Everbright Digital Holding Ltd. (EDHL) Risk Analysis
Risk Overview Q4, 2025
Source: the company's latest filing for the period ended Dec 31, 2025, filed May 04, 2026
Risk Change Over Time
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1Our corporate actions are substantially controlled by our Controlling Shareholder, Dr. Leung Chun Yip, which will have the ability to control or exert significant influence over important corporate matters that require approval of shareholders, which may deprive you of an opportunity to receive a premium for your Ordinary Shares and materially reduce the value of your investment. Additionally, we may be deemed to be a "controlled company" and may follow certain exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that could adversely affect our public shareholders
As of the date of this annual report, Dr. Leung Chun Yip beneficially owns 67.52% of our total issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares, representing 67.52% of the total voting power. Accordingly, Dr. Leung Chun Yip will have significant influence in determining the outcome of any corporate transaction or other matter submitted to the shareholders for approval, including mergers, consolidations, election of directors and other significant corporate actions. The interests of our Controlling Shareholder may differ from the interests of our other shareholders. The concentration of ownership may also discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company, which could deprive our shareholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their shares as part of a sale of our company and might reduce the price of our Ordinary Shares. These actions may be taken even if they are opposed by our other shareholders, including those who purchased Ordinary Shares in our prior offering. Without the consent of our Controlling Shareholder, we may be prevented from entering into transactions that could be beneficial to us or our other shareholders. The concentration in the ownership of our shares may cause a material decline in the value of our shares. For more information regarding our principal shareholders and their affiliated entities, see "Principal Shareholders." Under the Nasdaq listing rules, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group, or another company is a "controlled company" and is permitted to elect to rely, and may rely, on certain exemptions from the obligation to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including: - the requirement that our directors must be selected or recommended solely by independent directors; and - the requirement that we have a corporate governance and nominating committee that is composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee's purpose and responsibilities. Although we do not intend to rely on the "controlled company" exemptions under the Nasdaq listing rules even if we are deemed to be a "controlled company," we could elect to rely on these exemptions in the future. If we were to elect to rely on the "controlled company" exemptions, a majority of the members of our board of directors might not be independent directors and our nominating and corporate governance and compensation committees might not consist entirely of independent directors. Accordingly, if we rely on the exemptions, during the period we remain a controlled company and during any transition period following a time when we are no longer a controlled company, you would not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq.
Risk Highlights Q4, 2025
Risk Word Cloud
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 51
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1Investors are cautioned that you are buying shares of a Cayman Islands holding company with operations conducted in Hong Kong by its subsidiary.
Everbright Cayman is a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with no material operations of its own. As a holding company with no material operations of its own, Everbright Cayman conducts its operations in Hong Kong through its subsidiary, HKUML, our operating subsidiary incorporated in Hong Kong. The Ordinary Shares are shares of Everbright Cayman, the Cayman Islands holding company, instead of shares of our Hong Kong subsidiary. Investors will not directly hold equity interests in the Hong Kong subsidiary.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2ChangedOur corporate actions are substantially controlled by our Controlling Shareholder, Dr. Leung Chun Yip, which will have the ability to control or exert significant influence over important corporate matters that require approval of shareholders, which may deprive you of an opportunity to receive a premium for your Ordinary Shares and materially reduce the value of your investment. Additionally, we may be deemed to be a "controlled company" and may follow certain exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that could adversely affect our public shareholders
As of the date of this annual report, Dr. Leung Chun Yip beneficially owns 67.52% of our total issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares, representing 67.52% of the total voting power. Accordingly, Dr. Leung Chun Yip will have significant influence in determining the outcome of any corporate transaction or other matter submitted to the shareholders for approval, including mergers, consolidations, election of directors and other significant corporate actions. The interests of our Controlling Shareholder may differ from the interests of our other shareholders. The concentration of ownership may also discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company, which could deprive our shareholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their shares as part of a sale of our company and might reduce the price of our Ordinary Shares. These actions may be taken even if they are opposed by our other shareholders, including those who purchased Ordinary Shares in our prior offering. Without the consent of our Controlling Shareholder, we may be prevented from entering into transactions that could be beneficial to us or our other shareholders. The concentration in the ownership of our shares may cause a material decline in the value of our shares. For more information regarding our principal shareholders and their affiliated entities, see "Principal Shareholders." Under the Nasdaq listing rules, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group, or another company is a "controlled company" and is permitted to elect to rely, and may rely, on certain exemptions from the obligation to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including: - the requirement that our directors must be selected or recommended solely by independent directors; and - the requirement that we have a corporate governance and nominating committee that is composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee's purpose and responsibilities. Although we do not intend to rely on the "controlled company" exemptions under the Nasdaq listing rules even if we are deemed to be a "controlled company," we could elect to rely on these exemptions in the future. If we were to elect to rely on the "controlled company" exemptions, a majority of the members of our board of directors might not be independent directors and our nominating and corporate governance and compensation committees might not consist entirely of independent directors. Accordingly, if we rely on the exemptions, during the period we remain a controlled company and during any transition period following a time when we are no longer a controlled company, you would not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3We are a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the Exchange Act, and as such we are exempt from certain provisions applicable to United States domestic public companies.
Because we are a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we are exempt from certain provisions of the securities rules and regulations in the United States that are applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, including: - the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K with the SEC;- the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents, or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act;- the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their share ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and - the selective disclosure rules by issuers of material non-public information under Regulation FD. We are required to file an annual report on Form 20-F within four months of the end of each fiscal year. In addition, we are also required to publish our financial results on a semi-annual basis through press releases distributed pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Capital Market. Press releases relating to financial results and material events will also be furnished to the SEC on Form 6-K. However, the information we are required to file with or furnish to the SEC will be less extensive and less timely compared to that required to be filed with the SEC by U.S. domestic issuers. As a result, you may not be afforded the same protections or information that would be made available to you if you were investing in a U.S. domestic issuer.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4We are an emerging growth company within the meaning of the Securities Act and may take advantage of certain reduced reporting requirements.
We are an "emerging growth company," as defined in the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various requirements applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, most significantly, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for so long as we are an emerging growth company. As a result, if we elect not to comply with such auditor attestation requirements, our investors may not have access to certain information they may deem important. The JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company does not need to comply with any new or revised financial accounting standards until such date that a private company is otherwise required to comply with such new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an "emerging growth company" can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to take advantage of the extended transition period, although we have adopted certain new and revised accounting standards based on transition guidance permitted under such standards earlier. As a result of this election, our future financial statements may not be comparable to other public companies that comply with the public company effective dates for these new or revised accounting standards.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5Certain judgments obtained against us or our auditor by our shareholders may not be enforceable.
We are a Cayman Islands company. Our operating subsidiaries were incorporated and are located in Hong Kong. Substantially all of our assets are located outside of the United States. In addition, all of our current Directors and officers are nationals and residents of countries other than the United States and substantially all of the assets of these persons are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for a shareholder to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons or to enforce against us, our Directors and officers, or our auditor 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. Even if you are successful in bringing an action of this kind, the laws of the Cayman Islands and Hong Kong may render you unable to enforce a judgment against our assets or the assets of our Directors and officers. For more information regarding the relevant laws of the Cayman Islands and Hong Kong, see "Enforceability of Civil Liabilities." As a result of all of the above, our shareholders may have more difficulties in protecting their interests through actions against us, our officers, Directors, or major shareholders, than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction in the United States.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6You 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.
We are a Cayman Islands company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Our corporate affairs are governed by our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are governed by the Companies Act and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from the common law of England, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding, on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some states in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws than the United States. Some U.S. states have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law than the Cayman Islands. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have the standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in a federal court of the United States. 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. This may make it more difficult for you to obtain the information needed to establish any facts necessary for a shareholder motion or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection with a proxy contest. As a result of all of the above, shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by our management, members of the Board or our Controlling Shareholder than they would as shareholders of a company incorporated in a U.S. State. For a discussion of significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in a U.S. state and their shareholders, see "Certain Cayman Islands Company Considerations - Differences in Corporate Law."
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7As a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, we are permitted to follow certain home country practices in relation to corporate governance matters in lieu of certain requirements under Nasdaq corporate governance listing rules. These practices may afford less protection to shareholders than they would enjoy if we complied fully with Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards.
As a foreign private issuer that has received approval to list our Ordinary Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market, we rely on a provision in Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards that allows us to follow Cayman Islands law with regard to certain aspects of corporate governance. This allows us to follow certain corporate governance practices that differ in significant respects from the corporate governance requirements applicable to U.S. companies listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. These practices may afford less protection to shareholders than they would enjoy if we complied fully with corporate governance listing requirements of Nasdaq. As of the date of this annual report, we can rely on home country practice to be exempted from certain of the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq, namely (i) a majority of the Directors on our Board are not required to be independent Directors; (ii) there will not be a necessity to have regularly scheduled executive sessions with independent Directors; and (iii) there will be no requirement for the Company to obtain Shareholder approval prior to an issuance of securities in connection with (a) the acquisition of stock or assets of another company; (b) equity-based compensation of officers, directors, employees or consultants; (c) a change of control; and (d) transactions other than public offerings. While we do not intend to take advantage of these exemptions presently, we may choose to take advantage of some, but not all, of the available exemptions in the future.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8As a "controlled company" under the rules of the Nasdaq Capital Market, we may choose to exempt our Company from certain corporate governance requirements that could have an adverse effect on our public shareholders.
Our directors and officers beneficially own a majority of the voting power of our issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares. Under the Rule 4350(c) of the Nasdaq Capital Market, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a "controlled company" and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including: - an exemption from the rule that a majority of our Board must be independent directors;- an exemption from the rule that the compensation of our chief executive officer must be determined or recommended solely by independent directors; and - An exemption from the rule that our directors must be selected or recommended solely by independent directors. The exemption we intend to rely on is that a majority of our Board need not be independent directors. As a result, you may not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to these corporate governance requirements.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 9Our Controlling Shareholder has substantial influence over the Company. His interests may not be aligned with the interests of our other shareholders, and they could prevent or cause a change of control or other transactions.
As of the date of this annual report, our largest shareholder, Dr. Leung Chun Yip, owns an aggregate of 1,125,000 Ordinary Shares, approximately 67.52% of our issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares. Accordingly, our Controlling Shareholder could have considerable influence or control over the outcome of any corporate transactions or other matters submitted to the shareholders for approval, including (i) mergers, consolidations, (ii) the election or removal of Directors, (iii) the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, (iv) making amendments to our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, (v) whether to issue additional shares, including to him, (vi) employment, including compensation arrangements, and (vii) the power to prevent or cause a change in control. The interests of our Controlling Shareholder may differ from the interests of our other shareholders. Without the consent of our Controlling Shareholder, we may be prevented from entering into transactions that could be beneficial to us or our other shareholders. The concentration in the ownership of our shares may cause a material decline in the value of our shares. For more information regarding our principal shareholders and their affiliated entities, see "Principal Shareholders."
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 10We will incur significantly increased costs and devote substantial management time as a result of the listing of our Ordinary Shares on Nasdaq.
We will incur additional legal, accounting, and other expenses as a public reporting company, particularly after we cease to qualify as an emerging growth company. For example, we are required to comply with the additional requirements of the rules and regulations of the SEC and Nasdaq rules, including applicable corporate governance practices. We expect that compliance with these requirements will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly. In addition, we expect that our management and other personnel will need to divert attention from operational and other business matters to devote substantial time to these public company requirements. We cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur as a result of becoming a public company or the timing of such costs. In addition, changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure are creating uncertainty for public companies, increasing legal and financial compliance costs, and making some activities more time-consuming. These laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidelines are provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. We intend to invest resources to comply with evolving laws, regulations and standards, and this investment may result in increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management's time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. If our efforts to comply with new laws, regulations and standards differ from the activities intended by regulatory or governing bodies due to ambiguities related to their application and practice, regulatory authorities may also initiate legal proceedings against us, and our business may be adversely affected.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 11Short selling may drive down the market price of our Ordinary Shares.
Short selling is the practice of selling shares that the seller does not own but rather has borrowed from a third party with the intention of buying identical shares back at a later date to return to the lender. The short seller hopes to profit from a decline in the value of the shares between the sale of the borrowed shares and the purchase of the replacement shares, as the short seller expects to pay less in that purchase than it received in the sale. As it is in the short seller's interest for the price of the shares to decline, many short sellers publish, or arrange for the publication of, negative opinions and allegations regarding the relevant issuer and its business prospects in order to create negative market momentum and generate profits for themselves after selling the shares short. These short attacks have, in the past, led to selling of shares in the market. If we were to become the subject of any unfavorable publicity, whether such allegations are proven to be true or untrue, we could have to expend a significant number of resources to investigate such allegations and/or defend ourselves. While we would strongly defend against any such short seller attacks, we may be constrained in the manner in which we can proceed against the relevant short seller by principles of freedom of speech, applicable state law or issues of commercial confidentiality.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 12If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our Ordinary Shares, the market price for our Ordinary Shares and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our shares will be influenced by research or reports that industry or securities analysts publish about our business. If one or more analysts downgrade our shares, the market price for our shares would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease to cover us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause the market price or trading volume for our shares to decline.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 13Certain recent initial public offerings of companies with public floats comparable to the anticipated public float of our Company have experienced extreme volatility that was seemingly unrelated to the underlying performance of the respective company. We may experience similar volatility. Such volatility, including any stock-run up, may be unrelated to our actual or expected operating performance and financial condition or prospects, making it difficult for prospective investors to assess the rapidly changing value of our Ordinary Shares.
Recently, there have been instances of extreme stock price run-ups followed by rapid price declines and strong stock price volatility with recent initial public offerings, especially among those with relatively smaller public floats. As a relatively small-capitalization company with relatively small public float, we may experience greater stock price volatility, extreme price run-ups, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In particular, our Ordinary Shares may be subject to rapid and substantial price volatility, low volumes of trades and large spreads in bid and ask prices. Such volatility, including any stock-run up, may be unrelated to our actual or expected operating performance and financial condition or prospects, making it difficult for prospective investors to assess the rapidly changing value of our Ordinary Shares. In addition, if the trading volumes of our Ordinary Shares are low, persons buying or selling in relatively small quantities may easily influence prices of our Ordinary Shares. This low volume of trades could also cause the price of our Ordinary Shares to fluctuate greatly, with large percentage changes in price occurring in any trading day session. Holders of our Ordinary Shares may also not be able to readily liquidate their investment or may be forced to sell at depressed prices due to low volume trading. Broad market fluctuations and general economic and political conditions may also adversely affect the market price of our Ordinary Shares. As a result of this volatility, investors may experience losses on their investment in our Ordinary Shares. A decline in the market price of our Ordinary Shares also could adversely affect our ability to issue additional Ordinary Shares or other of our securities and our ability to obtain additional financing in the future. No assurance can be given that an active market in our Ordinary Shares will develop or be sustained. If an active market does not develop, holders of our Ordinary Shares may be unable to readily sell the shares they hold or may not be able to sell their shares at all.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 14The trading price of our Ordinary Shares may be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors.
The trading price of our Ordinary Shares may be volatile and could fluctuate widely due to factors beyond our control. This may happen because of the broad market and industry factors, like the performance and fluctuation of the market prices of other companies with business operations located mainly in Hong Kong that have listed their securities in the United States. In addition to market and industry factors, the price and trading volume for our shares may be highly volatile for factors specific to our own operations, including the following: - fluctuations in our revenues, earnings and cash flow;- changes in financial estimates by securities analysts;- additions or departures of key personnel;- release of lock-up or other transfer restrictions on our outstanding equity securities or sales of additional equity securities; and - potential litigation or regulatory investigations. Any of these factors may result in significant and sudden changes in the volume and price at which our shares will trade. In the past, shareholders of public companies have often brought securities class action suits against those companies following periods of instability in the market price of their securities. If we were involved in a class action suit, it could divert a significant amount of our management's attention and other resources from our business and operations and require us to incur significant expenses to defend the suit, which could harm our results of operations. Any such class action suit, whether or not successful, could harm our reputation and restrict our ability to raise capital in the future. In addition, if a claim is successfully made against us, we may be required to pay significant damages, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 15We may not maintain the listing of our Ordinary Shares on Nasdaq which could limit investors' ability to make transactions in our Ordinary Shares and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
In order to continue listing our Ordinary Shares on Nasdaq, we must maintain certain financial and share price levels and we may be unable to meet these requirements in the future. We cannot assure you that our Ordinary Shares will continue to be listed on Nasdaq in the future. If Nasdaq delists our Ordinary Shares and we are unable to list our Ordinary Shares on another national securities exchange, we expect our Ordinary Shares could be quoted on an over-the-counter market in the United States. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including: (a)a limited availability of market quotations for our Ordinary Shares;(b)reduced liquidity for our Ordinary Shares;(c)a determination that our Ordinary Shares are "penny stock," which will require brokers trading in our Ordinary Shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our Ordinary Shares;(d)a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and (e)a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. As long as our Ordinary Shares are listed on Nasdaq, the U.S. National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996 prevents or pre-empts individual states from regulating their sale, which are referred to as "covered securities." Because we expect that our Ordinary Shares will be listed on Nasdaq, such securities will be covered securities. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our securities, the law does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar their sale. Further, if we were no longer listed on Nasdaq, our securities would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulations in each state in which we offer our Ordinary Shares.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 16Our Ordinary Shares may be prohibited from being traded on a national exchange under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act if the PCAOB is unable to inspect our auditors. The delisting of our Ordinary Shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Furthermore, on June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which was signed into law on December 29, 2022, amending the HFCAA to require 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 Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the HFCAA, was enacted on December 18, 2020. The HFCAA states if the SEC determines that we have filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that has not been subject to inspection by the PCAOB for three consecutive years beginning in 2021, the SEC shall prohibit our shares from being traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter trading market in the United States. On March 24, 2021, the SEC adopted interim final rules relating to the implementation of certain disclosure and documentation requirements of the HFCAA. A company will be required to comply with these rules if the SEC identifies it as having a "non-inspection" year under a process to be subsequently established by the SEC. The SEC is assessing how to implement other requirements of the HFCAA, including the listing and trading prohibition requirements described above. Furthermore, on June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the "AHFCAA"), which was signed into law on December 29, 2022, amending the HFCAA and requiring the SEC to prohibit an issuer's securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchange if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three consecutive years. On September 22, 2021, the PCAOB adopted a final rule implementing the HFCAA, which provides a framework for the PCAOB to use when determining, as contemplated under the HFCAA, whether the PCAOB 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 issued amendments to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the HFCAA. The rules apply to registrants that the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in foreign jurisdictions. On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a Determination Report which found that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in: (i) Mainland China, and (ii) Hong Kong. On August 26, 2022, the PCAOB announced and signed a Statement of Protocol (the "Protocol") with the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of Finance of the PRC. The Protocol provides the PCAOB with: (1) sole discretion to select the firms, audit engagements and potential violations it inspects and investigates, without any involvement of Chinese authorities; (2) procedures for PCAOB inspectors and investigators to view complete audit work papers with all information included and for the PCAOB to retain information as needed; (3) direct access to interview and take testimony from all personnel associated with the audits the PCAOB inspects or investigates. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB issued a new Determination Report which: (1) vacated the December 16, 2021 Determination Report; and (2) concluded that the PCAOB has been able to conduct inspections and investigations completely in the PRC in 2022. The December 15, 2022 Determination Report cautions, however, that authorities in the PRC might take positions at any time that would prevent the PCAOB from continuing to inspect or investigate completely. As required by the HFCAA, if in the future the PCAOB determines it no longer can inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in the PRC, the PCAOB will act expeditiously to consider whether it should issue a new determination. The PCAOB continues to demand complete access in mainland China and Hong Kong moving forward and resumed regular inspections in early 2023 and beyond, as well as to continue pursuing ongoing investigations and initiate new investigations as needed. Our auditor, OneStop Assurance PAC. ("OneStop"), the independent registered public accounting firm that issues the audit report included in this annual report, 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 OneStop's compliance with applicable professional standards. OneStop is headquartered in Singapore and has been inspected by the PCAOB on a regular basis, with the last inspection in July 2023. However, in the event it is later determined that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely the auditor because of a position taken by an authority in a foreign jurisdiction, such as the PRC authorities, then such lack of inspection could cause trading in the Company's securities to be prohibited under the HFCAA, and ultimately result in a determination by a securities exchange to delist the Company's securities. The SEC may propose additional rules or guidance that could impact us if our auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspection. For example, on August 6, 2020, the President's Working Group on Financial Markets, or the PWG, issued the Report on Protecting United States Investors from Significant Risks from Chinese Companies to the then President of the United States. This report recommended the SEC implement five recommendations to address companies from jurisdictions that do not provide the PCAOB with sufficient access to fulfil its statutory mandate. Some of the concepts of these recommendations were implemented with the enactment of the HFCAA. However, some of the recommendations were more stringent than the HFCAA. For example, if a company's auditor was not subject to PCAOB inspection, the report recommended that the transition period before a company would be delisted would end on January 1, 2022. The SEC has announced that the SEC staff is preparing a consolidated proposal for the rules regarding the implementation of the HFCAA and to address the recommendations in the PWG report. It is unclear when the SEC will complete its rulemaking and when such rules will become effective and what, if any, of the PWG recommendations will be adopted. The implications of this possible regulation in addition to the requirements of the HFCAA Act are uncertain. Such uncertainty could cause the market price of our Ordinary Shares to be materially and adversely affected, and our securities could be delisted or prohibited from being traded on the national securities exchange earlier than would be required by the HFCAA. If our Ordinary Shares are unable to be listed on another securities exchange by then, such a delisting would substantially impair your ability to sell or purchase our Ordinary Shares when you wish to do so, and the risk and uncertainty associated with a potential delisting would have a negative impact on the price of our Ordinary Shares. Further, new laws and regulations or changes in laws and regulations in both the United States and the PRC could affect our ability to list our Ordinary Shares, which could materially impair the market for and market price of our Ordinary Shares.
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