
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when
you owe money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges; |
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when
it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs or to the
withdrawal of ordinary shares or other deposited securities, or other circumstances specifically contemplated by Section I.A.(l)
of the General Instructions to Form F-6 (as such General Instructions may be amended from time to time); or |
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for
any other reason if the depositary or we determine, in good faith, that it is necessary or advisable to prohibit withdrawals. |
The
depositary shall not knowingly accept for deposit under the deposit agreement any ordinary shares or other deposited securities required
to be registered under the provisions of the Securities Act, unless a registration statement is in effect as to such ordinary shares.
This
right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.
Direct
Registration System
In
the deposit agreement, all parties to the deposit agreement acknowledge that the DRS and Profile Modification System, or Profile, will
apply to uncertificated ADSs upon acceptance thereof to DRS by DTC. DRS is the system administered by DTC pursuant to which the depositary
may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary
to the ADS holders entitled thereto. Profile is a required feature of DRS which allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of
an ADS holder, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs to the DTC
account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register such transfer.
The
Depositary
The
depositary is Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas. The depositary is a state chartered New York banking corporation and a member
of the United States Federal Reserve System, subject to regulation and supervision principally by the United States Federal Reserve Board
and the New York State Banking Department. The depositary was incorporated as a limited liability bank on March 5, 1903 in the State
of New York. The registered office of the depositary is located at 1 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019 and the registered number is
BR1026. The principal executive office of the depositary is located at 1 Columbus Circle, New York NY 10019. The depositary operates
under the laws and jurisdiction of the State of New York.
DESCRIPTION
OF DEBT SECURITIES
As
used in this prospectus, the term “debt securities” means the debentures, notes, bonds and other evidences of indebtedness
that we may issue from time to time. The debt securities will either be senior debt securities, senior subordinated debt or subordinated
debt securities. We may also issue convertible debt securities. Debt securities issued under an indenture (which we refer to herein as
an Indenture) will be entered into between us and a trustee to be named therein. It is likely that convertible debt securities will not
be issued under an Indenture.
The
Indenture or forms of Indentures, if any, will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
As
you read this section, please remember that for each series of debt securities, the specific terms of your debt security as described
in the applicable prospectus supplement will supplement and, if applicable, may modify or replace the general terms described in the
summary below. The statement we make in this section may not apply to your debt security.
Events
of Default Under the Indenture
Unless
we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the
following are events of default under the indentures with respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:
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if we fail
to pay the principal or premium, if any, when due and payable at maturity, upon redemption or repurchase or otherwise; |
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if we fail
to pay interest when due and payable and our failure continues for certain days; |
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if we fail
to observe or perform any other covenant contained in the Securities of a Series or in this Indenture, and our failure continues
for certain days after we receive written notice from the trustee or holders of at least certain percentage in aggregate principal
amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series. The written notice must specify the Default, demand that it be
remedied and state that the notice is a “Notice of Default”; |
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if specified
events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur; and |
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if any other
event of default provided with respect to securities of that series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture
hereto or an Officers’ Certificate as defined in the Form of Indenture. |
We
covenant in the Form of Indenture to deliver a certificate to the trustee annually, within certain days after the close of the fiscal
year, to show that we are in compliance with the terms of the indenture and that we have not defaulted under the indenture.
Nonetheless,
if we issue debt securities, the terms of the debt securities and the final form of indenture will be provided in a prospectus supplement.
Please refer to the prospectus supplement and the form of indenture attached thereto for the terms and conditions of the offered debt
securities. The terms and conditions may or may not include whether or not we must furnish periodic evidence showing that an event of
default does not exist or that we are in compliance with the terms of the indenture.
The
statements and descriptions in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement regarding provisions of the Indentures and debt securities
are summaries thereof, do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of
the provisions of the Indentures (and any amendments or supplements we may enter into from time to time which are permitted under each
Indenture) and the debt securities, including the definitions therein of certain terms.
General
Unless
otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be direct secured or unsecured obligations of our company. The
senior debt securities will rank equally with any of our other unsecured senior and unsubordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities
will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to any senior indebtedness.
We
may issue debt securities from time to time in one or more series, in each case with the same or various maturities, at par or at a discount.
Unless indicated in a prospectus supplement, we may issue additional debt securities of a particular series without the consent of the
holders of the debt securities of such series outstanding at the time of the issuance. Any such additional debt securities, together
with all other outstanding debt securities of that series, will constitute a single series of debt securities under the applicable Indenture
and will be equal in ranking.
Should
an indenture relate to unsecured indebtedness, in the event of a bankruptcy or other liquidation event involving a distribution of assets
to satisfy our outstanding indebtedness or an event of default under a loan agreement relating to secured indebtedness of our company
or its subsidiaries, the holders of such secured indebtedness, if any, would be entitled to receive payment of principal and interest
prior to payments on the senior indebtedness issued under an Indenture.
Prospectus
Supplement
Each
prospectus supplement will describe the terms relating to the specific series of debt securities being offered. These terms will include
some or all of the following:
|
● |
the title of
debt securities and whether they are subordinated, senior subordinated or senior debt securities; |
|
● |
any limit on
the aggregate principal amount of debt securities of such series; |
|
● |
the percentage
of the principal amount at which the debt securities of any series will be issued; |
|
● |
the ability
to issue additional debt securities of the same series; |
|
● |
the purchase
price for the debt securities and the denominations of the debt securities; |
|
● |
the specific
designation of the series of debt securities being offered; |
|
● |
the maturity
date or dates of the debt securities and the date or dates upon which the debt securities are payable and the rate or rates at which
the debt securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, which may be fixed or variable, or the method by which such rate shall
be determined; |
|
● |
the basis for
calculating interest if other than 360-day year or twelve 30-day months; |
|
● |
the date or
dates from which any interest will accrue or the method by which such date or dates will be determined; |
|
● |
the duration
of any deferral period, including the maximum consecutive period during which interest payment periods may be extended; |
|
● |
whether the
amount of payments of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the debt securities may be determined with reference to any
index, formula or other method, such as one or more currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices, and the manner of determining
the amount of such payments; |
|
● |
the dates on
which we will pay interest on the debt securities and the regular record date for determining who is entitled to the interest payable
on any interest payment date; |
|
● |
the place or
places where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the debt securities will be payable, where any securities may
be surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange or conversion, as applicable, and notices and demands may be delivered to or
upon us pursuant to the applicable Indenture; |
|
● |
the rate or
rates of amortization of the debt securities; |
|
● |
if we possess
the option to do so, the periods within which and the prices at which we may redeem the debt securities, in whole or in part, pursuant
to optional redemption provisions, and the other terms and conditions of any such provisions; |
|
● |
our obligation
or discretion, if any, to redeem, repay or purchase debt securities by making periodic payments to a sinking fund or through an analogous
provision or at the option of holders of the debt securities, and the period or periods within which and the price or prices at which
we will redeem, repay or purchase the debt securities, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and the other terms and
conditions of such obligation; |
|
● |
the terms and
conditions, if any, regarding the option or mandatory conversion or exchange of debt securities; |
|
● |
the period
or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which any debt securities of the series may
be redeemed, in whole or in part at our option and, if other than by a board resolution, the manner in which any election by us to
redeem the debt securities shall be evidenced; |
|
● |
any restriction
or condition on the transferability of the debt securities of a particular series; |
|
● |
the portion,
or methods of determining the portion, of the principal amount of the debt securities which we must pay upon the acceleration of
the maturity of the debt securities in connection with any event of default if other than the full principal amount; |
|
● |
the currency
or currencies in which the debt securities will be denominated and in which principal, any premium and any interest will or may be
payable or a description of any units based on or relating to a currency or currencies in which the debt securities will be denominated; |
|
● |
provisions,
if any, granting special rights to holders of the debt securities upon the occurrence of specified events; |
|
● |
any deletions
from, modifications of or additions to the events of default or our covenants with respect to the applicable series of debt securities,
and whether or not such events of default or covenants are consistent with those contained in the applicable Indenture; |
|
● |
any limitation
on our ability to incur debt, redeem stock, sell our assets or other restrictions; |
|
● |
the application,
if any, of the terms of the applicable Indenture relating to defeasance and covenant defeasance (which terms are described below)
to the debt securities; |
|
● |
what subordination
provisions will apply to the debt securities; |
|
● |
the terms,
if any, upon which the holders may convert or exchange the debt securities into or for our Ordinary Shares, preferred shares or other
securities or property; |
|
● |
whether we
are issuing the debt securities in whole or in part in global form; |
|
● |
any change
in the right of the trustee or the requisite holders of debt securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable because
of an event of default; |
|
● |
the depositary
for global or certificated debt securities, if any; |
|
● |
any material
federal income tax consequences applicable to the debt securities, including any debt securities denominated and made payable, as
described in the prospectus supplements, in foreign currencies, or units based on or related to foreign currencies; |
|
● |
any right we
may have to satisfy, discharge and defease our obligations under the debt securities, or terminate or eliminate restrictive covenants
or events of default in the Indentures, by depositing money or U.S. government obligations with the trustee of the Indentures; |
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the names of
any trustees, depositories, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars or other agents with respect to the debt
securities; |
|
● |
to whom any
interest on any debt security shall be payable, if other than the person in whose name the security is registered, on the record
date for such interest, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payable on a temporary global debt security will
be paid if other than in the manner provided in the applicable Indenture; |
|
● |
if the principal
of or any premium or interest on any debt securities is to be payable in one or more currencies or currency units other than as stated,
the currency, currencies or currency units in which it shall be paid and the periods within and terms and conditions upon which such
election is to be made and the amounts payable (or the manner in which such amount shall be determined); |
|
● |
the portion
of the principal amount of any debt securities which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the debt
securities pursuant to the applicable Indenture if other than the entire principal amount; |
|
● |
if the principal
amount payable at the stated maturity of any debt security of the series will not be determinable as of any one or more dates prior
to the stated maturity, the amount which shall be deemed to be the principal amount of such debt securities as of any such date for
any purpose, including the principal amount thereof which shall be due and payable upon any maturity other than the stated maturity
or which shall be deemed to be outstanding as of any date prior to the stated maturity (or, in any such case, the manner in which
such amount deemed to be the principal amount shall be determined); and |
|
● |
any other specific
terms of the debt securities, including any modifications to the events of default under the debt securities and any other terms
which may be required by or advisable under applicable laws or regulations. |
Unless
otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not be listed on any securities exchange. Holders
of the debt securities may present registered debt securities for exchange or transfer in the manner described in the applicable prospectus
supplement. Except as limited by the applicable Indenture, we will provide these services without charge, other than any tax or other
governmental charge payable in connection with the exchange or transfer.
Debt
securities may bear interest at a fixed rate or a variable rate as specified in the prospectus supplement. In addition, if specified
in the prospectus supplement, we may sell debt securities bearing no interest or interest at a rate that at the time of issuance is below
the prevailing market rate, or at a discount below their stated principal amount. We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement
any special federal income tax considerations applicable to these discounted debt securities.
We
may issue debt securities with the principal amount payable on any principal payment date, or the amount of interest payable on any interest
payment date, to be determined by referring to one or more currency exchange rates, commodity prices, equity indices or other factors.
Holders of such debt securities may receive a principal amount on any principal payment date, or interest payments on any interest payment
date, that are greater or less than the amount of principal or interest otherwise payable on such dates, depending upon the value on
such dates of applicable currency, commodity, equity index or other factors. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information
as to how we will determine the amount of principal or interest payable on any date, as well as the currencies, commodities, equity indices
or other factors to which the amount payable on that date relates and certain additional tax considerations.
DESCRIPTION
OF WARRANTS
General
We
may issue warrants to purchase our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares. We may issue the warrants independently or together with any underlying
securities, and the warrants may be attached or separate from the underlying securities. We may also issue a series of warrants under
a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection
with the warrants of such series and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency for or with holders or beneficial owners
of warrants.
The
following description is a summary of selected provisions relating to the warrants that we may issue. The summary is not complete. When
warrants are offered in the future, a prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference, or a free writing prospectus, as
applicable, will explain the particular terms of those securities and the extent to which these general provisions may apply. The specific
terms of the warrants as described in a prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference, or free writing prospectus will
supplement and, if applicable, may modify or replace the general terms described in this section.
This
summary and any description of warrants in the applicable prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference, or free writing
prospectus is subject to and is qualified in its entirety by reference to all the provisions of any specific warrant document or agreement,
if applicable. We will file each of these documents, as applicable, with the SEC and incorporate them by reference as an exhibit to the
registration statement of which this prospectus is a part on or before the time we issue a series of warrants. See “Where You Can
Find Additional Information” and “Incorporation of Documents by Reference” below for information on how to obtain a
copy of a warrant document when it is filed.
When
we refer to a series of warrants, we mean all warrants issued as part of the same series under the applicable warrant agreement.
Terms
The
applicable prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference, or free writing prospectus, may describe the terms of any warrants
that we may offer, including, but not limited to, the following:
|
● |
the title of
the warrants; |
|
|
|
|
● |
the total number of warrants; |
|
|
|
|
● |
the price or prices at
which the warrants will be issued; |
|
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|
|
● |
the price or prices at
which the warrants may be exercised; |
|
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|
● |
the currency or currencies
that investors may use to pay for the warrants; |
|
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|
|
● |
the date on which the right
to exercise the warrants will commence and the date on which the right will expire; |
|
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|
|
● |
whether the warrants will
be issued in registered form or bearer form; |
|
|
|
|
● |
information with respect
to book-entry procedures, if any; |
|
|
|
|
● |
if applicable, the minimum
or maximum amount of warrants that may be exercised at any one time; |
|
|
|
|
● |
if applicable, the designation
and terms of the underlying securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each underlying
security; |
|
● |
if applicable, the date
on and after which the warrants and the related underlying securities will be separately transferable; |
|
|
|
|
● |
if applicable, a discussion
of material federal income tax considerations; |
|
|
|
|
● |
if applicable, the terms
of redemption of the warrants; |
|
|
|
|
● |
the identity of the warrant
agent, if any; |
|
|
|
|
● |
the procedures and conditions
relating to the exercise of the warrants; and |
|
|
|
|
● |
any other terms of the
warrants, including terms, procedures, and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants. |
Warrant
Agreement
We
may issue the warrants in one or more series under one or more warrant agreements, each to be entered into between us and a bank, trust
company, or other financial institution as warrant agent. We may add, replace, or terminate warrant agents from time to time. We may
also choose to act as our own warrant agent or may choose one of our subsidiaries to do so.
The
warrant agent under a warrant agreement will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants issued under that agreement. Any
holder of warrants may, without the consent of any other person, enforce by appropriate legal action, on its own behalf, its right to
exercise those warrants in accordance with their terms.
Form,
Exchange, and Transfer
We
may issue the warrants in registered form or bearer form. Warrants issued in registered form, i.e., book-entry form, will be represented
by a global security registered in the name of a depository, which will be the holder of all the warrants represented by the global security.
Those investors who own beneficial interests in a global warrant will do so through participants in the depository’s system, and
the rights of these indirect owners will be governed solely by the applicable procedures of the depository and its participants. In addition,
we may issue warrants in non-global form, i.e., bearer form. If any warrants are issued in non-global form, warrant certificates may
be exchanged for new warrant certificates of different denominations, and holders may exchange, transfer, or exercise their warrants
at the warrant agent’s office or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, information incorporated by
reference, or free writing prospectus.
Prior
to the exercise of their warrants, holders of warrants exercisable for ADSs or preferred shares will not have any rights of holders of
ADSs or preferred shares and will not be entitled to dividend payments, if any, or voting rights of the ADSs or preferred shares.
Exercise
of Warrants
A
warrant will entitle the holder to purchase for cash an amount of securities at an exercise price that will be stated in, or that will
be determinable as described in, the applicable prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference, or free writing prospectus.
Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable offering material.
After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void. Warrants may be redeemed as set forth in the
applicable offering material.
Warrants
may be exercised as set forth in the applicable offering material. Upon receipt of payment and the warrant certificate properly completed
and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable offering material,
we will forward, as soon as practicable, the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If less than all of the warrants represented
by such warrant certificate are exercised, a new warrant certificate will be issued for the remaining warrants.
DESCRIPTION
OF RIGHTS
We
may issue rights to purchase our securities or securities underlying the ADSs. The rights may or may not be transferable by the persons
purchasing or receiving the rights. In connection with any rights offering, we may enter into a standby underwriting or other arrangement
with one or more underwriters or other persons pursuant to which such underwriters or other persons would purchase any offered securities
remaining unsubscribed for after such rights offering. Each series of rights will be issued under a separate rights agent agreement to
be entered into between us and one or more banks, trust companies, or other financial institutions, as rights agent, that we will name
in the applicable prospectus supplement. The rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the rights and will not assume
any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights.
The
prospectus supplement relating to any rights that we offer will include specific terms relating to the offering, including, among other
matters:
|
● |
the date of
determining the security holders entitled to the rights distribution; |
|
|
|
|
● |
the aggregate number of
rights issued and the aggregate amount of securities purchasable upon exercise of the rights; |
|
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|
● |
the exercise price; |
|
|
|
|
● |
the conditions to completion
of the rights offering; |
|
|
|
|
● |
the date on which the right
to exercise the rights will commence and the date on which the rights will expire; and |
|
|
|
|
● |
any applicable federal
income tax considerations. |
Each
right would entitle the holder of the rights to purchase for cash the principal amount of securities at the exercise price set forth
in the applicable prospectus supplement. Rights may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date for the
rights provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, all unexercised rights will
become void.
If
less than all of the rights issued in any rights offering are exercised, we may offer any unsubscribed securities directly to persons
other than our security holders, to or through agents, underwriters, or dealers, or through a combination of such methods, including
pursuant to standby arrangements, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
We may issue units composed of any combination
of our securities or securities underlying the ADSs. We will issue each unit so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each
security included in the unit. As a result, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security.
The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately,
at any time or at any time before a specified date.
The following description is a summary of selected
provisions relating to units that we may offer. The summary is not complete. When units are offered in the future, a prospectus supplement,
information incorporated by reference, or a free writing prospectus, as applicable, will explain the particular terms of those securities
and the extent to which these general provisions may apply. The specific terms of the units as described in a prospectus supplement, information
incorporated by reference, or free writing prospectus will supplement and, if applicable, may modify or replace the general terms described
in this section.
This summary and any description of units in the
applicable prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference, or free writing prospectus is subject to and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to the unit agreement, collateral arrangements, and depositary arrangements, if applicable. We will file each
of these documents, as applicable, with the SEC and incorporate them by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which
this prospectus is a part on or before the time we issue a series of units. See “Where You Can Find Additional Information”
and “Incorporation of Documents by Reference” below for information on how to obtain a copy of a document when it is filed.
The applicable prospectus supplement, information
incorporated by reference, or free writing prospectus may describe:
|
● |
The designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; |
|
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|
● |
Any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer, or exchange of the units or of the securities composing the units; |
|
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|
● |
Whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form; and |
|
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|
● |
Any other terms of the units. |
The applicable provisions described in this section,
as well as those described under “Description of Share Capital,” “Description of American Depositary Shares,”
“Description of Debt Securities,” “Description of Warrants,” and “Description of Rights” above, will
apply to each unit and to each security included in each unit, respectively.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell the securities or ADSs offered by
this prospectus from time to time in one or more transactions, including, without limitation:
|
● |
through agents; |
|
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|
● |
to or through underwriters; |
|
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|
● |
through broker-dealers (acting as agent or principal); |
|
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|
● |
directly by us to purchasers (including our affiliates and shareholders), through a specific bidding or auction process, a rights offering, or other method; |
|
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|
● |
through a combination of any such methods of sale; or |
|
|
|
|
● |
through any other methods described in a prospectus supplement. |
The distribution of securities or ADSs may be
effected, from time to time, in one or more transactions, including:
|
● |
block transactions (which may involve crosses) and transactions on NYSE or any other organized market where the securities may be traded; |
|
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|
● |
purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its own account pursuant to a prospectus supplement; |
|
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|
● |
ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which a broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
|
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|
● |
sales “at the market” to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise; and |
|
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|
● |
sales in other ways not involving market makers or established trading markets, including direct sales to purchasers. |
The ADSs and securities may be sold at a fixed
price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices relating to the prevailing market
prices or at negotiated prices. The consideration may be cash, extinguishment of debt, or another form negotiated by the parties. Agents,
underwriters, or broker-dealers may be paid compensation for offering and selling the securities. That compensation may be in the form
of discounts, concessions, or commissions to be received from us or from the purchasers of the securities. Dealers and agents participating
in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and compensation received by them on resale of the securities
may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. If such dealers or agents were deemed to be underwriters,
they may be subject to statutory liabilities under the Securities Act.
We may also make direct sales through subscription
rights distributed to our existing shareholders on a pro rata basis, which may or may not be transferable. In any distribution of subscription
rights to our shareholders, if all of the underlying securities are not subscribed for, we may then sell the unsubscribed securities directly
to third parties or may engage the services of one or more underwriters, dealers, or agents, including standby underwriters, to sell the
unsubscribed securities to third parties.
Some or all of the ADSs or securities that we
offer through this prospectus may be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters to whom we sell our
securities for public offering and sale may make a market in those securities, but they will not be obligated to do so and they may discontinue
any market making at any time without notice. Accordingly, we cannot assure you of the liquidity of, or continued trading markets for,
any securities that we offer.
Agents may, from time to time, solicit offers
to purchase the securities. If required, we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement, document incorporated by reference, or
free writing prospectus, as applicable, any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities and set forth any compensation payable
to the agent. Unless otherwise indicated, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment. Any agent
selling the securities covered by this prospectus may be deemed to be an underwriter of the securities.
If underwriters are used in an offering, securities
will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold, from time to time, in one or more transactions, including
negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or under delayed delivery
contracts or other contractual commitments. Securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented
by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. If an underwriter or underwriters are used
in the sale of securities, an underwriting agreement will be executed with the underwriter or underwriters at the time an agreement for
the sale is reached. The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the managing underwriter or underwriters, as well as any other
underwriter or underwriters, with respect to a particular underwritten offering of securities, and will set forth the terms of the transactions,
including compensation of the underwriters and dealers and the public offering price, if applicable. This prospectus, the applicable prospectus
supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus will be used by the underwriters to resell the securities.
If a dealer is used in the sale of the securities,
we, or an underwriter, will sell the securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at
varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale. To the extent required, we will set forth in the prospectus supplement,
document incorporated by reference, or free writing prospectus, as applicable, the name of the dealer and the terms of the transactions.
We may directly solicit offers to purchase the
securities and may make sales of securities directly to institutional investors or others. These persons may be deemed to be underwriters
with respect to any resale of the securities. To the extent required, the prospectus supplement, document incorporated by reference, or
free writing prospectus, as applicable, will describe the terms of any such sales, including the terms of any bidding or auction process,
if used.
Agents, underwriters, and dealers may be entitled
under agreements which may be entered into with us to indemnification by us against specified liabilities, including liabilities incurred
under the Securities Act, or to contribution by us to payments they may be required to make in respect of such liabilities. If required,
the prospectus supplement, document incorporated by reference, or free writing prospectus, as applicable, will describe the terms and
conditions of such indemnification or contribution. Some of the agents, underwriters, or dealers, or their affiliates may be customers
of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us or our subsidiaries or affiliates in the ordinary course of business.
Under the securities laws of some states, the
securities offered by this prospectus may be sold in those states only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers.
Any person participating in the distribution of
securities registered under the registration statement that includes this prospectus will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange
Act, and the applicable SEC rules and regulations, including, among others, Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases
and sales of any of our securities by any such person. Furthermore, Regulation M may restrict the ability of any person engaged in the
distribution of our securities to engage in market-making activities with respect to our securities.
These restrictions may affect the marketability
of our securities and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to our securities.
Certain persons participating in an offering may
engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions, and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under
the Exchange Act that stabilize, maintain, or otherwise affect the price of the offered securities. If any such activities will occur,
they will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
To the extent required, this prospectus may be
amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution.
TAXATION
Material income tax consequences relating to the
purchase, ownership, and disposition of the securities offered by this prospectus are set forth in “Item 10. Additional Information—E.
Taxation” in the 2022 Annual Report, which is incorporated herein by reference, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Exchange
Act that are incorporated by reference and, if applicable, in any accompanying prospectus supplement or relevant free writing prospectus.
EXPENSES
The following table sets forth the aggregate expenses
in connection with this offering, all of which will be paid by us. All amounts shown are estimates, except for the SEC registration fee.
SEC registration fee | |
$ | | * |
FINRA fees | |
$ | | * |
Legal fees and expenses | |
$ | | * |
Accounting fees and expenses | |
$ | | * |
Printing and postage expenses | |
$ | | * |
Miscellaneous expenses | |
$ | | * |
Total | |
$ | | * |
* |
To be provided by a prospectus supplement or as an exhibit to a report of foreign private issuer on Form 6-K that is incorporated by reference into this registration statement. Estimated solely for this item. Actual expenses may vary. |
MATERIAL CONTRACTS
Our material contracts are described in the documents
incorporated by reference into this prospectus. See “Incorporation of Documents by Reference” below.
MATERIAL CHANGES
Except as otherwise described in the 2022 Annual
Report, in our reports of foreign issuer on Form 6-K filed or submitted under the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference herein,
and as disclosed in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement, no reportable material changes have occurred since August 31,
2022.
LEGAL MATTERS
We are being represented by Hunter Taubman Fischer &
Li LLC with respect to certain legal matters of U.S. federal securities and New York State law. The validity of the securities offered
in this offering and certain other legal matters as to Cayman Islands law will be passed upon for us by Maples and Calder (Hong Kong)
LLP, our counsel as to Cayman Islands law. Legal matters as to PRC law will be passed upon for us by Hebei Meidong Law Firm. If legal
matters in connection with offerings made pursuant to this prospectus are passed upon by counsel to underwriters, dealers, or agents,
such counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to any such offering.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of Meta
Data Limited and Subsidiaries appearing in our 2022 Annual Report have been audited by OneStop Assurance PAC, an independent registered
public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, and as incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements
are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The office of OneStop Assurance PAC is located at 10 Anson Road, #13-09, International Plaza, Singapore 079903.
INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference”
into this prospectus certain information we file with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring
you to those documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus shall be deemed to be modified
or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein, or in any subsequently filed document,
which also is incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such earlier statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded
shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.
We hereby incorporate by reference into this prospectus
the following documents:
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(1) |
our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on December 31, 2022; |
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(2) |
our reports of foreign private issuer on Form 6-K
filed with the SEC on March 3, 2023, March
31, 2023, May 19, 2023
and May 31, 2023; |
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(3) |
the description of our securities contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A, filed with the SEC on March 16, 2018, and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description; |
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(4) |
any future annual reports on Form 20-F filed with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of the securities offered by this prospectus; and |
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(5) |
any future reports of foreign private issuer on Form 6-K that we furnish to the SEC after the date of this prospectus that are identified in such reports as being incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. |
Our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal
year ended August 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on December 31, 2022 contains a description of our business and audited consolidated
financial statements with a report by our independent auditors. These statements were prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Unless expressly incorporated by reference, nothing
in this prospectus shall be deemed to incorporate by reference information furnished to, but not filed with, the SEC. Copies of all documents
incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to those document unless such exhibits are specially incorporated by
reference in this prospectus, will be provided at no cost to each person, including any beneficial owner, who receives a copy of this
prospectus on the written or oral request of that person made to:
Meta Data Limited
Flat H 3/F, Haribest Industrial Building, 45-47
Au Pui Wan Street
Sha Tin New Territories
Hong Kong
+86-13655939932
You should rely only on the information that we
incorporate by reference or provide in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are
not making any offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that
the information contained or incorporated in this prospectus by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document
containing the information.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
As permitted by SEC rules, this prospectus omits
certain information and exhibits that are included in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Since this prospectus
may not contain all of the information that you may find important, you should review the full text of these documents. If we have filed
a contract, agreement, or other document as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, you should
read the exhibit for a more complete understanding of the document or matter involved. Each statement in this prospectus, including statements
incorporated by reference as discussed above, regarding a contract, agreement, or other document is qualified in its entirety by reference
to the actual document.
We are subject to periodic reporting and other
informational requirements of the Exchange Act as applicable to foreign private issuers. Accordingly, we are required to file reports,
including annual reports on Form 20-F, and other information with the SEC. All information filed with the SEC can be inspected over
the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100
F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can request copies of these documents, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing to the
SEC.
As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt under
the Exchange Act from, among other things, the rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our executive
officers, directors, and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in
Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will not be required under the Exchange Act to file periodic or current reports and
financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.
ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
We are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman
Islands as an exempted company with limited liability. We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands because of certain benefits associated
with being a Cayman Islands exempted company, such as political and economic stability, an effective judicial system, a favorable tax
system, the absence of foreign exchange control or currency restrictions and the availability of professional and support services. However,
the Cayman Islands have a less developed body of securities laws that provide significantly less protection to investors as compared to
the securities laws of the United States. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to sue before the federal courts
of the United States.
We conduct all of our operations outside mainland
China and majority of our assets are located outside mainland China. In addition, all our senior executive officers reside within China
for a significant portion of the time and most are PRC nationals. All or a substantial portion of the assets of our directors and officers
are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States
upon these five directors and officers, or to enforce against us or them judgments obtained in United States courts, including judgments
predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
We have appointed Puglisi & Associates, located
at 850 Library Avenue, Suite 204, Newark, Delaware 19711, as our agent upon whom process may be served in any action brought against us
under the securities laws of the United States.
Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP, our counsel
with respect to the laws of the Cayman Islands, and Hebei Meidong Law Firm, our counsel with respect to PRC law, have advised us that
there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands or the PRC would (i) recognize or enforce judgments of United
States courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of
the United States or any state in the United States or (ii) entertain original actions brought in the Cayman Islands or the PRC against
us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP has further
advised us that there is currently no statutory enforcement or treaty between the United States and the Cayman Islands providing for enforcement
of judgments. A judgment obtained in the United States, however, may be recognized and enforced in the courts of the Cayman Islands at
common law, without any re-examination on the merits of the underlying dispute, by an action commenced on the foreign judgment debt in
the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, provided such judgment: (i) is given by a foreign court of competent jurisdiction; (ii) is
final; (iii) is not in respect of taxes, a fine or a penalty; and (iv) was not obtained in a manner and is not of a kind the
enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or public policy of the Cayman Islands. Furthermore, it is uncertain that Cayman Islands
courts would enforce: (1) judgments of U.S. courts obtained in actions against us or other persons that are predicated upon the civil
liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws; or (2) original actions brought against us or other persons predicated
upon the Securities Act. Our counsel with respect to the laws of the Cayman Islands has informed us that there is uncertainty with regard
to Cayman Islands law relating to whether a judgment obtained from the U.S. courts under civil liability provisions of the securities
laws will be determined by the courts of the Cayman Islands as penal or punitive in nature.
Hebei Meidong Law Firm has further advised us
that the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedure Law. PRC courts may recognize
and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedure Law based either on treaties between China
and the country where the judgment is made or on reciprocity between jurisdictions. There are no treaties or other forms of reciprocity
between China and the United States for the mutual recognition and enforcement of court judgments. Hebei Meidong Law Firm has further
advised us that under PRC law, PRC courts will not enforce a foreign judgment against us or our officers and directors if the court decides
that such judgment violates the basic principles of PRC law or national sovereignty, security or public interest, thus making the recognition
and enforcement of a U.S. court judgment in China difficult. See “Item 3. Key Information—D.
Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in Hong Kong and Having Clients in mainland China—You may experience difficulties
in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in China against us or our management named in
the annual report based on foreign laws” in the 2022 Annual Report.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 8. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
The Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent
to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to
the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification
against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide
that, to the extent permitted by law, we shall indemnify each existing or former secretary, director (including alternate director), and
any of our other officers (but not including our auditor) and their personal representatives against:
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(a) |
all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages, or liabilities incurred or sustained by the existing or former director (including alternate director), secretary, or officer in or about the conduct of our business or affairs or in the execution or discharge of the existing or former director (including alternate director)’s, secretary’s, or officer’s duties, powers, authorities or discretions; and |
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(b) |
without limitation to paragraph (a) above, all costs, expenses, losses, or liabilities incurred by the existing or former director (including alternate director), secretary, or officer in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning us or our affairs in any court or tribunal, whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere. |
No such existing or former director (including
alternate director), secretary, or officer, however, shall be indemnified in respect of any matter arising out of his or her own dishonesty.
To the extent permitted by law, we may make a
payment, or agree to make a payment, whether by way of advance, loan or otherwise, for any legal costs incurred by an existing secretary,
or any of our officers in respect of any matter identified in above on condition that the secretary, or officer must repay the amount
paid by us to the extent that it is ultimately found not liable to indemnify the secretary or that officer for those legal costs.
Item 9. Exhibits
Exhibit No. |
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Description |
1.1* |
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Form of Underwriting Agreement |
4.1*** |
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Registrant’s Specimen American Depositary Receipt (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the registration statement on Form F-1 filed on March 16, 2018 (File No. 333-223406)) |
4.2*** |
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Registrant’s Specimen Certificate for ordinary shares (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the registration statement on Form F-1 filed on March 16, 2018 (File No. 333-223406)) |
4.3*** |
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Form of Deposit Agreement among the Registrant, the depositary and holder of the American Depositary Receipts (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3(a)(i) to the registration statement on Form F-6 POS filed on May 15, 2023 (File No. 333-223710)) |
4.4*** |
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Amendment No. 1 to the form of Deposit Agreement among the Registrant, the depositary and holder of the American Depositary Receipts (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3(a)(ii) to the registration statement on Form F-6 POS filed on May 15, 2023 (File No. 333-223710)) |
4.5*** |
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Amendment No. 2 to the form of Deposit Agreement among the Registrant, the depositary and holder of the American Depositary Receipts (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3(a)(iii) to the registration statement on Form F-6 POS filed on May 15, 2023 (File No. 333-223710)) |
4.6* |
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Form of Preferred Shares |
4.7* |
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Form of Debt Security |
4.8* |
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Form of Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate |
4.9* |
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Form of Unit Agreement and Unit Certificate |
4.10** |
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Form of indenture with respect to senior debt securities, to be entered into between registrant and a trustee acceptable to the registrant, if any |
4.11** |
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Form of indenture with respect to subordinated debt securities, to be entered into between registrant and a trustee acceptable to the registrant, if any |
5.1** |
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Opinion of Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP |
23.1** |
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Consent of OneStop Assurance PAC, an independent registered public accounting firm |
23.2** |
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Consent of Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) |
23.3** |
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Consent of Hebei Meidong Law Firm |
24.1** |
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Power of Attorney (included on signature page) |
25.1**** |
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Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of the Trustee under the Senior Debt Securities Indenture |
25.2**** |
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Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of the Trustee under the Subordinated Debt Securities Indenture |
107** |
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Filing Fee Table |
* |
To be filed, if applicable, by amendment or as an exhibit to a report filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and incorporated herein by reference. |
** |
Filed herewith. |
*** |
Previously filed. |
**** |
To be filed, if necessary, on electronic Form 305b2 pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. |
Item 10 Undertakings
| (a) | The undersigned registrant
hereby undertakes: |
| (1) | To file, during any period in
which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
| (i) | To include any prospectus required
by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
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(ii) |
To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement. |
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(iii) |
To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement. |
provided, however, that paragraphs
(a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii), and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant
pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration
statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b).
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(2) |
That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
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(3) |
To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
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(4) |
To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A. of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 need not be furnished, provided, that the registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (4) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 or Rule 3-19 of Regulation S-K if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement. |
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(5) |
That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser: |
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(i) |
Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and |
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(ii) |
Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date. |
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(6) |
That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
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(i) |
Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
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(ii) |
Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
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(iii) |
The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
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(iv) |
Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
| (b) | That, for purposes of determining
any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or
section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual
report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at
that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (c) | Insofar as indemnification
for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that
a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,
officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel
the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification
by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3
and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Beijing,
China, on June 14, 2023.
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Meta Data Limited |
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By: |
/s/ Xiaoming Li |
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Name: |
Xiaoming Li |
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Title: |
Chairman of the Board of Directors and
Chief Executive
Officer |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Name |
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Title |
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Date |
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/s/ Xiaoming Li |
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Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of Directors |
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June 14, 2023 |
Xiaoming Li |
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(Principal Executive Officer) |
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/s/ Chee Jiong Ng |
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Chief Financial Officer |
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June 14, 2023 |
Chee Jiong Ng |
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(Principal Accounting and Financial Officer) |
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* |
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Director, Chief Operating Officer |
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June 14, 2023 |
Shengcong Ma |
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* |
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Director |
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June 14, 2023 |
Dr. Robert Angell |
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* |
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Director |
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June 14, 2023 |
Dr. Mengchu Zhou |
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* |
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Director |
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June 14, 2023 |
Yanyi Tang |
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* |
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Director |
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June 14, 2023 |
Ms. Abbie Li |
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*By: |
/s/ Xiaoming Li |
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Name: Xiaoming Li |
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Attorney-in-fact |
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SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE IN THE
UNITED STATES
Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of America of Meta Data Limited, has signed this registration
statement thereto in Newark, Delaware on June 14, 2023.
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Puglisi & Associates |
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Authorized U.S. Representative |
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By: |
/s/ Donald J. Puglisi |
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Name: |
Donald J. Puglisi |
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Title: |
Managing Director |
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