UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM 20-F

(Mark One)


[  ]REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
[X]ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
one)

REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

OR

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

OR

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

for the transition period from __________ to ___________

OR

SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of event requiring this shell company report:

December 31, 2017

OR
[  ]TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from _________________ to _________________
OR
[  ]SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of event requiring this shell company report _________________

Commission file number: 000-37947

001-37947Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp.


HUNTER MARITIME ACQUISITION CORP.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
(Translation of Registrant's name into English)
The Republic of the Marshall Islands
(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
c/o MI Management Company, Trust Company Complex, Suite 206, Ajeltake Road, P.O. Box 3055, Majuro, Marshall Islands, MH96960
(Address of principal executive offices)
Alexander Saverys, Chief Executive Officer, De Gerlachekaai 20, BE 2000, Antwerp, Belgium,
011-323-247-59-11
(Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile, and address of Company Contact Person)

(Exact name of the Registrant as specified in its charter)

Republic of the Marshall Islands


(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

Tower A, WangXin Building

28 Xiaoyun Rd

Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100027

(Address of principal executive offices)

Jia Sheng

Chief Executive Officer

Tower A, WangXin Building

28 Xiaoyun Rd

Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100027

(646) 308-0546

(Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile Number and Address of Company Contact Person)

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to sectionSection 12(b) of the Act.

Act:

Title of each classEach Class Name of each exchange on which registered
Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Warrants to purchase one share of Class A Common Stock The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Units, each consisting of one share of Class A Common Stock and one half of one Warrant The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC


Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to sectionSection 12(g) of the Act.

NONE
(Title of class)
Act:

None

Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act.

NONE
(Title of class)



IndicateAct:

None

On March 31, 2019, the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer's classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report.

As of December 31, 2017, there were outstanding 15,173,100registrant had 204,041,004 Class A common shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 3,793,275 Class B common shares, par value $.0001 per share.Common Shares outstanding.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Yes ☐No



 Yes     ☒ No

If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes ☐No



Note – Checking the box above will not relieve any registrant required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 from their obligations under those Sections.

 Yes     ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

YesNo ☐



☒ Yes    ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

YesNo ☐



 Yes     ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrantregistrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or an emerging growth Company.company. See the definitionsdefinition of "large“large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" “accelerated filer,” and "emerging“emerging growth company"company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer
Accelerated filer
☒  Accelerated filer  Non-accelerated filer
  
Non-accelerated filer
Emerging growth company  Growth Company
(Do not check if a smaller reporting 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†standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange 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.


Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:

  US GAAPU.S. GAAP
International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the internationalInternational Accounting Standards Board
Other



If "Other"“Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow:

Item 17 Item 18

follow.

 Item 17   ☐ Item 18

If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

 Yes     ☒ No

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Yes No Page





TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
PART I  
ITEMPART I
Item 1.IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERSIdentity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers1
ITEM 2.OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE1
ITEM 3.KEY INFORMATION1
ITEM 4.INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY31
ITEM 4A.UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS58
ITEM 5.OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS58
ITEM 6.DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES59
ITEM 7.MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS63
ITEM 8.FINANCIAL INFORMATION65
ITEM 9.THE OFFER AND LISTING66
ITEM 10.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION67
ITEM 11.QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK98
ITEM 12.DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES98
PART II  
ITEM 13.Item 2.DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES98Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable1
ITEM 14.MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF PROCEEDS98
ITEM 15.CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES99
ITEM 16.RESERVED99
ITEM 16A.AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT99
ITEM 16B.CODE OF ETHICS100
ITEM 16C.PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES100
ITEM 16D.EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES100
ITEM 16E.PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PERSONS.100
ITEM 16F.CHANGE IN REGISTRANT'S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT100
ITEM 16G.CORPORATE GOVERNANCE101
ITEM 16H.MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE101
PART III  
ITEM 17.Item 3.FINANCIAL STATEMENTSKey Information1
A.Selected Financial Data1
B.Capitalization and Indebtedness3
C.Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds3
D.Risk Factors3
Item 4.Information On The Company29
A.History and Development of the Company29
B.Business Overview31
C.Organizational Structure55
D.Property, Plants and Equipment55
Item 4A.Unresolved Staff Comments55
Item 5.Operating and Financial Review and Prospects  55
Item 6.Directors, Senior Management and Employees80
A.Directors and Senior Management80
B.Compensation81
C.Board Practices82
D.Employees82
E.Share Ownership83
Item 7.Major Shareholders and Related Transactions84
A.Major Shareholders84
B.Related Party Transactions84
C.Interests of Experts and Counsel86
Item 8.Financial Information86
A.Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information86
B.Significant Changes86
Item 9.The Offer and Listing86
Item 10.Additional Information88
A.Share Capital88
B.Memorandum and Articles of Association88
C.Material Contracts95
D.Exchange Controls95
E.Taxation95
F.Dividends and Paying Agents102
ITEM 18.G.FINANCIAL STATEMENTSStatement by Experts102
ITEM 19.H.EXHIBITS102Documents on Display103
I.Subsidiary Information103
Item 11.Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk103
Item 12.Description of Securities Other Than Equity Securities104


i

PART II
Item 13Defaults, Dividend Arrearages and Delinquencies.105
Item 14.Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds.105
Item 15Controls and Procedure105
Item 16[Reserved]106
Item 16AAudit committee financial expert.106
Item 16BCode of Ethics106
Item 16CPrincipal Accountant Fees and Services106
Item 16DExemptions from the Listing Standards for Audit Committees107
Item 16EPurchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers.107
Item 16FChange in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant107
Item 16GCorporate Governance107
Item 16HMine Safety Disclosure108
PART III
Item 17Financial Statements109
Item 18.Financial Statements109
Item 19Exhibits109
Signatures110

-i-

ii


INTRODUCTION
Throughout

CERTAIN INFORMATION

In this annual report,Annual Report on Form 20-F (the “Report”), unless otherwise indicated, “Hunter Maritime,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or “Company” refers to Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp., a company incorporated under the laws of the Marshall Islands, and its subsidiaries subsequent to the Business Combination (as defined and described below). The “Business Combination” refers to the merger of Hunter Maritime (BVI) Limited, a British Virgin Islands company (“Merger Sub”) with and into NCF Wealth Holdings Limited (“NCF”) , a British Virgin Islands company, which was consummated on March 21, 2019, which resulted in NCF becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Hunter Maritime.

References to the “PRC” refers to the People’s Republic of China. All references to “provincial-level regions” or “regions,” include provinces as well as autonomous regions and directly controlled municipalities in China, which have an administrative status equal to provinces, including Beijing.

All references to “Renminbi,” “RMB” or “yuan” are to the legal currency of the People’s Republic of the PRC and all references to:

·"BCA"to “U.S. dollars,” “dollars,” “$” are to the legal currency of the United States. This Report contains translations of Renminbi amounts into U.S. dollars at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. We make no representation that the Renminbi or U.S. dollar amounts referred to the  Marshall Islands Business Corporations Act.
·
"CMB Group" are to Belgische Scheepvaartmaatschappij-Compagnie Maritime Belge, a company incorporated under the laws of Belgium.
·"common shares" are to our Class A common shares and our Class B common shares, collectively.
·"Company," "we," "our," and "us" refer to Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp.
·"dwt" are to deadweight tons, expressed in metric tons, each of which is equivalent to 1,000 kilograms.
·"founder shares" are to the Class B common shares initially purchased by our sponsor in a private placement prior to our IPO and the Class A common shares issued upon the automatic conversion thereof at the time of our initial business combination, as described in this annual report.
·"initial public offering" or "IPO" refer to our initial public offering of our units at $10.00 per unit, each unit consisting of one Class A common share and one-half of one warrant to purchase one Class A common share, on the Nasdaq Capital Market, which closed on November 23, 2016.
·"management" or our "management team" are to our executive officers and directors.
·"NASDAQ" are to the Nasdaq Capital Market of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC.
·"private placement warrants" are to the warrants issued to our sponsor in a private placement in connection with our IPO.
·"public shares" are to the Class A common shares sold as part of the units in our initial public offering (whether they were purchased in the offering or thereafter in the open market).
·"public shareholders" are to holders of public shares.
·
"sponsor" are to Bocimar Hunter NV, a company incorporated under the laws of Belgium, a subsidiary of the CMB Group.
·"trust account" is to the segregated account at KBC Bank located in Belgium where certain of the proceeds from our IPO and the sale of the private placement warrants, as described in this annual report, are deposited pursuant to an agreement by and among the Company, KBC Bank, and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, for which Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company is acting as trustee pursuant to an Investment Management Trust Agreement, filed as an exhibit to this annual report.
·"U.S. dollars," "USD," "dollars," "US$" and "$" in this annual report are to the lawful currency of the United States of America.


CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The statements contained in this annual reportReport could have been or could be converted into U.S. dollars or Renminbi, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all.

iii

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Report contains “forward-looking statements” that represent our beliefs, projections and predictions about future events. All statements other than statements of historical fact are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking“forward-looking statements” including any projections of earnings, revenue or other financial items, any statements include, but are not limited to,of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations, any statements concerning proposed new projects or other developments, any statements regarding ourfuture economic conditions or our management's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition,performance, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, includingmanagement’s beliefs, goals, strategies, intentions and objectives, and any statements of assumptions underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words "anticipates," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intends," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predicts," "project," "should," "would"any of the foregoing. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar expressions, mayas well as statements in the future tense, identify forward-looking statements.

These statements butare necessarily subjective and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements described in or implied by such statements. Actual results may differ materially from expected results described in our forward-looking statements, including with respect to correct measurement and identification of factors affecting our business or the absenceextent of these words does not mean that a statementtheir likely impact, the accuracy and completeness of the publicly available information with respect to the factors upon which our business strategy is not forward-looking. based or the success of our business.

Forward-looking statements hereinshould not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times by which, our performance or results may include, for example,be achieved. Forward-looking statements about our:

·ability to consummate a business combination with one or more acquisition targets;
·executive officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving a business combination, as a result of which they would then receive expense reimbursements and their common shares would become eligible for later release from lock-up;
·ability to draw from the support and expertise of the CMB Group and the rest of its senior leadership team;
·our ability to borrow funds from our sponsor and its affiliates;
·potential inability to obtain additional financing to complete a business combination;
·limited pool of prospective target businesses;
·securities' ownership being concentrated;
·potential change in control if we acquire one or more target businesses for stock;
·risks associated with operating in the target business' industry;
·beliefs about shipping industry trends, including charter rates and vessel values;
·expected transfer of our corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium;
·ability to file with the SEC, and have an effective registration statement covering the Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those Class A common shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed;
·success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following a business combination;
·public securities' limited liquidity and trading, as well as the current lack of a trading market;
·delisting of our securities from NASDAQ or an inability to have our securities quoted on NASDAQ following a business combination;

·belief that we will have sufficient funds to operate until at least November 23, 2018 (the date which is 24 months following the completion of our IPO), assuming that our initial business combination is not consummated during that time;
·expectations regarding the waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account (defined below) by all vendors, prospective target business or other entities with whom we do business;
·use of proceeds not in trust or available to us from investment earnings, net of income taxes, on the trust account balance, and our financial performance following our IPO; or
·intention to make liquidating distributions to our public shareholders as soon as reasonably possible if we have not consummated our initial business combination and we are obligated to terminate our corporate existence 24 months after the completion of our IPO.
The forward-looking statements contained herein are based on our current expectationsinformation available at the time those statements are made and beliefs concerningmanagement’s belief as of that time with respect to future developmentsevents, and their potential effects on us. There can be no assuranceare subject to risks and uncertainties that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that maycould cause actual performance or results or performance to bediffer materially different from those expressed in or impliedsuggested by thesethe forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertaintiesImportant factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to, those factors describeddiscussed under the heading "Risk Factors." Should one or moreheadings “Risk Factors,” “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects,” “Information on our Company” and elsewhere in this Report.

iv

Table of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws and/or if and when management knows or has a reasonable basis on which to conclude that previously disclosed projections are no longer reasonably attainable.Contents



PART I

ITEM 1.          IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS
ITEM 1.IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS

Not applicable

Applicable.

ITEM 2.          OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE
Not applicable
ITEM 3.          KEY INFORMATION
A.ITEM 2.OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE

Not Applicable.

ITEM 3.KEY INFORMATION

A.Selected Financial Data

Our Selected Consolidated Financial Data

The following selected consolidated statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2017 and 2018 and the selected consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2017 and 2018 are derived from NCF’s audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this annual report. The selected consolidated financial data should be read in conjunction with, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, NCF’s audited consolidated financial statements and related notes and “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” included elsewhere in this annual report. NCF’s consolidated financial statements are prepared and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or U.S. GAAP. The historical results are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected in any future periods.

  2018  2017 
Cash and cash equivalents  25,057,905   35,067,737 
Total assets  182,885,053   124,841,872 
Total Current liabilities:  36,847,590   29,486,419 
Total liabilities  36,847,590   33,563,419 
Total shareholders’ equity  146,037,463   91,278,453 

1

  For the Years Ended December 31, 
  2018  2017  2016 
          
Net revenue            
Transaction and service fee $234,972,184  $208,166,308  $99,056,931 
Transaction and service fee - related parties  6,273,413   87,660   1,176,104 
Commission fee  8,751,657   4,334,526   10,080,180 
Commission fee - related parties  1,626,942   3,628,848   1,197,575 
Other revenue  13,787,535   5,541,601   2,755,364 
Other revenue – related parties  7,039   149,701   33,935 
Total net revenue  265,418,770   221,908,644   114,300,089 
             
Operating cost and expenses            
Sales and marketing expenses  156,329,090   150,411,453   103,619,248 
Product development expenses  17,198,056   15,323,516   13,656,817 
Loan facilitation and servicing expenses  3,919,555   3,334,719   2,973,370 
General and administrative expenses  15,433,707   11,981,156   9,274,374 
Total operating cost and expenses  192,880,408   181,050,844   129,523,809 
             
Operating income (loss)  72,538,362   40,857,800   (15,223,720)
             
Other income (expenses)            
Interest income – related parties  7,176,876   4,773,013   1,802,979 
Interest expense – related parties  -   -   (282,276)
Interest (expense) income  (36,829)  (157,640)  126,616 
Foreign currency transaction (loss) gain  (1,171,933)  2,246,572   (2,324,618)
Loss in equity method investment  (199,908)  (22,777)  (110,494)
Gain on sale of equity method investment  -   -   110,494 
Gain on sale of equity interest in a subsidiary  94,104   -   - 
Income from short-term investment  506,590   494,252   - 
Other miscellaneous income (expense)  361,743   1,473   (159,090)
Total other income (expenses)  6,730,643   7,334,893   (836,389)
             
Income (loss) before income tax  79,269,005   48,192,693   (16,060,109)
             
Income tax (expense) benefit  (19,260,548)  (12,348,395)  2,806,686 
             
Net income (loss)  60,008,457   35,844,298   (13,253,423)
             
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest  (276,514)  (143,333)  (96,262
             
Net income (loss) attributable to NCF Wealth Holdings Limited $60,284,971  $35,987,631  $(13,157,161)
             
Less: Net income allocated to participating securities  2,848,612   1,700,503   - 
             
Net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders of NCF Wealth Holdings Limited $57,436,359  $34,287,128  $(13,157,161)
             
Earnings (loss) per ordinary share            
Basic earnings (loss) per ordinary share attributable to NCF Wealth Holdings $0.05  $0.03  $(0.01)
Weighted-average number of ordinary shares used in computing basic net income (loss) per share  1,091,569,209   1,091,569,209   1,088,230,612 
Diluted earnings (loss) per ordinary share attributable to NCF Wealth Holdings $0.05  $0.03  $(0.01)
Weighted-average number of ordinary shares used in computing diluted net income (loss) per share  1,145,706,634   1,145,706,634   1,088,230,612 

Exchange Rate Information

Not Applicable.

2

B.Capitalization and Indebtedness

Not Applicable.

C.Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds

Not Applicable.

D.Risk Factors

Our business, financial condition and results of operations are subject to various changing business, competitive, economic, political and social conditions worldwide. In addition to the factors discussed elsewhere in this annual report, the following are some of the important factors that could adversely affect our operating results, financial condition and business prospects, and cause our actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements.

Risks Relating to our Business and Industry

The regulatory regime governing the online lending platform in China is deriveddeveloping and subject to changes in applicable laws and regulations. If Beijing Oriental Union Investment Management Limited Liability Company (“Beijing Oriental”), one of our consolidated Variable Interest Entities (“VIEs”), which operates the peer-to-peer online lending platform, fails to comply with existing and future applicable laws or regulations or requirements of local regulatory authorities, our business, financial condition and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.

Due to the relatively short history of the online lending industry in China, a comprehensive regulatory framework governing Beijing Oriental’s industry is under development by the People’s Republic of China, or PRC. Before any industry-specific regulations were introduced in mid-2015, the PRC government relied on general and basic laws and regulations for governing the online lending industry, including the PRC Contract Law, the General Principles of the Civil Law of the PRC, and related judicial interpretations promulgated by the Supreme People’s Court. Since mid-2015, the PRC government and relevant regulatory authorities have issued various laws and regulations governing the online lending industry, including, among others, the Guidelines on Promoting the Healthy Development of Online Finance Industry, or the Guidelines, the Interim Measures on Administration of Business Activities of Online Lending Information Intermediaries, or the Interim Measures, the Guidelines on Online Lending Funds Custodian Business, or the Custodian Guidelines, and the Guidelines on Information Disclosure of the Business Activities of Online Lending Information Intermediaries, or the Disclosure Guidelines, the Notice on Rectification of Cash Loan Business, or Circular 141, the Notice on the Special Rectification and Inspection of Risk of Online Lending Intermediaries, or Circular 57, the Notice on Conducting Compliance Inspections of Online Lending Intermediaries, or the Inspection Notice, and the Compliance Checklist of Online Lending Information Intermediaries, or the Compliance Checklist. See “History and Development of the Company—Regulation—Regulations on Consumer Lending Service Provider.”

Pursuant to the Interim Measures, online lending information intermediaries are required to register with their local financial regulatory authority, update their business scope in their business license to include a description of being an online lending information intermediary and obtain a telecommunication business license from the relevant telecommunication regulatory authority after registering with their local financial regulatory authority. Furthermore, according to the Interim Measures, the local financial regulatory authorities may conduct onsite inspections or inquiries from time to time and instruct Beijing Oriental to rectify its business operations that are deemed non-compliant with the Guidelines or the Interim Measures. On February 20, 2017, the Beijing Office of the Leading Group for Special Rectification of Internet Financial Risks (the “Office on Internet Financial Risks”) completed its review of Beijing Oriental’s operations and issued a Notice on the Fact-finding Rectification of Network-based Lending Information Intermediary Agencies (the “Notice of Rectification”), in which it advised Beijing Oriental that there were 34 items that needed to be rectified.

On March 9, 2017, Beijing Oriental submitted its Specification on Submitting ‘NCF Pu Hui Rectification Plan’ to the Office on Internet Financial Risks, with a proposal of the rectification plan and estimated time of completion on the basis of rectification requirements under the Notice of Rectification (Jing Zheng Zhi Ban Tong No. 004) (the “Initial Rectification Plan”). On August 4, 2017, Beijing Oriental further submitted a rectification plan to the Office on Internet Financial Risks, undertaking to: (i) during the rectification period, manage the scale of its platform business to ensure that the entire business adheres to limits imposed by the authorities; and withdraw any overstock business prior to August 24, 2017, (ii) rectify its business one by one according to the Notice of Rectification and Interim Measures, and (iii) submit the required regular and temporary information required by the Beijing CBRC Office and Beijing Municipal Bureau of Financial Work. To Beijing Oriental’s knowledge, the local financial regulatory authority, as of the date of this annual report, has not approved any application for the peer-to-peer (“P2P”) registration.

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Beijing Oriental has already met 29 rectification requirements according to the Notice of Rectification. The remaining five rectification requirements have to be completed after the regulatory authorities clarify what they would like us to do. The details of the remaining five rectification requirements are as follows: (i) Beijing Oriental must wait for the Department of Industrial and Commercial Registration to issue specific measures for the modification of business scope before Beijing Oriental can amend its business scope; (ii) Beijing Oriental must apply for the Telecom Business Operation License in a timely manner according to the new requirements issued by the relevant regulatory authorities for the online lending platform; and Beijing Oriental must apply for the corresponding Telecom Business Operation License after it has registered and recorded its online platform; (iii) Beijing Oriental must submit the required regular information, after the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Financial Work and Beijing CBRC Office has specified such specific requirements; (iv) after the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Financial Work and Beijing CBRC Office have specified the specific requirements, Beijing Oriental must submit the required temporary information; and (v) after the foresaid financial regulatory authorities specified reporting channels, Beijing Oriental must submit the required suspicious transactions.

As of the date of this annual report, Beijing Oriental has not received any further notification from its local financial regulatory authority in response to its Initial Rectification Plan. Beijing Oriental cannot assure you whether it will be required to submit any additional application materials and whether it will be recognized by the local and national Internet Finance Associations and local financial regulatory authorities as having fulfilled the requirements under applicable rules and regulations and be registered as an online lending information intermediary. If Beijing Oriental is required to make further rectifications, its business and financial condition could be adversely affected. Also, failure to register as an online lending information intermediary, if deemed a violation of the Interim Measures or any other relevant regulations or rules, may result in, among others, regulatory warning, correction order, condemnation, fines or criminal liability to Beijing Oriental, and its business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the competent communications authorities, Beijing Oriental shall apply for a value-added telecommunications business license, but the regulatory authorities have not made clear provisions on what types of value-added telecom business operation licenses should be applied for by P2P online platforms. If such a specific value-added telecommunications business licensing regime were introduced, we cannot assure you that Beijing Oriental would be able to obtain the newly required license in a timely manner, or at all, which could materially and adversely affect our business and impede our ability to continue operations through Beijing Oriental.

Pursuant to Circular 57, as prerequisites to complete registration with the local financial regulatory authority, an online lending information intermediary is required to, among other things, (i) cease conducting any prohibited actions under the Interim Measures (see “History and Development of the Company —Regulation—Regulations on Consumer Lending Service Provider” for details) after August 24, 2016 and cease offering any loan of which the amount exceeds the upper limit under the Interim Measures after August 24, 2016, and shall have fully eliminated the outstanding balance of such non-compliance products that were offered before August 24, 2016; (ii) suspend offering campus loans, cash loans and down payment loans for purchasing real estate property, and gradually reduce the outstanding balance of the aforementioned loans; (iii) set up custody accounts with qualified banks to hold consumer funds, (iv) cease setting aside funds as risk reserve funds, and gradually reduce the existing scale of risk reserve funds, and (v) cease any illegal transfer of creditor’s rights as specified under Circular 57. The registration is required to be completed by most of the online lending information intermediaries by April 30, 2018, and shall in no case be later than June 30, 2018. In the event that any company conducts online lending information services without completing the registration with the relevant local financial regulatory authority, such company may be required to shut down its websites, cease operation of its entire business, have its operation license for telecommunication service revoked, and be forbidden to obtain financial service from financial institutions.

Notice on Rectification of Cash Loan Business, or Circular 141, promulgated by the Head Office for Special Rectification of Online Finance Risk and Head Office for Special Rectification of Peer-to-Peer Online Lending on December 1, 2017 further specifies that any cash loan which is characterized by a lack of specific scenes, designated purposes, targeted users and mortgage may be subject to inspection and rectification, and the online lending information intermediary shall not facilitate loans without designated purposes. It is stipulated in Circular 57 that an online lending information intermediary shall cease providing cash loans after the issuance of Circular 141 and shall gradually reduce its outstanding balance of cash loan within scheduled timetable in order to complete registration with the local financial regulatory authority. Beijing Oriental does not believe any of the loan products it facilitates is prohibited under Circular 141 and Circular 57, as none of its products has all of the four characteristics of cash loans as defined under Circular 141. However, in the absence of any authoritative interpretation of the key requirements or characteristics of cash loans, especially whether the definition of cash loan requires all of the four characteristics or any of the four characteristics, we cannot assure you that our existing practices would not be deemed to violate any relevant laws, rules and regulations that are applicable to our business practices. Beijing Oriental may be required to cease or modify any such “cash loans” to comply with Circular 141, otherwise, it may be ineligible for registration with the local financial regulatory authority, which may materially and adversely affect our business and prospects. While we are closely monitoring the regulatory development, as of the date of this annual report, we have not been informed by any regulatory authorities to cease or modify any of our current products due to the violation of any rules with respect to cash loans under Circular 141 or Circular 57.

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Opinions on Operating Well in Classified Disposition and Risk Prevention of Online Credit Institutions” or Circular 175, was promulgated by the Head Office for Special Rectification of Online Finance Risk and Head Office for Special Rectification of Peer-to-Peer Online Lending on December 19, 2018. Circular 175 is a restatement of the previous various online lending institutions’ regulatory policies, but this document emphasizes that the institutions for different situations should be guided and classified. Wangxin Puhui platform has strictly followed the interim measures for online loan management and various regulatory policies, and compliance inspection work is steadily advancing. The introduction of clearer regulatory policies by government departments is conducive to the completion of archival filings by qualified normal operating agencies and the promotion of legal and compliant online lending platforms in a positive and orderly manner. Wangxin Puhui platform did not receive any new influence due to the release of Circular 175.

The Inspection Notice and the Compliance Checklist promulgated by the Head Office for Special Rectification of Peer-to-Peer Online Lending in August 2018, (“Inspection Notice and Compliance Checklist”) further provides that the online lending information intermediaries shall complete self-inspection, inspection conducted by local and national Internet Finance Associations, and verification conducted by the local online lending rectification office by the end of December 2018. According to the requirements of the Inspection Notice and Compliance Checklist, Beijing Oriental has already submitted its self-inspection report and related materials of “Check List” for self-discipline inspection and administrative inspection to the Office of the Leading Group for Special Rectification on Risks in P2P Lending through the Jin-Guan-Tong System on October 14, 2018. Also, Beijing Oriental has already submitted its self-inspection report, self-correction report and related materials to the National Internet Finance Association of China through the System of National Internet Finance Association of China on October 19, 2018. As of the date of this annual report, the specific requirements and detailed implementation rules of such registration and licensing regime in Beijing are still pending further clarification. Although Beijing Oriental has proceeded to rectify its business model pursuant to Circular 57 and the Compliance Checklist, there may still be an outstanding balance of the non-compliance products as mentioned in Circular 57 and the Compliance Checklist.

Beijing Oriental received the Notice on Further Strict Implementation of ‘Three Reductions’ Goal from the Head Office of Chaoyang District, Beijing City for Special Rectification of Finance and Societal Risk on the date of April 24th, 2019. The Notice stated that business scale of Beijing Oriental continued to grow, according to recent statistic data. The Head Office expected Beijing Oriental to rectify and meet the requirement of ‘three reductions’ on loan balance, borrowers and lenders in accordance with the newest policy. If Beijing Oriental cannot meet the requirement of ‘three reductions’, its rectification shall not be accepted and shall not pass administrative inspection. The Notice required Beijing Oriental to provide comprehensive and feasible action plans via email by April 25. Beijing Oriental provided its detailed plan to the designated email address before the deadline.

To the extent that Beijing Oriental is not able to fully comply with these requirements, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. We are unable to predict with certainty the impact, if any, that future legislation, or regulations relating to the online consumer finance industry will have on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, the overall regulatory conditions in China could affect our business and financial condition. For example, in 2018, the PRC government authorities issued a series of banking policies to control the leverage ratio of financial institutions, which has adversely affected the liquidity of capital in the market. Under such circumstances, the financial condition and repayment capability of some small and medium-size enterprises, was adversely affected, which may affect our cooperation with financial institutions.

If our operations are deemed to violate any rules, laws or regulations, we may face injunctions, including orders to cease illegal activities, correction orders, condemnation, fines, and criminal liability, and may be exposed to other penalties as determined by the relevant government authorities. If such situations occur, our business, financial condition, and prospects would be materially and adversely affected.

We have a limited operating history in a new and evolving market, which makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects.

We commenced our online fintech marketplace business in July 2013 and thus have a limited operating history. We have limited experience in most aspects of our business operations, such as loan product offerings, data-driven credit assessment, and the development of long-term relationships with borrowers, investors and institutional funding partners. We seek to expand the base of prospective borrowers that we serves, which may result in higher delinquency rates of transactions we facilitate. As our business develops or in response to competition, we may continue to introduce new products and services, make adjustments to our existing products and our business model. Any significant change to our business model not achieving expected results may have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

You should consider our business and prospects in light of the risks and challenges we encounter or may encounter given the rapidly evolving market in which we operate and our limited operating history. These risks and challenges include, among other things, our ability to:

offer personalized and competitive products and services;

increase the utilization of its products and services by existing borrowers and investors as well as new borrowers and investors;

offer attractive service fee rates while driving growth in size and profitability of its business; maintain low delinquency rates of loans facilitated by it;

develop sufficient, diversified, cost-efficient and reputable funding sources;

maintain and enhance its relationships with its other business partners;

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broaden its prospective borrower and investor base;

navigate a complex and evolving regulatory environment;

improve its operational efficiency;

attract, retain and motivate talented employees to support its business growth;

enhance its technology infrastructure to support the growth of its business and maintain the security of its system and the confidentiality of the information provided and utilized across its system;

navigate economic condition and fluctuation;

compete profitably within our industry; and

defend itself against legal and regulatory actions, such as actions involving intellectual property or privacy claims.

Failure of other online lending platforms or damage to the reputation of the online consumer finance industry may materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

We operate in the fintech industry, a new and evolving industry. Any negative development in the online consumer finance industry, such as bankruptcies or failures of other consumer finance service providers, and especially a large number of such bankruptcies or failures, or negative perception of the industry as a whole, such as that which arises from any failure of other consumer finance platforms to detect or prevent money laundering or other illegal activities, even if factually incorrect or based on isolated incidents, could compromise our image, undermine the trust and credibility we have established, and impose a negative impact on our ability to attract new borrowers and investors. If any of the foregoing takes place, our business and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected and potentially for a prolonged period of time. For example, certain troubled online lending platforms in China ceased operations in mid-2018. Although these online platforms are not related to us, their failures adversely affected investors’ confidence in the online consumer finance industry, resulting in a reduction in the availability of funding from individual investors.

Negative developments in our industry, such as widespread borrower defaults, fraudulent behavior and/or the closure of other online consumer finance service providers, may also lead to tightened regulatory scrutiny of the sector and limit the scope of permissible business activities that may be conducted, which may adversely affect our business and results of operations.

The service fees we charge borrowers and investors may decline in the future due to factors beyond our control and any material decrease in such service fees could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We generate a substantial majority of our revenues from the transaction and other service fees we charge borrowers and investors. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, transaction and other service fees accounted for 94%, 87%, and 91% of our net revenues, respectively. In the event that the number and amount of service fees we collect from borrowers for loans we facilitate decreases significantly in the future due to regulatory or competitive factors and we are not able to reduce the funding cost of the loans we facilitate or adopt any cost control initiatives, our business, financial condition and results of operations will be harmed.

In addition, our service fees are sensitive to many macroeconomic factors that are beyond our control, such as inflation, recession, the performance of credit markets, global economic disruptions, unemployment, and fiscal and monetary policies. If the service fees we collect from borrowers decrease significantly due to factors beyond our control, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

Our service fees charged to the borrowers, to the extent they may be fully or partially deemed as loan interest, may also be subject to the restrictions on interest rates as specified in applicable rules on private lending. Pursuant to the Provisions on Several Issues Concerning Laws Applicable to Trials of Private Lending Cases issued by the Supreme People’s Court on August 6, 2015, or the Private Lending Judicial Interpretations, if the service fees that we charge borrowers are considered as loan interest, and if the sum of the annual interest that lenders charge and our service fees exceed 36%, the portion of the overall annual interest that exceed the 36% limit will be deemed invalid, and even if the borrower has paid the portion of the service fees that exceed the 36% limit, such borrower may request that we refund the portion of the service fees that exceed the 36% limit and the PRC courts will uphold such request. In accordance with Circular 141, the overall cost of loans, including the loan interest and other forms of fees charged by the institutions shall be included in an overall annualized interest rate and conform to the restrictions on interest rates as specified in applicable rules on private lending. The Compliance Checklist further specifies that interest and fees collected by any third party collaborator or charged offline shall form part of an overall annualized interest rate. In addition, the online lending information intermediary is also prohibited to deduct loan interest, service fees, administrative fee and deposit from a loan principal in advance.

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In April 2017, the Head Office for Special Rectification of Peer-to-Peer Online Lending issued the Notice on Rectification of Carrying out “Cash Loan” Business, or the Notice, which requires local counterparts of the National Rectification Office to conduct a full-scale and comprehensive inspection of cash loan business conducted by online platforms and require such platforms to conduct necessary rectification measures within a designated period to comply with relevant requirements specified in the Notice. The Notice focuses on preventing malicious fraudulent activities, loans that are offered at extortionate interest rates and violent loan collection practices in the cash loan business operation of online platforms.

The annualized fee rates of all new loans that we facilitated since 2018 are below 36%. As a result, we do not believe that our current service fees and various other fees charged from our auditedborrowers violate these provisions. However, if our current fee level is deemed to be excessive or constitutes usurious loans under any existing or future relevant PRC laws, regulations and rules, parts or all of the fees we collected may be ruled as invalid by the PRC courts, and we may face, among others, regulatory warnings, correction orders, or be required to reduce the fees and annual interest rate it charges our borrowers. In addition, any future changes on the annual percentage rate, or APR, ceiling may affect our profitability. If such situations were to occur, its business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects would be materially and adversely affected.

There is no clear regulatory guidance on APR calculation methodology we calculate the APRs of our loan products based on total borrowing costs and the original amount of loan principal on an annualized basis. If regulatory authorities unify the APR calculation to a method that is different from ours, the APRs of our current loan products might represent a risk of breaching the regulatory APR ceiling. As a result, we may be requested to lower our APRs by the regulators and our profitability might be negatively impacted.

Our asset cooperative institutions and funding cooperative institutions have a large proportion of related parties and a high degree of concentration, which may adversely affect our future business.

Our business relies mainly on asset cooperative institutions (the companies who introduce us to qualified borrowers) and funding cooperative institutions (the companies who introduce us to funding sources or investors) to bring assets and funds. As of December 31, 2018, we worked with 28 asset cooperative institutions and 74 funding cooperative institutions, among which 11 asset cooperative institutions and 14 funding cooperative institutions are related parties. Because a large part of our business and capital comes from our related parties, we are dependent on these important associated asset cooperative institutions and funding cooperative institutions. There were three (one from a related party), four (two from related parties), and two (one from a related party) asset cooperative institutions that accounted for 55% (17% from a related party), 57% (26% from a related party), and 43% (20% from a related party) of the total loan facilitated as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. There were two (two from related parties), two (two from related parties), and one (one from a related party) funding cooperative institutions that accounted for 64% (64% from related parties), 39% (39% from related parties) and 39% (39% from related parties), of the total loan facilitated as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The loss of support from related parties will adversely affect our core business.

We face competition in the fintech industry, and, if we do not compete effectively, our results of operations could be harmed.

The fintech industry in China is highly competitive, and we compete with other sizable online marketplaces. We also compete with other financial products and companies that may attract borrowers, investors, and institutional funding partners. Our competitors may operate different business models, have different cost structures or selectively participate in different market segments. They may ultimately be proven more successful or more adaptable to consumer demand and new regulatory, technological and other developments. Some of our current and potential competitors have significantly more financial, technological, marketing and other resources than we do and may be able to devote greater resources to the development, promotion, sale and support of their products and services offerings. Our competitors may also have longer operating histories, more extensive user bases, greater brand recognition and brand loyalty and broader relationships with business partners. Additionally, a current or potential competitor may acquire, or form strategic alliances with, one or more of its competitors. If we are unable to compete with such companies and meet the need for innovation in our industry, the demand for our products or services could stagnate or substantially decline, which could harm our business and results of operations.

With respect to investors, we compete with other online consumer finance marketplaces offering multiple investment products, wealth management centers and traditional banks in China. If a substantial number of our investors switch to other investment alternatives, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

If we are unable to maintain or increase the amount of loans we facilitate or if we are unable to retain existing borrowers or attract new borrowers, our business and results of operations will be adversely affected.

The amount of loans facilitated through NCF’s platform was approximately RMB 77 billion (USD 11 billion) in 2016, approximately RMB 95 billion (USD 15 billion) in 2017 and approximately RMB 71 billion (USD 10 billion) in 2018. To maintain and increase the amount of loans we facilitate, we must continue to engage our existing borrowers and attract new borrowers.

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If we are unable to attract borrowers or if borrowers do not continue to use our products and services, we may be unable to increase the amount of loans we facilitate and corresponding revenues, and our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

Failure in our proprietary credit analysis and risk management system may materially and adversely affect our products and service.

We offer our products and services based on the risk assessment conducted by our proprietary credit analysis and risk management system. Our system uses machine learning and modeling techniques to analyze transaction and repayment data from loans that we facilitated and data from applicants and other third-party sources. Even though we have accumulated a large amount of applicant data and extensive credit analysis experience to perform risk management analysis in our system, our credit analysis and risk management system may not provide an accurate risk assessment for borrowers. If our credit analysis model contains inaccurate assumptions or inefficiencies through model updates, or if the credit data and analysis we obtain is inaccurate or outdated, our credit analysis could result in us making loans we should not be making. If we are unable to effectively and accurately assess the credit profiles of applicants based on their credit profiles, we may be unable to offer attractive service fee rates and products and services to borrowers, be unable to maintain low delinquency rates for loans we facilitate, or be unable to maintain satisfactory annualized investment returns for investors. If our proprietary credit analysis and risk management system fails to perform effectively, our business, liquidity and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

If we are unable to maintain low borrower’s delinquency rates, our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. Further, historical delinquency rates may not be indicative of future results.

Investments in our Wangxin platform and Wangxin Puhui platform involve inherent risks as the return of the principal on an investment made through our platforms is guaranteed by guarantors. If widespread defaults were to occur, regardless of whether such defaults resulted from a failure of our risk management system, our investors may lose confidence in our platforms and our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

The data that we collect may be inaccurate due to inadvertent error or fraud. If we fail to detect inaccurate and false information, the performance of our credit analysis will be compromised, and our business, results of operations and brand and reputation will likely be negatively impacted.

Our risk management system is dependent on accurate data being provided by applicants or, with their authorization, third parties. The data we receive may not accurately reflect an applicant’s creditworthiness because such data may be based on outdated, incomplete or inaccurate information due to inadvertent error or fraud. In addition, the completeness and reliability of credit history information in the PRC are relatively limited.

In addition, a significant increase in fraudulent activity by our borrowers could negatively impact our brand name and reputation, discourage investors from investing in loans on our platform, reduce the amount of loans facilitated to borrowers and make it necessary to take additional steps to reduce fraud risk, which could increase its costs. High profile fraudulent activities could even lead to regulatory intervention, and may divert its management’s attention and cause us to incur additional expenses and costs.

If the local financial assets exchanges which we cooperate with fail to comply with existing and future applicable laws or regulations or requirements of local regulatory authorities, our business, financial condition and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.

Since March 2017, we have been working with financial exchanges (comprehensive financial assets trading service platform approved and established by the local governments in the PRC). As the issuer for the products of financial exchanges, the financing party, mainly SMEs, strikes a financing deal with investors of financial exchanges through the intermediary information service of financial exchanges. We provide registration services include advising companies on the selection of local financial assets trading service platforms, review registration application documentation and assists with due diligence conducted by the local financial assets trading service platform. We charge registration holders (usually are borrowers) for the E-APP product registration services.

If the government regulatory authorities impose stricter regulatory requirements for service providers participating in financial exchanges, or financial exchanges cooperating with us are no longer able to work with us due to regulatory violations or otherwise, our business operation, profitability and financial position would be materially and adversely affected.

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If we fail to comply with existing and future applicable laws or regulations or requirements relating to our fund sales business, there may be a risk that the fund sales business is terminated.

Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Shenzhen Yingxin Fund Sales Co., Ltd., or Yingxin Fund, is mainly engaged in the fund sales business. If Yingxin Fund violates applicable rules related to fund sales, or the information management platform established by Yingxin Fund does not meet the requirements of relevant laws, Yingxin Fund may face administrative punishments from the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC. If the violation is significant enough, Yingxin Fund may even face the risk of suspension or termination of its license and associated business activities.

We may not acquire or maintain the qualifications and permissions for conducting third party wealth management business.

Beijing Yinghua Wealth Investment Management Co., Limited, or Yinghua Wealth, is a subsidiary of oursthat is mainly engaged in third-party wealth management. Currently there is no mandatory regulatory qualification or license required for Yinghua Wealth to conduct third-party wealth management business. The third-party wealth management business conducted by Yinghua Wealth may be restricted by specific regulations and policies issued by regulators in the future, and may need to obtain appropriate qualifications and permissions in accordance with regulatory requirements. We cannot guarantee that Yinghua Wealth will obtain the necessary qualifications or permissions in a timely fashion in the future, which could result in the wealth management business being terminated. If the wealth management business were terminated, our business, financial condition and prospects would be materially and adversely affected.

The laws and regulations governing wealth management, asset management and other financial industries in China are developing and subject to further changes.

As of the date of this annual report, the relevant regulatory authorities and the Asset Management Association of China, or AMAC, have released many laws and regulations governing the wealth management, asset management and other financial industries in China, including regulations over private equity products, private securities investment funds, asset management plans managed by securities companies or mutual fund management companies, trust products, and insurance products. However, these laws and regulations are subject to further changes and the PRC government has not yet adopted a unified regulatory framework. As we develop our business, the products we manage or distribute might be subject to detailed regulations and policies in the future, and we cannot assure you that our asset management or wealth management business will not be materially and adversely affected if any supervisory authority enhances its regulation over asset management plans.

The financial products that we distribute or manage involve various risks and any failure to identify or fully appreciate such risks may negatively affect our reputation, client relationships, operations and prospects.

We distribute and manage a broad variety of financial products, including fixed income products, private equity products, secondary market equity products and insurance products. These products often have complex structures and involve various risks, including default risks, interest risks, liquidity risks, market risks, counterparty risks, fraud risks and other risks.

Our success in distributing, managing and offering our products and services depends, in part, on our ability to successfully identify the risks associated with such products and services, and failure to identify or fully appreciate such risks may negatively affect our reputation, client relationships, operations, and prospects.

In addition, we must accurately describe the products and services to, and evaluate them for, our clients. Although we enforce and implement strict risk management policies and procedures, such risk management policies and procedures may not be fully effective in mitigating the risk exposure of all of our clients in all market environments or against all types of risks.

If we fail to identify and fully appreciate the risks associated with the products and services we distribute, manage and offer, or fail to disclose such risks to our clients, and our clients suffer financial loss or other damages resulting from their purchase of the financial products we distribute or manage, our reputation, client relationships, business, and prospects will be materially and adversely affected.

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Because a significant portion of the one-time commissions and recurring service fees we earn on the distribution of financial products are based on commission and fee rates negotiated with financial product providers, any decrease in these commission and fee rates may have an adverse effect on our revenues, cash flow and results of operations.

We derive a significant portion of revenues from recurring fees and commissions paid by financial product providers. These recurring fees and commission rates are negotiated, and vary from product to product. Recurring fees and commission rates fluctuate based on the prevailing political, economic, regulatory, taxation and competitive factors that affect the product providers. These factors, which are not within our control, include the capacity of product providers to place new business, profits of product providers, client demand and preference for financial products, the availability of comparable products from other product providers at a lower cost, the availability of alternative financial products to clients and the tax deductibility of commissions and fees. In addition, the historical volume of financial products that we distributed or managed may have significant impact on our bargaining power with product providers in relation to the commission and fee rates for future products. Since we can neither determine, nor predict, the timing or extent of commission and fee rate changes with respect to the financial products, it is difficult for us to assess the effect of any of these changes on our operations. Therefore, any decrease in commission and fee rates would adversely affect our revenues, cash flow and results of operations.

Beijing Oriental may be required to obtain additional value-added telecommunication business licenses.

PRC regulations impose sanctions on entities for engaging in the provision of telecommunication business of a commercial nature without having obtained a value-added telecommunication business license. If Beijing Oriental fails to obtain licenses required for its business, Beijing Oriental could be subject to sanctions including corrective orders and warnings from the PRC telecommunication administration authority, fines and confiscation of illegal gains and, in the case of significant infringements, Beijing Oriental’s websites and mobile applications may be ordered to cease operation.

Pursuant to the Interim Measures, Beijing Oriental is required to apply for the appropriate telecommunication business operation permit (which is the value-added telecommunication business license) in accordance with relevant provisions of competent communication departments after Beijing Oriental has completed the required registration of online lending intermediaries with its local financial regulatory authority. The local government authority has not yet issued the relevant implementation rules regarding such filing and therefore Beijing Oriental cannot assure you Beijing Oriental will be able to make the necessary filing or apply for the value-added telecommunication business license. Even if Beijing Oriental has obtained the telecommunication business license, Beijing Oriental may also be subject to monetary penalty or suspension of operation and rectification by the telecommunication administrations if Beijing Oriental fails to operate the business as prescribed in the telecommunication operating licenses, or fails to operate the business as regulated by the telecommunications administration or other regulatory authorities.

Nevertheless, the interpretation and the enforcement of such regulations in the context of the online lending industry remains uncertain, and therefore, it remains unclear what kind of value-added telecommunication business licenses Beijing Oriental should obtain. Given the evolving regulatory environment of the consumer finance industry and value-added telecommunication business, Beijing Oriental cannot rule out the possibility that the PRC communication administration authority or other government authorities will explicitly require any of its consolidated VIEs or subsidiaries of its consolidated VIEs to obtain Internet content provider licenses, or ICP licenses, online data processing and transaction processing licenses, or ODPTP licenses or other value-added telecommunication business licenses, or issue new regulatory requirements to institute a new licensing regime for its industry. If such value-added telecommunication business licenses are clearly required in the future, or a new license regime is introduced or new regulatory rules are promulgated, Beijing Oriental cannot assure you that Beijing Oriental would be able to obtain any required license or other regulatory approvals in a timely manner, or at all, which would subject Beijing Oriental to the sanctions described above or other sanctions as stipulated in the new regulatory rules, and materially and adversely affect its business and impede its ability to continue its operations.

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If our products and services do not achieve sufficient market acceptance, our financial condition, results of operations and competitive position will be materially and adversely affected.

We facilitate various loan products to our borrowers. While we intend to broaden the scope of products and services that we offer, we may not be successful in doing so. New products and services must achieve a certain level of market acceptance in order for them to be economically feasible for us to bear the default risks associated with the product(s) and to recoup our investment costs in developing and bringing such products to market. Our existing or new products and services could fail to attain sufficient market acceptance for many reasons, including:

its failure to predict market demand accurately and supply attractive and increasingly personalized products and services at appropriate prices and in amount that meet this demand in a timely fashion;

its existing products and services may cease to be popular among current borrowers and investors or prove to be unattractive to prospective borrowers and investors;

its failure to assess risk associated with new products and services and to properly price such products and services;

negative publicity about its products and services or mobile applications’ performance or effectiveness;

critical assessment taken by regulatory authorities that the launch of new products and services and changes to its existing products and services do not comply with PRC laws, regulations or rules applicable to us; and

the introduction or anticipated introduction of competing offerings by competitors.

Increases in market interest rates could negatively affect the amount of loans we facilitate and cost of funds provided to borrowers.

All loans we have facilitated have fixed service fee rates charged by it and interest rates. If prevailing market interest rates rise, the service fee rates and interest rates of loans we facilitate may rise accordingly, and borrowers may be less likely to accept such adjusted terms. If borrowers decide not to use ours products because of such an increase in market interest rates, our ability to retain existing borrowers and engage prospective borrowers as well as our competitive position may be severely impaired. If we are unable to effectively manage such market interest rate risk, our business, profitability, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

Wangxin Puhui platform is obligated to verify information relating to borrowers and to detect fraud. If Wangxin Puhui platform fails to perform such obligations to meet the requirements of relevant laws and regulations, Wangxin Puhui platform may be subject to liabilities.

Wangxin Puhui platform’s business of connecting investors and individual borrowers constitutes an intermediary service, and its contracts with investors and borrowers are intermediation contracts under the PRC Contract Law. Under the PRC Contract Law, an intermediary that intentionally conceals any material information or provides false information in connection with the conclusion of an intermediation contract, which results in harm to the client’s interests may not claim for any service fee for its intermediary services, and is liable for any damage incurred by the client. Therefore, if Wangxin Puhui platform fails to provide material information to investors and are found to be at fault for failure or deemed the failure to exercise proper care, or to conduct adequate information verification or supervision, Wangxin Puhui platform could be subject to liabilities as an intermediary under the PRC Contract Law. In addition, the Interim Measures and the Inspection Notice have imposed on online lending information intermediaries, including us, additional obligations to verify the truthfulness of the information provided by or in relation to loan applicants and to actively detect fraud, conduct risk evaluation of lenders, categorize lenders and disclose the risk information on borrowers to the lenders. Wangxin Puhui platform leverages a large database of past fraud accounts information and sophisticated rule-based detection technology in detecting fraudulent behaviors. Based on new data collected and fraudulent behaviors detected during its daily business operations, Wangxin Puhui platform updates its database on a monthly basis. As the Interim Measures are relatively new, it is still unclear to what extent online lending information intermediaries should exercise care in detecting fraud. Although Wangxin Puhui platform believe that as an information intermediary, Wangxin Puhui platform should not bear the credit risk for investors as long as Wangxin Puhui platform takes reasonable measures to detect fraudulent behaviors, Wangxin Puhui platform cannot assure you that Wangxin Puhui platform would not be subject to any liabilities under the Interim Measures if Wangxin Puhui platform fails to detect any fraudulent behavior. If that were to occur, its results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected

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We may need additional capital to accomplish business objectives, pursue business opportunities, and respond to challenges or unforeseen circumstances, and financing may not be available on terms acceptable to us, or at all.

Historically, NCF has issued equity shares to support the growth of its business. As we intend to continue to make investments to support the growth of our business, the combined company may require additional capital to accomplish our business objectives and pursue business opportunities, and respond to challenges or unforeseen circumstances, including developing new products and services, further enhancing our risk management capabilities, increasing our marketing expenditures to improve brand awareness and enhancing our operating infrastructure. Accordingly, the combined company may need to engage in equity or debt financings to secure additional funds. However, additional funds may not be available when the combined company needs them, on terms acceptable to it, or at all. In the event that the combined company obtains debt financing, repayment of debt may divert a substantial portion of cash flow, which would reduce funds available for expenses and payment pursuant to other general corporate purposes.

Volatility in the credit markets may also have an adverse effect on its ability to obtain debt financing. If the combined company raises additional funds through further issuances of equity or convertible debt securities, its existing stockholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities the combined company issues could have rights, preferences, and privileges superior to those of holders its common shares. If the combined company is unable to obtain adequate financing or financing on terms satisfactory to it when it is needed, its ability to continue to accomplish its business objectives and pursue business opportunities, and respond to challenges or unforeseen circumstances could be significantly limited, and its business, operating results, financial condition and prospects could be adversely affected.

Undetected errors or significant disruption in our IT system, including events beyond its control, could prevent us from offering our products and services, thereby reducing the attractiveness of our products and services and resulting in a loss of borrowers or investors.

Our business and internal systems rely on software and processes that are highly technical and complex. In addition, our business depends on the abilities of these software and processes to store, retrieve, process and manage large amounts of data. The software and processes on which we rely have contained, and may now or in the future contain, errors or bugs. Some errors may only be discovered after the code has been released for external or internal use.

In addition, in the event of a system outage and physical data loss, our ability to provide products and services would be materially and adversely affected. Any interruptions or delays in our service, whether as a result of third-party error, our error, natural disasters or security breaches, whether willful or not, could harm our reputation and our relationships with borrowers and investors. Additionally, in the event of damage or interruption, our insurance policies may not adequately compensate us for any losses that we may incur. We also may not have sufficient capacity to recover all data and services in the event of an outage. These factors could prevent us from processing loan applications and other business operations, damage our brand name and reputation, divert our employees’ attention, reduce our revenue, subject us to liability and discourage users from using our products and services, any of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

If we are unable to protect the confidential information of our users and adapt to the relevant regulatory framework regarding protection of such information, our business and operations may be adversely affected.

We have access to, stores and processes certain personal information and other sensitive data from our users and our business partners, which makes us an attractive target and potentially vulnerable to cyber-attacks, computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins or similar disruptions. While we have taken steps to protect confidential information that we have access to, our security measures could be compromised. Because techniques used to sabotage or obtain unauthorized access to systems change frequently and generally are not recognized until they are launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures. Any accidental or willful security breaches or other unauthorized access to our system could cause confidential user information to be stolen and be used for criminal purposes.

We also face indirect technology, cybersecurity and operational risk relating to the third parties upon whom we rely on to facilitate or enable our business activities, including, among others, custodian banks and third-party online payment service providers who manage accounts for certain borrower and investor funds. Any cyber-attack, computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins or similar disruptions of such custodian banks and third-party payment service providers could, among other things, adversely affect our ability to serve our users, and could even result in misappropriation of funds of our borrowers and investors. If that were to occur, both us and third-party payment service providers could be held liable to borrowers and investors who suffer losses from the misappropriation.

Security breaches or unauthorized access to confidential information could expose us to liability related to the loss of information, time-consuming and expensive litigation and negative publicity. If security measures are breached because of third-party action, employee error, malfeasance or otherwise, or if design flaws in our technology infrastructure are exposed and exploited, its relationships with users could be severely damaged, we could incur significant liability and our business and operations could be adversely affected.

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In addition, PRC government authorities have enacted a series of laws and regulations with respect to the protection of personal information, under which internet service providers and other network operators are required to comply with the principles of legality, justification and necessity, to clearly indicate the purposes, methods and scope of any information collection and usage, and to obtain the consent of users, as well as to establish a user information protection system with appropriate remedial measures. We have obtained consent from our users to use their personal information within the scope of authorization and we have taken technical measures to ensure the security of such personal information and to prevent any loss or divergence of personal information from our users. However, there is uncertainty as to the interpretation and application of such laws. If such laws or regulations are to be interpreted and applied in a manner inconsistent with its current policies and practices, changes to the features of its system may be required and additional costs incurred. We cannot assure you that our existing user information protection system and technical measures will be considered sufficient under applicable laws and regulations. If we are unable to address any information protection concerns, or to comply with the then applicable laws and regulations, we may incur additional costs and liability and our reputation, business and operations might be adversely affected.

On June 1, 2017, the PRC Cybersecurity Law became effective. The law requires network products and services providers, such as us, among other things, to strictly preserve the secrecy of user information they collect and to store within mainland China data that is gathered or produced by such network products and services provider in the country. If we are deemed to have violated the law, potential penalties include, depending on the nature of violation, regulatory warning, correction order, forced shut down of its websites, suspension of operation revocation of business licenses, confiscation of illegal gains. The fines imposed on the company ranging from approximately RMB10,000 (approximately $1,457) to RMB1 million (approximately $145,705) or management personnel ranging from approximately RMB5,000 (approximately $729) to RMB1 million (approximately $145,705 based on the exchange rate of 0.145705 as of December 31, 2018).

Due to the relatively new nature of the PRC Cybersecurity Law and the lack of clarification in the statutory law itself as to the circumstances and standard under which the law should apply and violations be found, there are great uncertainties as to the interpretation and application of the law. The law’s vagueness in its own statutory language also indicates that the CAC, the designated government enforcement agency, will have broad latitude to direct how the law is interpreted and enforced, thus creating greater uncertainties with regard to the interpretation and application of the law since the government enforcement agency has yet to provide further guidance on the enforcement mechanism of the law. If we are found to have violated the PRC Cybersecurity Law in a government enforcement action, we may face severe penalties that may result in monetary losses, losses of access to assets essential for daily operation of our business or for the continuance of service provision, and temporary or total disruption of our business for an extended period of time. In addition, the finding of a violation of the PRC Cybersecurity Law, even if later repealed, may cause damages to our reputation and our brand name, causing users to lose confidence in our service and to refrain from choosing or continuing to use our products and services. All of these consequences may have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Furthermore, the stringent reporting obligation imposed by the PRC Cybersecurity Law itself, without a finding of violation, may have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations. As we are obligated by the law to inform our users of any security flaw or vulnerability as they are discovered, users may become wary of the existence or frequency of such reports and lose confidence in the security of our system, and thus, become discouraged from choosing or continuing to use our products and services, even though the security flaws or vulnerabilities are quickly fixed and overcome.

Ifwe fail to implement and maintain an effective system of internal controls over financial reporting, we may be unable to accurately report their results of operations, meet their reporting obligations or prevent fraud.

NCF was a private company and its internal controls and procedures, especially over financial reporting, may not be able to sufficiently identify any material weaknesses and control deficiencies that could lead to inaccuracies in our financial statements. NCF’s independent registered public accounting firm has not conducted an attestation of its internal control over financial reporting. However, in connection with the audits of its consolidated financial statements as of and for the yearfiscal years ended December 31, 20172018, NCF and asits independent registered public accounting firm identified three “material weaknesses,” and other control deficiencies including significant deficiencies in its internal control over financial reporting. As defined in the standards established by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board of and for the period ended December 31, 2016. The summaryUnited States, or PCAOB, a “material weakness” is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial information forreporting, such that period and asthere is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of that date should be read in conjunction with those consolidatedthe annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

The material weaknesses identified related to (i) a lack of accounting staff and resources with appropriate knowledge of U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting and compliance requirements; (ii) a lack of sufficient documented financial closing policies and procedures; and (iii) a lack of written policy to identify related party and related party transactions. Subsequent testing by us or our independent registered public accounting firm may reveal deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses.

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Upon completion of this annual report, NCF has merged with a wholly owned subsidiary of Hunter Maritime, a public company in the United States and the accompanying notes included elsewhere in this annual report.

in USD As of and for the Year ended December 31, 2017  
As of and for the Period from
June 24, 2016 (inception) to
December 31, 2016
 
       
Total assets  152,731,518   153,590,747 
Working capital/(deficiency) (1)
  5,000,001   152,830,225 
Total liabilities  147,731,517   148,590,746 
Value of common stock subject to possible redemption ($10.00 per share)  147,447,619   147,830,224 
Stockholders' equity (2)
  5,000,001   5,000,001 
Loss for the period  (382,605)  (398,874)
Basic earnings (loss) per share  (0.1009)  (0.1052)
_____________________
(1)Working Capital is defined as current assets less current liabilities.
(2)Excludes 14,744,762 shares of common stock purchased in the public market which are subject to possible redemption.
B.Capitalization and Indebtedness
Not applicable
C.Reasons for the offer and use of Proceeds
Not applicable
D.Risk Factors
The following risk factors relate principally to (i) the risks we face as a blank checkcombined company (ii) the industry in which we expect to operate, and (iii) the ownership of our securities. The occurrence of any of the events described in this section could significantly and negatively affect our business, financial condition, operating results and/or the trading price of our securities.
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Risks Associated with the Company
We are an early stage company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are an early stage company established under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands with no operating results, and we will not commence operations until consummating our initial business combination. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination with one or more acquisition targets. We have no present revenue and will not generate any revenue or income until, at the earliest, after the consummation of our initial business combination.  If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.
Our shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our shareholders do not support such a combination.
Unless required by law, NASDAQ rules or for other business or legal reasons, we intend to consummate our initial business combination and conduct the redemptions without seeking shareholder approval and instead redeem the public shares held by our shareholders who elect to have their shares redeemed by way of a tender offer. Accordingly, we may complete our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of our common shares do not approve of the business combination we complete.
Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash, unless we seek shareholder approval of such business combination.
Since our board of directors intends to complete the business combination without seeking shareholder approval, public shareholders will not have the right or opportunity to vote on the business combination unless we seek such shareholder vote if required by law, NASDAQ rules or for other business or legal reasons. Accordingly, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public shareholders in which we describe our initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor and management team have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote.
Our sponsor owns 20% of our outstanding common shares. Our sponsor and management team also may from time to time purchase common shares prior to our initial business combination. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that, if we seek shareholder approval of an initial business combination, such initial business combination will be approved if we receive the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the shares voted at such meeting, including the Class B common shares owned by our sponsor. As a result, in addition to our sponsor's Class B common shares, we would need at least 5,689,913, or 37.5%, of the 15,173,100 Class A common shares outstanding to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all outstanding shares are voted). Accordingly, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by our sponsor and management team to vote in favor of our initial business combination will increase the likelihood that we will receive the requisite shareholder approval for such initial business combination.
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The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a business combination with a target.
We may seek to enter into a business combination transaction agreement with a prospective target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the business combination. Furthermore, in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 (so that we are not subject to the SEC's "penny stock" rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be containedSarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Section 404 of this Act will require that the combined company include a report of management on its internal control over financial reporting in its annual report on Form 20-F. However, as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the agreement relatingJOBS Act, the combined company may choose to our initial business combination. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 uponnot comply with the consummationauditor attestation requirements of our initial business combination or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption andSection 404 of the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets will be awareSarbanes-Oxley Act of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into a business combination transaction with us.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, and therefore will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations2002 as to the numbereffectiveness of sharesits internal controls over financial reporting until such time that it ceases to be an “emerging growth company,” although it will still be submitted for redemption. If our initial business combination agreement requires usrequired to useimplement and maintain internal control over financial reporting and include the management assessment in its annual reports under Section 404. To comply with Section 404, the combined company may incur substantial costs, expend significant management time on compliance-related issues and hire additional accounting, financial and internal audit staff with appropriate public company experience and technical accounting knowledge. Moreover, if the combined company is not able to comply with the requirements of Section 404 in a portion oftimely manner or if it or its independent registered public accounting firm identifies deficiencies in its internal control over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses, the cash incombined company could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the trust accountU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or other regulatory authorities, which would require additional financial and management resources. Any failure to pay the purchase price,maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures or requires us tointernal control over financial reporting could have a minimum amount of cash at closing, we will need to reserve a portion ofmaterial adverse effect on the cash in the trust account to meet such requirements, or arrange for third party financing. In addition, if a larger number of shares are submitted for redemption than we initially expected, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for third party financing. Raising additional third party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirablecombined company’s business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure. The per-share amount we will distribute to shareholders who properly exercise their redemption rights will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commission and after such redemptions, the amount held in trust will continue to reflect our obligation to pay the deferred underwriting commissions.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares.
If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the trust account until we liquidate the trust account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your shares in the open market; however, at such time our shares may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with our redemption until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time we have in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders.
Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination by November 23, 2018 (the date which is 24 months from the closing of our initial public offering). Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.
operating results.

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We may not be able to completeprevent unauthorized use of our initialintellectual property, which could harm our business combination within the prescribed time frame, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding upand competitive position.

We regard our trademarks, domain names, copyrights, know-how, proprietary technologies and similar intellectual property as critical to our success, and we rely on trademark and trade secret law, confidentiality agreement, invention assignment and non-compete agreements with our employees and others to protect our proprietary rights. See “History and Development of the Company—Intellectual Property” and “History and Development of the Company —Regulation—Regulations on Intellectual Property Rights.” However, we cannot assure you that any of our intellectual property rights would redeemnot be challenged, invalidated, circumvented or misappropriated, or that such intellectual property will be sufficient to provide us with competitive advantages. Because of the rapid pace of technological development, we cannot assure you that all of our public sharesproprietary technologies and liquidate.

Wesimilar intellectual property will be patented in a timely or cost-effective manner, or at all. Furthermore, parts of our business rely on technologies developed or licensed by other parties, or co-developed with other parties, and we may not be able to findobtain or continue to obtain licenses and technologies from these other parties on reasonable terms, or at all.

It is often difficult to register, maintain and enforce intellectual property rights in China. Statutory laws and regulations are subject to judicial interpretation and enforcement and may not be applied consistently due to the lack of clear guidance on statutory interpretation. The confidentiality agreement, invention assignment, and non-compete agreements may be breached by counterparties, and there may not be adequate remedies available to us for any such breach. Accordingly, we may not be able to effectively protect our intellectual property rights or to enforce our contractual rights in China. Preventing any unauthorized use of its intellectual property is difficult and costly and the steps we take may be inadequate to prevent the misappropriation of our intellectual property. In the event that we resort to litigation to enforce our intellectual property rights, such litigation could result in substantial litigation costs and a suitable targetdiversion of our managerial and financial resources. We can provide no assurance that we will prevail in such litigation. In addition, our trade secrets may be leaked or otherwise become available to, or be independently discovered by, our competitors. To the extent that our employees or consultants use intellectual property owned by others in their work for us, disputes may arise as to the rights in related know-how and inventions. Any failure in protecting or enforcing our intellectual property rights could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may be subject to intellectual property infringement claims, which may be expensive to defend and may disrupt our business and completeoperations.

We cannot be certain that our initialoperations or any aspects of our business combinationdo not or will not infringe upon or otherwise violate trademarks, copyrights, know-how, proprietary technologies or other intellectual property rights held by November 23, 2018 (theother parties. We may unknowingly infringe on other parties’ trademarks, copyrights, know-how, proprietary technologies or other intellectual property rights through our products and services or other aspects of our business. As a result, we may be subject to legal proceedings and claims relating to the intellectual property rights of others from time to time in the future. Holders of such intellectual property rights may seek to enforce such intellectual property rights against us in China, the United States or other jurisdictions. If any infringement claims are brought against us, we may be forced to divert management’s time and other resources from our business and operations to defend against these claims, regardless of their merits.

Additionally, the interpretation and application of China’s intellectual property right laws and the procedures and standards for protecting trademarks, copyrights, know-how, proprietary technologies or other intellectual property rights in China are uncertain and still evolving, and we cannot assure you that PRC courts or regulatory authorities would agree with its analysis. If we were found to have violated the intellectual property rights of others, we may be subject to liability for our infringement or may be prohibited from using such intellectual property, and we may incur licensing fees or be forced to develop alternatives of our own. As a result, our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

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Any failure by us, institutional funding partners, payment service providers or funds custody banks to comply with applicable anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing laws and regulations could damage our reputation, or expose us to significant penalties, and decrease our revenues and profitability.

We have adopted and implemented various policies and procedures including internal controls and “know-your-customer” procedures, for preventing money laundering and terrorist financing. In addition, we rely on our institutional funding partners, payment service providers and funds custody banks, in particular, funds custody banks that handle the transfer of funds from lenders to borrowers, to have their own appropriate anti-money laundering policies and procedures. Our institutional funding partners may be subject to anti-money laundering obligations under applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations and are regulated in that respect by the People’s Bank of China, or the PBOC. We have adopted commercially reasonable procedures for monitoring our institutional investors and payment processors.

We have not been subject to fines or other penalties, or suffered business or other reputational harm, as a result of actual or alleged money laundering or terrorist financing activities in the past. However, our policies and procedures may not be completely effective in preventing other parties from using us, any of our institutional funding partners, or payment service providers as a conduit for money laundering (including illegal cash operations) or terrorist financing without our knowledge. If we were to be associated with money laundering (including illegal cash operations) or terrorist financing activities, our reputation could suffer and we could become subject to regulatory fines, sanctions, or legal enforcement, including being added to any “blacklists” that would prohibit certain parties from engaging in transactions with us, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Even if we, our institutional funding partners and payment service providers comply with the applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations, we, our institutional funding partners and payment service providers may not be able to fully eliminate money laundering and other illegal or improper activities in light of the complexity and the secrecy of these activities. Any negative perception of the industry, such as that which might arise from any failure of other online consumer finance platforms to detect or prevent money laundering activities, even if factually incorrect or based on isolated incidents, could tarnish our image, undermine the trust and credibility we have established, and negatively impact our financial condition and results of operations.

The Guidelines purport to require, among other things, Internet finance service providers to comply with certain anti-money laundering requirements, including the establishment of a user identification program, the monitoring and reporting of suspicious transactions, the preservation of user information and transaction records, and the provision of assistance to the public security department and judicial authority in investigations and proceedings in relation to anti-money laundering matters. The PBOC will formulate implementing rules to further specify the anti-money laundering obligations of Internet finance service providers. The Interim Measures require online lending intermediaries to comply with certain anti-money laundering obligations, including verifying user identity, reporting suspicious transactions and keeping identity data and transaction records. The Custodian Guidelines require the anti-money laundering obligation to be included in the fund custodian agreements between an online lending intermediary and custody banks, and the online lending intermediary shall cooperate with funds custody banks to fulfill anti-money laundering obligations. We cannot assure you that the anti-money laundering policies and procedures we have adopted will be deemed to be in compliance with applicable anti-money laundering implementation rules if and when adopted.

Our business depends on the continued efforts of our senior management and key technology development personnel. If one or more of its key executives or key technology development personnel were unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, our business may be severely disrupted.

Our business operations depend on the continued services of our senior management and key technology development personnel. In particular, Ms. Huanxiang Li, its President, Mr. Jia Sheng, its Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Xin Li, its Chief Operating Officer, Mrs. Li Wei, its Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Ruoshi Zhang, its Chief Technology Officer are critical to the management of our business and operations and the development of our strategic direction. While we have provided different incentives to our management and key technology development personnel, we cannot assure you that we can continue to retain their services. If one or more of our key executives or key technology development personnel were unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, we may not be able to replace them easily or at all, our future growth may be constrained, our business may be severely disrupted and our financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected, and we may incur additional expenses to recruit, train and retain qualified personnel. In addition, while we have entered into confidentiality and non-competition agreements with our management, there is no assurance that any member of our management team and technology development team will not join our competitors or form a competing business. If any dispute arises between us and our current or former officers or key technology development personnel, we may have to incur substantial costs and expenses in order to enforce such agreements in China or we may be unable to enforce them at all.

15

If we grant employees stock options or other equity incentives in the future, our net income could be adversely affected.

NCF granted incentives and rewards to employees and executives under our share incentive plan. We are required to account for share-based compensation in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, which generally requires a company to recognize, as an expense, the fair value of stock options and other equity incentives to employees based on the fair value of equity awards on the date of the grant, with the compensation expense recognized over the period in which the recipient is required to provide service in exchange for the equity award. NCF also granted RSUs to non-employees, which is 24 monthssubject to ASC 505-50 Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employee. All transactions in which services are received in exchange for share-based awards are accounted for based on the fair value of the consideration received or the fair value of the awards issued, whichever is more reliably measurable. Share-based compensation is measured at fair value at the earlier of the commitment date or the date the services are completed. NCF re-measured the awards using the then-current fair value at each reporting date until the measurement date, generally when the services are completed, and awards are vested and attribute the changes in those fair values over the service period by the straight-line method. As of December 31, 2018, the outstanding option shares were 35,000,000. As a result, NCF incurred an accumulated share-based compensation expense for the stock options of $1,320,312 as of December 31, 2018. As of December 31, 2018, the outstanding restricted stock units granted to employees were 52,753,394 and the outstanding restricted stock units granted to non-employees were 3,990,950. As a result, an accumulated share-based compensation expense for the restricted stock units of $ 19,891,188 was incurred by NCF as of December 31, 2018. If we grant more options or other equity incentives in the future, we could incur significant compensation charges and our results of operations could be adversely affected.

Increase in labor costs in the PRC may adversely affect our business and results of operations.

In recent years, the Chinese economy has experienced inflationary and labor costs increases. Average wages are projected to continue to increase. Further, under PRC law we are required to pay various statutory employee benefits, including pension, housing fund, medical insurance, work-related injury insurance, unemployment insurance and maternity insurance to designated government agencies for the benefit of its employees. The relevant government agencies may examine whether an employer has made adequate payments to the statutory employee benefits, and those employers who fail to make adequate payments may be subject to late payment fees, fines and/or other penalties. We expect that our labor costs, including wages and employee benefits, will continue to increase. If we are unable to control our labor costs or pass such increased labor costs on to our users by increasing the fees of our services, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

We do not have any business insurance coverage.

Insurance companies in China currently do not offer as extensive an array of insurance products as insurance companies in more developed economies. Currently, we do not have any business liability or disruption insurance to cover our operations. We have determined that the costs of ensuring these risks and the difficulties associated with acquiring such insurance on commercially reasonable terms make it impractical for us to have such insurance. Any uninsured business disruptions may result in substantial costs and the diversion of resources, which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

We are subject to the risk of a severe or prolonged downturn in the Chinese or global economy and deterioration of credit profiles of borrowers, which may materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.

Any prolonged slowdown in the Chinese or global economy may have a negative impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition. In particular, general economic factors and conditions in China or worldwide, including the general interest rate environment and unemployment rates, may affect borrowers’ willingness to seek credit and investors’ ability and desire to invest in loans. If economic conditions deteriorate, we may face an increased risk of default or delinquency of borrowers, which will result in lower returns or losses. In the event that the creditworthiness of our borrowers deteriorates or we cannot track the deterioration of our creditworthiness, the criteria we use for the analysis of borrower credit profiles may be rendered inaccurate, and our risk management system may be subsequently rendered ineffective. This, in turn, may lead to higher default rates and adverse impacts on our reputation, business, results of operations and financial positions.

The offering of our products and services depends on effective use of mobile operating systems and distribution through mobile application stores, which we do not control.

Our loan products and loan facilitation services are offered through mobile applications. We may need to devote significant resources to support and maintain such applications. The mobile applications are dependent on the interoperability of popular mobile operating systems that we do not control, such as Android and iOS. Any changes in such systems that degrade the accessibility of our mobile applications or give preferential treatment to competing products and services could adversely affect the usability of our mobile applications. In addition, we rely upon third-party mobile application stores for users to download our mobile applications. As such, the distribution, operation and maintenance of our mobile applications are subject to application stores’ standard terms and policies for application developers.

16

Our future growth and results of operations could suffer if we experience difficulties in the future in offering our products and services through our mobile applications, or if we face increased costs to distribute our mobile applications. If it becomes increasingly difficult for our users to access and utilize our products and services on their mobile devices, or if the prevailing mobile operating systems do not support our mobile applications, our business and financial condition and operating results may be adversely affected.

Our operations depend on the performance of the Internet infrastructure and fixed telecommunications networks in China.

Almost all access to the Internet in China is maintained through state-owned telecommunication operators under the administrative control and regulatory supervision of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, or MIIT. We primarily rely on a limited number of telecommunication service providers to provide us with data communications capacity through local telecommunications lines and Internet data centers to host our servers. We may have limited access to alternative networks or services in the event of disruptions, failures or other problems with China’s Internet infrastructure or the fixed telecommunications networks provided by telecommunication service providers. With the expansion of our business, we may be required to upgrade our technology and infrastructure to keep up with increasing traffic. We cannot assure you that our cloud computing service provider and the underlying Internet infrastructure and the fixed telecommunications networks in China will be able to support the demand associated with the continued growth in Internet usage. In addition, we have no control over the costs of the services provided by telecommunication service providers which in turn, may affect our costs of using customized cloud computing services. If the prices we pay for customized cloud computing services rise significantly, our results of operations may be adversely affected. Furthermore, if Internet access fees or other charges to Internet users increase, our user traffic may decline and our business may be harmed.

Risks Relating to our Corporate Structure

If the PRC government deems that the contractual arrangements in relation to its consolidated VIEs do not comply with PRC regulatory restrictions on foreign investment in the relevant industries, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change in the future, we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations.

The PRC government regulates telecommunications-related businesses through strict business licensing requirements and other government regulations. These laws and regulations also include limitations on foreign ownership of PRC companies that engage in telecommunications-related businesses. Specifically, foreign investors are not allowed to own more than 50% equity interest in any PRC company engaging in value-added telecommunications businesses, with certain exceptions relating to e-commerce which do not apply to us. The primary foreign investor must also have operating experience and a good track record in providing value-added telecommunications services, or VATS, overseas.

Because we are a company incorporated with limited liability in the British Virgin Islands, we are classified as a foreign enterprise under PRC laws and regulations, and our wholly-owned PRC subsidiaries, Beijing NCF Cloud Service Information Technology Co. Limited and Beijing NCF Financial Services Information Technology Co. Limited, or Beijing WFOEs, are foreign-invested enterprises, or FIEs. To comply with PRC laws and regulations, we conduct our business in China through our consolidated VIEs and affiliates. The Beijing WFOEs have entered into a series of contractual arrangements with the consolidated VIEs and their shareholders. For a description of these contractual arrangements, see “History and Development of the Company —Contractual Arrangements with Beijing Jing Xun Shi Dai Technology Limited Liability Company (“Jing Xun Shi Dai”) and Beijing Oriental Union Investment Management Limited Liability Company (“Beijing Oriental”).”

We believe that our corporate structure and contractual arrangements comply with the current applicable PRC laws and regulations. Our PRC legal counsel, Grandall Law Firm is of the opinion that our current ownership structure, the ownership structure of our PRC subsidiaries, our consolidated VIEs and subsidiaries, and the contractual arrangements among them are not in violation of existing PRC laws, rules and regulations; and these contractual arrangements are valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with their terms and applicable PRC laws and regulations currently in effect. However, as there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of PRC laws and regulations, including the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, and the Telecommunications Regulations and the relevant regulatory measures concerning the telecommunications industry, there can be no assurance that the PRC government authorities, such as the Ministry of Commerce, or the MOFCOM, the MIIT, or other authorities that regulate online consumer finance platforms and other participants in the telecommunications industry, would ultimately take a view that is consistent with the opinion of its PRC legal counsel or agree that our corporate structure or any of the above contractual arrangements comply with PRC licensing, registration or other regulatory requirements, with existing policies or with requirements or policies that may be adopted in the future. PRC laws and regulations governing the validity of these contractual arrangements are uncertain and the relevant government authorities have broad discretion in interpreting these laws and regulations.

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If our corporate structure and contractual arrangements are deemed by the MIIT or the MOFCOM or other regulators having competent authority to be illegal, either in whole or in part, we may lose control of our consolidated VIEs and may have to modify such structure to comply with regulatory requirements. However, there can be no assurance that we can achieve this without material disruption to our business. Further, if our corporate structure and contractual arrangements are found to be in violation of any existing or future PRC laws or regulations, the relevant regulatory authorities would have broad discretion in dealing with such violations, including:

revoking its business and operating licenses;

levying fines on us;

confiscating any of its income that they deem to be obtained through illegal operations;

shutting down its services;

discontinuing or restricting its operations in China;

imposing conditions or requirements with which we may not be able to comply;

requiring us to change its corporate structure and contractual arrangements;

restricting or prohibiting its use of the proceeds from overseas offerings to finance its PRC consolidated VIEs’ business and operations; and

taking other regulatory or enforcement actions that could be harmful to its business.

Furthermore, new PRC laws, rules and regulations may be introduced to impose additional requirements that may be applicable to its corporate structure and contractual arrangements. See “Risks Relating to our Corporate Structure”. The enactment of the PRC Foreign Investment Law may materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition. The occurrence of any of these events could materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition and results of operations. In addition, if the imposition of any of these penalties or requirements to restructure our corporate structure causes us to lose the right to direct the activities of our consolidated VIEs or our right to receive their economic benefits, we would no longer be able to consolidate the financial results of such VIEs in our consolidated financial statements. If our corporate structure and contractual arrangements are deemed to be illegal by relevant regulators, our business and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected. However, we do not believe that such actions would result in the liquidation or dissolution of its company, our wholly-owned subsidiaries in China or our consolidated VIEs or their subsidiaries. See “History and Development of the Company —Contractual Arrangements with Beijing Jing Xun Shi Dai Technology Limited Liability Company (“Jing Xun Shi Dai”) and Beijing Oriental Union Investment Management Limited Liability Company (“Beijing Oriental”)”.

Our contractual arrangements with our consolidated VIEs may result in adverse tax consequences.

We could face material and adverse tax consequences if the PRC tax authorities determine that our contractual arrangements with its consolidated VIEs were not made on an arm’s length basis and adjust our income and expenses for PRC tax purposes by requiring a transfer pricing adjustment. A transfer pricing adjustment could adversely affect us by (i) increasing the tax liabilities of our consolidated VIEs without reducing the tax liability of our subsidiaries, which could further result in late payment fees and other penalties to its consolidated VIEs for underpaid taxes; or (ii) limiting the ability of our consolidated VIEs to obtain or maintain preferential tax treatments and other financial incentives.

If NCF Cloud Services would not be granted Hi-Tech Enterprise status and the Certification of Software Company, our financial condition would be materially and adversely affected.

NCF Cloud Services holds the Certification of High-tech Enterprise (No. GR201711004462) issued by Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Beijing Local Taxation Bureau, Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau, Beijing Municipal State Taxation Bureau and Beijing Local Taxation Bureau on October 25, 2017, and the term of validity of the certificate is three years. According to the Corporate Income Tax Law of the People’s Republic of China, corporate income tax for key advanced and new technology enterprises supported by the State shall be at a reduced tax rate of 15%.

NCF Cloud Services holds the Certification of Software Company (Jing RQ-2018-1107) issued by Beijing Software and Information Service Industry Association on November 30, 2018, and the term of validity of the certificate is one year. According to Promulgation of Several Policies for Further Encouraging the Development of Software and Integrated Circuit Industries, any eligible software enterprise that has been determined is entitled to the preferential CIT policy of “exemption for two years and 50% reduction for three years” from the closingyear when it starts to make profits. In the case of co-existence of the preferential CIT policy for eligible software and IC enterprises and other preferential CIT policies, the enterprise concerned may choose the most preferential policy only and shall not enjoy all preferential CIT policies concurrently.

If the above-mentioned policies would change or NCF Cloud Services would not be granted High-tech Enterprise or Eligible Software Enterprise status as defined in Administration of Taxation on Revising and Issuing the Measures for the Administration of the Certification of High-tech Enterprises and Promulgation of Several Policies for Further Encouraging the Development of Software and Integrated Circuit Industries, NCF Cloud Services would not enjoy the benefits of enterprise income tax reduction and exemption, and our financial condition may be materially and adversely affected.

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We rely on contractual arrangements with our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders to operate our business, which may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control and may have potential conflicts of interests with us, which may have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

We rely on contractual arrangements with our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders to operate our business. For a description of these contractual arrangements, see “History and Development of the Company —Contractual Arrangements with Beijing Jing Xun Shi Dai Technology Limited Liability Company (“Jing Xun Shi Dai”) and Beijing Oriental Union Investment Management Limited Liability Company (“Beijing Oriental”).” All of our IPO). Ourrevenue is attributed to its consolidated VIEs. These contractual arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing us with control over our consolidated VIEs. If our consolidated VIEs or their shareholders fail to perform their respective obligations under these contractual arrangements, our recourse to the assets held by our consolidated VIEs is indirect and we may have to incur substantial costs and expend significant resources to enforce such arrangements in reliance on legal remedies under PRC law. These remedies may not always be effective, particularly in light of uncertainties in the PRC legal system. Furthermore, in connection with litigation, arbitration or other judicial or dispute resolution proceedings, assets under the name of any of the record holders of the equity interest in our consolidated VIEs, including such equity interest, may be put under court custody. As a consequence, we cannot be certain that the equity interest will be disposed of pursuant to the contractual arrangement or ownership by the record holder of the equity interest.

All of these contractual arrangements are governed by PRC law and provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitration in the PRC. Accordingly, these contracts would be interpreted in accordance with PRC laws and any disputes would be resolved in accordance with PRC legal procedures. The legal environment in the PRC is not as developed as in other jurisdictions, such as the United States. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit its ability to completeenforce these contractual arrangements. In the event that we are unable to enforce these contractual arrangements, or if we suffer significant time delays or other obstacles in the process of enforcing these contractual arrangements, it would be very difficult to exert effective control over our initialconsolidated VIEs, and our ability to conduct our business combinationand our financial condition and results of operations may be negatively impactedmaterially and adversely affected. See “Risks Relating to Doing Business in China —There are uncertainties regarding the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws, rules and regulations.”

In connection with its operations in China, we rely on Mr. Zhenxin Zhang and Ms. Huanxiang Li, the shareholders of our consolidated VIEs, to fulfill the obligations under such contractual arrangements. The interests of these shareholders in their individual capacities as shareholders of our consolidated VIEs may differ from the interests of the company as a whole. There can be no assurance that when conflicts of interest arise, any or all of these individuals or entities will act in our best interest or that those conflicts of interest will be resolved in our favor. In addition, these individuals and entities may breach or cause the consolidated VIEs and their subsidiaries to breach or refuse to renew their existing contractual arrangements with us.

Currently, we do not have arrangements that address potential conflicts of interest shareholders of our consolidated VIEs may encounter due to their dual roles as shareholders of consolidated VIEs and as beneficial owners of its company. However, we could, at all times, exercise our option under the exclusive call option agreement to cause them to transfer all of their equity ownership in our consolidated VIEs to a PRC entity or individual designated by general market conditions, volatilityit as permitted by the then applicable PRC laws. In addition, if such conflicts of interest arise, we could also, in the capitalcapacity of the attorney-in-fact of the then existing shareholders of our consolidated VIEs as provided under the powers of attorney, directly appoint new directors of our consolidated VIEs. We rely on the shareholders of our consolidated VIEs to comply with PRC laws and debt marketsregulations, which protect contracts, and to provide that directors and executive officers owe a duty of loyalty to its company and require them to avoid conflicts of interest and not to take advantage of their positions for personal gain, and with the laws of the British Virgin Islands, which provide that directors have a duty of care and a duty of loyalty to act honestly in good faith with a view to its best interests. However, the legal frameworks of China and the other risks described herein.British Virgin Islands do not provide guidance on resolving conflicts in the event of a conflict with another corporate governance regime. If there is a dispute between us and the shareholders of our consolidated VIEs, we might have to initiate a lawsuit to protect our rights, which could result in disruption of our business and subject us to substantial uncertainty as to the outcome of any such legal proceedings.

If the custodians or authorized users of its controlling nontangible assets, including chops and seals, fail to fulfill their responsibilities, misappropriate or misuse these assets, its business and operations may be materially and adversely affected.

Under PRC law, legal documents for corporate transactions, including agreements and contracts such as the leases and sales contracts that its business relies on, are executed using the chop or seal of the signing entity or with the signature of a legal representative whose designation is registered and filed with the relevant local branch of the State Administration of Taxation, or the SAIC. We generally execute legal documents by affixing chops or seals, rather than having the designated legal representatives sign the documents.

We have six major types of chops (similar to a corporate seal in the United States)—corporate chops, contract chops and finance chops, invoice chops, human resources chops and legal person chops. We us corporate chops generally for documents to be submitted to government agencies, such as applications for changing business scope, directors or company name, and for legal letters. We use contract chops for executing leases and commercial contracts. We use finance chops generally for making and collecting payments, including issuing invoices. Use of corporate chops and contract chops must be approved by our legal department and administrative department, and use of finance chops must be approved by our finance department. The chops of our subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs are generally held by the relevant entities so that documents can be executed locally. Although we usually utilize chops to execute contracts, the registered legal representatives of our subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs have the apparent authority to enter into contracts on behalf of such entities without chops, unless such contracts set forth otherwise.

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In order to maintain the physical security of our chops, we generally have them stored in secured locations accessible only to the designated key employees of our legal, administrative or finance departments. Our designated legal representatives generally do not have access to the chops. Although we have approval procedures in place and mechanisms to monitor our key employees, including the designated legal representatives of our subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs, the procedures may not completedbe sufficient to prevent all instances of abuse or negligence. There is a risk that our initialkey employees or designated legal representatives could abuse their authority, for example, by binding our subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs with contracts against our interests, as we would be obligated to honor these contracts if the other contracting party acts in good faith in reliance on the apparent authority of our chops or signatures of our legal representatives. If any designated legal representative obtains misappropriates the chop in an effort to obtain control over the relevant entity, we would need to have a shareholder or board resolution to designate a new legal representative and to take legal actions to seek the return of the chop, apply for a new chop with the relevant authorities, or otherwise seek legal remedies for the legal representative’s misconduct. If any of the designated legal representatives obtain, misuses or misappropriates its chops and seals or other controlling intangible assets for whatever reason, we could experience disruption to our normal business combination withinoperations. We may have to take corporate or legal action, which could involve significant time and resources expenses while distracting management from our operations, and our business and operations may be materially and adversely affected.

The enactment of the Foreign Investment Law may materially and adversely affect its business and financial condition.

The Ministry of Commerce (“MOFCOM”) published a discussion draft of the proposed Foreign Investment Law (the “2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law”) in January 2015 aiming to, upon its enactment, replace the major existing laws and regulations governing foreign investment in China.

Among other things, the 2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law purports to introduce the principle of “actual control” in determining whether a company is considered a foreign invested enterprise, or an FIE. The 2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law specifically provides that entities established in China but “controlled” by foreign investors will be treated as FIEs, whereas an entity organized in a foreign jurisdiction, but cleared by MOFCOM as “controlled” by PRC entities and/or citizens, would nonetheless be treated as a PRC domestic entity for investment in the “restriction category” that could appear on “negative list.” In this connection, “control” is broadly defined in the draft law to cover any of the following summarized categories:

holding 50% or more of the voting rights or similar rights and interests of the subject entity;

holding less than 50% of the voting rights or similar rights and interests of the subject entity but having the power to directly or indirectly appoint or otherwise secure at least 50% of the seats on the board or other equivalent decision making bodies, or having the voting power to materially influence the board, the shareholders’ meeting or other equivalent decision making bodies; or

having the power to exert decisive influence, via contractual or trust arrangements, over the subject entity’s operational, financial, staffing and technological matters.

Under the 2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law, VIEs that are controlled via contractual arrangements would also be deemed as FIEs, if they are ultimately “controlled” by foreign investors. For any companies with a VIE structure in an industry category that is in the “restriction category” that could appear on any such “negative list,” the existing VIE structure may be deemed legitimate only if the ultimate controlling person(s) is/are of PRC nationality (either PRC state-owned enterprises or agencies, or PRC citizens). Conversely, if the actual controlling person(s) is/are of foreign nationalities, then the VIEs will be treated as FIEs, in which case, the existing VIE structures will likely be scrutinized and subject to foreign investment restrictions and approval from MOFCOM and other supervising authorities such as MIIT. Any operation in the industry category on the “negative list” without market entry clearance may be considered as illegal.

On December 26, 2018, the National People’s Congress published the Foreign Investment Law of the People’s Republic of China (the “2018 Draft Foreign Investment Law”) on its official website aiming to solicit public opinions. The 2018 Draft Foreign Investment Law is a widely regarded to be a revision of the 2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law.

On March 15, 2019, the Foreign Investment Law was adopted by the NPC and will come into effect on January 1, 2020. The Foreign Investment Law will replace the Law on Sino-Foreign Equity Joint Ventures, the Law on Sino-Foreign Contractual Joint Ventures and the Law on Foreign-Capital Enterprises to become the legal foundation for foreign investment in the PRC. Moreover, as the interpretation and implementation of the Foreign Investment Law has not been officially promulgated, there are uncertainties as to whether it will impact the viability of our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations.

Conducting operations through contractual arrangements (VIE agreements) has been adopted by many PRC-based companies, including us, to obtain and maintain necessary licenses and permits in the industries that are currently subject to foreign investment restrictions or prohibitions in China. The 2018 Draft Foreign Investment Law and the Foreign Investment Law deletes not only the concept of “actual controller” introduced by the 2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law, but also all terms of “protocol control”. There is no clear stipulation on whether the control of domestic enterprises or the holding of rights and interests of domestic enterprises through contractual arrangements or other means belongs to the category of foreign investment. Under the new Foreign Investment Law that is adopted on March 15, 2019 and will become effective on January 1, 2020, the operation mode for us to control our subsidiaries in China through VIE structure will not be affected.

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Although the Foreign Investment Law did not mention the principle of “actual control” (including VIE structures) as stipulated in the Draft Foreign Investment Law 2015, according to the fourth category of foreign investment activities mentioned in the Foreign Investment Law, namely, “investing in any other ways as stipulated under laws, administrative regulations or provisions of the State Council”, the “actual control” principle (including VIE structures) may be proposed in form of other laws, administrative regulations or means as stipulated by the State Council. Under these circumstances, if the actual controller has foreign nationality, the VIE will be regarded as a foreign invested enterprise. Once an entity is designated as a foreign-invested company, its investment in the PRC will be limited to the scope stated in the Negative List. As advised by our PRC Legal Advisers, if there are no other newly issued or revised laws and regulations about regulating the “control of domestic enterprises through contractual arrangements”, the Foreign Investment Law will not have a significant impact on the effectiveness of our existing Contractual Arrangements.

At the same time, period,the Foreign Investment Law stipulates that the Negative List for the access of foreign investment is divided into “prohibited investment areas” and “restricted investment areas”. However, the Foreign Investment Law does not specify the scope of business which are included in the fields of restricted investment and prohibited investment. It is unclear whether any business areas of companies that currently controlled by us through the VIEs agreements will be listed on the negative list in the future.

Thus, if the PRC entities currently controlled by us through VIE agreements are identified as a foreign-invested enterprise in the future under the enacted and enforced foreign investment law, and their business areas are listed as restricted or prohibited area according to the negative list for foreign investment access, the competent authority may require those PRC entities to go through further approval procedures. And if those PRC entities do not obtain the necessary approval procedures in time, our business and financial condition and operating results may be materially and adversely affected.

Risks Relating to Doing Business in China

Changes in the political and economic policies of the PRC government may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and may result in our inability to sustain its growth and expansion strategies.

After the merger, all of the combined company’s operations will be entirely conducted in the PRC and all of its revenue will be sourced from the PRC. Accordingly, the combined company’s financial condition and results of operations are affected to a significant extent by economic, political and legal developments in the PRC.

The PRC economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the extent of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, and control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. Although the PRC government has implemented measures emphasizing the utilization of market forces for economic reform, the reduction of state ownership of productive assets, and the establishment of improved corporate governance in business enterprises, a substantial portion of productive assets in China is still owned by the government. In addition, the PRC government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies. The PRC government also exercises significant control over China’s economic growth by allocating resources, controlling payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy, regulating financial services and institutions and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies.

While the PRC economy has experienced significant growth in the past three decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy. The PRC government has implemented various measures to encourage economic growth and to guide the allocation of resources. Some of these measures may benefit the overall PRC economy, but may also have a negative effect on the combined company. Its financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected by government control over capital investments or changes in tax regulations that are applicable to the combined company. In addition, the PRC government has implemented in the past certain measures to control the pace of economic growth. These measures may cause decreased economic activity, which in turn could lead to a reduction in demand for its services and consequently have a material adverse effect on its businesses, financial condition and results of operations.

There are uncertainties regarding the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws, rules and regulations.

Substantially all of our operations are conducted in the PRC, and are governed by PRC laws, rules and regulations. Our PRC subsidiary and consolidated VIEs are subject to laws, rules and regulations applicable to foreign investment in China. The PRC legal system is a civil law system based on written statutes. Unlike the common law system, prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value.

In 1979, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws, rules and regulations governing economic matters in general. The overall effect of legislation over the past three decades has significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investment in China. However, China has not developed a fully integrated legal system, and recently enacted laws, rules and regulations may not sufficiently cover all aspects of economic activities in China or may be subject to significant degrees of interpretation by PRC regulatory agencies. In particular, because these laws, rules and regulations, especially those relating to the Internet consumer finance industry, are relatively new, and because of the limited number of published decisions and the nonbinding nature of such decisions, and because the laws, rules and regulations often give the relevant regulator significant discretion in how to enforce them, the interpretation and enforcement of these laws, rules and regulations involve uncertainties and can be inconsistent and unpredictable. In addition, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules, some of which are not published on a timely basis or at all, and may have a retroactive effect. As a result, we will: (i) cease all operations exceptmay not be aware of our violation of these policies and rules until after the occurrence of the violation.

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Any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted, resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention. Since PRC administrative authorities and courts have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy than in more developed legal systems. These uncertainties may impede its ability to enforce the contracts we have entered into and could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The approval of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, may be required in connection with the Merger under a PRC regulation. The regulation also establishes more complex procedures for acquisitions conducted by foreign investors that could make it more difficult for us to grow through acquisitions.

On August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies, including the MOFCOM, the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, or the SASAC, the SAIC, the CSRC, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or the SAFE, jointly adopted the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, which came into effect on September 8, 2006 and were amended on June 22, 2009. The M&A Rules include, among other things, provisions that purport to require that an offshore special purpose vehicle formed for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeeman overseas listing of securities of a PRC company obtain the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equalapproval of the CSRC prior to the aggregate amount thenlisting and trading of such special purpose vehicle’s securities on depositan overseas stock exchange. On September 21, 2006, the CSRC published on its official website procedures regarding its approval of overseas listings through special purpose vehicles. However, substantial uncertainty remains regarding the scope and applicability of the M&A Rules to offshore special purpose vehicles.

While the application of the M&A Rules remains unclear, we believe, based on the advice of our PRC counsel, Grandall Law Firm, that CSRC approval is not required in the trust account, includingcontext of the Business Combination given that (i) the Beijing WFOE was established by means of direct investment earnings (less up to $100,000rather than by a merger with or an acquisition of investment earnings to pay dissolution expensesany PRC domestic companies as defined under the M&A Rules, (ii) no explicit provision in the M&A Rules classifies the respective contractual arrangements among Beijing WFOE, the VIEs and nettheir shareholders as a type of taxes payable and any amounts released to us to fund working capital requirements), divided byacquisition transaction falling under the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders' rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any),M&A Rules and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption,the CSRC currently has not issued any definitive rule or interpretation concerning whether the Business Combination is subject to the M&A Rules. There can be no assurance that the relevant PRC government agencies, including the CSRC, would reach the same conclusion as our PRC counsel. If the CSRC or other PRC regulatory body subsequently determines that we need to obtain the CSRC’s approval for the Business Combination or if the CSRC or any other PRC government authorities publish any interpretation or implements rules before its listing that would require us to obtain CSRC or other governmental approvals for the Business Combination, we may face adverse actions or sanctions by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies. In any such event, these regulatory agencies may impose fines and penalties on our operations in China, limit our operating privileges in China, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from the Business Combination into the PRC or take other actions that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation and prospects.

The new regulations also established additional procedures and requirements that are expected to make merger and acquisition activities in China by foreign investors more time consuming and complex, including requirements in some instances that the MOFCOM be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise, or that the approval from the MOFCOM be obtained in circumstances where overseas companies established or controlled by PRC enterprises or residents acquire affiliated domestic companies. We may grow our business in part by acquiring other companies operating in our industry. Compliance with the requirements of the new regulations to complete such transactions could be time-consuming, and any required approval processes, including approval from the MOFCOM, may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions, which could affect our ability to expand our business or maintain our market share. See “Regulations—Regulations on Overseas Listing.”

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PRC regulations relating to investments in offshore companies by PRC residents may subject its PRC-resident beneficial owners or its PRC subsidiary to liability or penalties, limit its ability to inject capital into its PRC subsidiary or limit its PRC subsidiary’s ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits.

The SAFE promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Control on Domestic Residents’ Offshore Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, on July 4, 2014, which replaced the former circular commonly known as “SAFE Circular 75” promulgated by the SAFE on October 21, 2005. SAFE Circular 37 requires PRC residents to register with local branches of the SAFE in connection with their direct establishment or indirect control of an offshore entity, for the purpose of overseas investment and financing, with such PRC residents’ legally owned assets or equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets or interests, referred to in SAFE Circular 37 as a “special purpose vehicle.” SAFE Circular 37 further requires the amendment to the registration in the event of any significant changes with respect to the special purpose vehicle, such as an increase or decrease of capital contributed by PRC individuals, share transfer or exchange, merger, division or other material events. In the event that a PRC shareholder holding interests in a special purpose vehicle fails to fulfill the required SAFE registration, the PRC subsidiaries of that special purpose vehicle may be prohibited from making profit distributions to the offshore parent and from carrying out subsequent cross-border foreign exchange activities, and the special purpose vehicle may be restricted in its ability to contribute additional capital into its PRC subsidiary. Moreover, failure to comply with the various SAFE registration requirements described above could result in liability under PRC law for evasion of foreign exchange controls. According to the Notice on Further Simplifying and Improving Policies for the Foreign Exchange Administration of Direct Investment released on February 13, 2015 by the SAFE, local banks will examine and handle foreign exchange registration for overseas direct investment, including the initial foreign exchange registration and amendment registration, under SAFE Circular 37 from June 1, 2015.

Mr. Zhang Zhenxin completed the SAFE Circular 37 registration in relation to his investment in Great Reap Ventures Limited, First P2P Limited (currently known as NCF Wealth Holdings Limited) and UCF Huarong Investment (HK) Co., Limited on September 25, 2014. The registration also recorded the roundtrip investment into Beijing Hua Rong Ju Hui Investment Consultation Co., Limited (currently known as Beijing NCF Financial Service Information Technology Co., Ltd) made indirectly through the aforesaid offshore special vehicle companies. Mr. Zhang Zhenxin completed the SAFE Circular 37 registration in relation to his investment in Nimble Ring Limited, a company established in the British Virgin Islands in September 2014, on July 22, 2015. Neither the two registrations in the abovementioned reflect the domestic interest held by Zhenxin Zhang in Jing Xun Shi Dai and the roundtrip investment of Beijing NCF Cloud Service Information Technology Co., Ltd.

According to the SAFE Circular 37 and the Guidance on Direct Investment Foreign Exchange Affairs, PRC residents are only required to register the first level of the offshore special vehicle directly owned by them and update their SAFE Circular 37 registration in the event of certain material changes at such first-level offshore special vehicle. PRC law does not explicitly require a change of registration to be made in relation to any new roundtrip investment or any changes of the domestic interest held by the PRC resident. Therefore Mr. Zhang Zhenxin is not required to file for new registration or change of registration to reflect the domestic interest in Jing Xun Shi Dai and the roundtrip investment of Beijing NCF Cloud Service Information Technology Co., Ltd., and that the existing two SAFE Circular 37 registrations made by Mr. Zhang Zhenxin are sufficient and in compliance with the PRC law.

We have notified substantial beneficial owners of Class A common shares who we know are PRC residents of their filing obligations. Nevertheless, we may not be aware of the identities of all of our remaining shareholdersbeneficial owners who are PRC residents. We do not have control over our beneficial owners and there can be no assurance that all of our PRC-resident beneficial owners will comply with SAFE Circular 37 and subsequent implementation rules, and there is no assurance that the registration under SAFE Circular 37 and any amendment will be completed in a timely manner, or will be completed at all. The failure of its beneficial owners who are PRC residents to register or amend their foreign exchange registrations in a timely manner pursuant to SAFE Circular 37 and subsequent implementation rules, or the failure of future beneficial owners of its company who are PRC residents to comply with the registration procedures set forth in SAFE Circular 37 and subsequent implementation rules, may subject such beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiary to fines and legal sanctions. Such failure to register or comply with relevant requirements may also limit our ability to contribute additional capital to our PRC subsidiary and limit our PRC subsidiary’s ability to distribute dividends to its company. These risks may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

PRC regulation of loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may restrict or prevent us from using the proceeds of future offerings to make loans to our PRC subsidiary and consolidated VIE, or to make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiary.

After the Merger, as an offshore holding company with PRC subsidiaries, Hunter Maritime may transfer funds to its PRC subsidiaries by means of loans or capital contributions, which are treated as foreign-invested enterprises under PRC laws. However, loans by Hunter Maritime to its PRC subsidiaries to finance their activities cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with the local counterpart of SAFE and capital contributions to its PRC subsidiary are subject to the requirement of making necessary filings in the Foreign Investment Comprehensive Management Information System, and registration with other governmental authorities in China.

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SAFE promulgated the Notice of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Reforming the Administration of Foreign Exchange Settlement of Capital of Foreign-invested Enterprises, or Circular 19, effective on June 1, 2015, in replacement of the Circular on the Relevant Operating Issues Concerning the Improvement of the Administration of the Payment and Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign- Invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 142, the Notice from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Relevant Issues Concerning Strengthening the Administration of Foreign Exchange Businesses, or Circular 59, and the Circular on Further Clarification and Regulation of the Issues Concerning the Administration of Certain Capital Account Foreign Exchange Businesses, or Circular 45. According to Circular 19, the flow and use of the RMB capital converted from the foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company is regulated such that RMB capital may not be used for the issuance of RMB entrusted loans, the repayment of inter-enterprise loans or the repayment of bank loans that have been transferred to a third party. Although Circular 19 allows RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign invested enterprise to be used for equity investments within the PRC, it also reiterates the principle that RMB converted from the foreign currency-denominated capital of a foreign-invested company may not be directly or indirectly used for purposes beyond its business scope. Thus, it is unclear whether SAFE will permit such capital to be used for equity investments in the PRC in actual practice. SAFE promulgated the Notice of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Reforming and Standardizing the Foreign Exchange Settlement Management Policy of Capital Account, or Circular 16, effective on June 9, 2016, which reiterates some of the rules set forth in Circular 19, but changes the prohibition against using RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company to issue RMB entrusted loans to a prohibition against using such capital to grant loans to non-associated enterprises. Violations of SAFE Circular 19 and Circular 16 could result in administrative penalties. Circular 19 and Circular 16 may significantly limit its ability to transfer any foreign currency we hold, including the net proceeds from future offerings, to our PRC subsidiary, which may adversely affect our liquidity and our boardability to fund and expand our business in the PRC.

Due to the restrictions imposed on loans in foreign currencies extended to any PRC domestic companies, we are not likely to make such loans to any of our consolidated VIEs and their subsidiaries, each a PRC domestic company. Meanwhile, we are not likely to finance the activities of our consolidated VIEs and their subsidiaries by means of capital contributions given the restrictions on foreign investment in the businesses that are currently conducted by its consolidated VIEs and their subsidiaries.

In light of the various requirements imposed by PRC regulations on loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary government registrations or obtain the necessary government approvals on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to future loans to our PRC subsidiary or any consolidated variable interest entity or future capital contributions by us to its PRC subsidiary. As a result, uncertainties exist as to our ability to provide prompt financial support to its PRC subsidiary or consolidated VIEs and their subsidiaries when needed. If we fail to complete such registrations or obtain such approvals, our ability to use foreign currency, and to capitalize or otherwise fund its PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.

Any failure to comply with PRC regulations regarding employee share incentive plans may subject the PRC plan participants or us to fines and other legal or administrative sanctions.

Pursuant to SAFE Circular 37, PRC residents who participate in share incentive plans in overseas non-publicly-listed companies due to their positions as director, senior management or employees of the PRC subsidiaries of the overseas companies may submit applications to SAFE or its local branches for the foreign exchange registration with respect to offshore special purpose companies. Its directors, dissolveexecutive officers and liquidate,other employees who are PRC residents and who have been granted options may follow SAFE Circular 37 to apply for the foreign exchange registration before its company becomes an overseas listed company. After our company becomes an overseas listed company, us and our directors, executive officers and other employees who are PRC residents and who have been granted options will be subject to the Notice on Issues Concerning the Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Stock Incentive Plan of Overseas Publicly Listed Company, issued by SAFE in February 2012, according to which, employees, directors, supervisors and other management members who are PRC residents participating in any stock incentive plan of an overseas publicly listed company are required to register with SAFE through a domestic qualified agent, which could be a PRC subsidiary of such overseas listed company, and complete certain other procedures. Subsequent to the completion of the Business Combination, we are making efforts to comply with these requirements. However, there can be no assurance that we can successfully register with SAFE in full compliance with the rules. Failure to complete the SAFE registrations may subject us to fines and legal sanctions and may also limit the ability to make payment under our share incentive plans or receive dividends or sales proceeds related thereto, or our ability to contribute additional capital into its wholly-foreign owned enterprises in China and limit our wholly-foreign owned enterprises’ ability to distribute dividends. We also face regulatory uncertainties that could restrict our ability to adopt additional share incentive plans for our directors and employees under PRC law.

NCF relies to a significant extent on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by its principal operating subsidiaries to fund offshore cash and financing requirements.

NCF is a holding company and relies to a significant extent on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by its principal operating subsidiaries, including its wholly-owned PRC subsidiaries and the subsidiaries of each VIE and on remittances from the consolidated VIEs, for its offshore cash and financing requirements, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to its shareholders, fund intercompany loans, service any debt NCF may incur outside of China and pay its expenses. When its principal operating subsidiaries or the consolidated VIEs incur additional debt, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other distributions or remittances to us. Furthermore, the laws, rules and regulations applicable to its PRC subsidiary and certain other subsidiaries permit payments of dividends only from part of their retained earnings, if any, determined in accordance with applicable PRC accounting standards and regulations.

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Under PRC laws, rules and regulations, each of its subsidiaries incorporated in China is required to set aside at least 10% of its net income each year to fund certain statutory reserves until the cumulative amount of such reserves reaches 50% of its registered capital. These reserves, together with the registered capital, are not included in the retained earnings distributable as cash dividends. Furthermore, under PRC law, its wholly-owned PRC subsidiary, which is a wholly foreign-owned enterprise under PRC law, cannot distribute any profits until all of its losses from prior fiscal years have been offset. In accordance with the articles of association of its wholly-owned PRC subsidiary, profit distributions also need to be approved by its executive directors and shareholders before any distribution plan becomes effective. As a result, its subsidiaries incorporated in China are restricted in their ability to transfer a portion of their respective net assets to their shareholders as dividends, loans or advances. In addition, registered share capital and statutory reserve accounts are also restricted from withdrawal in the PRC, up to the amount of net assets held in each operating subsidiary.

Limitations on the ability of its consolidated VIEs to make remittance to the wholly-foreign owned enterprise and on the ability of its subsidiaries to pay dividends to us could limit its ability to access cash generated by the operations of those entities, including to make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to its businesses, pay dividends to its shareholders or otherwise fund and conduct its business.

We may be treated as a resident enterprise for PRC tax purposes under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, and we may, therefore, be subject to PRC income tax on our global income.

Under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementing rules, enterprises established under the laws of jurisdictions outside of China with “de facto management bodies” located in China may be considered PRC tax resident enterprises for tax purposes and may be subject to the PRC enterprise income tax at the rate of 25% on their global income. “De facto management body” refers to a managing body that exercises substantive and overall management and control over the production, personnel, accounting books and assets of an enterprise. The State Administration of Taxation issued the Notice Regarding the Determination of Chinese- Controlled Offshore-Incorporated Enterprises as PRC Tax Resident Enterprises on the Basis of De Facto Management Bodies, or Circular 82, on April 22, 2009. Circular 82 provides certain specific criteria for determining whether the “de facto management body” of a Chinese-controlled offshore-incorporated enterprise is located in China. Although Circular 82 only applies to offshore enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises, not those controlled by foreign enterprises or individuals, the determining criteria set forth in Circular 82 may reflect the State Administration of Taxation’s general position on how the “de facto management body” test should be applied in determining the tax resident status of offshore enterprises, regardless of whether they are controlled by PRC enterprises. If we were to be considered a PRC resident enterprise, we would be subject to PRC enterprise income tax at the rate of 25% on its global income. In such a case, our profitability and cash flow may be materially reduced as a result of its global income being taxed under the Enterprise Income Tax Law. We believe that none of our entities outside of China is a PRC resident enterprise for PRC tax purposes. However, the tax resident status of an enterprise is subject to determination by the PRC tax authorities and uncertainties remain with respect to the interpretation of the term “de facto management body.”

Dividends paid to our foreign investors and gains on the sale of its common shares by its foreign investors may be subject to PRC tax.

Under the Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation regulations issued by the State Council, a 10% PRC withholding tax is applicable to dividends paid to investors that are non-resident enterprises, which do not have an establishment or place of business in the PRC or which have such establishment or place of business but the dividends are not effectively connected with such establishment or place of business, to the extent such dividends are derived from sources within the PRC. In addition, any gain realized on the transfer of shares by such investors is also subject to PRC tax at a rate of 10%, if such gain is regarded as income derived from sources within the PRC. If the combined company is deemed a PRC resident enterprise, dividends paid on its common shares, and any gain realized from the transfer of its common shares, may be treated as income derived from sources within the PRC and may as a result be subject to PRC taxation. Furthermore, if the combined company is deemed a PRC resident enterprise, dividends paid to individual investors who are non-PRC residents and any gain realized on the transfer of common shares by such investors may be subject to PRC tax at a current rate of 20% (which in the case of clauses (ii)dividends may be withheld at source). Any PRC tax liability may be reduced under applicable tax treaties or tax arrangements between China and (iii),other jurisdictions. If the combined company or any of its subsidiaries established outside China are considered a PRC resident enterprise, it is unclear whether holders of its common shares would be able to claim the benefit of income tax treaties or agreements entered into between China and other countries or areas. If dividends paid to its non-PRC investors, or gains from the transfer of its common shares by such investors, are deemed as income derived from sources within the PRC and thus are subject to PRC tax, the value of your investment in its common shares may decline significantly.

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We and our existing shareholders face uncertainties with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises or other assets attributed to a Chinese establishment of a non-Chinese company, or immovable properties located in China owned by non-Chinese companies.

In October 2017, the State Administration of Taxation issued the Bulletin on Issues Concerning the Withholding of Non-PRC Resident Enterprise Income Tax at Source, or Bulletin 37, which replaced the Notice on Strengthening Administration of Enterprise Income Tax for Share Transfers by Non-PRC Resident Enterprises, or Circular 698, issued by the State Administration of Taxation, on December 10, 2009, and partially replaced and supplemented rules under the Bulletin on Issues of Enterprise Income Tax on Indirect Transfers of Assets by Non-PRC Resident Enterprises or Bulletin 7, issued by the State Administration of Taxation, on February 3, 2015. Pursuant to Bulletin 7, an “indirect transfer” of PRC assets, including a transfer of equity interests in an unlisted non-PRC holding company of a PRC resident enterprise, by non-PRC resident enterprises may be re-characterized and treated as a direct transfer of the underlying PRC assets, if such arrangement does not have a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of avoiding payment of PRC enterprise income tax. As a result, gains derived from such indirect transfer may be subject to PRC enterprise income tax. According to Bulletin 7, “PRC taxable assets” include assets attributed to an establishment in China, immovable properties located in China, and equity investments in PRC resident enterprises and any gains from the transfer of such asset by a direct holder, who is a non-PRC resident enterprise, would be subject to PRC enterprise income taxes. When determining whether there is a “reasonable commercial purpose” of the transaction arrangement, features to be taken into consideration include: whether the main value of the equity interest of the relevant offshore enterprise derives from PRC taxable assets; whether the assets of the relevant offshore enterprise mainly consists of direct or indirect investment in China or if its income mainly derives from China; whether the offshore enterprise and its subsidiaries directly or indirectly holding PRC taxable assets have real commercial nature which is evidenced by their actual function and risk exposure; the duration of existence of the business model and organizational structure; the replicability of the transaction by direct transfer of PRC taxable assets; and the tax situation of such indirect transfer and applicable tax treaties or similar arrangements. In the case of an indirect offshore transfer of assets of a PRC establishment, the resulting gain is to be included with the enterprise income tax filing of the PRC establishment or place of business being transferred, and may consequently be subject to PRC enterprise income tax at a rate of 25%. Where the underlying transfer relates to immovable properties located in China or to equity investments in a PRC resident enterprise, which is not related to a PRC establishment or place of business of a non-resident enterprise, a PRC enterprise income tax of 10% would apply, subject to available preferential tax treatment under applicable tax treaties or similar arrangements, and the party who is obligated to make the transfer payments has the withholding obligation. Pursuant to Bulletin 37, the withholding agent shall declare and pay the withheld tax to the competent tax authority in the place where such withholding agent is located within 7 days from the date of occurrence of the withholding obligation, while the transferor is required to declare and pay such tax to the competent tax authority within the statutory time limit according to Bulletin 7. Late payment of applicable tax will subject the transferor to default interest. Both Bulletin 37 and Bulletin 7 do not apply to transactions of sale of shares by investors through a public stock exchange where such shares were acquired from a transaction through a public stock exchange.

There is uncertainty as to the application of Bulletin 37 or previous rules under Bulletin 7. We face uncertainties as to the reporting and other implications of certain past and future transactions where PRC taxable assets are involved, such as offshore restructuring, sale of the shares in its offshore subsidiaries or investments. We may be subject to filing obligations or taxes if our company is transferor in such transactions, and may be subject to withholding obligations if our company is transferee in such transactions, under Bulletin 37 and Bulletin 7. For transfer of shares in our company by investors that are non-PRC resident enterprises, its PRC subsidiary may be requested to assist in the filing under Bulletin 37 and Bulletin 7. As a result, we may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with Bulletin 37 and Bulletin 7 or to request the relevant transferors from whom we purchase taxable assets to comply with these circulars, or to establish that our company should not be taxed under these circulars, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to restrictions on currency exchange.

All of our net income is denominated in Renminbi. The Renminbi is currently convertible under the “current account,” which includes dividends, trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, but not under the “capital account,” which includes foreign direct investment and loans, including loans we may secure from our onshore subsidiaries or consolidated VIE. Currently, certain of its PRC subsidiaries, may purchase foreign currency for settlement of “current account transactions,” including payment of dividends to us, without the approval of the SAFE by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, the relevant PRC governmental authorities may limit or eliminate its ability to purchase foreign currencies in the future for current account transactions. Foreign exchange transactions under the capital account remain subject to limitations and require approvals from, or registration with, the SAFE and other relevant PRC governmental authorities. Since a significant amount of our future net income and cash flow will be denominated in Renminbi, any existing and future restrictions on currency exchange may limit its ability to utilize cash generated in Renminbi to fund our business activities outside of the PRC or pay dividends in foreign currencies to our obligations under Marshall Islands lawshareholders, including holders of our common shares, and may limit its ability to provideobtain foreign currency through debt or equity financing for claimsour subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs.

Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in foreign currency exchange losses and could materially reduce the value of creditorsyour investment.

The value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions and the requirementsforeign exchange policy adopted by the PRC government. On July 21, 2005, the PRC government changed its policy of pegging the value of the Renminbi to the U.S. dollar. Following the removal of the U.S. dollar peg, the Renminbi appreciated more than 20% against the U.S. dollar over the following three years. Between July 2008 and June 2010, this appreciation halted and the exchange rate between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar remained within a narrow band. Since June 2010, the Renminbi has started to appreciate slowly against the U.S. dollar, though there have been periods when the U.S. dollar has appreciated against the RMB. On August 11, 2015, the PBOC allowed the Renminbi to depreciate by approximately 2% against the U.S. dollar. Since then and until the end of 2016, the Renminbi has depreciated against the U.S. dollar by approximately 10%. It is difficult to predict how long such depreciation of RMB against the U.S. dollar may last and when and how the relationship between the RMB and the U.S. dollar may change again.

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All of our revenue and substantially all of our costs are denominated in Renminbi. We are a holding company and rely on dividends paid by our operating subsidiaries in China for our cash needs. Any significant revaluation of Renminbi may materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial position reported in Renminbi when translated into U.S. dollars, and the value of, and any dividends payable on, the common shares in U.S. dollars. To the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars into Renminbi for our operations, appreciation of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar would have an adverse effect on the Renminbi amount we would receive. Conversely, if we decide to convert our Renminbi into U.S. dollars for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our common shares or for other applicable law.

business purposes, appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Renminbi would have a negative effect on the U.S. dollar amount.

Risks relating to our Securities

We may redeem the Warrants at a time that is not beneficial to Warrant holders.

We may call the Warrants for redemption at any time after the redemption criteria described elsewhere in this annual report have been satisfied. If we are required to wind-up, liquidatecall the trust account and distribute such amount therein, pro rata, to our public shareholders, as part of any liquidation process, such winding up, liquidation and distribution must comply with the applicable provisions of the BCA. In that case, investorsWarrants for redemption, Warrant holders may be forced to wait beyond 24 months beforeaccept a nominal redemption price or sell or exercise the redemption proceeds of our trust account become availableWarrants when they may not wish to them,do so.

There is no guarantee that the Public Warrants will ever be in the money at a time that they are exercisable and they receivemay expire worthless.

The exercise price for our Public Warrants is $11.50 per share. There is no guarantee that the returnPublic Warrants will ever be in the money when they are exercisable, and as such, the Public Warrants may expire worthless.

Certain security holders have registration rights, the future exercise of their pro rata portionwhich may adversely affect the market price of the proceeds from our trust account. Class A common shares.

We have no obligationgranted the former stockholders of NCF and our pre-IPO security holders the right to return funds to investors prior todemand that we register their unregistered Class A common shares and Warrants. We will bear the datecost of our redemption or liquidation unless we consummate our initial business combination prior theretoregistering these securities. The registration and only thenavailability of such a significant number of securities for trading in cases where investors have sought to redeem their common shares. Only upon our redemption or any liquidation will public shareholders be entitled to distributions if we are unable to complete our initial business combination.

If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates may elect to purchase shares or public warrants from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public "float" of our common shares.
If we are no longer deemed a foreign private issuer, ormarket may have an FPI (and no longer required to comply withadverse effect on the FPI rules), and we are required by law or NASDAQ rules to seek shareholder approval, or if we decide to seek shareholder approval for other business or legal reasons, we may conduct the redemptions in a manner similar to many non-FPI blank check companies in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to U.S. tender offer rules. Our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. However, other than as expressly stated herein, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. Noneprice of the funds in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions.
In the event that our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem theirClass A common shares. The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to vote such shares in favor of the business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders

A market for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result innot fully develop, which would adversely affect the completionliquidity and price of our initial business combination thatsecurities.

An active trading market for our securities may never fully develop or, if developed, it may not otherwise have been possible.

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be sustained. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public "float"price of the securities after the offering can vary due to general economic conditions and forecasts, our general business condition and the release of our common sharesfinancial reports. Additionally, if our securities are not listed on, or public warrantsbecome delisted from, Nasdaq for any reason, and are quoted on the number of beneficial holdersOver the Counter Bulletin Board, a FINRA-sponsored and operated inter-dealer automated quotation system for equity securities not included in a securities exchange, the liquidity and price of our securities may be reduced, possibly making it difficult to maintainmore limited than if we were quoted or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securitieslisted on NASDAQNasdaq or another national exchange. You may be unable to sell your securities exchange.
Ifunless a shareholder failsmarket can be established or sustained.

Our ability to receive noticerequest indemnification from the former NCF Stockholders for damages arising out of the merger is limited to those claims where damages exceed $10,000,000 and is also limited to our offerClass A common shares placed in escrow.

To provide a fund to redeem our public sharessecure the indemnification obligations of the former NCF Stockholders to us against losses that we may sustain as a result of or in connection with any breach, inaccuracy or nonfulfillment or the alleged breach, inaccuracy or nonfulfillment of any of the representations, warranties and covenants of NCF contained in the Merger Agreement or any certificate or other writing delivered to us pursuant to the Merger Agreement, a portion of the Closing Payment Shares, in the aggregate of 15,000,000 Class A common shares, were placed in escrow, valued at $10.00 per share, which will be returned for cancellation to the extent that we have damages for which we are entitled to indemnification.

The vast majority of our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for tendering itspublicly trading Class A common shares such shares may not be redeemed.

We will comply with U.S. tender offer rules or proxy rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptionswere redeemed in connection with the Business Combination and our initial business combination. DespiteClass A common shares have limited liquidity.

The vast majority of our compliancepublicly trading Class A common shares were redeemed in connection with these rules, ifthe Business Combination and our Class A common shares have limited liquidity. As a public shareholder fails to receiveresult, there was significant volatility in our tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, such shareholder may not become awaretrading price immediately after the closing of the opportunityBusiness Combination and our Nasdaq halted trading in our shares on March 27, 2019 due to redeem its shares.such trading volatility. In addition, on April 24, 2019, we received notification from the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable,Nasdaq Hearings Panel (the “Panel”) that the Panel determined to suspend trading in our securities effective at the open of business on Friday, April 26, 2019 and to formally delist the securities on May 9, 2019 unless we appeal the decision. Although we intend to appeal the decision and take all action that we can to remain listed, we cannot assure you that we will furnishbe able to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly redeem or tender public shares.remain listed. In the event that we fail to remain listed, our stock will experience reduced liquidity than if we were able to remain on Nasdaq.

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Our stockholders will only be able to exercise a shareholder failsWarrant if the issuance of Class A common shares upon such exercise has been registered or qualified or is deemed exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the Warrants.

No Warrants will be exercisable on a cash basis and we will not be obligated to comply with these procedures, itsissue registered Class A common shares unless the Class A common shares issuable upon such exercise has been registered or qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the Warrants. Because the exemptions from qualification in certain states for re-sales of Warrants and for issuances of Class A common shares by the issuer upon exercise of a Warrant may be different, a Warrant may be held by a holder in a state where an exemption is not available for issuance of Class A common shares upon exercise of the Warrants and the holder will be precluded from exercising the Warrant. As a result, the Warrants may be deprived of any value, the market for the Warrants may be limited and the holders of Warrants may not be redeemed. See "Item 4. Information onable to exercise their Warrants if the Company—B. Business Overview—Effecting our Initial Business Combination—Tendering Share CertificatesCommon Stock issuable upon such exercise is not qualified or exempt from qualification in Connection with a Tender Offer or Redemption Rights."

You will not have any rights or intereststhe jurisdictions in funds fromwhich the trust account, exceptholders of the Warrants reside.

Because we are incorporated under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate your investment,the laws of the Marshall Islands, you may face difficulty protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal courts may be forced to sell your public shareslimited.

We are a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Marshall Islands, and certain of our assets may in the future be located outside the United States. In addition, all of our directors and officers, and their assets, are located outside of the United States. As a result, you may have difficulty serving legal process within the United States upon us or warrants, potentially at a loss.

Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds fromany of these persons. You may also have difficulty enforcing, both in and outside the trust account onlyUnited States, judgments you may obtain in U.S. courts against us or these persons in any action, including actions based upon the earlier to occur of: (i) our completioncivil liability provisions of U.S. federal or state securities laws. You may also have difficulty bringing an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those common shares that such shareholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated articles of incorporation to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our IPO, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our IPO. In no other circumstances will a public shareholder have any right or interest of any kindoriginal action in the trust account. Holdersappropriate court of warrants will not havethe Marshall Islands to enforce liabilities against us or any right toperson based upon the proceeds held in the trust account with respect to the warrants. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
NASDAQU.S. federal securities laws.

Nasdaq could delist our securities,Class A common shares, which could limit investors'investors’ ability to transact in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.

Our securities are listed on NASDAQ. In orderthe Nasdaq Capital Market, although they are currently suspended from trading. On July 23, 2018, we received a written notice from the Listing Qualifications Department of Nasdaq indicating that we are not in compliance with Listing Rule 5550(a)(3), which requires us to have at least of 300 shareholders for continued listing on the exchange (the “Minimum Shareholders Rule”). On September 13, 2018, we submitted to Nasdaq a plan to maintain our Nasdaq listing. Nasdaq accepted our plan and granted us an extension of 180 calendar days from the date of the notice, or until January 22, 2019, to evidence compliance with this rule. On January 24, 2019, we received a letter from Nasdaq stating that listing,the Company had failed to demonstrate compliance with the Minimum Shareholders Rule within the required time period and that, accordingly, the Nasdaq staff had initiated procedures to delist our Class A common shares, units and warrants from Nasdaq. We subsequently appealed the delisting determination, and, subsequent to a February 28, 2019 hearing and subject to certain conditions, we must satisfy minimum financialwere granted until June 15, 2019 to meet the Minimum Shareholders Rule. In addition, on March 27, 2019, Nasdaq suspended trading in our securities due to the significant volatility in our common stock subsequent to the Business Combination.

Subsequently, on April 24, 2019, we received notification from the Nasdaq Hearings Panel (the “Panel”) that the Panel determined to suspend trading in our securities effective at the open of business on Friday, April 26, 2019 and other requirements. There is no guaranteeto formally delist the securities on May 9, 2019 unless we appeal the decision. Although we intend to appeal the decision and take all action that we can to remain listed, we cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain compliance with those listing requirements.

If NASDAQ delists anyremain listed. In the event that we fail to remain listed, our stock will experience reduced liquidity than if we were able to remain on Nasdaq.

As a result of Nasdaq’s suspension or delisting of our securities, from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list such securities on another national securities exchange, we expect such securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:

·a limited availability of market quotations for our securities;

·reduced liquidity for our securities;

·a determination that our Class A common shares are a "penny stock"“penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A common shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities;

·a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and

·a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.

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As an FPI we are entitled to, and intend to continue to rely on, exemptions from certain NASDAQ corporate governance standards applicable to domestic companies, and as such, you may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of NASDAQ corporate governance requirements.
We are an FPI under the securities laws of the United States and the rules of NASDAQ. Under the securities laws of the United States, FPIs are subject to different disclosure requirements than U.S. domiciled registrants, as well as different financial reporting requirements. Under NASDAQ Marketplace Rules, an FPI is subject to less stringent corporate governance requirements. Subject to certain exceptions, NASDAQ Marketplace Rules permit an FPI to follow its home country practice in lieu of complying with certain of NASDAQ's corporate governance requirements, including, among other things, (1) the requirement that a majority of the board of directors consist of independent directors and (2) the requirement that the audit committee be composed of at least three members, each of whom is independent, and we intend to continue to rely on each such exemption. Accordingly, so long as we are an FPI, you may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the NASDAQ corporate governance requirements. Please see "Item 16G. Corporate Governance" for further information on howIf our corporate governance practices differ from those of a U.S. company listed on NASDAQ.
We may lose FPI status in the future, which could result in significant additional costs and expenses.
We are an FPI, and therefore, we are not required to comply with all of the periodic disclosure and current reporting requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to U.S. domestic companies whose securities are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. The determination of FPI status is made annually on the last business day of an issuer's most recently completed second fiscal quarter, and accordingly the next determination will be made with respect to us on June 30, 2018. We will lose our foreign private issuer status if more than 50% of our outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly held of record by residents of the U.S., and:
·more than a majority of our executive officers and directors are U.S. citizens or residents;
·more than 50% of our assets are located in the U.S.; or
·our business is administered principally in the U.S.
We may therefore lose our FPI status in the future. If we were to lose our FPI status, we would be required to file with the SEC periodic reports and registration statements on U.S. domestic issuer forms, which are more detailed and extensive than the forms available to an FPI. We would also have to comply with U.S. federal proxy requirements, and our officers, directors and 10% shareholders wouldcommon shares become subject to the short-swing profit disclosureSEC’s penny stock rules, broker-dealers may experience difficulty in completing customer transactions, and recovery provisionstrading activity in our securities may be adversely affected.

If at any time we have net tangible assets of Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we would lose our ability to rely upon exemptions from certain NASDAQ corporate governance requirements. As a result, the regulatory$5,000,001 or less and compliance costs to us under U.S. securities laws as a non-FPI issuer could be significantly higher.

If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to U.S. tender offer rules, and if you or a "group" of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 20% of our common shares you will lose the ability to redeem all such shareshave a market price per share of less than $5.00, transactions in excess of 20% of our common shares.
If we are no longer deemed a FPI (and no longer required to comply with the FPI rules) and we are required by law or NASDAQ rules to seek shareholder approval, or we decide to seek shareholder approval for other business or legal reasons, weshares may conduct the redemptions in a manner similar to many non-FPI blank check companies in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to U.S. tender offer rules. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a "group" (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 20% of the public shares without our prior consent, which we refer to as the "Excess Shares." However, we would not be restricting our shareholders' ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 20% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
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Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We have encountered, and expect to continue to encounter, significant competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including public and private shipping companies, other blank check companies, private equity groups and other funds that invest in the shipping industry, as well as other operating businesses seeking strategic acquisitions of the types of assets and businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well-established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies or assets operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources or more local industry knowledge than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there are numerous target businesses or assets we could potentially acquire with the proceeds in the trust account, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses or assets that are sizable will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses or assets. Furthermore, we are obligated to offer holders of our public shares the right to redeem their public shares for cash at the time of our initial business combination via tender offer or in conjunction with a shareholder vote. Target companies will be aware that this may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. Any of these obligations may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our IPO, our public shareholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders at liquidation, and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public shareholders may receive less than $10.00 per share on the redemption of their shares. See "—If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share" and other risk factors herein.
If the funds not being held in the trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate until at least November 23, 2018, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination, and we will depend on loans from our sponsor, or affiliates thereof, or management team, or other sources of financing, to fund our search and to complete our initial business combination.
The funds available to us outside of the trust account may not be sufficient to allow us to operate at least until November 23, 2018 (the date which is 24 months following our IPO), assuming that our initial business combination is not completed during that time. We expect to continue to incur costs in pursuit of our acquisition plans, some of which may be significant. As of December 31, 2017, we had $447,616 outside the trust account available to us. In addition, we have and may withdraw from the trust investment earnings on the trust funds to fund working capital requirements.
While we believe that the funds available to us outside of the trust account will be sufficient to allow us to operate at least until November 23, 2018 (the date which is 24 months following our IPO), we cannot assure you that these funds will prove to be sufficient. Of the funds available to us, we could use a portion of the funds available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment or to fund a "no-shop" provision (a provision in letters of intent designed to keep target businesses from "shopping" around for transactions with other companies or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination. If we enter into a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for an initial business combination where we pay for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and are subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business.
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If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, management team or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. None of our sponsor, members of our management team or any of their affiliates is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Any such advances would be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account. We may also raise funds through one or more credit facilities, equity offerings and/or debt offerings, whether in private transactions or otherwise. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. Consequently, our public shareholders may only receive $10.00 per share, or possibly less, on our redemption of our public shares, and our warrants will expire worthless. Please see "Item 5.—Operating and Financial Review and Prospects."
Subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and the price of our securities, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine, we cannot assure you that this diligence will surface all material issues with a particular target business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining post-combination debt financing. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
Our placing of funds in the trust account may not protect those funds from third party claims against us. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our public shareholders. We cannot assure you that the actual per-share redemption amount received by shareholders will not be less than $10.00. While we intend to pay creditor claims, if any, from funds held outside of the trust account, we cannot assure you that we will have funds outside of the trust account sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors' claims.
Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements, they may not be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party's engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative.
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Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders could be less than the $10.00 per public share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such creditors. Pursuant to a letter agreement, which is attached as Exhibit 4.4 to this annual report, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amounts in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the investment earnings which may be withdrawn to pay taxes and working capital expenses. This liability will not apply to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our IPO against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and we believe that our sponsor's only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the trust account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.00 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares.
Our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per share and (ii) the actual amount per share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the investment earnings which may be withdrawn to pay taxes and working capital expenses, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent director(s) would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent director(s) would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent director(s) in exercising their business judgment and subject to their fiduciary duties may choose not to do so in any particular instance. If our independent director(s) choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.00 per share.
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The elimination of personal liability of our directors, the existence of indemnification rights for our officers and directors under our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, the advancement of litigation expenses and the existence of directors' and officers' liability insurance may discourage lawsuits against our officers and directors.
Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws include a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors for monetary damages for certain breaches of fiduciary duties to the fullest extent permitted by law. Furthermore, our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that we must indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by law, and further, that we may advance expenses incurred while defending a civil or criminal proceeding. The foregoing obligations could result in us incurring substantial expenditures to cover the cost of settlement or damage awards against our officers and directors, which we may be unable to recoup. Our amended and restated bylaws further permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director or employee for any liability arising out of his or her actions, regardless of whether Marshall Islands law would permit indemnification. We have purchased a policy of directors' and officers' liability insurance that insures our directors and officers against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify the directors and officers. These provisions and resultant costs may discourage us and our shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers and directors for breaches of their fiduciary duties, and may similarly reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation by our shareholders against our officers and directors even though such actions, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders.
We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and executive officers.
We have agreed to indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account and to not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will be able to be satisfied by us only if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination. Our obligation to indemnify our officers and directors may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder's investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy court may seek to recover such proceeds, and the members of our board of directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our board of directors and us to claims of punitive damages.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a "preferential transfer" or a "fraudulent conveyance." As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. In addition, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our shareholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
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If we are deemed to be an investment company, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination or operate over the near term or long-term in our intended manner.
We do not plan to operate as an investment fund or investment company, or to be engaged in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in securities. Our plan is to acquire, hold, operate and grow for the long-term one or more operating businesses or a portion of such business or businesses. We do not plan to operate as a passive investor or as a merchant bank seeking dividends or gains from purchases and sales of securities. Our directors and officers are experienced as officers and directors of operating companies. However, we may be deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 if, following our IPO and prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, we are viewed as engaging in the business of investing in securities or we own "investment securities" having a value exceeding 40% of our total assets, and may be required to register as an investment company or a registered investment adviser under the U.S. securities laws.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including:
·restrictions on the nature of our investments; and
·restrictions on the issuance of securities, each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
·In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including:
·registration as an investment company;
·adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and
·reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations.
We do not believe that our anticipated activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act as the net proceeds of our IPO and sale of units in our private placement offering that are held in the Trust Account may only be invested by the trustee in United States government treasury bills having a maturity of 180 days or less, or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and that invest solely in U.S. treasuries. By restricting the investment of the trust account to these instruments, we intend to meet the requirements for the exemption provided in Rule 3a-1 promulgated under the Investment Company Act. If we were deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with“penny stock” rules promulgated under the Exchange Act. Under these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expense for which we have not allotted and may hinder our abilityrules, broker-dealers who recommend such securities to complete a business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portionpersons other than institutional accredited investors must:

make a special written suitability determination for the purchaser;

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Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
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receive the purchaser’s written agreement to the transaction prior to sale;

provide the purchaser with risk disclosure documents which identify certain risks associated with investing in “penny stocks” and which describe the market for these “penny stocks” as well as a purchaser’s legal remedies; and

obtain a signed and dated acknowledgment from the purchaser demonstrating that the purchaser has actually received the required risk disclosure document before a transaction in a “penny stock” can be completed.

If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of our IPO, our public shareholders may be forced to wait beyond 24 months before redemption from our trust account.

If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination by November 23, 2018 (the date which is 24 months from the closing of our IPO), the proceeds then on deposit in the trust account, including investment earnings (which investment earnings shall be net of income taxes payable and any amounts released to us to fund working capital requirements), will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares, as further described herein. Any redemption of public shareholders from the trust account will be effected automatically by function of our amended and restated articles of incorporation prior to any voluntary winding up. If we are required to wind-up, liquidate the trust account and distribute such amount therein, pro rata, to our public shareholders, as part of any liquidation process, such winding up, liquidation and distribution must comply with the applicable provisions of Marshall Islands law. In that case, investors may be forced to wait beyond 24 months before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them, and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to the date of our redemption or liquidation unless we consummate our initial business combination prior thereto and only then in cases where investors have sought to redeem their common shares. Only upon our redemption or any liquidation will public shareholders be entitled to distributions if we are unable to complete our initial business combination.
Our shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.
Under Marshall Islands law, shareholders might, in certain circumstances, be held liable for claims by third parties against a corporation to the extent of distributions received by them in a dissolution. If we complied with the procedures set forth in Section 106 of the BCA, which are intended to ensure that we make reasonable provision for all claims against us, including a six month notice period during which any third-party claims can be brought against us before any liquidating distributions are made to shareholders, any liability of a shareholder with respect to a liquidating distribution should be limited to the lesser of such shareholder's pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the shareholder, and any liability of the shareholder should be barred after the period set forth in such notice. However, it is our intention to make liquidating distributions to our shareholders as soon as reasonably possible after dissolution. As such, our shareholders could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them in a dissolution and any such liability of our shareholders will likely extend beyond the third anniversary of such dissolution or the settlement of claims, litigation or proceedings begun prior to or during the three year period. Accordingly, third parties may seek to recover from our shareholders amounts owed to them by us.
Furthermore, if we are forced to enter into an insolvent liquidation, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed as an unlawful payment if it was proved that immediately following the date on which the distribution was made, we were unable to pay our debts as they fell due in the ordinary course of business. As a result, a liquidator could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to us or our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, thereby exposing themselves and our company to claims, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons. We and our directors and officers who knowingly and willfully authorized or permitted any distribution to be paid out of our share premium account while we were unable to pay our debts as they fell due in the ordinary course of business would be guilty of an offence and may be liable to a fine or imprisonment.
We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination. Our public shareholders will not have the right to elect directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination.
Unless otherwise required by law or NASDAQ corporate governance requirements, we may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders until after we consummate our initial business combination. While Section 64 of the Marshall Islands BCA, requires that we hold an annual meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing directors, we may not hold such meeting until after the consummation of our initial business combination. In such case, if we have failed to hold an annual meeting for a period of 13 months after our organization, or after our last annual meeting, our shareholders may attempt to force us to hold one, by written request by the holders of not less than 10% of the shares entitled to vote in an election of directors, demanding the call of a special meeting specifying the time thereof, which shall not be less than two (2) nor more than three (3) months from the date of such call. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provide that, except as otherwise required by law, our shareholders do not otherwise have the right to call a special meeting of shareholders.
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In addition, as holders of our Class A common shares, our public shareholders will not have the right to vote on the election of directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination. These provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation may only be amended with the approval of at least 90% of our common shares votingbecome subject to these rules, broker-dealers may find it difficult to effectuate customer transactions and trading activity in a general meeting.
our securities may be adversely affected. As a result, prior to our initial business combination, our public shareholders may not be afforded the opportunity to discuss company affairs with management, and would not have the opportunity to vote in the election of directors.
We have not registered the Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time, and such registration may not be in place when an investor desires to exercise warrants, thus precluding such investor from being able to exercise its warrants and causing such warrants to expire worthless.
We have not registered the Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time. However, under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed to use our best efforts to file a registration statement under the Securities Act covering such shares and maintain a current prospectus relating to the Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. We cannot assure you that we will be able to do so if, for example, any facts or events arise which represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement or prospectus, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current or correct or the SEC issues a stop order. If the shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act, we will be required to permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis, provided that such cashless exercise is permitted under the laws of our corporate jurisdiction. However, no warrant will be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and we will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, unless an exemption is available. In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant, or issue securities or other compensation in exchange for the warrants in the event that we are unable to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws. If the issuance of the shares upon exercise of the warrants is not so registered or qualified or exempt from registration or qualification, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In such event, holders who acquired their warrants as part of a purchase of units will have paid the full unit purchase price solely for the Class A common shares included in the units. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws. See "—If we reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination, holders of our warrants may be unable to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis."
The future exercise of the registration rights granted to our sponsor may adversely affect the market price of our Class A common shares and may make it more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
Pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement that we entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in our IPO, our sponsor and its permitted transferees can demand that we register for resale, subject to certain exceptions, their private placement warrants, Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants, and Class A common shares issuable upon conversion of their founder shares. We will bear the cost of registering these securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common shares.
In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the shareholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our common shares that is expected when the securities owned by our sponsor, holders of our private placement warrants or their respective permitted transferees are registered.
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Our sponsor will receive additional Class A common shares if we issue shares to consummate an initial business combination.
The Class B common shares (which are the founder shares) will automatically convert into Class A common shares on the first business day following the consummation of our initial business combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional Class A common shares, or equity-linked securities convertible or exercisable for Class A common shares, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in our IPO and related to the closing of the initial business combination, the ratio at which Class B common shares shall convert into Class A common shares will be adjusted so that the number of Class A common shares issuable upon conversion of all Class B common shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the total number of all outstanding common shares upon completion of the initial business combination, excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination and any private placement warrants issued to our sponsor, after taking into account Class A common shares redeemed in connection with the business combination. This is different from most other similarly structured blank check companies in which the initial shareholders will only be issued an aggregate of 20% of the total number of shares to be outstanding prior to the initial business combination.
To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine.
We are seeking to acquire, through a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, debt acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination, vessels, vessel contracts (including contracts for the purchasedepressed, and charter-in by us of vessels) or one or more operating businesses, which we intend to be in the international maritime shipping industry. To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.
Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain shareholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution, which in certain circumstances may be less than $10.00 per share, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.
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We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or a valuation expert, and consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our shareholders from a financial point of view.
NASDAQ rules provide that our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the trust account (less any deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on income earned) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or a valuation expert that is recognized within the shipping industry that the price we are paying is fair to our shareholders from a financial point of view. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or other valuation expert that is recognized in the shipping industry with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria, but not necessarily whether the transaction is fair from a financial point of view. If our board of directors is able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses and no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine the fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community serving the shipping industry. Such standards used will be disclosed in our tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
We may issue additional Class A common shares or preferred shares to complete or in connection with our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A common shares upon the conversion of the Class B common shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained therein. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.
Our amended and restated articles of incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 400,000,000 Class A common shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 100,000,000 Class B common shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 50,000,000 preferred shares, par value $0.0001 per share. As of the date hereof, there are 384,826,900 and 96,206,725 authorized but unissued Class A and Class B common shares available, respectively, for issuance which amount does not take into account shares reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding warrants or upon the conversion of the Class B common shares. Class B common shares are automatically convertible into Class A common shares at the time of our initial business combination, initially at a one-for-one basis but subject to adjustment as set forth herein. There are no preferred shares issued or outstanding.
We may issue a substantial number of additional Class A common shares or preferred shares to complete or in connection with our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue Class A common shares upon conversion of the Class B common shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained therein. However, our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide, among other things, that prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote on any initial business combination. These provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, like all provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, may be amended with a shareholder vote. The issuance of additional Class A common or preferred shares:
·may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors;
·may subordinate the rights of holders of common shares if preferred shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our common shares;
·could cause a change in control if a substantial number of common shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our officers and directors; and
·may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, common shares and/or warrants.
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Resources could be wasted in researching acquisitions that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We may have to pay tax on United States source shipping income, or taxes in other jurisdictions, such as Belgium, which would reduce our earnings.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, 50% of the gross shipping income of a foreign corporation that owns or charters vessels, as we intend to do after an initial business combination, that is attributable to transportation that begins or ends, but that does not both begin and end, in the United States may be subject to a 4% United States federal income tax without allowance for deductions, unless that corporation qualifies for exemption under Section 883 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which we refer to as the Code, and the regulations promulgated thereunder or an applicable U.S. tax treaty.
If we complete an initial business combination as we plan, we intend to take the position that we qualify for either this statutory tax exemption or an exemption under an income tax treaty for United States federal income tax purposes. However, there are factual circumstances beyond our control that could cause us to lose the benefit of this tax exemption and thereby become subject to United States federal income tax on our United States source shipping income.
If we or our subsidiaries were not entitled to exemption under Section 883 of the Code for any taxable year, we or our subsidiaries could be subject for such year to an effective 2% United States federal income tax on the shipping income we or they derive during such year which is attributable to the transport of cargoes to or from the United States. The imposition of this taxation would have a negative effect on our business and would decrease our earnings available for distribution to our shareholders. Please see "Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation" for more information.
We may be subject to Belgian corporate income tax on our profits, if we do not request application of the Belgian tonnage tax regime after the Redomiciliation.
Should we transfer our corporate domicile to Belgium, we will in principle be subject to the Belgian corporate income tax regime pursuant to which the accounting profit, as adjusted for tax purposes, is taxed at a current effective corporate income tax rate of 29.58% for assessment year 2019 in relation to financial years starting as of January 1, 2018 (which will be reduced 25% as of assessment year 2021 for financial years starting as of January 1, 2020).
Belgian tax law provides, however, for a tonnage tax regime, which application should be requested for, and which applies to the income resulting from the exploitation of vessels. If possible, we will request the application of the Belgian tonnage tax regime.
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Under this Belgian tonnage tax regime, our taxable basis will be determined nominally on the basis of the tonnage of the vessels we operate, rather than on the basis of our accounting results, as adjusted, for Belgian corporate income tax purposes. The tonnage tax regime is granted for a ten-year period, and is renewable.
We cannot assure you that the Belgian Federal Finance Department will approve our request in which case the normal Belgian corporate income tax regime will be applicable. Changes to the tax regimes applicable to us, or the interpretation thereof, may impact our future operating results.
Please see "Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation" for more information.
We are a passive foreign investment company, or "PFIC," and U.S. investors should be aware of possible adverse United States federal income tax consequences.
We believe that we are a PFIC and that we were a PFIC since the taxable year ended December 31, 2016 (the "2016 taxable year").   We had previously intended to rely on the start-up exception from classification as a PFIC with respect to the 2016 taxable year, which we have identified as our start-up year.  A company can only rely on the start-up exception if, among other requirements, it is in fact not a PFIC in either of two years of operation following the start-up year.  We believe we were a PFIC during the 2017 taxable year.  Therefore, we cannot rely on the start-up exception and we were likely a PFIC for the 2016 taxable year.  A U.S. holder (as defined under "Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations") of our common shares or warrants may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences and may be subject to additional reporting requirements. We may continue to be a PFIC for future taxable years.  Our actual PFIC status for any future taxable year  will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. Moreover, if we determine we are a PFIC for any future taxable year, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. holder such information as the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, may require, including a PFIC annual information statement, in order to enable the U.S. holder to make and maintain a "qualified electing fund" election, but there can be no assurance that we will timely provide such required information, and such election would be unavailable with respect to our warrants in all cases. We urge U.S. investors to consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible application of the PFIC rules. Please see "Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—United States Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules."
We expect to reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination and such reincorporation may result in taxes imposed on us and our shareholders.
At or promptly following the completion of our initial business combination, we will use our best efforts to transfer our corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium, which requires our shareholders' approval under Belgian law and compliance with other applicable legal requirements, which we refer to herein as the Redomiciliation. We have agreed with our sponsor not to complete the initial business combination if we are unable to obtain the required shareholder approval, which our sponsor may waive in its sole discretion. Such transfer of corporate domicile may require a shareholder to recognize taxable income in the jurisdiction in which the shareholder is a tax resident (or otherwise subject to tax) or in which its members are resident (or otherwise subject to tax) if it is a tax transparent entity. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to shareholders to pay such taxes. Shareholders may be subject to withholding taxes or other taxes with respect to their ownership of us after the reincorporation.
In addition, we will, after the reincorporation, be subject to the Belgian corporate income tax regime. The Belgian corporate income tax regime entails that our accounting profit, as determined in accordance with Belgian GAAP and as adjusted for tax purposes, is taxed at the current ordinary rate of 29.58% for assessment year 2019 in relation to financial years starting as of January 1, 2018 (which will be reduced 25% as of assessment year 2021 for financial years starting as of January 1, 2020). If possible we will however request the application of the tonnage tax regime which applies in case of the exploitation of vessels. The application of the Belgian tonnage tax regime entails that our taxable basis will be determined nominally on the basis of the tonnage of the vessels we operate.
We cannot assure you that the Belgian Federal Finance Department will approve our request to apply the Belgian tonnage tax regime, in which case the normal Belgian corporate income tax regime shall be applicable. Changes to the tax regimes applicable to us, or the interpretation thereof, may impact our future operating results.
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Our shareholders residing in countries other than Belgium may be subject to double withholding taxation with respect to dividends or other distributions made by us.
Any dividends or other distributions we make, following the transfer of our corporate domicile to Belgium, to shareholders will, in principle, be subject to withholding tax in Belgium at a rate of 30%, except for shareholders which qualify for an exemption of withholding tax such as, amongst others, qualifying pension funds or a company qualifying as a parent company in the sense of the Council Directive (90/435/EEC) of July 23, 1990 (the "Parent-Subsidiary Directive") or that qualify for a lower withholding tax rate or an exemption by virtue of a tax treaty. Various conditions may apply and shareholders residing in countries other than Belgium are advised to consult their advisers regarding the tax consequences of dividends or other distributions made by us. Our shareholders residing in countries other than Belgium may not be able to credit the amount of such withholding tax to any tax due on such dividends or other distributions in any other country than Belgium. As a result, such shareholders may be subject to double taxation in respect of such dividends or other distributions.
Belgium and the United States have concluded a tax treaty concerning the avoidance of double taxation, which we refer to as the U.S.-Belgium Treaty. The U.S.-Belgium Treaty generally reduces the applicability of Belgian withholding tax on dividends to 15%, 5% or 0% of the gross amount of the dividends paid to U.S. taxpayers, provided that the U.S. taxpayer meets certain limitation of benefits conditions imposed by the U.S.-Belgium Treaty. The 5% withholding tax applies in case where the U.S. shareholder is a company which owns directly at least 10% of our voting stock. A 0% Belgian withholding tax applies when the shareholder is a company which has owned directly at least 10% of our share capital for a 12-month period ending on the date the dividend is declared, or is, subject to certain conditions, a U.S. pension fund. A 15% Belgian withholding tax generally applies in all other cases. All U.S. shareholders are encouraged to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether they can invoke the benefits and meet the limitation of benefits conditions as imposed by the U.S.-Belgium Treaty.
If we reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination, holders of our warrants may be unable to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis.
At or promptly following the completion of our initial business combination, we will use our best efforts to transfer our corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium, which requires our shareholders' approval under Belgian law and compliance with other applicable legal requirements. We have been advised by our Belgian legal counsel, Argo Law, that the cashless exercise of warrants is not permitted under Belgian law, and accordingly, should we effect such transfer in corporate domicile to Belgium, warrant holders will be unable to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis and, therefore, absent an exemption from registration, will be unable to exercise their warrants without an effective registration statement.
If our shareholders do not approve our transfer of corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium, or another jurisdiction that is acceptable to our sponsor, we will, unless our sponsor waives such requirement, be unable to complete our initial business combination.
We expect to transfer our corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium, which requires our shareholders' approval under Belgian law and compliance with other applicable legal requirements. We may, in the alternative, transfer our corporate domicile to another jurisdiction that is acceptable to our sponsor, which may also require our shareholders' approval under the laws of such jurisdiction. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we expect to hold a meeting of shareholders to approve our transfer of corporate domicile to Belgium, or if applicable, such other jurisdiction that is acceptable to our sponsor. Pursuant to a written letter agreement, we have agreed with our sponsor not to complete our initial business combination if we are unable to obtain the required shareholder approval to transfer our corporate domicile, subject to waiver by our sponsor in its sole discretion. In addition, pursuant to such letter agreement, our sponsor has agreed to vote its founder shares and any public shares purchased in or after the IPO in favor of the transfer of our corporate domicile. Members of our management team also have agreed to vote any public shares purchased in or after the IPO in favor of the transfer of our corporate domicile. If we are unable to obtain required shareholder approval, we will, unless our sponsor waives our obligation to transfer our corporate domicile in accordance with the letter agreement, be unable to complete our initial business combination.
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Our operations are dependent upon our executive officers and directors and their loss could adversely affect our ability to operate.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our executive officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers and directors, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. In addition, our executive officers and directors are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating their time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. We do not currently have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or executive officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or executive officers could have a detrimental effect on us.
We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company.
When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business' management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target business' management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target business' management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
The officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The loss of a business combination target's key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
The role of an acquisition candidate's key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although certain members of an acquisition candidate's management team may remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place.
The past performance or acquisition experience of the Saverys family, the CMB Group, or our management team may not be indicative of our future performance.
Information regarding the past performance or acquisition experience of the Saverys family, the CMB Group, or our management team is presented for informational purposes only and such information is not a guarantee either (i) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or (ii) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record of the Saverys family, the CMB Group, or our management team's performance as indicative of our future performance. None of our officers or directors has had experience with any blank check companies or special purpose acquisition companies in the past.
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Our executive officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs, which could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our executive officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our executive officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation, and our executive officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. Our independent director(s) also serve as officers and board members for other entities. If our executive officers' and directors' other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination. For a complete discussion of our executive officers' and directors' other business affairs, please see "Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—A. Directors and Senior Management."
Our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have, additional fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities. As a result, our officers and directors may become aware of business opportunities which may be appropriate for presentation to us and the other entities to which they owe certain fiduciary or contractual duties. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts of interest may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us, subject to their fiduciary duties under Marshall Islands law. If these entities decide to pursue any such opportunity, we may be precluded from procuring such opportunities.
For a complete discussion of our executive officers' and directors' business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, please see "Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—A. Directors and Senior management."
Our executive officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.
We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, executive officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or executive officers. Nor do we have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours.
The personal and financial interests of our directors and officers may influence their motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business combination. Consequently, our directors' and officers' discretion in identifying and selecting a suitable target business may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our shareholders' best interest. If this were the case, it could be a breach of their fiduciary duties to us as a matter of Marshall Islands law and we or our shareholders might have a claim against such individuals for infringing on our shareholders' rights. However, we might not ultimately be successful in any claim we may make against them for such reason.
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We may engage in a business combination with our sponsor, or one or more target businesses that have relationships or are affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, or directors, which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our sponsor, executive officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses from our sponsor or that have relationships or are affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, or directors. Our directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities, including, without limitation, those described under "Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—A. Directors and Senior Management." Such entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or other valuation expert that is recognized within the shipping industry regarding the fairness to our company from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, or directors, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.
Management services relating to a target vessel may be performed by affiliates of us, our officers or directors or our sponsor which could result in potential conflicts of interest.
If we complete a business transaction which involves the acquisition of vessels, such vessels may be commercially or technically managed by an affiliate of us, our officers or directors or our sponsor. Such affiliates or affiliated management companies may receive fees and commissions on gross revenue received by us in respect of each vessel managed, a commission on the gross sale or purchase price of vessels which we purchase or sell, and a commission on insurances placed. While we have agreed that any such management services will be provided on an arms' length basis and approved by independent members of our board of directors, the relationships between us, our officers and directors or our sponsor, on the one hand, and the applicable service provider, on the other hand, may give rise to conflicts of interest. In addition, some of our officers and directors also may hold senior management positions with one or more these management companies. In light of their positions, these individuals may experience conflicts of interest in selecting between our interests and those of the applicable management companies.
Because our sponsor owns, or will own, securities in us that will not participate in liquidating distributions, it may have a conflict of interest in deciding if a particular acquisition target is an attractive candidate for an initial business combination.
Our sponsor, Bocimar Hunter NV, owns an aggregate of 3,793,275 Class B common shares. In the event of our dissolution and liquidation, our sponsor may not receive distributions from the trust account with respect to these shares. Therefore, our sponsor's financial interests may influence its motivation in identifying and selecting acquisition target and consummating our initial business combination in a timely manner. In addition, many of our directors are affiliated with our sponsor, which may result in a conflict of interest when they determine whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular initial business combination are appropriate and in our shareholders' best interest.
Unless we complete an initial business combination, neither our officers, directors, nor any of their respective affiliates, will receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses they incur if such expenses exceed the amount available to us for working capital and general corporate purposes. Therefore, they may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular initial business combination is appropriate and in the public shareholders' best interest.
We shall provide reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by our officers, directors, or any of their respective affiliates, in connection with identifying, investigating and consummating an initial business combination, for which there is no maximum amount of out-of-pocket expenses that may be incurred. Notwithstanding, neither our officers, directors, nor any of their respective affiliates, will receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by them to the extent that such expenses exceed the amount not required to be retained in the trust account unless an initial business combination is consummated. The financial interest of our officers, directors, or any of their respective affiliates, could influence their motivation in selecting an acquisition target and thus, there may be a conflict of interest when determining whether a particular initial business combination is in the shareholders' best interest.
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We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders' investment in us.
Although we have no commitments as of the date of this annual report to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur outstanding debt, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We and our officers have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to the monies held in the trust account. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per share amount available for redemption from the trust account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:
·default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations;
·acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant;
·our immediate payment of all principal and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand;
·our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding;
·our inability to pay dividends on our common shares;
·using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our common shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
·limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate;
·increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and
·limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt.
We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several assets and/or businesses that are owned by different sellers, we expect that we will need for each such seller to agree that our purchases are contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete our initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
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We may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, or with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
In pursuing our acquisition strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. Very little public information generally exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all. In addition, we may seek to complete our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses.
Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.
We may structure our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-transaction company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to our initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new common shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new common shares, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding common shares subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority shareholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the company's shares than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not be able to maintain control of the target business.
In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and other governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated articles of incorporation or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that our shareholders may not support.
In order to effectuate a business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. For example, blank check companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds, changed industry focus and, with respect to their warrants, amended their warrant agreements to require the warrants to be exchanged for cash and/or other securities. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated articles of incorporation or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that our shareholders may not support.
Amending the provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation relating to pre-business combination activity will require the approval of at least two-thirds of holders of our common shares who attend and vote at a meeting (with holders of our founder shares and holders of our public shares voting together as a single class), and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common shares. Further, a vote of holders of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants is required to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants. In addition, our sponsor, executive officers and directors have agreed that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated articles of incorporation that would affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete an initial business combination within 24 months of the closing of the IPO unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their common shares, subject to certain the limitations. To the extent any of such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of any of the securities offered through this registration statement, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities.
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The provisions of our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation that relate to our pre-business combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account) may be amended with the approval of two-thirds of holders of our common shares, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated articles of incorporation to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.
Some other blank check companies have a provision in their charter which prohibits the amendment of certain of its provisions, including those which relate to a company's pre-business combination activity, without approval by a certain percentage of the company's shareholders. In those companies, amendment of these provisions typically requires approval by between 90% and 100% of the company's public shareholders. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that any of the provisions related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of the IPO and the private placement of warrants into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public shareholders as described herein) may be amended if approved by two-thirds of holders of our common shares who attend and vote at a meeting, and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common shares. Our sponsor, who beneficially owns 20% of our common shares, and may acquire additional shares prior to our initial business combination, will participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated articles of incorporation and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation which govern our pre-business combination behavior more easily than some other blank check companies, and this may increase our ability to complete a business combination with which you do not agree. Our shareholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our Amended and Restated articles of Incorporation.
Our sponsor, executive officers and directors have agreed that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated articles of incorporation that would affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our Class A common shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their common shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including investment earnings (net of taxes payable and any amounts released to us to fund working capital requirements), divided by the number of then outstanding Class A common shares. Our shareholders will not be parties to, or third-party beneficiaries of, these agreements and, as a result, will not have the ability to pursue remedies against our sponsor, executive officers or directors for any breach of these agreements. As a result, in the event of a breach, our shareholders would need to pursue a shareholder derivative action, subject to applicable law.
We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
Although we believe that the net proceeds of the IPO and the sale of the private placement warrants will be sufficient to allow us to complete our initial business combination, we cannot ascertain the capital requirements for any particular transaction. If the net proceeds of the IPO and the sale of the private placement warrants prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of our initial business combination, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to repurchase for cash a significant number of shares from shareholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination, we may be required to seek additional financing or to abandon the proposed business combination. We cannot assure you that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. The current economic environment has made it especially difficult for companies to obtain acquisition financing. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to complete our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers, directors or shareholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination.
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Our sponsor controls a substantial interest in us and thus may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Our sponsor owns 20% of our issued and outstanding common shares, and accordingly, may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our amended and restated articles of incorporation. If our sponsor purchases any additional common shares in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their control. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our common shares. In addition, our board of directors will be divided into three classes, with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class serving a three-year term. We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders to elect new directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination, in which case all of the current directors will continue in office until at least the completion of the business combination. If there is an annual meeting, as a consequence of our "staggered" board of directors, only a minority of the board of directors will be considered for election and our sponsor, because of its ownership position, will have considerable influence regarding the outcome. Accordingly, our sponsor may continue to exert control at least until the completion of our initial business combination.
We are incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, which does not have a well-developed body of corporate law.
We are incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, which does not have a well-developed body of case law and, as a result, shareholders may have fewer rights and protections under Marshall Islands law than under a typical jurisdiction in the United States. Our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and the BCA. The provisions of the BCA resemble provisions of the corporation laws of a number of states in the United States. The BCA also provides that it is to be applied and construed to make it uniform with the laws of the State of Delaware and other states of the United States with substantially similar legislative provisions and, so long as it does not conflict with the BCA or decisions of the Marshall Islands courts, interpreted according to the non-statutory law (or case law) of the State of Delaware and those other states of the United States with substantially similar legislative provisions. However, there have been few judicial cases in the Republic of the Marshall Islands interpreting the BCA. The rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under the laws of the Marshall Islands are not as clearly established as the rights and fiduciary responsibilities of directors under statutes or judicial precedent in existence in the United States. The rights of shareholders of companies incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands may differ from the rights of shareholders of companies incorporated in the United States. We cannot predict whether Marshall Islands courts would reach the same conclusions as U.S. courts. Thus, you may have more difficulty in protecting your interests in the face of actions by the management, directors or controlling shareholders than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a United States jurisdiction which has developed a relatively more substantial body of case law.
Because we are incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and, after our initial business combination, expect to be incorporated under the laws of Belgium, it may be difficult to serve us with legal process or enforce judgments against us, or our directors or our management.
We are incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and, after our initial business combination, expect to be incorporated under the laws of Belgium. Our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, and the BCA. We will also be subject to the federal securities laws of the United States.
We expect that substantially all of our assets will be located outside of the United States. In addition, all of our directors and officers are non-residents of the United States, and all or a substantial portion of the assets of these non-residents are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for someone to bring an action against us or against these individuals in the United States if they believe that their rights have been infringed under securities laws or otherwise. Even if you are successful in bringing an action of this kind, the laws of the Marshall Islands, Belgium and other jurisdictions may prevent or restrict them from enforcing a judgment against our assets or the assets of our directors or officers.
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The international nature of our operations may make the outcome of any bankruptcy proceedings difficult to predict.
We are incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and we expect to conduct operations in countries around the world. Consequently, in the event of any bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or similar proceeding involving us or any of our subsidiaries, bankruptcy laws other than those of the United States could apply. If we become a debtor under U.S. bankruptcy law, bankruptcy courts in the United States may seek to assert jurisdiction over all of our assets, wherever located, including property situated in other countries. There can be no assurance, however, that we would become a debtor in the United States, or that a U.S. bankruptcy court would be entitled to, or accept, jurisdiction over such a bankruptcy case, or that courts in other countries that have jurisdiction over us and our operations would recognize a U.S. bankruptcy court's jurisdiction if any other bankruptcy court would determine it had jurisdiction.
We are an emerging growth company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may makefind it more difficult to comparesell our performance with other public companies.
We are an "emerging growth company," as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, an exemption from the auditor attestation requirement of management's assessment of the effectiveness of the emerging growth company's internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for so long as a company qualifies as an "emerging growth company." As a result, our shareholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our common shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any June 30 before that time, in which case we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile.
Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate a business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an acquisition.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ending December 31, 2017. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target business with which we seek to complete our initial business combination may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.
Material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting could negatively affect shareholder confidence towards our financial reporting and other aspects of our business.
Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance that the information we are required to disclose in reports filed under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and forms. There are inherent limitations to the effectiveness of any system of disclosure controls and procedures, including the possibility of human error and the circumvention or overriding of the controls and procedures. Accordingly, even effective disclosure controls and procedures can only provide reasonable assurance of achieving their control objectives.
Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, assessed the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and concluded that as of December 31, 2017, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective due to a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting which is described in Item 15(b) of this annual report. This material weakness did not result in any identified misstatements to our consolidated financial statements or any restatement of prior-period financial statements and there were no changes in previously released financial results.
Although we have initiated remedial steps to address this material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, the existence of this material weakness could negatively affect shareholder confidence towards our financial reporting and other aspects of our business.
Please see "Item 15. Controls and Procedures" for additional information regarding the material weakness discussed above.

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Provisions in our amended and restated articles of incorporation may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our Class A common shares and could entrench management.
Our amended and restated articles of incorporation contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that shareholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include a staggered board of directors and the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preferred shares, which may make more difficult the removal of management and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. As an early stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our business and lead to financial loss.
Risks Relating to Our Securities
We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants. As a result, the exercise price of your warrants could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of our common shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.
Our warrants have been issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision, but requires the approval by the holders of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants. Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner adverse to a holder if holders of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants approve of such amendment. Although our ability to amend the terms of the public warrants with the consent of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants is unlimited, examples of such amendments could be amendments to, among other things, increase the exercise price of the warrants, convert the warrants into cash, shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of common shares purchasable upon exercise of a warrant.
We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem outstanding warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of  $0.01 per warrant, provided that the closing price of our Class A common shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to proper notice of such redemption provided that on the date we give notice of redemption. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws. Redemption of the outstanding warrants could force you to (i) exercise your warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) sell your warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, is likely to be substantially less than the market value of your warrants. None of the private placement warrants are redeemable by us so long as they are held by their initial purchasers or their permitted transferees.
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Risk Factors Related to the Shipping Industry
If charter rates fluctuate and the shipping industry continues to undergo cyclical turns, it may reduce our profitability and operations.
The shipping industry has been cyclical in varying degrees, experiencing fluctuations in charter rates, profitability and, consequently, vessel values.
A significant contraction in demand for imported commodities as a result of economic downturns or changes in government policies in certain regional markets could depress vessel freight rates, as well as the general demand for vessels and therefore the value of such vessels. The demand for vessels is also greatly affected by, among other factors, the demand for consumer goods, commodities and bagged and finished products, as well as commodity prices, environmental concerns and competition. The supply of shipping capacity is also a function of the delivery of new vessels and the number of older vessels scrapped, in lay-up, converted to other uses, reactivated or removed from active service. Supply may also be affected by maritime transportation and other types of governmental regulation, including that of international authorities. These and other factors may cause a decrease in the demand for the services we may ultimately provide or the value of the vessels we may own and operate, thereby limiting our ability to successfully operate any prospective target business with which we may ultimately consummate our initial business combination.
The shipping industry is subject to seasonal fluctuations in demand and, therefore, may cause volatility in our operating results.
The shipping industry has historically exhibited seasonal variations in demand and, as a result, in charter hire rates. This seasonality may result in quarter-to-quarter volatility in our operating results. For example, the tanker market is typically stronger in the fall and winter months in anticipation of increased consumption of oil, coal and other raw materials in the northern hemisphere. In addition, unpredictable weather patterns in these months tend to disrupt vessel scheduling and supplies of certain commodities. As a result, revenues from the tanker market are typically weaker during the fiscal quarters ended June 30 and September 30, and, conversely, typically stronger in fiscal quarters ended December 31 and March 31. Our operating results, therefore, may be subject to seasonal fluctuations.
An over-supply of ocean-going vessel capacity may lead to a reduction in charter rates, vessel values, and profitability.
The market supply of ocean-going vessels is affected by a number of factors, such as supply and demand for seaborne transportation of products and expected purchase orders for newbuildings. If the number of new vessels delivered exceeds the number of vessels removed from the global fleet, either through scrapping, conversion, or accidental losses, vessel capacity will increase. If the supply of vessel capacity increases and if the demand for vessel capacity decreases or does not increase correspondingly, charter rates could materially decline. A reduction in charter rates and the value of any vessels we may acquire may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and available cash and, if applicable, our ability to comply with covenants in loan agreements that we may enter into.
Rising fuel prices may affect our profitability.
Fuel is a significant, if not the largest, expense in shipping operations when vessels are not under period charter. Changes in the price of fuel may adversely affect the profitability of a shipping operator. The price and supply of fuel is unpredictable and fluctuates based on events outside our control, including geopolitical developments, supply and demand for oil and gas, actions by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil and gas producers, war and unrest in oil producing countries and regions, regional production patterns and environmental concerns. Furthermore, fuel may become much more expensive in the future, which may reduce the profitability and competitiveness of the shipping business versus other forms of transportation.
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If we experienced a catastrophic loss and our insurance is not adequate to cover such loss, it could lower our profitability and be detrimental to operations.
The ownership and operation of vessels in international trade is affected by a number of risks, including mechanical failure, personal injury, vessel and cargo loss or damage, business interruption due to political conditions in foreign countries, hostilities, labor strikes, adverse weather conditions and catastrophic marine disaster, including environmental accidents and collisions. All of these risks could result in liability, loss of revenues, increased costs and loss of reputation. We intend to maintain insurance, consistent with industry standards, against these risks on any vessels and other business assets we may acquire upon completion of our initial business combination. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to adequately insure against all risks, that any particular claim will be paid out of our insurance, or that we will be able to procure adequate insurance coverage at commercially reasonable rates in the future. Our insurers will also require us to pay certain deductible amounts, before they will pay claims, and insurance policies may contain limitations and exclusions, which, although we believe will be standard for the shipping industry, may nevertheless increase our costs and lower our profitability. Additionally, any increase in environmental and other regulations may also result in increased costs for, or the lack of availability of, insurance against the risks of environmental damage, pollution and other claims for damages that may be asserted against us. Our inability to obtain insurance sufficient to cover potential claims or the failure of insurers to pay any significant claims, could lower our profitability and be detrimental to our operations.
We may also be subject to calls or premiums in amounts based not only on our claim records but also the claim records of other members of the protection and indemnity associations through which we receive insurance coverage for tort liability, including pollution-related liability. Our payment of these calls could result in significant expense to us, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends. Moreover, the protection and indemnity associations and other insurance providers reserve the right to make changes in insurance coverage with little or no advance notice.
We may incur significant costs in complying with environmental, safety and other governmental regulations, and our failure to comply with these regulations could result in the imposition of penalties, fines and restrictions on our operations.
The operation of vessels is subject to extensive and changing environmental protection, safety and other federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations and treaties, compliance with which may entail significant expense, including expenses for ship modifications and changes in operating procedures. We cannot assure you that we will be able to comply with all laws, rules, regulations and treaties following our initial business combination. If we are unable to adhere to these requirements, it could result in the imposition of penalties and fines against us, and could also result in the imposition of restrictions on our business and operations. Furthermore, the costs of compliance also could lower our profitability and be detrimental to our operations. For a complete discussion of the government regulations applicable to the shipping industry, please see the section titled "Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Government Regulations Related to the Shipping Industry."
The profitable ownership and operation of vessels in international trade is susceptible to world events, which could be detrimental to our financial condition and operating performance.
Past terrorist attacks, as well as the threat of future terrorist attacks around the world, continue to cause uncertainty in the world's financial markets and may affect our business, operating results and financial condition. Continuing conflicts and recent developments in Russia, Ukraine, the Korean Peninsula, the Middle East, including Iraq, Syria, Egypt and North Africa, and the presence of U.S. or other armed forces in the Middle East, may lead to additional acts of terrorism and armed conflict around the world, which may contribute to further economic instability in the global financial markets. In the past, political conflicts have also resulted in attacks on vessels, mining of waterways and other efforts to disrupt international shipping, particularly in the Arabian Gulf region. Acts of terrorism and piracy have also affected vessels trading in regions such as the South China Sea, the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia and West Africa. Any of these occurrences could have a material adverse impact on our operating results, revenues and costs.
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Technological innovation could reduce the charter hire income we are able to receive and the value of any vessels we may acquire.
The charter hire rates and the value and operational life of a vessel are determined by a number of factors including the vessel's efficiency, operational flexibility and physical life. Efficiency includes speed, fuel economy and the ability to load and discharge cargo quickly. Flexibility includes the ability to enter harbors, utilize related docking facilities and pass through canals and straits. The length of a vessel's physical life is related to its original design and construction, its maintenance and the impact of the stress of operations. If new vessels are built that are more efficient or more flexible or have longer physical lives than any vessels we may own and/or operate, competition from these more technologically advanced vessels could adversely affect the amount of charterhire payments we receive for our vessels and the resale value of any owned vessels could significantly decrease. As a result, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be adversely affected.
If our initial business combination involves the ownership of vessels, such vessels could be arrested by maritime claimants, which could result in the interruption of business and decrease revenue and lower profitability.
Crew members, tort claimants, claimants for breach of certain maritime contracts, vessel mortgagees, suppliers of goods and services to a vessel, shippers of cargo and other persons may be entitled to a maritime lien against a vessel for unsatisfied debts, claims or damages, and, in many circumstances, a maritime lien holder may enforce its lien by "arresting" a vessel through court processes. Additionally, in certain jurisdictions, such as South Africa, under the "sister ship" theory of liability, a claimant may arrest not only the vessel with respect to which the claimant's lien has arisen, but also any "associated" vessel owned or controlled by the legal or beneficial owner of that vessel. If any vessel ultimately owned and operated by us is "arrested," this could result in a material loss of revenues, or require us to pay substantial amounts to have the "arrest" lifted.
Governments could requisition vessels during a period of war or emergency, resulting in a loss of earnings.
A government could requisition vessels for title or hire. Requisition for title occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and becomes its owner, while requisition for hire occurs when a government takes control of a vessel and effectively becomes its charterer at dictated charter rates. Generally, requisitions occur during periods of war or emergency, although governments may elect to requisition vessels in other circumstances. Although we would expect to be entitled to compensation in the event of a requisition of one or more of our vessels, the amount and timing of payment would be uncertain. Government requisition of one or more of our vessels may negatively impact our revenues.
We expect to face strong competition.
The international shipping industry is highly competitive, capital intensive and highly fragmented. Competition arises primarily from other vessel owners, some of whom have substantially more resources than we may have. Although we believe that no single competitor has a dominant position in the markets in which we may compete, we are aware that certain competitors may be able to devote greater financial and other resources to their activities than we could, which would result in a significant competitive threat to us.
If we acquire a business that charters vessels on the spot market (that is, vessels chartered on a voyage basis or for periods of less than 24 months), it may increase our risk of doing business following the business combination.
We may complete a business combination with a business that involves the chartering of vessels on a spot charter basis. Spot charters are entered into as either voyage charters or short-term time charters of less than 24 months' duration. Although dependence on spot charters is not unusual in the shipping industry, the spot charter market is highly competitive and spot charter rates are subject to significant fluctuations based upon available charters and the supply of and demand for seaborne shipping capacity. Although our focus on the spot charter market may enable us to benefit from strengthening industry conditions, should they occur, to do so we may be required to consistently procure spot charter business. We cannot assure you that spot charters will be available at rates that will be sufficient to enable us to operate our business profitably.
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In addition, our dependence on the spot charter market may result in lower utilization of any vessels we may acquire and, consequently, decreased profitability. We cannot assure you that rates in the spot charter market will not decline, that charters in the spot charter market will continue to be available or that our dependence on the spot charter market will not result in generally lower overall utilization or decreased profitability, the occurrence of any of which events could reduce our earnings and cause us to incur losses.
If we acquire vessels that are of secondhand or older nature, it could increase our costs and decrease our profitability.
We believe that competition for employment of secondhand vessels may be intense. Additionally, secondhand vessels may carry no warranties from sellers with respect to their condition as compared to warranties from shipyards available for newly-constructed vessels, and may be subject to problems created by the use of their original owners. If we purchase any secondhand vessels, we may incur additional expenditures as a result of these risks, which may reduce our profitability.
As our vessels become older, we could be faced with the additional expenditures necessary to maintain a vessel in good operating condition as the age of a vessel increases. Moreover, port-state authorities in certain jurisdictions may demand that repairs be made to this type of vessel before allowing it to berth at or depart a particular port, even though that vessel may be in class and in compliance with all relevant international maritime conventions. Should any of these types of problems or changes develop, income may be lost if a vessel goes off-hire and additional unforeseen and unbudgeted expenses may be incurred. If we choose to maintain any vessels past the age that we have planned, we cannot assure you that market conditions will justify expenditures with respect to any of the foregoing or enable us to operate these vessels profitably.
If we were to acquire vessels, a company that owns vessels or a company with agreements to purchase vessels, we may be subject to risks resulting from being a start-up shipping company.
If we were to acquire one or more vessels, one or more companies that own one or more vessels or companies with agreements to purchase one or more vessels, we may be subject to risks resulting from being a start-up shipping company. Such risks could potentially include the dependence on third parties for the commercial and technical management of the vessels, including crewing, maintenance and repair, supply provisioning, freight invoicing and chartering. We may not be able to quickly develop the infrastructure and hire the seafarers and land-based administrative and management personnel necessary to effectively manage and operate our business if we acquire vessels instead of an operating business. In addition, we might have to begin our operations without advance bookings of charters, and, also, one or more of our vessels may require modifications or upgrades for us to place them in service. As such, we may own vessels that are not engaged in revenue producing activities for some time after we acquire them. Our inability to manage such risks could impair our operations.

ITEM 4.          INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY
A.          History and Development of the Company
We are a blank check company incorporated pursuant to
ITEM 4.INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY

A.History and Development of the Company

Overview

Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp. was formed on June 24, 2016 under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands formed for the purpose of acquiring through a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, debt acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination, vessels, vessel contracts (including contracts for the purchase and charter-in by us of vessels) or one or morean operating businesses or assets. Our subsidiary, NCF Wealth Holdings, does business under the NCF name.

Description of the Business Combination

On October 5, 2018, we entered into the Merger Agreement with NCF and Zhenxin Zhang, as representative of the NCF Stockholders, pursuant to which NCF merged with and into our subsidiary, with NCF continuing as the surviving company and as our wholly-owned subsidiary (the “Merger”).

On November 6, 2018, we completed a tender offer, funded with the proceeds then held in the Trust Account, in connection with an amendment to our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to extend the deadline (the “Extension Amendment”) by which a business combination must be consummated to April 23, 2019 (the “Extended Date”), pursuant to which we intend to be in the international maritime shipping industry, and which we refer to throughout this annual report as our initial business combination. While we may pursue one or more acquisition opportunities in various sectors of the international maritime shipping industry, in the event that we find opportunities in one or more different sectors that are more compelling than other sectors, including unrelated to the shipping industry, we may pursue those opportunities.

On July 11, 2016, our sponsor purchased 4,312,50012,999,350 Class BA common shares (founder shares)at $10.125 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or $0.006 per share, of which 519,225 were subsequently forfeited by our sponsor on January 3, 2017, inapproximately $131.6 million (the “Extension Tender Offer”). In connection with our initial public offering (discussed below).  Prior this initial investment in us,the Extension Tender Offer, we had no assets, tangible or intangible.
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On November 23, 2016, we consummated our initial public offering of 15,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit, anddeposited into the Trust Account an additional $1,896,637.50 to make the total amount on December 16, 2016, the underwritersdeposit in the IPO exercised their optionTrust Account equal to purchase an additional 173,100 units at the public offering price.  Our units commenced trading on NASDAQ on November 18, 2016, and on January 9, 2017, the Class A common shares and warrants underlying the units sold in the IPO began to trade separately. Each unit issued in the IPO consists of one$10.125 per Class A common share (the “First Tender Contribution”). The First Tender Contribution was funded by a combination of cash on hand held outside the Trust Account and one-halfa loan to us from our Sponsor in the principal amount of one warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A common share$500,000 and which bears interest at LIBOR plus 0.60%.

On March 19, 2019, we completed a price of $11.50.  As a result of the underwriters' partial exercise of the overallotment option, on January 3, 2017, our sponsor forfeited 519,225 Class B common shares (founder shares)tender offer in order to maintain its ownership interest in us, on an as-converted basis, at 20% of our issued and outstanding common shares.

In connection with our IPO, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 3,356,413 private placement warrants at $1.50 per warrant in private placement transactions, generating gross proceeds of $5,034,620. If we do not complete our initial business combinationthe Business Combination. Based upon information provided by November 23, 2018 (the date which is 24 months from the closing of our IPO) the private placement warrants will expire worthless. The private placement warrants are non-redeemable and exercisable on a cashless basis, provided that such cashless exercise is permitted under the laws of our corporate jurisdiction, so long as they are held by their initial purchasers or their permitted transferees (except as otherwise described herein). If the private placement warrants are held by holders other than their initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the private placement warrants are redeemable by us and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the warrants included in the units sold in the IPO.
The 15,173,100 units sold in the IPO, including the 173,100 units sold pursuant to the overallotment option, were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $151,731,000, which has been deposited into a segregated trust account located at KBC Bank in Belgium, with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, actingthe depositary for the Offer, as trusteeof the expiration date, a total of 1,926,021 Class A common shares were validly tendered and not properly withdrawn. All such Class A common shares were accepted for purchase. Accordingly, the Company purchased all such Class A common shares at the purchase price of $10.215 per Class A common share, for a total purchase price of $19,674,304.52, excluding fees and expenses related to the Offer.

On March 21, 2019, the Merger closed. The aggregate consideration provided by us to the NCF Stockholders pursuant to the Merger Agreement consists of: (i) 200,000,000 Class A common shares (the “Closing Payment Shares”), of which 15,000,000 Class A common shares were deposited into escrow to secure certain indemnification obligations of NCF and the NCF Stockholders (the “Escrow Shares”), plus (ii) earnout payments consisting of up to an additional 50,000,000 Class A common shares if we (and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) meet certain financial performance targets for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years.

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History of NCF

NCF Wealth Group commenced its online finance marketplace business in China in July 2013. NCF Wealth Holdings Limited was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, or the BVI, as the holding company in December 2011.

Mr. Zhang Zhenxin established Frontier Financial Rental Co., Ltd. In December 2011, which was renamed to First P2P Limited in August 2014, and renamed again to NCF Wealth Holdings Limited in November 2015.

NCF Wealth Holdings Limited established State Ace Limited, Zhan Yang Limited and Tall Lead Limited in the BVI in October 2015. State Ace Limited and Zhan Yang Limited established NCF International Limited and NCF Development (HK) Co., Limited, respectively, in Hong Kong in November 2015 for overseas business. NCF International Limited acquired Shanghai NCF Puhui Business Consulting Co., Ltd. in October 2018.

In addition, NCF Wealth Holdings Limited established UCF Huarong Investment (HK) Co., Limited in December 2011, which further established two wholly owned subsidiaries, namely Beijing NCF Financial Service Information Technology Co., Ltd. and Beijing NCF Cloud Service Information Technology Co., Ltd. in April 2014 and January 2016, respectively, for business within China.

Beijing NCF Financial Service Information Technology Co., Ltd. acquired Shenzhen Yifang Yurong Financial Information Science and Technology Co., Ltd. in August 2018. Beijing NCF Cloud Service Information Technology Co., Ltd. acquired Beijing Yinghua Wealth Investment Management Trust Agreement, orHoldings Co., Ltd. in May 2018. Beijing Yinghua Wealth Investment Management Holdings Co., Ltd. has two subsidiaries, which are Shenzhen Yingxin Fund Sales Co., Ltd. established in December 2015, and Shanghai Cenmu Business Information Consulting Co., Ltd. established in January 2017.

Beijing NCF Financial Service Information Technology Co., Ltd. and Beijing Oriental Union Investment Management Limited Liability Company signed the trust account, pending our completion of an initial business combination. The trust account contains $5,310,585VIE agreements in September 2014. Beijing Oriental Union Investment Management Limited Liability Company is the principal operating entity of the underwriter's compensation which will be paid to them onlyP2P business of NCF Wealth Group. Beijing Jing Xun Shi Dai Technology Co., Ltd. was acquired in 2016 and stays in the event of an initial business combination. UnlessNCF group from then. Beijing NCF Cloud Service Information Technology Co., Ltd. and until we complete our initial business combination, no proceeds heldBeijing Jing Xun Shi Dai Technology Co., Ltd signed the VIE agreements in January 2018. Beijing Jing Xun Shi Dai Technology Co., Ltd. is the trust account will be available for our use, except for the withdrawal of investment earnings to pay our income taxes and working capital expenses. The remaining net proceedsprincipal operating entity of the IPO held outsideonline platform of NCF Wealth Group. Beijing Jing Xun Shi Dai Technology Co., Ltd. acquired Xin Zu (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd. in February 2018.

Beijing Jing Xun Shi Dai Technology Limited Liability Company operates the website www.ncfwx.com, and Beijing Oriental Union Investment Management Limited Liability Company operates the website www.firstp2p.cn. Each of Beijing Oriental Union Investment Management Limited Liability Company, Beijing Jing Xun Shi Dai Technology Co., Ltd., Xin Zu (Beijing) Science and Technology Co., Ltd. has obtained an ICP license as an internet information provider.

Where to find additional information

We are subject to the periodic reporting and other informational requirements of the trust accountExchange Act as applicable to foreign private issuers. Under the Exchange Act, we are availablerequired to be used by usfile reports and other information with the SEC. Specifically, we are required to provide for business, legalfile annually a Form 20-F no later than four months after the close of each fiscal year, which is December 31. The SEC maintains a web site atwww.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and accounting due diligence on prospective acquisitionsinformation statements, and continuing general and administrative expenses.

At or promptly followingother information regarding registrants that make electronic filings with the completion of our initial business combination,SEC using its EDGAR system. As a foreign private issuer, we will use our best efforts to transfer our corporate domicileare exempt from the Marshall Islands to Belgium, which requires our shareholders' approval under Belgian lawrules of the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and compliance with other applicable legal requirements, or another jurisdiction that is acceptable to our sponsor. We have agreed with our sponsor, among other things, not to complete the initial business combination if we are unable to obtain such shareholder approval, subject to waiver by our sponsor in its sole discretion. Our sponsorcontent of quarterly reports and members of our management team have agreed to vote any common shares owned by them in favor of such transfer of our corporate domicile.
Our address is c/o MI Management Company, Trust Company Complex, Suite 206, Ajeltake Road, P.O. Box 3055, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960. We have offices at De Gerlachekaai 20, BE 2000 Antwerp, Belgiumproxy statements, and our telephone number at that address is 011-323-247-59-11.
B.Business Overview
Business Strategy
Our business strategy is to identifyexecutive officers, directors and complete our initial business combination to form an ownerprincipal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and operator of shipping vessels.  We believe that the shipping industry, and particularly the drybulk sectorshort-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the shipping industry, presents attractive opportunities for consolidation and growth and a favorable area in which to consummate a business combination transaction. WhileExchange Act. In addition, we may pursue one or more acquisition opportunities in various sectors of the shipping industry, in the event that we find opportunities in one or more different sectors that are more compelling than other sectors, including unrelated to the shipping industry, we may pursue those opportunities.
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Our executive officers and directors have extensive experience in the shipping and transportation industries as managers, principals or directors of major worldwide shipping companies, where they have sourced, negotiated and structured transactions.
Our executive officers and directors have been involved in the sale and purchase of approximately five hundred vessels throughout their careers, and have built and currently maintain networks of relationships with some of the world's most highly regarded vessel charterers, including major oil and gas companies, mining companies and steel companies. We plan to apply those skills and experience to identify and generate vessel acquisition opportunities, which may include purchasing vessels and acquiring vessels by chartering them into our fleet from their owners. These relationships also include, among other sources, executives and board members at public and private companies, private equity and venture capital firms, banks, financial and legal consultants, investment bankers, attorneys, brokers and accountants.
While we do not have any contractual arrangement with the CMB Group to assist us in identifying and analyzing potential target assets and businesses, we have access to some of its resources, such as financial and accounting personnel who will serve us under an administrative services agreement, which may assist us in evaluating these targets.
Our executive officers currently intend, but are not required under the Exchange Act to stay involved in our management following our initial business combination. The roles that they will fulfill will dependfile periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act. We maintain a website at ir.ncfwealth.com.

Nasdaq Compliance

Oursecurities were listed on the type of business with whichNasdaq Capital Market, although they are currently suspended from trading. On July 23, 2018, we combine and the specific skills and depth of the target's management. If one or more of our executive officers remain with us inreceived a management role following our initial business combination, we may enter into employment or other compensation agreements with them, the terms of which have not been determined.

We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after the initial business combination. The ability of management to retain their positions with us may influence our management's motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination.
Significant Activities Since Inception
On April 26, 2017, we entered into definitive agreements to acquire five identified Capesize vessels for an aggregate purchase price of $139.4 million in cash, which we intended would constitute our initial business combination, which we refer to as the "Proposed Acquisition." In connection with and subject to the Proposed Acquisition, on April 27, 2017, we commenced a tender offer to provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shareswritten notice from the cash available from the trust account. On June 12, 2017, the tender offer and Proposed Acquisition were terminated because certain conditionsListing Qualifications Department of Nasdaq indicating that we are not in compliance with Listing Rule 5550(a)(3), which requires us to their consummation were not satisfied, including the condition that no more than 8,233,100 public shares shall have been tendered at the expiration dateleast of the tender offer.
Our Management Team
We believe that the skills and experience of our management team, having close to 100 years of combined experience, will be crucial to consummating a successful business combination. We believe that our management team, together, has unparalleled experience in acquiring assets in various sectors of the shipping industry, building some of the world's most highly regarded shipping companies, and raising capital in the capital markets and commercial bank markets, as well as from private equity sources.
Our sponsor is controlled by members of the Saverys family. The Saverys family has had a continuous presence in the shipping industry since the early nineteenth century. The Saverys family owned a shipyard which was founded in 1829, owned and operated various shipowning companies since the 1960s, and acquired the CMB Group in 1991. The CMB Group is active in three shipping sectors and in aviation. Bocimar International NV, or Bocimar, a subsidiary of the CMB Group, is a leading international owner and operator of drybulk vessels. The Saverys family is the CMB Group's sole shareholder.
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The Chairman of our board of directors, Marc Saverys, is an executive director and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CMB Group. Alexander Saverys, our Chief Executive Officer and a director, serves as executive director and the managing director of the CMB Group. Ludovic Saverys, our Chief Financial Officer and a director, serves as an executive director and a member of the executive committee of the CMB Group. In addition, Benoit Timmermans, our Chief Commercial Officer and a director, is an executive director and member of the executive committee of the CMB Group.
In addition, Marc Saverys, our Chairman, is one of the major300 shareholders of Euronav NV (NYSE: EURN), or Euronav, and our Chief Financial Officer, Ludovic Saverys, is a director of Euronav, which completed its initial public offering andfor continued listing on the New York Stock Exchange in early 2015.
The above-described experience of our officers and directors is notexchange (the “Minimum Shareholders Rule”). On September 13, 2018, we submitted to Nasdaq a full and complete list of all transactions that they have been involved with. They also have been involved in other transactions of varying size and complexity, and, therefore there can be no assurance that management's previous involvement in such representative large and complex transaction will be indicative of the consummation of a business combination or our future success. In particular, we cannot guarantee (i) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or (ii) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record of our management's performance as indicative of our future performance. None of our officers or directors has any past experience with any blank check companies or special purpose acquisition companies.
In addition, certain of our executive officers and directors participate in business activities not associated with us, including serving as members of the management team of the CMB Group, and are not required to devote their full business time to our affairs. This may create conflicts of interest in matters involving or affecting us, and it is not certain that any of these conflicts of interest will be resolved in our favor. Please see "Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors."
Summary of the International Shipping Industry
The shipping industry provides a practical and cost-effective means of transporting large volumes of cargoes. This is accomplished predominantly by the dry bulk and tanker sectors, while other related sectors tend to be specialized. The dry bulk sector involves the transportation of dry bulk and general cargoes, including, among other products, coal, minerals, ore, steel products, forest products, agricultural products, construction materials and heavy equipment, machinery and spare parts via dry bulk cargo vessels. The tanker sector involves the transportation of wet products such as crude oil, refined petroleum cargoes and liquid chemicals via different types of tankers. Related sectors comprise, but are not limited to, the operation of vessels such as containerships, liquefied gas carriers and offshore supply and anchor-handling vessels.
Shipping Vessels
We may seek to acquire newbuilding or secondhand vessels, one or more companies with agreements to purchase newbuilding or secondhand vessels, one or more companies that already own or operate vessels, a number of such companies as a group or one or more entities that provides commercial management, operational and technical management or other services to one or more segments of the shipping industry. Prices for newbuilding and secondhand vessels vary widely depending on the type, quality, age and discounted future earnings. A potential target business might be a holding company, the sole assets of which are one or more agreements to acquire individual vessels. If we acquire such a company, we will need to retain current management, seek to retain new management or outsource the commercial and technical management of the vessels by contracting with a shipping company engaged in this business. If we were to acquire secondhand vessels or one or more companies with agreements to purchase individual secondhand vessels, we would be subject to risks resulting from being a start-up shipping company, such as the inability to quickly develop the infrastructure and hire the seafarers and land-based administrative and management personnel necessary to effectively manage and operate the business. In addition, we might have to begin our operations without advance bookings of charters, which could lead such vessels initially to have a higher than industry standard number of idle days until such time as we establish business relations. Moreover, if we were to acquire vessels that are newbuildings or one or more companies with agreements to purchase newbuildings, we would likely have to wait a considerable period of time prior to the delivery to us of the newbuildings, during which time we will have no earnings. Finally, one or more of our vessels may require modifications or upgrades for us to place them in service. As such, we may own vessels that are not engaged in revenue producing activities for some time after we acquire them. Our inability to manage such risks could, in such event, impair our operations. See "Risk Factors—Risks Associated with the Shipping Industry—If we were to acquire vessels, a company that owns vessels or a company with agreements to purchase vessels, we may be subject to risks resulting from being a start-up shipping company."
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In addition, if we elected to purchase one or more individual vessels, financial information that we provide at any time, whether in connection with obtaining approval for our initial business combination, if required, or otherwise, will likely not contain historical financial information with respect to such vessels. Rather, such information would consist of the same information that would typically be provided by shipping industry issuers, such as: (i) historical and prevailing market rates for vessels on the basis of type, age and proposed employment; (ii) our expectations of future market trends and proposed strategy for employment of the vessels; (iii) our anticipated operational (overhead) expenses; and (iv) the valuation of the vessels as assets generally (for example, whether they are newbuildings or secondhand and the type of vessel), all of which, in turn, depend on the sector in which we consummate such a business combination.
Dry bulk sector
Dry bulk vessels are used to transport commodities and raw materials, such as iron ore, minerals, grains, forest products, fertilizers, coking and steam coal, that are carried in the vessel's holds, rather than in a container in the case of container vessels. The dry bulk sector can be divided into six major vessel categories with reference to size. We may explore acquisitions of either vessels and/or one or more operating companies that are focused on these segments of the dry bulk sector, including:
·
Handysize. The smallest of the dry bulk carrier vessels, with cargo capacity up to 40,000 deadweight tons, or dwt. These vessels are used mainly for regional voyages, are extremely versatile and can be used in smaller ports that lack infrastructure. These vessels are equipped with onboard cranes that allow for the loading and unloading of cargo.
·
Handymax. Versatile vessels that are dispersed in various geographic locations throughout the world. Handymax vessels typically have cargo capacity of 40,000 to 65,000 dwt, and are primarily used to transport grains, forest products and fertilizers. Like Handysize vessels, Handymax vessels are equipped with onboard cranes.
·
Panamax. Vessels with cargo capacity typically between 65,000 and 85,000 dwt. Panamax vessels are used for various long-distance trade routes, including those that traverse the old Panama Canal. These vessels typically carry cargoes consisting of coal, grains, fertilizers, steel and forest products.
·
Post-Panamax. Vessels with cargo capacity typically between 85,000 and 120,000 dwt.
·
Capesize. Vessels with typical cargo capacity between 120,000 and 220,000 dwt. Capesize vessels are used primarily for one-way voyages with cargoes consisting of iron ore and coal. Due to the size of the vessels, there are only a few ports around the world that have the infrastructure to accommodate them.
·
Very Large Ore Carriers, or VLOCs. The largest of the dry bulk carrier vessels, with typical cargo capacity between 220,000 and 400,000 dwt. VLOCs are a comparatively new sector of the dry bulk carrier fleet. These vessels are built to exploit economies of scale on long-haul iron ore routes.
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Tanker sector
The world tanker fleet is divided into two primary categories—crude oil and product tankers. Tanker charterers transporting wet cargoes will typically charter the appropriate-sized tanker based on the length of journey, cargo size and port and canal restrictions. Crude oil tankers are typically larger than product tankers. The four major tanker categories from smallest to largest cargo capacity are:
·
Product. Tanker vessels with cargo capacity typically less than 60,000 dwt. Product tankers are capable of carrying refined petroleum products, such as fuel oils, gasoline and jet fuel, as well as various edible oils, such as vegetable and palm oil.
·
Aframax. Tanker vessels with cargo capacity typically from 80,000 to 120,000 dwt. These tankers carry crude oil and serve various trade routes from short to medium distances mainly in the North Sea and Venezuela. These vessels are able to enter a larger number of ports throughout the world as compared to larger crude oil tankers.
·
Suezmax. Tanker vessels with cargo capacity typically from 120,000 to 200,000 dwt. These vessels are used in some of the fastest growing oil producing regions of the world, including the Caspian Sea and West Africa. Suezmax tankers are the largest ships able to traverse the Suez Canal with a full payload, and are capable of both long- and short-haul voyages.
·
Very Large Crude Carriers, or VLCCs. Tanker vessels that are used to transport crude oil with cargo capacity typically from 200,000 to 320,000 dwt and that are more than 300 meters in length. The majority of the world's crude oil is transported via VLCCs.
Container sector
Container vessels transport finished and semi-finished goods that are shipped in containers. A container is an internationally standardized packing box for cargo by road, rail or sea. The different sizes of containers have been fixed by the International Organization of Standardization.
Container vessels are sized according to the number of containers that they can carry and whether the vessels can traverse the Panama Canal or Suez Canal. "TEU" refers to the maximum number of twenty-foot long containers that can be placed on board a vessel. The five major container vessel categories, from smallest to largest cargo capacity, are as follows:
·
Feeder. Container vessels with cargo capacity typically below 1,000 TEU.
·
Handysize. Container vessels with cargo capacity typically from 1,000 up to approximately 3,000 TEU.
·
Medium-sized containerships. Container vessels with cargo capacity typically from 3,000 up to approximately 8,000 TEU.
·
Neo-Panamax. Container vessels with cargo capacity typically from 8,000 up to approximately 12,000 TEU.
·
Post-Panamax. Container vessels with cargo capacity typically above 12,000 TEU. These container vessels are currently unable to go through the new Panama Canal.
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LNG carrier sector
LNG carriers transport liquefied natural gas, or LNG, internationally between liquefaction facilities and import terminals. After natural gas is transported by pipeline from production fields to a liquefaction facility, it is supercooled to a temperature of approximately negative 162 degrees Celsius. This process reduces its volume to approximately 1/600th of its volume in a gaseous state. The reduced volume facilitates economical storage and transportation by vessels over long distances, enabling countries with limited natural gas reserves or limited access to long-distance transmission pipelines to meet their demand for natural gas. LNG carriers include a sophisticated containment system that holds and insulates the LNG so it maintains its liquid form. The LNG is transported overseas in specially built tanks on double-hulled ships to a receiving terminal, where it is offloaded and stored in heavily insulated tanks. In regasification facilities at the receiving terminal, the LNG is returned to its gaseous state (or regasified) and then shipped by pipeline for distribution to natural gas customers.
The LNG market includes private and state-controlled energy and utilities companies that generally operate captive fleets and independent ship owners and operators. Many major energy companies compete directly with independent owners by transporting LNG for third parties in addition to transporting their own LNG. Given the complex, long-term nature of LNG projects, major energy companies historically have transported LNG through their captive fleets. However, independent fleet operators have been obtaining an increasing percentage of charters for new or expanded LNG projects as major energy companies have continued to divest their non-core businesses.
LPG carrier sector
LPG carriers are vessels that can transport liquid petroleum gas, or LPG, and petrochemical gas, as well as ammonia. LPG is produced as a byproduct of crude oil refining and natural gas production, and is primarily used as fuel for transportation, residential and commercial heating and cooking, and as a feedstock for the production of petrochemicals. Petrochemical gas is used in the production of a vast array of chemicals and new production technologies that allow plastic to displace metal, cotton, wood and other materials in an increasing number of end-user products. LPG products are divided into three categories:
·Liquid petroleum gas, consisting mainly of butane and propane, is carried in fully-pressurized vessels. These gases are used for cooking, as fuel for cars, as fuel in refineries, as chemical feedstock for industrial and power plant fuels and at gas utilities.
·Petrochemical gases that are traded as butadiene, propylene and vinyl chloride monomer, and ethylene, which are carried in semi-refrigerated ships, since they require refrigeration to minus 104 degrees Celsius to be transported in liquefied form. These petrochemical gases are primarily used in the plastics manufacturing industry.
·Ammonia, which is carried in fully-refrigerated vessels, is mainly used in the fertilizer industry and as a feedstock in the petrochemical industry.
·There are three main types of LPG carriers, classified according to method of liquefaction:
·
Fully-pressurized carriers. These carriers liquefy their cargoes at ambient temperatures under high pressure of up to 17 bar (kg/cm2), are generally small vessels of under 8,000 cubic meters, or cbm. The majority of these vessels are less than 5,000 cbm.
·
Semi-refrigerated carriers. These carriers liquefy their cargoes under a combination of pressure and refrigeration to temperatures down to minus 48 degrees Celsius and pressure up to 9 bar (kg/cm2). Certain semi-refrigerated carriers with gas plants are able to cool cargoes further to minus 104 degrees Celsius and are referred to as ethylene carriers. The majority of these vessels are less than 20,000 cbm.
·
Fully-refrigerated carriers. These carriers can liquefy their cargoes at or under their boiling temperatures down to approximately minus 48 degrees Celsius at atmospheric pressure with onboard compressors. These vessels are typically 22,000 cbm and larger and also carry clean petroleum products such as naphtha.
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Related sectors
Related sectors in which we might seek a business combination include, but are not limited to, offshore drilling platforms, supply vessels, service vessels and anchor handlers that perform various functions related to the supply and maintenance of offshore drilling platforms.
Shipping services sector
Instead of acquiring individual vessels, offshore drilling platforms and related offshore support vessels, and/or a company or companies owning or operating such vessels or platforms, we may seek to acquire service businesses engaged in, among other activities, operational management, brokerage, maintenance and technical support. Service businesses we may seek to acquire would typically be engaged in:
·Technical management services, such as crew retention and training, maintenance, repair, capital expenditures, drydocking, payment of vessel tonnage tax, maintaining insurance and other vessel operating activities; or
·Commercial management services, such as finding employment for vessels, vessel acquisition and disposition, freight and charter hire collection, accounts control, appointment of agents, bunkering and cargo claims handling and settlements.
We may also seek to acquire a company actively engaged in the contract of affreightment market. A contract of affreightment, or COA, is a service contract under which a vessel owner agrees to transport multiple cargoes, at a specified rate per ton, between designated loading and discharge ports. A COA does not designate any particular vessel but does require a specified amount of cargo to be carried during the term of the COA, which usually spans a number of months or years. A COA arrangement also provides flexibility in that both the contract and the cargo may also be re-let to other parties, allowing the COA holder effectively to "trade" its paper contract as well as the cargo subject to such contract.
Government Regulations Related to the Shipping Industry
Government laws and regulation significantly affect the ownership and operation of vessels including international conventions, treaties, and national, state and local laws and regulations in force in the countries in which vessels operate or are registered relating to safety and health and environmental protection including the storage, handling, emission, transportation and discharge of hazardous and non-hazardous materials, and the remediation of contamination and liability for damage to natural resources. Compliance with such laws, regulations and other requirements entails significant expense, including vessel modifications and implementation of certain operating procedures.
A variety of government and private entities subject vessels to both scheduled and unscheduled inspections. These entities include the local port authorities (applicable national authorities, such as the United States Coast Guard, or the USCG, harbor master or equivalent), classification societies, flag state administrations (countries of registry) and charterers, particularly terminal operators. Certain of these entities require vessel owners to obtain permits, licenses, certificates and other authorizations for the operation of their vessels. Failureplan to maintain necessary permits or approvals could require a vessel owner to incur substantial costs or result in the temporary suspensionour Nasdaq listing. Nasdaq accepted our plan and granted us an extension of the operation of one or more of its vessels.
We believe that the heightened level of environmental and quality concerns among insurance underwriters, regulators and charterers is leading to greater inspection and safety requirements on all vessels and may accelerate the scrapping of older vessels throughout the industry. Increasing environmental concerns have created a demand for vessels that conform to the stricter environmental standards. Vessel owners are required to maintain operating standards for all vessels that will emphasize operational safety, quality maintenance, continuous training of officers and crews and compliance with United States and international regulations. However, because these laws and regulations are frequently changed and may impose increasingly stricter requirements, we cannot predict the ultimate cost of complying with these requirements, or the impact of these requirements on our proposed business.
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It should be noted that the United States is currently experiencing changes in its environmental policy, the results of which have yet to be fully determined. For example, in April 2017, the U.S. President signed an executive order regarding environmental regulations, specifically targeting the U.S. offshore energy strategy, which may affect parts of the maritime industry. Furthermore, recent action by the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization, or the IMO, and United States agencies indicate that cybersecurity regulations for the maritime industry are likely to be further developed in the near future in an attempt to combat cybersecurity threats. For example, cyber-risk management systems must be incorporated by ship-owners and managers by 2021. This might cause companies to cultivate additional procedures for monitoring cybersecurity, which could require additional expenses and/or capital expenditures. However, the impact of such regulations is hard to predict at this time.
Environmental Regulations
International Maritime Organization
The IMO, the United Nations agency for maritime safety and the prevention of pollution by vessels, has adopted the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution180 calendar days from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, collectively referred to as MARPOL 73/78 and herein as "MARPOL," adopted the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea of 1974, or the SOLAS Convention, and the International Convention on Load Lines of 1966, or the LL Convention.  MARPOL establishes environmental standards relating to oil leakage or spilling, garbage management, sewage, air emissions, handling and disposal of noxious liquids and the handling of harmful substances in packaged forms.  MARPOL is applicable to drybulk, tanker and LPG carriers, among other vessels, and is broken into six Annexes, each of which regulates a different source of pollution. Annex I relates to oil leakage or spilling; Annexes II and III relate to harmful substances carried, in bulk, in liquid or in packaged form, respectively; Annexes IV and V relate to sewage and garbage management, respectively; and Annex VI, lastly, relates to air emissions. Annex VI was separately adopted by the IMO in September of 1997.
In 2012, the IMO's Marine Environmental Protection Committee, or the MEPC, adopted a resolution amending the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk, or the IBC Code. The provisions of the IBC Code are mandatory under MARPOL and the SOLAS Convention. These amendments, which entered into force in June 2014, pertain to revised international certificates of fitness for the carriage of dangerous chemicals in bulk and identifying new products that fall under the IBC Code.
In 2013, the IMO's Marine Environmental Protection Committee, or the MEPC, adopted a resolution amending MARPOL Annex I Condition Assessment Scheme, or CAS. These amendments became effective on October 1, 2014, and require compliance with the 2011 International Code on the Enhanced Programme of Inspections during Surveys of Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers, which provides for enhanced inspection programs.
Air Emissions
In September of 1997, the IMO adopted Annex VI to MARPOL to address air pollution from vessels. Effective May 2005, Annex VI sets limits on sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from all commercial vessel exhausts and prohibits "deliberate emissions" of ozone depleting substances (such as halons and chlorofluorocarbons), emissions of volatile compounds from cargo tanks, and the shipboard incineration of specific substances. Annex VI also includes a global cap on the sulfur content of fuel oil and allows for special areas to be established with more stringent controls on sulfur emissions, as explained below. Emissions of "volatile organic compounds" from certain tankers, and the shipboard incineration (from incinerators installed after January 1, 2000) of certain substances (such as polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs) are also prohibited.
The IMO's Marine Environmental Protection Committee, or MEPC, adopted amendments to Annex VI regarding emissions of sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter and ozone depleting substances, which entered into force on July 1, 2010. The amended Annex VI seeks to further reduce air pollution by, among other things, implementing a progressive reduction of the amount of sulfur contained in any fuel oil used on board ships. On October 27, 2016, at its 70th session, the MEPC agreed to implement a global 0.50% m/m sulfur oxide emissions limit (reduced from the current 3.50%) starting from January 1, 2020. This limitation can be met by using low-sulfur complaint fuel oil, alternative fuels, or certain exhaust gas cleaning systems. Once the cap becomes effective, ships will be required to obtain bunker delivery notes and International Air Pollution Prevention Certificates from their flag states that specify sulfur content. This subjects ocean-going vessels to stringent emissions controls, and may cause shipowners to incur additional costs.
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Sulfur content standards are even stricter within certain Emission Control Areas, or ECAs. As of January 1, 2015, ships operating within an ECA were not permitted to use fuel with sulfur content in excess of 0.1%. Amended Annex VI establishes procedures for designating new ECAs. Currently, the IMO has designated four ECAs, including specified portions of the Baltic Sea area, the North Sea area, the North American area and the United States Caribbean area. Ocean-going vessels in these areas will be subject to stringent emission controls. If other ECAs are approved by the IMO, or other new or more stringent requirements relating to emissions from marine diesel engines or port operations by vessels are adopted by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, or the EPA, or the states where we may operate, compliance with these regulations could entail significant capital expenditures or otherwise increase the costs of operations.
Amended Annex VI also establishes new tiers of stringent nitrogen oxide emissions standards for marine diesel engines, depending on their date of installation. At the MEPC meeting held from March to April 2014, amendments to Annex VI were adopted which address the date on which Tier III Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) standards in ECAs will go into effect.  Under the amendments, Tier III NOx standards apply to ships that operate in the North American and United States Caribbean Sea ECAs designed for the control of NOx with a marine diesel engine installed and constructed on or after January 1, 2016.  Tier III requirements could apply to areas that will be designated for Tier III NOx in the future. At MEPC 70 and MEPC 71, the MEPC approved the North Sea and Baltic Sea as ECAs for nitrogen oxide for ships built after January 1, 2021. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency promulgated equivalent (and in some senses stricter) emissions standards in late 2009.  As a result of these designations or similar future designations, we may be required to incur additional operating or other costs.
As determined at the MEPC 70, the new Regulation 22A of MARPOL Annex VI is effective as of March 1, 2018 and requires ships above 5,000 gross tonnage to collect and report annual data on fuel oil consumption to an IMO database, with the first year of data collection commencing on January 1, 2019.
As of January 1, 2013, MARPOL made mandatory certain measures relating to energy efficiency for ships. All ships are now required to develop and implement Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plans and new ships must be designed in compliance with minimum energy efficiency levels per capacity mile as defined by the Energy Efficiency Design Index.  Under these measures, by 2025, all new ships built will be 30% more energy efficient than those built in 2014.
We may incur costs to comply with these revised standards, and additional or new conventions, laws and regulations may be adopted that could require the installation of expensive emission control systems.
Safety Management System Requirements
The SOLAS Convention was amended to address the safe manning of vessels and emergency training drills.  The Convention of Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, or the LLMC, sets limitations of liability for a loss of life or personal injury claim or a property claim against ship owners.
The operation of vessels is also subject to environmental standards and requirements under Chapter IX of the SOLAS Convention, or the International Safety Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention, or the ISM Code. The ISM Code requires the party with operational control of a vessel to develop an extensive safety management system that includes, among other things, the adoption of a safety and environmental protection policy setting forth instructions and procedures for operating its vessels safely and describing procedures for responding to emergencies. The failure of a vessel owner or bareboat charterer to comply with the ISM Code may subject such party to increased liability, may decrease available insurance coverage for the affected vessels and may result in a denial of access to, or detention in, certain ports.
The ISM Code requires that vessel operators obtain a safety management certificate for each vessel they operate. This certificate evidences compliance by a vessel's management with the ISM Code requirements for a safety management system. No vessel can obtain a safety management certificate unless its manager has been awarded a document of compliance, issued by each flag state, under the ISM Code.
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Regulation II-1/3-10 of the SOLAS Convention governs ship construction and stipulates that ships over 150 meters in length must have adequate strength, integrity and stability to minimize risk of loss or pollution. Goal-based standards amendments in SOLAS regulation II-1/3-10 entered into force in 2012, with July 1, 2016 set for application to new oil tankers and bulk carriers.   The SOLAS Convention regulation II-1/3-10 on goal-based ship construction standards for bulk carriers and oil tankers, which entered into force on January 1, 2012, requires that all oil tankers and bulk carriers of 150 meters in length and above, for which the building contract is placed on or after July 1, 2016, satisfy applicable structural requirements conforming to the functional requirements of the International Goal-based Ship Construction Standards for Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers (GBS Standards).
Amendments to the SOLAS Convention Chapter VII apply to vessels transporting dangerous goods and require those vessels be in compliance with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, or the IMDG Code. Effective January 1, 2018, the IMDG Code includes (1) updates to the provisions for radioactive material, reflecting the latest provisions from the International Atomic Energy Agency, (2) new marking, packing and classification requirements for dangerous goods, and (3) new mandatory training requirements.
The IMO has also adopted the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, or the STCW.  As of February 2017, all seafarers are required to meet the STCW standards and be in possession of a valid STCW certificate.  Flag states that have ratified SOLAS and STCW generally employ the classification societies, which have incorporated SOLAS and STCW requirements into their class rules, to undertake surveys to confirm compliance.
Pollution Control and Liability Requirements
The IMO has negotiated international conventions that impose liability for pollution in international waters and the territorial waters of the signatories to such conventions. For example, the IMO adopted an International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, or the BWM Convention, in 2004. The BWM Convention entered into force on September 9, 2017.  The BWM Convention requires ships to manage their ballast water to remove, render harmless, or avoid the uptake or discharge of new or invasive aquatic organisms and pathogens within ballast water and sediments.  The BWM Convention's implementing regulations call for a phased introduction of mandatory ballast water exchange requirements, to be replaced in time with mandatory concentration limits, and require all ships to carry a ballast water record book and an international ballast water management certificate.
On December 4, 2013, the IMO Assembly passed a resolution revising the application dates of the BWM Convention so that the dates are triggered by the entry into force date and not the dates originally in the BWM Convention.  This, in effect, makes all vessels delivered before the entry into force date "existing vessels" and allows for the installation of ballast water management systems on such vessels at the first International Oil Pollution Prevention, or IOPP, renewal survey following entry into force of the convention. The MEPC adopted updated guidelines for approval of ballast water management systems (G8) at MEPC 70. At MEPC 71, the schedule regarding the BWM Convention's implementation dates was also discussed and amendments were introduced to extend the date existing vessels are subject to certain ballast water standards.  Ships over 400 gross tons generally must comply with a "D-1 standard," requiring the exchange of ballast water only in open seas and away from coastal waters.  The "D-2 standard" specifies the maximum amount of viable organisms allowed to be discharged, and compliance dates vary depending on the IOPP renewal dates. Depending on the date of the IOPP renewal survey, existing vessels must complynotice, or until January 22, 2019, to evidence compliance with this rule. On January 24, 2019, we received a letter from Nasdaq stating that the D2 standard on or after September 8, 2019. For most ships,Company had failed to demonstrate compliance with the D2 standard will involve installing on-board systemsMinimum Shareholders Rule within the required time period and that, accordingly, the Nasdaq staff had initiated procedures to treat ballast waterdelist our Class A common shares, units and eliminate unwanted organisms.  Costs of compliance may be substantial.
Once mid-ocean ballast exchange or ballast water treatment requirements become mandatory underwarrants from Nasdaq. We subsequently appealed the BWM Convention, the cost of compliance could increase for ocean carriersdelisting determination, and, may be material. However, many countries already regulate the discharge of ballast water carried by vessels from countrysubsequent to country to prevent the introduction of invasivea February 28, 2019 hearing and harmful species via such discharges. The U.S., for example, requires vessels entering its waters from another country to conduct mid-ocean ballast exchange, or undertake some alternate measure, and to comply with certain reporting requirements.  The costs of compliance with a mandatory mid-ocean ballast exchange could be material.
The IMO adopted the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage of 1969, as amended by different Protocols in 1976, 1984, and 1992, and amended in 2000, or the CLC. Under the CLC and depending on whether the country in which the damage results is a party to the 1992 Protocol to the CLC, a vessel's registered owner may be strictly liable for pollution damage caused in the territorial waters of a contracting state by discharge of persistent oil, subject to certain exceptions.  The 1992 Protocol changed certain limits on liability expressed using the International Monetary Fund currency unit, the Special Drawing Rights. The limits on liability have since been amended so that the compensation limits on liabilityconditions, we were raised.  The right to limit liability is forfeited under the CLC where the spill is caused by the shipowner's actual fault and under the 1992 Protocol where the spill is caused by the shipowner's intentional or reckless act or omission where the shipowner knew pollution damage would probably result.  The CLC requires ships over 2,000 tons covered by it to maintain insurance covering the liability of the owner in a sum equivalent to an owner's liability for a single incident.
The IMO also adopted the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, or the Bunker Convention, to impose strict liability on ship owners (including the registered owner, bareboat charterer, manager or operator) for pollution damage in jurisdictional waters of ratifying states caused by discharges of bunker fuel. The Bunker Convention requires registered owners of ships over 1,000 gross tons to maintain insurance for pollution damage in an amount equal to the limits of liability under the applicable national or international limitation regime (but not exceeding the amount calculated in accordance with the LLMC).  With respect to non-ratifying states, liability for spills or releases of oil carried as fuel in ship's bunkers typically is determined by the national or other domestic laws in the jurisdiction where the events or damages occur.
Anti‑Fouling Requirements
In 2001, the IMO adopted the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti‑fouling Systems on Ships, or the Anti‑fouling Convention. The Anti‑fouling Convention, which entered into force on September 17, 2008, prohibits the use of organotin compound coatings to prevent the attachment of mollusks and other sea life to the hulls of vessels. Vessels of over 400 gross tons engaged in international voyages will also be required to undergo an initial survey before the vessel is put into service or before an International Anti‑fouling System Certificate is issued for the first time; and subsequent surveys when the anti‑fouling systems are altered or replaced.
Compliance Enforcement
Noncompliance with the ISM Code or other IMO regulations may subject the ship owner or bareboat charterer to increased liability, may lead to decreases in available insurance coverage for affected vessels and may result in the denial of access to, or detention in, some ports. The USCG and European Union authorities have indicated that vessels not in compliance with the ISM Code by applicable deadlines will be prohibited from trading in U.S. and European Union ports, respectively.  The IMO continues to review and introduce new regulations. It is impossible to predict what additional regulations, if any, may be passed by the IMO and what effect, if any, such regulations might have on our proposed business.
The U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
The U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990, or the OPA, established an extensive regulatory and liability regime for the protection and cleanup of the environment from oil spills. OPA affects all "owners and operators" whose vessels trade or operate with the U.S., its territories and possessions or whose vessels operate in U.S. waters, which includes the U.S.'s territorial sea and its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone around the U.S.  The U.S. has also enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, or CERCLA, which applies to the discharge of hazardous substances other than oil, except in limited circumstances, whether on land or at sea. OPA and CERCLA both define "owner and operator" in the case of a vessel as any person owning, operating or chartering by demise, the vessel.
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Under OPA, vessel owners and operators are "responsible parties" and are jointly, severally and strictly liable (unless the spill results solely from the act or omission of a third party, an act of God or an act of war) for all containment and clean-up costs and other damages arising from discharges or threatened discharges of oil from their vessels, including bunkers (fuel).  OPA defines these other damages broadly to include:
(i)          injury to, destruction or loss of, or loss of use of, natural resources and related assessment costs;
(ii)          injury to, or economic losses resulting from, the destruction of real and personal property;
(iv)          loss of subsistence use of natural resources that are injured, destroyed or lost;
(iii)          net loss of taxes, royalties, rents, fees or net profit revenues resulting from injury, destruction or loss of real or personal property, or natural resources;
(v)          lost profits or impairment of earning capacity due to injury, destruction or loss of real or personal property or natural resources; and
(vi)          net cost of increased or additional public services necessitated by removal activities following a discharge of oil, such as protection from fire, safety or health hazards, and loss of subsistence use of natural resources.
OPA contains statutory caps on liability and damages; such caps do not apply to direct cleanup costs.  Effective December 21, 2015, the USCG adjusted the limits of OPA liability for a tank vessel, other than a single-hull tank vessel, over 3,000 gross tons liability to the greater of $2,200 per gross ton or $18,796,800; and for non-tank vessels, edible oil tank vessels, and any oil spill response vessels, to the greater of $1,100 per gross ton or $939,800 (subject to periodic adjustment for inflation). These limits of liability do not apply if an incident was proximately caused by the violation of an applicable U.S. federal safety, construction or operating regulation by a responsible party (or its agent, employee or a person acting pursuant to a contractual relationship), or a responsible party's gross negligence or willful misconduct. The limitation on liability similarly does not apply if the responsible party fails or refuses to (i) report the incident where the responsibility party knows or has reason to know of the incident; (ii) reasonably cooperate and assist as requested in connection with oil removal activities; or (iii) without sufficient cause, comply with an order issued under the Federal Water Pollution Act (Section 311 (c), (e)) or the Intervention on the High Seas Act.
CERCLA contains a similar liability regime whereby owners and operators of vessels are liable for cleanup, removal and remedial costs, as well as damages for injury to, or destruction or loss of, natural resources, including the reasonable costs associated with assessing same, and health assessments or health effects studies. There is no liability if the discharge of a hazardous substance results solely from the act or omission of a third party, an act of God or an act of war. Liability under CERCLA is limited to the greater of $300 per gross ton or $5.0 million for vessels carrying a hazardous substance as cargo and the greater of $300 per gross ton or $500,000 for any other vessel. These limits do not apply (rendering the responsible person liable for the total cost of response and damages) if the release or threat of release of a hazardous substance resulted from willful misconduct or negligence, or the primary cause of the release was a violation of applicable safety, construction or operating standards or regulations.  The limitation on liability also does not apply if the responsible person fails or refused to provide all reasonable cooperation and assistance as requested in connection with response activities where the vessel is subject to OPA.
OPA and CERCLA each preserve the right to recover damages under existing law, including maritime tort law.  OPA and CERCLA both require owners and operators of vessels to establish and maintain with the USCG evidence of financial responsibility sufficientgranted until June 15, 2019 to meet the maximum amount of liability to which the particular responsible person may be subject. Vessel owners and operators may satisfy their financial responsibility obligations by providing a proof of insurance, a surety bond, qualification as a self-insurer or a guarantee.
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The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in additional regulatory initiatives or statutes, including the raising of liability caps under OPA, new regulations regarding offshore oil and gas drilling, and a pilot inspection program for offshore facilities.  However, the status of several of these initiatives and regulations is currently in flux.  For example, the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, or the BSEE, announced a new Well Control Rule inMinimum Shareholders Rule.

Subsequently, on April 2016, but pursuant to orders by the U.S. President in early 2017, the BSEE announced in August 2017 that this rule would be revised.  In January 2018, the U.S. President proposed leasing new sections of U.S. waters to oil and gas companies for offshore drilling, vastly expanding the U.S. waters that are available for such activity over the next five years.  The effects of the proposal are currently unknown. Compliance with any new requirements of OPA may substantially impact our cost of operations or require us to incur expenses to comply with any new regulatory initiatives or statutes. Additional legislation or regulations applicable to the operation of our vessels that may be implemented in the future could adversely affect our business.

OPA specifically permits individual states to impose their own liability regimes with regard to oil pollution incidents occurring within their boundaries, provided they accept, at a minimum, the levels of liability established under OPA and some states have enacted legislation providing for unlimited liability for oil spills.  Many U.S. states that border a navigable waterway have enacted environmental pollution laws that impose strict liability on a person for removal costs and damages resulting from a discharge of oil or a release of a hazardous substance.  These laws may be more stringent than U.S. federal law.  Moreover, some states have enacted legislation providing for unlimited liability for discharge of pollutants within their waters, although in some cases, states which have enacted this type of legislation have not yet issued implementing regulations defining tanker owners' responsibilities under these laws.
Other United States Environmental Initiatives
The U.S. Clean Air Act of 1970 (including its amendments of 1977 and 1990), or the CAA, requires the EPA to promulgate standards applicable to emissions of volatile organic compounds and other air contaminants. Some vessels may be subject to vapor control and recovery requirements for certain cargoes when loading, unloading, ballasting, cleaning and conducting other operations in regulated port areas. The CAA also requires states to draft State Implementation Plans, or SIPs, designed to attain national health-based air quality standards in each state. Although state-specific, SIPs may include regulations concerning emissions resulting from vessel loading and unloading operations by requiring the installation of vapor control equipment.
The U.S. Clean Water Act, or the CWA, prohibits the discharge of oil, hazardous substances and ballast water in U.S. navigable waters unless authorized by a duly-issued permit or exemption, and imposes strict liability in the form of penalties for any unauthorized discharges.  The CWA also imposes substantial liability for the costs of removal, remediation and damages and complements the remedies available under OPA and CERCLA.
The EPA and the USCG have also enacted rules relating to ballast water discharge, compliance with which requires the installation of equipment on our vessels to treat ballast water before it is discharged or the implementation of other port facility disposal arrangements or procedures at potentially substantial costs, and/or otherwise restrict our vessels from entering U.S. Waters.  The EPA requires a permit regulating ballast water discharges and other discharges incidental to the normal operation of certain vessels within United States waters under the Vessel General Permit for Discharges Incidental to the Normal Operation of Vessels, or the VGP. On March 28, 2013, the EPA re-issued the VGP for another five years24, 2019, we received notification from the effective date of December 19, 2013.  The 2013 VGP focuses on authorizing discharges incidentalNasdaq Hearings Panel (the “Panel”) that the Panel determined to operations of commercial vessels, and contains numeric ballast water discharge limits for most vessels to reduce the risk of invasive speciessuspend trading in U.S. waters, stringent requirements for exhaust gas scrubbers, and requirements for the use of environmentally acceptable lubricants. For a new vessel delivered to an owner or operator after December 19, 2013 to be covered by the VGP, the owner must submit a Notice of Intent, or the NOI, at least 30 days (or 7 days for eNOIs) before the vessel operates in United States waters.
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The USCG regulations adopted under the U.S. National Invasive Species Act, or the NISA, impose mandatory ballast water management practices for all vessels equipped with ballast water tanks entering or operating in U.S. waters, which require the installation of certain engineering equipment and water treatment systems to treat ballast water before it is discharged or the implementation of other port facility disposal arrangements or procedures, and/or may otherwise restrict our vessels from entering U.S. waters.  The USCG has implemented revised regulations on ballast water management by establishing standards on the allowable concentration of living organisms in ballast water discharged from ships in U.S. waters. As of January 1, 2014, vessels were technically subject to the phasing-in of these standards, and the USCG must approve any technology before it is placed on a vessel. The USCG first approved said technology in December 2016, and continues to review ballast water management systems. The USCG may also provide waivers to vessels that demonstrate why they cannot install the new technology.  The USCG has set up requirements for ships constructed before December 1, 2013 with ballast tanks trading with exclusive economic zones of the U.S. to install water ballast treatment systems as follows: (1) ballast capacity 1,500-5,000m3—first scheduled drydock after January 1, 2014; and (2) ballast capacity above 5,000m3—first scheduled drydock after January 1, 2016.
The EPA, on the other hand, has taken a different approach to enforcing ballast discharge standards under the VGP. On December 27, 2013, the EPA issued an enforcement response policy in connection with the new VGP in which the EPA indicated that it would take into account the reasons why vessels do not have the requisite technology installed, but will not grant any waivers.  In addition, through the CWA certification provisions that allow U.S. states to place additional conditions on the use of the VGP within state waters, a number of states have proposed or implemented a variety of stricter ballast requirements including, in some states, specific treatment standards.  Compliance with the EPA, USCG and state regulations could require the installation of equipment on our vessels to treat ballast water before it is discharged or the implementation of other port facility disposal arrangements or procedures at potentially substantial cost, or may otherwise restrict our vessels from entering U.S. waters.
Two recent United States court decisions should be noted.  First, in October 2015, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling that directed the EPA to redraft the sections of the 2013 VGP that address ballast water. However, the Second Circuit stated that 2013 VGP will remains in effect until the EPA issues a new VGP.  The effect of such redrafting remains unknown.  Second, on October 9, 2015, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the Waters of the United States rule (WOTUS), which aimed to expand the regulatory definition of "waters of the United States," pending further action of the court.  In response, regulations have continued to be implemented as they were prior to the stay on a case-by-case basis. In February 2017, the U.S. President issued an executive order directing the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers publish a proposed rule rescinding or revising the WOTUS rule.  In January 2018, the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers issued a final rule pursuant to the President's order, under which the Agencies will interpret the term "waters of the United States" to mean waters covered by the regulations, as they are currently being implemented, within the context of the Supreme Court decisions and agency guidance documents, until February 6, 2020.  Litigation regarding the status of the WOTUS rule is currently underway, and the effect of future actions in these cases upon our proposed business is unknown.
European Union Regulations
In October 2009, the European Union amended a directive to impose criminal sanctions for illicit ship-source discharges of polluting substances, including minor discharges, if committed with intent, recklessly or with serious negligence and the discharges individually or in the aggregate result in deterioration of the quality of water. Aiding and abetting the discharge of a polluting substance may also lead to criminal penalties. The directive applies to all types of vessels, irrespective of their flag, but certain exceptions apply to warships or where human safety or that of the ship is in danger. Criminal liability for pollution may result in substantial penalties or fines and increased civil liability claims.
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The European Union has adopted several regulations and directives requiring, among other things, more frequent inspections of high-risk ships, as determined by type, age, and flag as well as the number of times the ship has been detained. The European Union also adopted and extended a ban on substandard ships and enacted a minimum ban period and a definitive ban for repeated offenses. The regulation also provided the European Union with greater authority and control over classification societies, by imposing more requirements on classification societies and providing for fines or penalty payments for organizations that failed to comply. Furthermore, the EU has implemented regulations requiring vessels to use reduced sulfur content fuel for their main and auxiliary engines. The EU Directive 2005/33/EC (amending Directive 1999/32/EC) introduced requirements parallel to those in Annex VI relating to the sulfur content of marine fuels. In addition, the EU imposed a 0.1% maximum sulfur requirement for fuel used by ships at berth in EU ports.
International Labour Organization
The International Labor Organization, or the ILO, is a specialized agency of the UN that has adopted the Maritime Labor Convention 2006, or the MLC 2006. A Maritime Labor Certificate and a Declaration of Maritime Labor Compliance is required to ensure compliance with the MLC 2006 for all ships above 500 gross tons in international trade.
Greenhouse Gas Regulation
Currently, the emissions of greenhouse gases from international shipping are not subject to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which entered into force in 2005 and pursuant to which adopting countries have been required to implement national programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with targets extended through 2020.  International negotiations are continuing with respect to a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, and restrictions on shipping emissions may be included in any new treaty. In December 2009, more than 27 nations, including the U.S. and China, signed the Copenhagen Accord, which includes a non-binding commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris resulted in the Paris Agreement, which entered into force on November 4, 2016 and does not directly limit greenhouse gas emissions from ships.  On June 1, 2017, the U.S. President announced that it is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.  The timing and effect of such action has yet to be determined.
At MEPC 70 and MEPC 71, a draft outline of the structure of the initial strategy for developing a comprehensive IMO strategy on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships was approved. In accordance with this roadmap, an initial IMO strategy for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is expected to be adopted at MEPC 72 in April 2018.  The IMO may implement market-based mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipssecurities effective at the upcoming MEPC session.
The EU made a unilateral commitmentopen of business on Friday, April 26, 2019 and to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions from its member states from 20% of 1990 levels by 2020. The EU also committed to reduce its emissions by 20% underformally delist the Kyoto Protocol's second period from 2013 to 2020.  Starting in January 2018, large ships calling at EU ports are required to collect and publish datasecurities on carbon dioxide emissions and other information.
InMay 9, 2019 unless we appeal the United States, the EPA issued a finding that greenhouse gases endanger the public health and safety, adopted regulations to limit greenhouse gas emissions from certain mobile sources, and proposed regulations to limit greenhouse gas emissions from large stationary sources. However, in March 2017, the U.S. President signed an executive order to review and possibly eliminate the EPA's plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The outcome of this order is not yet known.  Although the mobile source emissions regulations do not apply to greenhouse gas emissions from vessels, the EPA or individual U.S. states could enact environmental regulations that would affect our operations. For example, California has introduced a cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions, aiming to reduce emissions 40% by 2030.
Any passage of climate control legislation or other regulatory initiatives by the IMO, the EU, the U.S. or other countries where we may operate, or any treaty adopted at the international level to succeed the Kyoto Protocol or Paris Agreement, that restricts emissions of greenhouse gases could require us to make significant financial expenditures. Even in the absence of climate control legislation, our business may be indirectly affected to the extent that climate change may result in sea level changes or more intense weather events.
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Vessel Security Regulations
Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States, there have been a variety of initiatives intended to enhance vessel security such as the U.S. Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, or the MTSA. To implement certain portions of the MTSA, the USCG issued regulations requiring the implementation of certain security requirements aboard vessels operating in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and at certain ports and facilities, some of which are regulated by the EPA.
Similarly, Chapter XI-2 of the SOLAS Convention imposes detailed security obligations on vessels and port authorities and mandates compliance with the International Ship and Port Facilities Security Code, or the ISPS Code. The ISPS Code is designed to enhance the security of ports and ships against terrorism. To trade internationally, a vessel must attain an International Ship Security Certificate, or the ISSC, from a recognized security organization approved by the vessel's flag state. Ships operating without a valid certificate may be detained, expelled from, or refused entry at port until they obtain an ISSC.  The following are among the various requirements, some of which are found in the SOLAS Convention:
·on-board installation of automatic identification systems to provide a means for the automatic transmission of safety-related information from among similarly equipped ships and shore stations, including information on a ship's identity, position, course, speed and navigational status;
·on-board installation of ship security alert systems, which do not sound on the vessel but only alert the authorities on shore;
·the development of vessel security plans;
·ship identification number to be permanently marked on a vessel's hull;
·a continuous synopsis record kept onboard showing a vessel's history including the name of the ship, the state whose flag the ship is entitled to fly, the date on which the ship was registered with that state, the ship's identification number, the port at which the ship is registered and the name of the registered owner(s) and their registered address; and
·compliance with flag state security certification requirements.
The USCG regulations, intended to be aligned with international maritime security standards, exempt non-U.S. vessels from MTSA vessel security measures, provided such vessels have on board a valid ISSC that attests to the vessel's compliance with the SOLAS Convention security requirements and the ISPS Code. Future security measures could have a significant financial impact on us.
Inspection by Classification Societies
The hull and machinery of every commercial vessel must be classed by a classification society authorized by its country of registry. The classification society certifies that a vessel is safe and seaworthy in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the country of registry of the vessel and SOLAS. Most insurance underwriters make it a condition for insurance coverage and lending that a vessel be certified "in class" by a classification society which is a member of the International Association of Classification Societies, the IACS.  The IACS has adopted harmonized Common Structural Rules, or the Rules, which apply to oil tankers and bulk carriers constructed on or after July 1, 2015.  The Rules attempt to create a level of consistency between IACS Societies.
A vessel must undergo annual surveys, intermediate surveys, drydockings and special surveys. In lieu of a special survey, a vessel's machinery may be on a continuous survey cycle, under which the machinery would be surveyed periodically over a five-year period. Every vessel is also required to be drydocked every 30 to 36 months for inspection of the underwater parts of the vessel.  If any vessel does not maintain its class and/or fails any annual survey, intermediate survey, drydocking or special survey, the vessel will be unable to carry cargo between ports and will be unemployable and uninsurable which could cause us to be in violation of certain covenants.
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Risk of Loss and Liability Insurance
General
The operation of any vessel involves risks such as mechanical failure, physical damage, collision, property loss, inventory loss or damage and business interruption due to political circumstances in foreign countries, hostilities and labor strikes. In addition, there is always an inherent possibility of marine disaster, including oil spills and other environmental mishaps, and the liabilities arising from owning and operating vessels in international trade. Not all risks can be insured against, and there can be no guarantee that any specific claim will be paid, or that we will always be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage at reasonable rates. Shipping companies obtain various types of insurance, including participation in mutual protection and indemnity associations, to protect against some of the risks that they and their vessels may face. Two types of insurance that companies that own or operate vessels generally seek to obtain are described below.
Hull and Machinery and War Risk Insurance
Marine hull and machinery and war risk insurance policies provide coverage for the risk of actual or constructive total loss, for shipping vessels. A vessel may be covered for up to at least its fair market value.
It may also be possible to obtain increased value insurance policies for shipping vessels. Under the increased value insurance, the insured will be able to recover the sum insured under the policy in addition to the sum insured under its hull and machinery policy in the event of the total loss of the vessel. Increased value insurance policies also cover excess liabilities that are not recoverable in full by the hull and machinery policies by reason of under-insurance.
Protection and Indemnity Insurance
Protection and indemnity insurance policies, which cover third-party liabilities in connection with shipping activities, are provided by mutual protection and indemnity associations, or P&I Associations. These insurance policies cover third-party liability and other related expenses of injury or death of crew, passengers and other third parties, loss or damage to cargo, claims arising from collisions with other vessels, damage to other third-party property, pollution arising from oil or other substances, and salvage, towing and other related costs, including wreck removal. Protection and indemnity insurance policies are a form of mutual indemnity insurance policies, extended by protection and indemnity mutual associations, or "clubs." Subject to the "capping" of exposure discussed below, coverage, except for pollution, may be unlimited.
Generally, protection and indemnity insurance coverage for pollution is up to $1.0 billion per vessel per incident. The 13 P&I Associations that compose the International Group insure approximately 90% of the world's commercial tonnage and have entered into a pooling agreement to reinsure each association's liabilities. Each P&I Association has capped its exposure to this pooling agreement at $6.5 billion. If we become a member of a P&I Association that is a member of the International Group, we will be subject to calls payable to the associations based on our claim records as well as the claim records of all other members of the individual associations, and members of the pool of P&I Associations comprising the International Group.
Initial Business Combination
NASDAQ rules provide that our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the trust account (less any deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on income earned) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or other valuation expert that is recognized in the shipping industry with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. We may also raise additional funds that we may use in connection with our initial business combination, including through credit facilities, equity offerings, debt offerings or other public or private transactions.
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We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire vessels and/or 100% of the outstanding equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% fair market value test. If the business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% fair market value test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the assets and target businesses that are acquired by us as part of our initial business combination.
As described above, the members of our management team have significant executive management and experience with shipping companies. Over the course of their careers, the members of our management team and board of directors have developed a broad network of contacts and corporate relationships that we believe will be useful for sourcing investment and financing opportunities. This network has been developed through our management team's experience in:
·sourcing, acquiring, building, designing, operating, developing, growing, financing, selling, building and design of vessels and businesses; and
·executing transactions under varying economic and financial market conditions.
We believe that the network of contacts and relationships of our management team will provide us with an important source of investment and financing opportunities. In addition, we anticipate that target assets and business candidates will be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including shipping industry market participants, ship brokers, shipyards, private equity groups, investment banks, consultants, accounting firms and other business enterprises.
Our Acquisition Process
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a due diligence review that is in line with customary shipping industry practice, which may include, among other things, obtaining asset appraisals and inspections, meetings with incumbent management and employees of businesses, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial and other information that may be made available to us.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent director(s), will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or valuation expert that is recognized within the shipping industry that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
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We expect that due diligence of prospective target businesses will be performed by some or all of our executive officers and directors, and also that it may include engaging accounting firms, legal counsel or other third-party consultants. No compensation of any kind (including finder's and consulting fees) will be paid to any of our executive officers or directors, or any of our or their affiliates, for services rendered to us prior to or in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination, including in connection with such due diligence activities. However, our executive officers and directors will receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses (such as travel expenses) incurred by them in connection with activities on our behalf, such as certain organizational expenses and expenses incurred in identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on a suitable initial business combination, and our sponsor, or an affiliate thereof, is entitled to receive payments of an aggregate of $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial support and administrative services. All payments made to our sponsor, executive officers and directors and our or their affiliates, other than the $10,000 per month payment described above, and any payments made to members of our Audit Committee, must be reviewed and approved by a majority of our disinterested directors. Please see "Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions."
Members of our management team and our independent director(s) may, through ownership of our securities or otherwise, have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if (i) the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination or (ii) the business combination would be with a counterparty that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors.
Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to another entity pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such other entity, subject to their fiduciary duties under Marshall Islands law. We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed not to participate in the formation of, or become an officer or director of, any other blank check company that has its common shares listed for trading on NASDAQ, the New York Stock Exchange or another nationally recognized exchange until we have entered into a definitive agreement regarding our initial business combination or we have failed to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO.
Status as an Emerging Growth Company
We are an "emerging growth company," as defined in the JOBS Act. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (i) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of the IPO, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.0 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our common shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (ii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.
Effecting Our Initial Business Combination
General
We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of the IPO, the private placements of the private placement warrants, our equity, debt or a combination of these as the consideration to be paid in our initial business combination. We may seek to acquire our vessels and other assets on an individual or fleet basis. In addition, we may seek to complete our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses.
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If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemptions of our common shares, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.
We may need to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination, either because the transaction requires more cash than is available from the proceeds held in our trust account and the proceeds from the issuance of the private placement warrants or because we become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of the business combination, in which case we may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that before our initial business combination, we may not issue additional units, additional common shares, preferred stock, additional warrants or any options or other securities convertible or exchangeable into common shares or preferred stock that participates in any manner in the proceeds of the trust account, or that vote as a class with the common shares sold in the IPO on a business combination. There are no prohibitions, however, on our ability to issue securities or incur debt in connection with our initial business combination.
Sources of Target Businesses
Target assets and business candidates have been, and may continue to be, brought to our attention from various sources, including shipping industry market participants, ship brokers, shipyards, investment bankers and investment managers. Target assets and businesses have been, and may continue to be, brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being solicited by us. These sources may also introduce us to target assets and businesses in which they think we may be interested on an unsolicited basis, since we are known publicly as a purchaser of shipping assets and businesses. Our officers and directors, as well as their affiliates, may also bring to our attention target assets and business candidates of which they become aware through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending business engagements, conferences, trade shows or conventions. In addition, we expect to receive a number of proprietary deal flow opportunities that would not otherwise necessarily be available to us as a result of the track record and business relationships of our management team. Other than shipbrokers, other brokers, or intermediaries, we do not presently anticipate engaging the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis. We may engage these firms or other individuals in the future, in which event we may pay a finder's fee, consulting fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm's length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction, which in a purchase and sale transaction is typically approximately 1% of the vessel's gross sale price. Payment of a finder's fee is customarily tied to completion of a transaction, in which case any such fee will be paid out of the funds held in the trust account. In no event, however, will our sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors, or any entity with which they are affiliated, be paid any finder's fee, consulting fee or other compensation by us prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). None of our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be allowed to receive any compensation, finder's fees or consulting fees from a prospective business combination target in connection with a contemplated acquisition of such target by us.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent director(s), will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or other valuation expert that is recognized in the shipping industry that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
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Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target's Management Team
decision. Although we intend to closely scrutinizeappeal the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with that business, our assessment of the target business' management may not prove to be correct. In addition, the future management may not have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of members of our management team, if any, in the target business cannot presently be stated with any certainty. The determination as to whether any of the members of our management team will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination. While it is possible that one or more of our directors will remain associated in some capacity with us following our initial business combination, it is unlikely that any of them will devote their full efforts to our affairs subsequent to our initial business combination. Moreover, we cannot assure you that members of our management team will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with the combined company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Following a business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure youdecision and take all action that we will have the abilitycan to recruit additional managers, or that the additional managers will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Shareholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination
We intend to consummate our initial business combination and conduct the redemptions without seeking shareholder approval and instead redeem the shares held by our shareholders in conformity with applicable SEC rules concerning the conduct of issuer tender offers, and will file tender offer documents with the SEC. However, we will seek shareholder approval to transfer our corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium, and have agreed with our sponsor not to complete our initial business combination unless we obtain such shareholder approval. While we intend to effect such transfer in our corporate domicile at or promptly following the completion of our initial business combination, any such redemption opportunity by our shareholders would occur while we are a Marshall Islands company and would be conducted pursuant to our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws then in effect.
The tender offer documents will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act which regulates the solicitation of proxies. Regardless of whether we are required by law or NASDAQ rules to seek shareholder approval, or we decide to seek shareholder approval for other business or legal reasons, so long as we maintain our status as a FPI, and are required to comply with the FPI rules, we will conduct the redemptions pursuant to U.S. tender offer rules. If we are no longer deemed a FPI (and no longer required to comply with the FPI rules) and we are required by law or NASDAQ rules to seek shareholder approval, or we decide to seek shareholder approval for other business or legal reasons, we may conduct the redemptions in a manner similar to many non-FPI blank check companies in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to U.S. tender offer rules.
Permitted Purchases of Our Securities
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to U.S. tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases when they are in possession of any material nonpublic information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
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We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to U.S. tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13, if applicable, of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements.
Redemption Rights for Public Shareholders upon Completion of Our Initial Business Combination
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, including investment earnings (which investment earnings shall be net of taxes payable and any amounts released to us to fund working capital requirements), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is anticipated to be approximately $10.00 per public share. The per share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of our initial business combination with respect to our warrants. Our sponsor has agreed to waive its redemption rights with respect to its founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. The members of our management team also have entered into agreements with us similar to the one entered into by our sponsor to waive their redemption rights in connection with the completion of our initial business combination with respect to any public shares acquired by them in or after the IPO.
Limitations on Redemptions
Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 (so that we are not subject to the SEC's "penny stock" rules). However, a greater net tangible asset or cash requirement may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. For example, the proposed business combination may require: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all common shares that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete such business combination or redeem any shares, and all common shares submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof.
Manner of Conducting Redemptions
We will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination. While we intend to transfer our corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium at or promptly following the completion of our initial business combination, any such redemption opportunity by our shareholders would occur while we are a Marshall Islands company and would be conducted pursuant to our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws then in effect. We do not currently intend to seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination unless required by law, NASDAQ rules or for other business or legal reasons. However, in the event we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we are a FPI, then we will conduct our redemptions pursuant to a tender offer and will comply with U.S. tender offer rules, as required by the SEC. The tender offer documents will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act which regulates the solicitation of proxies.
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If we are not a FPI, we will provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement. Asset acquisitions and share purchases would not typically require shareholder approval, while direct mergers with our company and amendments to our amended and restated articles of incorporation would require shareholder approval. We currently intend to conduct our redemptions pursuant to a tender offer and will comply with U.S. tender offer rules, as required by the SEC. If we are not a FPI and hold a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination, we will:
·conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, if applicable, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to U.S. tender offer rules; and
·file proxy materials with the SEC.
If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the common shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, our sponsor has agreed to vote its founder shares and any public shares purchased during or after the IPO in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our sponsor's founder shares, we would need at least 5,689,913, or 37.5%, of the 15,173,100 Class A common shares outstanding to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all outstanding shares are voted). In addition, the members of our management team also have entered into agreements with us similar to the one entered into by our sponsor with respect to the voting of any public shares acquired by them in or after the IPO, in favor of our initial business combination if submitted to our shareholders for a vote. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares without voting and, if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or vote at all. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation require that notice be given not less than 15 days or more than 60 days before the date of any such shareholder meeting. We intend to give approximately 30 days prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote will be taken to approve our initial business combination.
Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, if we conduct redemption pursuant to U.S. tender offer rules, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase our common shares in the open market, in order to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act.
If we conduct redemptions pursuant to U.S. tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public shareholders not tendering more than the number of public shares we are permitted to redeem. If public shareholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete such initial business combination.
Limitation on Redemption upon Completion of Our Initial Business Combination If We Seek Shareholder Approval
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to U.S. tender offer rules, our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a "group" (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 20% of the shares sold in the IPO, without our prior consent. We believe the restriction described above will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to redeem their shares as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 20% of the shares sold in the IPO could threaten to exercise its redemption rights against a business combination if such holder's shares are not purchased by us, our sponsor or our management at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders' ability to redeem to no more than 20% of the shares sold in the IPO, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with a business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders' ability to vote all of their shares (including all shares held by those shareholders that hold more than 20% of the shares sold in the IPO) for or against our initial business combination.
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Tendering Share Certificates in Connection with a Tender Offer or Redemption Rights
Public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in "street name," will be required to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using The Depository Trust Company's DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder's option. The tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate the applicable delivery requirements. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, or up to two days prior to the vote on the business combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. Given the relatively short period in which to exercise redemption rights, it is advisable for shareholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.
There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker a fee and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
The foregoing is different from the procedures used by many blank check companies. In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, many blank check companies would distribute proxy materials for the shareholders' vote on an initial business combination, and a holder could simply vote against a proposed business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holder was seeking to exercise his or her redemption rights. After the business combination was approved, the company would contact such shareholder to arrange for him or her to deliver his or her certificate to verify ownership. As a result, the shareholder then had an "option window" after the completion of the business combination during which he or she could monitor the price of the company's shares in the market. If the price rose above the redemption price, he or she could sell his or her shares in the open market before actually delivering his or her shares to the company for cancellation. As a result, the redemption rights, to which shareholders were aware they needed to commit before the shareholder meeting, would become "option" rights surviving past the completion of the business combination until the redeeming holder delivered its certificate. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to the meeting ensures that a redeeming shareholder's election to redeem is irrevocable once the business combination is approved.
Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to the date set forth in the tender offer materials or the date of the shareholder meeting set forth in our proxy materials, as applicable. Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our public shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our initial business combination.
If our initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public shareholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.
If our initial proposed business combination is not completed, we may continue to try to complete a business combination with a different target until within 24 months from the closing of the IPO.
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Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation If No Initial Business Combination
Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that we have 24 months from the closing of the IPO, which occurred on November 23, 2016, to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within such period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including investment earnings (less up to $100,000 of investment earnings to pay dissolution expenses and net of taxes payable and any amounts released to us to fund working capital requirements), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders' rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any) and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to our obligations under Marshall Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the above-specified time period.
Our sponsor has entered into agreements with us, pursuant to which it has agreed to waive its rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to its founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO. However, if our sponsor or management team acquires public shares in or after the IPO, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time frame.
The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission held in the trust account in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the funds held in the trust account that will be available to fund the redemption of our public shares.
Our sponsor, executive officers, directors and director nominees have agreed that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated articles of incorporation that would affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their common shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including investment earnings (net of taxes payable and any amounts released to us to fund working capital requirements), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described above under "Limitations on Redemptions."
For example, our board of directors may propose such an amendment if it determines that additional time is necessary to complete our initial business combination. In such event, we may seek shareholder approval of such proposal and, in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon shareholder approval of such amendment. We expect that all costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, as well as payments to any creditors, will be funded from amounts remaining out of the $1,000,000 of proceeds held outside the trust account, although we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose. However, if those funds are not sufficient to cover the costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, we may request the trustee to release to us an additional amount of up to $100,000 of such accrued investment earnings to pay those costs and expenses.
If we were to expend all of the remaining net proceeds of the IPO, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account investment earnings, if any, earned on the trust account, the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders upon our dissolution would be $10.00. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our public shareholders. We cannot assure you that the actual per-share redemption amount received by shareholders will not be less than $10.00. While we intend to pay such amounts, if any,listed, we cannot assure you that we will be able to remain listed. In the event that we fail to remain listed, our stock will experience reduced liquidity than if we were able to remain on Nasdaq.

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As a result of Nasdaq’s suspension or delisting of our securities, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:

a limited availability of market quotations for our securities;

reduced liquidity for our securities;

a determination that our Class A common shares are a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A common shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities;

a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and

a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.

B.Business Overview

Overview

Subsequent to the Business Combination, our operations are conducted through our wholly-owned subsidiary, NCF. We are a leading fintech company in China, primarily focused on connecting investors and borrowers, providing multi-scenario investment analysis to platform users to meet their diversified investment needs, and building an ecosystem in the field of internet finance. We also provide technical support for borrowers when they announce their financing needs. We aim to provide simplified, convenient and flexible financing solutions to both small and medium enterprises (“SME”) and individual borrowers. Over RMB 321 billion was facilitated (approximately $47 billion based on the exchange rate of 0.145705 as of December 31, 2018) in transactions from its inception in July 2013 through December 2018. In 2018 and 2017, NCF facilitated transactions over RMB 71 billion and RMB 95 billion, respectively (approximately $10 billion and $15 billion based on the average exchange rate of 0.145237 and 0.148014 for 2018 and 2017).

We operate an online marketplace under the brand name of ‘Wangxin Puhui’ through our subsidiary Beijing Oriental. This is an online lending platform that matches borrowers with investors and executes transactions. At the same time, the platform provides for contract execution, fund clearing and other services to facilitate the transaction. Wangxin Puhui offers borrowers that successfully complete its online application and meet its borrower requirements quick and convenient access to capital at competitive rates. To provide a transparent marketplace, the interest rates, transaction fees, and other charges are disclosed to borrowers upfront. Its borrowers and investors mainly come from online sources, such as the internet and its mobile applications or from referrals of asset cooperative institutions (entities that introduce qualified borrowers) and funding cooperative institutions (entities that introduce investors and other funding sources).

We also operate an internet platform under the brand name of ‘Wangxin’ which is positioned as an open platform for financial technology, providing information publishing, information display, information exchange, and online user diversion services for organizations in a variety of industries including insurance sales, securities and fund sales. At the same time, Wangxin provides technical platforms and operational solutions for various cooperative organizations, and helps cooperative organizations to improve the efficiency of customer management.

In March 2017, we launched a new program to cooperate with financial exchanges and promote exchange administered product program (“E-APP”). The E-APP includes (I) product registration services and (II) promotion services on best efforts basis and (III) Data Processing Technical Services.

We provide investors with attractive returns, the minimum investment threshold of P2P product is RMB 100 (approximately $15 based on the exchange rate of 0.145705 as of December 31, 2018). The minimum investment threshold of E-APP investment is calculated by dividing the borrower’s loan amount by 200 which represents maximum investors allowed in a particular E-APP product.

We believe we have funds sufficientdeveloped an industry-leading risk management system using our proprietary decision-making model of credit risk and fraud detection modules. We accumulate data from our expanding borrower base and our proprietary risk management system enables us to payassess the creditworthiness of borrowers more effectively in a market where reliable credit scores and borrower databases are still at an early stage of development. This system also enables us to appropriately price the risks associated with borrowers, reduce delinquency rates, and offer credit investment opportunities to investors.

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We also operate a wealth management business. With macro and micro analysis of financial markets coupled with independent and objective screening criteria, we provide high-quality investment products and other comprehensive asset management services to high net worth clients, family businesses and institutional investors.

Currently, we generate revenues primarily from transaction and service fees, and sales commission fees charged for the above-mentioned services. We also charge investor service fees for using our smart matching tool or provideinvestment reservation tool. As an information intermediary for all creditors' claims.borrowers and investors, we act as an agent and do not have any legal obligations for the loans or securities facilities.

During the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018, total transaction volume increased by 24% and decreased by 26%, respectively, and annualized transaction volume (which annualizes loans of less than year) increased 74% and decreased by 5%, respectively. Based on publicly available industry data (www.wdzj.com), due to the impact of economic conditions and deleveraging policies of the Chinese government, the monthly transaction volume of the whole P2P industry in December 2018 decreased by 49% when compared with the monthly transaction volume in January 2018 while the monthly transaction volume in December 2018 increased by 32% when compared with the monthly transaction volume in January 2018. With the tightening of regulations, many non-compliant or poorly-operated platforms in the industry have gradually ceased operations; however, we believes that our transaction volume increased due to the trust our customers place in our platform.

There is significant growth in the accumulated number of our registered users (who have registered on the platform) and investors (who have registered on the platform and made an investment) which increased from 11.1 million and 3.9 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2017 to 12.0 million and 4.3 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2018, and the respective growth rates are 8% and 9%.

Our Competitive Strengths

We believe that the following competitive strengths have contributed to our growth and helped us to take advantage of the substantial market opportunity:

Large pool of Potential Customers

Our investing customers include affluent investors living in China with personal investable assets of less than RMB 7 million (approximately $1 million based on the exchange rate of 0.145705 as of December 31, 2018) and who seek steady returns with diversified investments but have limited investment options. A large number of investing customers in China fall in this category, and it is obviously an attractive market opportunity for us.

Active Investor Base

In addition, as of December 31, 2018, over 40% of our initial investors have made a second investment through us and over 21% of our initial investors have made a third investment through us.

Large pool of Potential Borrowers

According to the “2018 China Consumer Credit Market Research,” the scale of consumer finance has climbed from 679.8 billion yuan in January 2010 to 8.45 trillion yuan in October 2018, and the proportion of domestic loans rose from 1.7% to 6.3%. However, the domestic consumer finance industry’s consumer credit (excluding mortgages) accounted for only 20% of total consumer spending in 2015, lower than South Korea’s 41% and the US’s 28%. This indicates that the development of China’s consumer finance industry is lagging behind that of developed countries.

According to Capital Gap Of Funding SMEs: Analysis Of The Disadvantages And The Opportunities In Funding SMEs In Emerging Market written by Institute of Dongxing Securities, in China, the potential financing demand from SMEs has reached RMB 44 trillion while the capital supply was only RMB 25 trillion, meaning 43% of the demand was underserved. Bank loans account for 60% of the capital supplied but support only 15.5% of the total SMEs, which means most of the capital flows to only a small number of businesses. As a result, at least 80% of the SMEs in China, especially the small and micro businesses, still face serious problems of tight cash flow.

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55Active Borrower Base



Although

The borrowers on our platform include both individual borrowers and corporate borrowers. The borrowers increased from approximately 65,000 in 2016 to approximately 1.8 million in 2017, and decreased from approximately 1.8 million in 2017 to approximately 160,000 in 2018. In terms of the amount of borrowing we facilitated, the proportion of SMEs’ borrowings to the total borrowings was 76%, 85% and 95% respectively in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Innovative Wealth Management

Unlike traditional wealth management companies, we combine our online and offline services in order to meet the demands of our customers. The information obtained from the data online offers us an opportunity to analyze changes in demand of our users, allowing us to adjust wealth management products in a timely fashion. The information obtained also supports our compliance and risk control management.

We use an innovative mobile customer relationship system for wealth management that provides real-time data tracking, high-quality investment recommendations, label management to customers, performance comparisons and real-time settlement of commissions. The system has the ability to manage every action a customer wishes to take, such as topping up, withdrawing and re-investing to realize real-time data tracking. It can also analyze users’ investment preferences on term, interest rate, and product type, among other variables. The system can also compare investment performance among different products or in different periods.

Big Data-based Individual and SME Lending System

We have an advanced and proprietary risk management system making use of online big data analysis. We have developed an advanced individual system and an advanced enterprise system. Our system can detect multiple features of our users, including user authentication, user behavior, borrowing history, fingerprinting devices, identity attributes and solvency. With over five years of experience with the financial services of private enterprises and SMEs, we have accumulated abundant project resources and first-hand data. A major risk in our business is information asymmetry on a borrower, and we combine know your client principles and information cross-validation techniques, including risk valuation, fraud recognition, value exploration and loss forecast to reduce the risk a loan being made to a borrower that will default.

Embracing Regulation

We are one of the Founding Members of the National Internet Finance Association of China, and are the Executive Vice President Institution of the Beijing Internet Finance Industrial Association. We have strictly complied with the regulatory requirements in China and have completed a self-examination and applied to receive a compliance inspection by the regulatory authorities.

Experienced Management Team

We have a strong management team with a long history in the consumer financial industry in China. Our President, Huanxiang Li, has over 15 years of experience in the financial industry. Our CEO, Jia Sheng, has twelve years of experience in internet and finance. Our COO, Xin Li, possesses a deep understanding of the industry with more than 10 years of experience in the financial industry and many years of management experience. In addition, since its inception, we have adopted robust corporate governance policies and practices and have engaged extensively with key regulators to ensure compliance with evolving PRC laws and regulations and help to shape the best practices in Chinese marketplace.

Our Growth Strategies

We plan to implement the below key strategies to continue our development.

Offer more diversified products

We expect to expand our targeted investor base by offering a more comprehensive suite of investment products with a wider range of risk-return profiles. We intend to attract more investors by providing them with diversified investment products tailored to their characters. For example, we will seekoffer a new product with higher yields associated with higher risks to have all vendors, service providers, prospectiveinvestors with the appetite for such risk and the ability to afford the potential losses.

Continue to increase borrowers

We plan to increase the number of borrowers by expanding our project resources to more private companies and SMEs under financing pressure. We will focus on attracting borrowers with good credit records according to our risk management system. We will enhance our relationship with borrowers by providing flexible financing services to meet borrowers’ needs.

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Continue to invest in our technology platform

We plan to continue to develop our proprietary technologies and data sources to improve risk control and the speed of lending. We plan to increase the efficiency of our lending and customer satisfaction by providing artificial intelligence advisory services to both borrowers and investors. Investors can receive a brief and general introduction of diversified product offerings by communicating with intelligent robots. Borrowers can receive their loans much more quickly by using the auto assessment on credit evaluation.

Accelerate internationalization

We plan to expand to Hong Kong and Singapore, and anticipate expanding to more countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and the United States in the future.

Our Borrowers

Borrower Profile

We target businessesboth SMEs and other entitiesindividuals in China. Currently, approximately 94% of our annualized transaction volume for the year ended December 31, 2018 was contributed by our business borrowers.

Borrower Acquisition

We mainly depend on the referrals of asset cooperative institutions with which we cooperate to obtain our borrowers. Asset cooperative institutions are companies that introduce us to qualified borrowers. In addition, we utilize online channels, such as website, mobile application, and social media (such as WeChat), to attract new borrowers.

Our Customers

Investor Profile

We welcome customers domiciled in China with an appetite for investment opportunities with stable returns. Currently, we focus our efforts on attracting individual customers and 97% of our customers are individuals, in terms of total borrowing amount.

We believe that the large and rapidly growing sector of Chinese individual investors is currently underserved by traditional financial institutions in China. We believe that the average investment returns on our marketplace, ranging from 5% to 12.5%, are generally higher than those of traditional financial institutions.

Investor Acquisition

We have attracted a large number of investors to our marketplace through online channels, such as our website, mobile application and social media (such as WeChat). We have also acquired many high net worth investors through our wealth management teams. Our investor acquisition efforts are primarily directed towards enhancing our brand name and building investor trust.

Our Products and Services

As an internet information intermediary platform, we connect the investors and the borrowers efficiently and safely utilizing advanced technology such as artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing. We have the ability to match the investment needs of investors with the capital needs of the borrowers, and charges service fees as a result.

We also cooperate with financial exchanges with a program to promote exchange administered financial instruments (“E-APP”) and connect investors and borrowers.  The E-APP includes (I) product registration services and (II) promotion services on best efforts basis and (III) Data Processing Technical Services.

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Products Offered to Borrowers

Based on the intended purpose of the capital, our online market place facilitates the following products to borrowers:

Products Offered to Individual Borrowers

Our online marketplace facilitates financing products to individual borrowers to meet their specific needs. Most of our products offered to individual borrowers feature fixed monthly payments and offer terms from three to 24 months.

Products Offered to Corporate Borrowers

Our online marketplace facilitates financing products to corporate borrowers or the owners of companies to satisfy the capital needs for the operations of those entities. Most of our products feature fixed monthly payments and offer terms within 12 months.

Products Offered to Investors

Through our marketplace, investors have the opportunity to invest in a wide range of products:

(1) P2P products, which are loans that investors, individual borrowers and SME borrowers consummate directly through our platform;

(2) Targeted financing products and income right transfer products of local financial asset exchanges. Targeted financing products are for companies that have direct financing needs, and the source of repayment is mainly the company’s future income. Income right transfer products are for companies that have an income right and would like to transfer the income right for an immediate cash payment.

(3) Debt acquisition products by financial leasing/factoring companies of local financial asset exchanges. These products are for companies that have cash flow or other asset income rights. We will recommend them to financial leasing companies or factoring companies that have financial leasing or factoring demand, and the financial leasing company or factoring companies acquire the rights held by the borrowers at a price agreed upon through negotiation.

We have invented and developed the following investing tools to help investors match with the appropriate products more efficiently:

smart matching tool

With automatic matching and automatic transfer technology, the funds of an investor would be distributed based on the investor’s authorization according to a certain proportion that matches different borrowing items, upon which the calculation of interest would also begin automatically.

investment reservation tool

Providing investors with reservation and lending functions with different terms, the system automatically matches borrowers and investors, and investors can reserve multiple projects with different terms at the same time.

Wealth Management Products 

We also recommend certain investments to investors, such as the products of securities companies and insurance broker companies, as well the agent products of publicly offered funds and private equity funds of its wholly-owned subsidiary Shenzhen Yingxin Fund Sales Co., Ltd. During this process, we provide comprehensive asset management services with professional, independent and objective screening criteria through macro and micro analysis of financial markets.

Our Transaction Process

Our Transaction Process for P2P online lending Borrowers

We believe that our online marketplace offers a superior overall user experience with a fast loan application process based on an advanced credit assessment procedure. Our platform enables borrowers to undertake the entire process from initial application to repayment online. We set up different application procedures with decision-tree processes as well as management standards for individual borrowers and corporate borrowers to achieve an efficient loan process.

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Stage 1: Application

Our borrower loan application process begins with the submission of a loan application by a prospective borrower.

In the case of individual borrowers, they can complete the loan application process through online channels, such as website and mobile application. After an individual borrower has finished registration online and filed the loan application, we will acquire relevant personal details of the individual borrower with his or her permission. Typically, we will require the individual borrowers to provide the following personal information:

basic information: including name, identification number, age, income and profession, etc.;

relevant device data: including information such as the identification and the Internet Protocol address of the device, the model of the mobile phones and the device location, etc.;

information gathered by telecom carriers: including information such as telecom carrier’s name, duration of call, frequency of call, number of persons contacted, etc.;

credit card information: including credit line, credit card statements, etc.;

e-commerce platform information: including amount of consumption and consumption details etc.;

credit information: including loan application status, overdue status, debts, etc.

In the case of corporate borrowers, the loan application process would be facilitated by our staff. After a corporate borrower has filed a loan application, our staff would collect the following information:

business license;

legal person’s identification;

financial statements for the past three years;

credit report of the corporate and its legal person;

articles of association;

board resolutions and shareholders’ resolutions; and

related information of the guarantor.

We may acquire supplementary information for a corporate borrower through public channels which mainly includes:

litigation and/or arbitration that the corporate borrower is involved in;

information of the affiliated enterprise(s);

information of the industry that the corporate borrower is in;

public opinion of the corporate borrower and its legal person.

Stage 2 Decision Making

After the completion of the loan application, our risk control team will be involved in the decision making procedure to review the information collected. We apply different decision making methods for individual borrowers and corporate borrowers.

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For individual borrowers, we have developed our own artificial intelligence risk control model to assess and approve or deny the individual borrowers’ loan applications. Our artificial intelligence risk control model is primarily based on the following two types of models:

anti-fraud model: We utilize an intelligent image recognition technology to identify the authenticity of the identity of the individual borrowers. The anti-fraud model has the ability to discern group fraud activities such as fraud by intermediate agents;

risk assessment model: Our risk assessment model utilizes machine learning technology to process the applications of individual borrowers.

For corporate borrowers, we apply the following steps:

due diligence: Our operation staff and risk management staff conduct field due diligence procedures, including management team interviews and business operation site visits to verify the business operations, financial status and legal compliance status of the corporate borrower;

cross check: After we obtain the due diligence data, industry data and the data submitted by the corporate borrower, we cross check the information and come to a conclusion on the actual financial status of the corporate borrower;

comprehensive credit assessment: Our senior risk control staff then assess the industry risk, management ability, profitability and repayment ability of the corporate borrowers before making a decision.

Stage 3 Listing

After the borrower’s loan application is approved, we would publish the borrower’s loan application on our online lending platform with the borrower’s permission, and will reveal the borrower’s related information to the extent permitted by law. Investors can then access the information to make their own investment decision.

Stage 4 Loan disbursement

If the loan amount that the borrower has applied for is fully raised through our online lending platform within the prescribed period, we transfer the loan amount from investors to the borrower’s bank account directly through our cooperative bank, and the borrower pays us the service fee.

If the loan amount that the borrower has applied is not fully raised, the fund raising procedure is terminated.

Stage 5 Repayment

After the borrower has received the loan, it repays the loan according to the pre-agreed repayment schedule. We assist investors to manage the repayment process by, among other things:

sending repayment reminder messages to the borrower when the loan is due for repayment; and

revealing and sending post-loan check and post-loan information regarding the borrower to the investor.

Stage 6 Collection

Each loan has a guarantor who perform guarantee obligation when the borrower fails to repay the loan. When a loan is overdue, the guarantor or the assets co-operation institution (when the guarantor has not performed its guarantee obligation) shall on behalf of the investor collect the loan from the borrower. The collection methods include telephone collection, on-site collection and litigation collection, etc. During the collection procedure, we provide assistance and co-operation, and we supervise the collection institution to ensure the legality, compliance and effectiveness of the collection activity to protect the legal rights of the investors and the borrowers, but does not currently guarantee any such loan.

Our Service Process for E-APP products

We advise borrowers on the selection of local financial assets exchanges. We review registration application documentation and assists with the due diligence. Then the borrowers submit the application to local financial assets exchanges. The local financial assets exchanges reviews registration application, registers the financial instrument and issues registration approval notice to the issuer.

Upon registered, we can provide promotion services to the borrowers and promote the financial products registered at local financial assets exchanges to investors. The investors then can enter into a purchase or subscription contract with the registration holders and deposit to an escrow account in local financial assets exchanges until the financial instrument is fully subscribed. When the financial instrument is fully subscribed, local financial assets exchanges transfers the fund to the issuer.

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Our Service Process for Investors

Our Service Process for Loan Products

Through our online marketplace, investors have the opportunity to invest in a wide range of loan products with attractive returns. An investor can complete its investment procedure on our platform, including registration, account opening, and subscription and redemption of the investment.

Step 1 Registration

First the investors register on our platform. They upload basic personal information to complete the registration.

Step 2 Account Opening

Investors open an account on our platform. The investment account is administered by a bank or payment company selected by us.

Step 3 Pre-investment assessment

Investors complete the risk assessment evaluation to determine the investor’s risk preference level. We recommend investment products and investment amounts to investors based on their evaluation results. The risk assessment assists the investors in finding suitable investment targets.

Step 4 Subscription of the Investment

While we may recommend suitable investment products and amounts based on investors’ risk assessment results, investors can choose different investment products with different terms, interest rates and types of loans at their own will pursuant to the loan information available on our platform.

Step 5 Redemption of the investment

We assist investors in managing the repayment process by the borrowers. The repayment of the loan will, through the banking system, be automatically transferred to the investment account to complete the redemption of the investment.

Our Service Process for Wealth Management Products

High net worth individuals are our core resource. We provide consistent value-added services to customers from pre-investment product selection and subscription, investment product information disclosure and delivery, and post-investment product repayment and communication. As we are not subject to any third-party product supplier, we have the ability to provide our customers professional, independent and objective finance management advice and we believe the core of our success is our comprehensive, consistent, sound, individualized and professional service. We have specialized investment consultants to take charge of the communication with customers and determine their investment target and risk exposure. We provide to the high net worth individuals the following services:

1、 Financial plan

We allocate to each high net worth individual a specialized investment consultant who is responsible for daily financial management and services. Our investment consultant provides individualized asset allocation strategy to customers, who are mainly high net worth individual investors, through the communication with the customer based on the analysis and assessment on the customers’ financial status, past investment experience, investment risk exposure and investment target. Our investment consultant also provides customers with consistent financial plan consultancy services with adjustments based on economy and market conditions.

2、Asset allocation

We assist customers in asset allocation based on the financial plan risk profile, introducing the customers to products and assisting them in making purchasing decisions. Our customers are the ultimate decision makers when purchasing products. Our investment consultants follow strict disclosure and compliance procedures to ensure that the customer subscribes for investment products based on full knowledge of the product information. When a customer decides to purchase any of the investment products we recommend, we will inform the relevant product management party of the investment purpose of the customer after verifying that the customer is eligible for the subscription, and the customer shall complete the transaction directly with the product provider. We do not accept the customer’s authorization or instructions to conduct transaction activities or execute transaction on behalf of the customer. Because we are not involved in the transaction or its settlement, we avoids the risks associated with such services, including human error in the execution of customer’s orders or technical system failures.

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3、Post-investment service

For customers who purchase products throughus, we will disclose the latest information relating to the product and relevant information of the management party to them through SMS and email. In addition, we provide our customers with various investor education services, such as investment presentations, investment seminars and market analysis sessions.

Our Technology and Risk Management System

The credit infrastructure in China is still under development, and China currently lacks a reliable national credit information system. To that end, we have developed our own risk management system for borrowers to identify credit risk effectively.

For risk control on individual borrowers, we have developed Tianyuan Intellectual Risk Control System or Tianyuan. Tianyuan consists of the following:

big data system: with the permission of the individual borrowers, we collect and store the individual borrowers’ personal data relating to the whole loan period, including structural data (for example, individual borrower’s name, identification number, age, income, profession, etc.), semi-structural data and non-structural data (for example, video, image, voice record, etc.). The individual borrowers’ personal data forms the foundation for risk control and system development;

intellectual model laboratory: a visible model development and data analysis system, with direct access to the data in the big data system. It employs multiple algorithms and algorithm frameworks to automatically develop Tianyuan on its own, and can also analyze the big data using its statistical analysis tool. The intellectual model laboratory contains development tools for customized intellectual models, and has the ability to assist our risk control staff to process advanced algorithm and advanced intellectual models.

intellectual decision making engine: it is a visible and intellectual decision making tool with direct access to the intellectual model laboratory to efficiently complete the risk management process.

risk monitoring and warning system: it monitors and supervises the entire loan period of the individual borrowers on the basis of big data system, and can issue timely warning to our risk control staff by drawing their attention to any actions undertaken by the individual borrowers and their asset portfolios.

For risk control on corporate borrowers, we have developed a risk control procedure combining big data from big data systems and a model to process risk control procedure, including data collection, loan limit monitoring, approval and post-loan management. Our risk control on corporate borrowers combines our own and third party’s big data with the experience of the risk control experts to increase the efficiency and accuracy of risk control.

Contractual Arrangements with Beijing Jing Xun Shi Dai Technology Limited Liability Company (“Jing Xun Shi Dai”) and Beijing Oriental Union Investment Management Limited Liability Company (“Beijing Oriental”)

Due to PRC legal restrictions on foreign ownership and investment in value-added telecommunications services, and Internet content provision services in particular, we currently conduct our activities through Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental, which we effectively control through a series of contractual arrangements. These contractual arrangements allow us to:

exercise effective control over Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental;

receive substantially all of the economic benefits of Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental; and

have an exclusive option to purchase all or part of the equity interests in Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental when and to the extent permitted by PRC law.

As a result of these contractual arrangements, we have become the primary beneficiary of Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental, and we treat Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental as our variable interest entities under U.S. GAAP.

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Agreements that Provide us with Effective Control over Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental

Equity Interest Pledge Agreements Pursuant to the equity interest pledge agreements, each of Mr. Zhenxin Zhang and Ms. Huanxiang Li, as the respective 99% and 1% equity holders of both Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental, has pledged all of his/her equity interest in Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental to guarantee the shareholders’ and Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Orientals’ performance of their obligations under the exclusive business executecooperation agreement, exclusive option agreement and power of attorney. If Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental or any of its shareholders breaches their contractual obligations under these agreements, Beijing NCF Cloud Service Information Technology Co., Limited (“NCF Cloud Service”), under the agreement with us waivingJing Xun Shi Dai, Beijing NCF Financial Service Information Technology Co., Limited, previously Beijing Huarong Ju Hui Investment Consulting Co., Ltd., (“NCF Financial Service”) under the agreement with Beijing Oriental, as pledgee, will be entitled to certain rights regarding the pledged equity interests, including being paid in priority based on the monetary valuation that the equity interest is converted into or receiving proceeds from the auction or sale of the pledged equity interests of Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental in accordance with the PRC law. Each of the shareholders of Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental agrees that, during the term of the equity interest pledge agreements, he will not transfer the pledged equity interests or place or permit the existence of any right, title,security interest or claimencumbrance on the pledged equity interests without the prior written consent of any kindeach of NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service. The equity interest pledge agreements remain effective until Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental and their shareholders discharge all of their obligations under the contractual arrangements. We have registered the equity pledge with the relevant office of the Administration for Industry and Commerce in oraccordance with the PRC Property Rights Law.

Powers of Attorney Pursuant to any monies held in the trust account for the benefitpowers of our public shareholders, there is no guarantee that they will executeattorney, each shareholder of Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental has irrevocably appointed Mr. Zhang Zhenxin to act as such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust accountshareholder’s exclusive attorney-in-fact to exercise all shareholder rights, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breachvoting on all matters of fiduciary responsibilityJing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental requiring shareholder approval, disposing of all or part of the shareholder’s equity interest in Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental, and appointing directors and executive officers. Mr. Zhang Zhenxin is entitled to designate any person to act as such shareholder’s exclusive attorney-in-fact without notifying or the approval of such shareholder, and if required by PRC law, Mr. Zhang Zhenxin shall designate a PRC citizen to exercise such right. Each power of attorney will remain in force for so long as the shareholder remains a shareholder of Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental. Each shareholder has waived all the rights which have been authorized to Mr. Zhang Zhenxin and will not exercise such rights.

Agreement that Allows us to Receive Economic Benefits from Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental

Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement Under the exclusive business cooperation agreement between NCF Cloud Service and Jing Xun Shi Dai, and the exclusive business cooperation agreement between NCF Financial Service and Beijing Oriental, each of NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service has the exclusive right to provide Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental with technical support, consulting services and other services. Without each of NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service’s prior written consent, Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental agree not to accept the same or any similar services provided by any third party. Each of NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service may designate other parties to provide services to Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental. Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental agree to pay service fees on a monthly basis and at an amount determined by each of NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service after taking into account multiple factors, such as the complexity and difficulty of the services, respectively, provided, the time consumed, the content and commercial value of services provided and the market price of comparable services. Each of NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service owns the intellectual property rights arising out of the performance of this agreement. In addition, Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental have granted NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service an irrevocable and exclusive option to purchase any or all of the assets and businesses of Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental at the lowest price permitted under PRC law. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties or terminated by each of NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service unilaterally, this agreement will remain effective permanently.

Agreements that Provide us with the Option to Purchase the Equity Interest in Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental

Exclusive Option AgreementsPursuant to the exclusive option agreements, each shareholder of Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental has irrevocably granted NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service, respectively, an exclusive option to purchase, or have its designated person or persons to purchase, at its discretion, to the extent permitted under PRC law, all or part of the shareholder’s equity interests in Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental. The purchase price is nominal price or the minimum price required by PRC law. If each of NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service exercises the option to purchase part of the equity interest held by a shareholder, the purchase price shall be calculated proportionally. Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental and each of its shareholders have agreed to appoint any persons designated by each of NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service to act as Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Orientals’ directors. Without each of NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service’s prior written consent, Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental shall not amend its articles of association, increase or decrease the registered capital, sell or otherwise dispose of its assets or beneficial interest, create or allow any encumbrance on its assets or other similar claims,beneficial interests, provide any loans to any third parties, enter into any material contract with a value of more than RMB 100,000 (approximately $14,571 based on the exchange rate of 0.145705 as wellof December 31, 2018) in the case of Beijing Oriental or RMB 50,000,000 (approximately $7 million based on the exchange rate of 0.145705 as claims challengingof December 31, 2018) in the enforceabilitycase of Jing Xun Shi Dai (except those contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business), merge with or acquire any other persons or make any investments, or distribute dividends to the shareholders. The shareholders of Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental have agreed that, without each of NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service’s prior written consent, they will not dispose of their equity interests in Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental or create or allow any encumbrance on their equity interests. These agreements will remain effective until all equity interests of Jing Xun Shi Dai and Beijing Oriental held by their shareholders have been transferred or assigned to each of NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service or its designated person(s).

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However, there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current and future PRC laws, regulations and rules. In particular, in January 2015, the MOFCOM published a discussion draft of the waiver,proposed Foreign Investment Law for public review and comments. Among other things, the draft Foreign Investment Law expands the definition of foreign investment and introduces the principle of “actual control” in each case in orderdetermining whether a company is considered a foreign-invested enterprise (FIE). Under the draft Foreign Investment Law, variable interest entities would also be deemed as FIEs, if they are ultimately “controlled” by foreign investors, and be subject to gain an advantagerestrictions on foreign investments. However, the draft law has not taken a position on what actions will be taken with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds heldexisting companies with the “variable interest entity” structure, whether or not these companies are controlled by Chinese parties. On March 15,2019, the Foreign Investment Law was adopted by the NPC and will come into effect on January 1,2020. The Foreign Investment Law stipulates that the Negative List for the access of foreign investment is divided into “prohibited investment areas” and “restricted investment areas”. Although the Foreign Investment Law did not mention the principle of “actual control” (including VIE structures) as stipulated in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claimsDraft Foreign Investment Law 2015, according to the monies heldfourth category of foreign investment activities mentioned in the trust account, our management will perform an analysisForeign Investment Law, namely, “investing in any other ways as stipulated under laws, administrative regulations or provisions of the alternatives availableState Council”, the “actual control” principle (including VIE structures) may be proposed in form of other laws, administrative regulations or means as stipulated by the State Council. Under these circumstances, if the actual controller has foreign nationality, the VIE will be regarded as a foreign invested enterprise. Once an entity is designated as a foreign-invested company, its investment in the PRC will be limited to itthe scope stated in the Negative List. If the PRC government finds that the agreements that establish the structure for operating our online consumer finance marketplace business do not comply with PRC government restrictions on foreign investment in value-added telecommunications services businesses, such as internet content provision services, we could be subject to severe penalties, including being prohibited from continuing operations.

Insurance

We do not maintain property insurance policies covering equipment and will onlyother property against risks and unexpected events. We provide social security insurance including pension insurance, unemployment insurance, work-related injury insurance and medical insurance for our employees. We also maintain a director and officer liability insurance policy for our board directors, executives and employees. We do not maintain business interruption insurance or general third-party liability insurance, nor do we maintain product liability insurance or key-man insurance. We consider our insurance coverage to be sufficient for our business operations in China.

Competition

The online consumer finance marketplace industry in China is intensely competitive and we compete with other consumer finance marketplaces. Our key competitors include Lujinsuo (Lufax) and Yirendai (YRD). In light of the low barriers to entry in the online consumer finance industry, more players may enter this market and increase the level of competition. We anticipate that more established internet, technology and financial services companies that possess large, existing user bases, substantial financial resources and established distribution channels may enter the market in the future.

We also compete with other financial products and companies that attract borrowers, investors or both. With respect to borrowers, we compete with other consumer finance marketplaces and traditional financial institutions, such as consumer finance business units in commercial banks, credit card issuers and other consumer finance companies. With respect to investors, we primarily compete with other investment products and asset classes, such as equities, bonds, investment trust products, bank savings accounts and real estate.

Intellectual Property

We use a combination of software copyrights, trademarks, patents, domain names and other rights to protect our intellectual property and our brand.

In mainland China, we have completed registration of 32 software copyrights with Copyright Protection Center of China as of December 31, 2018. We have registered 41 domain names, are applying for 35 pending patents with National Intellectual Property Administration and have registered 102 trademarks with Trademark Office of The State Administration for Industry & Commerce of the People’s Republic of China as of December 31, 2018.

Outside China, we have registered 64 trademarks in Singapore, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Hong Kong, Australia, and the Philippines, and are in the process of applying for 261 pending trademarks in the United States, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and other countries as of December 31, 2018.

In addition to our intellectual property rights, we believe we maintain a competitive advantage over our peers through our in-depth knowledge in China’s credit industry and its continuously evolving proprietary technology and know-how.

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We also enter into an agreementcontracts with our employees and third-party partners to prevent any unauthorized dissemination of our technology.

To date, we have not experienced any material misappropriation of our intellectual property. Despite our efforts to protect our proprietary rights, third parties may attempt to use, copy or otherwise obtain and market or distribute our proprietary technology or develop a third partysimilar platform. We cannot be certain that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party's engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative.

Examples of possible instances wherethe steps we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertisehave taken or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may havetake in the future will prevent misappropriations of our technology and intellectual property rights.

Facilities

Our headquarters are located in Beijing. We lease an aggregate of approximately 4,874 square meters (approximately 52,463 square feet) of office space for our headquarters in Beijing.

Employees

As of December 31, 2018, we had 902 employees. We cultivate a productive culture for our employees and aim to foster a strong sense of loyalty and dedication with them. We strive to motivate our employees with a clear career path and opportunities to improve their skillset. We provide mandatory training to our employees upon hiring and on an ongoing basis as appropriate for their assigned duties and potential skillset enrichment. In particular, we provide regular training for all operation employees.

Compensation for our employees typically comprises basic salaries and discretionary bonuses. We provide employees in China with benefits as required under the relevant laws. We believe our relationship with our employees is good, and have not experienced any material labor disputes or work stoppages.

As required by PRC Laws and regulations, we participate in various government statutory employee benefit plans, including a pension contribution plan, a medical insurance plan, an unemployment insurance plan, a work-related injury insurance plan, a maternity insurance plan and a housing provident fund. We are required under PRC law to contribute to employee benefit plans at specified percentages of the salaries, bonuses and certain allowances of our employees up to a maximum amount specified by the local government from time to time.

We enter into standard labor contracts with our employees. We also enter into standard confidentiality and non-compete agreements with our executive officers.

Legal Proceedings

We are currently not a party to any material legal or administrative proceedings. We may from time to time be subject to various legal or administrative claims and proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. Litigation or any other legal or administrative proceeding, regardless of the outcome, may result in additional costs and diversion of our resources, including our management’s time and attention.

REGULATION

This section sets forth a summary of the most significant rules and regulations that affect our business activities in China.

As a consumer lending marketplace connecting investors with private enterprises and individual borrowers, we are regulated by various government authorities, including but not limited to:

the MIIT, which regulates telecommunications and telecommunications-related activities, including, but not limited to, the Internet information services and other value-added telecommunication services;

the PBOC, as the central bank of China, which regulates the formation and implementation of monetary policy, issuing the currency, supervising the commercial banks and assisting the administration of the financing;

China Banking Regulatory Commission (the “CBRC”), which regulates financial institutions and promulgating the regulations related to the administration of financial institutions.

Cyberspace Administration of China (“the CAOC”), which implements the guidelines and policies of internet information communication and promoting legal construction of internet information communication, guiding, coordinating and urging relevant departments to strengthen the management of Internet information content and investigating illegal websites according to law.

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National Internet Finance Association of China (“the NIFA”), which regulates the market behavior of P2P industry institutions, protecting legitimate rights and interests of the industry, promoting institutions to serve social and economic development better and guiding healthy operation of the industry through self-regulation and member services.

Regulations Relating to Online Consumer Lending

Online consumer lending is regarded under PRC law as direct loans between parties through an Internet platform, and governed by the PRC Contract Law, the General Principles of the Civil Law of the PRC, Interim Measures for the Administration of Business Activities of Online Lending Information Intermediaries, the Guidelines for the Online Lending Fund Depository Business , the Guidelines for the Administration of Recordation Registration of Online Lending Information Intermediary Institutions, the Guidelines for the Disclosure of Information on the Business Activities of Online Lending Information Intermediary Institutions and related judicial interpretations promulgated by the Supreme People’s Court.

Regulations on Consumer Lending Service Provider

On July 18, 2015, ten PRC regulatory agencies, including the PBOC, the MIIT and the CBRC, jointly issued the Guidelines on Promoting the Healthy Development of Internet Finance, or the Guidelines. The Guidelines define online consumer lending as direct loans between parties through an Internet platform, which is under the supervision of CBRC, and governed by the PRC Contract Law, the General Principles of the Civil Law of the PRC, and related judicial interpretations promulgated by the Supreme People’s Court. The Guidelines require that online consumer lending service providers must conduct the followings:

i.act as an intermediary platform to provide information exchange, matching, credit assessment and other intermediary services which providing credit enhancement services and/or engage in illegal fund-raising is explicitly prohibited;

ii.complete registration with the relevant local counterpart of the MIIT in accordance with implementation regulations that may be promulgated by the MIIT or/and the Office for Cyberspace Affairs pursuant to the Guidelines;

iii.set up a custody account with a qualified bank in order to deposit, manage and supervise borrower and investor funds, and separate borrower and investor funds from the funds of the online consumer lending service provider, with that custody account being subject to independent audits, the results of which must be disclosed to investors and borrowers, all in accordance with implementation regulations that may be promulgated by the PBOC and other relevant regulatory agencies pursuant to the Guidelines;

iv.fully disclose all relevant information to customers, including but not limited to the online consumer lending service provider’s financial status, transaction model, the rights and obligations of customers, and provide customers with reminders of the risk of loss;

v.not disseminate any untrue information and conduct any bundle sales;

vi.protect the personal information of the online consumer lending service provider’s customers from any unauthorized disclosure and must not sell and/or disclose such information illegally; and

vii.establish a customer identification program, monitor and report suspicious transactions, preserve customer information and transaction records, and provide assistance to the public security department and judicial authorities in investigations and proceedings in relation to anti-money laundering matters.

On August 17, 2016, CBRC, MIIT, PBOC and other relevant government authorities published Interim Measures for the Administration of Business Activities of Online Lending Information Intermediaries, or the Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures. The Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures defines the consumer lending as the direct lending among individuals via Internet platforms. Individuals shall include natural persons, legal persons and other organizations. The Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures also defines the consumer lending information intermediaries as the financial information intermediaries that specialized in consumer lending information intermediary business. Such intermediaries provide services including information collection, information release, credit assessment, information exchange, and match of lending, on the Internet as the primary channel to facilitate the direct lending between borrowers and lenders (creditors). The Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures requires that consumer lending information intermediaries must conduct the following concerning filing and registration:

i.register the record-filing with the local financial regulatory department at the place where it is registered with the industry and commerce authority by presenting relevant materials within ten working days after obtaining the business license;

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ii.after completing the record-filing with the local financial regulatory departments, apply for telecommunication business operating licenses pursuant to the relevant provisions of the competent authorities of communications;

iii.shall be clearly identified as consumer lending information intermediaries in their business scope.

The Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures requires that consumer lending information intermediaries shall not engage in or be entrusted to engage in any of the following activities:

i.financing for themselves directly or in a disguised form;

ii.accepting, collecting or gathering funds of lenders directly or indirectly;

iii.providing security to lenders or promising break-even principals and interests directly or in a disguised form;

iv.publicizing or promoting financing projects on other physical premises other than such digital channels as the Internet, fixed-line telephone or mobile phone by themselves or upon entrustment or authorization of any third party;

v.making loans, unless otherwise stipulated by laws and regulations;

vi.splitting the term of any financing project;

vii.raising funds by issuing such financial products on their own as wealth management products, or selling bank wealth management products, assets management by securities traders, funds, insurance, trust products or other financial products on a commission basis;

viii.carrying out business similar to asset-backed securities or conducting the transfer of creditor’s rights in the form of packaged assets, asset-backed securities, trust assets, and fund units;

ix.engaging in any form of mixture, bundling or agency with other institutions in investment, sale on a commission basis, brokerage etc., unless otherwise permitted by laws, regulations and relevant regulatory provisions on consumer lending;

x.making up or overstating the authenticity of financing projects and the prospect of profits, concealing flaws and risks in financing projects, publicizing or promoting in biased language or by other fraudulent means in a false and one-sided way, fabricating or spreading false or incomplete information to damage others’ business reputation, or misleading lenders or borrowers;

xi.providing information intermediary services for those highly risky financing projects whose purpose is the investment in stock market, over-the-counter financing, futures contracts, structured products and other derivatives;

xii.engaging in equity-based crowd funding etc.; and

xiii.undertaking other activities prohibited by laws and regulations as well as relevant regulatory provisions on consumer lending.

The Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures provides requirements for consumer lending information intermediaries, such as business rules and risk management, protection of lenders and borrowers, information disclosure, etc. Consumer lending information intermediaries shall manage their own funds and funds of lenders and borrowers separately, and select qualified banking financial institutions as agencies to deposit lenders’ and borrowers’ funds. Local financial regulatory departments shall order consumer lending information intermediaries to make rectification within a period of no more than 12 months, which may subject to the adjustment from the relevant regulatory departments from time to time. Any violation of the Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures by a consumer lending information intermediary after they come into effect, may subject such consumer lending information intermediary to certain penalties as determined by applicable laws, and regulations, or by relevant government authorities if the applicable laws and regulations are silent on the penalties. The applicable penalties may include but not limited to, criminal liabilities, warning, rectification, tainted integrity record and fines up to RMB30,000 (US$4,425).

On October 28, 2016, the CBRC, the MIIT and the Industry and Commerce Administration Department, jointly issued the Guidance of Administration, which provides the general filing rules for online lending intermediaries, and delegates the filing authority to local financial authorities. Although the Guidance of Administration has not been officially promulgated or launched and also may not be found from authorized source, it is generally accepted by the industry that it needs to be followed. The Guidance of Administration sets forth that online lending intermediaries are approved locally. Under the general filing procedures for online lending intermediaries, before a filing application is submitted to local financial regulators, the online lending intermediaries may be required to: (i) rectify any breach of applicable regulations as required by local financial regulators; and (ii) apply to the Industry and Commerce Administration Department to amend or register such entity’s the business scope.

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On February 22, 2017, the CBRC released the Guidelines to the Operation of Depositing Online Lending Funds, or the Guidelines of Depositing Lending Funds, which provide detailed requirements for setting up a custody account with a qualified bank and depositing online lending funds. The Guidelines of Depositing Lending Funds define online lending funds as the special lending funds and related funds deposited by the custodian pursuant to the entrustment of online lending information intermediary (as the principal), which are formed by borrowers, lenders and guarantors, etc. in their investment and financing activities. The Guidelines of Depositing Lending Funds define a custodian as a resultcommercial bank that provides custody services for the online lending business.

In the online lending funds custody business, the principal should perform the following duties:

i.to be responsible for the continuous development and safe operation of the technical system of the online consumer lending platform;

ii.to organize the implementation of the information disclosure of the online lending information intermediary, including but not limited to the basic information of the principal, the information of the lending project, the basic information and operation of the borrower, the information of the participants, etc., which should be fully disclosed to the custodian;

iii.to check the accounts with the custodian on a daily basis to ensure the accuracy of the system data;

iv.to keep the records, account books, statements and other relevant materials of the online lending business, and the relevant paper or electronic information shall be kept for more than five years after the expiration of the lending contract;

v.to organize an independent audit of the client’s fund custody account and to disclose the audit results to the client;

vi.to fulfill and cooperate with the custodian to perform the anti-money laundering obligations; and

vii.other duties stipulated in laws, administrative regulations, rules, other regulatory documents and online lending funds deposit contracts.

Where the principal and custodian that have carried out custodian business of or arising outonline lending funds fail to comply with the requirements of any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. In order to protect the amounts heldGuidelines of Depositing Lending Funds in the trust account, our sponsor has agreedbusiness course, they shall effect rectification for a period of no more than six months, which may subject to the adjustment from the relevant regulatory departments from time to time. Where they fail to effect rectification within such period, they shall be treated in accordance with the Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures and other laws and regulations. In accordance with the Guidelines and the Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures, on August 23, 2017, the CBRC issued the Disclosure Guidelines, which stipulate that it will be liableconsumer lending information intermediary platforms shall disclose relevant information on their websites and other Internet channels, and the Disclosure Guidelines have provided detailed requirements for such information disclosure. According to us if andthe Disclosure Guidelines, to the extent any claimsthat consumer lending information intermediary platforms that have provided the services before the issuance of the Disclosure Guidelines are not in full compliance with the requirements, they are required to make rectification within a six-month rectification period starting from the date the Disclosure Guidelines was promulgated. For platforms that fail to make such rectification, sanctions could be imposed by the relevant regulatory departments, including but not limited to, supervision interviews, warning letters, rectification requests, tainted integrity records, fines of up to RMB30,000 (US$4,425), and criminal liabilities if the act constitutes a vendorcriminal offense.

On December 1, 2017, the Office of the Leading Group for services renderedthe Special Campaign against Internet Financial Risks and the Office of the Leading Group for the Special Campaign against Peer-to-peer Lending Risks issued the Notice on the Regulation and Rectification of the “Cash Loan” Business (Circular No. 141). The notice comprehensively regulates the “cash loan” business, including supervision of eligibility, business and the suitability of borrowers. The withdrawal of inventory was arranged as well.

The Notice requires improvements to the business management of P2P lending information intermediary institutions including

i.Loan businesses that are not in compliance with the provisions of the law on interest rates shall not be matched directly or in a disguised manner; it is forbidden to deduct interests, commission fees, management fees, margin from the loan principal in advance or set high overdue interest, late fee and interest penalty, among others.

ii.Clients’ information collection, selection, credit rating, account opening and other core work shall not be outsourced.

iii.Participation in P2P lending with the funds of banking financial institutions shall not be matched.

iv.Loan matching services shall not be provided for any student in school or any borrower without source of repayment or repayment capacity. “Down payment loans,” real estate off-floor financing and other house purchase financing loans matching services shall not be provided. Loan matching services without designated use shall not be provided.

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On December 8, 2017, the Office of the Leading Group for Special Rectification on Risks in P2P Lending issued “Notice on the Rectification, Remediation and Acceptance for Risks of P2P Online Lending” (Circular No. 57) to Local Joint Work Office for P2P Rectification. The Notice requires that assignment of filing and registration of principal P2P institutions shall be mainly accomplished by local authorities within their jurisdiction by the end of April in 2018 and shall be fully finished by the end of June in 2018. Key issues include transfer of creditors’ rights, provisions for risks, depository of the funds shall be explained further. On August 18, 2018, the Office of the Leading Group for Special Rectification on Risks in P2P Lending issued “Notice on the Compliance Inspection for P2P Online Lending Institutions” and “Checklist of Compliance Inspection of P2P” to Local Joint Work Office for P2P Rectification and IFAC and listed 108 detailed rules. It requires that compliance inspection, like self-inspection, self-discipline inspection and administrative inspection shall be accomplished by the end of December 2018. Local standards for rectification and acceptance shall be unified to resolve the problems of regulatory arbitrage caused by different local standards.

According to Opinions on Operating Well in Classified Disposition and Risk Prevention of Online Credit Institutions, or Circular 175, promulgated by the Head Office for Special Rectification of Online Finance Risk and Head Office for Special Rectification of Peer-to-Peer Online Lending on December 19th, 2018, P2P online lending intermediaries are classified as risk-emerged institutions, which include registered and non-registered, and risk-emerging institutions, which include zombie institutions, small institutions and large institutions. Within the category of large risk-emerging institutions, there are normal institutions and high-risk institutions. Institution containing one of the five following factors would be deemed as a high-risk institution, five factors as follows: (i) exist self-financing, fake tender or uncertain capital flow conditions; (ii) more than 10% of all loans are overdue; (iii) generated many negative public opinions and petitions; (iv) refuse inspections or do not cooperate in inspections; (v) conduct one vote veto in regulation compliance. Normal institutions are required to clean up all illegal businesses and leave no hidden dangers and risks. Large risk-emerging institutions shall conduct market cleaning mechanism, and strive to achieve positive exits. There are four prohibitions on actions of financing institutions stated in Circular 175. Financing institutions are prohibited to (i) financing through Online Credit Institutions; (ii) provide guarantee for Online Credit Institutions; (iii) accept investments from Online Credit Institutions; (iv) sell products soldof Online Credit Institutions.

Compliance Status

Pursuant to us, orthe requirements of the abovementioned Notice, Beijing Oriental already submitted self-inspection report and related materials of “Checklist” for self-discipline inspection and administrative inspection to the Office of the Leading Group for Special Rectification on Risks in P2P Lending through Jin-Guan-Tong System on October 14, 2018.

Pursuant to the requirements of the abovementioned Notice, Beijing Oriental already submitted self-inspection report, self-correction report and related materials to National Internet Finance Association of China through the System of National Internet Finance Association of China on October 19, 2018.

Our marketplace serves as an information intermediary between borrowers and lenders and we are not a prospective target business with whichparty to the loans facilitated through our marketplace. We believe that we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reducetaken measures to comply with the amountslaws and regulations that are applicable to our business operations, including the regulatory principles raised by the CBRC and the Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures, and avoid conducting any activities that may be deemed as illegal fund-raising under the current applicable laws and regulations. However, due to the lack of detailed regulations and guidance in the trust account to belowarea of consumer lending services and the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public sharepossibility that the PRC government authority may promulgate new laws and (ii) the actual amount per public share heldregulations regulating consumer lending services in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the investment earnings which may be withdrawn to pay taxes and working capital expenses. This liability will not apply to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of the IPO against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and we believe that our sponsor's only assets are securities of our company. Therefore,future, we cannot assure you that our sponsorpractice would not be deemed to violate any PRC laws or regulations, especially relating to illegal fund-raising, credit enhancement services and/or information disclosure. If our practice is deemed to violate any PRC laws or regulations, our business, financial conditions and results of operations would be ablematerially and adversely affected.

Regulations on Loans between Individuals

The PRC Contract Law governs the formation, validity, performance, enforcement and assignment of contracts. The PRC Contract Law confirms the validity of loan agreements between individuals and provides that the loan agreement becomes effective when the individual lender provides the loan to satisfy those obligations. Nonethe individual borrower. The PRC Contract Law requires that the interest rates charged under the loan agreement must not violate the applicable provisions of our officersthe PRC laws and regulations. In accordance with the Provisions on Several Issues Concerning Laws Applicable to Trials of Private Lending Cases issued by the Supreme People’s Court on August 6, 2015, or directors will indemnify us for claimsthe Private Lending Judicial Interpretations, which came into effect on September 1, 2015, private lending is defined as financing between individuals, legal entities and other organizations. When private loans between individuals are paid by third parties including, without limitation, claimswire transfer, through online consumer lending platforms or by vendors and prospective target businesses.

other similar means, the loan contracts between individuals are deemed to be validated upon the deposit of funds to the borrower’s account. In the event that the proceedsloans are made through an online consumer lending platform and the platform only provides intermediary services, the courts shall dismiss the claims of the parties concerned against the platform demanding the repayment of loans by the platform as guarantors. However, if the online consumer lending service provider guarantees repayment of the loans as evidenced by its web page, advertisements or other media, or the court is provided with other proof, the lender’s claim alleging that the consumer lending service provider shall assume the obligations of a guarantor will be upheld by the courts. The Private Lending Judicial Interpretations also provide that agreements between the lender and borrower on loans with interest rates (including penalty and other costs thereof) no more than 24% per annum are valid and enforceable. As to loans with interest rates per annum over 24% but no more than 36%, if the interest on the loans has already been paid to the lender, and so long as such payment has not damaged the interest of the state, the community and any third parties, the courts will not find the merit in the borrower’s demand for the return of the interest payment on the ground of invalidity. If the annual interest rate of a private loan is higher than 36%, the interest that in excess of 36% will not be upheld by the courts. All the loan transactions facilitated over our marketplace are between individuals currently. The APRs for the term loans on our marketplace currently range from 7% to 36%. The interest rate does not and is not expected to exceed the mandatory limit for loan interest rates.

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Pursuant to the PRC Contract Law, a creditor may assign its rights under an agreement to a third party, provided that the debtor is notified. Upon due assignment of the creditor’s rights, the assignee is entitled to the creditor’s rights and the debtor must perform the relevant obligations under the agreement for the benefit of the assignee. We allow investors to transfer the loans they hold to other investors before the loan reaches maturity. To facilitate the assignment of the loans, the template loan agreement applicable to the lenders and borrowers on our platform specifically provides that a lender has the right to assign his/her rights under the loan agreement to any third parties and the borrower agrees to such assignment.

In addition, according to the PRC Contract Law, an intermediation contract is a contract whereby an intermediary presents to its client an opportunity for entering into a contract or provides the client with other intermediary services in connection with the conclusion of a contract, and the client pays the intermediary service fees. Our business of connecting investors with individual borrowers may constitute intermediary service, and our service agreements with borrowers and investors may be deemed as intermediation contracts under the PRC Contract Law. Pursuant to the PRC Contract Law, an intermediary must provide true information relating to the proposed contract. If an intermediary conceals any material fact intentionally or provides false information in connection with the conclusion of the proposed contract, which results in harm to the client’s interests, the intermediary may not claim for service fees and is liable for the damages caused. The Interim Measures for the Administration of Business Activities of Online Lending Information Intermediaries provides detailed requirements for Consumer Lending Information Intermediaries.

Regulations on Illegal Fund-Raising

Raising funds by entities or individuals from the general public must be conducted in strict compliance with applicable PRC laws and regulations to avoid administrative and criminal liabilities. The Measures for the Banning of Illegal Financial Institutions and Illegal Financial Business Operations promulgated by the State Council in July 1998, and the Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning the Penalty on Illegal Fund-Raising issued by the General Office of the State Council in July 2007, explicitly prohibit illegal public fund-raising. The main features of illegal public fund-raising include: (i) illegally soliciting and raising funds from the general public by means of issuing stocks, bonds, lotteries or other securities without obtaining the approval of relevant authorities, (ii) promising a return of interest or profits or investment returns in cash, properties or other forms within a specified period of time, and (iii) using a legitimate form to disguise on unlawful purpose.

To further clarify the criminal charges and punishments relating to illegal public fund-raising, the Supreme People’s Court promulgated the Judicial Interpretations to Issues Concerning Applications of Laws for Trial of Criminal Cases on Illegal Fund-Raising, or the Illegal Fund-Raising Judicial Interpretations, which came into force in January 2011. The Illegal Fund-Raising Judicial Interpretations provide that a public fund-raising will constitute a criminal offense related to “illegally soliciting deposits from the public” under the PRC Criminal Law, if it meets all the following four criteria: (i) the fund-raising has not been approved by the relevant authorities or is concealed under the guise of legitimate acts; (ii) the fund-raising employs general solicitation or advertising such as social media, promotion meetings, leafleting and SMS advertising; (iii) the fundraiser promises to repay, after a specified period of time, the capital and interests, or investment returns in cash, properties in kind and other forms; and (iv) the fund-raising targets the general public as opposed to specific individuals. An illegal fund-raising activity can incur a fine or prosecution in the event it constitutes a criminal offense. Pursuant to the Illegal Fund-Raising Judicial Interpretations, an offender that is an entity will be subject to criminal liabilities, if it illegally solicits deposits from the general public or illegally solicits deposits in disguised form (i) with the amount of deposits involved exceeding RMB1,000,000 (US$147,507.9), (ii) with over 150 fund-raising targets involved, or (iii) with direct economic loss caused to fund-raising targets exceeding RMB500,000 (US$73,753.9), or (iv) the illegal fund-raising activities have caused baneful influences to the public or have led to other severe consequences. An individual offender is also subject to criminal liabilities but with lower thresholds. In addition, an individual or an entity who has aided in illegal fund-raising from the general public and charges fees including but not limited to agent fees, rewards, rebates and commission, may be considered an accomplice in the crime of illegal fund-raising. In accordance with the Opinions of the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procurator and the Ministry of Public Security on Several Issues concerning the Application of Law in the Illegal Fund-Raising Criminal Cases, the administrative proceeding for determining the nature of illegal fund-raising activities is not a prerequisite procedure for the initiation of criminal proceedings concerning the crime of illegal fund-raising, and the administrative departments’ failure in determining the nature of illegal fund-raising activities does not affect the investigation, prosecution and trial of cases concerning the crime of illegal fund-raising.

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Regulations Relating to Foreign Investment

The PRC Foreign Investment Law

In January 2015, the MOFCOM published a discussion draft of the proposed Foreign Investment Law for public review and comments (the “2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law”). The 2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law purports to change the existing “case-by-case” approval regime to a “filing or approval” procedure for foreign investments in China. The State Council will determine a list of industry categories that are subject to special administrative measures, which is referred to as a “negative list,” consisting of a list of industry categories where foreign investments are strictly prohibited, or the “prohibited list” and a list of industry categories where foreign investments are subject to certain restrictions, or the “restricted list.” Foreign investments in business sectors outside of the “negative list” will only be subject to a filing procedure, in contrast to the existing prior approval requirements, whereas foreign investments in any industry categories that are on the “restricted list” must apply for approval from the foreign investment administration authority.

The 2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law for the first time defines a foreign investor not only based on where it is incorporated or organized, but also by using the standard of “actual control.” The 2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law specifically provides that entities established in China, but “controlled” by foreign investors will be treated as FIEs. Once an entity is considered to be an FIE, it may be subject to the foreign investment restrictions in the “restricted list” or prohibitions set forth in the “prohibited list.” If an FIE proposes to conduct business in an industry subject to foreign investment restrictions in the “restricted list,” the FIE must go through market entry clearance approvals by the MOFCOM before it can be established. If an FIE proposes to conduct business in an industry subject to foreign investment prohibitions in the “prohibited list,” it must not engage in the business. However, an FIE that conducts business in an industry that is in the “restricted list,” upon market entry clearance, may apply in writing for being treated as a PRC domestic investment if it is ultimately “controlled” by PRC government authorities and its affiliates and/or PRC citizens. According to the 2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law, variable interest entities would also be deemed as FIEs, if they are ultimately “controlled” by foreign investors, and be subject to restrictions on foreign investments. However, the 2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law has not taken a position on what actions will be taken with respect to the existing companies with the “variable interest entity” structure, whether or not these companies are controlled by Chinese parties.

The 2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law emphasizes on security review requirements, whereby all foreign investments that jeopardize or may jeopardize national security must be reviewed and approved in accordance with the security review procedure. In addition, the 2015 Draft Foreign Investment Law imposes stringent ad hoc and periodic information reporting requirements on foreign investors and the applicable FIEs. Aside from the investment implementation report and the investment amendment report that are required at each investment and alteration of specific investment terms, an annual report is mandatory, and large foreign investors meeting certain criteria are required to report on a quarterly basis. Any company found to be non-compliant with these information reporting obligations may potentially be subject to fines and/or administrative or criminal liabilities, and the persons directly responsible may be subject to criminal liabilities.

On September 3, 2016, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress published the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on Amending Four Laws including the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprises. The decision provides that wholly foreign-owned enterprises, Chinese-Foreign equity joint ventures and Chinese-Foreign contractual joint ventures which formation do not involve the implementation of special access management measures as prescribed by the state shall be subject to post-filing administration instead of prior approval administration.

On December 26, 2018, National People’s Congress published the Foreign Investment Law of the People’s Republic of China (the “2018 Draft Foreign Investment Law”) on its official website aiming to solicit public opinions.

On March 15, 2019, the Foreign Investment Law was adopted by the NPC and will come into effect on January 1, 2020. The Foreign Investment Law stipulates that the Negative List for the access of foreign investment is divided into “prohibited investment areas” and “restricted investment areas”. However, the Foreign Investment Law does not specify the scope of business which are included in the fields of restricted investment and prohibited investment. Although the Foreign Investment Law did not mention the principle of “actual control” (including VIE structures) as stipulated in the Draft Foreign Investment Law 2015, according to the fourth category of foreign investment activities mentioned in the Foreign Investment Law, namely, “investing in any other ways as stipulated under laws, administrative regulations or provisions of the State Council”, the “actual control” principle (including VIE structures) may be proposed in form of other laws, administrative regulations or means as stipulated by the State Council. Under these circumstances, if the actual controller has foreign nationality, the VIE will be regarded as a foreign invested enterprise. Once an entity is designated as a foreign-invested company, its investment in the PRC will be limited to the scope stated in the Negative List.

When the Foreign Investment Law becomes effective, the trio of existing laws regulating foreign investment in China, namely, the Sino-foreign Equity Joint Venture Enterprise Law, the Sino-foreign Cooperative Joint Venture Enterprise Law and the Wholly Foreign-invested Enterprise Law, together with their implementation rules and ancillary regulations, will be abolished. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure—The enactment of the Foreign Investment Law may materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.”

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Industry Catalog Relating to Foreign Investment

Investment activities in the PRC by foreign investors are principally governed by the Guidance Catalog of Industries for Foreign Investment, or the Catalog, which was promulgated and amended from time to time by the MOFCOM and the National Development and Reform Commission. Industries listed in the Catalog are divided into three categories: encouraged, restricted and prohibited. Industries not listed in the Catalog are generally deemed as constituting a fourth “permitted” category. Establishment of wholly foreign-owned enterprises is generally allowed in encouraged and permitted industries. Some restricted industries are limited to equity or contractual joint ventures, while in some cases Chinese partners are required to hold the majority interests in such joint ventures. In addition, restricted category projects are subject to higher-level government approvals. Foreign investors are not allowed to invest in industries in the prohibited category. Industries not listed in the Catalog are generally open to foreign investment unless specifically restricted by other PRC regulations.

NCF’s subsidiaries are mainly engaged in providing investment and financing consultations and technical services, which fall into the “permitted” category under the Catalog. NCF believes that its PRC subsidiaries have obtained all material approvals required for its business operations. However, industries such as value-added telecommunication services (except e-commerce), including Internet information services, are restricted from foreign investment. We provide the value-added telecommunication services that are in the “restricted” category.

On June 28, 2017, the MOFCOM and the National Development and Reform Commission (“the NDRC”) promulgated Catalogue of Industries for Guiding Foreign Investment, that came into effect on July 28, 2017, under which the investment and financing consultations fall into the “permitted” category. On June 28, 2018, the MOFCOM and the NDRC promulgated Special Management Measures for the Market Entry of Foreign Investment (Negative List), that came into effect on July 28, 2018), under which value-added telecommunication services (except e-commerce) fall into “restricted” category.

Foreign Investment in Value-Added Telecommunication Services

The Provisions on Administration of Foreign Invested Telecommunications Enterprises promulgated by the State Council in December 2001 and subsequently amended in September 2008 prohibit a foreign investor from owning more than 50% of the total equity interest in any value-added telecommunications service business in China and require the major foreign investor in any value-added telecommunications service business in China to have a good and profitable record and operating experience in this industry. Catalogue of Industries for Guiding Foreign Investment (2017 Revision) allows a foreign investor to own more than 50% of the total equity interest in an E-Commerce business.

In July 2006, the Ministry of Information Industry, the predecessor of the MIIT, issued the Circular on Strengthening the Administration of Foreign Investment in the Operation of Value-added Telecommunications Business, pursuant to which a domestic PRC company that holds an operating license for value-added telecommunications business, which we refer to as a VATS License, is prohibited from leasing, transferring or selling the VATS License to foreign investors in any form and from providing any assistance, including resources, sites or facilities, to foreign investors that conduct a value-added telecommunications business illegally in China. Further, the domain names and registered trademarks used by an operating company providing value-added telecommunications services must be legally owned by that company or its shareholders. In addition, the VATS License holder must have the necessary facilities for its approved business operations and to maintain the facilities in the regions covered by its VATS License.

Anti-money Laundering Regulations

The PRC Anti-money Laundering Law, which became effective in January 2007, sets forth the principal anti-money laundering requirements applicable to financial institutions as well as non-financial institutions with anti-money laundering obligations, including the adoption of precautionary and supervisory measures, establishment of various systems for client identification, retention of clients’ identification information and transactions records, and reports on large transactions and suspicious transactions. According to the PRC Anti-money Laundering Law, financial institutions subject to the PRC Anti-money Laundering Law include banks, credit unions, trust accountinvestment companies, stock brokerage companies, futures brokerage companies, insurance companies and other financial institutions as listed and published by the State Council, while the list of the non-financial institutions with anti-money laundering obligations will be published by the State Council. The PBOC and other governmental authorities issued a series of administrative rules and regulations to specify the anti-money laundering obligations of financial institutions and certain non-financial institutions, such as payment institutions. However, the State Council has not promulgated the list of the non-financial institutions with anti-money laundering obligations.

The Guidelines, the Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures and the Guidelines of Custodian Lending Funds require Internet finance service providers, including online consumer lending platforms to comply with certain anti-money laundering requirements, including the establishment of a customer identification program, the monitoring and reporting of suspicious transactions, the preservation of customer information and transaction records, and the provision of assistance to the public security department and judicial authority in investigations and proceedings in relation to anti-money laundering matters. The PBOC will formulate implementing rules to further specify the anti-money laundering obligations of Internet finance service providers.

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In cooperation with our partnering custodian banks and payment companies, we have adopted various policies and procedures, such as internal controls and “know-your-customer” procedures, for anti-money laundering purposes. However, as the detailed anti-money laundering regulations of Internet finance service providers have not been published, there is uncertainty as to how the anti-money laundering requirements will be interpreted and implemented, and whether online consumer lending service providers like ourselves must abide by the rules and procedures set forth in the PRC Anti-money Laundering Law that are reduced belowapplicable to non-financial institutions with anti-money laundering obligations. We cannot assure you that our existing anti-money laundering policies and procedures will be deemed to be in full compliance with any anti-money laundering laws and regulations that may become applicable to us in the lesserfuture.

Regulations on Value-Added Telecommunication Services

The Telecommunications Regulations promulgated by the State Council and its related implementation rules, including the Catalog of Classification of Telecommunications Business issued by the MIIT, categorize various types of telecommunications and telecommunications-related activities into basic or value-added telecommunications services, and Internet information services, or ICP services, and on-line data processing and transaction processing services, are classified as value-added telecommunications businesses. In 2009, the MIIT promulgated the Administrative Measures on Telecommunications Business Operating Licenses, which set forth more specific provisions regarding the types of licenses required to operate value-added telecommunications services, the qualifications and procedures for obtaining such licenses and the administration and supervision of such licenses. Under these regulations, a commercial operator of value-added telecommunications services must first obtain a license for value-added telecommunications business, or VATS License, from the MIIT or its provincial level counterparts.

In September 2000, the State Council also issued the Administrative Measures on Internet Information Services, which was amended in January 2011. Pursuant to these measures, “Internet information services” refer to provision of Internet information to online users, and are divided into “commercial Internet information services” and “non-commercial Internet information services.” A commercial Internet information services operator must obtain a VATS License for Internet information services, or ICP License, from the relevant government authorities before engaging in any commercial Internet information services operations in China. The ICP License has a term of five years and application for renewal shall be submitted to the original license issuing authority 90 days before expiration.

Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures requires consumer lending information intermediaries apply for telecommunication business operating licenses pursuant to the relevant provisions of the competent authorities of communications. As the detailed provisions for such telecommunication business operating licenses has not been published, there is uncertainty as to which type of license is required for consumer lending information intermediaries.

Regulations on Internet Information Security

Internet information in China is also regulated and restricted from a national security standpoint. The National People’s Congress, China’s national legislative body, has enacted the Decisions on Maintaining Internet Security, which may subject violators to criminal punishment in China for any effort to: (i) gain improper entry into a computer or system of strategic importance; (ii) disseminate politically disruptive information; (iii) leak state secrets; (iv) spread false commercial information; or (v) infringe intellectual property rights. The Ministry of Public Security has promulgated measures that prohibit use of the Internet in ways which, among other things, result in a leakage of state secrets or a spread of socially destabilizing content. If an Internet information service provider violates these measures, the Ministry of Public Security and the local security bureaus may revoke its operating license and shut down its websites. On November 7, 2016, Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress published Cyber Security Law of the PRC (will be effective on June 1, 2017), which requires network operators to take technical measures and other necessary measures to ensure the secure and stable operation of the network, effectively respond to cyber security incidents, prevent illegal crimes committed on the network, and maintain the integrity, confidentiality and availability of cyber data.

In addition, the Guidelines require Internet finance service providers, including consumer lending platforms, among other things, to improve technology security standards, and safeguard customer and transaction information. The PBOC and other relevant regulatory authorities will jointly adopt the implementing rules and technology security standards. The Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures requires consumer lending information intermediaries to take the following measures:

i.according to the relevant national provisions on cyberspace security and the graded protection system for national information security, carry out the grading record-filing and class testing for information system, have sophisticated cyberspace security facilities, such as firewall, and those facilities for intrusion detect, data encryption, and disaster recovery, as well as relevant management systems of such facilities, establish relevant systems with regard to information technology management, technology risk management, and technology auditing, allocate sufficient resources, take thorough management and control measures and technological means to ensure the safe and steady operation of the information system, and protect the security of the information of lenders and borrowers;

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ii.record and retain the Internet access logs of both parties involved in lending, information interaction and other data for a period of five years after the expiration of loan contracts, and shall give a comprehensive security evaluation at least once every two years, and accept the information security inspection and auditing of the state or competent authorities of the industry;

iii.establish or adopt application-level disaster recovery systems and facilities compatible with their business scales within two years after their establishment.

iv.enhance the business cooperation with the operating organizations of financial credit information basic database and credit reporting agencies, and provide, access and use the relevant financial credit information according to law;

v.consumer lending information intermediaries which use the digital authentication systems of third parties shall evaluate the third-party digital authentication organizations regularly so as to ensure the safety, reliability and independence of the relevant authentications; and

vi.adopt proper methods and technologies to record and safe keep data and materials on consumer lending activities and back up data carefully. Such data and materials shall be kept for a certain period that meets the requirements of laws and regulations as well as the relevant regulatory provisions on consumer lending. Loan contracts shall be kept for at least five years after their expiry.

Regulations on Privacy Protection

In recent years, PRC government authorities have enacted laws and regulations on Internet use to protect personal information from any unauthorized disclosure. Under the Several Provisions on Regulating the Market Order of Internet Information Services issued by the MIIT in December 2011, an ICP service operator may not collect any user personal information or provide any such information to third parties without the consent of the user. An ICP service operator must expressly inform users of the method, content and purpose of the collection and processing of such user personal information and may only collect such information necessary for the provision of its services. An ICP service operator is also required to properly maintain the user personal information, and in case of any leak or likely leak of the user personal information, the ICP service operator must take immediate remedial measures and, in severe circumstances, make an immediate report to the telecommunications regulatory authority. In addition, pursuant to the Decision on Strengthening the Protection of Online Information issued by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in December 2012 and the Order for the Protection of Telecommunication and Internet User Personal Information issued by the MIIT in July 2013, any collection and use of user personal information must be subject to the consent of the user, abide by the principles of legality, rationality and necessity and be within the specified purposes, methods and scopes. An ICP service operator must also keep such information strictly confidential, and is further prohibited from divulging, tampering or destroying any such information, or selling or providing such information to other parties. An ICP service operator is required to take technical and other measures to prevent the collected personal information from any unauthorized disclosure, damage or loss. Any violation of these laws and regulations may subject the ICP service operator to warnings, fines, confiscation of illegal gains, revocation of licenses, cancellation of filings, closedown of websites or even criminal liabilities. The Cyber Security Law of the PRC (effective on June 1, 2017) requires that network operators shall strictly keep confidential users’ personal information that they have collected, and establish and improve the users’ information protection system. The Guidelines also prohibit Internet finance service providers, including online consumer lending platforms, from illegally selling or disclosing customers’ personal information. The PBOC and other relevant regulatory authorities will jointly adopt the implementing rules. Pursuant to the Ninth Amendment to the Criminal Law issued by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in August 2015 and becoming effective in November, 2015, any Internet service provider that fails to fulfill the obligations related to Internet information security administration as required by applicable laws and refuses to rectify upon orders, shall be subject to criminal penalty for the result of (i) $10.00 per publicany dissemination of illegal information in large scale; (ii) any severe effect due to the leakage of the client’s information; (iii) any serious loss of criminal evidence; or (iv) other severe situation, and any individual or entity that (i) sells or provides personal information to others in a way violating the applicable law, or (ii) steals or illegally obtain any personal information, shall be subject to criminal penalty in severe situation. The Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures requires the consumer lending information intermediaries as well as the fund custodian agencies and other outsourcing service providers to keep confidential the lenders’ and borrowers’ information collected in the course of their business, and they shall not use such information for any other purpose except for services they provide without approval of lenders or borrowers.

In operating our online consumer finance marketplace, we collect certain personal information from borrowers and investors, and also share the information with our business partners such as third-party online payment companies and loan collection service providers for the purpose of facilitating loan transactions between borrowers and investors over our marketplace. We have obtained consent from the borrowers and investors on our marketplace to collect and use their personal information, and have also established information security systems to protect the user information and privacy. However, there is uncertainty as to how the requirements for protecting customers’ personal information in the Guidelines and Online Lending Information Intermediaries Measures will be interpreted and implemented. We cannot assure you that our existing policies and procedures will be deemed to be in full compliance with any laws and regulations that may become applicable to us in the future.

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Regulation on Intellectual Property Rights

The PRC has adopted comprehensive legislation governing intellectual property rights, including trademarks. The PRC Trademark Law and its implementation rules protect registered trademarks. The PRC Trademark Law has adopted a “first-to-file” principle with respect to trademark registration. The Trademark Office under the State Administration of Industry and Commerce is responsible for the registration and administration of trademarks throughout the PRC, and grants a term of ten years to registered trademarks and another ten years if requested upon expiry of the initial or extended term. Trademark license agreements must be filed with the Trademark Office for record. As of the date of this report, we have 102 registered trademarks and no trademark application pending registration of transfer with the Trademark Office under the State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

Regulations Relating to Indirect Transfers and Dividend Withholding Tax

Pursuant to the EIT Law and its implementation rules, if a non-resident enterprise has not set up an organization or establishment in the PRC, or has set up an organization or establishment but the income derived has no actual connection with such organization or establishment, it will be subject to a withholding tax on its PRC-sourced income at a rate of 10%. In connection with the EIT Law, the SAT issued Circular 698, which became effective as of January 1, 2008 (and was abolished on December 1, 2017), Circular 59 on April 30, 2009, and the SAT Announcement 7, on February 3, 2015. By promulgating and implementing the above, the PRC tax authorities have strengthened their scrutiny over the direct or indirect transfer of equity interest in a PRC resident enterprise by a non-PRC resident enterprise. Pursuant to SAT Announcement 7, if a non-resident enterprise, or referred to as a transferor, transfers its equity in an offshore enterprise which directly or indirectly owns PRC taxable assets, including ownership interest in PRC resident companies or the Taxable Properties, without a “reasonable commercial purpose”, such transfer shall be deemed as a direct transfer of such Taxable Properties. The payer, or referred as a transferee, in such transfer shall be the withholding agent, and is obligated to withhold and remit the enterprise income tax to the relevant PRC tax authority. If a transferor fails to declare for payment timely or in full of the tax due on proceeds from indirect transfer of PRC taxable assets and the withholding agent also fails to withhold such tax, the tax authority shall, in addition to supplementary collection of such tax, also charge for interest on a daily basis from the transferor according to the EIT Law and its implementation rules. Factors that may be taken into consideration when determining whether there is a reasonable commercial purpose include, among other factors, the value of the transferred equity, offshore taxable situation of the transaction, the offshore structure’s economic essence and duration and trading fungibility. If an equity transfer transaction satisfies all the requirements mentioned above, such transaction will be considered an arrangement with reasonable commercial purpose.

Pursuant to the Double Taxation Avoidance Arrangement and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income signed by State Administration of Taxation and Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the withholding tax rate in respect to the payment of dividends by a PRC enterprise to a Hong Kong enterprise is reduced to 5% from a standard rate of 10% if the Hong Kong enterprise directly holds at least 25% of the PRC enterprise. Pursuant to Circular 81, a Hong Kong resident enterprise must meet the following conditions, among others, in order to enjoy the reduced withholding tax: (i) it must be the beneficial owners of the relevant dividends; and (ii) it must have directly owned at least 25% of the actual amount per public share heldPRC resident enterprise throughout the 12 months prior to receiving the dividends. However, a transaction or arrangement entered into for the primary purpose of enjoying a favorable tax treatment should not be a reason for the application of the favorable tax treatment under the Double Taxation Avoidance Arrangement. If a taxpayer inappropriately is entitled to such favorable tax treatment, the competent tax authority has the power to make appropriate adjustments. In August 2015, the State Administration of Taxation promulgated Circular 60, which became effective on November 1, 2015. Circular 60 provides that non-resident enterprises are not required to obtain pre-approval from the relevant tax authority in order to enjoy the reduced withholding tax rate. Instead, non-resident enterprises and their withholding agents may, by self-assessment and on confirmation that the prescribed criteria to enjoy the tax treaty benefits are met, directly apply the reduced withholding tax rate, and file necessary forms and supporting documents when performing tax filings, which will be subject to post-tax filing examinations by the relevant tax authorities. However, if a competent tax authority finds out that it is necessary to apply the general anti-tax avoidance rules, it may start general investigation procedures for anti-tax avoidance and adopt corresponding measures for subsequent administration.

Regulations Relating to Foreign Exchange

Regulation on Foreign Currency Exchange

The principal regulations governing foreign currency exchange in China are the Foreign Exchange Administration Regulations, most recently amended in August 2008. Under the PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, such as profit distributions, interest payments and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval from SAFE by complying with certain procedural requirements. By contrast, approval from or registration with appropriate government authorities is required where RMB is to be converted into foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital account items, such as direct investments, repayment of foreign currency-denominated loans, repatriation of investments and investments in securities outside of China. On February 28, 2015, the SAFE promulgated the Notice on Further Simplifying and Improving the Administration of the Foreign Exchange Concerning Direct Investment, or SAFE Notice 13. After SAFE Notice 13 became effective on June 1, 2015, instead of applying for approvals regarding foreign exchange registrations of foreign direct investment and overseas direct investment from SAFE, entities and individuals will be required to apply such foreign exchange registrations with qualified banks. The qualified banks, under the supervision of the SAFE, will directly examine the applications and conduct the registration.

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In August 2008, SAFE issued the Circular on the Relevant Operating Issues Concerning the Improvement of the Administration of the Payment and Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 142, regulating the conversion by a foreign-invested enterprise of foreign currency-registered capital into RMB by restricting how the converted RMB may be used. SAFE Circular 142, provides that the RMB capital converted from foreign currency registered capital of a foreign-invested enterprise may only be used for purposes within the business scope approved by the applicable government authority and may not be used for equity investments within the PRC. In addition, SAFE strengthened its oversight of the flow and use of the RMB capital converted from foreign currency registered capital of foreign-invested enterprises. The use of such RMB capital may not be changed without SAFE’s approval, and such RMB capital may not in any case be used to repay RMB loans if the proceeds of such loans have not been used. Violations may result in severe monetary or other penalties.

In November 2012, SAFE promulgated the Circular of Further Improving and Adjusting Foreign Exchange Administration Policies on Foreign Direct Investment, which substantially amends and simplifies the current foreign exchange procedure. Pursuant to this circular, the opening of various special purpose foreign exchange accounts, such as pre-establishment expenses accounts, foreign exchange capital accounts and guarantee accounts, the reinvestment of RMB proceeds derived by foreign investors in the trustPRC, and remittance of foreign exchange profits and dividends by a foreign-invested enterprise to its foreign shareholders no longer require the approval or verification of SAFE; multiple capital accounts for the same entity may be opened in different provinces, which was not possible previously. In addition, SAFE promulgated another circular in May 2013, which specifies that the administration by SAFE or its local branches over direct investment by foreign investors in the PRC must be conducted by way of registration and banks must process foreign exchange business relating to the direct investment in the PRC based on the registration information provided by SAFE and its branches.

In July 2014, SAFE issued SAFE Circular 36, which purports to reform the administration of settlement of the foreign exchange capitals of foreign-invested enterprises in certain designated areas on a trial basis. Under the pilot program, some of the restrictions under SAFE Circular 142 will not apply to the settlement of the foreign exchange capitals of the foreign-invested enterprises established within the designated areas and the enterprises are allowed to use its RMB capital converted from foreign exchange capitals to make equity investment. However, NCF’s PRC subsidiaries are not established within the designated areas. On March 30, 2015, the SAFE promulgated Circular 19, to expand the reform nationwide. Circular 19 came into force and replaced both Circular 142 and Circular 36 on June 1, 2015. Circular 19 allows foreign-invested enterprises to conduct equity investments by using RMB fund converted from foreign exchange capital. However, Circular 19 continues to, prohibit foreign-invested enterprises from, among other things, using RMB fund converted from its foreign exchange capitals for expenditure beyond its business scope, providing entrusted loans or repaying loans between non-financial enterprises.

On June 9, 2016, the SAFE promulgated Circular 16, which expands the application scope from only the capital of the foreign-invested enterprises to the capital, the foreign debt fund and the fund from oversea public offering. Also, Circular 16 allows the enterprises to use their foreign exchange capitals under capital account allowed by the relevant laws and regulations.

Regulations on Foreign Exchange Registration of Overseas Investment by PRC Residents

SAFE issued the SAFE Circular on Relevant Issues Relating to Domestic Resident’s Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, that became effective in July 2014, replacing the previous SAFE Circular 75. SAFE Circular 37 regulates foreign exchange matters in relation to the use of special purpose vehicles, or SPVs, by PRC residents or entities to seek offshore investment and financing or conduct round trip investment in China. Under SAFE Circular 37, a SPV refers to an offshore entity established or controlled, directly or indirectly, by PRC residents or entities for the purpose of seeking offshore financing or making offshore investment, using legitimate onshore or offshore assets or interests, while “round trip investment” refers to direct investment in China by PRC residents or entities through SPVs, namely, establishing foreign-invested enterprises to obtain the ownership, control rights and management rights. SAFE Circular 37 provides that, before making contribution into an SPV, PRC residents or entities are required to complete foreign exchange registration with SAFE or its local branch. SAFE promulgated the Notice on Further Simplifying and Improving the Administration of the Foreign Exchange Concerning Direct Investment in February 2015, which took effect on June 1, 2015. This notice has amended SAFE Circular 37 requiring PRC residents or entities to register with qualified banks rather than SAFE or its local branch in connection with their establishment or control of an offshore entity established for the purpose of overseas investment or financing.

PRC residents or entities who had contributed legitimate onshore or offshore interests or assets to SPVs but had not obtained registration as required before the implementation of the SAFE Circular 37 must register their ownership interests or control in the SPVs with qualified banks. An amendment to the registration is required if there is a material change with respect to the SPV registered, such as any change of basic information (including change of the PRC residents, name and operation term), increases or decreases in investment amount, transfers or exchanges of shares, and mergers or divisions. Failure to comply with the registration procedures set forth in SAFE Circular 37 and the subsequent notice, or making misrepresentation on or failure to disclose controllers of the foreign-invested enterprise that is established through round-trip investment, may result in restrictions being imposed on the foreign exchange activities of the relevant foreign-invested enterprise, including payment of dividends and other distributions, such as proceeds from any reduction in capital, share transfer or liquidation, to its offshore parent or affiliate, and the capital inflow from the offshore parent, and may also subject relevant PRC residents or entities to penalties under PRC foreign exchange administration regulations.

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Regulations on Dividend Distribution

The principal regulations governing distribution of dividends of foreign-invested enterprises include the Foreign-Invested Enterprise Law, as amended in October 2016, and its implementation rules. Under these laws and regulations, wholly foreign-owned enterprises in China may pay dividends only out of their accumulated after-tax profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, wholly foreign-owned enterprises in China are required to allocate at least 10% of their respective accumulated profits each year, if any, to fund certain reserve funds until these reserves have reached 50% of the registered capital of the enterprises. Wholly foreign-owned companies may, at their discretion, allocate a portion of their after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to staff welfare and bonus funds. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends.

Regulations on Overseas Listings

Six PRC regulatory agencies, including the CSRC, jointly adopted the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, which became effective in September 2006 and was amended on June 22, 2009 by Ministry of Commerce of People’s Republic of China (“the MOFCOM”). The M&A Rules, among other things, require offshore SPVs formed for overseas listing purposes through acquisitions of PRC domestic companies and controlled by PRC companies or individuals, to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to publicly listing their securities on an overseas stock exchange.

While the application of the M&A Rules remains unclear, we believe, based on the advice of our PRC legal counsel, Grandall Law Firm, that CSRC approval is not required in the context of the Business Combination because: (a) NCF established its PRC subsidiaries, NCF Cloud Service and NCF Financial Service, by means of direct investment rather than by merger with or acquisition of PRC domestic companies, and (b) no explicit provision in the M&A Rules classifies the respective contractual arrangements between Beijing Oriental and NCF Financial Service, NCF Cloud Service and Jin Xun Shi Dai and its shareholders as a type of acquisition transaction falling under the M&A Rules. However, as there has been no official interpretation or clarification of the M&A Rules, there is uncertainty as to how this regulation will be interpreted or implemented.

Regulations Relating to Employment

The PRC Labor Law and the Labor Contract Law require that employers must execute written employment contracts with full-time employees. If an employer fails to enter into a written employment contract with an employee within one month from the date on which the employment relationship is established, the employer must rectify the situation by entering into a written employment contract with the employee and pay the employee twice the employee’s salary for the period from the day following the lapse of one month from the date of establishment of the employment relationship to the day prior to the execution of the written employment contract. All employers must compensate their employees with wages equal to at least the local minimum wage standards. Violations of the PRC Labor Law and the Labor Contract Law may result in the imposition of fines and other administrative sanctions, and serious violations may result in criminal liabilities.

Enterprises in China are required by PRC laws and regulations to participate in certain employee benefit plans, including social insurance funds, namely a pension plan, a medical insurance plan, an unemployment insurance plan, a work-related injury insurance plan and a maternity insurance plan, and a housing provident fund, and contribute to the plans or funds in amounts equal to certain percentages of salaries, including bonuses and allowances, of the employees as specified by the local government from time to time at locations where they operate their businesses or where they are located. Failure to make adequate contributions to various employee benefit plans may be subject to fines and other administrative sanctions. Also, enterprises in China are required by PRC laws and regulations to be the individual income tax withhold agents and withhold individual income tax for their employees accordingly.

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C.Organizational Structure

The following diagram illustrates our corporate structure, including our subsidiaries and consolidated variable interest entities, as of the date of the liquidationthis annual report:

D.Property, Plant and Equipment

Our headquarters is located in Beijing. We lease an aggregate of the trust account if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the valueapproximately 4,874 square meters of the trust assets, in each case net of the investment earnings which may be withdrawn to pay taxes and working capital expenses, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its indemnification obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent director(s) would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent director(s) would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent director(s) in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so in any particular instance. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the per-share redemption price will not be less than $10.00 per share.

We will seek to reduce the possibility that our sponsor will have to indemnify the trust account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account. Our sponsor will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of the IPO against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We have access to the amounts remaining out of the $1,000,000 of proceeds of the IPO held outside of the trust account (which proceeds were initially allocated for the payment of offering expenses relating to our IPO) with which to pay any such potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $100,000). In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, shareholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors.
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If we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return $10.00 per share to our public shareholders. Additionally, if we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a "preferential transfer" or a "fraudulent conveyance." As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. Furthermore, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only (i) in the event of the redemption of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO, (ii) in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated articles of incorporation to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO or (iii) if they redeem their respective shares for cash upon the completion of the initial business combination. In no other circumstances will a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. In the event we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, a shareholder's voting in connection with the business combination alone will not result in a shareholder's redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the trust account. Such shareholder must have also exercised its redemption rights described above. These provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, like all provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, may be amended with a shareholder vote.
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target businessoffice space for our initial business combination, we have encountered intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including public and private shipping companies, other blank check companies, private equity groups and other funds that investheadquarters in the shipping industry, as well as other operating businesses seeking strategic acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than us. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.
C.Organizational Structure
We were incorporated under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on June 24, 2016.  Our sponsor, a subsidiary of the CMB Group, owns 20% of our outstanding common shares. Please see Exhibit 8.1 to this annual report for a list of our current subsidiaries.
D.Property, Plants and Equipment
We currently maintain offices at De Gerlachekaai 20, BE 2000 Antwerp, Belgium. Pursuant to an Administrative Services Agreement with CMB Group, an affiliate of our sponsor, we pay fees of $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial support and administrative services. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.  Please see "Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions."
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Beijing.

ITEM 4A.          UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
ITEM 4A.UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

ITEM 5.          OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS
The
ITEM 5.OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS

You should read the following management's discussion and analysis should be readof Hunter Maritime and its subsidiaries’ financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with our historicalthe section headed “Summary Combined and Consolidated Financial and Operating Data” and its combined and consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this report.Form 20-F. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current views with respect to future eventsinvolve risks and financial performance.uncertainties. Our actual results mayand the timing of selected events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certainvarious factors, such asincluding those set forth in "Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors"under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this annual report.

Form 20-F.

A.Operating Results
We are

Overview

On March 21, 2019, NCF merged with and into Hunter Maritime (BVI) Limited, a blank checkBritish Virgin Islands company incorporated asand a Marshall Islands corporation and formed for the purpose of acquiring, through a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, debt acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination, vessels, vessel contracts (including contracts for the purchase and charter-in by us of vessels) or one or more operating businesses, which we intend to be in the international maritime shipping industry. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of our IPO and the salewholly-owned subsidiary of the private placement warrants, our capital stock, debt orregistrant, Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp. (“Hunter Maritime”), with NCF continuing as the surviving company and becoming a combinationwholly-owned subsidiary of cash, stock and debt.

We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities between inception and theHunter Maritime. Upon closing of the IPO were organizational activitiesMerger, Hunter Maritime issued an aggregate of 200,000,000 of its Class A common shares to the shareholders of NCF plus earn out payments consisting of up to an additional 50,000,000 Class A common shares if NCF (and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) meets certain financial performance targets for the 2019 and those necessary to prepare2020 fiscal years.

The merger is being accounted for, in accordance with GAAP, as a “reverse merger” and closerecapitalization at the IPO. Sincedate of the consummation of the IPO,transaction since the former stockholders of NCF own at least 50.1% of the outstanding common stock of Hunter Maritime immediately following the completion of the merger, NCF’s officers assumed all corporate and day-to-day management offices of Hunter Maritime, including chief executive officer and chief financial officer, and board members appointed by NCF constitute a majority of the board of the combined company after the Business Combination. Accordingly, NCF is deemed to be the accounting acquirer in the transaction and, consequently, the transaction is treated as a recapitalization of NCF. Accordingly, the consolidated assets, liabilities, and results of operations of NCF Wealth Group will become the historical financial statement. Hunter Maritime’s assets, liabilities and results of operations are consolidated with the assets, liabilities and results of operations of NCF.

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We are a leading fintech company in China, primarily focused on connecting investors and borrowers, providing multi-scenario investment analysis to platform users to meet their diversified investment needs, and building an ecosystem in the field of internet finance. We aim to provide simplified, convenient and flexible financing solutions to both small and medium enterprises (“SME”) and individual borrowers. We facilitated over RMB 321 billion (approximately $47 billion based on the exchange rate of 0.145705 as of December 31, 2018) in transactions from our activityinception in July 2013 through December 2018. In 2018 and 2017, we facilitated transactions over RMB 71 billion and RMB 95 billion, respectively (approximately $10 billion and $15 billion based on the average exchange rate of 0.145237 and 0.148014 for 2018 and 2017). Many P2P platforms ceased their operations because of a series of defaults in the middle of 2018, but the demand for financing remains strong. Although we had a decline in the annualized transaction volume facilitated through our marketplace, our transaction volume began to increase at the end of 2018. The increase in the aggregate transaction and service revenue was attributable to the increase of the average transaction/service fee rate. The average transaction fee rate for P2P services increased by 28% from 4.3% in 2017 to 5.5% in 2018. The average service fee rate for non-P2P services increased by 32% from 4.3% in 2017 to 5.7% in 2018.

Since 2013, we operate an online marketplace under the brand of ‘Wangxin Puhui’ through our consolidated VIE, Beijing Oriental Union Investment Management Limited Liability Company (“Beijing Oriental”). This is an online Peer-to-peer, (“P2P”) platform matching borrowers with investors and facilitating transactions. Wangxin Puhui offers qualified borrowers quick and convenient access to affordable credit at competitive prices. To provide a transparent marketplace, the interest rates, transaction fees, and other charges are all clearly disclosed to borrowers upfront. Its borrowers and investors mainly come from online sources, such as the internet and its mobile applications or from referrals of assets cooperative institutions (entities that introduce qualified borrowers) and funding cooperative institutions (entities that introduce investors and other funding sources).

Since 2016, we also operate an internet platform with a brand of ‘Wangxin’ which is positioned as an open platform for financial technology, providing information publishing, information display, information exchange, and online user diversion services for a variety of organizations including insurance sales, securities, fund sales. We also provide Premier Wealth Management (“PWM”) services to investors and borrowers to facilitate the matching of investors with various registered Wealth Management Products.

Since March 2017, we launched a new program to cooperate with financial exchanges and promote exchange administered product program (“E-APP”). The E-APP includes (I) product registration services, (II) promotion services on best efforts basis and (III) Data Processing Technical Services.

We provide investors with attractive returns. The minimum investment threshold of P2P product is RMB 100 (approximately $15 based on the exchange rate of 0.145705 as of December 31, 2018). The minimum investment threshold of E-APP investment is calculated by dividing the borrower’s loan amount by 200 which represents maximum investors allowed in a particular E-APP product.

We also operate a wealth management business. With macro and microanalysis of financial markets coupled with independent and objective screening criteria, we provide high-quality investment products and other comprehensive asset management services to high net worth clients, family businesses and institutional investors.

Currently, we generate revenues primarily from the transaction and service fees, and commission fees charged for the above- mentioned services. We also charges investor service fees for using our smart matching tool or investment reservation tool. As an information intermediary for borrowers and investors, we act as an agent and do not have any legal obligations to the loans or securities facilities.

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Key Factors Affecting Results of Operations

We believe the key factors affecting our financial condition and results of operations include the following:

Economic Environment and Credit Demand in China

The success of the online platform, to a large extent, depends on the overall credit demand in China especially that of personal consumption loans and business loans for small and medium-sized enterprises, and the overall credit demand depends on the overall economic situation in China. Any slowdown in China’s economic growth could cause a negative impact on borrowers’ demand for loans, as the uncertainty of economics could affect the level of individuals’ disposable income and corporate profits thus leading to a decline in the demand for loans for individuals and businesses. The economic downturn could also affect borrowers’ ability to repay negatively and lead to an increase in default rates. If the actual or expected default rate in Chinese online loan market increases generally, investors may delay or reduce related investments in general loan products, including the willingness to borrow on our platform.

The regulatory environment in China

The regulatory environment for the online lending information intermediary service industry in China is developing and evolving, creating both challenges and opportunities that could affect our financial performance. Due to the relatively short history of the online lending information intermediary service industry in China, although PRC government has issued certain guidelines, regulations, and rules to regulate and support the development of, the online lending information intermediary service industry in China, the PRC government has yet to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework governing the industry. We will continue to make efforts to ensure that we are in compliance with the existing laws, regulations and governmental policies relating to our industry and to comply with new laws and regulations or changes under existing laws and regulations that may arise in the future. While new laws and regulations or changes to existing laws and regulations could make loans more difficult to be accepted by investors or borrowers on terms favorable to us, or at all, these events could also provide new product and market opportunities.

The Product mix and the Pricing

The ability to maintain profitability, to a large extent, depends on the ability to continuously optimize product portfolios and provide a wide range of products and services with accurate pricing through the platform. At present, the platforms mainly provide transaction facilitation services, including P2P loan and Non-P2P financing, and wealth management.

Transaction facilitation services are the main source of income at present, mainly including personal loans and loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Currently, personal loans are mainly from P2P, and the majority of personal loans are consumer loans, with terms of 14 days to 36 months and loan cost rates of 9%-30% (of which the platform charge rate is 2.36%-8.2%). SME borrowings are divided into premier wealth management borrowings, E-APP, and P2P business loans. The terms of premier wealth management borrowings and E-APP are the same, which range from15 days to 12 months with loan cost rates of 8.2% -21% (of which the platform charge rate is 3.5%-7.75%); the terms of P2P business loans are 15 days to 24 months with loan cost rates of 6.5%-31% (of which the platform charge rate is 3%-8%). E-APP is currently our major product and is expected to be one of our major products in the near future.

In addition, we charge investors service fees for using our automated investing tool or self-directed investing tool.

Starting in 2018, our platforms display products such as public funds, private funds, securities, and insurance, as well as providing financial technology support to investors. We also have a wealth management team, Yinghua Wealth, a professional wealth management agency covering major cities across the country with a comprehensive wealth management product portfolio providing professional wealth structure analysis, asset allocation planning and financial product selection advice and other quality financial services.

Ability to effectively acquire and maintain borrowers and investors

Our ability to facilitate transactions, to a large extent, depends on the ability to attract potential borrowers and investors through sales and marketing. We intend to continue to invest significant resources in sales and marketing and to improve our effectiveness, particularly in terms of the maintenance of qualified borrowers and investors.

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At present, we rely on asset cooperative institutions and online channels to acquire borrowers. Asset cooperative institutions are the companies who introduce us to qualified borrowers. They are financial advisory institutions operating in specific areas or specific types of business.

Our investors are mainly obtained through the marketing team and funding cooperative institutions. In addition, we obtain investors by means of major search engines and five mainstream Android market channels and APP promotions (application solution Application Treasure, OPPO, VIVO, Xiaomi, 360 Mobile Phone Assistant). At present, our average investor acquisition cost is about RMB 320, which is at a relatively low level in the industry.

Through funding cooperative institutions, we provide high-net-worth investors with professional financial advisors. Traditional wealth management institutions rely more on the offline personal relationship between the financial advisor and the investor, which leads to low efficiency. In comparison, our teams are equipped with the systematic customer management tool, such as NCF Butler, a mobile APP for wealth management, which our financial advisors use to maintain investor relationship, to identify investors’ need, and to provide necessary financial services.

In order to maintain investors, we use advanced systems such as the user’s lifecycle system and the precision marketing system with the combination of artificial intelligence and big data, in addition to various online marketing activities.

Efficient risk management

For risk control on individual borrowers from transaction facilitation services, we have developed the Tianyuan Intellectual Risk Control System or Tianyuan. Tianyuan is a four-dimensional risk control system managing credit risk, operational risk, compliance risk, and information security risk. Relying on its exclusive technologies, we implement multi-step credit valuation and risk control system to ensure the quality and authenticity of borrowers. For more information about our risk management system, please see “Business-Our technologies and risk management system.”

For risk control on corporate borrowers from transaction facilitation services, we have developed a risk control procedure combining big data from big data systems and expert models to process risk control procedures, including data collection, loan limit monitoring, approval, and post-loan management. Our risk control on corporate borrowers combines our own and third party’s big data with the experience of the risk control experts to increase the efficiency and accuracy of risk control.

We intend to continue optimizing our risk control systems and improving the accuracy of our risk assessment models through the combination of our big-data analytical capabilities and the increasing amount of data we accumulate through our operations.

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Critical Accounting Policies, Judgments and Estimates

An accounting policy is considered critical if it requires an accounting estimate to be made based on assumptions about matters that are highly uncertain at the time such estimate is made, and if different accounting estimates that reasonably could have been limitedused, or changes in the accounting estimates that are reasonably likely to evaluating business combination candidates. occur periodically, could materially impact the combined and consolidated financial statements.

The preparation of combined and consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities including allowance for doubtful accounts, and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the combined and consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods presented. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Significant accounting estimates reflected in our combined and consolidated financial statements include: our ability to realize deferred tax assets, determinations of the useful lives of long-lived assets, estimates of allowance for doubtful accounts and valuation assumptions in share-based compensation.

The following descriptions of critical accounting policies, judgments and estimates should be read in conjunction with our combined and consolidated financial statements and other disclosures included in this report. When reviewing our financial statements, you should consider (i) our selection of critical accounting policies, (ii) the judgments and other uncertainties affecting the application of such policies and (iii) the sensitivity of reported results to changes in conditions and assumptions.

(a)Principal of consolidation

The combined and consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Group, its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and consolidated VIEs. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated upon consolidation. 

We have an employee benefit trust to facilitate share transactions pursuant to certain equity incentive plans. The trust is a separate legal entity under our control, for which we are the primary beneficiary using variable interest entities model criteria under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810,Consolidations. Consequently, we have consolidated and classified the trust shares within our combined and consolidated balance sheets.

Variable Interest Entities (“VIE”) arrangements

To be in compliance with PRC regulations for information intermediary companies, we entered into VIE arrangements with the following entities:

(i)On September 28, 2014 (“Effective Date”), NCF Financial and Beijing Oriental signed the VIE agreements. Beijing Oriental is the principal operating entity of the P2P business of the Group. The VIE agreements enable NCF Financial to (1) have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of Beijing Oriental , and (2) receive the economic benefits and of Beijing Oriental that could be significant to Beijing Oriental. Accordingly, NCF Financial is considered the primary beneficiary of Beijing Oriental and has consolidated Beijing Oriental’s assets, liabilities, results of operations, and cash flows in the accompanying combined and consolidated financial statements.

(ii)

On January 22, 2018 (“Effective Date”), Cloud Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Group, entered into a series of VIE agreements with Jing Xun Shi Dai’s shareholders, Mr. Zhang Zhenxin and Ms. Li Huanxiang, who acquired Jing Xun Shi Dai from Bejing Oriental on January 4, 2018.

The VIE agreements enable Cloud Services to (1) have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of Jing Xun Shi Dai, and (2) receive the economic benefits of Jing Xun Shi Dai that could be significant to Jing Xun Shi Dai. Accordingly, Cloud Services is considered the primary beneficiary of Jing Xun Shi Dai and has consolidated Jing Xun Shi Dai’s assets, liabilities, results of operations, and cash flows in the accompanying audited combined and consolidated financial statements.

(b)Revenue recognition

We engage primarily in operating an online consumer finance marketplace and match borrowers with investors. The transaction fees are not generatedearned until a borrower and investor are matched and enter into a transaction. We earn revenue through transaction and service fees, commission fees, and various other types of revenue.

As an information intermediary in the introduction between borrowers and investors, we act as an agent and do not have any operatinglegal obligations to the loans or securities facilities. Therefore, we do not record loans receivable and payable arising from the loans between lending investors and borrowers on our combined and consolidated balance sheets.

Revenue is recognized when each of the following criteria is met under ASC Topic 605:

1)Persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists;

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2)Services have been rendered;

3)Pricing is fixed or determinable; and,

4)Collectability is reasonably assured.

Transaction and service fees

Transaction and service fees include the following products:

Online P2P loan facilitation services: matching services to connect borrowers with investors and setting up automated repayment schedule upon loan origination. The Group charges borrowers a transaction fee for the service;

Premier wealth management services (“PWM”): services provided to borrowers to facilitate the matching of investors with various registered wealth management products. The Group charges borrowers a transaction fee for the PWM services.

Exchange administered product program (E-APP) – product registration services include advising registration holders (usually borrowers) on the selection of local financial assets trading service platforms, review registration application documentation and assists with due diligence conducted by the local financial assets trading service platform. We charge registration holders for registration services to connect borrowers with investors.

Transaction fees are usually non-refundable and recognized upon loan origination or upon funding received by registration holders for E-APP or when the price is considered fixed. At this point, we have completed all performance obligations to the borrowers and collectability is reasonably assured.

Incentives to investors

We occasionally provide incentives to potential investors at our sole discretion. The voucher incentives are offered to all investors who invest through the Wangxin Puhui platform and Wangxin platform.

We provide the following types of incentive:

Cash incentive typesDescriptionAwardedtoBenefit
Event reward/sign up voucherEarned upon sign-up for platform events and applied upon investmentPotential investorOne-time fee deduction
Investment reward voucherEarned upon making an investment and applied in the next investmentInvestorOne-time fee deduction or Additional interest

When an investor makes an investment through us, the investor can redeem the vouchers, either upfront as a one-time contribution to the investment amount or on a monthly basis over the term of the investment as additional interest. If the investor chooses to redeem the voucher upfront, their investment is reduced by the voucher value, and the investor still entitled to full repayment of the stated principal value.

We consider both investors and borrowers as customers. The event reward and sign up voucher can be applied to the initial investment only. The cost of the awarded vouchers is treated as a direct reduction of revenue upon initial investment by the investor in accordance with ASC 605-50-25-7.

The investment reward voucher can be applied after the initial investment. We consider the investment reward voucher as an obligation to investors for future investment. As the amount of the investment reward is relatively insignificant as compared to the financial statements taken as a whole, we do not record a deferred revenue.

Commission fee

Yinghua Wealth, one of our subsidiaries, engages in the businesses of introducing potential investors to purchase contractual funds from other financial institutions. The commission fee is calculated based on a certain percentage of the funds invested by investors that are recommended by Yinghua Wealth and is recognized as revenue when the funds are fully subscribed.

We provided E-APP product promotion services to promote financial products registered at local financial assets exchange trading service platform. The commission fee is calculated based on a certain percentage of the funds invested by investors and we recognize revenue when registration holders of the financial instruments received funding.

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Other revenues

Other revenues mainly include advisory income and technology service fees, such as E-APP data processing technology services, etc.

Advisory income is charged to a borrower for assistance with the credit assessment before the borrower qualifies for their financing. We earn a fee based on the percentage between 0.5%-1% of the loan.

E-APP data processing technology services include data transmission and storage to E-APP borrowers to facilitate the preparation of registration application.

Other revenues are recognized upon loan origination or upon funding received by registration holders for E-APP.

(c)Foreign currency and foreign currency translation

Our reporting currency is the US dollar. The functional currency of the BVI and HK entities is the Hong Kong dollar (“HK$”). The functional currency of our PRC subsidiaries, VIEs and the subsidiaries of the VIEs is RMB based on the criteria of ASC 830, Foreign Currency Matters.

The combined and consolidated financial statements are translated to U.S. dollars using the period-end rates of exchange for assets and liabilities, equity is translated at historical exchange rates, and average rates of exchange (for the period) are used for revenues and willexpenses and cash flows. As a result, amounts relating to assets and liabilities reported on the statements of cash flows may not necessarily agree with the changes in the corresponding balances on the balance sheets. Translation adjustments resulting from the process of translating the functional currency financial statements into U.S. dollars are included in determining comprehensive income / loss. Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are translated into the functional currency at the exchange rates prevailing on the transaction dates. Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into the functional currency at the exchange rates prevailing at the balance sheet date with any transaction gains and losses that arise from exchange rate fluctuations on transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency are included in the results of operations as incurred.

Short-term investments

Short-term investments consist of certificates of deposit and available for sale debt securities with original maturities of greater than 90 days and not more than one year.

We intend to hold the certificates of deposit until after completionmaturity. Investment in certificates of our initial business combination. Our operating costsdeposit are valued at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.

The Group classifies the debt securities as available for sale in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 320 “Investments — Debt and Equity Securities.” The debt securities not classified as held to maturity or trading shall be classified as available for sale and are reported at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on available for sale securities are excluded from earnings and reported as accumulated other comprehensive income or loss (a separate component of equity), net of related income taxes. Realized gains or losses are included in earnings during the period from June 24, 2016 (inception) toin which the gain or loss is realized. The unrealized gain for the available-for-sale financial assets as of December 31, 2017 included costs associated with our conducting our IPOis immaterial as compared to the combined and our search for an initial business combination and are largely associated with our governance and public reporting, and charges of $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial support and administrative services, payable to CMB Group, an affiliate of our sponsor.

We are generating non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents after the offering. We expect to incur increased expensesconsolidated financial statements taken as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses.
We expect to continue to incur costs in the pursuit of our acquisition plans, some of which may be significant. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to complete our initial business combination will be successful. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
B.Liquidity and Capital Resources
Upon the closing of our IPO, a total of $151,731,000 of the net proceeds from our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants (such amount including proceeds we received from the sale of additional units and private placement warrants in connection with and as a result of the underwriters' exercise of its overallotment option), after the payment of offering expenses, was deposited in the trust account, which includes the deferred underwriting fee of $5,310,585 payable upon consummation of our initial business combination.
whole.

As of December 31, 2017, the Group only holds debt securities which are the loan products listed on the online marketplace platform. The average term of most of loan products the Group purchased were 21 days. As a result, the Group classified such investments as available-for-sale and carry them at fair value. As of December 31, 2018, the Group redeemed all of the available-for-sale financial assets and the short term investment only consists held-to-maturity financial assets.

We review our held to maturity and available-for-sale financial assets for other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) based on the specific identification method. The Group considers available quantitative and qualitative evidence in evaluating potential impairment of its investments. If the cost of an investment exceeds the investment’s fair value, the Group considers, among other factors, general market conditions, expected future performance of the investees, the duration and the extent to which the fair value of the investment is less than the cost, and the Group’s intent and ability to hold the investment.

Share-based compensation

We apply ASC 718,Compensation-Stock Compensation(“ASC 718”), to account for our employee share-based payments. In accordance with ASC 718, we determine whether an award should be classified and accounted for as a liability award or an equity award. All of our share-based awards to employees were classified as equity awards. The awards granted are only subject to a service condition and contain graded vesting features. We measure the employee share-based compensation based on the grant date fair value of the equity instrument issued and recognized as compensation expense net of an estimated forfeiture rate using graded vesting method, over the requisite service period, with a corresponding amount reflected in additional paid-in capital. The amount of accumulated compensation costs recognized at any date is at least equal to the portion of the grant date fair value of the vested awards on that date.

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The estimated forfeiture rate will be adjusted over the requisite service period to the extent that actual forfeiture rate differs, or is expected to differ, from such estimates. Changes in the estimated forfeiture rate are recognized through a cumulative catch-up adjustment in the period of change.

Share-based awards granted to non-employees are accounted for in accordance with ASC 505-50Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employee. All transactions in which services are received in exchange for share-based awards are accounted for based on the fair value of the consideration received or the fair value of the awards issued, whichever is more reliably measurable. Share-based compensation is measured at fair value at the earlier of the commitment date or the date the services are completed. We remeasured the awards using the then-current fair value at each reporting date until the measurement date, generally when the services are completed, and awards are vested and attribute the changes in those fair values over the service period by the straight-line method.

Deferred income tax

We account for income taxes using the asset/liability method prescribed by ASC 740, “Accounting for Income Taxes.” Deferred income taxes are recognized with net operating loss carryforwards and credits are applied using enacted statutory tax rates applicable to future years. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more-likely-than-not that a portion of or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

An uncertain tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. For tax positions not meeting the “more likely than not” test, no tax benefit is recorded. Penalties and interest incurred related to underpayment of income tax are classified as income tax expense in the period incurred. PRC tax returns filed in 2017, 2016, and 2015 are subject to examination by any applicable tax authorities. We had no uncertain tax position for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016.

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are offset when there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets against current tax liabilities and when the deferred income tax assets and liabilities relate to income taxes levied by the same taxation authority on either the taxable entity or different taxable entities where there is an intention to settle the balances on a net basis.

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Key Operational Metrics

We regularly review a number of metrics to evaluate our business, measure our performance, identify trends, formulate financial projections and make strategic decisions. The main metrics we consider are set forth in the following tables:

  For the Years Ended December 31, 
  2018  2017  2016 
          
Transaction volume facilitated (1)         
P2P         
P2P - individual $506,271,476  $2,174,485,366  $2,665,829,684 
P2P - business  544,035,660   25,782,134   5,889,302,383 
Non-P2P            
Exchange administered product program – business  7,728,254,236   40,440,154   - 
Premier Wealth Management - business  1,558,943,901   12,392,274,787   2,467,937,133 
Total $10,337,505,273  $14,632,982,441  $11,023,069,200 
             
Annualized transaction volume facilitated (2)            
P2P            
P2P - individual $383,970,929  $937,642,641  $1,135,493,732 
P2P - business  172,426,261   19,248,104   1,651,197,687 
Non-P2P            
Exchange administered product program - business  4,728,226,047   22,063,853   - 
Premier Wealth Management - business  894,059,540   5,905,582,907   911,034,537 
Total $6,178,682,777  $6,884,537,505  $3,697,725,956 
             
Number of transactions facilitated (3)            
P2P            
P2P - individual  183,316   5,152,068   83,897 
P2P - business  3,769   186   28,420 
Non-P2P            
Exchange administered product program - business  7,696   17   - 
Premier Wealth Management - business  469   34,045   11,195 
Total  195,250   5,186,316   123,512 
             
Number of borrowers (4)            
P2P            
P2P - individual  154,157   1,793,058   64,949 
P2P - business  2,476   171   228 
Non-P2P            
Exchange administered product program - business  504   7   - 
Premier Wealth Management - business  196   624   222 
Total  157,333   1,793,860   65,399 
             
Number of investors (5)            
Individual  448,308   900,618   1,495,403 
Business  72   152   57 
Total  448,380   900,770   1,495,460 

(1)Transaction volume refers to the total principal amount of transactions facilitated on our marketplace during the relevant period.

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(2)Annualized transaction volume refers to the total principal amount of loans facilitated on our marketplace during the relevant period multiply by the ratio of the number of months of data available divided by 12 months.

(3)Number of transactions facilitated refers to the total number of loans facilitated on our marketplace during the relevant period.

(4)Number of borrowers refers to the number of borrowers who recorded successful borrowing activity on our marketplace during the relevant period.

(5)Number of investors refers to the number of investors who recorded successful investment activity on our marketplace during the relevant period.

The majority of the loans facilitated on our marketplace have terms of less than 1 year. Therefore, the annualized total principal amount of loans facilitated is smaller than the actual facilitated amount during the relevant period. Management uses annualized data as the basis to evaluate operating performance.

Currently, we generate revenues primarily from the transaction and service fees, which includes the following products:

Online P2P loan facilitation services: matching services to connect borrowers with investors and setting up automated repayment schedule upon loan origination. The Group charges borrowers a transaction fee for the service;

Premier wealth management services (“PWM”): services provided to borrowers to facilitate the matching of investors with various registered wealth management products. The Group charges borrowers a transaction fee for the PWM services.

Exchange administered product program (E-APP) – product registration services include advising registration holders (usually borrowers) on the selection of local financial assets trading service platforms, review registration application documentation and assists with due diligence conducted by the local financial assets trading service platform. We charge registration holders for services to connect borrowers with investors.

In the middle of 2018, a wave of defaults was sweeping across China’s peer-to-peer lending industry and caused a decline in the annualized transaction volume facilitated through our marketplace, and caused some of our competitors to cease operations. Our transaction volume began to improve in late 2018. The annualized transaction volume facilitated through our marketplace was $6.2 billion, $6.9 billion and $3.7 billion in 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.

We acquire borrowers through various online channels as well as referrals from asset cooperative institutions. Asset cooperative institutions are the companies who introduce us to qualified borrowers. The total number of borrowers who successfully completed borrowings on our marketplace during the year ended December 31, 2018 was 157,333, as compared to 1,793,860 and 65,399 during the year ended December 31, 2017, and 2016, respectively. Currently, we focus more on attracting business borrowers, and approximately 94% of our annualized transaction volume for the year ended December 31, 2018 was contributed by our business borrowers.

We utilize online channels and funding cooperative institutions to obtain investors. Funding cooperative institutions are companies who introduce investors. While the number of new investors has been decreasing over the years presented, the average investment amount of new investors has been increasing steadily throughout the same period. This is the result of our efforts to focus on acquiring creditworthy investors who are able and willing to invest more on our platform. Currently, we focus more on attracting individual investors, and 97% of our investment amount for the year ended December 31, 2018 was contributed by individual investors.

Many P2P platforms ceased their operations because of a series of defaults in the middle of 2018, but the demand for financing remains strong. Although we had a decline in the annualized transaction volume facilitated through our marketplace, our transaction volume began to increase at the end of 2018. We will attract more business and individual borrowers through the development of innovative financial technology or through the acquisition of other P2P related business. We expect the annualized transaction volume to steadily grow in 2019.

With the strengthening of industry supervision by Chinese government, investors are more inclined to make investment through companies that regulatory compliance and financially strong. We expect the number of investors to increase, especially for high-net-worth customers.

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Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016

The following table sets forth a summary of our combined and consolidated results of operations for the years indicated, both in amount and as a percentage of our net revenues. This information should be read together with our combined and consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Form 20-F.

  For the Years Ended December 31, 
  2018  2017  2016 
                   
Net revenue                  
Transaction and service fee $234,972,184   89% $208,166,308   94% $99,056,931   87%
Transaction and service fee - related parties  6,273,413   2%  87,660   0%  1,176,104   1%
Commission fee  8,751,657   3%  4,334,526   2%  10,080,180   9%
Commission fee - related parties  1,626,942   1%  3,628,848   2%  1,197,575   1%
Other revenue  13,787,535   5%  5,541,601   2%  2,755,364   2%
Other revenue - related parties  7,039   0%  149,701   0%  33,935   0%
Total net revenue  265,418,770   100%  221,908,644   100%  114,300,089   100%
                         
Operating cost and expenses                        
Sales and marketing expenses  156,329,090   59%  150,411,453   68%  103,619,248   91%
Product development expenses  17,198,056   6%  15,323,516   7%  13,656,817   12%
Loan facilitation and servicing expenses  3,919,555   1%  3,334,719   2%  2,973,370   3%
General and administrative expenses  15,433,707   6%  11,981,156   5%  9,274,374   8%
Total operating cost and expenses  192,880,408   73%  181,050,844   82%  129,523,809   113%
                         
Operating income (loss)  72,538,362   27%  40,857,800   18%  (15,223,720)  -13%
                         
Other income (expenses)                        
Interest income – related parties  7,176,876   3%  4,773,013   2%  1,802,979   2%
Interest expense – related parties  -   0%  -   0%  (282,276)  0%
Interest income (expense)  (36,829)  0%  (157,640)  0%  126,616   0%
Foreign currency transaction (loss) gain  (1,171,933)  0%  2,246,572   1%  (2,324,618)  -2%
Loss in equity method investment  (199,908)  0%  (22,777)  0%  (110,494)  0%
Gain on sale of equity method investment  -   0%  -   0%  110,494   0%
Gain on sale of equity interest in a subsidiary  94,104   0%  -   0%  -   0%
Income from short-term investment  506,590   0%  494,252   0%  -   0%
Other miscellaneous income (expense)  361,743   0%  1,473   0%  (159,090)  0%
Total other income (expenses)  6,730,643   3%  7,334,893   3%  (836,389)  -1%
                         
Income (loss) before income tax  79,269,005   30%  48,192,693   22%  (16,060,109)  -14%
Income tax (expense) benefit  (19,260,548)  -7% ��(12,348,395)  -6%  2,806,686   2%
Net income (loss) $60,008,457   23% $35,844,298   16% $(13,253,423)  -12%

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Year Ended December 31, 2018, Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2017

Operating Revenues

The following table sets forth the breakdown of our operating revenues for the years indicated:  

  For the Years Ended December 31 
  2018  2017  $ Change  % Change 
             
Net revenue            
Transaction and service fee $234,972,184  $208,166,308  $26,805,876   13%
Transaction and service fee - related parties  6,273,413   87,660   6,185,753   7057%
Commission fee  8,751,657   4,334,526   4,417,131   102%
Commission fee - related parties  1,626,942   3,628,848   (2,001,906)  -55%
Other revenue  13,787,535   5,541,601   8,245,934   149%
Other revenue - related parties  7,039   149,701   (142,662)  -95%
Total net revenue $265,418,770  $221,908,644  $43,510,126   20%

The total net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2018, was $265.4 million, an increase of $43.5 million, or 20%, from $221.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase was mainly caused by a significant increase of $33.0 million in transaction and service fee, generated from our non-P2P services. The PMW services have been slowing down during 2018 as we switched our focus on E-APP since early 2018, and we expect E-APP to continue to be our major product in 2019.

The increase in the aggregate transaction and service fee was attributable to an increase in the average transaction fee rate. The average transaction fee rate for P2P services increased by 28% from 4.3% in 2017 to 5.5% in 2018. The average transaction fee rate for non-P2P services increased by 32% from 4.3% in 2017 to 5.7% in 2018. We expect the transaction fee rate for 2019 to remain stable when compared with 2018.

Many P2P platforms ceased their operations because of a series of defaults in the middle of 2018, but the demand for financing remains strong. Although we had a decline in the annualized transaction volume facilitated through our marketplace, our transaction volume began to increase at the end of 2018. We plan to attract more business and individual borrowers through the development of innovative financial technology or through the acquisition of other P2P related business. We expect the annualized transaction volume to steadily grow in 2019.

Apart from our primary business of loan facilitation, we also engage in the business of introducing potential investors to purchase contractual funds from other financial institutions and earn commission fees. Commission fee increased by $2.4 million, or 30%, from $8.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, to $10.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase was primarily caused by the new E-APP product promotion services in 2018. The commission fee generated by E-APP promotion services during 2018 was $3.2 million which is 31% of the commission fee.

Other revenue includes mainly advisory income and fees from E-APP-data processing technical services. Advisory income increased by $4.3 million, from $1.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, to $6.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. We started to engage in E-APP data processing technical services in 2018, which contributed to $2.9 million of the increase in other revenue. E-APP data processing technology services include data transmission and storage services provided to E-APP borrowers to facilitate the preparation of registration application.

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Sales and Marketing Expenses

Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of commission paid to financial advisors, funding cooperative institutions, advertising and marketing promotion expenses, salaries and benefits and other expenses incurred by our sales and marketing personnel.

Our major selling and marketing expenses comprised of the following items during the respective years as follows:

  For the Years Ended December 31 
  2018  2017  $ Change  % Change 
             
Sales and marketing expenses            
Promotion expenses (a) $27,905,762  $33,696,880  $(5,791,118)  -17%
Commission expenses (b)  111,100,398   95,395,925   15,704,473   16%
Salaries and benefits  13,125,380   17,595,964   (4,470,584)  -25%
Rental expenses  1,885,120   1,734,731   150,389   9%
Business tax  1,515,561   1,121,159   394,402   35%
Others  796,869   866,794   (69,925)  -8%
Total sales and marketing expenses $156,329,090  $150,411,453  $5,917,637   4%

(a)Promotion expenses are expenses incurred mainly for brand promotion and online marketing activities

(b)Commission expenses are payments to funding cooperative institutions and third-party financial advisors for their referrals to our services and products

The total sales and marketing expenses for the year ended December 31, 2018, were $156.3 million, an increase of $5.9 million, or 4%, from $150.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase was mainly caused by a significant increase in commission expenses, partially offset by a decrease in promotion expenses and salaries and benefits expenses.

Commission expenses increased by $15.7 million, or 16%, from $95.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, to $111.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase of our commission expenses was mainly due to the execution of new sales incentive policies, which increased the commission fee rate by 0.7% starting from July 2018.

Promotion expenses decreased by $5.8 million, or 17%, to $27.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, from $33.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The decrease was mainly due to reduced marketing activities as a result of the tighten regulation for P2P industry which allows limited online activities to promote P2P brand. To comply with the regulation, we reviewed our past marketing efforts and implemented a more cost-effective marketing strategy.

Salaries and benefits expenses decreased by $4.5 million, or 25%, from $17.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, to $13.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. In late 2017, some sales offices were closed and the sales staff were dismissed accordingly. This change has led to a significant decrease in salaries and benefits expenses.

Product Development Expenses

Product development expenses include expenses we incurred to facilitate the transaction facilitation business, to gather historical data and borrowing behaviors, as well as to maintain, monitor, and manage our transaction and service platform.

Our major product development expenses are comprised of the following items during the respective years:

  For the Years Ended December 31 
  2018  2017  $ Change  % Change 
             
Product development expenses            
Salaries and benefits $9,700,036  $9,206,372  $493,664   5%
Rental expenses  679,097   786,496   (107,399)  -14%
Depreciation  145,339   114,662   30,677   27%
Service and consulting expenses  2,299,325   1,070,318   1,229,007   115%
Maintenance expenses  4,057,045   3,980,726   76,319   2%
Others  317,214   164,942   152,272   92%
Total product development expenses $17,198,056  $15,323,516  $1,874,540   12%

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The total product development expenses increased by $1.9 million, or 12%, to $17.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, from $15.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase was mainly attributable to the significant increase in service and consulting expenses and salaries and benefits expenses.

Service and consulting expenses increased by $1.2 million, or 115%, from $1.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, to $2.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, which was mainly caused by our increased expenses on IT services due to our increased need for technology development performed by external software developers.

Salaries and benefits increased by $0.5 million, or 5%, from $9.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, to $9.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, which was mainly due to the increased number of technical employees hired during 2018 to support the increased need for technology development.

We expect our product development expenses to continue to increase in the foreseeable future, as our business continues to grow and we develop and introduce new products and services on our marketplace.

Loan Facilitation and Servicing Expenses

Loan facilitation and servicing expenses consist primarily of costs related to credit assessment and customer and system support. Our major loan facilitation and servicing expenses are comprised of the following items during the respective years:

  For the Years Ended December 31 
  2018  2017  $ Change  % Change 
             
Loan facilitation and servicing expenses            
Salaries and benefits $2,389,865  $1,895,503  $494,362   26%
Rental expenses  428,873   422,981   5,892   1%
Depreciation  209,314   156,066   53,248   34%
Service and consulting expenses  690,528   671,541   18,987   3%
Others  200,975   188,628   12,347   7%
Total loan facilitation and servicing expenses $3,919,555  $3,334,719  $584,836   18%

The total loan facilitation and servicing expenses increased by $0.6 million, or 18%, to $3.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, from $3.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase was mainly attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits expenses as we hired more employees in 2018. Salaries and benefits expenses increased by $0.5 million, or 26%, from $1.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 to $2.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2018.

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General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and benefits (including share-based compensation) for general management, finance, and administrative personnel, rental, professional service fees, and other expenses.

Our major general and administrative expenses comprised the following items during the respective periods:

  For the Years Ended December 31 
  2018  2017  $ Change  % Change 
             
General and administrative expenses            
Salaries and benefits $8,010,525  $7,708,959  $301,566   4%
Rental expenses  1,171,582   1,022,539   149,043   15%
Bad debt expense  710,790   1,303,739   (592,949)  -45%
Depreciation  156,313   153,125   3,188   2%
Service and consulting expenses  3,782,561   663,889   3,118,672   470%
Others  1,601,936   1,128,905   473,031   42%
Total general and administrative expenses $15,433,707  $11,981,156  $3,452,551   29%

The total general and administrative expenses increased by $3.4million, or 29%, to $15.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, from $12.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase was mainly attributable to the increase in service and consulting expenses and other general and administrative expenses, partially offset by the decrease in bad debt expenses.

Service and consulting expenses increased by $3.1 million, or 470%, to $3.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, from $0.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, which was mainly due to higher professional services incurred during the year ended December 31, 2018 in connection with the reverse merger with Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp.

Other general and administrative expenses mainly consist of travel expenses and meal and entertainment expenses, which increased by $0.5 million, or 42%, to $1.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, from $1.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase was mainly due to higher travel expenses incurred during the year ended December 31, 2018 in connection with the reverse merger with Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp.

We recorded a bad debt provision for accounts receivable with the amount of $0.7 million during the year ended December 31, 2018 based on our assessment of the collectibility of these accounts receivable while no bad debt provision was made to other receivables in 2018. We recorded a provision for other receivables with the amount of $1.3 million during the year ended December 31, 2017 based upon our assessment of the collectibility of these other receivables due from third parties while no bad debt provision was made to accounts receivable in year 2017.

Other income (expense)

Other income or expense consists of primarily interest income from related parties, interest income or expense from third parties, foreign currency transaction gain or loss, loss in equity method investment, gain on sale of equity method investee, realized gain from available-for-sale financial assets and interest income from certificate of deposits, and other miscellaneous income or expense.

The following table sets forth a breakdown of other income or expense: 

  For the Years Ended December 31 
  2018  2017  $ Change  % Change 
             
Other income (expense)            
Interest income - related parties $7,176,876  $4,773,013  $2,403,863   50%
Interest income (expense)  (36,829)  (157,640)  120,811   77%
Foreign currency transaction (loss) gain  (1,171,933)  2,246,572   (3,418,505)  -152%
Loss in equity method investment  (199,908)  (22,777)  (177,131)  778%
Gain on sale of equity interest in a subsidiary  94,104   -   94,104   100%
Income from short-term investment  506,590   494,252   12,338   2%
Other miscellaneous income (expense)  361,743   1,473   360,270   24458%
Total other income (expense) $6,730,643  $7,334,893  $(604,250)  -8%

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Interest income from related parties was $7.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, an increase of $2.4 million, or 50%, from $4.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase was mainly due to an increase of $3.0 million in interest earned from loan receivable from related parties, partially offset by a decrease of $0.6 million in interest earned on our customers’ deposits at Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd, which is our custodian bank.

We incurred a $1.2 million foreign currency transaction loss during the year ended December 31, 2018, compared to the $2.2 million foreign currency transaction gain during the year ended December 31, 2017, which was mainly due to the fluctuations on the exchange rate arising from our loans and cash account denominated in foreign currency.

Loss in equity method investment in 2018 was from Linggui Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd (“Linggui”), an entity that we acquired in November 2017.

The gain on sale of equity interest in a subsidiary in 2018 is related to Zhonghui Investment Management Co., Ltd (“Zhonghui”), an entity we acquired in 2016, and Tianjin Yuanrong Asset Management Co., Ltd (“Tianjin Yuanrong”), an entity we acquired in 2016.

Income tax expense

Income tax expense increased by 56% from $12.3 million in 2017 to $19.3 million in 2018, mainly due to the increase in taxable income in 2018 and offset by the impact of tax benefits received by NCF Cloud Services. In 2017, NCF Cloud was granted Hi-Tech Enterprise status and was entitled to a reduced rate of 15%. In 2018, NCF Cloud Services was granted the Certification of Software Company and was entitled to a reduced tax rate of 0% for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Net income (loss)

We incurred a net income of $60.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, compared to a net income of $35.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase in net income was driven by an increase of $43.5 million in net revenues, partially offset by an increase in total operating expenses of $11.8 million during the year ended December 31, 2018, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2017.

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Year Ended December 31, 2017, Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2016

Operating Revenues

The following table sets forth the breakdown of our operating revenues for the years indicated: 

  For the Years Ended December 31 
  2017  2016  $ Change  % Change 
             
Net revenue            
Transaction and service fee $208,166,308  $99,056,931  $109,109,377   110%
Transaction and service fee - related parties  87,660   1,176,104   (1,088,444)  -93%
Commission fee  4,334,526   10,080,180   (5,745,654)  -57%
Commission fee - related parties  3,628,848   1,197,575   2,431,273   203%
Other revenue  5,541,601   2,755,364   2,786,237   101%
Other revenue - related parties  149,701   33,935   115,766   341%
Total net revenue $221,908,644  $114,300,089  $107,608,555   94%

The total net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2017, was $221.9 million, an increase of $107.6 million, or 94%, from $114.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase was mainly caused by a significant increase of $108.0 million in transaction and service fee, generated from our P2P services and non-P2P services. The increase in transaction and service fees was partially offset by a decrease of $3.3 million in commission fees.

As shown in our key operational metrics, the increase in transaction and service fee was mainly attributable to the substantial increase in the annualized volume of transactions facilitated through our marketplace, which was $6.9 billion for the year ended December 31, 2017, an increase of $3.3 billion as compared to $3.7 billion for the year ended December 31, 2016. Of the $3.2 billion increase, the annualized transaction volume of non-P2P services increased by $5.0 billion, offset by a decrease of $1.8 billion in the annualized transaction volume of P2P services. The annualized transaction volume of our non-P2P services increased due to the increased financing needs of SMEs, while the annualized transaction volume of our P2P services decreased as we are focusing more on our non-P2P services.

The increase in transaction and service fee was also, to a lesser extent, attributable to an increase in the average transaction fee rate. The average transaction fee rate for P2P services increased by 10% from 3.9% in 2016 to 4.3% in 2017. The average transaction fee rate for Non-P2P services increased by 50% from 2.9% in 2016 to 4.3% in 2017.

Our actual transaction and service fees generated from third parties was $208.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, an increase of $109.1 million, or 110%, from $99.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. Our transaction and service fee generated from related parties were $0.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, a decrease of $1.1 million, or 93%, from $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.

Apart from our primary business of loan facilitation, our subsidiary, Yinghua Wealth Investment Management Holdings Co., Ltd (“Yinghua Wealth”), engages in the business of introducing potential investors to purchase contractual funds from other financial institutions. Commission fee generated from third parties was $4.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, a decrease of $5.7 million, or 57%, from $10.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. Our commission fee generated from related parties was $3.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, an increase of $2.4 million, or 203%, from $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The decrease in commission fees was mainly due to lower commission fee rates from third parties.

Other revenue includes diversion income, advisory income, and technology service fees. We started to engage in diversion services in 2017, which contributed to $2.9 million, or 104%, increase in other revenue from $2.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, to $5.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. However, diversion services have been slowing down during 2018 as we switched our focus on data processing services in early 2018.

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Sales and Marketing Expenses

Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of commission paid to cooperative institutions, financial advisors, advertising and marketing promotion expenses, salaries and benefits and other expenses incurred by our sales and marketing personnel.

Our major selling and marketing expenses comprised of the following items during the respective years as follows:

  For the Years Ended December 31 
  2017  2016  $ Change  % Change 
             
Sales and marketing expenses            
Promotion expenses (a) $33,696,880  $27,726,211  $5,970,669   22%
Commission expenses (b)  95,395,925   57,631,771   37,764,154   66%
Salaries and benefits  17,595,964   14,060,829   3,535,135   25%
Rental expenses  1,734,731   2,970,248   (1,235,517)  -42%
Business tax  1,121,159   328,112   793,047   242%
Others  866,794   902,077   (35,283)  -4%
Total sales and marketing expenses $150,411,453  $103,619,248  $46,792,205   45%

(a)Promotion expenses are expenses incurred mainly for brand promotion and online marketing activities

(b)Commission expenses are payments to funding cooperative institutions and third-party financial advisors for their referrals to our services and products

The total sales and marketing expenses for the year ended December 31, 2017, were $150.4 million, an increase of $46.8 million, or 45%, from $103.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase was mainly caused by a significant increase in promotion expenses and commission expenses.

Promotion expenses increased by $6.0 million, or 22%, to $33.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, from $27.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase was mainly due to our efforts on online marketing to expand our borrower and investor base through online channels.

Commission expenses increased by $37.8 million, or 66%, from $57.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, to $95.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase of our commission expenses was mainly due to our reliance on the use of funding cooperative institutions and third-party financial advisors for investor referral.

Salaries and benefits expenses increased by $3.5 million, or 25%, from $14.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, to $17.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase was mainly attributable to the increased number of employees. We hired more employees in 2017 to support the rapid growth of the business.

Rental expenses decreased by $1.3 million, or 42%, from $3.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, to $1.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. Yinghua Wealth closed most of the branch offices in 2017, resulting in a reduction in leased space and a decrease in rental expenses. However, we expect our rental expenses to increase in the foreseeable future as our base rent will continue to increase.

Business tax was $1.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, an increase of $0.8 million, or 242%, from $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, which was mainly due to our large increase in the number of transactions facilitated through our marketplace from 123,512 in 2016 to 5,186,316 in 2017.

We are exploring options to reduce our sales and marketing expense, especially the commission expenses as they accounted for more than 80% of the total increase. We plan to slowly phase out our reliance on funding cooperative institutions as a referral source.

Product Development Expenses

Product development expenses include expenses we incurred to facilitate the transaction facilitation business, to gather historical data and borrowing behaviors, as well as to maintain, monitor, and manage our transaction and service platform.

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Our major product development expenses are comprised of the following items during the respective years: 

  For the Years Ended December 31 
  2017  2016  $ Change  % Change 
             
Product development expenses            
Salaries and benefits $9,206,372  $7,773,650  $1,432,722   18%
Rental expenses  786,496   762,036   24,460   3%
Depreciation  114,662   122,457   (7,795)  -6%
Service and consulting expenses  1,070,318   457,467   612,851   134%
Maintenance expenses  3,980,726   4,428,354   (447,628)  -10%
Others  164,942   112,853   52,089   46%
Total product development expenses $15,323,516  $13,656,817  $1,666,699   12%

The total product development expenses increased by $1.6 million, or 12%, to $15.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, from $13.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase was mainly attributable to an increase of $1.4 million in salaries and benefits expenses as we hired more employees during 2017 to support the rapid growth of the business.

Service and consulting expenses increased by $0.6 million, or 134%, from $0.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, to $1.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, which was caused by the increased user authentication expenses and system security testing expenses in 2017 as we continued to improve our risk control system.

Maintenance expenses decreased by $0.4 million, or 10%, from $4.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, to $4.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. In 2016, we engaged a professional firm that is a related party to provide technical infrastructure maintenance services, including storage, security, daily maintenance, for transaction system, risk control system and other administrative systems. The decrease in maintenance expenses was due to a one-time setup fee incurred during the year ended December 31, 2016.

We expect our product development expenses to continue to increase in the foreseeable future, as our business continues to grow and we develop and introduce new products and services on our marketplace.

Loan Facilitation and Servicing Expenses

Loan facilitation and servicing expenses consist primarily of costs related to credit assessment and customer and system support.

Our major loan facilitation and servicing expenses are comprised of the following items during the respective years:

  For the Years Ended December 31 
  2017 ��2016  $ Change  % Change 
             
Loan facilitation and servicing expenses            
Salaries and benefits $1,895,503  $1,523,886  $371,617   24%
Rental expenses  422,981   485,844   (62,863)  -13%
Depreciation  156,066   113,028   43,038   38%
Service and consulting expenses  671,541   715,506   (43,965)  -6%
Others  188,628   135,106   53,522   40%
Total loan facilitation and servicing expenses $3,334,719  $2,973,370  $361,349   12%

The total loan facilitation and servicing expenses increased by $0.3 million, or 12%, to $3.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, from $3.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase was mainly attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits expenses as we hired more employees during 2017. Salaries and benefits expenses increased by $0.4 million, or 24%, from $1.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 to $1.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2017.

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General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and benefits (including share-based compensation) for general management, finance, and administrative personnel, rental, professional service fees, and other expenses.

Our major general and administrative expenses comprised the following items during the respective periods:

  For the Years Ended December 31 
  2017  2016  $ Change  % Change 
             
General and administrative expenses            
Salaries and benefits $7,708,959  $6,415,011  $1,293,948   20%
Rental expenses  1,022,539   1,189,333   (166,794)  -14%
Bad debt expense  1,303,739   -   1,303,739   100%
Depreciation  153,125   149,282   3,843   3%
Service and consulting expenses  663,889   394,556   269,333   68%
Others  1,128,905   1,126,192   2,713   0%
Total general and administrative expenses $11,981,156  $9,274,374  $2,706,782   29%

Our total general and administrative expenses increased by $2.7 million, or 29%, to $12.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, from $9.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase was mainly driven by an increase in salaries and benefits expenses and the provision for doubtful accounts.

Salaries and benefits increased by $1.3 million, or 20%, from $6.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, to $7.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, which was mainly due to the increased number of employees hired during 2017 to support the rapid growth of the business.

We recorded a provision for doubtful accounts in the amount of $1.3 million during the year ended December 31, 2017 based upon an assessment of our balance of other receivables. No provision was recorded during the year ended December 31, 2016 as we had been receiving payments and no indications of uncollectability were identified in 2016.

Other income (expense)

Other income or expense consists of primarily interest income or expense from related parties, interest income or expense from third parties, foreign currency transaction gain or loss, loss in equity method investment, gain on sale of equity method investee, income from available-for-sale financial assets investment, and other miscellaneous income or expense.

The following table sets forth a breakdown of other income or expense:

  For the Years Ended December 31 
  2017  2016  $ Change  % Change 
             
Other income (expense)            
Interest income - related parties $4,773,013  $1,802,979  $2,970,034   165%
Interest expense - related parties  -   (282,276)  282,276   -100%
Interest income (expense)  (157,640)  126,616   (284,256)  -225%
Foreign currency transaction gain (loss)  2,246,572   (2,324,618)  4,571,190   -197%
Loss in equity method investment  (22,777)  (110,494)  87,717   -79%
Gain on sale of equity method investee  -   110,494   (110,494)  -100%
Realized gain available-for-sale financial assets investment  494,252   -   494,252   100%
Other miscellaneous income (expense)  1,473   (159,090)  160,563   -101%
Total other income (expense) $7,334,893  $(836,389) $8,171,282   -977%

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Interest income from related parties was $4.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, an increase of $3.0 million, or 165%, from $1.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase was mainly due to an increase of $2.7 million in interest earned from our customers’ deposits at Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd, and an increase of $0.3 million in interest earned from loan receivable from related parties. Interest expense from related parties was $0.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, a decrease of 0.3 million, or 100%, from $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. Interest expense from third parties was $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $0.1 million of interest income for the year ended December 31, 2016.

We incurred a $2.2 million foreign currency transaction gain during the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to the $2.3 million foreign currency transaction loss during the year ended December 31, 2016, which was mainly due to the fluctuations on the exchange rate between the Hong Kong Dollar and RMB. The foreign currency transaction gain or loss arose from the RMB denominated bank account in Hong Kong.

Loss in equity method investment in 2017 was solely from Linggui Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (“Linggui”), an entity that we acquired in November 2017. Loss in equity method investment for 2016 and the gain on sale of equity method investee are related to Shanghai Zisheng Network Technology Co., Ltd. (“Zisheng”), an entity we acquired in 2016 and sold in 2016.

We incurred $0.5 million of realized gain from available-for-sale financial assets investment during the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $0 for the year ended December 31, 2016. The income was the result of our participation in our own P2P marketplace platform and monetary fund as a lender in 2017. We sold the P2P investment in 2018.

Income tax expense

We incurred $12.3 million of income tax expense during the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $2.8 million of income tax benefit during the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase in income tax expense in 2017 was mainly due to the increase in taxable income offset by the impact of tax benefits received by NCF Cloud Services. In 2017, NCF Cloud Services was granted Hi-Tech Enterprise status and was entitled to a reduced rate of 15%.

Net income (loss)

We incurred a net income of $35.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to a net loss of $13.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase in net income was driven by an increase of $107.6 million in net revenues, partially offset by an increase in total operating expenses of $51.5 million during the year ended December 31, 2017, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2016.

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

In 2015 and 2016, our principal sources of liquidity were proceeds from the IPO remained on depositsales of its ordinary and preferred shares. In 2015, we received $19.9 million of proceeds from the issuance of Series B preferred shares, net of issuance cost, and $16.3 million of proceeds from the issuance of ordinary shares. In 2016, we raised $41.9 million through issuance of Series C-1 preferred shares and received the proceeds, net of issuance cost of $4.6 million in 2015 and $37.3 million in 2016, respectively, and $13.2 million of proceeds from the trust account.issuance of ordinary shares. 

Since 2017, our principal source of liquidity has been cash generated from operating activities. We generated positive cash flow from operating activities of $43.8 million in 2017. As of that date, we had $152,102,400 held in the trust account (which includes the deferred underwriting fees), of which $371,400 in investment earnings earned on the trust account was available for our withdrawal to fund taxes payable and working capital requirements. Additionally, as of December 31, 2017, we Group had $447,616 outsidecash and cash equivalents of $35.1 million (RMB 228.2 million), as compared to cash and cash equivalents of $10.1 million (RMB 70.1 million) as of December 31, 2016.

For the trust account available to us.  As of March 28, 2018, approximately $152,284,109 was on deposit in the trust account, which reflects our withdrawal of certain amounts therefrom in accordance with the Investment Management Trust Agreement to pay working capital expenses. We believe that we have sufficient resources to fund our existing liquidity needs for at least the next twelve months.

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We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account in connection with or after consummation of our initial business combination. We may use interest earned on the trust account to pay taxes. To the extent that our shares or debt are used, in whole or in part, as consideration to consummate our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.
If we do not consummate an initial business combination by November 23,year ended December 31, 2018, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purposegenerated positive cash flows from operating activities of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including investment earnings (less up to $100,000 of investment earnings to pay dissolution expenses and net of taxes payable and any amounts released to us to fund working capital requirements), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders' rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any) and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to our obligations under Marshall Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
C.Research and Development, Patents and Licenses, etc.
Not applicable.
D.Trend Information
None.
E.Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
The Company has agreed to pay $10,000 a month for office space, administrative services and secretarial support to CMB.  Services commenced on November 18, 2016, and will terminate upon the earlier of the consummation by the Company of its Initial Business Combination or the liquidation of the Company.
$76.1 million. As of December 31, 2016, $15,000 was expensed by2018, we had cash and cash equivalents of $25.1 million (RMB 172.0 million).

In February 2019, we took out a bank loan in the Companyamount of $13.6 million for services rendered by CMBworking capital. In connection with the Consummation of the Merger with Hunter Maritime on March 21, 2019, we were obligated to pay certain fees to the investment banks, lawyers and other professional service providers. We’ve generated positive operating cash flows in 2017 and 2018 and expect to increase operating cash flows in 2019; thus, we will have enough cash to settle these obligations.

Unlike financial institutions, we are not subject to any capital adequacy requirement that are applicable to financial institutions in China. We believe that our anticipated cash flows from operating activities will be sufficient to meet our anticipated working capital requirements and capital expenditures in the ordinary course of business for the period from November 18next 12 months. We may, however, need additional cash resources in the future if we experience changes in business conditions or other developments, or if we find and wish to pursue opportunities for investment, acquisition, capital expenditure or similar actions. If we determine that our cash requirements exceed the amount of cash and cash equivalents we have on hand at the time, we Wealth Group may seek to issue equity or debt securities or obtain credit facilities. The issuance and sale of additional equity would result in further dilution to our shareholders. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased fixed obligations and could result in operating covenants that would restrict our operations. We cannot assure that financing will be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all.

Although we consolidate the results of our VIEs, we only have access to cash balances or future earnings of our VIEs through our contractual arrangements with them. See “Corporate History and Structure.” For restrictions and limitations on liquidity and capital resources as a result of our corporate structure, see “Holding Company Structure.”

Our ability to manage our working capital may materially affect our financial position and results of operations.

The following table sets forth a summary of our working capital (deficit) for the periods indicated:

  December 31, 
  2018  2017 
       
Current assets $169,174,457  $109,965,050 
Current liabilities  36,847,590   29,486,419 
Net working capital $132,326,867  $80,478,631 

On December 31, 2016.2018, we had working capital of $132.3 million compared to working capital of $80.5 million on December 31, 2017. The increase in working capital was primarily related to an increase in current assets of $59.2 million, offset by an increase in current liabilities of $7.4 million on December 31, 2018, compared to December 31, 2017.

The increase in current assets of $59.2 million is mainly attributable to an increase of $129.2 million in short-term investment, partially offset by (i) a decrease of $43.8 million in loan receivable from related parties, (ii) a decrease of $10.0 million in cash and cash equivalents, and (iii) a decrease of $9.3 million in other receivables.

The increase in current liabilities of $7.4 million is primarily related to (i) an increase of $5.1 million in taxes payable, (ii) an increase of $4.6 million in accruals and other liabilities, (iii) an increase of $4.2 million in accrued marketing and channel fees from related parties, and (iv) an increase of $4.1 million in note payable to Great Reap, partially offset by a decrease of $14.3 million in accruals and other liabilities from related parties.

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For the periodYears Ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016

A summary of our cash flow activities is as follows:

  For the Years Ended December 31, 
  2018  2017  2016 
          
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $76,143,750  $43,789,995  $(31,103,672)
Net cash (used in) investing activities $(88,575,296) $(17,072,876) $(23,839,186)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities $2,587,688  $(15,273,959) $67,463,408 

Operating Activities

For the year ended December 31, 2018, we had cash provided by operating activities of $76.1 million. This was primarily the result of (i) $60.0 million of net income, adding back (ii) non-cash adjustments to net income of $2.1 million, and the effect of changes in:

(iii) an increase of $5.2 million in taxes payable, (iv) an increase of $2.9 million in accruals and other liabilities, (v) an increase of $4.4 million in accrued marketing and channel fees from January 1,related parties, and (vi) a decrease of $3.5 million in advances to suppliers, partially offset by (vii) a decrease of $13.5 million in accruals and other liabilities from related parties.

(iii) The increase in taxes payable was primarily due to an increase in our net income that led to higher estimated tax after offsetting prior accumulated loss carryforwards.

(iv) The increase in accruals and other liabilities was primarily due to the reclassification of the bank custodian fees to Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank, which was a related party in 2017 throughbut ceased to be a related party beginning October 26, 2018, and an increase of approximately $0.8 million in professional expenses in connection with SEC filings requirements.

(v) The increase in accrued marketing and channel fees from related parties was mainly due to an increase of approximately $3.1 million in the marketing and channel fees from Shenzhen Lianhe Currency Wealth Management Co., Ltd and $1.8 million from Shanghai Jinmao Asset Management Co., Ltd.

(vi) The decrease in advances to suppliers was primarily due to a decrease of approximately $3.2 million in advances for sale and marketing suppliers.

(vii) The decrease in accruals and other liabilities from related parties was primarily due to the reclassification of the bank custodian fees to Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank, which was a related party in 2017 but ceased to be a related party beginning October 26, 2018, and a decrease of approximately $4.4 million in the service fees to Xianfeng Payment.

For the year ended December 31, 2017, $119,516we had cash provided by operating activities of $43.8 million. This was expensedprimarily the result of (i) $35.8 million of net income, adding back (ii) non-cash adjustments to net income of $5.4 million, and the effect of changes in: (iii) a decrease of $14.4 million in advances to suppliers who are related parties and (iv) a decrease of $11.2 million in deferred tax assets, partially offset by (v) an increase in other receivables of $8.1 million, (vi) an increase in other non-current assets of $4.4 million, and (vii) an increase in other current assets of $4.0 million.

(iii) The decrease in advances to suppliers and other receviables-related parties who are related parties was mainly due to the collection of approximately $13.4 million from Xianfeng Payment Co., Ltd (“Xianfeng Payment”), a related party, because we switched to Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank in January 2017 as our custodian bank. Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank was a related party in 2017 and beginning October 26, 2018, it ceased to be a related party as the Haikou’s director, Mr. Nan Xiao, resigned from Yinghua Weath. Xianfeng Payment was the payment platform we used to facilitate the fund transfers between investors and borrowers prior to Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank.

(iv) The decrease in deferred tax assets was primarily due to approximately $11.2 million being used to offset against in 2017.

(v) The increase in other receivables was primarily due to approximately $8.5 million payment for services renderedthe investment in Xianfeng Daily Profiting Monetary Market Fund, a third party, that was completed in 2018.

(vi) The increase in other non-current assets was primarily due to the approximately $4.4 million cash investment in Beijing Kunyuan Hengtong Investment Center L.P, a third party, that was completed in 2018.

(vii) The increase in other current assets was primarily due to an increase of approximately $4.0 million in net input VAT.

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For the year ended December 31, 2016, cash used in operating activities of $31.1 million. This was primarily the result of (i) $13.3 million of net loss, adding back (ii) non-cash adjustments of $3.6 million, and the effect of changes in: (iii) an increase of $8.8 million in advances to suppliers who are related parties, (iv) a decrease of $4.5 million in amounts due to related parties, and (v) a decrease of $3.1 million in accrued marketing and channel fees.

(iii) The increase in advances to suppliers who are related parties was primarily due to an increase of approximately $8.3 million in advances to Xianfeng Payment.

(iv) The decrease in amounts due to related parties was primarily due to a decrease of approximately $4.5 million in the payable to Net Credit Group Inc.

Investing activities

Net cash used in investing activities was $88.6 million in 2018, which was primarily attributable to our $144.9 million of loans to related parties and $128.8 million purchase of certificates of deposit, partially offset by CMB during that period.

the $182.4 million of collection of related parties’ loans.

Net cash used in investing activities was $17.1 million in 2017, which was primarily attributable to our $39.1 million of investment in available-for-sale financial assets and $23.3 million of loans to related parties, partially offset by the $39.1 million cash received from redemption of available-for-sale financial assets and $7.3 million of collection of related parties’ loans.

Net cash used in investing activities was $23.8 million in 2016, which was primarily attributable to our $22.4 million of loans to related parties and $1.2 million of investment in Zisheng.

Financing activities

Net cash provided by financing activities was $2.6 million in 2018, which was mainly attributable the $13.5 million of cash received from bank loan and the $4.6million of cash received from related parties’ loans, partially offset by the repayments of $13.5 million on bank loan and the repayments of $2.1 million on related parties’ loans.

Net cash used in financing activities was $15.3 million in 2017, which was mainly attributable to repayments of $13.8 million on bank loan.

Net cash provided by financing activities was $67.5 million in 2016, which was mainly attributable to the $37.3 million of proceeds from issuance of Series C-1 preferred shares, $14.0 million of cash received from bank loan, $13.2 million of proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares, and $7.5 million capital injection from shareholders, partially offset by the repayment of $6.0 million of borrowings of related parties.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

F.(a)Tabular Disclosure of Contractual ObligationsOperating lease commitments – us as lessee

We were obligated under non-cancellable operating leases. The lease terms are three years, and renewable at the end of the lease period at the market rate. Rent expense were $4,019,641, $4,133,541, and $5,400,809 for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 respectively.

The future aggregate minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:

Years ending December 31, Amount 
2019 $4,008,358 
2020  1,167,009 
2021  550,786 
     
  $5,726,153 

(b)Service contracts commitments

In August 2018, we entered into a finder agreement with EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. to introduce us to a potential special purpose acquisition corporation (“SPAC”) in connection with consummating a merger. The total fee of $3,000,000 is expected to be paid in May 2019.

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Off-Balance Sheet Commitments and Obligations

We did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, 14,744,762 shares wererespectively.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

Foreign Currency Risk

RMB is not a freely convertible currency. The State Administration for Foreign Exchange, under the authority of the People’s Bank of China, controls the conversion of RMB into foreign currencies. The value of RMB is subject to possible redemptionchanges in connectioncentral government policies and to international economic and political developments affecting supply and demand in the China Foreign Exchange Trading System market.

Interest Rate Risk

We have not been exposed to material risks due to changes in market interest rates, and we have not used any derivative financial instruments to manage our interest risk exposure. However, we cannot provide assurance that we will not be exposed to material risks due to changes in market interest rates in the future. Our future interest income may fall short of expectations due to changes in market interest rates.

The fluctuation of interest rates may also affect the demand for our marketplace lending business. For example, a decrease in the interest rate may cause potential borrowers to seek loans from other channels and higher returns offered by comparable or substitute products may damper investor desire to invest in our marketplace. However, we do not expect that the fluctuation of interest rates will have a material impact on our financial condition.

Holding Company Structure

NCF Wealth Holdings, Ltd. is a holding company with no material operations of its own. We conducts our operations primarily through our subsidiaries and consolidated variable interest entities in China. As a result, our ability to pay dividends depends upon dividends paid by its PRC subsidiaries and its consolidated variable interest entities. If our existing PRC subsidiaries or any newly formed ones incur debt on their own behalf in the initial business combination (at an anticipated redemption value of $10.00 per share). A total amount of $147,447,619 has been accounted for as a current liability.

On November 18, 2016, we entered into an administrative services agreement with CMB NV, an affiliatefuture, the instruments governing their debt may restrict their ability to pay us dividends. In addition, each of our sponsor, pursuant to which we have agreedwholly foreign-owned subsidiaries in China is permitted to pay $10,000 per monthdividends to us only out of its retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Under PRC law, each of our subsidiaries and consolidated variable interest entities in China is required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund certain statutory reserve funds until such reserve funds reach 50% of its registered capital. In addition, each of our wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries in China may allocate a portion of its after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to enterprise expansion funds and staff bonus and welfare funds at its discretion, and each of our consolidated variable interest entities may allocate a portion of its after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to a discretionary surplus fund at its discretion. The statutory reserve funds and the discretionary funds are not distributable as cash dividends. Remittance of dividends by a wholly foreign-owned company out of China is subject to examination by the banks designated by State Administration of Foreign Exchange. Our PRC subsidiaries have not paid dividends and will not be able to pay dividends until they generate accumulated profits and meet the requirements for office space, secretarial supportstatutory reserve funds.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 2 to the Notes to the Audited Combined and administrative services.Consolidated Financial Statements in “Index to Combined and Consolidated Financial Statements” in this Form 20-F for discussion regarding recent accounting pronouncements.

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ITEM 6.          DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES
A.ITEM 6.DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES

A.Directors and Senior Management

The following table sets forth the names and ages of our current board of directors (the “Board”) and our named executive officers and the principal offices and positions held by each person. Our executive officers are appointed by the Board. Our directors serve until the earlier to occur of the appointment of his or her successor at the next meeting of shareholders, death, resignation or removal by the Board. There are no family relationships among our directors and our named executive officers.

Names(1)AgePosition
Huanxiang Li47President and Director
Jia Sheng38Chief Executive Officer and Director
Li Wei38Chief Financial Officer
Xin Li34Chief Operating Officer
Ruoshi Zhang38Chief Technology Officer
Tao Yang45Independent Director
David X. Li55Independent Director
Kevin C. Wei51Independent Director

Set forth below areis a brief biography of each director, named executive officer and significant employee that contains information regarding the names, agesindividual’s service as a director, named executive officer or significant employee including business experience for the past five years. In addition, information for directors includes directorships held during the past five years, information concerning certain legal or administrative proceedings, if applicable, and positionsthe experiences, qualifications, attributes or skills that caused the Board to determine that the individual should serve as a director for us.

Huanxiang Li (President)

Ms. Li has been the President and a director since March 2019 and the President and a director of NCF since 2014. Ms. Li has 15 years of experience in the financial industry. Prior to joining NCF, she was Vice-President of the United Venture Financial Guarantee Group from 2003 to 2013, President of Tianjin United Venture Capital Guarantee Co., Ltd. from 2013 to 2015, and President of Dongfang Credit Management Co., Ltd. from 2015 to 2017. Ms. Li holds an EMBA degree from the PBC School of Finance of Tsinghua University.

Jia Sheng (Chief Executive Officer)

Mr. Sheng has been the Chief Executive Officer and a director since March 2019 and the Chief Executive Officer and a director of NCF since June 2013. Mr. Sheng has 12 years of experience in the Internet and the financial industry. Prior to joining NCF Wealth Holdings, he was Product Manager in Google China and Mountain View from June 2007 to October 2010, and a Co-founder of Yunrang (Beijing) Information Technology Co., Ltd. From November 2010 to May 2013. Mr. Sheng holds an EMBA degree from the PBC School of Finance of Tsinghua University, a Master degree in Computer Science from the University of Toronto in Canada and a Bachelor degree in Computer Science and Technology from Tsinghua University.

Li Wei (Chief Financial Officer)

Ms. Wei joined the management team in March 2019 and of NCF in October 2014. She has 12 years of experience in auditing & consulting services and more than 12 years of management experience. Prior to joining NCF, Ms. Wei worked at KPMG from August 2002 to April 2008 and PricewaterhouseCoopers from May 2008 to October 2014. Ms. Wei received her MBA from the School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Renmin University of China. Ms. Wei is a CICPA and an internationally registered internal auditor.

Xin Li (Chief Operating Officer)

Ms. Li joined the management team in March 2019 and of NCF in February 2014. She worked at China Ping An Life Insurance Co., Ltd. from September 2007 to November 2010 and China International Futures Co., Ltd. from April 2012 to January 2014. Ms. Li has more than 10 years of experience in the finance industry and is an expert in operations management, marketing, and financial product design. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in finance from Heilongjiang University.

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Ruoshi Zhang (Chief Technology Officer)

Mr. Zhang joined the management team in March 2019 and of NCF in May 2014. He has more than 10 years of experience in R&D management and distributed system design and development. Mr. Zhang worked at Visual China Group from October 2005 to August 2011, IFeng.com from August 2011 to August 2012 and Credit Ease from January 2013 to April 2013. Mr. Zhang specializes in the development and design of distributed storage systems, social networking sites and financial trading systems. Mr. Zhang earned his Bachelor’s degree from Information Engineering University.

Tao Yang (Independent Director)

Mr. Yang has been a researcher and an advisor to doctoral candidates of the Institute of Finance & Banking of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences since August 2003. He has also been the Chief Economist of the China FinTech 50 Forum since April 2017. Mr. Yang’s main scope of research covers monetary and fiscal policies, financial markets, financial technology as well as payments and settlements. He received his PhD degree in Economics from Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a Master’s degree from Chinese Academy of Fiscal Sciences, and a Bachelor’s degree from Nanjing University of Science and Technology.

David X. Li (Independent Director)

Mr. Li has been a professor of finance, and faculty co-director of Master of Finance (MF) program at Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance (SAIF) since January 2018, and an associate director of Chinese Academy of Financial Research (CAFR) at Shanghai Jiaotong University since January 2018. Previously, he worked at leading financial institutions for more than two decades in the areas of new product development, risk management, asset/liability management and investment analytics. He was the chief-risk-officer for China International Capital Corporation (CICC) Ltd from May 2008 to January 2013, head of credit derivative research and analytics at Citigroup and Barclays Capital from October 2001 to April 2008, and head of modeling for AIG Investments from January 2012 to March 2016.

David holds a PhD degree in statistics from the University of Waterloo, a Master’s degrees in economics, finance and actuarial science, and a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Mr. Li is currently an associate editor for North American Actuarial Journal, an adjunct professor at the University of Waterloo. Mr. Li was one of the pioneers in credit derivatives. His seminal work of using copula functions for credit portfolio modeling has been widely cited by academic research, broadly used by practitioners for credit portfolio trading, risk management and rating, and well covered by media such as Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Nikkei, CBC News.

Kevin C. Wei (Independent Director)

Mr. Wei has been a managing partner of Fontainburg Corporation Limited, a corporate finance advisory firm, since November 2013. Mr. Wei served as the Chief Financial Officer of IFM Investments Limited (stock code: CTC), a New York Stock Exchange listed company headquartered in Beijing, from December 2007 to September 2013, and served as its director from November 2008 until December 2014. From 2006 to 2007, Mr. Wei served as the Chief Financial Officer of a Chinese solar company listed on Nasdaq. From 1999 to 2005, Mr. Wei worked in the internal audit and risk management functions for multinational companies including LG Philips Displays International Ltd. From 1991 to 1999, Mr. Wei worked with KPMG LLP and Deloitte Touche LLP in various audit and consulting roles in the United States of America and China. Mr. Wei graduated from Central Washington University in 1991, where he received his Bachelor’s degree (cum laude) with a double major in accounting and business administration.

B.Compensation of Directors and Executive Officers

For the 2018 fiscal year we paid an aggregate of approximately $450,000.00 in cash compensation and non-share-based compensation to our executive officers.

We did not pay any compensation to our directors and executive officers. in 2018.

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C.Board Practices

Board of Directors

Our board of directors currently consists of sixfive directors, three of whom satisfy the “independence” requirements of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and is divided into three classes. Directors are elected annually on a staggered basis, with the term of office of one or anotherRule 5605 of the three classes expiring each year. Each director elected holds office forNASDAQ Rules. The law of our home country, which is the Marshall Islands, does not require a three-year term or until his successor is duly elected and qualified, except inmajority of the event of his death, resignation, removal or the earlier termination of his term of office.

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Officers are appointed from time to time by our board of directors and hold office until a successor is appointed. The business of each director and executive officer listed below is: Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp., c/o MI Managementour Company Trust Company Complex, Suite 206, Ajeltake Road, P.O. Box 3055, Majuro,to be composed of independent directors, nor does Marshall Islands MH96960. The executive officers and directorslaw require that of a compensation committee or a nominating committee. We intend to follow our home country practice with regard to composition of the Company are set forthboard of directors. A director is not required to hold any shares in the following table:
NameAgePosition
Marc Saverys64Chairman of the Board of Directors, Class III Director
Alexander Saverys39Chief Executive Officer and Class III Director
Ludovic Saverys34Chief Financial Officer and Class II Director
Benoit Timmermans57Chief Commercial Officer and Class II Director
Thomas Rehder62Class I Director
Philip Shapiro65Class I Director

The biographical information forCompany by way of qualification. A director who is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction with our current officerscompany must declare the nature of his interest at a meeting of the directors. Subject to the NASDAQ Rules, a director may vote in respect of any contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction notwithstanding that he or she may be interested therein and directorsif he or she does so his or her vote shall be counted and he or she may be counted in the quorum at the relevant board meeting at which such contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction is set forth below:
Marc Saverys, the Chairman of ourconsidered. Our board of directors and a Class III director, graduated from the University of Ghent in 1976 with a degree in law. In 1975 he joined Bocimar's chartering department, the dry bulk divisionmay exercise all of the CMB Group. In 1985 he left Bocimarpowers of our Company to borrow money, to mortgage or charge our undertakings, property and became Managing Directoruncalled capital, and to issue debentures or other securities whenever money is borrowed or pledged as security for any debt, liability or obligation of Exmar, which at that time became a diversified shipowning company, where he was in chargeour Company or of the dry bulk division. He currently holds director's mandates in various companies belonging to the CMB Group. He became a director of the CMB Group in 1991 and was Managing Director of the CMB Group from April 1992 through September 2014 when he was appointed as chairman. During the period from 2003 through July 2014, he served as the Chairmanany third party.

Committees of the Board of Euronav NV (NYSE: EURN), and served as a Vice-Chairman of the Board of Euronav from July 2014 until December 2015. Mr. Marc Saverys is the father of Mr. Alexander Saverys, our Chief Executive Officer and a director, and Mr. Ludovic Saverys, our Chief Financial Officer and a director.

Alexander Saverys,Directors our Chief Executive Officer and a Class III director, has a master of laws (University of Leuven and Madrid) and holds an MBA of the Fachhochschule für Wirtschaft Berlin. In 2004 he founded Delphis NV, a company offering multimodal transport solutions throughout Europe. He became a director of the CMB Group in 2006 and was appointed Managing Director in September 2014. Mr. Alexander Saverys is the son of Mr. Marc Saverys, our Chairman of the Board, and the brother of Mr. Ludovic Saverys, our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary and a director.
Ludovic Saverys, our Chief Financial Officer and Secretary and a Class II director, has served on the

Our Board of Directors has an audit committee and we have adopted a charter for this committee. The committee’s members and functions are described below.

Audit Committee

Our audit committee consists of Euronav since May 13, 2015Tao Yang and Kevin C. Wei, and is member of Euronav's Remuneration Committee and a member of the Health, Safety, Security and Environmental Committee. Ludovic Saverys currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of the CMB Group and as General Manager of Saverco NV. He has also served as a director of Moore Stephens (Belgium) since December 2014. During the time he lived in New York, Mr. Saverys served as Chief Financial Officer of MiNeeds Inc. from 2011 through 2013 and as Director of SURFACExchange Ltd from 2009 through 2013. He started his career as Managing Director of European Petroleum Exchange (EPX) in 2008. From 2001 through 2007 he followed several educational programs at universities in Leuven, Barcelona and London from which he graduated with M. Sc. degrees in International Business and Finance. Mr. Ludovic Saverys is the son of Mr. Marc Saverys, our Chairman of the Board, and the brother of Mr. Alexander Saverys, our Chief Executive Officer and a director.

Benoit Timmermans, our Chief Commercial Officer and a Class II director, graduated in law from the University of Louvain in 1983. He also holds an MBA degree from the University of Navarra, Barcelona. After two years of retail banking experience he joined Almabo in 1989 and became Assistant Financial Manager after the take-over of the CMB Group. He was CFO of the CMB Group's liner division SCL (1996), Managing Director of the French company SAGA (1997) and was appointed Managing Director of Bocimar in 2003.
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Thomas Rehder, a Class I director, has a total of 32 years of experience in the shipping industry. Since 1987, Mr. Rehder has been a managing partner at Carsten Rehder GmbH & Co., or Carsten Rehder, a family-owned company located in Hamburg, Germany which currently operates 20 container vessels and five supramax and handysize bulk carriers. Mr. Rehder began his career at Carsten Rehder in 1984 as a chartering broker and has been responsible for the shipowning side of the business since 1996. Carsten Rehder was a 50% owner of single purpose entities that served as general partner of five single-ship KG companies that became insolvent between 2013 and 2015. Mr. Rehder served as a managing director of the general partner entities, but resigned from this position prior to the insolvencies. From 1981 to 1984, Mr. Rehder worked as a chartering broker for Intercontinent Chartering Inc. in New York. Mr. Rehder holds a position as a member of the council of the German Shipowners' Association. From 2014 to 2015, Mr. Rehder was president of the European Community Shipowners' Association and is currently a board member. Additionally, he is a board member of Det Norske Veritas GL Group AS, Oslo. Prior to obtaining his business degree from the European Business School in Frankfurt, Germany, Mr. Rehder served in the German navy and worked as assistant shipyard manager.
Philip J. Shapiro, a Class I director has served on our board of directors since April 26, 2017. Mr. Shapiro graduated from Columbia University in New York City in 1974 and received a Juris Doctor from Hofstra University School of Law on 1978. In 1988, Mr. Shapiro founded Liberty Maritime Corporation and has served as its Chief Executive Officer and President since that time. Prior to forming Liberty Maritime, Mr. Shapiro served as Vice President and General Counsel of Apex Marine Corporation, a tanker and dry bulk shipping company, from 1980 to 1988. Before joining Apex, he practiced corporate and real estate law for two years with a law firm in New York City. Mr. Shapiro has previously served as a director of the then listed New York Stock Exchange company, OMI Corporation, from April 2002 until its sale in 2007 for $2.2 Billion.  During that time, he served as Chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Audit Committee.  Mr. Shapiro is currently an elected member of the Board of Directors of the American Bureau of Shipping, a leading classification society, and serves as the Chairman of its Nominating and Governance Committee as well as a member of its Compensation Committee. He also serves currently on a number of other corporate and charitable boards including the National Maritime Historical Society, the United Seamen's Service and the American Maritime Congress as well as being a member of the Board of Trustees of the United States Coast Guard Foundation.  During his career in shipping, Mr. Shapiro has often appeared before numerous U.S. Congressional committees and administrative agencies as a spokesperson for the U.S. flag shipping industry on various maritime policy, initiatives and law.  He was selected to be the dry bulk shipping sector's representative to U.S. President Reagan's Commission on the Merchant Marine and National Defense and as one of three industry representatives selected to serve on President Clinton's Maritime Policy Working Group which developed what has come to be known as the Maritime Security Program. More recently, he has testified before various congressional committees on the problems of piracy and suggested preventive measures to protect seafarers, property and cargo.
B.Compensation
No compensation of any kind, including finder's and consulting fees, will be paid to any of our executive officers, directors or sponsor, or any of their respective affiliates (except as otherwise set forth in this annual report), for services rendered prior to or in connection with our initial business combination. However, our executive officers and directors will be reimbursed for any out of pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf, such as activities relating to our formation, organization and initial capitalization, attending board of directors meetings, participating in the offering process, identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. There is no limit on the amount of out of pocket expenses reimbursablechaired by us and there will be no review of the reasonableness of the expenses by anyone other than our board of directors, which includes persons who may seek reimbursement. To the extent such out of pocket expenses exceed the available proceeds not deposited in the trust account and proceeds withdrawable from the trust account, such out of pocket expenses would not be reimbursed by us unless we consummate our initial business combination.
In addition, while our executive officers currently intend to remain with us following our initial business combination, neither they nor our directors may eventually do so depending on the sector in which we will operate after consummating our initial business combination. If they do remain with us in a management role following our initial business combination, we may enter into employment or other compensation arrangements with them following our initial business combination, the terms of which have not yet been determined. We cannot assure you that our current executive officers and directors will be retained in any significant role, or at all, and have no ability to determine what remuneration, if any, will be paid to them if they are retained following our initial business combination.
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Kevin C. Wei. Each of our non-executive directors is entitled to receive annual cash compensation in the aggregate amount of $75,000 (payable quarterly). Our non-executive director who serves as the chairman of our Audit Committee is entitled to receive an additional fee of $25,000 for serving in that role.
C.Board Practices
Our board of directors consists of six directors and is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class serving a three-year term.
The members of our boardaudit committee satisfy the “independence” requirements of directors are expected to play a key role in identifyingRule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and evaluating prospective acquisition candidates, selectingRule 5605 of the target business, and structuring, negotiating and consummating its acquisition. None of these individuals will have been, or will be, a principal of or affiliated with a blank check company that has its common shares listed for trading on NASDAQ the New York Stock Exchange or another nationally recognized exchange. However, we believe that the skills and expertise of these individuals, their collective access to acquisition opportunities and ideas, their contacts, and their transaction expertise will enable them to successfully identify and effect an acquisition, although we cannot assure you that they will, in fact, be able to do so.
Our Audit Committee consists of Mr. Rehder and Mr. Shapiro. Mr. Rehder serves as chairman and as the Audit Committee financial expert. The Audit Committee provides assistance to our board of directors in fulfilling their responsibilities to shareholders, and investment community relating to our corporate accounting, reporting practices, and the quality and integrity of our financial reports.Rules. The Audit Committee, among other duties, recommends the independent auditors to be selected to audit our consolidated financial statements, meets with our independent auditors and financial management to review the scope of the proposed audit for the current year and the audit procedures to be utilized, reviews with the independent auditors, and financial and accounting personnel, the adequacy and effectiveness of our accounting and financial controls, and reviews the consolidated financial statements contained in the annual report to shareholders with management and the independent auditors. In addition, the Audit Committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments, if applicable, that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates and monitor compliance with the other terms relating our IPO. If any noncompliance is identified, then the Audit Committee will be charged with the responsibility to promptly take all action necessary to rectify such noncompliance or otherwise to cause compliance with the terms of the IPO.

Pursuant to an exemption for FPIs, foreign private issuers, we are permitted to follow home country practice in lieu of certain of NASDAQ'sNASDAQ’s corporate governance requirements that are applicable to U.S. companies listed on NASDAQ,, see "Item“Item 16G. Corporate Governance."Governance”.

D.Employees

As of December 31, 2016, 2017 and 2018, we had 692, 712 and 902 employees, respectively. Substantially all of these employees are located in China. The following table sets forth the number of our employees for each of our major functions as of December 31, 2018:

Major functions

As of

December 31,

2018

Managerial functions12
Operating functions143
Others747
Total902

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None of our employees are represented by a labor union nor are we organized under a collective bargaining agreement. We have never experienced a work stoppage and believe that our relations with our employees are good.

As required by regulations in China, we participated in various employee social security plans that are organized by municipal and provincial governments, including pension, unemployment insurance, childbirth insurance, work-related injury insurance, medical insurance and housing insurance. We were also required under PRC law to make contributions to employee benefit plans at specified percentages of the salaries, bonuses and certain allowances of our employees, up to a maximum amount specified by the local government from time to time. Since we divested our Chinese operation in December 2018, we are no contracts betweenlonger subject to these laws.

E.Share Ownership

The following table sets forth, as of April 15, 2019, certain information as to the share ownership of (i) each person known by us and anyto own beneficially more than five percent of our Class A common stock (ii) each of our directors, providing for benefits upon termination of their employment.

D.Employees
We currently have three executive officers. These individuals are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they intend to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time they will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full time employees prior to the completion(iii) each of our initial business combination.
E.Share Ownership
With respect to the total amount of common stock owned by all ofexecutive officers, and (iv) our executive officers and directors individually and as a group, please see "Item 7. Major Shareholdersgroup. Except as otherwise set forth below, the business address of each shareholder is c/o the Company, Tower A, WangXin Building, 28 Xiaoyun Rd, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 1000027.

Name of Beneficial Owner(2) 

Number of

Class A common

stock Beneficially

Owned (1)

  

Percentage

Ownership

 
Zhenxin Zhang(3)  122,815,857   60.2%
Great Reap Ventures Limited (4)  103,613,734   50.8%
TMF (Cayman) Ltd.(5)  19,202,123   9.4%
Ever Step Holdings Limited(6)  17,625,804   8.6%
Highlight Limited(7)  12,114,794   5.9%
Huanxiang Li(8)  349,129   * 
Jia Sheng(8)  209,477   * 
Ruoshi Zhang(8)  192,021   * 
Xin Li(8)  122,195   * 
Li Wei(8)  78,989   * 
Tao Yang  -   - 
David X. Li  -   - 
Kevin C. Wei  -   - 
All directors and executive officers as a group (8 individuals)  951,811   * 

*Represents beneficial ownership of less than one percent of our outstanding Class A common stock.

(1)Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. In computing the number of shares of Class A common stock beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person, Class A common stock subject to options held by that person that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of April 15, 2019 are deemed outstanding. Such shares, however, are not deemed outstanding for the purposes of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Except as indicated in the footnotes to the following table or pursuant to applicable community property laws, each shareholder named in the table has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares set forth opposite such shareholder’s name. The percentage of beneficial ownership is based on 204,041,004 shares of Class A common stock outstanding as of April 1, 2019.

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(2)Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of each of the individuals is Tower A, WangXin Building, 28 Xiaoyun Rd, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100027.

(3)Consists of shares owned by Great Reap Ventures Limited and TMF (Cayman) Ltd.

(4)Great Reap Ventures Limited is owned and controlled by Zhenxin Zhang.

(5)TMF (Cayman) Ltd is owned by employees of NCF Wealth Holdings Limited and Mr. Zhenxin Zhang has voting power over the shares owned by TMF (Cayman) Ltd.

(6)Ever Step Holdings Limited is owned and controlled by Chong Sing Holdings FinTech Group Limited, a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with stock code 8207.

(7)Highlight Limited is owned and controlled by Mr. Kecun Hu.

(8)Consists of shares owned by TMF (Cayman) Ltd., which the beneficial owner can demand TMF (Cayman) Ltd. distribute to the beneficial owner at any time.

As of April 1, 2019, 204,041,004 Class A common shares are issued and Related Party Transactions."

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outstanding. We cannot ascertain the exact number of beneficial shareholders with addresses in the United States.

None of our shareholders has different voting rights from other shareholders as of the date of this annual report. We are currently not aware of any arrangement that may, at a subsequent date, result in a change of control of our Company.

ITEM 7.          MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
A.ITEM 7.MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

A.Major Shareholders
The following table sets forth information regarding beneficial ownership of our common shares for (i) owners of more than five percent of our common shares

Please refer to “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and (ii) our directors and officers, of which we are aware as of March 28, 2018:

Name and Address 
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned(1)
  
Percentage of Ownership(2)
 
Bocimar Hunter NV(3)
  3,793,275   20.0%
Polar Asset Management Partners Inc.(4)
  1,704,968   9.0%
Shoei Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.(5)
  1,500,000   7.9%
Hudson Bay Capital Management LP(6)
  1,500,000   7.9%
QVT Financial LP(7)
  1,000,000   5.3%
Silver Rock Financial LP(8)
  1,000,000   5.3%
All directors and executive officers as a group (excluding Marc Saverys)  0   0%
____________________________

Employees—E. Share Ownership.”

(1)B.These amounts do not include the Class A common shares underlying the warrants.
(2)Based on 18,966,375 Class A common shares and Class B common shares outstanding as of March 28, 2018.
(3)
Based on information contained in a Schedule 13G filed by such shareholder with the SEC on February 10, 2017. The Schedule 13G reports that (i) Bocimar Hunter NV has shared voting and dispositive power with respect to, and thus may be deemed to beneficially own, 3,793,275 shares, and (ii) each of CMB NV, Saverco NV, and Marc Saverys, our chairman of the board of directors, have shared voting and dispositive power with respect to, and thus, may be deemed to beneficially own 3,993,275 shares.
(4)Based on information contained in a Schedule 13G/A filed by such shareholder with the SEC on June 19, 2017.
(5)Based on information contained in a Schedule 13G filed by such shareholder with the SEC on February 23, 2017.
(6)Based on information contained in a Schedule 13G filed by such shareholder with the SEC on January 30, 2017.
(7)Based on information contained in a Schedule 13G filed by such shareholder with the SEC on November 28, 2016.
(8)Based on information contained in a Schedule 13G filed by such shareholder with the SEC on February 14, 2017.

B.Related Party Transactions

Related Party Transactions of Hunter Maritime

On July 11, 2016, Bocimar Hunter, a Belgian entity affiliated with our sponsorSponsor, CMB NV, purchased 4,312,500 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or $0.006 per share, of which 519,225 were subsequently forfeited by our sponsor on January 3, 2017 pursuant toas a result of the partial exercise on December 16, 2016 of the underwriters'underwriters’ overallotment option. The number of founder shares issued determined based on the expectation that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares upon completion of the IPO. The purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to us by the number of founder shares issued. Upon the effectiveness of our amendedAmended and restated articlesRestated Articles of incorporation,Incorporation, the founder shares were automatically reclassified and converted to our Class B common shares.

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Our sponsor

Bocimar Hunter purchased an aggregate of 3,333,333 private placement warrants at a price of $1.50 per warrant in a private placement that occurred simultaneously with the closing of the IPO. Pursuant to the underwriters'underwriters’ partial exercise of the overallotment option on December 16, 2016, we sold an additional 23,080 private placement warrants to the sponsor.Bocimar Hunter. Each private placement warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A common share at $11.50 per share. Our sponsors will beSponsor is permitted to transfer the Class B common shares and private placement warrants held by them to certain permitted transferees, including our executive officers and directors and other persons or entities affiliated with or related to them, but the transferees receiving such securities will be subject to the same agreements with respect to such securities as the initial purchasers. Otherwise, these warrants will not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our business combination.the Business Combination. The private placement warrants arewill be non-redeemable so long as they are held by our initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. The private placement warrants may also be exercised by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees for cash or on a cashless basis. Otherwise, the private placement warrants have terms and provisions that are identical to those of the warrantsWarrants sold as part of the units in the IPO.

CMB Group,NV, an affiliate of our sponsor,Sponsor, purchased 200,000 unitsUnits in the IPO atIPO.

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On September 27, 2018, pursuant to the public offering price.

In order to fund working capital deficiencies, if any, or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliateterms of our sponsor or certaina Securities Purchase Agreement, Bocimar Hunter transferred ownership of our officersits (i) 3,793,275 Class B common shares and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $2,000,000 of such loans may be convertible into(ii) 3,356,413 private placement warrants of the post-business combinationCompany to CMB NV, an affiliated entity at a price of $1.50 per warrant at the optioncontrolled by members of the lender. Such warrants would be identical toSaverys family, which we now consider our Sponsor. CMB NV acquired the Class B common shares and the private placement warrants. Thewarrants for a purchase price of $25,000 and $5,034,620, respectively, which were the original value of the securities at the time they were acquired by Bocimar Hunter. Pursuant to the terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exista Joinder Agreement with respect to such loans. Asthe Letter Agreement, dated September 27, 2018, CMB NV became party to the Letter Agreement, to assume all of December 31, 2017, there were no such loans outstanding.
the rights and obligations of Bocimar Hunter thereunder, and to be bound by the restrictions thereunder. Pursuant to the terms of an Assignment Agreement and a Joinder Agreement with respect to the registration rights agreement (discussed below), each dated September 27, 2018, Bocimar Hunter assigned all of its rights and interests under the registration rights agreement to CMB NV, and CMB NV became party to the registration rights agreement and agreed to assume all of the rights and obligations of Bocimar Hunter thereunder and to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof. Pursuant to the terms of an agreement with respect to our Warrant Agreement and a related warrant assignment agreement, each dated September 27, 2018, Bocimar Hunter assigned all of its rights and interests under the Warrant Agreement to CMB NV and CMB NV agreed to assume all of the rights and obligations of Bocimar Hunter thereunder and to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof.

Pursuant to a registration rights agreement we entered into with our sponsorSponsor on November 18, 2016, we may be required to register certain securities for sale under the Securities Act. Our sponsor isThese holders are entitled under the registration rights agreement to make up to three demands that we register certain of our securities held by itthem for sale under the Securities Act and to have the securities covered thereby registered for resale pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. In addition, our sponsor hasthese holders have the right to include itstheir securities in other registration statements filed by us. However, the registration rights agreement provides that we will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until the securities covered thereby are released from their lock-up restrictions, as described herein. We will bear the costs and expenses of filing any such registration statements.

CMB NV, the sponsor in our initial public offering (the “sponsor”), purchased an aggregate of 3,333,333 private placement warrants at a price of $1.50 per warrant in private placement transactions that occurred in connection with our IPO. Pursuant to the underwriters’ partial exercise of the overallotment option on December 16, 2016, we sold an additional 23,080 private placement warrants to the sponsor. Each private placement warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A common share at $11.50 per share.

On November 14, 2016,6, 2018, we completed a tender offer, funded with the proceeds then held in the Trust Account, in connection with an amendment to our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to extend the deadline (the “Extension Amendment”) by which a business combination must be consummated to April 23, 2019 (the “Extended Date”), pursuant to which we purchased 12,999,350 Class A common shares at $10.125 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $131.6 million (the “Extension Tender Offer”). In connection with the Extension Tender Offer, we deposited into the Trust Account an additional $1,896,637.50 to make the total amount on deposit in the Trust Account equal to $10.125 per Class A common share (the “First Tender Contribution”). The First Tender Contribution was funded by a combination of cash on hand held outside the Trust Account and a loan to us from our Sponsor providedin the principal amount of $500,000 and which bears interest at LIBOR plus 0.60% (the “November 2018 Promissory Note”).

In connection with the Extension Amendment, our Sponsor, or persons on its behalf, has agreed to contribute to us with an unsecured loan$0.03 for each Public Share that was not purchased in the Extension Tender Offer for each calendar month commencing on November 23, 2018 (the day by which were initially required to complete our initial business combination) until April 23, 2019, or such earlier date that we complete our initial business combination (the “Monthly Extension Contribution”). We will deposit the amount of the Monthly Extension Contribution in the Trust Account within five (5) business days of the beginning of each such calendar month, with respect to the previous such calendar month, commencing on December 23, 2018 and on the 23rd day of each subsequent month up to $250,000and including the Extended Date.  The aggregate amount of the Monthly Extension Contribution will be repayable by us to cover expenses relatedour Sponsor if we complete an initial business combination. On each of December 27, 2018 and January 29, 2019, $65,212.50 was contributed to the IPO (the "Promissory Note"). We borrowed $150,000 underTrust Account for the Promissory NoteMonthly Extension Contribution. The Monthly Extension Contributions were funded with a portion of the proceeds from two loans to us from our Sponsor, one in connection with the IPO.  The Promissory Note boreprincipal amount of $300,000 and which bears interest at a rate per annum equal to LIBOR plus 0.60%, and was paidone in full on November 25, 2016.  A totalthe principal amount of $139 was charged$200,0000 and which bears interest at LIBOR plus 0.60% (together, the “Funding Promissory Notes”).

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Our sponsor loaned us $1,400,000 to make Monthly Extension Contributions as interest ondescribed above and for working capital purposes so that we could complete our business combination. On March 21, 2019, we issued an additional 933,333 private warrants to the Promissory Note.

sponsor in exchange for the cancellation of the $1,400,000 of promissory notes which we made in the sponsor’s favor.

On November 18, 2016, we entered into an administrative services agreement with CMB NV, an affiliate of our sponsor, pursuant to which we have agreed to paypaid a total of $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial support and administrative services. This arrangement has been agreedterminated in connection with the Business Combination.

Related Party Transactions of NCF

Please see Note 19 to for our benefit and is not intended to provide our sponsor, or its affiliate, compensation in lieu of salary or other remuneration. We believe that such fees are at least as favorable as we could have obtained from an unaffiliated person. We have expensed $119,516 for these servicesfinancial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017 and $15,0002018 for the period from November 18, 2016 through December 31, 2016.

We will reimburse our officers, directors, or any of their respective affiliates, for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with identifying, investigating and consummating a potential initial business combination with one of more acquisition targets. Subject to availability of proceeds not placed in the trust account, there is no limit on the amount of out-of-pocket expenses that could be incurred. Our board of directors will review and approve all expense reimbursements made to our directors with the interested director or directors abstaining from such review and approval. To the extent such out-of-pocket expenses exceed the available proceeds not deposited in the trust account and those proceeds are properly withdrawn from the trust account, such out-of-pocket expenses would not be reimbursed by us unless we consummate our initial business combination.
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Following the completionsummary of our initial business combination, members of our management and executive directors will be entitled to receive customary fees and we may enter intorelated party transactions.

Employment Agreements

We do not currently have any employment or other compensation arrangements with members of our management and executive directors, the terms of whichagreements.

Incentive Plans

We do not currently have not yet been determined.

All ongoing and future transactions between us and any of our executive officers and directors or their respective affiliates, including loans by our directors, will be on terms believed by us at that time, based upon other similar arrangements known to us, to be no less favorable than are available from unaffiliated third parties. Such transactions or loans, including any forgiveness of loans, will require prior approvalincentive plans in each instance by a majority of our disinterested directors, who had access, at our expense, to our attorneys or independent legal counsel. It is our intention to obtain estimates from unaffiliated third parties for similar goods or services to ascertain whether such transactions with affiliates are on terms that are no less favorable to us than are otherwise available from such unaffiliated third parties.
place.

C.InterestInterests of Experts and Counsel

Not applicable

applicable.

ITEM 8.          FINANCIAL INFORMATION
A.ITEM 8.FINANCIAL INFORMATION

A.Consolidated Statements and otherOther Financial Information
Please see "Item 18. Financial Statements" for a list of the

We have appended consolidated financial statements filed as part of this Annual Report.

Legal Proceedings
There is noannual report.

We are currently not a party to any material litigation, arbitrationlegal or governmental proceeding currently pending against usadministrative proceedings. We may from time to time be subject to various legal or administrative claims and proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. Litigation or any membersother legal or administrative proceeding, regardless of the outcome, may result in additional costs and diversion of our management teamresources, including our management’s time and attention.

B.Significant Changes

Except as disclosed elsewhere in their capacity as such.

Dividend Policy
Wethis annual report, we have not paidexperienced any dividends on our common shares to date. Prior to consummating our initial business combination substantially allsignificant changes since the date of our earnings will consist of investment earnings earned on fundsaudited consolidated financial statements included in the trust account that are required to be held therein until consummation of our initial business combination or our liquidation, except as set forth in the next sentence. Both (i) investment earnings earned on the trust account balance to pay any income taxes on such investment earnings and any other taxes payable and (ii) investment earnings earned, after taxes payable, on the trust account to fund our working capital requirements, including, in the event of our liquidation, up to $100,000 of investment earnings to pay dissolution expenses, may be released to us from the trust account. Accordingly, our board of directors does not anticipate declaring any dividends on our common shares in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends, if any, after our initial business combination will be contingent upon our historical and anticipated financial condition, revenues, if any, earnings, if any, liquidity and cash flows, if any, capital and tax requirements, contractual prohibitions and limitations and applicable law and will be within the sole discretion of our board of directors.
In addition, at or promptly following the completion of our initial business combination, we will use our best efforts to transfer our corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium, which requires our shareholders' approval under Belgian law and compliance with other applicable legal requirements. We have agreed with our sponsor that we will not pay dividends (which, for the avoidance of doubt, does not include payments to redeem any of our public shares or payments upon our liquidation) to our shareholders until we have moved our corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium. Our sponsor and members of our management team have agreed to vote any common shares owned by them in favor of the transfer of our corporate domicile to Belgium.
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B.Significant Changes
Not applicable
this annual report.

ITEM 9.          THE OFFER AND LISTING
A.ITEM 9.OfferTHE OFFER AND LISTING

A.Offering and Listing Details.Details

Share History and Markets

Our Class A common shares, warrants and units arewere traded on NASDAQ under the symbols "HUNT," "HUNTW"“HUNT,” “HUNTW” and "HUNTU,"“HUNTU,” respectively. Each of the Company'sCompany’s units consists of one Class A common share and one-half warrant, each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A common share. Our units commenced trading on NASDAQ on November 18, 2016. Our Class A common shares and warrants commenced trading separately from our units on January 9, 2017.

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The following tables set forth,

Table of Contents

On July 23, 2018, we received a written notice from the Listing Qualifications Department of Nasdaq indicating that we are not in compliance with Listing Rule 5550(a)(3), which requires us to have at least of 300 shareholders for continued listing on the periods indicated,exchange (the “Minimum Shareholders Rule”). On September 13, 2018, we submitted to Nasdaq a plan to maintain our Nasdaq listing. Nasdaq accepted our plan and granted us an extension of 180 calendar days from the highdate of the notice, or until January 22, 2019, to evidence compliance with this rule. On January 24, 2019, we received a letter from Nasdaq stating that the Company had failed to demonstrate compliance with the Minimum Shareholders Rule within the required time period and low sale prices forthat, accordingly, the Nasdaq staff had initiated procedures to delist our units, Class A common shares, units and warrants respectively, as reportedfrom Nasdaq. We subsequently appealed the delisting determination, and, subsequent to a February 28, 2019 hearing and subject to certain conditions, we were granted until June 15, 2019 to meet the Minimum Shareholders Rule. In addition, on NASDAQ.

  Units  Class A common shares  Warrants 
  High  Low  High  Low  High  Low 
For the Year Ended:                  
December 31, 2016*  10.91   9.75   -   -   -   - 
December 31, 2017  10.60   9.53   10.50   7.99   1.30   0.06 
                         
For the Quarter Ended:                        
December 31, 2016*  10.91   9.75   -   -   -   - 
March 31, 2017  10.60   10.00   9.87   9.75   1.03   0.68 
June 30, 2017  10.56   9.53   10.50   7.99   1.30   0.06 
September 30, 2017  10.30   9.95   9.90   9.43   0.97   0.36 
December 31, 2017  10.45   9.85   9.85   9.68   0.66   0.25 
                         
                         
For the Month:                        
March 2018 (through and including March 28, 2018 10.90  9.95  9.85  9.72  0.59  0.27 
February 2018  9.95   9.93   9.83   9.76   0.35   0.30 
January 2018  9.95   9.90   9.80   9.75   0.58   0.30 
December 31, 2017  10.45   9.85   9.81   9.71   0.60   0.25 
November 30, 2017  10.05   9.98   9.85   9.68   0.62   0.42 
October 31, 2017  10.05   10.05   9.84   9.70   0.66   0.45 
September 30, 2017  10.10   10.00   9.84   9.78   0.77   0.47 
                         
________________
March 27, 2019, Nasdaq suspended trading in our securities due to the significant volatility in our common stock subsequent to the business combination.

Subsequently, on April 24, 2019, we received notification from the Nasdaq Hearings Panel (the “Panel”) that the Panel determined to suspend trading in our securities effective at the open of business on Friday, April 26, 2019 and to formally delist the securities on May 9, 2019 unless we appeal the decision. Although we intend to appeal the decision and take all action that we can to remain listed, we cannot assure you that we will be able to remain listed. In the event that we fail to remain listed, our stock will experience reduced liquidity than if we were able to remain on Nasdaq.

As a result of the suspension of trading from the Nasdaq Stock Market, our securities are now tradable on the over the counter market.

As a result of Nasdaq’s suspension or delisting of our securities, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:

*Since November 18, 2016.a limited availability of market quotations for our securities;


B.reduced liquidity for our securities;

a determination that our Class A common shares are a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A common shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities;

a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and

a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.

B.Plan of Distribution

Not applicable

Applicable.

C.Markets.Markets
Our Class A common shares, warrants and units are traded on NASDAQ under the symbols "HUNT," "HUNTW" and "HUNTU," respectively.
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The information included in Item 9(A) is incorporated by reference herein.

D.Selling Shareholders

Not applicable.

Applicable.

E.Dilution

Not applicable.

Applicable.

F.Expenses of the Issue

Not Applicable.

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Not applicable.

Table of Contents

ITEM 10.          ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A.ITEM 10.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A.Share Capital

Not applicable.

Applicable.

B.Memorandum and Articles of Association

We are a corporation formed under the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands on June 24, 2016 and our affairs are governed by our amended and restated articles of incorporation, our amended and restated bylaws, which are filed as exhibit 1.1 and 1.2, respectively, to this annual report, and the laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Below is a summary of the description of our capital stock, including the rights, preferences and restrictions attaching to each class of stock. Because the following is a summary, it does not contain all information that you may find useful. For more complete information, you should read our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, which are incorporated by reference herein.

Purpose

Our purpose, as stated in our amended and restated articles of incorporation, is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the BCA,Marshall Islands Business Corporation Act (the “BCA”), and we may exercise all the powers and privileges that are necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of our business or purposes, including, but not limited to, effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, debt acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination, involving us and one or more businesses or entities, which we refer to herein as our initial business combination.

purposes.

Authorized Capitalization

Pursuant to our amended and restated articles of incorporation, we are authorized to issue up to 400,000,000 Class A common shares, par value $0.0001 per share, 100,000,000 Class B common shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 50,000,000 preferred shares, par value $0.0001 per share. As of the date of this annual report, we had 15,173,100204,041,004 Class A common shares, and 3,793,275no Class B common shares outstanding, and noor preferred shares outstanding. The underwriting agreement entered into with Morgan Stanley & Co., LLC in connection with our IPO, which is filed as exhibit 4.1 to this annual report, and our amended and restated articles of incorporation prohibit us, prior to our initial business combination, from issuing additional units, additional common shares, preferred stock, additional warrants, or any options or other securities convertible or exchangeable into common shares or preferred stock that participates in any manner in the proceeds of the trust account, or that votes as a class with the common shares on our initial business combination; provided that, we may issue additional equity in connection with consummating our initial business combination.

67Units



At or promptly following the completion of our initial business combination, we will use our best efforts to transfer our corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium, which requires our shareholders' approval under Belgian law and compliance with other applicable legal requirements. Pursuant to a letter agreement with our sponsor, (i) we have agreed not to complete the initial business combination if we are unable to obtain the required shareholder approval and (ii) we have agreed that we will not pay dividends (which, for the avoidance of doubt, does not include payments to redeem any of our public shares or payments upon our liquidation) to our shareholders until we have moved our corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium, or another jurisdiction that is acceptable to our sponsor, in each case, subject to waiver by our sponsor. In addition, our sponsor has agreed to vote its founder shares and any public shares purchased during or after the IPO in favor of such transfer of our corporate domicile. Members of our management team also have agreed to vote any public shares purchased during or after the IPO in favor of the transfer of our corporate domicile.
Founder Shares
On July 11, 2016, we issued to our sponsor an aggregate of 4,312,500 founder shares (which are Class B common shares) in exchange for a capital contribution of $25,000, or $0.006 per share.
The founder shares are identical to the Class A common shares included in the units sold in the IPO, except that:
·only holders of the founder shares will vote on the election of directors prior to our initial business combination;
·the founder shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below;
·our sponsor has agreed to (i) waive its redemption rights with respect to its founder shares and public shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) waive its redemption rights with respect to its founder shares in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to our amended and restated articles of incorporation that would affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we have not consummated an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO, and (iii) waive its rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to only its founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any public shares they hold if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame). If we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our sponsor has agreed to vote its founder shares and any public shares purchased during or after the IPO in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our sponsor's founder shares, we would need at least 5,689,913, or 37.5%, of the outstanding 15,173,100 Class A common shares outstanding to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all outstanding shares are voted). The members of our management team also have entered into agreements with us similar to the one entered into by our sponsor to (i) vote their shares in favor of our initial business combination if submitted to our shareholders for a vote, and (ii) waive their redemption rights in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, in each case, with respect to any public shares acquired by them in or after the IPO; and
·the founder shares are automatically convertible into Class A common shares at the time of our initial business combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment pursuant to certain anti-dilution rights, as described in more detail herein.
On December 16, 2016, the underwriters of the IPO exercised their overallotment option in part, for a total of an additional 173,100 units. As a result of the partial exercise of the overallotment option, our sponsor forfeited 519,225 Class B common shares on January 3, 2017 in order to maintain the ownership of our sponsor, on an as-converted basis, at 20% of our issued and outstanding common shares.
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In the case that additional Class A common shares, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in the IPO and related to the closing of the business combination, if applicable, the ratio at which Class B common shares shall convert into Class A common shares will be adjusted so that the number of Class A common shares issuable upon conversion of all Class B common shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the total number of all common shares outstanding upon the completion of the IPO plus all Class A common shares and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with the initial business combination, excluding any shares or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination or pursuant to warrants issued to our sponsor, after taking into account any Class A common shares redeemed in connection with the initial business combination.
Our sponsor has agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of its founder shares until the earlier of (i) one year after the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) the date on which we complete a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction after our initial business combination that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their common shares for cash, securities or other property. Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our sponsor with respect to any founder shares. We refer to such transfer restrictions throughout this annual report as the lock-up. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the closing price of our Class A common shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, the founder shares will be released from the lock-up.
Units

Each unit consists of one Class A common share and one-half warrant. Our units commenced trading on NASDAQ on November 18, 2016. The Class A common shares and warrants comprising the units began trading separately from our units on January 9, 2017, the 52nd day following the date of the IPO. Upon separate trading, holdersHolders have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into the component securities. Holders must have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into Class A common shares and warrants. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase at least two units, you will not be able to receive or trade warrants.

There are units outstanding of 218,453 at the closing of the merger.

Common Shares

Prior to our initial business combination, only holders of our founder shares will have the right to vote on the election of directors. Holders of our public shares will not be entitled to vote on the election of directors during such time. These provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation may only be amended with the approval of at least 90% of our common shares voting in a general meeting. With respect to any other matter submitted to a vote of our shareholders, including any vote in connection with our initial business combination, except as required by law, holders of our founder shares and holders of our public shares will vote together as a single class.

Our shareholders are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by shareholders. In connection with any vote required for our initial business combination, our sponsor has agreed to vote all of the common shares owned by it prior to the completion of the IPO with respect to our initial business combination. Our executive officers, directors and sponsor also have agreed that if they acquire common shares (including Class A common shares included in units so acquired) in or following the completion of the IPO they will vote all such acquired shares in favor of our initial business combination.

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that we have 24 months from the closing of the IPO to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within such period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including investment earnings (less up to $100,000 of investment earnings to pay dissolution expenses and net of taxes payable and any amounts released to us to fund working capital requirements), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders' rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any) and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to our obligations under Marshall Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the above-specified time period.
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Our sponsor has entered into an agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive its rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to its founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO. However, if our sponsor or management team acquire public shares in or after the IPO, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the allotted time frame.
The underwriters have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission held in the trust account in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the funds held in the trust account that will be available to fund the redemption of our public shares.
Our sponsor, executive officers and directors have agreed that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated articles of incorporation that would affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A common shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including investment earnings (net of taxes payable and any amounts released to us to fund working capital requirements), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described elsewhere herein. For example, our board of directors may propose such an amendment if it determines that additional time is necessary to complete our initial business combination. In such event, we may seek shareholder approval of such proposal and, in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon shareholder approval of such amendment.
Our Class A common shares have no conversion, preemptive, or other subscription rights and there are no sinking fund or redemption provisions applicable to the common shares, except that public shareholders, other than our sponsor and membersshares.

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Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provides that before our initial business combination, we may not issue additional stock that participates in any manner in the proceeds of the trust account, or that votes as a class with the common shares sold in the IPO on a business combination.

Preferred Shares

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 50,000,000 shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of blank check preferred stock with such designation, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by our board of directors. No shares of preferred stock have been or are being issued or registered in the IPO. Accordingly, our board of directors is empowered, without shareholder approval, to issue preferred stock with dividend, liquidation, conversion, voting, or other rights which could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of common shares. We may issue some or all of the preferred stock to consummate a business combination. In addition, the preferred stock could be utilized as a method of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change in control of us. However, our amended and restated articles of incorporation prohibits us from issuing preferred stock that participates in any manner in the proceeds of the trust account or which votes as a class with the common shares on our initial business combination, but we may issue preferred stock in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination. Although we do not currently intend to issue any shares of preferred stock, we cannot assure you that we will not do so in the future.

70Warrants



Warrants

Public Warrants

Each full warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A common share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as discussed below, at any time, unless the warrants have previously expired, commencing on the later of:

·30 days after the consummation of the initial business combination;Business Combination; and

·12 months from the closing of the IPO; provided that, during the period in which the warrants are exercisable, a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is effective and a current prospectusreport relating to the Class A common shares issuable upon the exercise of the warrants is available.

We have agreed to use our best efforts to have an effective registration statement covering our Class A common shares reserved for issuance upon exercise of the warrants from the date the warrants become exercisable and to maintain a current prospectusreport relating to those Class A common shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed by us.

The warrants will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, five years after the completion of our initial business combinationMarch 21, 2024 or, if an effective registration statement covering the Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not then effective and a prospectusreport relating to such Class A common shares is not then available, upon such registration statement being effective and such prospectusreport being available for five consecutive business days, or in either case, earlier upon redemption or liquidation or, in either case, earlier upon redemption or liquidation by us. If we elect to redeem the warrants, we will have the option to require all holders who elect to exercise their warrants prior to redemption to do so on a cashless basis. We may redeem the warrants (except as described herein with respect to the private placement warrants) at any time after the warrants become exercisable:

·in whole and not in part;

·at a price of $0.01 per warrant;

·upon a minimum of 30 days'days’ prior written notice of redemption to each warrant holder; and

·only if (x) the closing price of our Class A common shares on NASDAQ, or any other national securities exchange on which our Class A common shares may be traded, equals or exceeds $18.00 per share for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending three business days before we send the notice of redemption to warrant holders, (y) a registration statement under the Securities Act covering Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is effective and remains effective from the date on which we send a redemption notice to and including the redemption date and (z) a current prospectusreport relating to the Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is available from the date on which we send a redemption notice to and including the redemption date.

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We established this last criterion to provide warrant holders with the opportunity to realize a premium to the warrant exercise price prior to the redemption of their warrants, as well as to provide them with a degree of liquidity to cushion the market reaction, if any, to our election to redeem the warrants. If the foregoing conditions are satisfied and we call the warrants for redemption, each warrant holder will then be entitled to exercise his, her or its warrants prior to the scheduled redemption date. There can be no assurance that the price of our Class A common shares will not fall below the $18.00 per share trigger price or the $11.50 per share warrant exercise price after the redemption notice is delivered. We do not need the consent of the underwriters or our shareholders to redeem the outstanding warrants.

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If we call the warrants for redemption, our management will have the option to require all holders that elect to exercise such warrants to do so on a "cashless“cashless basis," provided that such cashless exercise is permitted under the laws of our corporate jurisdiction. In such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants and would receive on exercise that number of Class A common shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of common shares underlying the warrants being surrendered, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the warrants and the "fair“fair market value"value” by (y) the fair market value and then would receive Class A common shares underlying the non-surrendered warrants. The "fair“fair market value"value” shall mean the average reported closing price of our Class A common shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. Such warrants may not be settled on a cashless basis unless they have been called for redemption and we have required all such warrants to be settled on a cashless basis.

At or promptly following the completion of our initial business combination, we will use our best efforts to transfer our corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium, which requires our shareholders' approval under Belgian law and compliance with other applicable legal requirements. We have been advised by our Belgian legal counsel that the cashless exercise of warrants is impermissible under Belgian law, and accordingly, should we effect such transfer of corporate domicile, warrant holders will be unable to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis and, therefore, absent an exemption from registration, will be unable to exercise their warrants without an effective registration statement.

The right to exercise the warrants will be forfeited unless they are exercised before the redemption date specified in the notice of redemption. From and after the redemption date, the record holder of a warrant will have no further rights except to receive, upon surrender of the warrants, the redemption price.

The warrants are issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us, which is attached to this annual report as Exhibit 4.2.

The exercise price and number of Class A common shares issuable on exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances, including in the event of a stock dividend or our recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation.

If the number of outstanding Class A common shares is increased by a capitalization or share dividend payable in Class A common shares, or by a split-up of Class A common shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such share dividend, split-up or similar event, the number of Class A common shares issuable on exercise of each warrant will be increased in proportion to such increase in the outstanding Class A common shares. A rights offering to holders of Class A common shares entitling holders to purchase Class A common shares at a price less than the fair market value will be deemed a capitalization of a number of Class A common shares equal to the product of (i) the number of Class A common shares actually sold in such rights offering (or issuable under any other equity securities sold in such rights offering that are convertible into or exercisable for Class A common shares) multiplied by (ii) one (1) minus the quotient of (x) the price per Class A ordinary sharecommon shares paid in such rights offering divided by (y) the fair market value. For these purposes (i) if the rights offering is for securities convertible into or exercisable for Class A common shares, in determining the price payable for Class A common shares, there will be taken into account any consideration received for such rights, as well as any additional amount payable upon exercise or conversion and (ii) fair market value means the volume weighted average price of Class A common shares as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the first date on which the Class A common shares trade on the applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way, without the right to receive such rights.

In addition, if we, at any time while the warrants are outstanding and unexpired, pay a dividend or make a distribution in cash, securities or other assets to the holders of Class A common shares on account of such Class A common shares (or other shares of our capital stock into which the warrants are convertible), other than (a) as described above, (b) certain ordinary cash dividends, (c) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of Class A common shares in connection with a proposed initial business combination, (d) to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of Class A common shares in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated articles of incorporation to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our Class A common shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the IPO, (e) as a result of the repurchase of Class A common shares by us if a proposed business combination is presented to our shareholders for approval or (f) in connection with the redemption of our public shares upon our failure to complete our initial business combination, then the warrant exercise price will be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such event, by the amount of cash and/or the fair market value of any securities or other assets paid on each Class A ordinary share in respect of such event.
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If the number of outstanding Class A common shares is decreased by a consolidation, combination, reverse share split or redesignation of Class A common shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such consolidation, combination, reverse share split, redesignation or similar event, the number of Class A common shares issuable on exercise of each warrant will be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding Class A common shares.

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Whenever the number of Class A common shares purchasable upon the exercise of the warrants is adjusted, as described above, the warrant exercise price will be adjusted by multiplying the warrant exercise price immediately prior to such adjustment by a fraction (x) the numerator of which will be the number of Class A common shares purchasable upon the exercise of the warrants immediately prior to such adjustment, and (y) the denominator of which will be the number of Class A common shares so purchasable immediately thereafter.

In case of any redesignation or reorganization of the outstanding Class A common shares (other than those described above or that solely affects the par value of such Class A common shares), or in the case of any merger or consolidation of us with or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or merger in which we are the continuing corporation and that does not result in any redesignation or reorganization of our outstanding Class A common shares), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the assets or other property of us as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which we are dissolved, the holders of the warrants will thereafter have the right to purchase and receive, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified in the warrants and in lieu of our Class A common shares immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented thereby, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such redesignation, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, that the holder of the warrants would have received if such holder had exercised their warrants immediately prior to such event. However, if the holders of our Class A common shares were entitled to exercise a right of election as to the kind or amount of securities, cash or other assets receivable upon such consolidation or merger, then the kind and amount of securities, cash or other assets for which each warrant will become exercisable will be deemed to be the weighted average of the kind and amount received per share by the holders of Class A common shares in such consolidation or merger that affirmatively make such election, and if a tender, exchange or redemption offer has been made to and accepted by such shareholders (other than a tender, exchange or redemption offer made by us in connection with redemption rights held by our shareholders as provided for in our amended and restated articles of incorporation or as a result of the redemption of Class A common shares by us if a proposed initial business combination is presented to our shareholders for approval) under circumstances in which, upon completion of such tender or exchange offer, the maker thereof, together with members of any group (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act) of which such maker is a part, and together with any affiliate or associate of such maker (within the meaning of Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act) and any members of any such group of which any such affiliate or associate is a part, own beneficially (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) more than 50% of the outstanding Class A common shares, the holder of a warrant will be entitled to receive the highest amount of cash, securities or other property to which such holder would actually have been entitled as a shareholder if such warrant holder had exercised the warrant prior to the expiration of such tender or exchange offer, accepted such offer and all of the Class A common shares held by such holder had been purchased pursuant to such tender or exchange offer, subject to adjustment (from and after the consummation of such tender or exchange offer) as nearly equivalent as possible to the adjustments provided for in the warrant agreement. Additionally, if less than 70% of the consideration receivable by the holders of Class A common shares in such a transaction is payable in the form of capital stock or shares in the successor entity that is listed for trading on a national securities exchange or is quoted in an established over-the-counter market, or is to be so listed for trading or quoted immediately following such event, and if the registered holder of the warrant properly exercises the warrant within thirty days following the public disclosure of such transaction, the warrant exercise price will be reduced as specified in the warrant agreement based on the per share consideration minus Black-Scholes Warrant Value (as defined in the warrant agreement) of the warrant.

The warrants may be exercised upon surrender of the warrant certificate on or prior to the expiration date at the offices of the warrant agent, with the exercise form on the reverse side of the warrant certificate completed and executed as indicated, accompanied (except in the event we have required cashless exercise of the warrants in connection with a redemption) by full payment of the exercise price, by certified check payable to us, for the number of warrants being exercised. The warrant holders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of Class A common shares and any voting rights until they exercise their warrants and receive Class A common shares. After the issuance of Class A common shares upon exercise of the warrants, each holder will be entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by shareholders.

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No warrants will be exercisable unless at the time of exercise a registration statement relating to Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is effective and a prospectusreport relating to Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is available and the Class A common shares have been registered or qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the warrants. Holders of the warrants are not entitled to net cash settlement and the warrants may only be settled by delivery of shares of our Class A common shares and not cash. Under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed to meet these conditions and use our commercially reasonable efforts to maintain an effective registration statement and to make available a current prospectusreport relating to Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration or earlier redemption of the warrants. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to do so. We have no obligation to settle the warrants or otherwise permit the warrants to be exercised in the absence of an effective registration statement or a currently available prospectus.report. The warrants may never become exercisable if we fail to comply with these registration requirements. The warrants may be deprived of any value and the market for the warrants may be limited if holders are prohibited from exercising warrants because an effective registration statement and the prospectusreport relating to the Class A common shares issuable upon the exercise of the warrants is not currently available or if the Class A common shares are not qualified or exempt from qualification in the jurisdictions in which the holders of the warrants reside and we will not be required to cash settle any such warrant exercise. Warrants included in the units sold in the IPO will not be exercisable at the option of the holder on a cashless basis, provided that in connection with a call for redemption of the warrants, we may require all holders who wish to exercise their warrants to do so on a cashless basis. The private placement warrants will not be exercisable at any time unless a registration statement is effective and a prospectusreport is available. We have not registered the Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants at this time. However, we have agreed that, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 30 days after the closing of our initial business combination,Business Combination, we will use our best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants. After the filing of such registration statement, we will use our best efforts to cause the effectiveness thereof as soon as reasonably practicable and to maintain a current prospectusreport relating to those Class A common shares until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement. See "Risk“Risk Factors—Risks Associated with the Company and the Offering—We have not registered the Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time, and such registration may not be in place when an investor desires to exercise warrants, thus precluding such investor from being able to exercise its warrants and causing such warrants to expire worthless."

Private Placement Warrants

Our

CMB NV, the sponsor in our initial public offering (the “sponsor”), purchased an aggregate of 3,333,333 private placement warrants at a price of $1.50 per warrant in private placement transactions that occurred in connection with our IPO. Pursuant to the underwriters'underwriters’ partial exercise of the overallotment option on December 16, 2016, we sold an additional 23,080 private placement warrants to the sponsor. Each private placement warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A common share at $11.50 per share.

The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants included in the units sold in the IPO, except that:

·the private placement warrants will be exercisable at the option of the holder on a cashless basis so long as they are held by the original purchaser or its permitted transferees and such cashless exercise is permitted under the laws of our corporate jurisdiction;

·the private placement warrants will not be redeemable by us; and

·the private placement warrants (including the Class A common shares issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination.Business Combination.

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If a holder of the private placement warrants elects to exercise them on a cashless basis, that holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering his, her or its warrants for that number of Class A common shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of Class A common shares underlying the warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the warrants and the "fair“fair market value"value” by (y) the fair market value. The "fair“fair market value"value” shall mean the average reported closing price of the Class A common shares for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. The reason that

On March 21, 2019, we have agreed thatissued an additional 933,333 private warrants to the private placement warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis so long as they are held bysponsor in exchange for the original purchaser and its permitted transferees is because it is not known at this time whether they will be affiliated with us following a business combination. If they remain affiliated with us, their ability to sell our securitiescancellation of $1,400,000 of promissory notes which we made in the open market will be significantly limited. We expect to have policies in place that prohibit insiders from selling our securities except during specific periods of time. Even during such periods of time when insiders will be permitted to sell our securities, an insider cannot trade in our securities if he or she is in possession of material non-public information. Accordingly, unlike public shareholders who could exercise their warrants and sell the Class A common shares received upon such exercise freely in the open market in order to recoup the cost of such exercise, the insiders could be significantly restricted from selling such securities. As a result, we believe that allowing the holders to exercise the private placement warrants on a cashless basis is appropriate. We would not receive any proceeds to the extent the warrants are exercised on a cashless basis.

sponsor’s favor.

Directors

Our directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast by shareholders entitled to vote. There is no provision for cumulative voting.

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation require our board of directors to consist of at least one member. Our board of directors currently consists of sixfive members. Our amended and restated bylaws may be amended by the vote of a majority of our entire board of directors. Directors are elected annually on a staggered basis, with the term of office of one or another of the three classes expiring each year. Each director elected holds office for a three-year term or until his successor is duly elected and qualified, except in the event of his death, resignation, removal or the earlier termination of his term of office.

Shareholder meetings

Under our amended and restated bylaws, annual meetings of shareholders will be held at a time and place selected by our board of directors. The meetings may be held in or outside of the Marshall Islands. Special meetings may be called at any time by a majority of our board of directors or our Chief Executive Officer. Our board of directors may set a record date between 15 and 60 days before the date of any meeting to determine the shareholders that will be eligible to receive notice and vote at the meeting. One or more shareholders representing at least one-third of the total voting rights of our total issued and outstanding shares present in person or by proxy at a shareholder meeting shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of the meeting.

Dissenters'

Dissenters’ rights of appraisal and payment

Under the BCA, our shareholders have the right to dissent from various corporate actions, including any merger or consolidation and the sale of all or substantially all of our assets not made in the usual course of our business, and receive payment of the fair value of their shares. In the event of any further amendment of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, a shareholder also has the right to dissent and receive payment for his or her shares if the amendment alters certain rights in respect of those shares. The dissenting shareholder must follow the procedures set forth in the BCA to receive payment. In the event that we and any dissenting shareholder fail to agree on a price for the common shares, the BCA procedures involve, among other things, the institution of proceedings in the high court of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or in any appropriate court in any jurisdiction in which our shares are primarily traded on a local or national securities exchange.

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Shareholders'Shareholders’ derivative actions

The BCA authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their shareholders for monetary damages for certain breaches of directors'directors’ fiduciary duties. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws include a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors for monetary damages for actions taken as a director to the fullest extent permitted by law. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that we must indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by law, and further, that we may advance expenses incurred while defending a civil or criminal proceeding. The foregoing obligations could result in us incurring substantial expenditures to cover the cost of settlement or damage awards against our officers and directors, which we may be unable to recoup.

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Our amended and restated bylaws further permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director or employee for any liability arising out of his or her actions, regardless of whether Marshall Islands law would permit indemnification. We have purchased a policy of directors'directors’ and officers'officers’ liability insurance that insures our directors and officers against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify the directors and officers.

These provisions and resultant costs may discourage us and our shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers and directors for breaches of their fiduciary duties, and may similarly reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation by our shareholders against our officers and directors even though such actions, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder'sshareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions. We believe that these provisions, the insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced directors and officers.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.

There is currently no pending material litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which indemnification is sought.

Anti-takeover effect of certain provisions of our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws

Several provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, which are summarized below, may have anti-takeover effects. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, lessen our vulnerability to a hostile change of control and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize shareholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these anti-takeover provisions, which are summarized below, could also discourage, delay or prevent (1) the merger or acquisition of us by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise that a shareholder may consider in its best interest and (2) the removal of incumbent officers and directors.

Blank check preferred stock


Under the terms of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, our board of directors has authority, without any further vote or action by our shareholders, to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of blank check preferred stock. Our board of directors may issue preferred shares on terms calculated to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of us or the removal of our management and might harm the market price of our common shares. We have no current plans to issue any preferred shares.

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Election and removal of directors

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation prohibit cumulative voting in the election of directors. Our amended and restated bylaws require parties other than the board of directors to give advance written notice of nominations for the election of directors. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation also provide that our directors may be removed for cause upon the affirmative vote of not less than 70% of the outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote for those directors. These provisions may discourage, delay or prevent the removal of incumbent officers and directors.

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Limited actions by shareholders

Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws provide that any action required or permitted to be taken by our shareholders must be effected at an annual or special meeting of shareholders or by the unanimous written consent of our shareholders. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws provide that, unless otherwise prescribed by law, only a majority of our board of directors or the Chief Executive Officer may call special meetings of our shareholders and the business transacted at the special meeting is limited to the purposes stated in the notice. Accordingly, a shareholder will be prevented from calling a special meeting for shareholder consideration of a proposal unless scheduled by our board of directors and shareholder consideration of a proposal may be delayed until the next annual meeting.

Advance notice requirements for shareholder proposals and director nominations

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that shareholders seeking to nominate candidates for election as directors or to bring business before an annual meeting of shareholders must provide timely notice of their proposal in writing to the corporate secretary. Generally, to be timely, a shareholder'sshareholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 150 days nor more than 180 days prior to the one year anniversary of the immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders. Our amended and restated bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a shareholder'sshareholder’s notice. These provisions may impede shareholders'shareholders’ ability to bring matters before an annual meeting of shareholders or make nominations for directors at an annual meeting of shareholders.

Classified Board of Directors

As described above, our amended and restated articles of incorporation provide for the division of our board of directors into three classes of directors, with each class as nearly equal in number as possible, serving staggered three year terms beginning on the expiration of the initial term for each class. Accordingly, approximately one-third of our board of directors will be elected each year. This classified board provision could discourage a third party from making a tender offer for our shares or attempting to obtain control of us. It could also delay shareholders who do not agree with the policies of our board of directors from removing a majority of our board of directors for two years.

Listing
Our units, Class A common shares and warrants are listing for trading on NASDAQ under the symbols "HUNTU", "HUNT" and "HUNTW", respectively.

Transfer Agent

The registrar and transfer agent for securities and the warrant agent for our warrants is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

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C.          Material Contracts
Attached as exhibits to this annual report are

C.Material Contracts

In the contracts we consider to be both material and outside the ordinary course of business during the period from our inception to the date of this annual report. Other than as set forth above,past two years, we have not entered into any material contracts outsideother than in the ordinary course of business since our inceptionand other than those described in "Item“Item 4. Information on the Company" and in "ItemCompany—B. Business Overview,” “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions"Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions,” or elsewhere in this annual report which are incorporated herein by reference.

on Form 20-F.

D.Exchange Controls
Under Marshall Islands law, there are currently no restrictions

See “Item 4. Information on the export or import of capital, including foreign exchange controls or restrictions that affect the remittance of dividends, interest or other paymentsCompany—B. Business Overview—Regulations Relating to non-resident holders of our common shares.

Foreign Exchange”.

E.Taxation
Marshall Islands Tax Considerations
In the opinion

The following summary of Seward & Kissel LLP, our Marshall Islands counsel, the following are the material Marshall Islands and United States federal income tax consequences of an investment in our activitiesClass A common shares  is based upon laws and relevant interpretations thereof in effect as of the date of this annual report, all of which are subject to uschange, possibly with retroactive effect. This summary does not deal with all possible tax consequences relating to an investment in our Class A common shares, such as the tax consequences under United States state or local tax laws, or tax laws of jurisdictions other than the Cayman Islands and our shareholders. the United States.

Marshall Islands Tax Considerations

Under current Marshall Islands law, we are not subject to tax on income or capital gains, and no Marshall Islands withholding tax will be imposed upon payments of dividends by us to our shareholders.

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Belgium Tax Considerations
In the opinion of Argo Law, our Belgian counsel, if we decide to transfer our corporate domicile to Belgium, such transfer should not give rise to any Belgian tax consequences for our shareholders since such immigration should take place with legal and accounting continuity. We have received a tax ruling from the Belgian Ruling Commission which confirms that the transfer shall not give rise to any Belgian tax consequences for our shareholders.
Belgian tonnage tax regime
As a Belgian tax resident, we will be subject to the Belgian corporate income tax regime entailing that our accounting profit, as determined in accordance with Belgian GAAP and as adjusted for tax purposes, is taxed, in principle, at the current ordinary rate of 29.58% for assessment year 2019 in relation to financial years starting as of January 1, 2018 (which will be reduced 25% as of assessment year 2021 for financial years starting as of January 1, 2020).
Belgian tax law provides, however, for a tonnage tax regime, which application should be requested for, and which applies to the income resulting from the exploitation of vessels. We expect to request the application of the Belgian tonnage tax regime.
Such application entails that our taxable basis will be determined nominally on the basis of the tonnage of the vessels we operate. This tonnage tax regime therefore replaces all factors that are normally taken into account in traditional tax calculations such as accounting profit or losses, operating expenses, depreciation, gains and the offsetting of previous loss carry forwards.
If our application is declared eligible by the

United States Federal Finance Department, the tonnage regime will apply for a ten-year period. After this ten-year period has elapsed, the tonnage tax regime may be renewed for an additional ten-year period.

We cannot assure you that the Belgian Federal Finance Department will approve our request. Changes to the tax regimes applicable to us, or the interpretation thereof, may impact our future operating results.
Income Taxation

78General



Other Belgian Tax Considerations
In the opinion of Argo Law, our Belgian counsel, the

The following is a summary of the material BelgianU.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposal of our Class A common shares by an investor once we have transferred our corporate domicile to Belgium. This summary therefore does not discuss the tax implications for Belgian investors as long as our corporate domicile remains in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The following summary is based on laws, treaties and regulatory interpretations in effect in Belgium as of the date of this annual report, all of which are subject to change, including changes that could have retroactive effect. As a result of changes in law or practice, the realized tax consequences may be different from what is stated below.
Furthermore, this summary does not purport to address all tax consequences of the ownership and disposal of shares, and does not take into account the specific circumstances of particular investors, some of which may be subject to special rules, or the tax laws of any country other than Belgium. This summary does not describe the tax treatment of investors that are subject to special rules, such as banks, insurance companies, collective investment undertakings, dealers in securities or currencies, persons that hold, or will hold, shares as a position in a straddle, share-repurchase transaction, conversion transactions, synthetic security or other integrated financial transactions. This summary does not address the tax regime applicable to Belgian tax residents who hold shares through a fixed basis or a permanent establishment situated outside Belgium.
A Belgian resident is (i) an individual subject to Belgian personal income tax (for example, an individual who has his domicile in Belgium or has the seat of his estate in Belgium, or a person assimilated to a Belgian resident); (ii) a company subject to Belgian corporate income tax (for example, a company that has its registered office, its main establishment or its place of management in Belgium); (iii) an organization for financing pensions, or an OFP, subject to Belgian corporate income tax (for example, a Belgian pension fund incorporated under the form of an OFP); or (iv) a legal entity subject to the Belgian tax on legal entities (for example, a legal entity other than a company subject to the corporate income tax that has its registered office, its main establishment or its place of management in Belgium). A Belgian non-resident is a person that is not a Belgian resident.
Investors are encouraged to consult their own advisers as to the tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposal of Class A common shares in us.
Dividends
For Belgian income tax purposes, the gross amount of all distributions made by us to our shareholders is generally taxed as dividends, except for the repayment of statutory capital carried out in accordance with the Belgian Companies Code to the extent that the statutory capital qualifies as "fiscal" capital. The fiscal capital includes, in principle, the paid-up statutory capital and, subject to certain conditions, the paid issue premiums and the amounts subscribed to at the time of the issue of profit sharing certificates. However, as of January 1, 2018, a repayment of capital is partly considered to be a distribution of the existing taxed reserves (irrespective of whether they are incorporated into the capital) and/or of the tax-free reserves incorporated into the capital whereby such portion is determined on the basis of the ratio of certain taxed reserves and tax-free reserves incorporated into the capital versus the aggregate of such reserves and the fiscal capital.
In general, a Belgian withholding tax of (currently) 30% is levied on dividends. In the case of a redemption of shares, the redemption price (after deduction of the part of the paid-up fiscal capital represented by the shares redeemed) will be treated as a dividend that is subject to a Belgian withholding tax of 30% unless this redemption is carried out on a stock exchange and meets certain conditions. In the event of liquidation of us, a withholding tax of 30% will be levied on any distributed amount exceeding the paid-up fiscal capital.
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Belgian tax law provides for certain exemptions from Belgian withholding tax on Belgian source dividends. If there is no exemption applicable under Belgian domestic tax law, the Belgian withholding tax can potentially be reduced for investors who are non-residents pursuant to the treaties regarding the avoidance of double taxation concluded between the Kingdom of Belgium and the state of residence of the non-resident shareholder (see below).
Belgian resident individuals who hold Class A common shares as a private investment do not have to declare the dividend income in their personal income tax return since 30% Belgian withholding tax has been withheld which is the final tax due. If the dividend income would be declared in a shareholder's personal income tax return, it would be taxed at 30% or, if lower, at the progressive personal income tax rates applicable to the taxpayer's overall declared income.
If the dividends are declared in a shareholder's personal income tax return, the Belgian withholding tax paid can be credited against the final personal income tax liability of the shareholder and may also be refunded if it exceeds the final income tax liability with at least EUR 2.50, provided that the dividend distribution does not result in a reduction in value of, or capital loss on, the shares. This condition is not applicable if the Belgian individual can demonstrate that he has had full ownership of the shares during an uninterrupted period of 12 months prior to the attribution of the dividends.
Belgian resident individuals who acquire and hold the shares for professional purposes must always declare the dividend income in their personal income tax return and will be taxable at the individual's personal income tax rate increased with local surcharges. Withholding tax withheld at source may be credited against the personal income tax due and is reimbursable if it exceeds the income tax due with at least EUR 2.50, subject to two conditions: (i) the taxpayer must own the shares in full legal ownership at the time the dividends are paid or attributed; and (ii) the dividend distribution may not result in a reduction in the value of, or a capital loss on, the shares. The latter condition is not applicable if the individual can demonstrate that he has held the shares in full legal ownership for an uninterrupted period of 12 months prior to the payment or attribution of the dividends.
For Belgian resident companies, the dividend withholding tax does not fully discharge the corporate income tax liability. For such companies, the gross dividend income (including withholding tax) must be declared in the corporate income tax return. It will as of assessment year 2019 be subject to a standard corporate income tax rate of 29.58%, unless the reduced corporate income tax rates apply (the dividends received during a financial year starting before January 1, 2018 or ending before December 31, 2018 will be subject to the standard corporate income tax rate of 33.99%, unless the reduced corporate income tax rates apply). The standard corporate income tax rate will be reduced to 25% as of assessment year 2021 for financial years starting on January 1, 2020.
As a general rule, Belgian resident companies can (subject to certain limitations) deduct, as of assessment year 2019, 100%(95% for dividends received during a financial year starting before January 1, 2018 or ending before December 31, 2018) of gross dividends received from their taxable income ("dividend received deduction"), provided that at the time of a dividend payment or attribution: (i) the Belgian resident company holds the shares representing at least 10% of our share capital or a participation in us with an acquisition value of at least EUR 2,500,000; (ii) the shares have been held or will be held in full ownership for an uninterrupted period of at least one year; (iii) the conditions relating to the taxation of the underlying distributed income, as described in Article 203 of the Income Tax Code are met (together, the "Conditions for the application of the dividend received deduction regime") and (iv) provided that the anti-abuse clause contained in Article 203, §1, 7° of the Income Tax Code is not applicable. Under certain circumstances the conditions referred to under (i) and (ii) do not need to be fulfilled in order for the dividend received deduction to apply.
The Conditions for the application of the dividend received deduction regime depend on a factual analysis, upon each dividend distribution, and for this reason the availability of this regime should be verified upon each dividend distribution.
The Belgian withholding tax may, in principle, be credited against the corporate income tax and is reimbursable if it exceeds the corporate income tax payable with at least EUR 2.50, subject to the two following conditions: (i) the taxpayer must own the shares in full legal ownership at the time of payment or attribution of the dividends and (ii) the dividend distribution may not give rise to a reduction in the value of, or a capital loss on, the shares. The latter condition is not applicable if the company can demonstrate that it has held the shares in full legal ownership during an uninterrupted period of 12 months prior to the attribution of the dividends or if, during that period, the shares never belonged to a taxpayer who was not a resident company or who was not a non-resident company that held the shares, in an uninterrupted manner, through a permanent establishment in Belgium.
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No Belgian withholding tax will be due on dividends paid by us to a resident company provided the resident company owns, at the time of the distribution of the dividend, at least 10% of our share capital for an uninterrupted period of at least one year and, provided further, that the resident company provides us or our paying agent with a certificate as to its status as a resident company and as to the fact that it has owned a 10% shareholding in us for an uninterrupted period of one year. For those companies owning a share participation of at least 10% of our share capital for less than one year, we will levy the withholding tax but, provided the company certifies its resident status and the date on which it acquired the shareholding, we will not transfer it to the Belgian Treasury. The Belgian resident company must also inform us or our paying agent if the one-year period has expired or if its shareholding will drop below 10% of our share capital before the end of the one-year holding period. Upon satisfying the one-year shareholding requirement, the dividend withholding tax which was temporarily withheld, will be refunded to the Belgian resident company.
The above described dividend received deduction regime and the withholding tax exemption will not be applicable to dividends which are connected to an arrangement or a series of arrangements ("rechtshandeling of geheel van rechtshandelingen"/"acte juridique ou un ensemble d'actes juridiques") for which the Belgian tax administration, taking into account all relevant facts and circumstances, has proven, unless evidence to the contrary, that this arrangement or this series of arrangements is not genuine ("kunstmatig"/"non authentique") and has been put in place for the main purpose or one of the main purposes of obtaining the dividend received deduction, the above dividend withholding tax exemption or one of the advantages of the EU Parent-Subsidiary Directive of 30 November 2011 (2011/96/EU) ("Parent-Subsidiary Directive") in another EU Member State. An arrangement or a series of arrangements is regarded as not genuine to the extent that they are not put into place for valid commercial reasons which reflect economic reality.
For Belgian pension funds incorporated under the form of an Organization for Financing Pensions, the dividend income is generally tax-exempt. Subject to certain limitations, any Belgian dividend withholding tax levied at source may be credited against the corporate income tax due and is reimbursable to the extent that it exceeds the corporate income tax due.
Belgian legal entities, subject to the Belgian income tax on legal entities, will be subject to the Belgian withholding tax on the dividends distributed by us. Under the current Belgian tax rules, the Belgian withholding tax will represent the final tax liability and the dividends should, therefore, not be included in the tax returns of such Belgian legal entities.
For non-resident individuals and companies, the dividend withholding tax will be the only tax on dividends in Belgium, unless the non-resident holds the shares in connection with a business conducted in Belgium through a fixed base in Belgium or a Belgian permanent establishment.
If the shares are acquired by a non-resident in connection with a business in Belgium, the investor must report any dividends received, which will be taxable at the applicable non-resident individual or corporate income tax rate, as appropriate. Belgian withholding tax levied at source may be credited against non-resident individual or corporate income tax and is reimbursable if it exceeds the income tax due with at least EUR 2.50 and subject to two conditions: (i) the taxpayer must own the shares in full legal ownership at the time the dividends are paid or attributed; and (ii) the dividend distribution may not result in a reduction in value of, or a capital loss on, the shares. The latter condition is not applicable if (a) the non-resident individual or the non-resident company can demonstrate that the shares were held in full legal ownership for an uninterrupted period of 12 months prior to the payment or attribution of the dividends or (b) with regard to non-resident companies only, if, during the relevant period, the shares have not belonged to a taxpayer other than a resident company or a non-resident company which has, in an uninterrupted manner, invested the shares in a Belgian permanent establishment.
As of assessment year 2019, non-resident companies whose shares are invested in a Belgian permanent establishment may deduct 100% of the gross dividends received from their taxable income if, at the date the dividends are paid or attributed, the above mentioned Conditions for the application of the dividend received deduction regime are met.  The application of the dividend received deduction regime depends, however, on a factual analysis to be made upon each distribution and its availability should be verified upon each distribution.
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Belgian tax law provides for certain exemptions from withholding tax on Belgian source dividends distributed to non-resident investors. No Belgian withholding tax is due on dividends paid by us to a non-resident pension fund: (i) which is a saver non-resident in the meaning of Article 227, 3° of the Belgian Income Tax Code ("ITC") which implies that it has separate legal personality and fiscal residence outside of Belgium; (ii) has corporate purpose that is solely managing and investing funds collected in order to serve legal or complementary pension schemes; (iii) is not engaged in any business or other profit making activity; (iv) is exempt from income taxes in its country of residence; and (v) is not contractually obligated to redistribute dividends to any beneficial owner of such dividends for whom it would manage the shares. The exemption will only apply if the organization signs a certificate confirming that it is the full legal owner or usufruct holder of shares, that it is a non-resident that is not engaged in any business or other profit making activity and is exempt from income taxes in its country of residence and that it has no contractual redistribution obligation. The organization must then forward that certificate to us or the paying agent.
Additionally, dividends distributed to non-resident companies that (i) are either established in a Member State of the EU or in a country with which Belgium has concluded a double tax treaty, where that treaty or any other treaty concluded between Belgium and that jurisdiction includes a qualifying exchange of information clause; and (ii) qualify as a parent company, will be exempt from Belgian withholding tax provided that the shares held by the non-resident company, upon payment or attribution of the dividends, amount to at least 10% of our share capital and are held or will be held during an uninterrupted period of at least one year. A company qualifies as a parent company if: (i) for companies established in a Member State of the EU, it has a legal form as listed in the annex to the EU Parent-Subsidiary Directive of July 23, 1990 (90/435/EC), as amended, or, for companies established in a country with which Belgium has concluded a double tax treaty and where that treaty or any other treaty concluded between Belgium and that country includes a qualifying exchange of information clause, it has a legal form similar to the ones listed in such annex; (ii) it is considered to be a tax resident according to the tax laws of the country where it is established and the double tax treaties concluded between such country and third countries; and (iii) it is subject to corporate income tax or a similar tax without benefiting from a tax regime that derogates from the ordinary tax regime.
In order to benefit from this exemption, the investor must provide us or our paying agent with a certificate confirming its qualifying status and the fact that it satisfies the required conditions. If the investor holds the shares for less than one year, at the time the dividends are paid on or attributed to the shares, we must deduct the withholding tax but does not need to transfer it to the Belgian Treasury provided that the investor certifies its qualifying status, the date from which the investor has held the shares, and the investor's commitment to hold the shares for an uninterrupted period of at least one year. The investor must also inform us or our paying agent when the one-year period has expired or if its shareholding drops below 10% of our share capital before the end of the one-year holding period. Upon satisfying the one-year shareholding requirement, the deducted dividend withholding tax will be paid to the investor.
Dividends distributed by us to a non-resident company will be exempt from withholding tax, provided that (i) the non-resident company is established in the European Economic Area or in a country with whom Belgium has concluded a tax treaty that includes a qualifying exchange of information clause, (ii) the non-resident company is subject to corporate income tax or a similar tax without benefiting from a tax regime that derogates from the ordinary tax regime, (iii) the non-resident company does not satisfy the 10%-participation threshold but has a participation in us with an acquisition value of at least EUR 2,500,000 upon the date of payment or attribution of the dividend, (iv) the dividends relate to shares which are or will be held in full ownership for at least one year without interruption; and (v) the non-resident company has a legal form as listed in the annex to the Parent-Subsidiary Directive, as amended from time to time, or, has a legal form similar to the ones listed in such annex and that is governed by the laws of another Member State of the EEA, or, by the law of a country with whom Belgium has concluded a qualifying double tax treaty. This exemption applies to the extent that the withholding tax which would have been due in case this exemption would not exit, would not be creditable nor reimbursable in the hands of the non-resident company.
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In order to benefit from this exemption of withholding tax, the non-resident company must provide us or our paying agent with a certificate confirming (i) it has the above described legal form, (ii) it is subject to corporate income tax or a similar tax without benefiting from a tax regime that deviates from the ordinary domestic tax regime, (iii) it holds a participation of less than 10% in our capital but with an acquisition value of at least EUR 2,500,000 upon the date of payment or attribution of the dividend, (iv) the dividends relate to shares in us which it has held or will hold in full legal ownership for an uninterrupted period of at least one year, (v) to which extent it could in principle, would this exemption not exist, credit the Belgian withholding tax or obtain a reimbursement according to the legal provisions applicable upon December 31 of the year preceding the year of the payment or attribution of the dividends, and (vi) its full name, legal form, address and fiscal identification number, if applicable.
If there is no exemption applicable under Belgian domestic tax law, the Belgian dividend withholding tax can potentially be reduced for investors who are non-residents pursuant to the treaties regarding the avoidance of double taxation concluded between the Kingdom of Belgium and the state of residence of the non-resident shareholder. Belgium has concluded tax treaties with more than 95 countries, reducing the dividend withholding tax rate to 15%, 10%, 5% or 0% for residents of those countries, depending on conditions related to the size of the shareholding and certain identification formalities.
Belgium and the United States have concluded a double tax treaty concerning the avoidance of double taxation, or the U.S.—Belgium Treaty. The U.S.—Belgium Treaty generally reduces the applicability of Belgian withholding tax on dividends to 15%, 5% or 0% of the gross amount of the dividends paid to U.S. taxpayers, provided that the U.S. taxpayer meets certain limitation of benefits conditions imposed by the U.S.—Belgium Treaty. The 5% withholding tax applies in case where the U.S. shareholder is a company which owns directly at least 10% of our voting stock. A 0% Belgian withholding tax applies when the shareholder is a U.S. company which has owned directly at least 10% of our share capital for a 12-month period ending on the date the dividend is declared, or is, subject to certain conditions, a U.S. pension fund. A 15% Belgian withholding tax generally applies in all other cases. All U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisers to determine whether they can invoke the benefits and meet the limitation of benefits conditions imposed by the U.S.—Belgium Treaty.
Prospective holders are encouraged to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether they qualify for an exemption or a reduction of the withholding tax rate upon payment of dividends and, if so, the procedural requirements for obtaining such an exemption or a reduction upon the payment of dividends or making claims for reimbursement.
Capital gains and losses
Belgian resident individuals acquiring the shares as a private investment should in general not be subject to Belgian capital gains tax on the disposal of the shares and capital losses are not tax deductible.
Capital gains realized by a private individual are taxable at 33% (plus local surcharges) if the capital gain is deemed to be realized outside the scope of the normal management of the individual's private estate. Capital losses incurred in such transactions are generally not tax deductible.
Capital gains realized by Belgian resident individuals on the disposal of the shares for consideration, outside the exercise of a professional activity, to a non-resident company (or a body constituted in a similar legal form), to a foreign state (or one of its political subdivisions or local authorities) or to a non-resident legal entity, are in principle taxable at a rate of 16.5% (plus local surcharges) if, at any time during the five years preceding the sale, the Belgian resident individual has owned directly or indirectly, alone or with his/her spouse or with certain relatives, a substantial shareholding in us (generally, a shareholding of more than 25%). This capital gains tax does, in principal, not apply if the shares are transferred to the above-mentioned persons provided that they are established in the European Economic Area or, EEA.
Capital gains realized by Belgian resident individuals in case of redemption of the shares or in case of our liquidation will generally be taxable as a dividend.
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Belgian resident individuals who hold the shares for professional purposes are taxable at the ordinary progressive personal income tax rates (plus local surcharges) on any capital gains realized upon the disposal of the shares, except for the shares held for more than five years, which are taxable at a separate rate of, in principle, 10% (capital gains realized in the framework of the cessation of activities under certain circumstances) or 16.5% (other), both plus local surcharges. Capital losses on the shares incurred by Belgian resident individuals who hold the shares for professional purposes are in principle tax deductible.
Belgian resident companies are normally not subject to Belgian capital gains taxation on gains realized upon the disposal of the shares provided that the Conditions for the application of the dividend received deduction regime are met. Such capital gains realized by non-small and medium-sized companies in a financial year starting before January 1, 2018 or ending before December 31, 2018 will still be subject to a corporate income tax of 0.412%.
If the one-year minimum holding period condition is not met (but the other Conditions for the application of the dividend received deduction regime are met), the capital gains realised upon the disposal of the shares by Belgian resident companies are taxable at a separate corporate income tax rate of 25.50%(such capital gains realized in a financial year starting before January 1, 2018 or ending before December 31, 2018 will still be subject to a separate corporate income tax rate of 25.75%). As of assessment year 2019 (for financial years starting as of January 1, 2018) this separate rate may be reduced to 20.40% for certain SMEs. This separate rate will be abolished as of assessment year 2021 (for financial years starting as of January 1, 2020).
If one or more of the Conditions for the application of the dividend received deduction regime are not met (other than the one-year minimum holding period condition), any capital gain realised would be taxable at the standard corporate income tax rate of 29.58% (such capital gain realized in a financial year starting before January 1, 2018 or ending before December 31, 2018 will still be subject to the standard corporate income tax rate of 33.99%, unless the reduced corporate income tax rates apply), unless the reduced corporate income tax rates apply. The standard corporate income tax rate will be reduced to 25% as of assessment year 2021 for financial years starting as of January 1, 2020.
Capital losses on the shares incurred by Belgian resident companies are as a general rule not tax deductible.
Shares held in the trading portfolios of Belgian qualifying credit institutions, investment enterprises and management companies of collective investment undertakings are subject to a different regime. The capital gains on such shares are taxable at the standard corporate income tax rate of 29.58%(such capital gains realized in a financial year starting before January 1, 2018 or ending before December 31, 2018 will still be subject to the standard corporate income tax rate of 33.99%, unless the reduced corporate income tax rates apply) and the capital losses on such shares are tax deductible. The standard corporate income tax rate will be reduced to 25% as of assessment year 2021 for financial years starting as of January 1, 2020. Internal transfers to and from the trading portfolio are assimilated to a realisation.
Capital gains realised by Belgian resident companies in case of redemption of the shares or in case of our liquidation will, in principle, be subject to the same taxation regime as dividends.
Belgian pension funds incorporated under the form of an OFP are, in principle, not subject to Belgian capital gains taxation on the disposal of the shares, and capital losses are not tax deductible.
Belgian resident legal entities subject to the legal entities income tax are, in principle, not subject to Belgian capital gains taxation on the disposal of the shares. Capital gains realised upon disposal of (part of) a substantial participation in a Belgian company (i.e., a participation representing more than 25% of our share capital at any time during the last five years prior to the disposal) may, however, under certain circumstances be subject to income tax in Belgium at a rate of 16.5% (plus crisis surcharge of 2%; such surcharge will however be abolished as of January 1, 2020).
Capital losses on shares incurred by Belgian resident legal entities are not tax deductible.
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Capital gains realized on the shares by a Belgian non-resident individual that has not acquired the shares in connection with a business conducted in Belgium through a fixed base in Belgium or a Belgian permanent establishment are generally not subject to taxation, unless the gain is deemed to be realized outside the scope of the normal management of the individual's private estate and the capital gain is obtained or received in Belgium. However, Belgium has concluded tax treaties with more than 95 countries which generally provide for a full exemption from Belgian capital gain taxation on capital gains realized by residents of those countries. Capital losses are principally not tax deductible.
Capital gains will be taxable at the ordinary progressive income tax rates and capital losses will be tax deductible, if those gains or losses are realized on shares by a non-resident individual that holds shares in connection with a business conducted in Belgium through a fixed base in Belgium.
Capital gains realized by non-resident individuals on the transfer of a substantial shareholding to an entity established outside the EEA are generally subject to the same regime as Belgian resident individuals. However, Belgium has concluded tax treaties with more than 95 countries which generally provide for a full exemption from Belgian capital gain taxation on such gains realized by residents of those countries. Capital losses are generally not tax deductible.
Capital gains realized on the shares by non-resident companies or non-resident entities that have not acquired the shares in connection with a business conducted in Belgium through a Belgian permanent establishment are generally not subject to taxation and losses are not tax deductible.
Capital gains realized by non-resident companies or other non-resident entities that hold the shares in connection with a business conducted in Belgium through a Belgian permanent establishment are generally subject to the same regime as Belgian resident companies.
Non-resident individuals who do not use the shares for professional purposes and who have their fiscal residence in a country with which Belgium has not concluded a tax treaty or with which Belgium has concluded a tax treaty that confers the authority to tax capital gains on the shares to Belgium, might be subject to tax in Belgium if the capital gains arise from transactions which are to be considered speculative or beyond the normal management of one's private estate or in case of disposal of a substantial participation in a Belgian company as mentioned in the tax treatment of the disposal of the shares by Belgian individuals. Such non-resident individuals might therefore be obliged to file a tax return and should consult their own tax advisor.
Annual tax on securities accounts
As of January 1, 2018, a new annual tax on securities accounts has been introduced, whereby both (i) Belgian resident private individuals holding one or more securities accounts via a financial intermediary based in Belgium or abroad, and (ii) non-resident private individuals holding one or more securities accounts via a financial intermediary based in Belgium, are subject to tax at a rate of 0.15% on the total amount of qualifying assets (including listed shares, bonds, funds) held on these securities accounts if during the preceding reference period of 12 months the combined average value of qualifying assets across all securities accounts exceeded EUR 500,000 per individual account holder (i.e. EUR 1,000,000 for a married couple holding a common securities account). Pension savings accounts and life insurances are excluded. The tax is, in principle, collected by the intermediary financial institution, who also determine the combined average value of the accounts concerned, in case this financial institution is a Belgian financial institution or a foreign financial institution which has appointed a representative in Belgium to do so. If not, the securities account holder is responsible for calculating, reporting and paying the annual tax on securities accounts.
Investors should consult their own professional advisors in relation to the annual tax on securities accounts.
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Belgian Tax on Stock Exchange Transactions
The purchase and the sale and any other acquisition or transfer for consideration of existing shares (secondary market transactions) is subject to the Belgian tax on stock exchange transactions ("taks op de beursverrichtingen" / "taxe sur les opérations de bourse") if (i) it is executed in Belgium through a professional intermediary, or (ii) deemed to be executed in Belgium, which is the case if the order is directly or indirectly made to a professional intermediary established outside of Belgium, either by private individuals with habitual residence in Belgium, or legal entities for the account of their seat or establishment in Belgium (both referred to as a "Belgian Investor"). The tax on stock exchange transactions is not due upon the issuance of the new shares (primary market transactions).
The tax on stock exchange transactions is levied at a rate of 0.35% of the purchase price, capped at EUR 1,600 per transaction and per party.
A separate tax is due by each party to the transaction, and both taxes are collected by the professional intermediary. However, if the intermediary is established outside of Belgium, the tax will in principle be due by the Belgian Investor, unless that Belgian Investor can demonstrate that the tax has already been paid. Professional intermediaries established outside of Belgium can, subject to certain conditions and formalities, appoint a Belgian stock exchange tax representative ("Stock Exchange Tax Representative"), which will be liable for the tax on stock exchange transactions in respect of the transactions executed through the professional intermediary. If such a Stock Exchange Tax Representative would have paid the tax on stock exchange transactions due, the Belgian Investor will, as per the above, no longer be the debtor of the tax on stock exchange transaction.
No tax on stock exchange transactions is due on transactions entered into by the following parties, provided they are acting for their own account: (i) professional intermediaries described in Article 2.9° and 10° of the Belgian Law of August 2, 2002 on the supervision of the financial sector and financial services; (ii) insurance companies described in Article 2, §1 of the Belgian Law of July 9, 1975 on the supervision of insurance companies; (iii) pension institutions referred to in Article 2,1° of the Belgian Law of October 27, 2006 concerning the supervision of pension institutions; (iv) undertakings for collective investment; (v) regulated real estate companies; and (vi) Belgian non-residents provided they deliver a certificate to their financial intermediary in Belgium confirming their non-resident status.
Financial Transaction Tax
On February 14, 2013 the EU Commission adopted a Draft Directive on a common Financial Transaction Tax, or the FTT. Earlier negotiations for a common transaction tax among all 28 EU Member States had failed. The current negotiations between Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain (together, the "Participating Member States") are seeking a compromise under "enhanced cooperation" rules, which require consensus from at least nine EU Member States.
The Draft Directive currently stipulates that once the FTT becomes effective, the Participating Member States shall not maintain or introduce taxes on financial transactions other than the FTT (or VAT as provided in the Council Directive 2006/112/EC of November 28, 2006 on the common system of value added tax). For Belgium, the tax on stock exchange transactions should thus be abolished once the FTT becomes effective.
However, the Draft Directive on the FTT remains subject to negotiations between the Participating Member States. It may therefore be altered prior to any implementation, of which the eventual timing and outcome remains unclear. Additional EU Member States may decide to participate or drop out of the negotiations. If the number of Participating Member States would fall below nine, it would put an end to the project.
Prospective investors should consult their own professional advisors in relation to the FTT.
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United States Federal Income Tax Considerations
In the opinion of Seward & Kissel LLP, the following are the material United States federal income tax consequences to us based on our proposed activities and to our U.S. holders and non-U.S. holders, each as defined below, of the ownership and disposition of our common shares and units and of certain aspects of the ownership, exercise or disposition of our warrants. The discussion of our common shares applies to both the Class A common shares and the Class B common shares, except to the extent that we limit certain portions of the discussion to just the Class A common shares. The following discussion of United States federal income tax matters is based on the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which we refer to as the Code, judicial decisions, administrative pronouncements, and existing and proposed regulations issued by the United States Department of the Treasury, which we refer to as the Treasury Regulations, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

The discussion below is based, in part, on the description of our proposed business as described herein and assumes that we conduct our proposed business as described herein. Unless otherwise noted, references in the following discussion to the "Company," "we" and "us" are to Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp. and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis (and, with respect to the taxation of our Company following an initial business combination, the entity resulting from the initial business combination and its subsidiaries).

U.S. Federal Income Taxation of Our Company
The following are the U.S. federal income tax consequences to us of our proposed activities. The discussion below is based, in part, on the description of our business as described in Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Business Strategy" beginning on page 27 and assumes that our initial business combination and the conduct of our business following the initial business combination will be as described in that section. Except as otherwise noted, this discussion is based on the assumption that we will not maintain an office or other fixed place of business within the United States. We have not made, and do not intend to make, an election to be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and as a result, will be treated as a foreign corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, we may complete our initial business combination with another foreign corporation.
If our business is not limited to the acquisition of vessels or companies owning or operating vessels, or if we maintain an office or fixed place of business in the United States or have other contacts with the United States, we may be subject to U.S. federal income taxes on a net basis if we are considered to be engaged in a trade or business in the United States. In such event, we would be subject to U.S. corporate income tax and branch profits tax on our income which is effectively connected with our United States trade or business, or effectively connected income.
The following discussion addresses the U.S. federal income taxation of our operating income if, following our initial business combination, we are treated as a foreign corporation engaged in the international operation of vessels for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Taxation of Shipping Income: General
Unless exempt from U.S. federal income taxation under the rules discussed below, a foreign corporation is subjectheading “U.S. Holders” will apply to U.S. federal income taxation in respect of any income that is derived from the use of vessels, from the hiring or leasing of vessels for use on a time, voyage or bareboat charter basis, from the participation in a pool, partnership, strategic alliance, joint operating agreement, code sharing arrangements or other joint venture it directly or indirectly owns or participates in that generates such income, or from the performance of services directly related to those uses, which we refer to as Shipping Income, to the extent that the Shipping Income is derived from sources within the United States. For these purposes, 50% of Shipping Income that is attributable to transportation that begins or ends, but that does not both begin and end, in the United States constitutes income from sources within the United States, which we refer to as U.S.-source Shipping Income.
Shipping Income attributable to transportation that both begins and ends in the United States is considered to be entirely from sources within the United States. We do not expect to engage in transportation that produces income which is considered to be entirely from sources within the United States and the following discussion assumes that we will not be so engaged.
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Shipping Income attributable to transportation exclusively between non-U.S. ports is considered to be entirely derived from sources outside the United States. Shipping Income derived from sources outside the United States by a foreign corporation that is not subject to U.S. federal income tax will not be subject to any U.S. federal income tax.
In the absence of exemption from tax under Section 883 of the Code or the U.S.-Belgium Treaty, we anticipate that our gross U.S.-source Shipping Income would be subject to a 4% tax imposed without allowance for deductions as described below.
Exemption of Shipping Income from U.S. Federal Income Taxation
Following our initial business combination and following the completion of the intended transfer of our corporate domicile from the Marshall Islands to Belgium we expect that our proposed business should be exempt from U.S. federal income taxation on U.S.-source Shipping Income under either the U.S.-Belgium Treaty or Section 883 of the Code.

Under the U.S.-Belgium Treaty, our proposed business will be exempt from U.S. federal income tax on U.S.-source Shipping Income if (1) we are resident in Belgium for Belgian income tax purposes and (2) we satisfy one of the tests under the Limitation on Benefits provision of the U.S.-Belgium Treaty. We expect to satisfy the requirements for exemption under the U.S.-Belgium Treaty. After the initial business combination and completion of the transfer of our corporate domicile to Belgium, we expect to be a Belgian resident for Belgian income tax purposes and we expect to satisfy the publicly traded test of the Limitation on Benefits article of the U.S.-Belgium Treaty.  Our qualification to claim benefits under the U.S.-Belgium Treaty will be determined on an annual basis and there is no assurance that we will be able to so qualify.

Under Section 883 of the Code, we will be exempt from U.S. federal income taxation on our U.S.-source shipping income if:
1.we are organized in a foreign country (our "country of organization") that grants an "equivalent exemption" to corporations organized in the United States; and
2.either:
(A)more than 50% of the value of our stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by individuals who are "residents" of our country of organization or of another foreign country that grants an "equivalent exemption" to corporations organized in the United States, which we refer to as the 50% Ownership Test, or
(B)our stock is "primarily and regularly traded on an established securities market" in our country of organization, in another country that grants an "equivalent exemption" to United States corporations, or in the United States, which we refer to as the Publicly-Traded Test.
The Marshall Islands, the jurisdiction in which we will be incorporated at the time of the offering and prior to the initial business combination, grants an "equivalent exemption" to United States corporations. Belgium, the jurisdiction in which we intend to be resident for Belgium income tax purposes at the time of the initial business combination or promptly thereafter also grants an "equivalent exemption" to United States corporations. We anticipate that our shipholding subsidiaries will be incorporated in a jurisdiction that provides an "equivalent exemption" to United States corporations. Therefore, we anticipate that we will be exempt from U.S. federal income taxation with respect to our U.S.-source shipping income if the 50% Ownership Test or the Publicly-Traded Test is met. It may be difficult to satisfy the 50% Ownership Test due to the widely-held ownership of our stock. Our ability to satisfy the Publicly-Traded Test is discussed below.
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The Treasury Regulations provide, in pertinent part, that stock of a foreign corporation will be considered to be "primarily traded" on an established securities market if the number of shares of each class of stock that are traded during any taxable year on all established securities markets in that country exceeds the number of shares in each such class that are traded during that year on established securities markets in any other single country. Our Class A common shares are "primarily traded" on NASDAQ.
Under the Treasury Regulations, stock of a corporation will be considered to be "regularly traded" on an established securities market if one or more classes of stock of the corporation representing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote and of the total value of the stock of the corporation are listed on such market during the taxable year. Since our Class A common shares, which will constitute more than 50% of the total combined voting power and total value of all classes of our stock, will be listed on NASDAQ, we will satisfy the listing requirement.
It is further required that, with respect to each class of stock relied upon to meet the listing threshold, (i) such class of stock is traded on the market, other than in de minimus quantities, on at least 60 days during the taxable year or 1/6 of the days in a short taxable year; and (ii) the aggregate number of shares of such class of stock traded on such market is at least 10% of the average number of shares of such class of stock outstanding during such year or as appropriately adjusted in the case of a short taxable year. We believe we will satisfy the foregoing trading frequency and trading volume tests. Even if this were not the case, the Treasury Regulations provide that the foregoing trading frequency and trading volume tests will be deemed satisfied if, as we expect to be the case with our common shares, such class of stock is traded on an established securities market in the United States and such stock is regularly quoted by dealers making a market in such stock.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Treasury Regulations provide, in pertinent part, that a class of our stock will not be considered to be "regularly traded" on an established securities market for any taxable year in which 50% or more of the vote and value of the outstanding shares of such class of stock are owned, actually or constructively, under specified stock attribution rules, on more than half the days during the taxable year by persons who each own 5% or more of the vote and value of the outstanding shares of such class of stock, which we refer to as the 5 Percent Override Rule.
For purposes of determining the persons that own 5% or more of our common shares, or "5% Shareholders," the Treasury Regulations permit us to rely on those persons that are identified on Schedule 13G and Schedule 13D filings with the SEC, as having a 5% or more beneficial interest in our common shares. The Treasury Regulations further provide that an investment company identified on an SEC Schedule 13G or Schedule 13D filing that is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, will not be treated as a 5% Shareholder for such purposes.
It is possible that our 5% Shareholders may own 50% or more of our common shares. In such a case, we would be subject to the 5% Override Rule unless we can establish that among the closely-held group of 5% Shareholders, there are sufficient 5% Shareholders that are qualified shareholders (as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations) for purposes of Section 883 of the Code to preclude non-qualified 5% Shareholders in the closely-held group from owning 50% or more of the total value of the class of stock for more than half the number of days during the taxable year. These requirements are onerous, and it is uncertain whether we will be able to satisfy them.
For the taxable year ended December 31, 2017, we believe that more than 50% of our common shares were held by 5% Shareholders that were not qualified shareholders. However, we did not have U.S.-source Shipping Income for the 2017 taxable year and therefore we were not subject to U.S. federal income tax for the 2017 taxable year.  It is unclear whether we will be able to satisfy the Publicly-Traded Test for our 2018 taxable year and future taxable years, and we may be subject to U.S. federal income tax if we cannot satisfy either the Publicly-Traded Test under Section 883 or the requirement of the U.S.-Belgium Treaty.
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Taxation of Shipping Income in the Absence of Exemption
To the extent the benefits of Section 883 of the Code and the U.S.-Belgium Treaty are unavailable to us following our initial business combination, our U.S.-source Shipping Income, to the extent not considered to be "effectively connected" with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, as described below, would be subject to a 4% tax imposed by Section 887 of the Code on a gross basis, without the benefit of deductions. Since under the sourcing rules described above, no more than 50% of our shipping income would be treated as being derived from U.S. sources, the maximum effective rate of U.S. federal income tax on our shipping income would never exceed 2% under the 4% gross basis tax regime.
To the extent the benefits of Section 883 of the Code and the U.S.-Belgium Treaty are unavailable and our U.S.-source Shipping Income is considered to be "effectively connected" with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, as described below, any such "effectively connected" U.S.-source Shipping Income, net of applicable deductions, would be subject to the U.S. federal income tax at the same regular U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to a U.S. corporation. In addition, we may be subject to an additional 30% "branch profits" tax (subject to reduction under the U.S.-Belgium Treaty) on earnings effectively connected with the conduct of such trade or business, as determined after allowance for certain adjustments, and on certain interest paid or deemed paid attributable to the conduct of our U.S. trade or business.
Our U.S. source shipping income would be considered "effectively connected" with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business only if:
·we have, or are considered to have, a fixed place of business in the United States involved in the earning of U.S.-source Shipping Income; and
·substantially all of our U.S.-source Shipping Income is attributable to regularly scheduled transportation, such as the operation of a vessel that follows a published schedule with repeated sailings at regular intervals between the same points for voyages that begin or end in the United States.
We do not anticipate that our proposed business will have any vessel operating to the United States on a regularly scheduled basis. Based on the foregoing and on the expected conduct of our proposed business, we do not anticipate that any of our U.S.-source Shipping Income will be treated as "effectively connected" with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business.
United States Taxation of Gain on Sale of Vessels
Regardless of whether we qualify for exemption under Section 883 of the Code or the U.S.-Belgium Treaty, we will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation with respect to gain realized on a sale of a vessel, provided the sale is considered to occur outside of the United States under U.S. federal income tax principles. In general, a sale of a vessel will be considered to occur outside of the United States for this purpose if title to the vessel, and risk of loss with respect to the vessel, pass to the buyer outside of the United States. It is expected that any sale of a vessel by us will be considered to occur outside of the United States.
U.S. Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders
For purposes of this discussion, a "U.S. holder" is a beneficial owner of our units, Class A common shares or warrants that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

·an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

·a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes)corporation) that is created or organized (or treated as created or organized) in or under the laws of the United States, any Statestate thereof or the District of Columbia;

·an estate thewhose income of which is includible in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or

·a trust if (i) a U.S. court within the United States is able tocan exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration of the trust and one or more "United States persons" (within the meaning of the Code) have the authorityU.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust,trust; or (ii) it has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury Regulationsregulations to be treated as a "United States person"U.S. person.

A beneficial owner of our common shares that is described above is referred to herein as a “U.S. Holder”. If a beneficial owner of our common shares is not described as a U.S. Holder and is not an entity treated as a partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such owner will be considered a “Non-U.S. Holder”. The material U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable specifically to Non-U.S. Holders are described below under the heading “Non-U.S. Holders”.

This summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), its legislative history, Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect. These authorities are subject to change or differing interpretations, possibly on a retroactive basis.

This discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to any particular holder based on such holder’s individual circumstances. In particular, this discussion considers only holders that own and hold our common shares as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code and does not address the alternative minimum tax. In addition, this discussion does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences to holders that are subject to special rules, including:

financial institutions or financial services entities;

broker-dealers;

persons that are subject to the mark-to-market accounting rules under Section 475 of the Code.Code;

tax-exempt entities;

governments or agencies or instrumentalities thereof;

insurance companies;

regulated investment companies;

real estate investment trusts;

certain expatriates or former long-term residents of the United States;

persons that actually or constructively own 5% or more of our shares;

persons that acquired our common shares pursuant to an exercise of employee options, in connection with employee incentive plans or otherwise as compensation;

persons that hold our common shares as part of a straddle, constructive sale, hedging, conversion or other integrated transaction;

persons whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar;

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controlled foreign corporations; or

passive foreign investment companies.

This discussion does not address any aspect of U.S. federal non-income tax laws, such as gift or estate tax laws, or state, local or non-U.S. tax laws, or except as discussed herein, any tax reporting obligations applicable to a holder of our common shares. Additionally, this discussion does not consider the tax treatment of partnerships or other pass-through entities or persons who hold our common shares through such entities. If a partnership (or other entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is the beneficial owner of our common shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. This discussion also assumes that any distribution made (or deemed made) to a holder in respect of our common shares and any consideration received (or deemed received) by a holder in connection with the sale or other disposition of our common shares will be in U.S. dollars.

We have not sought, and will not seek, a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) or an opinion of counsel as to any U.S. federal income tax consequence described herein. The IRS may disagree with the description herein, and its determination may be upheld by a court. Moreover, there can be no assurance that future legislation, regulations, administrative rulings or court decisions will not adversely affect the accuracy of the statements in this discussion.

THIS DISCUSSION IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON SHARES. IT IS NOT TAX ADVICE. EACH HOLDER OF OUR COMMON SHARES IS URGED TO CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES TO SUCH HOLDER OF THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON SHARES, INCLUDING THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF ANY STATE, LOCAL, AND NON-U.S. TAX LAWS, AS WELL AS U.S. FEDERAL TAX LAWS AND ANY APPLICABLE TAX TREATIES.

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Taxation of Cash Distributions Paid on our Common Shares

shares

Subject to the discussion of the passive foreign investment company, or PFIC,“PFIC”, rules discussed below, a U.S. holderHolder generally will be required to include in gross income as dividendsordinary income the amount of any cash distributiondividend paid on our common shares. A cash distribution on such common shares generally will be treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent the distribution is paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined underfor U.S. federal income tax principles)purposes). DistributionsSuch dividend generally will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally allowed to U.S. corporations in respect of dividends received from other U.S. corporations. The portion of such cash distribution, if any, in excess of our current and accumulatedsuch earnings and profits will be treated first as a nontaxable return of capital to the extent ofapplied against and reduce (but not below zero) the U.S. holder'sHolder’s adjusted tax basis in hisour common shares on a dollar-for-dollar basis and thereaftershares. Any remaining excess generally will be treated as capital gain. Because we are not a United States corporation, U.S. holders that are corporations will generally not be entitled to claim a dividends-received deduction with respect to any distributions they receivegain from us.

the sale or other taxable disposition of such common shares.

With respect to non-corporate U.S. holders,Holders, any such dividends generally willmay be taxedsubject to U.S. federal income tax at preferential rates only if (i) either (A)the lower applicable regular long-term capital gains tax rate (see “— Taxation on the Disposition of Common shares” below) provided that (1) our common shares are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States or, (B)in the event we qualifyare deemed to be a PRC “resident enterprise” under the EIT Law, we are eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive U.S. tax treaty (such as the U.S.-Belgian Treaty)Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the People’s Republic of China for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Tax Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income (the “U.S.-PRC Tax Treaty”); (ii)(2) we are not a PFIC, as discussed below, for either the taxable year duringin which thesuch dividend iswas paid or the immediately preceding taxable year (as discussed below); (iii) the U.S. non-corporate holder has held theyear; and (3) certain holding period requirements are met. Under published IRS authority, common shares for more than 60 days in the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the date on which the common shares become ex-dividend, (iv) the U.S. non-corporate holder is not under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property, and (v) the U.S. non-corporate holder does not elect to treat such dividend income as "investment income"are considered for purposes of clause (1) above to be readily tradable on an established securities market in the investment interest expense limitations of Section 163(d)(4)(B) ofUnited States only if they are listed on certain exchanges, which presently include the Code. There is uncertainty, however, as to whether the conversion rights with respect to theNASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”). While our common shares described above under "Item 4. Informationare currently listed and traded on the Company—B. Business Overview—Effecting our Initial Business Combination—Redemption Rights for Public Shareholders upon Completion of Our Initial Business Combination", may prevent aNasdaq, U.S. non-corporate holder from satisfying the applicable holding period requirements with respect to the application of the preferential tax rate to qualified dividend income, since such U.S. non-corporate holder's holding period for such purposes with respect to the common shares may be reduced for any period in which such conversion rights remain in effect. U.S. holders are encouraged toHolders nevertheless should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability of suchthe lower rate for any dividends paid with respect to our common shares. Any

If a PRC income tax applies to any cash dividends paid by us which are not eligible for these preferential rates will be taxed as ordinary income to a U.S. holder.

As discussed above under the caption "Belgian Tax Considerations," following the transfer ofHolder on our corporate domicile to Belgium, our dividendscommon shares, such tax may be subject to Belgian withholding tax. Atreated as a foreign tax eligible for a deduction from such holder’s U.S. holder generally may elect to either deduct his share of any foreign taxes (including any Belgian withholding taxes) paid with respect to our dividends in computing hisfederal taxable income foror a foreign tax credit against such holder’s U.S. federal income tax purposes or treatliability (subject to applicable conditions and limitations). In addition, if such foreign taxes paid with respectPRC tax applies to ourany such dividends, as a credit againstsuch U.S. federal income taxes, subjectHolder may be entitled to certain limitations. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by an individual U.S.benefits under the U.S.-PRC Tax Treaty, if such holder who does not itemize deductions. Dividends paid with respect to our common shares will generally be treated as foreign source "passive category income" or, inis considered a resident of the case of certain types of U.S. holders, foreign source "general category income"United States for purposes of, computing allowable foreignand otherwise meets the requirements of, the U.S.-PRC Tax Treaty. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax credits for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes. The rules governing foreign tax credits are complex and each U.S. holder is encouraged to consult its tax advisoradvisors regarding the applicabilitydeduction or credit for any such PRC tax and their eligibility for the benefits of these rules to the U.S. holder's specific situation.
Sale, ExchangeU.S.-PRC Tax Treaty.

Taxation on the Disposition of Common Shares

Upon a sale or other Disposition of our Common Shares

Subject to the discussion of the PFIC rules below, a U.S. holder generally will recognize taxable gain or loss upon a sale, exchange or other disposition of our common shares, (which would includeand subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a liquidation in the event we do not consummate a business combination within the required timeframe)U.S. Holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized by the U.S. holder from such sale, exchange or other and the U.S. holder's tax basis in such shares. A U.S. holder'sHolder’s adjusted tax basis in the common sharesshares.

The regular U.S. federal income tax rate on capital gains recognized by U.S. Holders generally will equalis the same as the regular U.S. holder's acquisition cost  less any prior returnfederal income tax rate on ordinary income, except that long-term capital gains recognized by non-corporate U.S. Holders generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax at a maximum regular rate of capital. Such20%. Capital gain or loss will be treated asconstitute long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holder'sHolder’s holding period is greater than one year at the time of the sale, exchange or other disposition and will generally be treated as U.S.-source income or loss, as applicable, for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes. There is uncertainty, however, as to whether the conversion rights with respect to the common shares may prevent a U.S. holder from satisfying the applicable holding period requirements, since such U.S. holder's holding period with respect to the common shares may be treated as not beginning until after such conversion rights are no longer in effect. A U.S. holder's ability to deductexceeds one year. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to certainvarious limitations.

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Subject to the discussion of the PFIC rules below, in the event that

If a U.S. holder converts Class A common shares into cash pursuant to the exercise of a conversion right, the transaction will be treated for U.S. federalPRC income tax purposes as a redemptionapplies to any gain from the disposition of the Class A common shares. If the conversion qualifies as a sale of Class Aour common shares by a U.S. holder under Section 302 of the Code, the U.S. holder willHolder, such tax may be treated as described under "—Sale, Exchangea foreign tax eligible for a deduction from such holder’s U.S. federal taxable income or other Disposition of Class A common shares" above. If the conversion does not qualify as a sale of Class A common sharesforeign tax credit against such holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability (subject to applicable conditions and limitations). In addition, if such PRC tax applies to any such gain, such U.S. Holder may be entitled to certain benefits under the Code,U.S.-PRC Tax Treaty, if such holder is considered a resident of the United States for purposes of, and otherwise meets the requirements of, the U.S.-PRC Tax Treaty. U.S. holder willHolders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the deduction or credit for any such PRC tax and their eligibility for the benefits of the U.S.-PRC Tax Treaty.

Possible Constructive Distributions

The terms of each warrant provide for an adjustment to the number of shares for which the warrant may be exercised or to the exercise price of the warrant in certain events. An adjustment which has the effect of preventing dilution generally is not taxable. However, the U.S. Holders of the warrants would be treated as receiving a corporateconstructive distribution withfrom us if, for example, the tax consequences described below. Whetheradjustment increases the conversion qualifies for sale treatment will depend largely onwarrant holders’ proportionate interest in our assets or earnings and profits (e.g., through an increase in the total number of Class A common shares treated as held by the U.S holder before and after such conversion (including any Class A common shares constructively owned by the U.S. holderthat would be obtained upon exercise) as a result of among other things, owning warrants). The conversiona distribution of Class Acash to the holders of our common shares generally will be treated as a sale or exchange of the Class A common shares (rather than as a corporate distribution) if the receipt of cash upon the conversion (1)which is "substantially disproportionate" with respecttaxable to the U.S. holder, (2) results in a "complete termination"Holders of the U.S. holder's interest in us or (3) is "not essentially equivalent to a dividend" with respect to the U.S. holder. These tests are further explained below.

In determining whether any of the foregoing tests is satisfied, a U.S. holder takes into account not only stock actually owned by the U.S. holder, but also shares of our stock that are constructively owned by it. A U.S. holder may constructively own, in addition to stock owned directly, stock owned by certain related individuals and entities in which the U.S. holder has an interest or that have an interest in such holder, as well as any stock the holder has a right to acquire by exercise of an option, which would generally include Class A common shares which could be acquired pursuant to the exercise of the warrants. In order to meet the substantially disproportionate test, the percentage of our outstanding voting stock actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder immediately following the conversion of Class A common shares must, among other requirements, be less than 80% of the percentage of our outstanding voting stock actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder immediately before the conversion and, immediately after the conversion, the U.S. holder must own (actually and/or constructively) less than 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote. In general, there will be a complete termination of a U.S. holder's interest if either (1) all of the shares of our stock actually and constructively owned by the U.S. holder are converted or (2) all of the shares of our stock actually owned by the U.S. holder are converted and the U.S. holder is eligible to waive, and effectively waives in accordance with specific rules, the attribution of stock owned by certain family members and the U.S. holder does not constructively own any other stock. The conversion of the Class A common shares will not be essentially equivalent to a dividend if a U.S. holder's conversion results in a "meaningful reduction" of the U.S. holder's proportionate interest in us. Whether the conversion will result in a meaningful reduction in a U.S. holder's proportionate interest will depend on the particular facts and circumstances. However, the IRS has indicated in a published ruling that even a small reduction in the proportionate interest of a small minority shareholder in a publicly held corporation who exercises no control over corporate affairs may constitute such a "meaningful reduction."
If none of the foregoing tests are satisfied, then the conversion generally will be treated as a corporate distribution and the tax effects will be as described above under "—“— Taxation of Cash Distributions Paid on our Common Shares." After the application of those rules, any remaining tax basis of the U.S. holder in the converted Class A common shares will be added to the U.S. holder's adjusted tax basis in its remaining Class A common shares, or, if it has none, possibly to the holder's adjusted tax basis in its warrants or in other Class A common shares constructively owned by it.
Persons who actually or constructively own 5% (or, if our stock is not then publicly traded, 1%) or more of our stock (by vote or value) mayShares” above. Such constructive distribution would be subject to special reporting requirements with respect to a conversion of Class A common shares.
Subject totax as described under that section in the discussionsame manner as if the U.S. Holders of the PFIC rules below, if we redeemwarrants received a U.S. holder's warrants or if we purchase a U.S. holder's warrants in an open market transaction, such redemption or purchase generally will be treated as a taxable disposition to the U.S. holder, taxed as described below under "—Sale, Disposition, Exercise or Expiration of Warrants."
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Tax Considerations of Holding our Warrants
Subject to the discussion of the PFIC rules below, a U.S. holder generally will recognize capital gain or losscash distribution from us equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale, exchange (other than by exercise), redemption or other disposition (or, if the warrant is held as part of a unit at the time of the disposition of the unit, the portion of the amount realized on the disposition of the unit that is allocated to the warrant based on the then fair market value of the warrant) and the U.S. holder's tax basis in the warrant (that is, an amount equal to the portionsuch increased interest.

Exercise or Lapse of the purchase price of each unit allocated to the warrant). Such capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if, at the time of the sale or other disposition, the U.S. holder has held the warrant for more than one year. Such capital gain or loss will generally be treated as U.S.-source income or loss, as applicable, for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes. The deductibility of capital losses recognized by a U.S. holder in a sale of warrants will be subject to certain limitations.

Warrant

Subject to the discussion of the PFIC rules below, and except with respect to a cashless exercise of warrants (as discussed below),below, a U.S. holderHolder generally will not recognize gain or loss upon the acquisition of a common share from the exercise of a warrant. Classtwo warrants for cash. A common sharesshare acquired pursuant to the exercise of a warranttwo warrants for cash generally will have a tax basis equal to the U.S. holder'sHolder’s tax basis in the warrant,warrants, increased by the exercise priceamount paid to exercise the warrant.warrants. The U.S. holder's holding period of such Class A common sharesshare generally would begin on the date followingday after the date of exercise (or possibly the date of exercise) of the warrantwarrants and will not include the period during which the U.S. holderHolder held the warrant.

warrants. If a warrant is allowed to lapse unexercised, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize a capital loss equal to such holder’s tax basis in the conversionwarrant.

The tax consequences of oura cashless exercise of warrants is adjusted, U.S. holdersare not clear under current tax law. A cashless exercise may be tax-free, either because the exercise is not a realization event (i.e., not a transaction in which gain or loss is realized) or because the exercise is treated as having received a constructive dividend from us.

Warrant holders cannot make a QEF election if we are PFIC, as discussed below.
Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules
Special U.S. federal income tax rules apply to a U.S. holder that holds stock (which, for this purpose, includes options to acquire stock, and, as a result, would also include our warrants) in a foreign corporation classified as a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC,recapitalization for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In general,either tax-free situation, a U.S. Holder’s basis in the common shares received would equal the holder’s basis in the warrants. If the cashless exercise were treated as not being a realization event, a U.S. Holder’s holding period in the common shares should be treated as commencing on the date following the date of exercise of the warrants. If the cashless exercise were treated as a recapitalization, the holding period of the common shares received would include the holding period of the warrants. It is also possible that a cashless exercise could be treated as a taxable exchange in which gain or loss would be recognized. In such event, a U.S. Holder could be deemed to have surrendered a number of warrants with a fair market value equal to the exercise price for the number of warrants deemed exercised. For this purpose, the number of warrants deemed exercised would be equal to the amount needed to receive on exercise the number of common shares issued pursuant to the cashless exercise. In this situation, the U.S. Holder would recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value of the warrants deemed surrendered to pay the exercise price and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the warrants deemed surrendered. Such gain or loss would be long-term or short-term depending on the U.S. Holder’s holding period in the warrants. In this case, a U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the common shares received would equal the sum of the fair market value of the warrants deemed surrendered and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the warrants deemed exercised. A U.S. Holder’s holding period for the common shares should commence on the date following the date of exercise of the warrants. There may also be alternative characterizations of any such taxable exchange that would result in similar tax consequences, except that a U.S. Holder’s gain or loss would be short-term. Due to the absence of authority on the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a cashless exercise, there can be no assurance which, if any, of the alternative tax consequences described above would be adopted by the IRS or a court of law. Accordingly, U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of a cashless exercise of the warrants.

Additional Taxes

U.S. Holders that are individuals, estates or trusts and whose income exceeds certain thresholds generally will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on unearned income, including, without limitation, cash dividends on, and gains from the sale or other taxable disposition of, our common shares, subject to certain limitations and exceptions. Under applicable regulations, in the absence of a special election, such unearned income generally would not include income inclusions under the qualified electing fund, or “QEF”, rules discussed below under “— Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules”, but would include distributions of earnings and profits from a QEF. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of such tax on their ownership and disposition of our common shares.

Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules

A foreign (i.e., non-U.S.) corporation will be a PFIC if either (a) at least 75% of its gross income in a taxable year of the foreign corporation, including its pro rata share of the gross income of any corporation in which it is considered to own (directly or indirectly) at least 25% of the shares by value, is passive income; or (b) at least 50% of its assets in a taxable year of the foreign corporation, ordinarily determined based on fair market value and averaged quarterly over the year, including its pro rata share of the assets of any corporation in which it is considered to own (directly or indirectly) at least 25% of the shares by value, are held for the production of, or produce, passive income. Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, rents and royalties (other than certain rents or royalties derived from the active conduct of a trade or business), and gains from the disposition of passive assets.

Based on the composition (and estimated values) of the assets and the nature of the income of us and our subsidiaries for our taxable year ended December 31, 2018, we do not believe that we will be treated as a PFIC for such year. However, because we have not performed a definitive analysis as to our PFIC status for such year, there can be no assurance with respect to a U.S. holder if,our PFIC status for any taxable yearsuch year. There also can be no assurance in which such U.S. holder heldrespect to our Class A common shares or warrants, either:

·at least 75% of our gross income for such taxable year consists of passive income (e.g., dividends, interest, capital gains and rents derived other than in the active conduct of a rental business), which we refer to as the "income test"; or
·at least 50% of the average value of the assets held by the corporation during such taxable year (ordinarily determined based on fair market value and averaged quarterly over the year) produce, or are held for the production of, passive income, which we refer to as the "asset test".
For purposes of determining whether we are a PFIC, cash will be treated as an asset which is held for the production of passive income. In addition, following an initial business combination, we will be treated as earning and owning our proportionate share of the income and assets, respectively, of any of our subsidiary corporations in which we own at least 25% of the value of the subsidiary's stock. Income earned, or deemed earned, by us in connection with the performance of services would not constitute passive income. By contrast, rental income would generally constitute "passive income" unless we were treated under specific rules as deriving our rental income in the active conduct of a trade or business from unrelated persons.
We intended to claim an exception from PFIC classification available to new companies, pursuant to which a foreign corporation will not be treated as a PFIC during its "start-up year." Under this exception, a foreign corporation will not be treatedstatus as a PFIC for the firstour current taxable year the corporation has gross income, whichor any subsequent taxable year.

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If we referare determined to as the "start-up year," if (1) no predecessor of the corporation was a PFIC; (2) the corporation satisfies the IRS that it will not be a PFIC for either of the first two taxable years following the start-up year; and (3) the corporation is not in fact a PFIC for either of those years. The applicability of the start-up exception to us is uncertain and cannot be known until after the close of our 2017 or 2018 taxable years. After the close of the 2017 taxable year, we determined that we were in fact a PFIC for the 2017 taxable year.  Therefore, the start-up exception described herein is not available for the 2016 taxable year and we were a PFIC for the 2016 taxable year as well.  U.S. holders are encouraged to consult their tax advisors in this regard.

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With respect to future taxable years and after the initial business combination, we intend to make the determination as to whether we are a PFIC by treating the gross income we derive or are deemed to derive from the time chartering and voyage chartering activities of us or any of our wholly owned subsidiaries as services income, rather than rental income. Based on such treatment, such income should not constitute passive income, and the assets that we or our wholly-owned subsidiaries own and operate in connection with the production of such income, should not constitute assets that produce, or are held for the production of, passive income for purposes of determining whether we are a PFIC. We believe there is substantial legal authority supporting our position consisting of case law and IRS pronouncements concerning the characterization of income derived from time charters and voyage charters as services income for other tax purposes. However, in the absence of any legal authority specifically relating to the statutory provisions governing PFICs, the IRS or a court could disagree with our position. On the other hand, any income we derive from bareboat chartering vessels will generally be treated as passive income for purposes of the income test. Likewise, any assets used to bareboat charter vessels will generally be treated as generating passive income for purposes of the asset test.
As discussed more fully below, for any taxable year (or portion thereof) during which we were or are a PFIC that is included in the holding period of a U.S. holderHolder of our common shares or warrants and in the case of our Class A common shares, thesuch U.S. holderHolder did not make either a timely qualified electing fund, or QEF election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. holderHolder held (or was deemed to hold) our common shares, a QEF election along with a purging election or a mark-to-market election, each as described below, such U.S. holder generally will be subject to special rules for regular U.S. federal income tax purposes with respect to (i) any gain recognized by the U.S. holder on the sale or other disposition of its common shares or warrants, and (ii) any "excess distribution" made to the U.S. holder (generally, any distributions to such U.S. holder during a taxable year of the U.S. holder that are greater than 125% of the average annual distributions received by such U.S. holder in respect of the common shares during the three preceding taxable years of such U.S. holder or, if shorter, such U.S. holder's holding period for the common shares).
to:

any gain recognized by the U.S. Holder on the sale or other disposition of its common shares; and

any “excess distribution” made to the U.S. Holder (generally, any distributions to such U.S. Holder during a taxable year of the U.S. Holder that are greater than 125% of the average annual distributions received by such U.S. Holder in respect of our common shares during the three preceding taxable years of such U.S. Holder or, if shorter, such U.S. Holder’s holding period for the common shares).

Under these rules:

rules,

·the U.S. holder'sHolder’s gain or excess distribution will be allocated ratably over the U.S. holder'sHolder’s holding period for the common shares or warrants;shares;

·the amount allocated to the U.S. holder'sHolder’s taxable year in which the U.S. holderHolder recognized the gain or received the excess distribution, or to the period in the U.S. holder'sHolder’s holding period before the first day of our first taxable year in which we arequalified as a PFIC, will be taxed as ordinary income;

·the amount allocated to other taxable years (or portions thereof) of the U.S. Holder and included in its holding period will be taxed at the highest tax rate in effect for that year and applicable to the U.S. Holder; and

·an additional tax equal to the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed on the U.S. holder within respect toof the tax attributable to each such other taxable year of the U.S. holder.Holder.

In general, if we are determined to be a PFIC, a U.S. holder canHolder may avoid the PFIC tax consequences described above in respect to our common shares by making a validtimely QEF election (or a QEF election along with a purging election). Pursuant to the QEF election, a U.S. Holder generally will be required to include in income its pro rata share of our net capital gains (as long-term capital gain) and other earnings and profits (as ordinary income), on a current basis, in each case whether or not distributed, in the taxable year of the U.S. holderHolder in which or with which our taxable year ends.ends if we are treated as a PFIC for that taxable year. A U.S. holder generallyHolder may make a separate election to defer the payment of taxes on undistributed income inclusions under the QEF rules, but if deferred, any such taxes will be subject to an interest charge.

If a U.S. holder acquired our common shares during the 2016 taxable year and did not make a QEF election with respect to such taxable year, such holder may be able to make a retroactive QEF election or a purging election.  If certain requirements are met to the satisfaction of the IRS, a U.S. holder may be able to make a retroactive QEF election, which would be treated as having been timely filed in respect of the 2016 taxable year. U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisors with regards to owning stock in a PFIC and the tax elections available. Retroactive QEF elections generally may be made only by filing a protective statement with such return and if certain other conditions are met or with the consent of the IRS. U.S. holders are encouraged to consult their tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a retroactive QEF election under their particular circumstances. As discussed above, under the purging election, the U.S. holder will be deemed to have sold such shares at their fair market value and any gain recognized on such deemed sale will be treated as an excess distribution, as described above. As a result of the purging election, the U.S. holder will have a new basis and holding period in the common shares acquired upon the exercise of the warrants for purposes of the PFIC rules.
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A U.S. holder may not make a QEF election with respect to its warrants to acquire our common shares. As a result, if a U.S. holder sells or otherwise disposes of such warrants (other than upon exercise of such warrants) and we were a PFIC at any time during the U.S. holder's holding period of such warrants, any gain recognized generally will be treated as an excess distribution, taxed as described above. If a U.S. holder that exercises such warrants properly makes a QEF election with respect to the newly acquired common shares (or has previously made a QEF election with respect to our common shares), the QEF election will apply to the newly acquired common shares. Notwithstanding, the adverse tax consequences relating to PFIC shares, adjusted to take into account the current income inclusions resulting from the QEF election, will continue to apply with respect to such newly acquired common shares (which generally will be deemed to have a holding period for purposes of the PFIC rules that includes the period the U.S. holder held the warrants), unless the U.S. holder makes a purging election under the PFIC rules.

The QEF election is made on a shareholder-by-shareholder basis and, once made, can be revoked only with the consent of the IRS. A U.S. holderHolder generally makes a QEF election by attaching a completed IRS Form 8621 (Information Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment Company or Qualified Electing Fund), including the information provided in a PFIC annual information statement, to a timely filed United StatesU.S. federal income tax return for the taxtaxable year to which the election relates.

Retroactive QEF elections generally may be made only by filing a protective statement with such return and if certain other conditions are met or with the consent of the IRS.

In order to comply with the requirements of a QEF election, a U.S. holderHolder must receive a PFIC annualcertain information statement from us. If we determine we areUpon request from a PFIC for any taxable year,U.S. Holder, we will endeavor to provide to athe U.S. holderHolder no later than 90 days after the request such information as the IRS may require, including a PFIC annual information statement, in order to enable the U.S. holderHolder to make and maintain a QEF election, butelection. However, there is no assurance that we will timely provide such required information. There is also no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of our status as a PFIC in the future or of the required information to be provided.

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If a U.S. holderHolder has made a QEF election with respect to our common shares, and the excess distributionspecial tax and interest charge rules discussed above do not apply to such common shares (because of a timely QEF election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. holderHolder holds (or is deemed to hold) such common shares or a QEF election along with a purge of the PFIC taint pursuant to a purging election, as described above)below), any gain recognized on the sale or other taxable disposition of oursuch common shares generally will be taxable as capital gain and no additional taxinterest charge will be imposed under the PFIC rules.imposed. As discussed above, if we are a PFIC for any taxable year, aregular U.S. holderfederal income tax purposes, U.S. Holders of our common shares that has made a QEF election will begenerally are currently taxed on itstheir pro rata shareshares of ourthe QEF’s earnings and profits, whether or not distributed fordistributed. In such year. Acase, a subsequent distribution of such earnings and profits that were previously included in income generally should not be taxable when distributedas a dividend to such U.S. holder.Holders. The adjusted tax basis of a U.S. holder'sHolder’s common shares in a QEF will be increased by amounts that are included in income, and decreased by amounts distributed but not taxed as dividends, under the above rules. Similar basis adjustments apply to property if by reason of holding such property the U.S. Holder is treated under the applicable attribution rules as owning common shares in a QEF.

Although a determination as to our PFIC status will be made annually, an initial determination that we are a PFIC generally will apply for subsequent years to a U.S. Holder who held our common shares while we were a PFIC, whether or not we meet the test for PFIC status in those subsequent years. A U.S. Holder who makes the QEF election discussed above for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) our common shares, however, will not be subject to the PFIC tax and interest charge rules discussed above in respect to such common shares. In addition, if we are not a PFIC for any taxable year, such U.S. holderHolder will not be subject to the QEF inclusion regime with respect to oursuch common shares for suchany of our taxable year.

In addition toyears that end within or with a taxable year of the U.S. Holder and in which we are not a PFIC. On the other hand, if the QEF election sinceis not effective for each of our common shares constitute "marketable stock," a U.S. holder may avoid the adverse PFIC tax consequences discussed above if such U.S. holder, at the close of the first taxable yearyears in which itwe are a PFIC and during which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) our common shares, makesthe PFIC rules discussed above will continue to apply to such shares unless the holder files on a timely filed U.S. income tax return (including extensions) a QEF election and a purging election to recognize under the rules of Section 1291 of the Code any gain that the U.S. Holder would otherwise recognize if the U.S. Holder had sold such shares for their fair market value on the “qualification date”. The qualification date is the first day of our tax year in which we qualify as a QEF with respect to such U.S. Holder. The purging election can only be made if such U.S. Holder held our common shares on the qualification date. The gain recognized by the purging election generally will be subject to the special tax and interest charge rules treating the gain as an excess distribution, as described above. As a result of the purging election, the U.S. Holder generally will increase the adjusted tax basis in its common shares by the amount of the gain recognized and also will have a new holding period in its common shares for purposes of the PFIC rules. 

Alternatively, if a U.S. Holder, at the close of its taxable year, owns (or is deemed to own) common shares in a PFIC that are treated as marketable stock, the U.S. Holder may make a mark-to-market election with respect to such common shares for such taxable year. SuchIf the U.S. Holder makes a valid mark-to-market election for the first taxable year of the U.S. Holder in which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) our common shares and for which we are determined to be a PFIC, such holder generally will not be subject to the PFIC rules described above in respect to its common shares as long as such shares continue to be treated as marketable stock. Instead, in general, the U.S. Holder will include as ordinary income for each of its taxable yearsyear that we are treated as ordinary incomea PFIC the excess, if any, of the fair market value of its common shares at the end of suchits taxable year over itsthe adjusted tax basis in its Class A common shares. The U.S. holderHolder also will recognizebe allowed to take an ordinary loss in respect of the excess, if any, of itsthe adjusted tax basis of its Class A common shares over the fair market value of its common shares at the end of its taxable year (but only to the extent of the net amount of previously included income as a result of the mark-to-market election). The U.S. holder'sHolder’s adjusted tax basis in ourits common shares will be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss amounts, and any further gain recognized on a sale or other taxable disposition of itsthe common shares in a taxable year in which we are treated as a PFIC generally will be treated as ordinary income. Currently,Special tax rules may apply if a U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election may notfor a taxable year after the first taxable year in which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) our common shares and for which we are determined to be made with respect to warrants.  While it may be possible to make a retroactive mark-to-market election, about which U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors, in most cases, U.S. holders of our stock or warrants that did not make a timely mark-to-market election will generally not be able to make a mark-to-market election.

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PFIC.

The mark-to-market election is available only for "marketable stock," generally, stock that is regularly traded on a national securities exchange that is registered with the SEC including NASDAQ (on which our common shares are listed),(including Nasdaq) or on a foreign exchange or market that the IRS determines has rules sufficient to ensure that the market price represents a legitimate and sound fair market value. While our common shares are currently listed and traded on Nasdaq, U.S. holders are encouraged toHolders nevertheless should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability and tax consequences of a mark-to-market election in respect to our common shares under their particular circumstances.

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If we are a PFIC and, at any time, have a foreign subsidiary that is classified as a PFIC, a U.S. holdersHolder of our common shares generally wouldshould be deemed to own a portion of the shares of such lower-tier PFIC, and generally could incur liability for the deferred tax and interest charge described above if we receive a distribution from, or dispose of all or part of our interest in, or the U.S. Holder otherwise were deemed to have disposed of an interest in, the lower-tier PFIC. WeUpon request, we will endeavor to cause any lower-tier PFIC to provide to a U.S. Holder no later than 90 days after the request the information that may be required to make or maintain a QEF election with respect to the lower-tier PFIC. There can beHowever, there is no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of the status of any such lower-tier PFIC. In addition, we may not hold a controlling interest in any such lower-tier PFIC and thus there can be no assurance weor will be able to cause the lower-tier PFIC to provide suchthe required information. A mark-to-market election generally would not be available with respect to such a lower-tier PFIC. U.S. holdersHolders are encouragedurged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax issues raised by lower-tier PFICs.

A U.S. holderHolder that owns (or is deemed to own) common shares in a PFIC during any taxable year of the U.S. holder,Holder may have to file an IRS Form 8621(whether8621 (whether or not a QEF election or market-to-marketmark-to-market election is or has been made) with such U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax return and provide such other information as may be required by the U.S. Treasury Department. Failure to do so, if required, will extend the statute of limitations until such required information is furnished to the IRS.

The rules dealing with PFICs and with the QEF and mark-to-market elections are very complex and are affected by various factors in addition to those described above. Accordingly, U.S. holdersHolders of our common shares and warrants are encouraged toshould consult their own tax advisors concerning the application of the PFIC rules to our common shares and warrants under their particular circumstances.

U.S. Federal Income Taxation of

Non-U.S. Holders

A beneficial owner of our common shares that is not a U.S. holder is referred to herein as a "non-U.S. holder."
Distributions on Common Shares
Dividends (including constructive dividends)

Cash dividends paid or(or deemed paidpaid) to a non-U.S. holderNon-U.S. Holder in respect ofto our common shares generally will not be subject to United StatesU.S. federal income tax, unless thesuch dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder'sNon-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains or maintained in the United States).

In addition, a non-U.S. holderNon-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to United StatesU.S. federal income tax on any gain attributable to a sale or other taxable disposition of our Class A common shares or warrants unless such gain is effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains or maintained in the United States) or the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of such sale or other disposition and certain other conditions are met (in which case, such gain from U.S. sources generally is subject to U.S. federal income tax at a 30% rate or a lower applicable tax treaty rate).

Dividends

Cash dividends and gains that are effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder'sNon-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains or maintained in the United States) generally will be subject to United Statesregular U.S. federal income tax at the same regular United StatesU.S. federal income tax rates applicable to a comparable U.S. holderHolder and, in the case of a non-U.S. holderNon-U.S. Holder that is a corporation for United StatesU.S. federal income tax purposes, also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate or a lower applicable tax treaty rate.

96Backup Withholding and Information Reporting



Conversion of Class A Common Shares
The

In general, information reporting for U.S. federal income tax treatment of the redemption of a non-U.S. holder's Class Apurposes should apply to distributions made on our common shares pursuantwithin the United States to a U.S. Holder (other than an exempt recipient) and to the exercise of a conversion right will generally correspond to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of such redemption by a U.S. holder, as described under "U.S. Federal Income Taxation of U.S. Holders—Conversion of Class A common shares" above. Therefore, if the redemption qualifies as a sale of Class A common shares by the non-U.S. holder, the tax effects to the non-U.S. holder will be as described under "—Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of common shares" below. If on theproceeds from sales and other hand, the redemption is properly treated as a distribution to the non-U.S. holder, the tax effects to the non-U.S. holder will be as described under "—Dividends on common shares" above.

Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Common Shares
Non-U.S. holders generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain recognized upon the sale, exchange or other dispositiondispositions of our common shares unless:
·the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder's conduct of a trade or business in the United States. In general, if the non-U.S. holder is entitled to the benefits of certain income tax treaties with respect to that gain, that gain is taxable only if it is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States; or
·the non-U.S. holder is an individual who is present inby a U.S. Holder (other than an exempt recipient) to or through a U.S. office of a broker. Payments made (and sales and other dispositions effected at an office) outside the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of disposition and certain other conditions are met.
·If the non-U.S. holder is engaged in a United States trade or business for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the income from the common shares or warrants, including dividends and the gain from the sale, exchange or other disposition of the stock or the warrants that is effectively connected with the conduct of that trade or business will generally be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax in the same manner as discussed in the previous section relating to the taxation of U.S. holders. In addition, if you are a corporate non-U.S. holder, your earnings and profits that are attributable to the effectively connected income, which are subject to certain adjustments, may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, or at a lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Dividend payments with respect to our common shares and proceeds from the sale, exchange or redemption of our common shares may be subject to information reporting in limited circumstances. In addition, certain information concerning a U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its common shares and adjustments to that tax basis and whether any gain or loss with respect to such common shares is long-term or short-term also may be required to be reported to the IRS, and possible United Statescertain holders may be required to file an IRS Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets) to report their interests in our common shares.

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Moreover, backup withholding. Backup withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a current rate of 24% generally will not apply however,to cash dividends paid on our common shares to a U.S. Holder who furnishes(other than an exempt recipient) and the proceeds from sales and other dispositions of our common shares by a correct taxpayer identification number and makes other required certifications, or who is otherwiseU.S. Holder (other than an exempt from backup withholding and establishes such exempt status. recipient), in each case who:

fails to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number;

is notified by the IRS that backup withholding is required; or

in certain circumstances, fails to comply with applicable certification requirements.

A non-U.S. holderNon-U.S. Holder generally canmay eliminate the requirement for information reporting and backup withholding by providing certification of its foreign status, under penalties of perjury, on a duly executed applicable IRS Form W-8 or by otherwise establishing an exemption.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, a taxpayer generally may obtain a refundthe amount of any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules that exceed itswill be allowed as a credit against a U.S. Holder’s or a Non-U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability by timely filingand may entitle such holder to a refund, claim withprovided that certain required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

F.          Dividends Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of backup withholding and Paying Agents
the availability of and procedures for obtaining an exemption from backup withholding in their particular circumstances.

F.Dividends and Paying Agents

Not applicable.

G.          Statement by Experts

G.Statement by Experts

Not applicable.

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H.Documents on Display

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H.          Documents on Display
We are subject to the periodic reporting and other informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  In accordance with these requirementsapplicable to foreign private issuers. Under the Exchange Act, we are required to file reports and other information with the SEC. These materials, including this annual report andSpecifically, we are required to file annually a Form 20-F no later than four months after the accompanying exhibits may be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549.close of each fiscal year, which is December 31. The SEC maintains a website (http://www.sec.gov)web site atwww.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding registrants that we and other registrants have filed electronicallymake electronic filings with the SEC.
ShareholdersSEC using its EDGAR system. As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from the rules of the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of quarterly reports and 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 are not required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.

Documents concerning us that are referred to in this document may also request a copy ofbe inspected at our filingsprincipal executive offices at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp.
c/o MI Management Company
Trust Company Complex, Suite 206
Ajeltake Road, P.O. Box 3055
Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960
Tel.: 011-323-247-59-11

I.          Subsidiary Information
Tower A, WangXin Building, 28 Xiaoyun Rd, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100027.

I.Subsidiary Information

Not applicable.

ITEM 11.          QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
ITEM 11.QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Foreign Currency Risk

RMB is not a freely convertible currency. The net proceedsState Administration for Foreign Exchange, under the authority of the IPOPeople’s Bank of China, controls the conversion of RMB into foreign currencies. The value of RMB is subject to changes in central government policies and to international economic and political developments affecting supply and demand in the China Foreign Exchange Trading System market.

All of our revenues and substantially all of our expenses are denominated in RMB, whereas our reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. In our combined and consolidated financial statements, our financial information that uses RMB as the functional currency has been translated into U.S. dollars. Due to foreign currency translation adjustments, we had a foreign exchange gain of US$604,377 in 2015, a foreign exchange gain of US$1.8 million in 2016, a foreign exchange gain of US$31,160 in 2017 and a foreign exchange loss of US$ 680,289 in 2018. Appreciation or depreciation in the value of the RMB relative to the U.S. dollar would affect our financial results reported in U.S. dollar terms without giving effect to any underlying change in our business or results of operations.

We do not believe that we currently have any significant direct foreign exchange risk and have not used any derivative financial instruments to hedge exposure to such risk. Although in general our exposure to foreign exchange risks should be limited, the value of your investment will be affected by the exchange rate between U.S. dollar and RMB because the value of our business is effectively denominated in RMB.

103

Interest Rate Risk

We have not been exposed to material risks due to changes in market interest rates, and we have not used any derivative financial instruments to manage our interest risk exposure. However, we cannot provide assurance that we will not be exposed to material risks due to changes in market interest rates in the future. Our future interest income may fall short of expectations due to changes in market interest rates.

The fluctuation of interest rates may also affect the demand for our marketplace lending business. For example, a decrease in the interest rate may cause potential borrowers to seek loans from other channels and higher returns offered by comparable or substitute products may damper investor desire to invest in our marketplace. However, we do not expect that the fluctuation of interest rates will have a material impact on our financial condition.

Holding Company Structure

Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp. and NCF Wealth Holdings, Ltd. are holding companies with no material operations of their own. We conduct our operations primarily through its subsidiaries and consolidated variable interest entities in China. As a result, our ability to pay dividends depends upon dividends paid by our PRC subsidiaries and our consolidated variable interest entities. If our existing PRC subsidiaries or any newly formed ones incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing their debt may restrict their ability to pay us dividends. In addition, each of our wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries in China is permitted to pay dividends to us only out of its retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Under PRC law, each of our subsidiaries and consolidated variable interest entities in China is required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund certain statutory reserve funds until such reserve funds reach 50% of its registered capital. In addition, each of our wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries in China may allocate a portion of its after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to enterprise expansion funds and staff bonus and welfare funds at its discretion, and each of our consolidated variable interest entities may allocate a portion of its after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to a discretionary surplus fund at its discretion. The statutory reserve funds and the salediscretionary funds are not distributable as cash dividends. Remittance of dividends by a wholly foreign-owned company out of China is subject to examination by the private placement warrants held inbanks designated by SAFE. Our PRC subsidiaries have not paid dividends and will not be able to pay dividends until they generate accumulated profits and meet the trust account are invested in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there is no associated material exposure to interest rate risk.

requirements for statutory reserve funds.

ITEM 12.          
ITEM 12.DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES

Not Applicable.

104

Not applicable.

Table of Contents

PART II

ITEM 13.          DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES
Not applicable.
ITEM 13.DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES

None.

ITEM 14.          MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF PROCEEDS
ITEM 14.MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF PROCEEDS

A.-D.Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders

None.

E.Use of Proceeds

Not applicable.

98


ITEM 15.          CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
(a)
ITEM 15.CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Disclosure Controls and Procedures.Procedures

Our executive management is responsible for establishing and maintaining a system of disclosure controls and procedures are(as defined in Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) designed to provide reasonable assuranceensure that the information required to be disclosed by us in the Company in reports filedthat we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC'sSEC’s rules and forms. There are inherent limitations to the effectiveness of any system of disclosureDisclosure controls and procedures including the possibility of human error and the circumvention or overriding of the controls and procedures. Accordingly, even effective disclosureinclude, without limitation, controls and procedures can only provide reasonable assurance of achieving their control objectives.

We evaluateddesigned to ensure that information required to be disclosed by an issuer in the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act)Act is accumulated and communicated to the issuer’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as of December 31, 2017. Based on that evaluation,appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Our executive management, including our Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) and Chief Financial Officer, (principal financial officer) concluded that as of December 31, 2017, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2018 due to athe material weaknessweaknesses in the Company's internal controls over financial reporting, set forth in Item 15(b) below.
(b)Management's annual report on internal control over financial reporting.reporting described below.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.

In accordance with Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act, the

Our management of the Company is responsible for the establishmentestablishing and maintenance ofmaintaining adequate internal controlscontrol over financial reporting, for the Company. The Company'sas such term is defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f). Our internal control system wasover financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, our chief executive officer and Chief Financial Offer, and effected by our board of directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance to management and the Board of Directors regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of published financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

There are inherent limitations to the effectiveness of any system of internal controls. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective may not prevent or detect misstatements and can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.
Internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i)which (a) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the Company'sour assets; (ii)(b) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;principles, and (iii)that receipts and expenditures of ours are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors; and (c) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements.
Management with the participation of the Company's Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, assessed the effectiveness of the Company'sour internal control over financial reporting based onas of December 31, 2018. In making this assessment, management used the criteriaframework set forth in the report entitled Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, or COSO. The COSO framework summarizes each of the components of a company’s internal control system, including (i) the control environment, (ii) risk assessment, (iii) control activities, (iv) information and concludedcommunication, and (v) monitoring. Based on our assessment, as a result of the material weaknesses described below, we determined that, the Company did not maintain effectiveas of December 31, 2018, our internal control over financial reporting aswas not effective based on those criteria.

As defined in the standards established by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board of December 31, 2017 due to the material weakness described below.

A material weaknessUnited States, or PCAOB, a “material weakness” is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company's annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
Controls in In connection with the monthly closing process related to recognition and measurementaudits of general and administrative expenses are not designed to prevent or detect a material misstatement of the Company's annual or interim financial statements on a timely basis. The Company is evaluating the material weakness and developing measures and controls to prevent a reoccurrence of such a deficiency in the future.
However, this material weakness did not result in any identified misstatements to the Company'sits consolidated financial statements or any restatementas of prior-period financial statements and there were no changesfor the fiscal years ended December 31, 2018, we identified three “material weaknesses,” in previously released financial results.
(c)Attestation report of the registered public accounting firm.
This annual report does not include an attestation of the Company's registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by the rules of the SEC for emerging growth companies.
(d)Changes inour internal control over financial reporting. The material weaknesses identified related to (i) a lack of accounting staff and resources with appropriate knowledge of U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting and compliance requirements; (ii) a lack of sufficient documented financial closing policies and procedures; and (iii) a lack of written policies to identify related party and related party transactions.

We have implemented and plan to implement a number of measures to address the material weakness that have been identified. We have updated our financial system to improve visibility of data, journal entries and closing and reporting process control. We have also strengthened the internal controls to identity related party and related party transactions. We will recruit qualified professionals with U.S. GAAP knowledge and experience to assist in resolving accounting issues on daily basis and to handle non-routine or complex transactions. And we will continue to organize regular training for our accounting staffs, especially the trainings related to U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting requirements.

105

Attestation Report of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Because we are an emerging growth company, we are not required to obtain an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Except as described above, there have been no changes in our internal controlscontrol over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this annual reportfiscal year ended December 31, 2018 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

ITEM 16.          RESERVED

ITEM 16A.          AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT
ITEM 16A.AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT

Our board of directors has determined that Mr. Thomas Rehder, who serves as ChairmanKevin C. Wei, an independent director, is our audit committee financial expert. Kevin C. Wei satisfies the independent requirements of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and Rule 5605 of the Audit Committee, qualifies as an "audit committee financial expert" under SEC rules,NASDAQ Rules.

ITEM 16B.CODE OF ETHICS

Our board of directors believes in strict adherence to the highest standards of business ethics and that. Mr. Rehder is "independent" under applicable NASDAQ rules and SEC standards.

99


ITEM 16B.          CODE OF ETHICS
responsibility. We have thus adopted a code of business conduct and ethics applicablethat applies to us and our directors, officers, employees and employees. A copyadvisors. Certain provisions of the code apply specifically to our chief executive officer, chief financial officer, senior operating officer and any other persons who perform similar functions for us. We have filed this code of business conduct and ethics has been filed as an exhibit to this annual report. Shareholders may also request a copy of ourreport on Form 20-F. The code of business conduct and ethics is also available at no cost, by writing to usour website atc/o MI Management Company, Trust Company Complex, Suite 206, Ajeltake Road, P.O. Box 3055, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960 or telephoning us at 011-323-247-59-11.
ITEM 16C.          PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
Our Audit Committee has established preapproval procedures for the engagement of the Company's independent public accounting firms for all audit and non-audit services. ir.ncfwealth.com.

ITEM 16C.PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

The following table sets forth for the periods presented, the aggregate fees billed forby categories specified below in connection with certain professional services rendered by UHY LLP, our principal accountant, KPMG Bedrijfsrevisoren—Réviseurs d' Entreprises Burg. CVBA (KPMG),external auditors for the auditperiods indicated.

Accountant Fees of the Company's annual consolidated financial statements and services provided by the principal accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.

  Year ended December 31, 2017  Period from June 24, 2016 (inception) to December 31, 2016 
Audit fees (1) $65,000  $275,000 
Audit related fees $-  $ - 
Tax fees $-  $- 
All other fees $-  $ - 
Total fees $65,000  $275,000 

_____________

Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp.

  2017  2018 
Audit fees $65,000  $235,805 
Audit-related fees        
Tax fees        
All other fees        
Total $65,000  $235,805 

Accountant Fees of NCF

  2017  2018 
Audit fees $        $990,000 
Audit-related fees        
Tax fees        
All other fees        
Total $   $990,000 

(1)"Audit fees" means the aggregatefees consist of fees billed and/or accrued for anprofessional services rendered for the audit of our financial statements forand services that are normally provided by the periods presented. The amount for 2016 includes $225,000above auditors in connection with the IPO in November 2016.statutory and regulatory fillings or engagements.

(2)Audit related fees consist of assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of audit or review of our financial statements related to our SEC filings.

Consistent with the rules of the SEC regarding auditor independence, our Board of Directors is responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of our independent registered public accounting firm. Our Board asks our independent registered public accounting firm to provide a detailed description of its services each year as a basis for its decision-making. The Board evaluates the proposals based on four categories: audit services, audit-related services, tax services, and other services; and determines the proper arrangement for each service according to its judgment as to our needs over the coming year. Our Board pre-approves all audit and non-audit services to be performed by our independent registered public accounting firm. The Board pre-approved 100% of the audit and audit-related services performed by the independent registered public accounting firms described above in fiscal years 2017 and 2018.

106


ITEM 16D.          EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES

ITEM 16D.EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES

Not applicable.

ITEM 16E.          PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PERSONS.
None.
ITEM 16F.          CHANGE IN REGISTRANT'S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT
Applicable.

ITEM 16E.PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS

Not applicable.

100


ITEM 16G.          CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Pursuant to an exception available to FPIs,Applicable.

ITEM 16F.CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT.

None.

ITEM 16G.CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

As a foreign private issuer whose securities are listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market, we, as a Marshall Islands company, are not required to comply with thecertain corporate governance practices followed by U.S. companies under NASDAQ listing standards. We believe that our established practices in the area of corporate governance are in line with the spirit of the NASDAQ standards and provide adequate protection to our shareholders. The practices we follow in lieu of NASDAQ'sNASDAQ’s corporate governance requirements include:

Independence of Directors. NASDAQ listing standards require, among other things, that a listed U.S. company has a board of directors comprised of a majority of independent directors, as defined in the NASDAQ listing standards and applicable SEC rules. As permitted under Marshall Islands law, ourOur board of directors is currently comprised of twothree independent directors and threetwo executive directors. Our independent directors may have meetings at which only independent directors are present.

Audit Committee. NASDAQ listing standards requires, among other things, that a listed U.S. company have an audit committee with a minimum of three members. As permitted by Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act, our audit committee consists of two independent (as defined in Rule 10A-3) members of our board of directors. Pursuant to our audit committee charter, the audit committee is responsible for conferring with our independent registered public accounting firm and will review, evaluate and advise the board of directors concerning the adequacy of our accounting systems, our financial reporting practices, the maintenance of our books and records and our internal controls. Our audit committee is also responsible for reviewing and approving all payments made to our sponsor, executive officers or directors and their respective affiliates. Any payments made to members of our audit committee are reviewed and approved by our board of directors, with the interested director or directors abstaining from such review and approval. In addition, the audit committee reviews the scope of the audit of our consolidated financial statements and results thereof. Our Audit Committee monitors compliance on a quarterly basis with the terms of the IPO. If any noncompliance is identified, then it is the Audit Committee's responsibility to immediately take all necessary action to rectify such noncompliance or otherwise cause compliance with the terms of the IPO. The approval of the Audit Committee is required for any affiliated party transaction.

Compensation Committee and Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee. As permitted under Marshall Islands law, we do not currently have a compensation committee or nominating or corporate governance committee. As a foreign private issuer, we are not required to adopt a formal written charter or board resolution addressing the nominations process.

107

Executive Sessions. NASDAQ listing standards require that the board of directors of a U.S. listed company convene regular meetings of independent directors in executive session without management present. As permitted under Marshall Islands law and our amended and restated bylaws, our independent directors may or may not hold executive sessions without management present.

Code of Conduct.NASDAQ listing standards require that a listed U.S. company adopt a code of conduct applicable to all directors, officers and employees, which shall be publicly available and which must provide for an enforcement mechanism. Disclosure of any director or officer'sofficer’s waiver of the code and the reasons for such waiver is required. We are not required to adopt such guidelines under Marshall Islands law and we do not expect to adopt such guidelines.  We have, however, adopted a Code of Ethics that is applicable to all entities controlled by us and all of our employees, directors and officers, in accordance with Marshall Islands law.

Proxies. As a foreign private issuer, we will not be required to solicit proxies or provide proxy statements to NASDAQ pursuant to NASDAQ corporate governance rules or Marshall Islands law. Consistent with Marshall Islands law, we will notify our shareholders of meetings at least 15 days, but not more than 60 days, before the meeting. This notification will contain, among other things, information regarding business to be transacted at the meeting. In addition, our bylaws provide that shareholders must give us advance notice to properly introduce any business at a meeting.

Shareholder Approval of Securities Issuances. In lieu of obtaining shareholder approval prior to the issuance of designated securities or the adoption of equity compensation plans or material amendments to such equity compensation plans, we will comply with provisions of the BCA, providing that the board of directors may approve share issuances and adoptions of and material amendments to equity compensation plans. Likewise, in lieu of obtaining shareholder approval prior to the issuance of securities in certain circumstances, consistent with the BCA and our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws, the board of directors may approve certain share issuances.

ITEM 16H.          MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE

ITEM 16H.MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE

Not applicable.

108



PART III

ITEM 17.          FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
See
ITEM 17.FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

We have elected to provide financial statements pursuant to Item 18 Financial Statements

18.

ITEM 18.          FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ITEM 18.FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The consolidated financial statements of NCF are included at the end of this annual report beginning on page F-1 through F-17 togetherF-1.

The consolidated financial statements of the Company are incorporated by reference to exhibit 99.1 to the shell company report on Form 20-F filed with the respective reportsSecurities and Exchange Commission on March 27, 2019.

Unaudited Condensed Combined Pro Forma Financial Statements of the Independent Registered Public Accounting firms therefore,Company are filedincluded as a part of this annual report.

Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

ITEM 19.          EXHIBITS
ITEM 19.EXHIBITS

1.1
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (1)
  
1.2
Amended and Restated Bylaws (1)
  
2.1
Specimen Unit Certificate (1)
  
2.2
Specimen Class A Common Stock Certificate (1)
  
2.3
Specimen Warrant Certificate (1)
  
4.1
Underwriting Agreement, dated November 18, 2016, by and between the Company and Morgan Stanley & Co., LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters (2)
  
4.2
Warrant Agreement, dated November 18, 2016, by and between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent (2)
  
4.3
Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated October 5, 2018, by and among the Company, NCF Wealth Holdings Limited, Zhenxin Zhang, and Hunter Maritime (BVI) Limited, 2018 (4)
4.4Securities Purchase Agreement, dated September 27, 2018, by and between Bocimar Hunter NV and CMB NV (4)
4.5Registration Rights Agreement dated November 18, 2016,March 21, 2019, by and between the Company and Zhenxin Zhang, as the sponsor (2)representative of and attorney-in-fact for each of the parties named therein.(5)
 
4.4
4.5
  
4.6
Sponsor Warrants PurchaseAmended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated November 18, 2016, by and between the Company and the sponsor (2)
4.7
 
4.8
  
8.1
List of Subsidiaries (5)
  
11.1
Code of Ethics (3)
  
12.1
Rule 13a-14(a) / 15d-14(a) Certification of the Chief Executive Officer
  
12.2
Rule 13a-14(a) /15d-14(a) Certification of the Chief Financial Officer
  
13.1
Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
  
13.2
Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
___________________________
  
99.1Unaudited Condensed Combined Pro Forma Financial Statements

101.INSXBRL Instance Document
101.SCHXBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CALXBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEFXBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LABXBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PREXBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

(1)Incorporated by reference to the Company'sCompany’s Registration Statement on Form F-1, which was declared effective by the SEC on November 18, 2016.

(2)Incorporated by reference to the Company'sCompany’s Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on November 23, 2016.

(3)Incorporated by reference to the Company'sCompany’s Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the SEC on April 27, 2017.

102

HUNTER MARITIME ACQUISITION CORP.

 INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(4)Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the Form 6-K filed by Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp. on October 5, 2018

(5)Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the SEC on March 27, 2019.

109

The Registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and authorized the undersigned to sign this shell company report on its behalf.

HUNTER MARITIME GROUP CO., LTD. Page
  
Consolidated Financial StatementsBy:/s/ Jia Sheng 
Name: Jia Sheng
Title:Chief Executive Officer

Date: April 30, 2019

110

NCF WEALTH HOLDINGS LIMITED

INDEX TO COMBINED AND CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Page
Audited Combined and Consolidated Financial Statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting FirmF-2
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position as of December 31, 2017Combined and 2016 F-3
Consolidated Income statement for the year/period ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 F-4
Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income for the year/period ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 F-5
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity for the year/period ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 F-6
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the year/period ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 F-7
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 
Combined and Consolidated Balance SheetsF-3
Combined and Consolidated Statements of OperationsF-5
Combined and Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)F-6
Combined and Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' EquityF-7
Combined and Consolidated Statements of Cash FlowsF-8
Notes to the Combined and Consolidated Financial StatementsF-9


F-1



F-1




HUNTER MARITIME ACQUISITION CORP.

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM


To the Board of Directors and

Shareholders of Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp.

NCF Wealth Holdings Limited

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying combined and consolidated statementsbalance sheets of financial position of Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp.NCF Wealth Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries (the Company)“Company”) as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, and 2016, the related combined and consolidated statements of income, profit or loss and otheroperations, comprehensive income (loss), changes in shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the yearyears in the three-year period ended December 31, 2017, and the period from June 24, 2016 (inception) to December 31, 2016,2018, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “combined and consolidated financial statements)statements”). In our opinion, the combined and consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 20172018 and 2016,2017, and the results of itstheir operations and itstheir cash flows for each of the yearyears in the three-year period ended December 31, 2017, and the period from June 24, 2016 (inception) to December 31, 2016,2018, in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued byaccounting principles generally accepted in the International Accounting Standards Board.

Initial business combination requirement
In Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements management describes that in accordance with the Company's articlesUnited States of Incorporation the Company has a 24 month period to complete an initial business combination which ends on November 23, 2018. Our opinion is not modified with respect to this matter.
America.

Basis for Opinion

These combined and consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company'sCompany’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on thesethe Company’s combined and consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the combined and consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the combined and consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the combined and consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the combined and consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Herwig Carmans


Emphasis of Matter
Bedrijfsrevisor

The Company had material related party transactions and balances as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2018. Those related parties are either under common control of the Company’s Founder or under significant influence of the Company’s key management members. The material related party balances and transactions were disclosed in the combined and consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2018, respectively. The detail of the related party transactions are disclosed in Note 19 to the combined and consolidated financial statements. Our opinion is not modified with respect to that matter.

/ Réviseur d'Entreprises

s/ UHY LLP

We have served as the Company'sCompany’s auditor since 20162018.

New York, New York

April 30, 2019

F-2

KPMG Bedrijfsrevisoren – Réviseurs d'Entreprises

Table of Contents

NCF WEALTH HOLDINGS LIMITED

COMBINED AND CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Expressed in U.S. dollars, except for the number of shares)

  As of December 31, 
  2018  2017 
       
Assets      
Current assets:      
Cash and cash equivalents $25,057,905  $35,067,737 
Accounts receivable, net of bad debt allowance of $ 713,080 and $0, respectively  3,017,176   2,066,302 
Accounts receivable – related parties  272,731   1,651,530 
Advances to suppliers  2,724,798   6,519,327 
Other receivables, net  1,525,929   10,861,713 
Advances to suppliers and other receivable - related parties  1,238,726   4,745,184 
Short-term investment  129,182,053   470,641 
Loan receivable – related parties  -   43,773,878 
Other current assets  6,155,139   4,808,738 
   169,174,457   109,965,050 
         
Non-current assets:        
Deferred tax assets  4,621,750   7,713,383 
Fixed assets, net  2,348,203   1,422,816 
Equity method investments  6,333,850   806,055 
Long-term other receivable  263,259   325,128 
Other non-current assets  143,534   4,609,440 
         
Total assets $182,885,053  $124,841,872 
         
Liabilities and shareholders’ equity        
Current liabilities:        
Accrued marketing and channel fees $4,332,622  $2,841,260 
Accrued marketing and channel fees – related parties  8,721,892   4,495,817 
Accruals and other liabilities  9,800,696   5,199,481 
Accruals and other liabilities – related parties  365,707   14,642,846 
Taxes payable  7,317,785   2,214,941 
Loans payable – related parties  1,140,742   - 
Amount due to related parties  1,091,146   92,074 
Note payable – Great Reap  4,077,000   - 
   36,847,590   29,486,419 
Non-current liabilities:        
Note payable – Great Reap  -   4,077,000 
Total liabilities  36,847,590   33,563,419 
         
Commitments and contingencies (Note 18)        

F-3

Hasselt, BELGIUM

Table of Contents

March 29, 2018


F-2



HUNTER MARITIME ACQUISITION CORP.

NCF WEALTH HOLDINGS LIMITED

COMBINED AND CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

asBALANCE SHEETS

(Expressed in U.S. dollar, except for the number of December 31, 2017 and 2016



in USD    2017  2016 
          
ASSETS Note       
CURRENT ASSETS     152,731,518   153,590,747 
Trade and other receivables  -   920   - 
Prepaid expenses  6   180,582   - 
Cash and cash equivalents  4   152,550,016   153,590,747 
Cash  4   447,616   1,823,321 
Cash and cash equivalents (trust account)  1, 4   152,102,400   151,767,426 
TOTAL ASSETS      152,731,518   153,590,747 
             
EQUITY and LIABILITIES            
EQUITY  5   5,000,001   5,000,001 
Equity attributable to owners of the Company  5   5,000,001   5,000,001 
Share capital  -   422   470 
Additional paid-in capital  -   9,342,579   8,959,926 
Retained earnings  -   (4,343,000)  (3,960,395)
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES      -   147,830,224 
Common stock subject to possible redemption  5, 3   -   147,830,224 
CURRENT LIABILITIES      147,731,517   760,522 
Common stock subject to possible redemption  5, 3   147,447,619   - 
Trade and other payables  -   283,898   760,522 
TOTAL EQUITY and LIABILITIES      152,731,518   153,590,747 

shares)

  As of December 31, 
  2018  2017 
       
Shareholders’ equity:      
Series B Preferred shares ($0.00001 par value, 1,000,000,000 shares authorized; 29,426,129 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2018 and 2017)  294   294 
Series C-1 Preferred shares ($0.00001 par value, 1,000,000,000 shares authorized; 24,711,296 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2018 and 2017)  247   247 
Ordinary Shares ($0.00001 par value, authorized 3,000,000,000 shares; 1,091,569,209 shares issued as of December 31, 2018 and 2017; 981,569,209 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2018 and 2017)  10,916   10,916 
Shares in Employee Benefit Trust ($0.00001 par value, 110,000,000 shares held as of December 31, 2018 and 2017)  (4,077,600)  (4,077,600)
Additional paid-in capital  141,011,552   145,580,710 
Statutory reserve  6,838,628   721,818 
Retained earnings (Accumulated deficit)  563,487   (53,604,674)
Accumulated other comprehensive income  1,810,416   2,487,570 
Total NCF Wealth Holdings Limited Shareholders’ Equity  146,157,940   91,119,281 
Non-controlling interest  (120,477)  159,172 
         
Total shareholders’ equity  146,037,463   91,278,453 
         
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $182,885,053  $124,841,872 

The accompanying notes on pages F-8 through F-17 are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.combined and consolidated financial statements.

F-4


F-3



HUNTER MARITIME ACQUISITION CORP.

NCF WEALTH HOLDINGS LIMITED

COMBINED AND CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Expressed in U.S. dollar, except for the year/period ended December 31, 2017 and 2016




in USD    2017  2016 
  Note       
General and administrative expenses  6   (1,324,088)  (397,367)
Result from operating activities      (1,324,088)  (397,367)
Finance income  7   1,084,213   31,808 
Finance expenses  7   (103,531)  (33,315)
Net finance income/(expense)  7   980,682   (1,507)
Profit/(Loss) before tax      (343,406)  (398,874)
Income tax expense  9   (39,199)  - 
Profit/(Loss) for the period      (382,605)  (398,874)
             
Attributable to:            
    Owners of the Company  -   (382,605)  (398,874)
    Non-controlling interest  -   -   - 
             
Earnings per share            
Basic earnings per share  8   (0.1009)  (0.1052)
Diluted earnings per share  8   (0.1009)  (0.1052)
             

number of shares)

  For the Years Ended December 31, 
  2018  2017  2016 
          
Net revenue         
Transaction and service fee $234,972,184  $208,166,308  $99,056,931 
Transaction and service fee - related parties  6,273,413   87,660   1,176,104 
Commission fee  8,751,657   4,334,526   10,080,180 
Commission fee - related parties  1,626,942   3,628,848   1,197,575 
Other revenue  13,787,535   5,541,601   2,755,364 
Other revenue – related parties  7,039   149,701   33,935 
Total net revenue  265,418,770   221,908,644   114,300,089 
             
Operating cost and expenses            
Sales and marketing expenses  156,329,090   150,411,453   103,619,248 
Product development expenses  17,198,056   15,323,516   13,656,817 
Loan facilitation and servicing expenses  3,919,555   3,334,719   2,973,370 
General and administrative expenses  15,433,707   11,981,156   9,274,374 
Total operating cost and expenses  192,880,408   181,050,844   129,523,809 
             
Operating income (loss)  72,538,362   40,857,800   (15,223,720)
             
Other income (expenses)            
Interest income – related parties  7,176,876   4,773,013   1,802,979 
Interest expense – related parties  -   -   (282,276)
Interest (expense) income  (36,829)  (157,640)  126,616 
Foreign currency transaction (loss) gain  (1,171,933)  2,246,572   (2,324,618)
Loss in equity method investment  (199,908)  (22,777)  (110,494)
Gain on sale of equity method investment  -   -   110,494 
Gain on sale of equity interest in a subsidiary  94,104   -   - 
Income from short-term investment  506,590   494,252   - 
Other miscellaneous income (expense)  361,743   1,473   (159,090)
Total other income (expenses)  6,730,643   7,334,893   (836,389)
             
Income (loss) before income tax  79,269,005   48,192,693   (16,060,109)
             
Income tax (expense) benefit  (19,260,548)  (12,348,395)  2,806,686 
             
Net income (loss)  60,008,457   35,844,298   (13,253,423)
             
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest  (276,514)  (143,333)  (96,262)
             
Net income (loss) attributable to NCF Wealth Holdings Limited $60,284,971  $35,987,631  $(13,157,161)
             
Less: Net income allocated to participating securities  2,848,612   1,700,503   - 
             
Net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders of NCF Wealth Holdings Limited $57,436,359  $34,287,128  $(13,157,161)
             
Earnings (loss) per ordinary share            
Basic earnings (loss) per ordinary share attributable to NCF Wealth Holdings $0.05  $0.03  $(0.01)
Weighted-average number of ordinary shares used in computing basic net income (loss) per share  1,091,569,209   1,091,569,209   1,088,230,612 
Diluted earnings (loss) per ordinary share attributable to NCF Wealth Holdings $0.05  $0.03  $(0.01)
Weighted-average number of ordinary shares used in computing diluted net income (loss) per share  1,145,706,634   1,145,706,634   1,088,230,612 

The accompanying notes on pages F-8 through F-17 are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.combined and consolidated financial statements.

F-5

F-4NCF WEALTH HOLDINGS LIMITED



HUNTER MARITIME ACQUISITION CORP.

COMBINED AND CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTSTATEMENTS OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
for the year/period ended December 31, 2017 and 2016


in USD    2017  2016 
  Note       
Profit/(Loss) for the period     (382,605)  (398,874)
Other comprehensive income           
Items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss:            
       -   - 
Items that are or may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss:            
      -   - 
Other comprehensive income, net of tax      -   - 
Total comprehensive income for the period      (382,605)  (398,874)
             
Attributable to:            
Owners of the Company      (382,605)  (398,874)
Non-controlling interest      -   - 

(LOSS)

(Expressed in U.S. dollar)

  For the Years Ended December 31, 
  2018  2017  2016 
          
Net income (loss) $60,008,457  $35,844,298  $(13,253,423)
             
Other comprehensive (loss) income            
Foreign currency translation adjustment  (680,289)  31,160   1,838,672 
             
Total comprehensive income (loss)  59,328,168   35,875,458   (11,414,751)
Less: Comprehensive loss attributable to non-controlling interest  (279,649)  (143,208)  (82,907)
             
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCF Wealth Holdings Limited $59,607,817  $36,018,666  $(11,331,844)

The accompanying notes on pages F-8 through F-17 are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.combined and consolidated financial statements.

F-6

F-5



HUNTER MARITIME ACQUISITION CORP.

NCF WEALTH HOLDINGS LIMITED

COMBINED AND CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTSTATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(Expressed in U.S. dollar, except for the year/period ended December 31, 2017 and 2016


in USD Note  Share capital  Additional paid-in capital  Retained earnings  Equity attributable to owners of the Company 
Balance at June 24, 2016     -   -   -   - 
Total comprehensive income                   
Profit/(Loss) for the period     -   -   (398,874)  (398,874)
Other comprehensive income     -   -   -   - 
Total comprehensive income     -   -   (398,874)  (398,874)
Transactions with owners of the Company                   
Contributions and distributions                   
Issue of shares  5, 14   470   8,959,926   (3,561,521)  5,398,875 
Total contributions and distributions      470   8,959,926   (3,561,521)  5,398,875 
Total transactions with owners of the Company      470   8,959,926   (3,561,521)  5,398,875 
Balance at December 31, 2016      470   8,959,926   (3,960,395)  5,000,001 
                     
Balance at January 1, 2017      470   8,959,926   (3,960,395)  5,000,001 
Total comprehensive income                    
Profit/(Loss) for the period      -   -   (382,605)  (382,605)
Other comprehensive income      -   -   -   - 
Total comprehensive income      -   -   (382,605)  (382,605)
Transactions with owners of the Company                    
Contributions and distributions                    
Forfeiture of shares  1, 5   (52)      -   (52)
Contribution from common stock subject to possible redemption  1, 5, 15   4   382,653       382,657 
Total contributions and distributions      (48)  382,653   -   382,605 
Total transactions with owners of the Company      (48)  382,653   -   382,605 
Balance at December 31, 2017      422   9,342,579   (4,343,000)  5,000,001 


number of shares)

  Preferred Shares  Ordinary Shares  

Additional

Paid-in

  Shares in EBT*  Statutory  

Retained

Earnings /

(Accumulated

  

Accumulated

Other

Comprehensive

  

Non-

controlling

    
  Shares  Amount  Shares  Amount  Capital  Shares  Amount  Reserve  Deficit)  Gain (loss)  Interest  Total 
January 1, 2016  29,426,129  $294   1,069,808,711  $10,698  $78,681,379   (110,000,000) $(4,077,600) $23,330  $(75,736,656) $631,218  $385,287  $(82,050)
                                                 
Issuance of Series C-1 preferred shares  24,711,296   247   -   -   41,949,548   -   -   -   -   -   -   41,949,795 
Yinghua Wealth additional capital contribution  -   -   -   -   7,328,247   -   -   -   -   -   -   7,328,247 
Proceeds from shares issued  -   -   21,760,498   218   13,199,700   -   -   -   -   -   -   13,199,918 
Net loss  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   (13,157,161)  -   (96,262)  (13,253,423)
Share-based compensation - employees  -   -   -   -   2,622,264   -   -   -   -   -   -   2,622,264 
Currency translation differences  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   1,825,317   13,355   1,838,672 
December 31, 2016  54,137,425   541   1,091,569,209   10,916   143,781,138   (110,000,000)  (4,077,600)  23,330   (88,893,817)  2,456,535   302,380   53,603,423 
                                                 
Statutory reserve  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   698,488   (698,488)  -   -   - 
Acquisition of Tianjin Yuanrong  -   -   -   -   (1,632,280)  -   -   -   -   -   -   (1,632,280)
Net income (loss)  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   35,987,631   -   (143,333)  35,844,298 
Share-based compensation - employees  -   -   -   -   3,431,852   -   -   -   -   -   -   3,431,852 
Currency translation differences  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   31,035   125   31,160 
December 31, 2017  54,137,425   541   1,091,569,209   10,916   145,580,710   (110,000,000)  (4,077,600)  721,818   (53,604,674)  2,487,570   159,172   91,278,453 
                                                 
Statutory Reserve                              6,116,810   (6,116,810)  -   -   - 
Acquisition of Yinghua  -   -   -   -   (5,136,107)  -   -   -   -   -   -   (5,136,107)
Net income (loss)  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   60,284,971   -   (276,514)  60,008,457 
Share-based compensation - employees  -   -   -   -   566,949   -   -   -   -   -   -   566,949 
Currency translation differences  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   (677,154)  (3,135)  (680,289)
December 31, 2018  54,137,425  $541   1,091,569,209  $10,916  $141,011,552   (110,000,000) $(4,077,600) $6,838,628  $563,487  $1,810,416  $(120,477) $146,037,463 

The accompanying notes on pages F-8 through F-17 are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.combined and consolidated financial statements.

F-7


F-6



HUNTER MARITIME ACQUISITION CORP.

NCF WEALTH HOLDINGS LIMITED

COMBINED AND CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTSTATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

for the year/period ended December 31, 2017 and 2016


in USD    2017  2016 
  Note       
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period     153,590,747   - 
Profit/(Loss) for the period  -   (382,605)  (398,874)
Net finance expense/(income)  7   (980,682)  1,507 
Changes in trade and other receivables  -   (920)  - 
Changes in prepaid expenses  6   (180,582)  - 
Changes in trade and other payables  -   (476,624)  284,496 
Tax expense  9   39,199   - 
Interest and financial charges paid  7   (93,131)  (33,263)
Interest received  7   1,074,216   31,808 
Income taxes paid  9   (39,199)  - 
Net cash from/(used in) operating activities      (1,040,328)  (114,326)
Net cash from/(used in) investing activities      -   - 
Proceeds from issue of share capital  5   -   25,000 
Proceeds from initial public offering (held in trust account)  5   -   151,731,000 
Proceeds from issuance of warrants  5   -   5,034,620 
Transaction costs recognized as a deduction from retained earnings  5   -   (3,085,495)
Proceeds from loans from related parties  11   -   150,000 
Repayment of loans from related parties  11   -   (150,000)
Net cash from/(used in) financing activities      -   153,705,125 
Effect of changes in exchange rates  -   (403)  (52)
Net cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period  4   152,550,016   153,590,747 


(Expressed in U.S. dollar)

  For the Years Ended December 31, 
  2018  2017  2016 
          
Cash flows from operating activities:         
Net income (loss) $60,008,457  $35,844,298  $(13,253,423)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:            
Depreciation and amortization  660,483   612,563   908,412 
Net losses on disposals of equipment  7,626   19,331   55,068 
Share-based compensation  566,949   3,431,852   2,622,264 
Loss in equity method investment  199,908   22,777   110,494 
Gain on sale of equity method investment  -   -   (110,494)
Gains from disposal of Zhonghui  (163,116)  -   - 
Loss from disposal of Tianjin Yuanrong  69,012   -   - 
Bad debt - Accounts receivable and other receivable  710,790   1,303,739   - 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:            
Accounts receivable  (1,765,089)  1,220,810   (2,390,668)
Accounts receivable – related parties  1,289,267   (1,064,963)  (285,077)
Advances to suppliers  3,474,401   (2,944,507)  4,295 
Other receivables  1,321,891   (8,068,090)  565,054 
Other current assets  (1,589,871)  (4,022,850)  977,134 
Advances to suppliers and other receivables – related parties  2,310,521   14,425,869   (8,805,405)
Loan receivable – related parties  4,762,112   (2,200,938)  (1,802,979)
Long-term other receivable  44,916   242,371   (34,464)
Other non-current assets  (143,201)  (4,440,420)  - 
Accrued marketing and channel fees  1,684,252   (1,417,402)  (3,123,315)
Accrued marketing and channel fees – related parties  4,392,579   (256,235)  (933,699)
Accruals and other liabilities  2,891,741   (1,587,610)  1,896,880 
Accruals and other liabilities – related parties  (13,476,727)  2,278,308   (625,012)
Taxes payable  5,200,591   1,357,894   458,289 
Amounts due to related parties  1,002,027   (2,133,647)  (4,514,235)
Other long-term liabilities  -   -   (12,689)
Deferred tax assets  2,684,231   11,166,845   (2,810,102)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities  76,143,750   43,789,995   (31,103,672)
             
Cash flows from investing activities:            
Investment in Fengshou  (1,452,370)  -   - 
Proceeds from disposal of Zhongli  879,637       - 
Proceeds from disposal of Tianjin Yuanrong  1,452,370   -   - 
Acquisition of Yinghua Wealth  (4,938,058)  -   - 
Proceeds from the sale of equity interest in Jiutai  58,095   -   - 
Investment in Zisheng  -   -   (1,204,376)
Investment in Jiutai  -   -   (60,219)
Investment in Linggui  -   (740,070)  - 
Purchase of available-for-sale financial products  (44,424,096)  (39,103,321)  (451,656)
Redemption of available-for-sale financial assets  52,857,009   39,093,995   - 
Purchase of certificates of deposit  (128,767,124)  -   - 
Loans to related parties  (144,946,712)  (23,267,801)  (22,352,546)
Collection of loan to related parties  182,369,794   7,257,770   - 
Collection of third party loans  -   -   752,735 
Purchases of fixed assets  (1,668,303)  (313,449)  (523,124)
Proceeds from disposal of fixed assets  4,462   -   - 
Net cash (used in) investing activities  (88,575,296)  (17,072,876)  (23,839,186)
             
Cash flows from financing activities:            
Capital contribution received by Yinghua Wealth  -   -   7,479,175 
Proceeds from issuance of preference shares, net of issuance cost  -   -   37,295,187 
Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares  -   -   13,199,918 
Proceeds from bank borrowings  13,507,041   -   14,005,538 
Proceeds from loans payable to related parties  4,647,584   -   1,505,470 
Repayment of loans payable to related parties  (2,059,896)  (1,504,069)  (6,021,880)
Repayments of bank borrowings  (13,507,041)  (13,769,890)  - 
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities  2,587,688   (15,273,959)  67,463,408 
             
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash  (9,843,858)  11,443,160   12,520,550 
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of the year  35,067,737   23,896,950   10,338,379 
Exchange losses (gains) on cash and cash equivalents  (165,974)  (272,373)  1,038,021 
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of year $25,057,905  $35,067,737  $23,896,950 
             
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information            
Cash paid for:            
Interest $175,862  $216,733  $305,004 
Income taxes $12,856,660  $5,706  $1,614 
             
Noncash investing and financing activities:            
Preferred stock issued for a decrease in other liabilities $-  $-  $4,654,609 
Investment in Zisheng for a decrease in other non-current assets $-  $-  $1,053,829 
Disposal of Zisheng in settlement of amount due to related party $-  $-  $2,258,205 
Settlement of debt between related parties $-  $13,581,076  $- 
Acquisition of Tianjin Yuanrong $-  $1,480,140  $- 
Increase in investment in Kunyuan Hengtong for a decrease in other assets $4,357,110  $-  $- 
Investment in available-for-sale financial products for a decrease in other receivable $7,988,035  $-  $- 
Increase in accruals and other liabilities for investment in Silver Triumph $99  $-  $- 
Loans to related party offsets with loan payable related party $1,452,370  $-  $- 
             
Reconciliation to amounts on combined and consolidated balance sheets:            
Cash and cash equivalents $25,057,905  $35,067,737  $10,088,922 
Restricted cash  -   -   13,808,028 
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $25,057,905  $35,067,737  $23,896,950 

The accompanying notes on pages F-8 through F-17 are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.combined and consolidated financial statements.

F-8

F-7NCF WEALTH HOLDINGS LIMITED



HUNTER MARITIME ACQUISITION CORP.

NOTES TO THE COMBINED AND CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


1.

Note 1 - Organization and Business Operations


Incorporationprincipal activities

NCF Wealth Holdings, Ltd. (“the Company”, “Parent” or “NCF”) was established in the British Virgin Islands on December 13, 2011 with the former name of Frontier Financial Rental Co., Ltd., and Business Purpose

was renamed NCF Wealth Holdings Limited in November 2015. The Company has wholly-owned subsidiaries that are incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (“BVI”), and also has various subsidiaries that are incorporated in Hong Kong and People Republic of China (“PRC”).

Since 2013, the Company operates an online marketplace with a brand name of ‘Wangxin Puhui’ through its subsidiaries and variable interest entities and its subsidiaries, (“consolidated VIEs”), (collectively, the “Group”). This is an online Peer-to-peer, (“P2P”) platform matching borrowers with investors and facilitating transactions. Wangxin Puhui offers qualified borrowers a quick and convenient access to affordable credit at competitive prices. To provide a transparent marketplace, the interest rates, transaction fees, and other charges are all clearly disclosed to borrowers upfront.

Since 2016, NCF Wealth Group also operates an internet platform with a brand of ‘Wangxin’ which is positioned as an open platform for financial technology, providing information publishing, information display, information exchange, and online user diversion services for a variety of organizations including insurance sales, securities, fund sales. At the same time, Wangxin provides technology platforms and operational solutions for various cooperative organizations, and to helps cooperative organizations to improve the efficiency of customer management. The Group also provides Premier Wealth Management (“PWM”) services to investors and facilitate the matching of investors with borrowers.

In March 2017, NCF Wealth Group launched a new program to promote exchange administered product program (“E-APP”) to investors and borrowers. The E-APP includes (I) product registration services and (II) promotion services on best efforts basis and (III) Data Processing Technical Services.

The Company is controlled by Great Reap Ventures Limited, which owns 54% of the Company’s ordinary shares as of December 31, 2018. The remaining 46% of the shares are widely held. The ultimate controlling party of the Group is the Founder (defined below).

Merger Agreement entered with Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp.

On October 5, 2018, the Group entered into a definitive agreement to complete a business combination (the “Transaction”) with Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp. (the "Company"(Nasdaq: HUNT) (“Hunter”), a special purpose acquisition company. Hunter has established a wholly-owned subsidiary that will acquire the Group by way of merger in an all-stock transaction which values the Group at an equity value of $2,000,000,000. Hunter has agreed to issue 200,000,000 Class A common shares of Hunter’s to the shareholders of the Group at the closing of the merger. The shareholders of the Group shall also be entitled to receive up to 50,000,000 additional Class A common shares if Hunter meets certain financial performance targets for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years. The Transaction was consummated on March 21, 2019.

Reorganization

Acquisition of Yinghua Wealth Investment Management Holdings Co., Ltd. (“Yinghua Wealth”)

In May 2018, the Group acquired 91.91% equity interest in Yinghua Wealth for a total consideration of $5,136,107 (RMB 34,000,000). Yinghua Wealth acts as an agent to introduce potential investors to other parties to purchase contractual funds or private equity funds, Yinghua Wealth is controlled by Mr. Zhenxin Zhang, who is the founder (“Founder”) of the Company.

The consideration of $5,136,107 was incorporatedpaid on June 5, 2018 and was recorded with an offsetting adjustment to equity in accordance with ASC 805-50-25-2.B.

Acquisition and disposition of Tianjin Yuanrong Asset Management Co., Ltd (“Tianjin Yuanrong”)

In December 2016, the Group acquired a 100% equity interest in Tianjin Yuanrong for a total consideration of $1,632,280 (RMB 10,000,000) from the Founder. Tianjin Yuanrong primarily engages in asset management, investment advisory, and financial consulting services. Tianjin Yuanrong is also controlled by the Founder. The consideration was recorded with an offsetting adjustment to equity in the Republiccombined and consolidated statements of equity in accordance with ASC 805-50-25-2.B. The consideration was paid in early 2018.

As the Group, Yinghua Wealth and Tianjin Yuanrong are under the common control of the Marshall IslandsFounder before and after the acquisition, the acquisition of Yinghua Wealth and Tianjin Yuanrong was accounted for as a reorganization of entities under common control in a manner similar to a pooling of interest using historical cost in accordance with ASC 805-50-05-5. As a result of the reorganization, the 91.91% net assets of Yinghua Wealth and 100% net assets of Tianjin Yuanrong have been presented as “combined” with the Group at their carrying values as though the transaction occurred at the beginning of periods presented, in which the common control existed. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions among the Group, Yinghua Wealth and Tianjin Yuanrong have been eliminated for all periods presented.

On August 31, 2018, Tianjin Yuanrong was sold to an unrelated third party for a total consideration of $1,452,370 (RMB 10,000,000), resulting in a loss from disposition of $69,012. This disposition did not qualify as discontinued operations as it does not represent a strategic shift that has had a major impact on June 24, 2016. The Company's registered address is Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH96960.the Group’s operations or financial results. 

F-9

As of December 31, 2017, the Company had not commenced any operations. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after completion of its Initial Business Combination, at the earliest.  The Company has until November 23, 2018, the date which is 24 monthsGroup’s subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs are incorporated in the following the completionjurisdictions:

Name

Incorporation

date

Place of

incorporation/

establishment

Percentage
of

ownership

Principal activities
Beijing Yinghua Wealth Investment Management Holdings Co., Ltd. (“Yinghua Wealth”)April 11, 2011PRC91.91%Investment consulting
Beijing Oriental Union Investment Management Co., Ltd.  (“Beijing Oriental”)June 21, 2011PRCConsolidated VIEServices for online marketplace
UCF Huarong Investment Co., Ltd. (UCF)December 23, 2011Hong Kong100%Holding company
Beijing NCF Financial Services Information Technology Co., Ltd. (“NCF Financial”)April 15, 2014PRC100%Financing / Investment advisory services provider
Beijing Jing Xun Shi Dai Technology Co., Ltd. (“Jing Xun Shi Dai”)June 27, 2014PRCConsolidated VIEServices for online marketplace
State Ace Ltd. (SAL)October 22, 2015BVI100%Holding company
Zhan Yang Ltd. (ZYL)October 22, 2015BVI100%Holding company
Tall Lead Ltd. (TLL)October 22, 2015BVI100%Holding company
NCF Development Co., Ltd. (NCFD)November 16, 2015Hong Kong100%Holding company
NCF International Ltd. (NCFI)November 16, 2015Hong Kong100%Holding company
Shenzhen Yifang Yurong Financial Information Technology Service Co., Ltd. (“Yifang Yurong”)December 1, 2015PRC100%Investment consulting
Shenzhen Yingxin Fund Sales Limited Liability Co., Ltd.  (“Yingxin Fund Sales”)December 29, 2015PRC100%Fund sales agency
Beijing NCF Cloud Services Information Technology Co., Ltd. (“Cloud Services”)January 5, 2016PRC100%Technology development and services
Shanghai Cenmu Business Information Consulting Co., Ltd.January 17, 2017PRC100%Business consulting
Xinzu (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd.May 5, 2017PRCConsolidated VIE as a subsidiary of Jing Xun Shi DaiTechnology development and consulting
Shanghai NCF Puhui Business Consulting Co., Ltd.July 30, 2018PRC100%Business consulting

F-10

Financing
On July 11, 2016, Bocimar Hunter NV, the Company's sponsor (the "Sponsor") purchased 4,312,500 Class B Common Shares

Note 2 - Summary of significant accounting policies

(a)Basis of presentation

The combined and consolidated financial statements of the Company (the "Founder Shares") for $25,000, or $0.006 per share.

On November 23, 2016 (the "Closing Date"), the Company closed its initial public offering of 15,000,000 units (the "Units") at $10.00 per Unit, each Unit consisting of one Class A common share of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the "Class A Common Shares") and one-half of one warrant (the "Warrants"), each whole Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A Common Share at $11.50 (the "Public Offering").  The Company also granted the underwriters of the Public Offering a 45-day option to purchase up to 2,250,000 additional Units to cover overallotments (the "Over-allotment Option").  The Class A Common Shares sold as part of the Units in the Public OfferingGroup are sometimes referred to herein as the "Public Shares."
At the Closing Date, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 3,333,333 warrants (the "Private Placement Warrants") at a purchase price of $1.50 per warrant, or $5,000,000 in the aggregate, in a private placement (the "Private Placement"). The Private Placement Warrants are included under the heading Additional paid-in capital on the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position.
As of the Closing Date, after paying an underwriting fee of $3,000,000 and retaining funds designated for Public Offering expenses and operational use of $2,000,000, the remaining net proceeds of $150,000,000 were deposited in a trust account with Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company acting as trustee (the "Trust Account") as described below.
On December 16, 2016, the Company completed the sale of an additional 173,100 units (the "Additional Units") of the Company to the underwriters of its Public Offering at the public offering price per unit pursuant to a partial exercise of the Over-allotment Option granted to the underwriters in connection with the Public Offering. Each unit consists of one Class A common share and one half of one warrant of the Company. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A common share for $11.50 per share. The Company received $1,696,380 in net proceeds from the sale, which included $60,585 in the aggregate payable to the underwriters for deferred underwriting commissions.
In connection with the sale of the Additional Units, the Company completed the private sale of an additional 23,080 warrants (the "Additional Private Placement Warrants") to Sponsor at a purchase price of $1.50 per Additional Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $34,620. The Additional Private Placement Warrants are included under the heading Additional paid-in capital on the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position.
A total of $1,731,000, comprised of the net proceeds of the sale of the Additional Units and the proceeds of the sale of the Additional Private Placement Warrants, was placed in the Trust Account.
On January 2, 2017, the over-allotment option on the Company's shares offered in the IPO expired.
The Company's sponsor, Bocimar Hunter NV, forfeited 519,225 class B Common shares or Founder Shares.  These shares were subsequently cancelled.
F-8



The Company has neither engaged in any operations nor generated significant revenue to date. The Company's only activities between inception and the closing of its Public Offering were organizational activities and those necessary to prepare for and close the Public Offering.  Since the consummation of the Public Offering, the Company's activity has been limited to evaluating candidates for its Initial Business Combination.
Fiscal Year End
The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end.
The Trust Account
The Trust Account is a segregated account at KBC Bank located in Belgium into which the net proceeds from the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants were deposited in accordance with an Investment Management Trust Agreement by and among the Company, KBC Bank and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company ("Continental") and pursuant to which Continental is acting as trustee. The Trust Account will be invested only in permitted United States "government securities" within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"), having a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act.  At December 31, 2017, the Trust Account consisted of investments in US Treasury bills with maturity date January 10, 2018.
The Company's amended and restated articles of incorporation provide that, other than the withdrawal of investment earnings earned on the Trust Account to pay taxes or to fund working capital requirements, none of the funds held in the trust account will be released until the earlier of (i) the completion of the Company's Initial Business Combination, (ii) the redemption of the Public Shares if the Company is unable to complete the Initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Public Offering, subject to applicable law, or (iii) the redemption of the Public Shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company's amended and restated articles of incorporation that would affect the substance or timing of its obligation to redeem 100% of the Public Shares if the Company has not consummated an Initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Public Offering.
Business Combination
The Company's management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be generally applied toward completing the Initial Business Combination. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully complete the Initial Business Combination.
The Company will provide its public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares, (i) if the Company is a foreign private issuer ("FPI"), upon the completion of the Initial Business Combination, by means of a tender offer in accordance with the U.S. tender offer rules or, (ii) if the Company is not an FPI, either, (A) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the Initial Business Combination, in conjunction with a proxy solicitation for such meeting pursuant to the U.S. proxy rules or, (B) by means of a tender offer, in each case, for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the Initial Business Combination, less taxes payable and any amounts released to the Company to fund working capital requirements.  However, in no event will the Company redeem its Public Shares in an amount that would cause its net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001. In such case, the Company would not proceed with the redemption of its Public Shares and the related Initial Business Combination, and instead may search for an alternate business combination.
The Company will only have 24 months from the closing of the Public Offering, being November 23, 2016, to consummate an Initial Business Combination. If the Company does not complete the Initial Business Combination within this period of time, it shall, (i) cease all operations except for the purposes of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible, but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the Public Shares for a per-share pro rata portion of the Trust Account, less taxes payable (less up to $100,000 of such net interest to pay dissolution expenses) and, (iii) as promptly as possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company's remaining shareholders and Board of Directors, dissolve and liquidate the balance of the Company's net assets to its remaining shareholders, as part of its plan of dissolution and liquidation, subject to applicable law. The Sponsor entered into a letter agreement with the Company, pursuant to which it has waived its rights to participate in any redemption with respect to the Founder Shares (as defined below); however, if the Sponsor or any of the Company's officers, directors or affiliates acquire Class A Common Shares in or after the Public Offering, they will be entitled to a pro rata share of the Trust Account upon the Company's redemption or liquidation in the event the Company does not complete the Initial Business Combination within the required time period.
F-9



2. Measurement and Basis of Presentation - Statement of Compliance - Accounting policies
These Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with IFRS. They were authorized for issue byaccounting principles generally accepted in the Company's boardUnited States of directors on March 29, 2018.
The Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2017, comprise the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries Hamburg Maritime NV (incorporated under Belgian law on May 15, 2017, with its registered address on De Gerlachekaai 20, 2000 Antwerpen) and Maritime Partner BVBA (incorporated under Belgian law on May 9, 2017, with it's registered address on De Gerlachekaai 20, 2000 Antwerpen).
The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company are presented in America (“U.S. dollars (USD)GAAP”), which is the functional and presentation currency, in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (the "IASB") and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.  All financial data presented in USDSecurities Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

(b)Reclassification

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified for consistency with the current year presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on the reported results of operations. An adjustment has been roundedmade to the nearest unit exceptcombined and consolidated balance sheet, and combined and consolidated statements of operations for perthe year ended December 31, 2017 to reclassify certain related party transactions. The items were reclassified as follows:

  Previously reported  Reclassification  After reclassification 
  2017  (Decrease)/ Increase  2017 
Combined and Consolidated Balance Sheets         
Current assets:         
Accounts receivable  3,693,095   (1,626,793)  2,066,302 
Accounts receivable – related parties  24,737   1,626,793   1,651,530 
Current liabilities:            
Accrued marketing and channel fees  6,565,830   (3,724,570)  2,841,260 
Accrued marketing and channel fees – related parties  771,247   3,724,570   4,495,817 
Combined and Consolidated Statements of Operations            
Net revenue:            
Commission fee  6,446,753   (2,112,227)  4,334,526 
Commission fee - related parties  1,516,621   2,112,227   3,628,848 

(c)Principal of consolidation

The combined and consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Group, its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and consolidated VIEs. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated upon consolidation.

The Group has an employee benefit trust to facilitate share data.

Subsidiaries are fully consolidated fromtransactions pursuant to certain equity incentive plans. The trust is a separate legal entity under the date of acquisition, being the date onGroup’s control, for which the Group obtains control,is the primary beneficiary using variable interest entities model criteria under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810,Consolidations. Consequently, the group has consolidated and continue toclassified the trust shares within our combined and consolidated balance sheets.

Variable Interest Entities (“VIE”) arrangements

To be consolidated untilin compliance with PRC regulations for information intermediary companies, the date such control ceases.

Accounting policiesGroup entered into VIE arrangements with respect to the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, the Consolidated Income Statement, the Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income and the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows and any disclosures thereto have been disclosed in the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Significant events that took place during 2017
following entities:

January 2017
 
January 2, 2017(i)The Over-allotment Option onOn September 28, 2014 (“Effective Date”), NCF Financial and Beijing Oriental signed the Company's Class A Common Shares as partVIE agreements. Beijing Oriental is the principal operating entity of the Public Offering expired.P2P business of the Group. The VIE agreements enable NCF Financial to (1) have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of Beijing Oriental , and (2) receive the economic benefits of Beijing Oriental that could be significant to Beijing Oriental. Accordingly, NCF Financial is considered the primary beneficiary of Beijing Oriental and has consolidated Beijing Oriental’s assets, liabilities, results of operations, and cash flows in the accompanying combined and consolidated financial statements.

 (ii)

On January 3, 2017

The Sponsor forfeited 519,225 Class B Common Shares.  These shares were subsequently cancelled.
January 9, 2017The Class A Common Shares and Warrants underlying the Units sold in the Public Offering began to trade separately.
April 2017
April 26, 2017The Company entered into definitive agreements for the purchase of five identified capesize vessels (the "Capesize Vessels"22, 2018 (“Effective Date”).
April 27, 2017The Company commenced a Tender Offer to purchase up to 8,233,100 of its Class A Common Shares (the "Tender Offer").  The Tender Offer was extended twice, on May 25 and June 5, 2017.
May 2017
May 9, 2017Incorporation of Maritime Partner BVBA,, Cloud Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.  HMAC contributedGroup, entered into a series of VIE agreements with Jing Xun Shi Dai’s shareholders, Mr. Zhenxin Zhang and Ms. Huanxiang Li, who acquired Jing Xun Shi Dai from Bejing Oriental on January 4, 2018.

The VIE agreements enable Cloud Services to (1) have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of Jing Xun Shi Dai, and (2) receive the economic benefits of Jing Xun Shi Dai that could be significant to Jing Xun Shi Dai. Accordingly, Cloud Services is considered the primary beneficiary of Jing Xun Shi Dai and has consolidated Jing Xun Shi Dai’s assets, liabilities, results of operations, and cash flows in cash for 13.501 USD equivalent to 100 shares outthe accompanying audited combined and consolidated financial statements.

VIE agreements

Power of Attorney

The shareholders of the VIEs have executed an irrevocable power of attorney in favor of NCF Financial and Cloud Services (collectively, “Primary Beneficiaries”), or any entity or individual designated by Primary Beneficiaries. Pursuant to the power of attorney, Primary Beneficiaries (or their designees) have full power and authority to exercise all of such shareholder’s rights, including the right to attend and vote at equity holders’ meetings and appoint directors. The power of attorney will remain in force for so long as shareholders remain as shareholders of Primary Beneficiaries.

Exclusive Option Agreement

The VIEs and their shareholders have entered into an exclusive share option agreement with Primary Beneficiaries, pursuant to which all the shareholders of the VIEs have granted an exclusive option to Primary Beneficiaries (or their designees) to purchase all or part of such shareholders’ equity interest, at a purchase price equal to the higher of the registered capital of the VIEs or the minimum price permitted by applicable PRC laws at the time of such purchase. Unless unilaterally terminated Primary Beneficiaries, the exclusive option agreements remain in effect until the equity interest that are the subject of such agreements are transferred to Primary Beneficiaries.

F-11

Equity Interest Pledge Agreement

The shareholders of the VIEs have entered into an equity interest pledge agreement with Primary Beneficiaries, pursuant to which all shareholders have pledged their interests in the VIEs to secure the performance of obligations by the VIEs and their shareholders under the business cooperation agreement, and exclusive option agreements. Unless mutually terminated, these equity interest pledge agreements remain in force for the duration of the terms of the aforementioned agreements.

Business Cooperation Agreement

The VIEs and their shareholders have entered into a business cooperation agreement with Primary Beneficiaries, pursuant to which Primary Beneficiaries have the exclusive right to provide to the VIEs technical and consulting services including but not limited to, server maintenance and related internet platform management service, development, and upgrade of application software for servers and users, training of technical and business personnel, and other services agreed upon by the parties. Without Primary Beneficiaries’ prior written consent, the VIEs shall not engage any third party for any of the technical and consulting services provided under this agreement. 

In addition, Primary Beneficiaries exclusively own all intellectual property rights resulting from the performance of all services under this agreement. The Business Cooperation Agreement entitles Primary Beneficiaries to charge the VIEs service fees that amount to substantially all of the net income of the VIEs. The term of this agreement is ten years the effective dates of the VIE agreements and will be extended upon the written notice made by the Primary Beneficiaries for a period determined by it. Primary Beneficiaries can terminate the agreement at any time by providing 30 days’ prior written notice to the VIEs. The VIEs are not permitted to terminate the agreement prior to the expiration date, which is ten years from their respective Effective Date.

Risks in relation to the VIE structure

The Company believes that the contractual arrangements with the VIEs and their shareholders are in compliance with PRC laws and regulations and are legally enforceable. However, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit the Company’s ability to enforce the contractual arrangements. If the legal structure and contractual arrangements were found to be in violation of PRC laws and regulations, the PRC government could:

a.Revoke the business and operating licenses of the 100 shares issued by Maritime Partner BVBA. Currently, there are not yet operational activities within this subsidiary.Company’s PRC subsidiaries and the consolidated VIEs;

 b.Discontinue or restrict the operations of any related-party transactions among the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and the consolidated VIEs;

May 15, 2017Incorporation of Hamburg Maritime NV, a wholly owned subsidiaryc.Impose fines or other requirements on the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and the consolidated VIEs;

d.Require the Company or the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and the VIE to revise the relevant ownership structure or restructure operations;

e.Restrict or prohibit the Company’s use of the Company.  HMAC contributed in cash for 67.478 USD equivalent to 99.999 shares outproceeds of the 100.000 shares issued by Maritime Partner BVBA. 1 share is held by Maritime Partner BVBA. Currently, there are not yet operational activities within this subsidiary.additional public offering to finance the Company’s business and operations in China;

 f.Shut down the Group’s servers or blocking the Group’s online platform;
June 2017

 
June 12, 2017g.The Company terminatedDiscontinue or placing restrictions or onerous conditions on the Tender Offer, and consequently cancelled its purchase of the Capesize Vessels.Group’s operations; and/or

h.Require the Company to undergo a costly and disruptive restructuring.

The Company’s ability to conduct its business may be negatively affected if the PRC government were to carry out any of the aforementioned actions. As a result, the Company may not be able to consolidate the VIEs in its combined and consolidated financial statements as it may lose the ability to exert effective control over the VIEs and their shareholders, and it may lose the ability to receive economic benefits and loss from the VIEs.

The interests of the shareholders of VIEs may diverge from that of the Company, and that may potentially increase the risk that they would seek to act contrary to the contractual terms, for example by influencing the VIEs to not pay the service fees when required to do so. The Company cannot assure that when conflicts of interest arise, shareholders of the VIEs will act in the best interests of the Company or that conflicts of interests will be resolved in the Company’s favor. Currently, there no existing arrangements which would give rise to any potential conflicts of interest. The Company believes the shareholders of the VIEs will not act contrary to any of the contractual arrangements and the exclusive option agreement provide the Company with a mechanism to maintain control of the VIEs. The Company relies on shareholders of the VIEs to fulfill their fiduciary duties and abide by laws of the PRC and act in the best interest of the Company. If the Company cannot resolve any conflicts of interest or disputes between the Company and the shareholders of the VIEs, the Company would have to rely on legal proceedings, which could result in disruption of its business, and there is substantial uncertainty as to the outcome of any such legal proceedings.


F-12

F-10



The following table sets forth the carrying amount of the assets and Assumptions

liabilities of the VIEs included in the Company’s combined and consolidated balance sheets with intercompany transactions eliminated:

  As of   December 31, 
  2018  2017 
       
Current assets $135,131,467  $24,859,791 
Non-current assets $6,099,961  $12,642,404 
Total assets $141,231,428  $37,502,195 
Total liabilities $19,713,707  $22,145,453 

In accordance with the VIE contractual arrangements, Cloud Services and NCF Financial have the power to direct activities of the VIE Companies, and can have assets transferred out of the VIE Companies. There are no consolidated VIE’s assets that are collateral for the VIE’s obligations and can only be used to settle the VIE’s obligations. There are no creditors (or beneficial interest holders) of the VIEs that have recourse to the general credit of the Company. There are no terms in any arrangements, considering both explicit arrangements and implicit variable interests, which require the Company or its subsidiaries to provide financial support to the VIEs. However, if the VIEs ever need financial support, the Company or its subsidiaries may, at its option and subject to statutory limits and restrictions, provide financial support to its VIEs through loans to the shareholders of the VIEs or entrustment loans to the VIEs. Relevant PRC laws and regulations restrict the VIE from transferring a portion of its net assets, equivalent to the balance of its paid-in capital, capital reserve and statutory reserves, to the Company in the form of loans and advances or cash dividends.

(d)Use of estimates

The preparation of Consolidated Financial Statementscombined and consolidated financial statements in conformityaccordance with IFRSU.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported amounts of assets and liabilitiesdisclosed in the combined and disclosure of contingent assetsconsolidated financial statements and liabilities at the date of the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position.accompanying notes. Actual resultsamounts could differ from those estimates.  Estimatesestimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis.  Revisions todifferences could be material. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period they are identified.

Significant accounting estimates reflected in the Group’s combined and consolidated financial statements include valuation allowances for deferred tax assets, allowance for doubtful accounts, the useful lives of fixed assets, valuation of available for sales investments, valuation of share-based awards, accrued marketing and channel fees, accruals and other liabilities.

(e)Revenue recognition

The Group engages primarily in operating an online consumer finance marketplace and matches borrowers with investors. The transaction fees are not earned until a borrower and investor are matched and enter into a transaction. The Group earns revenue through transaction and service fees, commission fees, and various other insignificant types of revenue.

As an information intermediary in the introduction between borrowers and investors, the Group acts as an agent and does not have any legal obligations of the loans or securities facilities. Therefore, the Group does not record loans receivable and payable arising from the loans between lending investors and borrowers on its combined and consolidated balance sheets.

Revenue is recognized prospectively.when each of the following criteria is met under ASC Topic 605:

1)Persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists;

2)Services have been rendered;

3)Pricing is fixed or determinable; and

4)Collectability is reasonably assured.

Transaction and service fees

Transaction and service fees include the following products: 

Online P2P loan facilitation services: matching services to connect borrowers with investors and setting up automated repayment schedule upon loan origination. The Group charges borrowers a transaction fee for the service;

Premier wealth management services (“PWM”): services provided to borrowers to facilitate the matching of investors with various registered wealth management products. The Group charges borrowers a transaction fee for the PWM services.

Exchange administered product program (E-APP): product registration services include advising registration holders (usually are borrowers) on the selection of local financial assets trading service platforms, review registration application documentation and assists with due diligence conducted by the local financial assets trading service platform. The Group charges registration holders for the E-APP product registration services to connect borrowers with investors.

Transaction fees are usually non-refundable and recognized upon loan origination or upon funding received by registration holders for E-APP or when the price is considered fixed. At this point, the Group has completed all performance obligations to the borrowers and collectability is reasonably assured.

F-13

Incentives to investors

The Group occasionally provides incentives to potential investors at its sole discretion. The voucher incentives are offered to all investors who invest through the Wangxin Puhui platform and Wangxin platform.

The Group provides the following types of incentive:

Cash incentive typesDescriptionAwarded toBenefit
Event reward/sign up voucherEarned upon sign-up for platform events and applied upon investmentPotential investorOne-time fee deduction
Investment reward voucherEarned upon making an investment and applied in the next investmentInvestorOne-time fee deduction or Additional interest

When an investor makes an investment through the Group, the investor can redeem the vouchers, either upfront as a one-time contribution to the investment amount or on a monthly basis over the term of the investment as additional interest. If the investor chooses to redeem the voucher upfront, their investment is reduced by the voucher value, and the investor still entitled to full repayment of the stated principal value.

The Group considers both investors and borrowers as customers. The event reward and sign up voucher can be applied to the initial investment only. The cost of the awarded vouchers is treated as a direct reduction of revenue upon initial investment by the investor in accordance with ASC 605-50-25-7.

The investment reward voucher can be applied after the initial investment. The Group considers the investment reward voucher as an obligation to investors for future investment. As the amount of the investment reward is relatively insignificant as compared to the financial statements taken as a whole, the Group does not record this as a deferred revenue.

Commission fee

Yinghua Wealth, one of the Group’s subsidiaries, engages in the businesses of introducing potential investors to purchase contractual funds from other financial institutions. The commission fee is calculated based on a certain percentage of the funds invested by investors that are recommended by Yinghua Wealth and is recognized as revenue when the funds are fully subscribed.

The Group provides E-APP product promotion services to promote financial products registered at local financial assets exchange trading service platform. The commission fee is calculated based on a certain percentage of the funds invested by investors and the Group recognizes revenue when registration holders of the financial instruments received funding.

Other revenues

Other revenues mainly include advisory income and technology service fees.

Advisory income is charged to a borrower for assistance with the credit assessment before the borrower qualifies for their loan. They earn a fee based on the percentage between 0.5%-1% of the loan.

E-APP data processing technology services include data transmission and storage to E-APP borrowers to facilitate the preparation of registration application.

Other revenues are recognized upon loan origination or upon funding received by registration holders for E-APP.

(f)Foreign currency and foreign currency translation

The reporting currency of the Group is the US dollar. The functional currency of the BVI and HK entities is the Hong Kong dollar (“HK$”). The functional currency of the Group’s PRC subsidiaries, VIEs and the subsidiaries of the VIEs is RMB based on the criteria of ASC 830, Foreign Currency Matters.

The combined and consolidated financial statements are translated to U.S. dollars using the period-end rates of exchange for assets and liabilities, equity is translated at historical exchange rates, and average rates of exchange (for the period) are used for revenues and expenses and cash flows. As a result, amounts relating to assets and liabilities reported on the statements of cash flows may not necessarily agree with the changes in the corresponding balances on the combined and consolidated balance sheets. Translation adjustments resulting from the process of translating the functional currency financial statements into U.S. dollars are included in determining comprehensive income / loss. Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are translated into the functional currency at the exchange rates prevailing on the transaction dates. Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into the functional currency at the exchange rates prevailing at the balance sheet date with any transaction gains and losses that arise from exchange rate fluctuations on transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency are included in the results of operations as incurred.

Asset and liability accounts at December 31, 2018, and 2017 were translated at RMB 1.00 to US $0.1457 and at RMB 1.00 to US $0.1536, respectively, which were the exchange rates on the balance sheet dates. Equity accounts were stated at their historical rates. The average translation rates applied to the statements of operations for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 were RMB 1.00 to US $0.1452, RMB 1.00 to US $0.1480 and RMB 1.00 to US $0.1505, respectively.

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(g)Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and funds held in checking, deposits, short term certificate of deposits with banks, which are highly liquid and have original maturities of three months or less and are unrestricted as to withdrawal or use. As of December 31, 2016,2018 and 2017, the Common stock subjectGroup had $2,705,237 and $825,175 cash deposited with Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd., respectively. Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd. was a related party in 2017 and beginning October 26, 2018, it ceased to possible redemption has beenbe a related party as the Haikou’s director, Mr. Nan Xiao, resigned from Yinghua Weath.  

(h)Short-term investments

Short-term investments consist of certificates of deposit and available for sale debt securities with original maturities of greater than 90 days and not more than one year.

The Group intends to hold the certificates of deposit until maturity. Investment in certificates of deposit are valued at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.

The Group classifies the debt securities as available for sale in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 320 “Investments — Debt and Equity Securities.” The debt securities not classified as a non-current liability consideringheld to maturity or trading shall be classified as available for sale and are reported at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on available for sale securities are excluded from earnings and reported as accumulated other comprehensive income or loss (a separate component of equity), net of related income taxes. Realized gains or losses are included in earnings during the following:

-The Company cannot prevent a future cash outflow,
-The Public Shares are not the most subordinate, since a.o. the Founder Shares are non-redeemable (and thus more subordinate), and
-In case of redemption, the Public Shares only have right to their pro-rata shareperiod in the Trust Account and not on  all net assets of the Company.
The Public Shares subject to possible redemption will only convert into equity following the completion of the Initial Business Combination for which the Company has a period of 24 months to complete.
Taking into account thatgain or loss is realized. The unrealized gain for the 24 months period the Company has to complete an Initial Business Combination ends on November 23, 2018, the Common stock subject to possible redemption has been reclassified as a current liability as of December 31, 2017.
Bearing in mind the fact that the Company has the intention and ability to complete an Initial Business Combination before November 23, 2018, the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Companyavailable-for-sale financial assets as of December 31, 2017 have been prepared on a going concern basis.  The funds available to us outside of the trust account are sufficient to allow us to operate at least until November 23, 2018 (the date which is 24 months following our IPO), assuming that our initial business combination is not completed during that time.  We expect to continue to incur costs in pursuit of our acquisition plans.
4. Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents includes an amount of $152,102,400 (2016: $151,767,426) that is being held in the Trust Account (see also Note 1) and can be detailedimmaterial as follows:

in USD 2017  2016 
       
Cash  246,045   4,933 
Held-to-maturity investments  151,856,355   151,762,493 
Total cash equivalents  152,102,400   151,767,426 

The increase in cash held in the trust accounts is mainly explained by interest earned on the amount held in the trust account.
The Held-to-maturity investments represent the fair value at December 31, 2017, of 151,903,000 units of US Treasury bills that will mature on January 10, 2018 and are recognized at amortized cost. 
Other cash balances amounting to $447,616 (2016: $1,823,321).  The decrease compared to the preceding accounting year is mainly explained by the settlement in cash of offering expensescombined and general and administrative expenses.
Including the amount being held in the Trust Account, Cash and cash equivalents amounts to $152,550,016consolidated financial statements taken as a whole.

As of December 31, 2017, compared to $153,590,747 asthe Group only holds debt securities which are the loan products listed on its online marketplace platform. The average term of December 31, 2016.

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5. Equity and non-current liabilities
Common Stock
The Company is authorized to issue up to 500,000,000 sharesmost of common stock, consisting of (i) 400,000,000 Class A Shares and (ii) 100,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the "Class B Shares").  At December 31, 2017, thereloan products the Group purchased were issued and outstanding 15,173,100 Class A Shares and 3,793,275 Class B Shares, compared to 15,173,100 Class A shares and 4,312,500 Class B Shares as of December 31, 2016 (see also Note 11).
The Class B Shares will automatically convert into Class A Shares on the first business day following the consummation of the Initial Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment pursuant to the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation.
At December 31, 2017, 14,744,762 shares were subject to redemption in connection with the Initial Business Combination (at an anticipated redemption value of $10.00 per share).  A total amount of $147,447,619 has been accounted for as a current liability (see also Note 3).
Our articles of incorporation do not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold, except that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 (such that we are not subject to the SEC's "penny stock" rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our Initial Business Combination.21 days. As a result, Common stock subject to possible redemption decreased by $382,605 compared to December 31, 2016.
Preferred Stock
The Company is authorized to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), withthe Group classified such designations, votinginvestments as available-for-sale and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. At December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, there were no Preferred Shares issued and outstanding.
Transaction Costs
The following transaction costs were recorded as a deduction from retained earnings:
in USD 2017  2016 
       
Fees  -   6,193 
Offering expenses  -   3,555,329 
Total fees and expenses  -   3,561,521 

Offering expenses comprise all expenses related to the initial public offering of 15,000,000 shares in the Company and the sale of 173,100 shares following the partial exercise of the Over-allotment Option, and include amongst others $3,034,620 of upfront underwriting fees (see also Note 14).  For the accounting year 2017, there were no transaction costs related to the issuance of shares.
6. General and administrative expenses
in USD 2017  2016 
       
Audit fees  50,000   225,000 
Registration and listing fees  10,000   88,364 
Legal fees  383,574   - 
Other fees  34,153   7,937 
Other expenses  846,361   76,066 
Total general and administrative expenses  1,324,088   397,367 

F-12



Legal fees mainly relate to fees incurred in relation to the incorporation of Maritime Partner BVBA and Hamburg Maritime NV and fees for the legal work done in relation to the Tender Offer (see also Note 2).
Other expenses include $119,516 (2016: $15,000) of expenses charged by Belgische Scheepvaartmaatschappij - Compagnie Maritime Belge ("CMB"), the Sponsor's ultimate parent, under the Administrative Services Agreement (see also Note 11) and an amount of $393,537 (2016: $49,694) of Directors and Officers Liability Insurance (D&O) and Securities Offering Liability Insurance.
Prepaid expenses amounting to $180,582 (2016: $0) mainly consist of deferred charges related to the Directors and Officers Liability Insurance and Securities Offering Liability Insurance.
7. Net finance income/(expense)
in USD 2017  2016 
       
Interest income on held-to-maturity investments  1,074,216   31,808 
Foreign exchange gain.  9,997   - 
Finance income  1,084,213   31,808 
Interest expense on financial liabilities  (16)  (139)
Other finance expenses  (93,115)  (33,124)
Foreign exchange loss  (10,400)  (52)
Finance expenses  (103,531)  (33,315)
Net finance income/(expense) recognised in profit or loss  980,682   (1,507)

Other finance expenses mainly consist of bank charges related to held-to-maturity investments.
8. Earnings per share
Basic earnings per share
The calculation of basic earnings per share has been based on the following Profit/(Loss) attributable to owners of the Company and weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period.
Profit/(Loss) for the period attributable to owners of the Company(382,605)
Weighted-average number of common shares at December 31, 20173,793,275
Basic earnings per share(0.1009)

Diluted earnings per share
The calculation of diluted earnings per share has been based on the following Profit/(Loss) attributable to owners of the Company shareholders and weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period after adjustment for the effects of dilutive potential common shares.
Profit/(Loss) for the period attributable to owners of the Company(382,605)
Weighted-average number of common shares (diluted) at December 31,20173,793,275
Diluted earnings per share(0.1009)

At December 31, 2017, 3,356,413 Private Placement Warrants were excluded from the calculation of the diluted weighted-average number of common shares, because their effect would have been anti-dilutive.
The above calculations of Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share do not take into account the 15,000,000 Units sold in the Public Offering and the 173,100 Units sold pursuant to the partial exercise of the Over-allotment Option, these will only have an effect following the completion of the Initial Business Combination. 
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9. Income Taxes
The Company is incorporated in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and in accordance with the income tax laws of the Marshall Islands, is not subject to Marshall Islands' income tax.  Dividends paid by the Company are not subject to any withholding tax under the laws of the Marshall Islands. As the Company proceeds with making investments in various jurisdictions, tax considerations outside the Marshall Islands may arise. Although the Company intends to pursue tax-efficient investments, it may be subject to income tax, withholding tax, capital gains tax, and other taxes imposed by tax authorities in other jurisdictions. The Company does not expect to be subject to direct taxation based on net income in the United States as long as it is not engaged in a trade or business in the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  However, if the Company operates one or more vessels that carry cargo or passengers to or from the United States, the Company may become subject to U.S. federal income tax on its gross U.S.-source shipping incomethem at a rate of four percent unless it qualifies for an exemption from such tax. The Company does not expect to invest in any U.S. obligation that will be subject to U.S. withholding taxes.
The Company recognizes uncertain tax positions, if any, in the Consolidated Financial Statements based on the guidance in IAS 12.  Interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions are recognized based on the guidance in IAS 12 as well.
The amount of $39,199 (2016: $0) included as Income tax expense represents withholding taxes payable on interest received on the Trust Account investments.
10. Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk currently consist of cash accounts in a financial institution only.  The Company has not experienced losses on these accounts and management is of the opinion that the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such accounts.
The proceeds held in the Trust Account do not carry a significant credit risk as these proceeds can be invested only in permitted United States "government securities" within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, having a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act (see also Note 1).
11. Related Party Transactions
Founder Shares
On July 11, 2016, the Sponsor purchased 4,312,500 Class B Common Shares of the Company (which are the Founder Shares) for $25,000, or $0.006 per share. The Founder Shares are identical to the Public Shares included in the Units sold in the Public Offering except that, (i) only holders of the Founder Shares will be entitled to vote on the election of directors prior to the Company's initial Business Combination and, (ii) the Founder Shares are subject to certain transfer restrictions, as described in more detail below. The Sponsor agreed to forfeit up to 562,500 Founder Shares to the extent that the Over-allotment Option was not exercised in full by the underwriters so that the Sponsor will own 20% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares after the Public Offering.  On January 3,2017, our Sponsor forfeited 519,225 Class B Common Shares pursuant to the partial exercise on December 16, 2016 of the underwriters' Over-allotment Option.  Subsequently the number of outstanding Founder Shares amounts to 3,793,275.
The Sponsor has agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Founder Shares until the earlier of, (i) one year after the completion of the Company's Initial Business Combination, or earlier if, subsequent to the Company's Initial Business Combination, the last sale price of the Company's common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Company's Initial Business Combination or, (ii) the Company consummates a liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company's shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A Common Shares for cash, securities, or other property.
F-14



Private Placement Warrants
Upon the closing of the Public Offering on November 23, 2016, the Sponsor purchased from the Company an aggregate of 3,333,333 Private Placement Warrants at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant (an aggregate purchase price of $5,000,000).  On December 16, 2016,  following the partial exercise of the Over-allotment Option the Sponsor purchased a further 23,080 Additional Private Placement Warrants at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant (an aggregate purchase price of $34,620).  A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants and the full proceeds from the sale of the Additional Private Placement Warrants were placed into the Trust Account.
The Private Placement Warrants (including the Class A Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Private Placement Warrants) are not transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of the Initial Business Combination and they are non-redeemable and exercisable on a cashless basis, provided that such cashless exercise is permitted under the laws of the Company's corporate jurisdiction, so long as they are held by the initial purchasers of the Private Placement Warrants or their permitted transferees, subject to certain exceptions. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers of the Private Placement Warrants or their permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Warrants included in the Units sold in the Public Offering. Otherwise, the Private Placement Warrants have terms and provisions that are identical to those of the Warrants sold as part of the Units in the Public Offering and have no net cash settlement provisions.
If the Company does not complete the Initial Business Combination, then the proceeds will be part of the liquidating distribution to the public shareholders and the Private Placement Warrants issued to the Sponsor will expire worthless.
Units purchased in the Public Offering
CMB purchased 200,000 Units in the Public Offering at the public offering price, for an aggregate purchase price of $2,000,000.
Registration Rights
The holders of the Founder Shares and Private Placement Warrants (and any Class A Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants) are entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement executed on November 18, 2016. The holders of these securities will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain "piggy-back" registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the completion of the Company's Initial Business Combination and rights to require the Company to register for resale such securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. However, the registration rights agreement provides that the Company will not permit any registration statement filed under the Securities Act to become effective until termination of the applicable lock-up period, which occurs (i) in the case of the Founder Shares, one year after the date of the consummation of the Company's Initial Business Combination or earlier if, subsequent to the Company's Initial Business Combination, (a) the last sale price of the Company's Class A Common Shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share splits, share dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Company's Initial Business Combination or (b) the Company consummates a subsequent liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company's shareholders having the right to exchange their Class A Common Shares for cash, securities or other property and (ii) in the case of the Private Placement Warrants and the respective Class A Common Shares underlying such warrants, 30 days after the completion of the Company's Initial Business Combination. The Company will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Related Party Loans
Pursuant to an unsecured promissory note (the "Note") dated November 14, 2016, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company up to an aggregate of $250,000 to cover expenses related to the Public Offering. The Company borrowed $150,000 under the Note in connection with the Public Offering. The Note was interest bearing at a rate per annum equal to LIBOR plus 0.60% and was repaid in full on November 25, 2016.  A total of $139 was charged as interest on the Note.
No promissory notes have been granted throughout the financial year 2017.
F-15



Administrative Services Agreement
The Company has agreed to pay $10,000 a month for office space, administrative services and secretarial support to CMB.  Services commenced on November 18, 2016, and will terminate upon the earlier of the consummation by the Company of its Initial Business Combination or the liquidation of the Company.
fair value. As of December 31, 2016, $15,000 was expensed by2018, the Company for services rendered by CMB for the period from November 18 through December 31, 2016.
For the period from January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2017, $119,516 was expensed for services rendered by CMB during that period.
12. Measurement of fair values
A numberGroup redeemed all of the Company's accounting policiesavailable-for-sale financial assets and disclosures requirethe short term investment only consists held-to-maturity financial assets.

The Group reviews its held to maturity and available-for-sale financial assets for other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) based on the specific identification method. The Group considers available quantitative and qualitative evidence in evaluating potential impairment of its investments. If the cost of an investment exceeds the investment’s fair value, the Group considers, among other factors, general market conditions, expected future performance of the investees, the duration and the extent to which the fair value of the investment is less than the cost, and the Group’s intent and ability to hold the investment.

(i)Fair value measurement

Fair value is the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities required or permitted to be recorded at fair value, the Group considers the principal or most advantageous market in which it would transact, and it considers assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability.

The established fair value hierarchy requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair values.

If third party information is used to measure fair values, the evidence obtained from third parties is assessed to support the conclusion that such valuations meet the requirements of IFRS, including the level invalue. A financial instrument’s categorization within the fair value hierarchy in which such valuations should be classified. When measuringis based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value of an asset ormeasurement.

The Group applies ASC 820,Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, (“ASC 820”). ASC 820 defines fair value, establishes a liability, the Company uses market observable data as far as possible.

Fair values are classified into different levels inframework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. ASC 820 requires disclosures to be provided on fair value measurement.

ASC 820 establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, based onwhich prioritizes the inputs used in the valuation techniquesmeasuring fair value as follows:

Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2: Observable, market-based inputs, other than quoted (unadjusted) prices, in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2: other techniques for which all inputs that have a significant effect on the recorded fair value are observable, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3: techniques that useUnobservable inputs which have a significant effect onto the recorded fair valuevaluation methodology that are not based on observable market data.

Ifsignificant to the inputs used to measuremeasurement of the fair value of an assetthe assets or liabilities.

The Group’s financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivables, advances to suppliers and other receivables, loan receivable – related parties, various accrued liabilities, and loans payable – related parties. Certificates of deposit, which was recorded under short-term investment, accounts receivables, advances to suppliers, loan receivable – related parties, various accrued liabilities, and loans payable – related parties were not recorded at fair value. Their carrying values approximate their fair values due to the short-term maturity of these instruments.

F-15

The following table presents information about the Group’s assets and liabilities that were measured at fair value on a liability might be categorized in different levelsrecurring basis as of December 31, 2018, and 2017 and indicates the fair value hierarchy thenof the valuation techniques the Group utilized to determine such fair value.

December 31,

Quoted Prices
In

Active Markets

Significant

Other

Observable

Inputs

Significant

Other

Unobservable

Inputs

Description2018(Level 1)(Level 2)(Level 3)
Asset:
Available-for-sale financial assets*$-$-$-$-

  December 31,  

Quoted Prices
In

Active Markets

  

Significant

Other

Observable

Inputs

  

Significant

Other

Unobservable

Inputs

 
Description 2017  (Level 1)  (Level 2)  (Level 3) 
Asset:                
Available-for-sale financial assets* $470,641  $  -  $470,641  $    - 

*Available-for-sale financial assets were recorded under short-term investment.

(j)Accounts receivables and allowance for doubtful accounts

Accounts receivable are stated at the historical carrying amount, net of an allowance for any potentially uncollectible amounts. The Group makes estimates for the allowance for doubtful accounts based upon the assessment of various factors, including historical experience, the age of the accounts receivable balances, the credit quality of customers, current economic conditions, and other factors that may affect customers’ ability to pay. The Group recorded bad debt allowance of $713,080 and $0 as of year ended December 31, 2018, and 2017.

(k)Fixed assets, net

Equipment, software, and leasehold improvement are recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation and impairment. Depreciation of equipment, software, and leasehold improvement is calculated on a straight-line basis, after consideration of expected useful lives. The estimated useful lives of these assets are as follows:

CategoryEstimated useful lives of the assets
Electronic equipment3-5 years
Furniture and office equipment3-5 years
Software3-5 years
Leasehold improvement Shorter of useful life or 3 years

Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. Gains and losses on disposal of equipment, software, and leasehold improvement are the difference between net sales proceeds and the carrying amount of the related assets and are recognized in the combined and consolidated statements of operations as other miscellaneous expense.

(m)Impairment of long-lived assets

The Group evaluates its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability is measured by comparison of the carrying amounts to the expected future undiscounted cash flows attributable to these assets. If it is determined that an asset is not recoverable, an impairment loss is recorded in the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the expected undiscounted cash flows arising from those assets. No impairment of long-lived assets was recognized for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016.

(n)Sales and marketing expenses

Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of commission paid to co-operating institution, financial advisors, advertising and marketing promotion expenses, salaries and benefits and other expenses incurred by the Group’s sales and marketing personnel.

(o)Loan facilitation and servicing expenses

Loan facilitation and servicing expenses consist primarily of costs related to credit assessment and customer and system support.

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(p)General and administrative expenses

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and benefits (including share-based compensation) for general management, finance, and administrative personnel, rental, professional service fees, and other expenses.

(q)Product development expenses

Product development expenses include expenses incurred by the Group to gather historical data and borrowing behaviors, as well as to maintain, monitor and manage the Group’s transaction and service platforms. The Group recognizes website, software and mobile applications development costs in accordance with ASC 350-50 “Website development costs” and ASC 350-40 “Software - internal use software” respectively. The Group expenses all costs that are incurred in connection with the planning and implementation phases of development and costs that are associated with repair or maintenance of the existing websites and mobile applications or the development of software or mobile applications for internal use and websites content. Product development costs that required capitalization was immaterial as of December 31, 2018 and 2017.

(r)Share-based compensation

The Group applies ASC 718,Compensation-Stock Compensation(“ASC 718”), to account for its employee share-based payments. In accordance with ASC 718, the Group determines whether an award should be classified and accounted for as a liability award or an equity award. All of the Group’s share-based awards to employees were classified as equity awards. The awards granted are only subject to a service condition and contain graded vesting features. The Group measures the employee share-based compensation based on the grant date fair value of the equity instrument issued and recognized as compensation expense net of an estimated forfeiture rate using graded vesting method, over the requisite service period, with a corresponding amount reflected in additional paid-in capital. The amount of accumulated compensation costs recognized at any date is at least equal to the portion of the grant date fair value of the vested awards on that date.

The estimated forfeiture rate will be adjusted over the requisite service period to the extent that actual forfeiture rate differs, or is expected to differ, from such estimates. Changes in estimated forfeiture rate are recognized through a cumulative catch-up adjustment in the period of change.

Share-based awards granted to non-employees are accounted for in accordance with ASC 505-50Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employee. All transactions in which services are received in exchange for share-based awards are accounted for based on the fair value measurement is categorized in its entirety inof the same level ofconsideration received or the fair value hierarchyof the awards issued, whichever is more reliably measurable. Share-based compensation is measured at fair value at the earlier of the commitment date or the date the services are completed. The Group re-measure the awards using the then-current fair value at each reporting date until the measurement date, generally when the services are completed, and awards are vested and attribute the changes in those fair values over the service period by the straight-line method.

(s)Interest income

Interest income includes interest earned from the Group’s custodian account, Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd., and loan receivable from a related party (See Note 19).

(t)Taxation

Value-added tax

Effective since January 1, 2012, the PRC ministry of finance and the state administration of taxation launched the Value Added Tax (“VAT”) Pilot Program for certain industries in certain regions in China. According to the implementation circulars released by the ministry of finance and the state administration of taxation on the Pilot Program, the “Modern Service Industries” includes research, development and technological services, information technology services, cultural innovation services, logistics support, lease of tangible properties, attestation and consulting services. Revenue presented in the combined and consolidated statements of operations is net off VAT.

Income taxes

The income tax expense for the period is comprised of current and deferred tax. Tax is recognized in the combined and consolidated statements of operations, except to the extent that it relates to items recognized in other comprehensive income or directly in equity. In this case, the tax is also recognized in other comprehensive income or directly in equity, respectively.

(1)Current income tax

The current income tax charge is calculated on the basis of the tax laws enacted or substantively enacted at the balance sheet date in the countries where the Group’s subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs operate and generate taxable income. Management periodically evaluates positions taken in tax returns with respect to situations in which applicable tax regulation is subject to interpretation. It establishes provisions where appropriate on the basis of amounts expected to be paid to the tax authorities.

(2)Deferred income tax

The Group accounts for income taxes using the asset/liability method prescribed by ASC 740, “Accounting for Income Taxes.” Deferred income taxes are recognized with net operating loss carryforwards and credits are applied using enacted statutory tax rates applicable to future years. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more-likely-than-not that a portion of or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

F-17

An uncertain tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. For tax positions not meeting the “more likely than not” test, no tax benefit is recorded. Penalties and interest incurred related to underpayment of income tax are classified as income tax expense in the period incurred. PRC tax returns filed in 2017, 2016, and 2015 are subject to examination by any applicable tax authorities. The Group had no uncertain tax positions for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016.

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are offset when there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets against current tax liabilities and when the deferred income tax assets and liabilities relate to income taxes levied by the same taxation authority on either the taxable entity or different taxable entities where there is an intention to settle the balances on a net basis.

(u)Statutory reserves and restricted net assets

In accordance with the PRC laws and regulations, the Group’s PRC subsidiary and consolidated VIEs are required to make an appropriation to certain statutory reserves, namely general reserve, enterprise expansion reserve, and staff welfare and bonus reserve, all of which are appropriated from net profit as reported in their PRC statutory accounts. PRC subsidiary and consolidated VIEs are required to appropriate at least 10% of their after-tax profits to the statutory reserve until such reserve has reached 50% of their respective registered capital. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the accumulated amounts of statutory reserves amounted to $6,838,628 and $721,818, respectively.

Appropriations to the enterprise expansion reserve and the staff welfare and bonus reserve are to be made at the discretion of the Board of Directors of each of the Group’s PRC entities. There are no appropriations to these reserves by the Group’s PRC entities for the years ended December 31, 2018, and 2017.

As a result of PRC laws and regulations and the requirement that distributions by the PRC entities can only be paid out of distributable profits computed in accordance with the PRC GAAP, the PRC entity is restricted from transferring a portion of their net assets to the Group. Amounts restricted include paid-in capital, capital reserves and statutory reserves of the Group’s PRC entities. As of December 31, 2018, and 2017, the aggregated amounts of paid-in-capital, capital reserve and statutory reserves represented the amount of net assets of the relevant entity in the Group not available for distribution amounted to $86,542,277 and $59,739,451, respectively (including the statutory reserve fund of $6,838,628 and $721,818 as of December 2018, and 2017, respectively). As a result of the above restrictions, parent-only financials are presented in Schedule 1.

(v)Non-controlling Interest

Non-controlling interest mainly consists of an aggregate of 8.09% as of 2018 and 2017, and 16.07% prior to 2017, of the equity interests in Yinghua Wealth held by a third party. The non-controlling interests are presented in the combined and consolidated balance sheets, separately from equity attributable to the shareholders of the Group. Loss attributable to non-controlling interests holders are presented on the combined and consolidated statement of operations as an allocation of the total income (loss) for the year between non-controlling interest holders and the shareholders of the Group.

(w)Earnings (loss) per share

The Company computes earnings per share in accordance with ASC Topic 260,Earnings per Share(“ASC 260”), which requires earnings per share for each class of stock (ordinary stock and participating preferred stock) to be calculated using the two-class method. The two-class method is an allocation of earnings between the holders of ordinary shares and a company’s participating security holders. Under the two-class method, earnings for the reporting period are allocated between ordinary shareholders and other security holders based on their respective participation rights in undistributed earnings. The options and restricted stock units of the Company do not contain non-forfeitable rights and therefore are not considered participating securities. (Note 17)

(x)Segment reporting

The Group follows ASC 280, Segment Reporting. The Group’s chief operating decision maker, the Chief Executive Officer, reviews the consolidated results when making decisions about allocating resources and assessing the performance of the Group as a whole and hence, the Group has only one reportable segment. The Group does not distinguish between markets or segments for the purpose of internal reporting. The Group’s long-lived assets are substantially all located in the PRC, and substantially all of the Group’s revenues are derived from within the PRC. Therefore, no geographical segments are presented.

(y)Significant risks and uncertainties

Interest Rate Risk

The Group has not been exposed to material risks due to changes in market interest rates, and it has not used any derivative financial instruments to manage its interest risk exposure. However, the Group cannot provide assurance that it will not be exposed to material risks due to changes in market interest rates in the future. Its future interest income may fall short of expectations due to changes in market interest rates.

The fluctuation of interest rates may also affect the demand for our marketplace lending business. For example, a decrease in the interest rate may cause potential borrowers to seek loans from other channels and higher returns offered by comparable or substitute products may damper investor desire to invest in its marketplace. However, it does not expect that the fluctuation of interest rates will have a material impact on our financial condition.

Foreign currency risk

RMB is not a freely convertible currency. The State Administration for Foreign Exchange, under the authority of the People’s Bank of China, controls the conversion of RMB into foreign currencies. The value of RMB is subject to changes in central government policies and to international economic and political developments affecting supply and demand in the China Foreign Exchange Trading System market.

F-18

The concentration of credit risk

Financial instruments that potentially expose the Group to significant concentration of credit risk primarily included in the combined and consolidated financial statement lines of cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable, advances to suppliers, other receivable, loans receivable – related parties. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, $136,238,314 (including certificates of deposit of $129,182,053) and $33,234,949 were deposited in financial institutions located in the PRC, respectively. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, $18,001,644 and $1,832,788 were deposited in financial institutions located in Hong Kong, respectively. Accounts receivable and loans receivable from related parties are typically unsecured and are derived from revenue earned from customers or related parties. The risk with respect to accounts receivable and loan receivable – related parties are mitigated by credit evaluations. The Group performs on its customers or related parties and its ongoing monitoring process of outstanding balances. 

As of December 31, 2018, and 2017, the Group had loans receivable from related parties below:

  As of December 31, 
  2018  2017 
Net Credit Group Co., Ltd. $-  $4,492,072 
Gain Thrive Limited  -   22,471,164 
UCF Holdings Group Limited  -   16,810,642 
  $-  $43,773,878 

There were no revenues from customers which individually represent greater than 10% of the total net revenues for any year of the three years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016.

There were four and two (two from related parties) customers that accounted for 64% and 44% (44% from related parties) of the Group’s carrying amount of accounts receivable as of December 31, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

There were three (two from related parties) and three (three from related parties) service providers that accounted for 47% (36% from related parties) and 62% (62% from related parties) of the Group’s payable or accrued expenses as of December 31, 2018, and 2017.  

There were three (two from related parties), three (one from related parties), and two (two from related parties) service providers that accounted for 67% (32% from related parties), 55% (12% from a related party), and 30% (30% from related parties) of the Group’s carrying amount of the sales and marketing expenses during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.

There were one, two (one from a related party), and two (one from a related party) service providers that accounted for 11%, 24% (13% from a related party), 38% (16% from a related party) of the Group’s carrying amount of the origination and servicing expenses during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.

There were three (one from a related party), four (two from related parties), and two (one from a related party) asset cooperative institutions that accounted for 55% (17% from a related party), 57% (26% from a related party), and 43% (20% from a related party) of the total loan facilitated as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Asset cooperative institutions are the companies who introduce qualified borrowers to the Group.

There were two (two from related parties), two (two from related parties), and one (one from a related party) funding cooperative institutions that accounted for 64% (64% from related parties), 39% (39% from related parties) and 39% (39% from related parties), of   the total loan facilitated as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Funding cooperative institutions are the companies who introduce funding sources to the Group.

F-19

(z)Advertising Expense

The Company expenses advertising costs as they incurred. Advertising expense has been included as part of sales and marketing expenses. For the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, the Company incurred advertising expense of $753,413, $434,190 and $737,452, respectively.

(aa)Recently issued accounting standards

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). This ASU will supersede the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, and most industry-specific guidance, and creates guidance for when revenue should be recognized from the exchange of goods or services. ASU No. 2016-08 was issued in March 2016 to clarify the principal versus agent guidance in this new revenue recognition standard. ASU 2016-10 was issued in April 2016 to clarify the guidance on accounting for licenses of intellectual property and identifying performance obligations in the new revenue recognition standard. ASU 2016-12 was issued in May 2016 to clarify the guidance on transition, collectability, non-cash consideration and the presentation of sales and other similar taxes in the new revenue recognition standard. ASU 2016-20 was issued in December 2016 to make technical corrections and improvements on narrow aspects of this guidance. ASU No. 2015-14 was issued in August 2015 to defer the effective date of ASU 2014-09 for one year.

In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-12, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients. The object is to address certain issues identified by the FASB-IASB Joint Transition Resource Group for Revenue Recognition. The amendments in this Update affect the guidance in Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which is not yet effective. The effective date and transition requirements for the amendments in this Update are the same as the lowest level inputeffective date and transition requirements for Topic 606 (and any other Topic amended by Update 2014-09). Accounting Standards Update 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date, defers the effective date of Update 2014-09 by one year.

The new standard permits adoption either by using (i) a full retrospective approach for all periods presented in the period of adoption or (ii) a modified retrospective approach with the cumulative effect of initially applying the new standard recognized at the date of initial application and providing certain additional disclosures. The new standard is effective for public companies’ annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period.

To determine revenue recognition for arrangements that an entity determines are within the scope of Topic 606, the entity performs the following five steps:

(i) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. Topic 606 also impacts certain other areas, such as the accounting for costs to obtain or fulfill a contract. The standard also requires disclosure of the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers.

The Group has completed its initial analysis of Topic 606 and has concluded that the measurement of revenue and the timing of recognizing revenue is not expected to change for the revenues from loan transaction fees, commission fees and other revenue. The Group plans to adopt Topic 606 using the modified retrospective method in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, assuming the Company will still remain an emerging growth company on that date. Based on the Group’s initial analysis, it did not identify a material cumulative catch-up adjustment to the opening balance sheet of retained earnings on January 1, 2019. The Group’s future financial statements will include additional disclosures as required by Topic 606.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize the following for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases) at the commencement date: 1) A lease liability, which is a lessee’s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease, measured on a discounted basis; and 2) A right-of-use asset, which is an asset that represents the lessee’s right to use, or control the use of, a specified asset for the lease term. The new lease guidance simplified the accounting for sale and leaseback transactions primarily because lessees must recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. Lessees will no longer be provided with a source of off-balance sheet financing. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those years. The Company will adopt ASU 2016-02 on January 1, 2020 assuming the Company will still remain an emerging growth company on that date.

In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-11, Earnings Per Share (Topic 260), Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (Topic 480) and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815). The amendments in Part I of the Update change the reclassification analysis of certain equity-linked financial instruments (or embedded features) with down-round features. The amendments in Part II of this Update re-characterize the indefinite deferral of certain provisions of Topic 480 that now are presented as pending content in the Codification, to a scope exception. The amendments in Part I of this Update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted for all entities, including adoption in an interim period. If an entity early adopts the amendments in an interim period, any adjustments should be reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year that includes that interim period. The amendments in Part II of this Update do not require any transition guidance because those amendments do not have an accounting effect. The Group does not believe the adoption of this ASU would have a material effect on the Group’s combined and consolidated financial statements.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. The amendments in this Update affect any entity that is significantrequired to apply the provisions of Topic 220, Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income, and has items of other comprehensive income for which the related tax effects are presented in other comprehensive income as required by GAAP. The amendments in this Update are effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption of the amendments in this Update is permitted, including adoption in any interim period, (1) for public business entities for reporting periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued and (2) for all other entities for reporting periods for which financial statements have not yet been made available for issuance. The amendments in this Update should be applied either in the period of adoption or retrospectively to each period (or periods) in which the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is recognized. The Group does not believe the adoption of this ASU would have a material effect on the Group’s combined and consolidated financial statements.

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In 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting”, which changes the measurement date for share-based awards to the entire measurement.

grant date, instead of the previous requirement to remeasure the awards through the performance completion date. ASU No. 2018-07 is effective for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2018, including interim periods within that fiscal year. Early adoption is permitted. The Company measures transfers between levels ofdoes not believe adopting ASU No. 2018-07 will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement”, which modifies fair value hierarchydisclosures and removes some disclosure requirements for both public and private companies. In addition, public companies are subject to some new disclosure requirements which requires to disclose the changes in unrealized gains and losses for the period included in other comprehensive income for recurring Level 3 fair value measurements held at the end of the reporting period during which the change has occurred.

13. Fair values of cash and cash equivalents and current and non-current receivables and liabilities
The fair values of cash and cash equivalents and the current receivablesrange and liabilities approximate their book values dueweighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to their short-term nature. Thedevelop Level 3 fair values of the non-current financial liabilities also approximate their book values due to the fact that their terms and conditions approximate current market conditions.
14. Commitments and Contingencies
The Company paid an underwriting fee of $3,034,620, equal to a 2.00% underwriting fee on the per Unit offering price, to the underwriters based on a sale of 15,000,000 Units, at the closing of the Public Offering and 173,100 Units following the partial exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Company will pay an additional fee of $5,310,585, equal to a 3.50% underwriting fee on the per Unit offering price, to underwriters upon the Company's completion of the Initial Business Combination (the "Deferred Fee"). The Deferred Fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event the Company completes the Initial Business Combination.  If the Company fails to complete its Initial Business Combination within 24 months from the closing of the Public Offering, the underwriters have agreed to waive their right to the Deferred Fee.
F-16



15. Recent Accounting Standards
Management has considered the impact of the following standards and amendments to standards:
IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers establishes a comprehensive framework for determining whether, how much and when revenue is recognized.  IFRS 15value measurements. ASU No. 2018-13 is effective for annualall entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not believe adopting ASU No. 2018-13 will have a material impact on or after January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted.
IFRS 16 Leases isits consolidated financial statements.

The Group does not believe other recently issued but not yet effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2019, with early adoption permitted.

Taking into account that the Company did not have operations as of December 31, 2017, that the type of revenue will only be known once an Initial Business Combination has been completed and that the Company currently has no lease contracts, management is of the opinion that none of the aforementioned standards and amendments toaccounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Group’s combined and consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss) and statements of cash flows.

(ac)Management’s Evaluation of Subsequent Events

The Group evaluates events that have occurred after the balance sheet date of December 31, 2018, through the date which the combined and consolidated financial statements were issued. Based upon the review, other than those described in Note 20 – Subsequent Events, the Group did not identify any recognized or non-recognized subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the combined and consolidated financial statements.

Note 3 – Acquisitions and Disposition

Disposition of NCF Zhonghui Investment Management Co., Ltd. (“Zhonghui”) - In January 2018, Beijing Oriental sold Zhonghui for a total consideration of $nil (RMB 1) to Beijing NCF Baize Investment Services Co., Ltd, a third party. Zhonghui’s net liabilities in the amount of $163,116 has been eliminated from the Group’s combined and consolidated financial statements since the date of disposal. The Group recognized a gain of $163,116 from the disposal. The disposition did not qualify as a discontinued operation as it does not represent a strategic shift that has had a materialmajor impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial StatementsGroup’s operations or financial results.

2018 Insignificant Acquisitions

During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Group completed three insignificant acquisitions for a total consideration of approximately $1,659 (RMB11,428). These acquisitions generally enhance the breadth and depth of the Group’s online platforms and prepare the Group to provide for fintech services. The three insignificant acquisitions are:

1.Xinzu (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd.

2.Shanghai NCF Puhui Business Consulting Co., Ltd.

3.Shenzhen Yifang Yurong Financial Information Technology Service Co., Ltd.

Pro forma results of operations for the acquisitions have not been presented because they are not material to the combined and consolidated financial statements of the Group either individually or in the aggregate.

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Note 4 – Accounts receivable

Accounts receivable consist of unsecured obligations due from customers under normal trade terms. The Group grants credit to its customers based on the Group’s evaluation of a customer’s credit worthiness.

Allowances for doubtful accounts are maintained for potential credit losses based on the age of the accounts receivable and the results of the Group’s credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition. Receivables are written off as uncollectible and deducted from the allowance for doubtful accounts after collection efforts have been deemed to be unsuccessful. Subsequent recoveries are netted against the provision for doubtful accounts expense. The allowance for doubtful accounts was $713,080 and $0 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Note 5 – Advances to suppliers

Advances to suppliers consist of the following:

  As of December 31, 
  2018  2017 
       
Advances for sale and marketing suppliers $1,927,157  $5,091,395 
Other prepaid administrative expenses  536,436   532,425 
Advances for software purchases  261,205   895,507 
         
Total $2,724,798  $6,519,327 

Note 6 - Other receivables, net

Other receivables, net consist of the following:

  As of December 31, 
  2018  2017 
       
Loans to third parties (a) $-  $1,536,480 
Payments made on behalf of third parties (b)  87   1,729,428 
Amounts due from employees  32,004   62,310 
Investments in transit (c )  -   8,450,640 
Interest receivable from Custody Bank (d)  524,015   - 
Interest receivable from Saving Account  331,836   - 
Others  637,987   424,306 
Less: bad debt allowance (b)  -   (1,341,451)
         
Total other receivable, net $1,525,929  $10,861,713 

(a)Loans to third parties

In 2013, Tianjin Yuanrong loaned to Dalian Frontier Weirong Investment Consulting Co., Ltd. (“Weirong”) in an aggregate amount of $1,536,480 (RMB 10,000,000). Weirong was a related party of Tianjin Yuanrong up through August 2013 and beginning September 2013, Weirong ceased to be a related party as Tianjin Yuanrong lost significant influence in Weirong. The loan had no interest and was repaid in August 2018.

(b)Payments made on behalf of third parties

Before 2015, Beijing Oriental paid general and administrative expenses for several prospect companies with the intention to form a strategic partnership with them. These companies were considered related parties of Beijing Oriental until January 2015 when Mr. Zhenxin Zhang no longer had an indirect equity interest in those companies. The Group assesses the allowance for doubtful accounts based upon the historical collection experience, the age of the other receivable balances, and the third parties’ ability to pay. The Group recorded bad debt allowance in the amount of $NIL, and $1,341,451 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. This bad debt allowance was fully written off during the year ended December 31, 2018.

(c)Investments in transit

The group invested in the money market with aggregate amount of $8,450,640 (RMB 55,000,000) on December 31, 2017. The registration process was not completed until January 2, 2018. In this case, all of the balance from other receivable as of December 31, 2017 was reclassified to short-term investment in January 2018. And the same amount was redeemed in 2018.

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(d)Interest receivable from Custody Bank

The interest receivable from Haikou Bank was $524,015 as of December 31, 2018. Haikou Bank was no longer considered as a related party since October 26, 2018 because Mr. Nan Xiao resigned from Yinghua Wealth. Interest from Haikou Bank was disclosed as other receivable from related party as of December 31, 2017.

Note 7 - Other current assets

Other current assets include prepaid VAT and corporate income tax refund receivable. Pursuant to the PRC tax laws, entities that are VAT general taxpayers are allowed to offset qualified input VAT paid to suppliers against their output VAT liabilities. During the years ended December 31, 2018, and 2017, the Group’s input VAT exceeded the output VAT. The prepaid VAT balance was $4,630,320 and $4,808,738 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The corporate income tax refund receivable is related to the overpayment of income taxes because Cloud Services was granted the Certification of Software Company on November 30, 2018. Pursuant to such certificate, Cloud Services qualifies for a tax holiday at corporate income tax rate of 0% for the year/period ended.year ended December 31, 2018 and at 12.5% from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. The balance of corporate income tax refund receivable was $1,524,819 and $0 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Note 8 – Short-term investment

Beginning in December 2016, the Group participated in its own P2P marketplace platform as a lender and funded its P2P investment account for investment in P2P loan products. Due to the short-term nature of the loan terms, the fair value of the P2P loan product portfolio approximates its costs. The Group ceased investing through its own platform since December 2017.

The loan products held at December 31, 2017 were sold in January 2018 at cost of $461,292. No gain or loss was recognized.

During 2018, the Group purchased the following certificates of deposit with interest rates ranging from 1.30% to 2.03%. As of December 31, 2018, and 2017, the balance of short-term investment that the Group held was $129,182,053 and $470,641, respectively.

           Annual 
 Purchase        Interest 
Financial Institutions Date  Term  Amount  Rate 
Pufa CunZhen Bank  October 16, 2018   Six Months  $728,525   1.30%
Pufa CunZhen Bank  October 17, 2018   Six Months   6,993,840   1.69%
Changan Bank  November 9, 2018   Six Months   30,160,935   1.77%
Changan Bank  November 9, 2018   Six Months   5,828,200   1.77%
Changan Bank  November 12, 2018   Twelve Months   29,141,000   2.03%
Changan Bank  November 13, 2018   Six Months   29,141,000   1.77%
Changan Bank  November 14, 2018   Six Months   14,570,500   1.77%
Changan Bank  November 14, 2018   Six Months   12,618,053   1.77%
          $129,182,053     

Note 9 – Fixed assets, net

Fixed assets consist of the following:

  As of December 31, 
  2018  2017 
       
Equipment $1,923,817  $1,922,984 
Software  2,634,466   993,534 
Leasehold Improvement  435,191   392,079 
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization  (2,645,271)  (1,885,781)
Total $2,348,203  $1,422,816 

Depreciation and amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016 amounted to $660,483, $612,563, and $908,412 respectively.

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IFRS 9 Financial Instruments published

Table of Contents

Note 10 - Other non-current assets

In October 2017, the Group entered into an equity investment agreement. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, the Group shall make a total cash investment amounting to $4,609,440 (RMB 30,000,000) in Beijing Kunyuan Hengtong Investment Center L.P. (“Kunyuan Hengtong”), a limited partnership incorporated on July 7, 2017, in exchange for a 20% equity interest in Kunyuan Hengtong. Due to the fact that the transaction did not complete until July 2018, such investment was classified as other non-current assets as of December 31, 2017 and was classified as equity method investment as of December 31, 2018.

The balance of other non-current assets were $143,534  and $4,609,440 as of December 31, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

Note 11 – Equity method investments

Jiutai District Rural Property Rights Exchange Center Co., Ltd

In July 2016, Beijing Oriental entered into an Equity Investment Agreement to invest $57,588 (RMB 400,000) in Jiutai District Rural Property Rights Exchange Center Co., Ltd. (“Jiutai”), in exchange for 40% of Jiutai’s equity interest. Jiutai is a company incorporated on July 25, 2016, and is primarily engaged in providing rural property rights exchange services. There were no operations during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016.

In March 2018, Beijing Oriental entered into a share exchange agreement to sell the 40% of the equity interest in Jiutai to NCF Group Co., Ltd., a related party, for $58,095 (RMB 400,000).

The Group accounted for this investment using the equity method. As of December 31, 2018, and 2017, the equity investment in Jiutai was $NIL and $61,459 (RMB 400,000), respectively.

Fengshou Technology Co., Ltd.

In May 2018, the Group entered into an equity investment agreement to invest $1,452,293 (RMB 10,000,000) in Fengshou Technology Co., Ltd. (“Fengshou”) in exchange of 18% equity interest in Fengshou, a company incorporated on April 25, 2018. The Group accounted for its investment in Fengshou’s operation using equity method as the Group exercises significant influence. As of December 31, 2018, the equity investment in Fengshou was $1,457,050. The Group’s share of the results of the Fengshou’s operation was insignificant for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Linggui Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.

In November 2017, Cloud Services entered into an equity investment agreement to invest $740,070 (RMB 5,000,000) in Linggui Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (“Linggui”) in exchange of 19% of Linggui’s equity interest. In November 2018, Cloud Services entered into an amended agreement to reduce its equity interest in Linggui to 5.46%. Linggui is a company incorporated on October 24, 2017 and is primarily engaged in providing technology development, technology transfer, and technology consulting services.

The Group accounted for its investment in Lingui’s operation using equity method as the Group exercises significant influence. The Group’s total investment in Lingui at December 31, 2018 and 2017 was $517,385, and $744,596, respectively, after recording its share of Linggui’s losses for the year ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 of $199,908 and $22,777, respectively.

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Note 12 - Taxation

BVI

Under the current laws of the BVI, the Group is not subject to taxes on income or capital gains.

Additionally, upon payments of dividends to the shareholders, no BVI withholding tax will be imposed.

Hong Kong

The entities incorporated in Hong Kong are subject to the Hong Kong profits tax rate at 16.5%.

PRC

In accordance with the Enterprise Income Tax Law (“EIT Law”), Foreign Investment Enterprises (“FIEs”) and domestic companies are subject to Enterprise Income Tax (“EIT”) at a uniform rate of 25%. In addition, Cloud Services obtained the Hi-Tech Enterprise certificate and is entitled to a preferential income tax rate of 15% for 2017, 2018, and 2019. Cloud Services was granted the Certification of Software Company on November 30, 2018. Pursuant to such certificate, Cloud Services qualifies for a tax holiday during which it is entitled to an exemption from enterprise income tax for two years commencing from its first profit-making year and a 50% reduction of enterprise income tax for the following three years.

For Cloud Services, tax year 2018 was considered the second profit-making year and accordingly, Cloud Services was exempted from EIT for the year of 2018. Starting from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021, Cloud Services is qualified for the reduced tax rate of 12.5%.

For the year ended December 31, 2018, Shanghai Puhui qualified for preferential tax treatment available to small and low-profit enterprises, and only 50% of its income was subject to tax and at the preferential rate of 20%.

The EIT Law also provides that an enterprise established under the laws of a foreign country or region but whose “de facto management body” is located in the PRC be treated as a resident enterprise for PRC tax purposes and consequently be subject to the PRC income tax at the rate of 25% for its global income. The Implementing Rules of the EIT Law define the location of the “de facto management body” as “the place where the exercising, in substance, of the overall management and control of the production and business operation, personnel, accounting, properties, etc., of a non-PRC company, is located.” Based on a review of surrounding facts and circumstances, the Group does not believe that it is likely that its entities registered outside of the PRC should be considered as resident enterprises for the PRC tax purposes.

The EIT Law also imposes a withholding income tax of 10% on dividends distributed by a FIE to its immediate holding company outside of the PRC, unless such immediate holding company’s jurisdiction of incorporation has a tax treaty with the PRC that provides for a different withholding arrangement. The British Virgin Islands, where the Company incorporated, does not have such tax treaty with the PRC. In accordance with accounting guidance, all undistributed earnings are presumed to be transferred to the parent company and are subject to the withholding taxes. The presumption may be overcome if the Company has sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the undistributed dividends will be re-invested and the remittance of the dividends will be postponed indefinitely. The Group did not record any dividend withholding tax, as it does not have any retained earnings for any of the periods presented.

  For the Year Ended December 31, 
  2018  2017  2016 
          
Current income tax $16,576,316  $1,181,550  $3,416 
             
Deferred income tax  2,684,232   11,166,845   (2,810,102)
             
Income tax expense (benefits) $19,260,548  $12,348,395  $(2,806,686)

F-25

Reconciliation of the differences between the applicable tax rate and the effective tax rate

The following table sets forth the reconciliation between the applicable EIT rate and the effective tax rate

  For the Years Ended December 31,    
  2018     2017     2016    
Income (loss) before income tax $79,269,005      $48,192,693      $(16,060,109)    
                         
Tax calculated at the applicable tax rate (25%)  19,817,251   25%  12,048,173   25%  (4,015,027)  25%
Tax effects of:                        
Difference in overseas tax rates  387,093   0%  442,032   1%  648,277   (4)%
Effect of tax holiday and preferential tax rate  (1,803,388)  (2)%  (663,664)  (1)%  279,648   (2)%
Expenses not deductible for tax purposes  175,621   0%  267,584   1%  43,452   0%
Unrecognized deductible tax losses  14,118   0%  10,529   0%  95,982   (1)%
Research and development tax credit  (180,468)  0%  (197,345)  0%  -     
Valuation allowances  850,321   1%  441,086   1%  140,982   (1)%
                         
Income tax expense/(benefits) $19,260,548   24% $12,348,395   27% $(2,806,686)  17%

Deferred tax assets

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The principal components of the deferred tax assets are as follows:

  As of December 31, 
  2018  2017 
Accrued employee benefits $-  $8,470 
Allowance for bad debts expense - other receivables/accounts receivables  178,271   345,764 
Advertising expenses  241,601     
Operating loss carryforwards, net  7,170,804   9,590,434 
   7,590,676   9,944,668 
         
Less: valuation allowances  (2,968,926)  (2,231,285)
  $4,621,750  $7,713,383 

Deferred income tax assets are recognized to the extent that the realization of the related tax benefit through future taxable profits is probable. The Group has recorded valuation allowances of $2,968,926 and $2,231,285 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively to reflect the estimated amount of deferred tax assets that may not be realized. The net operating loss carryforwards was $28,683,216, $ 38,361,736, and $79,987,735 as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 respectively.

According to PRC tax regulations, the PRC net operating loss can generally be carried forward for no more than five years starting from the year subsequent to the year that the loss was incurred. Carryback of losses is not permitted. Net operating loss begins to expire in 2021.

Under PRC laws and regulations, arrangements and transactions among related parties may be subject to examination by the PRC tax authorities. If the PRC tax authorities determine that the contractual arrangements among related companies do not represent a price under normal commercial terms, they may make adjustments to the companies’ income and expenses. A transfer pricing adjustment could result in additional tax liabilities. 

The Group evaluates the level of authority for each uncertain tax position (including the potential application of interest and penalties) based on the technical merits and measures the unrecognized benefits associated with the tax positions. For the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, the Group did not have any unrecognized tax benefits.

Note 13 - Share-based compensation

In 2014, the Group adopted the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2014 Plan”), and in July 2015, the 2014 replacesPlan was rolled into the existing guidance2015 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2015 Plan”). The 2015 Plan permits the grant of two types of awards: options and restricted stock units (“RSUs”). Persons eligible to participate in IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognitionthe 2015 Plan include an employee, director or consultant of the Group or an affiliate, or other trust or special purpose vehicle under which any one or more of the participants are interested.

Share options and Measurement.  IFRS 9RSUs granted under these Plans vest over a four-year requisite service period, with one-fourth (25%) vesting on the first anniversary, and then one-eighth (12.5%) vesting every six (6) months from the first anniversary date.

F-26

Options

No options were granted during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016. As of December 31, 2018, all options granted under the 2015 Plan are fully vested. The total fair value of shares vested for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 was $16,801, $153,131 and $436,608, respectively.

The fair value of each option is effectiveestimated on each grant date using the option-pricing model (“OPM”), which uses the key assumptions presented below. Expected volatilities are based on the average volatility of comparable companies in the industry with the time period commensurate with the expected time period of the options granted. The contractual life of the option is 10 years. In the OPM, the Group used research data based upon empirical studies pertaining to option exercise multiples as well as to estimated employment termination rates. The risk-free rate for annual periods beginningwithin the contractual life of the options are based on the yield of maturity of US government bond at the option valuation date plus the country default spread difference between China and the US. The Group has no history of declaring or after January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted.  The first application of this method willpaying cash dividends on its capital stock, and the Group does not materially affectplan to pay any dividend on its ordinary shares in the Company's equity on January 1, 2018.

foreseeable future.

On December 10, 2014, 50,600,000 shares options were granted under the 2015 Plan.

The following amendmentstable summarizes the Group’s share option activities:

  For the year ended December 31, 2018 
  

Number of

Shares

Options

  

Average

Exercise

Price Per

Share

Options in

US$

  

Weighted-

Average

remaining

contractual

life (in

years)

 
          
At the beginning of the year  36,000,000  $0.08154   6.94 
Granted  -   -   - 
Forfeited  (1,000,000) $0.08154   - 
Expired  -   -   - 
Canceled  -   -   - 
At the end of the year  35,000,000  $0.08154   5.94 
Vested and exercisable at the end of the year  35,000,000  $0.08154   5.94 

As of December 31, 2018, the expiry date of all the outstanding share options is December 10, 2024.

Restricted stock units

No RSUs were granted during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016. As of December 31, 2018, there was approximately $120,000 of total unrecognized compensation cost related to standards,non-vested RSUs arrangements granted under the 2015 Plan expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 0.52 years. To the extent the actual forfeiture rate is different from what the Group has anticipated, share-based compensation related to these awards will be different from its expectations.

The fair value of each RSU is estimated on each grant date using the OPM, which uses the key assumptions presented below. Expected volatilities are effectivebased on annualized standard deviation of daily stock price return of comparable companies in the industry with the time period commensurate with the expected time period of the RSUs granted. In the OPM, the Group determined expected life for annualthe RSU’s based upon an estimated Initial Public Offering (“IPO”) date. The risk-free rates for periods beginningwithin the expected life of the RSUs are based on the yield of maturity of Hong Kong Sovereign Curve plus country default risk as of the valuation date. The Group has no history of declaring or before January paying cash dividends on its capital stock, and the Group does not plan to pay any dividend on its ordinary shares in the foreseeable future.

On July 24, 2015, 57,934,389 RSUs were granted to employees under the 2015 Plan. 

A summary of the unvested restricted shares for the year ended December 31, 2018 is as follows: 

  Number of shares  Weighted-
average fair
value
 
Non-vested restricted shares outstanding at January1, 2018  13,442,308   0.3565 
Granted  -   0.3565 
Forfeited  (217,760)   0.3565 
Vested  (8,598,417)   0.3565 
Non-vested restricted shares outstanding at December 31, 2018  4,626,131   0.3565 

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The following table summarizes the total share-based compensation expense for each year presented:    

  For the years ended December 31, 
  2018  2017  2016 
General and administrative expenses $349,638  $1,783,225  $1,708,460 
Sales and marketing expenses  80,129   681,271   530,455 
Product development expenses  137,182   967,355   383,349 
             
Total $566,949  $3,431,852  $2,622,264 

Note 14 - Accruals and other liabilities 

Accruals and other liabilities consist of the following: 

  As of December 31, 
  2018  2017 
       
Accrued salaries and welfare expenses $4,245,829  $4,247,903 
Accrued general and administrative expenses  5,554,867   951,578 
  $9,800,696  $5,199,481 

Note 15 – Bank loan 

During 2018, the Group borrowed $13,507,041 (RMB 93,000,000) from Xiamen International Bank at a fixed interest rate of 1.68% per annum with a maturity date of December 20, 2018. The amount was repaid in full on the maturity date. The Group borrowed $13,393,766 at a fixed interest rate of 1.58% per annum in 2016 from Xiamen International Bank. The loan was repaid in 2017. 

Note 16 – Equity 

Preferred shares 

Since the date of incorporation, the Group has completed two rounds of financing by issuing preferred shares: Series B Preferred shares issued in 2015 and Series C-1 Preferred shares in 2016 (collectively known as the “Preferred shares”). 

In 2016, the Group issued 24,711,296 Series C-1 Preferred shares in exchange for consideration of $42,009,205. In 2015, the Group issued 29,426,129 Series B Preferred shares in exchange for consideration of $21,000,000. The Group incurred a total of issuance costs in the amount of $59,410 and $1,055,162 for the years ended December 31, 2016, and 2015, respectively. The issuance costs were recognized as a reduction of additional paid-in capital in the years of issuance. Therefore, Series C-1 and Series B Preferred shares were recognized in the Combined and Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity in the amount of $41,949,795 ad $19,944,838 for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015. 

The Preferred shares have a par value of $0.00001 per share, have no maturity date and are not mandatorily redeemable. The key terms of the Preferred shares are summarized as follows:

Conversion feature

Upon the occurrence of a successful Initial Public Offering or listing of shares of the Group on any internationally recognized stock exchange (“IPO”), all fully paid Preferred shares then outstanding will be automatically converted into fully paid Ordinary Shares of the Company (“Ordinary Shares”). 

The conversion price is set forth on the basis of one Ordinary Share for each Preferred Share (i.e., the conversion ratio is 1:1), provided that the conversion ratio may be adjusted in such commercially reasonable manner as the board of directors of the Group shall deem appropriate for any dilution upon issue of further Ordinary Shares at a price less than the Subscription Price (for avoidance of doubt, no adjustment shall be made for any issue of Ordinary Shares pursuant to Employee Stock Option Plan (“ESOP”), any issuance of further Ordinary Shares in connection with share dividends, subdivision, combination or reclassification of capital stock, or issuance upon conversion or reclassification of capital stock) (i.e., there are anti-dilution adjustments, including in the case that the issue is at market price but is less than the subscription price), and provided that any conversion must be at least at par (conversion ratio 1:1 2017, have been appliedat least). 

Holder’s redemption upon trigger events

In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up or other trigger events of the Group, whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of each Preferred share in issue shall be entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Group available for distribution to shareholders, whether such assets are capital, surplus, or earnings, an amount equal in aggregate to the total subscription price paid by each holder of Preferred shares to the Group for the firstsubscription of all its Shares (Ordinary Shares and Preferred shares) (i.e., the preferred shareholders can put the Ordinary Shares as well) plus all declared and unpaid dividends, before and in preference to any distribution of any of the assets or surplus funds of the Group to the holders of Ordinary Shares or of any other shares or stock. Triggering events include the following: (1) any occurrence of the event following a merger, consolidation or amalgamation by the shareholders of the Group no longer together hold a majority voting power in the surviving entity or (2) any sale, lease, transfer, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Group. 

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Dividends rights

The Preferred shares shall confer on the holders of Series B Preferred shares the right in priority over the holders of Ordinary Shares of the Group as to the receipt of any dividends as the directors may from time to time declare. As such, to the extent that if there are any dividends payable, the holders of Series B Preferred shares shall receive payment in preparing these Consolidated Financial Statements:

Amendmentsrespect of the dividends earlier in time than holders of Ordinary Shares. 

The holders of Series C-1 Preferred shares have the same dividend rights as the Ordinary Shares on an as-converted basis. 

No dividends have been declared for the Preferred shares for the years presented. 

Voting rights

On a show of hands, every holder of Preferred shares shall have one vote. On a poll, each holder of Preferred shares shall be entitled to IAS 12: Recognitionthe number of Deferred Tax Assetsvotes equal to the number of Ordinary Shares into which such Preferred shares held by that holder could be converted on the date such vote is taken. Holders of Preferred shares shall be entitled to receive notice of meetings of members in accordance with the articles of association of the Group and on the same basis as holders of the Ordinary Shares. All Preferred shares and the Ordinary Shares shall vote as a single class. 

In accordance with ASC 480-10-S99, the Group classified the Preferred shares as permanent equity because they are redeemable upon the occurrence of certain events within the Group’s control. The Preferred shares were initially measured at fair value, with issuance cost charged against additional paid-in capital. The Group determined that there was no embedded beneficial conversion feature attributable to the Preferred shares. Beneficial conversion features exist when the conversion price of the convertible preferred shares is lower than the fair value of the Ordinary Shares at the commitment date, which is the issuance date in the Group’s case. On the commitment date, the most favorable conversion price used to measure the beneficial conversion feature of the Preferred shares was higher than the fair value per ordinary share, and therefore no bifurcation of beneficial conversion feature was recognized. The Group determined the fair value of the Ordinary Share with the assistance of an independent third party valuation firm.

Statutory reserve 

PRC subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs are required to make appropriations to certain reserve funds, comprising the statutory surplus reserve and the discretionary surplus reserve, based on after-tax net income determined in accordance with PRC laws and regulations. Appropriations to the statutory surplus reserve are required to be at least 10% of the after-tax net income determined in accordance with PRC GAAP until the reserve is equal to 50% of the entity’s registered capital. Appropriations to the discretionary surplus reserve are made at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The reserved amounts as determined pursuant to PRC statutory laws totaled $6,838,628 and $721,818 as of December 31, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

Ordinary Shares

The Company is authorized to issue 5,000,000,000 shares of its Ordinary Shares with a par value of $0.00001 per share. 

In February 2016, the Company issued 21,760,498 ($0.00001 par value) Ordinary Shares at $0.6066 per share for Unrealized Losses effective as from January 1,an aggregate cash consideration of $13,199,918. 

As of December 31, 2018, 2017, and Amendments2016, the Company has 1,091,569,209 Ordinary Shares issued and 981,569,209 shares outstanding. See EBT shares below. 

Employee benefit trust Ordinary Shares (“EBT shares”)

On July 13, 2015, the Group established First P2P Limited Employee Benefit Trust (“EBT”) in Cayman Island to IAS 7: Disclosure Initiative effectiveprovide a source to meet our obligations under our equity incentive plans. Mr. Zhang, our Founder, was appointed by us as a sole member of compensation committee of the EBT who has the authority to manage the trust. 

On July 13, 2015, 50 million of the Company’s Ordinary Shares were transferred to the trust as a loan from January 1, 2017. NoneGreat Reap Venture Ltd. (“Great Reap”), a majority shareholder of these amendmentsour company and is 100% owned by Mr. Zhang. The loan can be repaid either in cash at the exercise price of $0.08154 per share as determined in the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan or by transferring the shares back to standardsGreat Reap at the option of the Company. The loan agreement can be repaid by the trust in whole or in part at any time without any interest. The Group recorded the 50 million shares at $4,077,000 as a reduction of the Group’s equity. 

For the year ended December 31, 2017, the Group recorded a long-term loan – Great Reap in the amount of $4,077,000 in the combined and newconsolidated financial statements. For the year ended December 31, 2018, the Group reclassed the loan to short term as majority of the EBT shares are vested and exercisable, and because the employees who have been granted the options are expected to exercise their options within one year from the balance sheet date. 

On July 13, 2015, the Company issued 60 million Ordinary Shares to the EBT at the par value of $0.00001. The shares were transferred in accordance to the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan as our contribution to the RSU’s pool to be granted to qualified participants under the 2015 Incentive Plan. The Group recorded the 60 million shares at $600 as a reduction of the Group’s equity. 

It is the Company’s intention not to return the EBT shares to Great Reap and the Company. The EBT shares are entitled to voting rights and dividends rights. Therefore, we do not consider EBT shares as contingency shares and EBT shares are considered outstanding in the computation of EPS (Note 17). 

The assets of the trust were not used to fund any of the Group’s obligations under incentive plans (Note 13) during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016. 

F-29

Note 17 - Earnings (loss) per share

Basic earnings per ordinary share is computed by dividing income or amended interpretations had a significant effectloss available to the Company’s ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of shares of basic ordinary shares outstanding. The Series B and C-1 convertible preferred stock which are convertible into shares of common stock of the Company, have the same dividend rights as the ordinary shares on an as-converted basis, and therefore qualify as participating securities in accordance with ASC 260. Net income allocated to the holders of the Company’s Series B and C-1 Preferred Stock is calculated based on the Consolidated Financial Statementsshareholders’ proportionate share of weighted average shares of ordinary shares outstanding on an if-converted basis. The terms of the Preferred shares do not include a contractual obligation to participate in the losses of the Company, and therefore the participating securities are not included in the calculation of EPS in the years in which there are losses.

For purposes of determining diluted earnings per ordinary share, basic earnings per ordinary share is further adjusted to include the effect of potential dilutive ordinary shares outstanding, including Series B and C-1 Preferred Stock using the if-converted method. Under the two-class method of calculating diluted earnings per share, net income is reallocated to ordinary stock, the Series B and C-1 Preferred stock and all other dilutive securities based on the contractual participating rights of the security to share in the current earnings as if all of the earnings for the period had been distributed. In the computation of diluted earnings per share, the two-class method and if-converted method for the Series B and C-1 Preferred Stock resulted in the same earnings per share amounts as the holder of the Series B and C-1 Preferred Stock had the same economic rights as the holders of the ordinary stock.

Basic and diluted net earnings (loss) per ordinary share for each of the years presented are calculated as follows:

  Year Ended December 31, 
  2018  2017  2016 
Numerator:         
Net income (loss) attributable to NCF Wealth Holding Limited $60,284,971  $35,987,631  $(13,157,161)
Less: Net income allocated to participating securities  2,848,612   1,700,503   - 
Net income (loss) available to ordinary shareholders of NCF Wealth Holding Limited  57,436,359   34,287,128   (13,157,161)
             
Denominator:            
Weighted average basic ordinary shares outstanding  1,091,569,209   1,091,569,209   1,088,230,612 
Weighted average additional ordinary shares outstanding if preferred shares converted to ordinary shares (if dilutive)  54,137,425   54,137,425   - 
Total weighted average common shares outstanding if preferred shares converted to ordinary shares  1,145,706,634   1,145,706,634   1,088,230,612 
             
Income (loss) per ordinary share:            
Basic $0.05  $0.03  $(0.01)
Diluted $0.05  $0.03  $(0.01)

The following ordinary share equivalents were excluded from the computation of diluted net earnings (loss) per share for the periods presented because including them would have been anti-dilutive:

  For the year ended December 31 
  2018  2017  2016 
Series B preferred shares  -   -   29,426,129 
Series C-1 preferred shares  -   -   24,711,296 

F-30

Note 18 - Commitments and contingencies

(a)Operating lease commitments – the Group as lessee

The Group was obligated under non-cancellable operating leases. The lease terms are three years, and renewable at the end of the lease period at the market rate. Rent expense were $4,019,641, $4,133,541, and $5,400,809 for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 respectively.

The future aggregate minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:

Years ended December 31, Amount 
2019 $4,008,358 
2020  1,167,009 
2021  550,786 
  $5,726,153 

(b)Service contracts commitments

In August 2018, the Group entered into a finder agreement with EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. to introduce potential special purpose acquisition corporation (“SPAC”) to the Group in connection with consummating a merger. The total fee is $3,000,000 and is expected to be paid in May 2019.

(c)Contingencies

The Group operates an online marketplace to provide online P2P, PWM services and E-APP in China to match registered investors to potentially qualified borrowers, where the laws and regulations governing the industry are developing and evolving rapidly. Various Chinese authorities are tailoring new laws and regulations that could be applicable to the Group, which may cause an unforeseeable impact on the Group’s existing practice and business model. Hence, the Group is continually monitoring and assessing such impacts as well as making adjustments to meet regulators’ requirements.

Beginning in 2018, PWM services has been slowly winding down as the Group focuses more on E-APP.

Beijing Oriental received a Notice on further strict Implementation of “three reductions” goal from Head Office of Chaoyang District, Beijing City for Special Rectification of Finance and Societal Risk on the date of April 24th, 2019. If Beijing Oriental cannot meet the requirement of “three reductions”, its rectification shall not be accepted and shall not pass administrative inspection. Beijing Oriental had sent its plan to the designated mail according to the requirements. The requirement of "three reductions" may lead to the decrease of Beijing Oriental's net revenue and net income.

Note 19 - Related party transactions and balances

The Group is controlled by Great Reap Ventures Limited, which owns 54.0% of the Company’s Ordinary Shares. The remaining 46.0% of the shares are widely held. The Great Reap Ventures Limited is 100% owned by the Founder of the Group. The ultimate controlling party of the Group is the Founder.

In addition to those disclosed elsewhere in the combined and consolidated financial statements, the following transactions were carried out with related parties, either the shares of which are owned by the Founder of the Group or for which key management positions are held by the same person.

The Group entered into the following significant related party transactions:

(a)Revenue from related parties

    For the year ended December 31, 
  Relationship with the Group 2018  2017  2016 
Transaction and service fee           
Hainan International Tourism Industry Finance Leasing Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group $-  $77,713  $445,721 
Shanghai ZhongFeng Commercial Finance Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  139,149   -   35,573 
Yingtai Finance Leasing (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  1,373,597   -   - 
Shanghai Fengchao Business Services Co., Ltd. 

Shares owned by the Founder of the Group

  259,922   -   - 
Beijing Fengchao Business Services Co., Ltd. 

Shares owned by the Founder of the Group

  131,257   -   - 
Xiamen Danxia Real Estate Marketing Planning Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  80,742   -   - 
Liaoning Kai Yuan Finance Leasing Co., Ltd. 

Shares owned by the Founder of the Group

  50,826         
Shenzhen Guozuhaifeng Finance Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  -   9,947   24,792 
Shenzhen Yuanchang Jewelry Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  -   -   594,060 
China Finance Leasing Co., Ltd.
*This entity was no longer treated as a related party since October 26, 2018, as Mr. Nan Xiao resigned from Yinghua Wealth
 Key management positions held by the same person  1,169,783   -   7,273 
Shenzhen Qiyuantianxia Technology Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  -   -   65,767 
Junling Property Consultant (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  -   -   - 
Beijing Kai Yuan Finance Leasing Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  3,067,693   -   2,899 
Others Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  444   -   19 
    $6,273,413  $87,660  $1,176,104 

F-31

    For the year ended December 31, 
  Relationship with the Group 2018  2017  2016 
Commission fee           
Xianfeng Technology Asset Management (Dalian) Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group $-  $1,099,130  $- 
Junling Property Consultant (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  241,148   327,260   440,089 
Shanghai Heyi Internet Information Services Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  -   -   461,068 
Net Credit Media Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  -   -   296,418 
Liaoning Kai Yuan Finance Leasing Co., Ltd. 

Shares owned by the Founder of the Group

  192,391   -   - 
Beijing Kunlun Wealth Investment Management Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  396,201   -   - 
Beijing Kai Yuan Finance Leasing Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  362,181   -   - 
Shanghai Jinmao Asset Management Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person  410,855   961,947   - 
Shenzhen Lianhe Currency Wealth Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person  22,191   1,150,279   - 
Others Shares owned by the Founder of the Group/key management positions held by the same person  1,975   90,232   - 
    $1,626,942  $3,628,848  $1,197,575 

    For the year ended December 31, 
  Relationship with the Group 2018  2017  2016 
Other revenue           
Beijing Yilian Information Technology Services Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person $-  $55,592  $- 
Net Credit Group Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person  -   46,973   - 
Net Credit Media Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  -   -   33,935 
Shanghai Fengchao Business Services Co., Ltd. 

Shares owned by the Founder of the Group

  7,039   -   - 
Others Shares owned by the Founder of the Group/key management positions held by the same person  -   47,136   - 
    $7,039  $149,701  $33,935 

F-32

(b)Services provided by related parties

The Group incurred commission fees to individuals, co-operating institutions and other partners who introduced lenders. The Group also incurred office rental expenses, maintenance expense on the platform’s system, marketing expenses and other administrative expenses. For the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, such services provided by related parties were as follows:

    For the year ended December 31, 
  Relationship with the Group 2018  2017  2016 
Office Rental           
Beijing Xiaoyunhuayuan Properties Co., Ltd.
*This entity was no longer treated as a related party since the entity was disposed by Mr. Zhenxin Zhang in April 2017
 Shares owned by the Founder of the Group $-  $730,488  $2,120,207 
Others Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  2,693   180   16,015 
    $2,693  $730,668  $2,136,222 
Commission Fee       ��      
Shanghai Jinmao Asset Management Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person $19,816,131  $11,133,735  $- 
Shenzhen Lianhe Currency Wealth Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person  30,019,871   18,583,182   - 
Jiangsu Shanghutong Capital Holding Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person  228,521   1,232,698   545,976 
Beijing Caiyitong Investment Co., Ltd Key management positions held by the same person  119,835   263,445   - 
Beijing Lianhe Hengrui Investment Management Co., Ltd.
*This entity was no longer treated as a related party since the entity was disposed by Mr. Zhenxin Zhang in June, 2017
 Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  -   35,591   506,750 
Shenzhen Lianhe Currency Wealth Management Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  -   -   5,200,453 
Beijing Net Credit Zhongchou Technology Co., Ltd Shares owned by the Founder of the Group/key management positions held by the same person  181,969   -   7,980 
Others Shares owned by the Founder of the Group/key management positions held by same person  82,642   314,139   1,320,382 
    $50,448,969  $31,562,790  $7,581,541 
System Operation and Maintenance Expenses              
Net Credit Yunxing Technology Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person  4,057,045   3,980,726   4,428,354 
    $4,057,045  $3,980,726  $4,428,354 
Consulting fee              
Beijing Netcom Baize Investment Service Co., Ltd.
*This entity was no longer treated as a related party since the entity was disposed by Mr. Zhenxin Zhang in July 2016.
 Shares owned by the Founder of the Group $-  $-  $7,821,131 
Others Shares owned by the Founder of the Group/key management positions held by the same person  -   113,592   4,701 
    $-  $113,592  $7,825,832 
Marketing Expenses              
Beijing Lianhe Currency Exchange Co., Ltd Shares owned by the Founder of the Group $398,761   -  $- 
Others Shares owned by the Founder of the Group/key management positions held by the same person $35,091  $131,820  $5,792,421 
    $433,852  $131,820  $5,792,421 
Outsourced Service Fee              
Beijing Yilian Information Technology Services Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person $1,161,896  $-  $- 
Others Shares owned by the Founder of the Group/key management positions held by the same person  341,250   -   - 
    $1,503,146  $-  $- 
Others including vehicle usage fee, Intermediary Service Fee and office expense Shares owned by the Founder of the Group/key management positions held by the same person $35,779  $164,780  $416,754 

F-33

(c)Year-end balances arising from related parties

    As of December 31 
  Relationship with the Group 2018  2017 
Accounts receivable-related parties        
Current        
Shanghai Jinmao Asset Management Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person $65,101  $801,795 
Shenzhen Lianhe Currency Wealth Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person      824,998 
Beijing Kunlun Wealth Investment Management Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  207,630   - 
Others Shares owned by the Founder of the Group/ key management positions held by the same person      24,737 
    $272,731  $1,651,530 
           
Advances to suppliers – related parties          
Huangshi Kaichuang Network Technology Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person $-  $205,239 
Others Shares owned by the same person  -   1,523 
    $-  $206,762 
Other receivable - related parties          
Current          
Xianfeng Payment Co., Ltd. (i) $1,190,244  $2,077,069 
Beijing Net Credit Wealth Investment Management Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person  -   994,650 
Net Credit Group Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person  -   984,822 
Others Shares owned by the Founder of the Group/ key management positions held by the same person  48,482   481,881 
    $1,238,726  $4,538,422 
           
Loan receivable – related parties          
Current          
Net Credit Group Co., Ltd. (ii) $-  $2,093,869 
Gain Thrive Limited (iii)  -   22,471,164 
UCF Holdings Group Limited (iv)  -   16,810,642 
Beijing Yilian Information Technology Services Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person  -   2,398,203 
    $-  $43,773,878 
           
Amounts due to related parties          
Current          
Net Credit Group Co., Ltd. (vi) $433,320  $80,066 
Gain Thrive Limited Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  12,021   - 
Dalian United Holding Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  585,951     
Others Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  59,854   12,008 
    $1,091,146  $92,074 

F-34

    As of December 31 
  Relationship with the Group 2018  2017 
Accrued marketing and channel fee – related parties          
Shanghai Jinmao Asset Management Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person $5,491,404  $3,723,689 
Shenzhen Lianhe Currency Wealth Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person  3,133,456   54,645 
Phoenix Asset Management Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  -   345,771 
Jiangsu Shanghutong Capital Holding Co., Ltd. Key management positions held by the same person  5,958   53,706 
Others    91,074   318,006 
    $8,721,892  $4,495,817 
Accruals and other liabilities – related parties          
Current          
Xianfeng Payment Co., Ltd. (payment processing service charges) (i) $-  $4,595,416 
Dalian Xianfeng United Investment Consulting Co., Ltd. Shares owned by the Founder of the Group  -   1,536,480 
Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd. (bank custodian fee) This entity was no longer treated as a related party since October 26, 2018, as Mr. Nan Xiao resigned from Yinghua Wealth Key management positions held by the same person  -   8,510,950 
Huangshi Kaichuang Network Technology Co., Ltd Key management positions held by the same person  323,829   - 
Others    41,878   - 
    $365,707  $14,642,846 
Loan payable – related parties          
Current          
           
Net Credit Group Co., Ltd. (v) $703,628  $- 
Beijing Yuewang Jinfu Information Technology Co., Ltd. (vii)  437,114   - 
     1,140,742   - 
           
Note payable – related party          
Current          
Great Reap Venture Ltd. (see note 16) (viii) Parent of the Group $4,077,000  $- 
           
Non-current          
Great Reap Venture Ltd. (viii) Parent of the Group $-  $4,077,000 

i.Xianfeng Payment Co., Ltd (“Xianfeng Payment”) was primarily owned by the Group’s founder and major shareholder, Mr. Zhenxin Zhang. Xianfeng Payment acted as the certified payment platform which facilitated the deposit from investors and payment to the borrowers via the custody accounts. The amount due from Xianfeng Payment was related to the Group’s deposit that was not yet withdrawn, and the amount due to Xianfeng Payment was related to the service fee that Group collected from the borrowers.

ii.The Group’s President Ms. Huanxiang Li and CEO, Mr. Jia Sheng hold the key management positions   at Net Credit Group Co., Ltd. (“Net Credit Group”). The receivable primarily represents three and two borrowings during the year ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively with this related party. These notes were due on January 2, 2019, July 6, 2019, May 28, 2019, December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2018, respectively. The borrowing’s interest rate ranges from 0% to 0.02% per day. During the year ended December 31, 2018, $122,427,925 and $123,836,854 of the loan principal were borrowed by and received from Net Credit Group, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2018, $3,418,054 of interest were received. All loans were fully collected in November 2018.

There were both due from and due to Net Credit Group (see vi below) as of December 31, 2018, and 2017 as they are related to the transactions with different subsidiaries in the Group, and these amounts would not be offset with each other.

iii.Gain Thrive Limited (“Gain Thrive”) was primarily owned by the Group’s Founder, Mr. Zhenxin Zhang. As of December 31, 2017, the balance of loan principal and loan interest was $20,326,566 and $2,144,598, respectively. During 2018, the Group incurred three new loans to Gain thrive, bearing an interest rate of 6% per annum with a maturity date of October 31, 2018, November 8, 2018 and December 28, 2018, with total amounts of $22,378,125 of principal and $1,648,923 of interest, respectively. As of December 31, 2018, all of the principal and interest were fully collected from Gain Thrive.

iv.UCF Holdings Group Limited (“UCF Holdings”) was primarily owned by the Group’s founder, Mr. Zhenxin Zhang. The receivable represents $14,312,759 of principal and $2,497,883 of interest about two borrowings with this related party, due on June 10, 2018, and December 31, 2017, respectively. Both of the borrowings bore an annual interest rate of 6%. No more new borrowing incurred during 2018. As of December 31, 2018, $14,312,759 of principal and $ 2,658,319 of interest were fully collected by March 2018 and October 2018, respectively.

F-35

v.The Group’s President Ms. Huanxiang Li and CEO, Mr. Jia Sheng hold the key management positions at Net Credit Group. The loan payable represents a total principal of $4,225,445 with interest rate 0.02% per day from this related party, due on Aug 16, 2019. As of December 31, 2018, $1,452,370 of principal was offset with the loan to Net Credit Group. The balance at the year ended December 31, 2018 was $703,628, which was subsequently collected in February, 2019.

vi.The Group’s President Ms. Huanxiang Li and CEO, Mr. Jia Sheng hold the key management positions at Net Credit Group. The total amounts of $433,320 represents an overpayment received from this related party. The balance was subsequently repaid to the related party in February, 2019.

vii.The Group’s founder, Mr. Zhenxin Zhang owns shares of Beijing Yuewang Jinfu Information Technology Co., Ltd. The payable represents the balance of a new borrowing from this related party in August 2018. The borrowing is approximately $437,114, bearing an interest rate of 0% per annum, with a maturity date on August 16, 2019. The amount was fully repaid in January 2019.

viii.On July 13, 2015, 50 million of the Company’s Ordinary Shares were transferred to the trust as a loan from Great Reap Venture Ltd. (“Great Reap”), a majority shareholder of our company and is 100% owned by Mr. Zhang. The Group recorded the 50 million shares at $4,077,000 as a reduction of the Group’s equity.

Guarantor - related parties  

During the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, there were 31%, 51%, and 68% of the total loans facilitated by the Group that were guaranteed by the related parties. Among these loans guaranteed by the related parties, there are 31%, 31%, 44% of total loans guaranteed by related parties under common by the Founder of the Group during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, there are 0%, 20%, 24% of total loans guaranteed by related parties for which the key management positions are held by the same person, respectively. These related parties provide guarantees for loans facilitated through the Group’s marketplace for the assurance that investors’ principal and interest would be repaid in the event that their loans became default.

Loans facilitated by asset cooperative institutions-related parties

One, two and two asset cooperative institutions were related parties and accounted for 17%, 26% and 20% of the total loan facilitated for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. Asset cooperative institutions are the companies who introduce qualified borrowers to the Group.

Loans facilitated by funding cooperative institutions-related parties  

Two, two, and two funding cooperative institutions were related parties and accounted for 64%, 39%, and 39% of the total loan facilitated for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Funding cooperative institutions are the companies who introduce funding sources to the Group.

Cash deposited with the related party  

As of December 31, 2017, the cash deposited in the related party, Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd., was $824,917.

Since October 26, 2018, Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd., ceased to be a related party because Mr. Nan Xiao resigned from Yinghua Wealth.

Interest income from related parties

  Relationship with the Group 2018  2017  2016 
Custody Bank Service Charges*           
Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd. *Interest income received from the customers’   deposits at Haikou United Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd.
* This entity was no longer treated as a related party since October 26, 2018, as Mr. Nan Xiao resigned from Yinghua Wealth
 Key management positions held by the same person $2,038,425  $2,680,795  $- 
Gain Thrive Limited (iii)  1,648,923   1,227,727   934,363 
UCF Holdings Group Limited (iv)  160,436   864,492   868,616 
Net Credit Group Co., Ltd.    3,179,035   -   - 
Others    150,057   -   - 
Total   $7,176,876  $4,773,013  $1,802,979 

Interest expense from related parties

    For the year ended December 31, 
  Relationship with the Group 2018  2017  2016 
Interest Expense from Related Party              
Net Credit Zhengxin Co., Ltd Key management positions held by the same person $    -  $     -  $282,276 

F-36

Note 20 - Subsequent Events

On January 24, 2019, Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp (“Hunter Maritime”) received a letter from NASDAQ stating that the Company had failed to demonstrate compliance with the Minimum Public Holders Rule within the required time period and Listing Rule 5620(a), accordingly, the NASDAQ staff had initiated procedures to delist its Class A common shares, Units and Warrants from NASDAQ. Hunter Maritime has requested a hearing to appeal the staff’s determination and as of the filing of this report, the appeal case is still pending.

On April 24, 2019, Hunter Maritime received notification from the Nasdaq Hearings Panel (the “Panel”) that the Panel determined to suspend trading in the Hunter’s securities effective at the open of business on Friday, April 26, 2019 and to formally delist the securities on May 9, 2019 unless Hunter Maritime appeal the decision.

On March 21, 2019, the Group consummated the merger with Hunter Maritime (Note 1). The merger is accounted for as a reverse recapitalization, whereby NCF is the acquirer for accounting and financial reporting purposes and Hunter Maritime is the legal acquirer. Under a reverse recapitalization, the common stock of Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp.

16. Subsequent Events
remaining after redemptions and the unrestricted net cash and equivalents on the date the merger is consummated is accounted for as a capital infusion into NCF. Expenses incurred by NCF related to the merger up to the point of viability is charged to operations in the period incurred. Hunter Maritime’s assets, liabilities and results of operations will be consolidated with the assets, liabilities and results of operations of NCF Wealth Group upon consummation of the Merger. The Board of Directorsshareholders meeting held on April 23, 2019 has approved the Consolidated Financial Statements on March 29, 2018.  Management has performed an evaluationamendment of subsequent events through that date.  As at March 29, 2018, there are no relevant subsequent events.

F-17


SIGNATURES
The registrant hereby certifies that it meetsthe certificate of incorporation of Hunter Maritime to change its name from “Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp.” to “NCF Wealth Holdings Limited”.

Upon the closing of the merger, all of the requirementsNCF Series B and C-1 Preferred Shares were automatically converted into 9,450,487 common stock of Hunter Maritime. All of NCF’s issued ordinary shares, including 110,000,000 shares held in NCF’s Employee benefit trust (Note 16) were converted into 190,549,513 common stock of Hunter Maritime.

On February 1, 2019, the Group entered into a loan agreement with Xiamen International Bank amounted to $13,536,894 (RMB 93,000,000) at a fixed interest rate of 1.68% per annum with an expiration date of December 20, 2019, which was secured by a deposit amounted to $13,959,012 (RMB 95,900,000).

Beijing Oriental received a Notice on further strict Implementation of “three reductions” goal from Head Office of Chaoyang District, Beijing City for filingSpecial Rectification of Finance and Societal Risk on Form 20-Fthe date of April 24, 2019. If Beijing Oriental cannot meet the requirement of “three reductions”, its rectification shall not be accepted and has duly causedshall not pass administrative inspection. Beijing Oriental had sent its plan to the designated mail according to the requirements. The requirement of “three reductions” may lead to the decrease of Beijing Oriental's net revenue and authorizednet income.

The Group evaluates events that have occurred after the undersignedbalance sheet date of December 31, 2018, through the date which the combined and consolidated financial statements were issued. Based upon the review, the Group did not identify any recognized or non-recognized subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the combined and consolidated financial statements.

F-37

SCHEDULE I-CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF THE PARENT COMPANY

The Group performed a test on the restricted net assets of consolidated subsidiaries in accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-X Rule 4-08 (e) (3), “General Notes to sign this annual reportFinancial Statements” and concluded that it was applicable for the Group to disclose the financial statements for the parent company.

The subsidiaries did not pay any dividend to the Company for the years presented. For the purpose of presenting parent only financial information, the Company records its investments in its subsidiaries under the equity method of accounting. Such investments are presented on its behalf.

Hunter Maritime Acquisition Corp.
By:/s/ Alexander Saverys
Name: Alexander Saverys
Title: Chief Executive Officer
the separate condensed balance sheets of the Company as “Investments (deficit) in subsidiaries and VIEs” and the profit (loss) of the subsidiaries is presented as “income/(loss) from equity method investment”. Certain information and footnote disclosures generally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed and omitted.

The Group did not have significant capital and other commitments, long-term obligations, or guarantees as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Parent Company Condensed Balance Sheets

  As of December 31, 
  2018  2017 
Assets      
Current assets      
Cash and cash equivalents $3,956,817  $1,756,596 
Advances to suppliers  26,533   23,932 
Advances to suppliers and other receivable – subsidiaries  100,628,018   62,959,863 
Loan receivable – related parties  -   39,281,806 
Total current assets  104,611,368   104,022,197 
Non-current assets        
Investment (deficits) in subsidiary and VIEs  27,092,036   (33,987,720)
Total assets $131,703,404  $70,034,477 
Liabilities and shareholders’ equity        
Current liabilities        
Accruals and other liabilities $982,501  $285,261 
Amounts due to related parties  55,962   55,898 
Total liabilities  1,038,463   341,159 
         
Shareholders’ equity:        
Series B Preferred shares ($0.00001 par value; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized; 29,426,129 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2018 and 2017)  294   294 
Series C-1 Preferred shares ($0.00001 par value; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized; 24,711,296 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2018, and 2017, respectively)  247   247 
Ordinary Shares ($0.00001 par value, authorized 3,000,000,000 shares; shares issued, 1,091,569,209 shares issued as of December 31, 2018 and 2017; 981,569,209 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2018 and 2017)  10,916   10,916 
Additional paid-in capital  123,226,418   122,659,469 
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)  7,378,786   (52,906,185)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)  48,280   (71,423)
Total shareholders’ equity  130,664,941   69,693,318 
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $131,703,404  $70,034,477 


F-38

Parent Company Condensed Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

  For the years ended December 31, 
  2018  2017  2016 
          
General and administrative Expenses $2,618,899  $4,254,823  $3,430,562 
Total operating expenses  2,618,899   4,254,823   3,430,562 
             
Interest income, net – related parties  1,811,694   2,092,219   1,802,979 
Interest income (expense), net  12,421   6,108   (773,875)
Income/(loss) in equity method investment  61,079,755   38,144,127   (10,755,703)
             
Income (Loss) before income tax  60,284,971   35,987,631   (13,157,161)
Income tax expenses  -   -   - 
Net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders  60,284,971  $35,987,631  $(13,157,161)
Other comprehensive loss            
Foreign currency translation adjustment  119,703   (960,658)  (722,122)
Total comprehensive income (loss) $60,404,674  $35,026,974  $(13,879,283)

Parent Company Condensed Statements of Cash Flows

  For the Years Ended December 31, 
  2018  2017  2016 
Cash flows from operating activities         
Net income (loss) $60,284,971  $35,987,631  $(13,157,161)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:            
Share-based compensation  566,949   3,431,852   2,622,264 
(Income)/loss from equity method investment  (61,079,755)  (38,144,127)  10,755,703 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:            
Advances to suppliers  (2,577)  (24,092)  1,896 
Advances to suppliers and other receivable - other entities within the Group  4,907,455   44,645   (26,973,837)
Loan receivable – related parties  491,600   (2,092,218)  (1,802,879)
Accruals and other liabilities  698,053   273,042   73,578 
Amounts due to related parties  -   -   (7,175)
Net cash used in operating activities  5,866,696   (523,267)  (28,487,611)
             
Cash flows from investing activities            
Loans to related parties  (22,518,788)  -   (20,532,237)
Proceeds from related party loan  18,853,890   -     
Net cash used in investing activities  (3,664,898)  -   (20,532,237)
             
Cash flows from financing activities            
Proceeds from issue of preference shares, net of issuance cost  -   -   37,295,187 
Proceeds from issue of ordinary shares  -   -   13,199,918 
Net cash provided by financing activities  -   -   50,495,105 
             
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents  2,201,798   (523,267)  1,475,257 
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year  1,756,596   2,105,796   - 
Exchange (gains)/losses on cash and cash equivalents  (1,577)  174,067   630,539 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year $3,956,817  $1,756,596  $2,105,796 
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information            
Cash paid for:            
Interest $-  $-  $- 
Income taxes $-  $-  $- 
Noncash Investing and Financing Activities:            
Preferred stock issued for a decrease in other liabilities $-  $-  $4,654,609 

F-39

Date:  March 29, 2018