PART II — OFFERING CIRCULAR
An Offering Statement pursuant to Regulation A relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Information contained in this Preliminary Offering Circular is subject to completion or amendment. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time an Offering Circular which is not designated as a Preliminary Offering Circular is delivered and the Offering Statement filed with the Commission becomes qualified. This Preliminary Offering Circular shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sales of these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the laws of any such state. We may elect to satisfy our obligation to deliver a Final Offering Circular by sending you a notice within two business days after the completion of our sale to you that contains the URL where the Final Offering Circular or the Offering Statement in which such Final Offering Circular was filed may be obtained.
| Preliminary Offering Circular | Subject to Completion, Dated January 29, 2020 |
PROMETHEUM, INC.

$5,000,000 Minimum Offering Amount (5,000,000 Units)
$49,750,000 Maximum Offering Amount (49,750,000 Units)
Prometheum, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) is offering (the “Offering”) to investors units (the “Units”), consisting of one (1) share of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Common Stock”) and one (1) Ember Warrant (an “Ember Warrant”). Each Ember Warrant is exercisable to purchase, when and if created, one blockchain protocol token, which we refer to as an “Ember Token.” Ember Tokens are intended to be used as the basis for the Company’s proposed blockchain based securities issuance and trading network (the “Prometheum Network”). The Company is offering a minimum of $5,000,000 of Units (the “Minimum Amount”) and a maximum of $49,750,000 of Units (the “Maximum Amount”) at a price of $1.00 per Unit. The Ember Warrants will not be exercisable until the date of the creation of the genesis block of Ember Tokens (the “Genesis Block”), which is expected to occur within a year of the date hereof, but which may never occur. After the Genesis Block is created, each Ember Warrant sold will be exercisable to purchase, without additional consideration, one Ember Token. If the Genesis Block is not created the Ember Warrants will not be exercisable, they will have no value and the investors’ total investment in Ember Warrants will be lost and the Common Stock acquired will have little or no value. The minimum amount that must be purchased by each investor is 1,000 Units. This Offering is being conducted pursuant to Tier 2 of Regulation A. The Company is also seeking to qualify 500,000 Ember Warrants issuable as incentives (“Incentive Warrants”). We will not receive any proceeds from the issuance of Incentive Warrants.
The Units offered hereby have no standalone rights and will not be certificated or issued as standalone securities. The Common Stock and Ember Warrants included in the Units offered hereby can only be purchased together as a Unit, but the Common Stock and Ember Warrants will be issued separately and will be immediately separable upon issuance.
The Common Stock, Ember Warrants and the underlying Ember Tokens are highly speculative securities, see “Risk Factors” beginning on page 10.
| Title of Each Class of Securities to be Qualified | Amount to be Qualified | Offering Price | Proposed Maximum Offering Price | |||||||||
| Units, each consisting of: | 49,750,000 | $ | 1.00 | $ | 49,750,000 | |||||||
| Common Stock(1) | 49,750,000 | — | ||||||||||
| Ember Warrants(1) | 49,750,000 | — | ||||||||||
| Ember Tokens underlying Ember Warrants(2) | 49,750,000 | $ | 0.00 | $ | 0.00 | |||||||
| Incentive Warrants(3) | 500,000 | $ | 0.50 | $ | 250,000 | |||||||
| Ember Tokens underlying Incentive Warrants | 500,000 | $ | 0.00 | $ | 0.00 | |||||||
| Total(4) | $ | 50,000,000 | ||||||||||
(1) Please refer to the section entitled “Securities Being Offered” on page 53 for a description of the Common Stock and Ember Warrants.
(2) Each Ember Warrant is exercisable to purchase, when and if the Genesis Block is created, one Ember Token for no additional consideration. Please refer to the section entitled “Securities Being Offered” on page 53 for a description of the Ember Tokens.
(3) The price of the Incentive Warrants to be issued as incentives for no cash consideration to the Company has been deemed to be $0.50 per Incentive Warrant. Each Incentive Warrant is exercisable to purchase, when and if the Genesis Block is created, one Ember Token for no additional consideration.
(4) The aggregate offering price that the Company will receive in this Offering will not exceed $50,000,000.
The Company has engaged the services of Manorhaven Capital, LLC (“Manorhaven” or the “Administrative Agent”), a registered broker-dealer and FINRA member, to act as its administrative agent to assist us in the administration of this Offering. As compensation for such services, the Company will pay the Administrative Agent an administrative fee equal to 2% of total sales proceeds at each closing of the Offering. The Administrative Agent is not purchasing the securities offered by us and has not been engaged to sell any of the securities in the Offering. Moreover, Manorhaven is not providing any advisory services to the Company or any prospective or actual investors. Manorhaven is not providing the Company any underwriting or placement agent services. For more information regarding the Administrative Agent and compensation to be received by the Administrative Agent in connection with the Offering, see “Plan of Distribution” and the Administrative Agent Agreement which is an exhibit to the Offering Statement filed herewith.
| Price to public | Underwriting discount and commissions(1) | Proceeds to issuer(2)(3) | ||||||||||
| Per Unit | $ | 1.00 | $ | — | $ | 1.00 | ||||||
| Minimum Amount of Units | $ | 5,000,000 | $ | — | $ | 5,000,000 | ||||||
| Maximum Amount of Units | $ | 49,750,000 | $ | — | $ | 49,750,000 | ||||||
| Incentive Warrants(3) | $ | 250,000 | $ | — | $ | 0 | ||||||
(1) The Company reserves the right to pay selling agent broker-dealers a commission of up to 6% of the gross proceeds of Units sold to investors introduced by such selling agent broker-dealers and to issue them that number of agent warrants equal to up to 10% of the Ember Warrants underlying Units sold to investors introduced by such selling agent broker-dealers. The agent warrants will be exercisable to purchase Ember Tokens at an exercise price of $0.55 per Ember Token.
(2) Excludes estimated Offering expenses of approximately $200,000, the 2% Administrative Agent fee, commissions and the costs of informing the public of the opportunity of participating in this Offering. See “Use of Proceeds” and “Plan of Distribution.”
(3) The Company is qualifying 500,000 Incentive Warrants for issuance to persons that open brokerage accounts on the Prometheum Network on a first come first serve basis, for no consideration. The Company has estimated the value of the Incentive Warrants to be $0.50 per Incentive Warrant for purposes of determining the total offering amount. Incentive Warrants qualified under the Offering Statement of which this Offering Circular is a part will only be offered during the period that Units are sold in this Offering.
Generally, no sale may be made to you in this Offering if the aggregate purchase price you pay is more than 10% of the greater of your annual income or your net worth. Different rules apply to accredited investors and non-natural persons. Before making any representation that your investment does not exceed applicable thresholds, the Company encourages you to review Rule 251(d)(2)(i)(C) of Regulation A. For general information on investing, the Company encourages you to refer to www.investor.gov.
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not pass upon the merits of or give its approval to any securities offered or the terms of the offering, nor does it pass upon the accuracy or completeness of any Offering Circular or other solicitation materials. These securities are offered pursuant to an exemption from registration with the Commission; however, the Commission has not made an independent determination that the securities offered are exempt from registration.
This Offering Circular follows the disclosure format of Part I of Form S-1 pursuant to the general instructions of Part II(a)(1)(ii) of Form 1-A as it applies to smaller reporting companies as the Company meets the definition of that term in Rule 405.
Prometheum, Inc.
120 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005
(212) 514-8369
www.prometheum.com
The information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this Offering Circular, and you should not consider information contained on our website to be part of this Offering Circular or information to be relied upon in determining whether to purchase the securities offered hereby.
We expect to commence sales of the Units within two days of the date on which the Offering Statement of which this Offering Circular is a part (the “Offering Statement”) is qualified (the “Qualification Date”) by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
This Offering will terminate on the earlier of (i) one year from the Qualification Date; (ii) the date on which the Maximum Amount is sold, or (iii) the date that the Offering is terminated by us in our sole discretion (collectively, the “Termination Date”). All investor subscription funds shall be held in an escrow account. Cross River Bank (the “Escrow Agent”) will serve as the escrow agent in connection with this Offering.
The date of this Offering Circular is [·], 2020
The Offering will be made on “best-efforts, all-or-none” basis as to the Minimum Amount and on a “best-efforts” basis as to the Maximum Amount as provided by Rule 251(d)(3)(i)(F) of Regulation A. Only after we have received and accepted subscriptions equal to at least the Minimum Amount, will we have the initial closing (the “Initial Closing”). If, on the Initial Closing date, we have sold less than the Maximum Amount, we may hold one or more additional closings (each an “Additional Closing”) on additional sales of Ember Warrants, until the first to occur of: (i) the sale of the Maximum Amount or (ii) the Termination Date. Upon the Initial Closing and each subsequent Additional Closing, the proceeds from the Offering will be disbursed to the Company and the associated Common Stock and Ember Warrants will be issued to investors.
If we have not received and accepted subscriptions equal to at least the Minimum Amount prior to the Termination Date, all subscription funds on deposit in the escrow account will be returned to investors without interest or deduction. A subscriber in the Offering has no right to a return of their funds before the closing of the Offering once a subscriber has executed the subscription documents in connection with this Offering.
We intend to file an application to have the Common Stock and Ember Warrants listed for trading on the over-the-counter market operated by OTC Markets Group Inc. which we refer to herein as the “OTCQB” at such time following the Initial Closing as determined by Company management. Currently, neither our Common Stock nor our Ember Warrants are traded on any exchange or on the over-the-counter market. There is no assurance that the Common Stock or Ember Warrants will ever be approved for listing or quoted on the OTCQB. To be quoted on the OTCQB, a market maker must file an application on our behalf with FINRA to quote our securities and the application must approved by FINRA. As of the date of this Offering Circular, we have not made any arrangement with any market makers to apply to quote our Common Stock and Ember Warrants and no assurance can be given that any market maker will agree to file an application and quote our Common Stock and Ember Warrants. For more information see “Plan of Distribution.”
We are currently in the process of developing the Prometheum Network and the Ember Tokens and currently expect to launch the Prometheum Network and to create the Genesis Block of Ember Tokens within a year of the date hereof. We intend to apply the proceeds of this Offering to further develop, build out and commercialize the Prometheum Network as more specifically set forth in this Offering Circular and the Offering Statement.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, our securities only in jurisdictions where such offers and sales are permitted. You should rely only on the information contained in this Offering Circular. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any information other than the information contained in this Offering Circular. The information contained in this Offering Circular is accurate only as of its date, regardless of the time of its delivery or of any sale or delivery of Units, Common Stock, Ember Warrants or Ember Tokens. Neither the delivery of this Offering Circular, nor any sale or delivery of Units, Common Stock, Ember Warrants or Ember Tokens shall, under any circumstances, imply that there has been no change in our affairs since the date of this Offering Circular. This Offering Circular will be updated and made available for delivery to the extent required by the Federal Securities Laws.
In this Offering Circular, unless the context indicates otherwise, references to “we,” “us,” “our,” and “Company” refer to Prometheum, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
The Units, Common Stock, and Ember Warrants offered hereby, and the Ember Tokens underlying the Ember Warrants offered hereby are highly speculative securities. Investing in such securities involves significant risks. You should invest in such securities only if you can afford a complete loss of your investment. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 10.
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Some of the statements in this Offering Circular constitute forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance, plans and objectives. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “proposed,” “yet,” “assuming,” “may,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “will,” and similar words or phrases or the negative or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. All forward-looking statements are predictions or projections and involve known and unknown risks, estimates, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual transactions, results, performance, achievements and outcomes to differ adversely from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The cautionary statements set forth in this Offering Circular, including in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere, identify important factors that you should consider in evaluating the Company’s forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things:
| · | The lack of any existing regulated marketplace for blockchain protocol securities; | |
| · | Our ability to implement our proposed Prometheum Network business plan; | |
| · | Our ability to create the blockchain for our Ember Tokens and to create the Genesis Block; | |
| · | Our ability to create the coding and algorithms for the crypto-securities issuance and trading platforms that will form the basis for our Prometheum Network; | |
| · | National, international and local economic and business conditions that could affect our business; | |
| · | Markets for our Ember Warrants and the Ember Tokens, if and when the Genesis Block of our Ember Tokens is created; | |
| · | Our cash flows or lack thereof; | |
| · | Our operating performance; | |
| · | Our financing activities; | |
| · | General market conditions effecting blockchain protocol based securities; | |
| · | Industry developments affecting our business, financial condition and results of operations; | |
| · | Our ability to compete effectively; | |
| · | Governmental approvals, actions and initiatives and changes in laws and regulations or the interpretation thereof, including without limitation tax laws, regulations and interpretations by the SEC, States and self-regulatory organizations, including without limitation, FINRA; and | |
| · | Cybersecurity breaches or attacks. |
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future plans, transactions, results, performance, achievements or outcomes. No assurance can be made to any investor by anyone that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements will be attained or that deviations from them will not be material and adverse. We undertake no obligation, other than as may be required by law, to re-issue this Offering Circular or otherwise make public statements in order to update its forward-looking statements beyond the date of this Offering Circular.
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The following summary highlights selected information contained in this Offering Circular. This summary is not complete and does not contain all the information that you should consider before deciding whether to invest in the Company’s securities. You should carefully read the entire Offering Circular, including the risks associated with an investment in the Company’s securities discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of this Offering Circular beginning on page 10.
The Business of the Company
Overview
Prometheum, Inc., (“Prometheum,” “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company”) is a Delaware corporation formed in September 2017 for the purpose of developing, building out and commercializing an integrated network, which we refer to as the “Prometheum Network,” for initial and follow on issuances and secondary trading of blockchain protocol based crypto-securities, which we refer to as “Smart Security Tokens”™ (“SSTs”). We believe that SST crypto-securities are “securities” as defined under the Securities Act and as such their issuance and trading are subject to Federal and State securities laws. We intend to conduct our SST crypto-security operations through our owned subsidiary, Prometheum Ember ATS, Inc. (“PEATS”), a New York corporation formed in February 2018. PEATS has registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as a broker-dealer and applied to become a member of FINRA. If its membership application is approved, PEATS will apply to the SEC to operate as an alternative trading system, which we refer to as the “PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS”) for SST crypto-securities.
The Company, with its strategic partners and joint venturers, HashKey Digital Asset Group Limited (“HashKey”) and Shanghai Wanxiang Blockchain Inc. (“Wanxiang”), an affiliate of HashKey, are developing blockchain technology and smart contract systems for the Prometheum Network designed to (i) address the regulatory, legal, and liquidity challenges faced by issuers seeking to raise capital through the sale of SST crypto-securities (ii) provide a platform through which issuers may conduct initial and follow on offerings of SST crypto-securities pursuant to Regulation A of the Securities Act; and (iii) provide the infrastructure necessary to allow for secondary trading of SST crypto-securities. We believe that our Prometheum Network will provide the infrastructure to compliantly service the entire SST crypto-securities lifecycle.
In July 2019, the SEC and FINRA put out a Joint Staff Statement on Broker-Dealer Custody of Digital Asset Securities (the “Joint Statement”) raising a broad range of issues relating to broker-dealer compliance with custody and control, record keeping and financial reporting rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), with respect to SST crypto-securities. In order to address the issues raised in the Joint Statement, the Company: (i) entered into a Software Purchase Agreement, dated as of August 9, 2019 with InteliClear LLC (“InteliClear”), pursuant to which we acquired a version of InteliClear’s Post Trade Solution Software. We are using the Post Trade Solution Software to construct the necessary infrastructure to meet broker-dealer recordkeeping requirements (Exchange Act Rule 17(a)(3)) and financial reporting obligations (Exchange Act Rule 17(a)(4)) with respect to transactions in SST crypto-securities, and (ii) will establish electronic custodial systems for safekeeping of customers’ SST crypto-securities in compliance with the SEC’s customer protection rule (Exchange Act Rule 15c3-3)).
We have not commenced operations and our activities to date have been devoted to developing the technology and infrastructure necessary to launch our Prometheum Network, which may never occur, and raising capital to fund our development efforts.
In December 2018, we sold 68,875,000 shares of common stock and 10,150,000 founder ember warrants for $12,000,000 consisting of $3,000,000 cash and $9,000,000 in technology and related services to HashKey. HashKey also negotiated the right to purchase an additional 10% of our common stock for $12,500,000 exercisable 30 days following Prometheum Ember ATS receiving FINRA and SEC approval to operate as a broker-dealer alternative trading system. In connection therewith, Dr. Feng Xiao, Chairman of HashKey, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of China Wanxiang Holding Co., Ltd., and Chairman and CEO of Wanxiang joined Prometheum’s board of directors. Dr. Xiao was, we believe, the earliest evangelist and promoter of blockchain technology in China and an early sponsor of Ethereum. Dr. Xiao and Wanxiang have incubated and invested in more than 50 blockchain projects around the world.
In November 2019, PEATS entered into a letter agreement with Quantex Clearing, LLC (“Quantex”), an SEC registered clearing broker pursuant to which Quantex agreed to provide to PEATS clearing and related services, to be set forth in a definitive clearing agreement.
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We may not be successful in developing and launching the Prometheum Network, and even assuming we do develop the necessary infrastructure to launch the Prometheum Network, no assurance can be given that the SEC, FINRA or other regulatory agencies will grant the necessary regulatory approvals for the operation of the Company’s Prometheum Network. The Company must obtain approval from FINRA of PEATS’ application to be admitted as a broker-dealer member of FINRA and then PEATS must apply to the SEC to operate its alternative trading system. We believe the most significant hurdle that we must surmount in order to commence operation of PEATS is demonstrating to FINRA and the SEC that the systems to be implemented by PEATS for maintaining custody and control of digital securities are in compliance with Rule 15c3-3 of the Exchange Act and address each of the issues raised in the Joint Statement. We submitted a no action request to the SEC in October, 2017 regarding our proposed custody and control systems and in August 2019, we submitted our latest response to FINRA regarding PEATS’ application which also included a description of how these issues will be addressed. As of the date hereof, we have not received a formal response to these submissions. The foregoing challenges to the launch of our Prometheum Network involve novel approaches to address compliance with regulatory issues using blockchain based solutions. There is significant uncertainty that we will be successful in addressing any or all of these challenges which creates a substantial risk that we will be unable to launch our Prometheum Network or create and issue the Ember Tokens. For example, we are proposing a blockchain based system, using Wallets (as defined below) for use by PEATS and other broker-dealers participating in the Prometheum Network to establish and maintain custody of digital asset securities in compliance with the federal securities laws. However, there is currently no guidance on how broker-dealers can establish and maintain custody of digital asset securities in compliance with the federal securities laws. We have proposed solutions, which we believe in theory address the federal securities laws requirements for maintaining custody and control of digital asset securities such as the Prometheum Wallet System (see page 39), Account Creation and Record Keeping Functions (see page 37) and Clearing Custody and Control (see page 41). However, until such time as we have received guidance that our solutions are acceptable, there is substantial uncertainty that we will be able to operate the Prometheum Network, PEATS, and our business, or create and issue our Ember Tokens as proposed. Further, we are proposing using blockchain based procedures for maintaining broker-dealer books and records in compliance with federal securities laws using blockchain based solutions. This is an integral part of our Prometheum Network, as it is necessary to the creation of our Smart Securities Network (as defined below). There is likewise no guidance on how broker-dealers can maintain their books and records for digital asset securities using the blockchain. Similarly, we are proposing that records of ownership and transfers, typically maintained by transfer agents, be built into the blockchain of our digital asset securities. This tool is an untested concept and one which is integral to the operation of PEATS and our Prometheum Network. Accordingly, investors should be aware that the descriptions in this Offering Circular of our Prometheum Network, PEATS, and our Ember Tokens are based upon unproven procedures and the application of new technologies to established systems which must be successfully implemented and created by us, and more importantly, accepted by the SEC and FINRA as satisfying their regulatory requirements. As such, an investment in our Units are subject to significant risks. See the discussion on page 32.
The Prometheum Network
Our Prometheum Network when fully functional will be a “Smart Securities NetworkTM” (“SSN”) which will include procedures and algorithms for the following:
| · | a platform for issuers seeking to raise capital to conduct initial and follow-on offerings of SST crypto-securities pursuant to Regulation A (the “Regulation A Platform”). SST crypto-securities offered through our Regulation A Platform will be controlled by smart contracts and will be based on our own Ember Tokens (described below). Issuers offering SST crypto-securities through our Regulation A Platform will be matched with buyers who have established accounts on the Prometheum Network. We refer to offerings of SST crypto-securities through our proposed Regulation A Platform as “Smart Security OfferingsTM” (“SSOs”). We intend to structure SST crypto-securities issued in an SSO to be compatible for secondary trading on PEATS, our Broker-Dealer/ATS. |
| · | an alternative trading system for secondary market trading of SST crypto-securities operated by PEATS which will function by matching buyer and seller orders. PEATS has registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC and has filed a membership application with FINRA and, pending approval of its FINRA membership application, intends to file an initial operation report on Form ATS with the SEC to operate as an alternative trading system. |
| · | back-office procedures providing for broker-dealer record keeping, customer account information, books and records required by Rule 17a-3, with respect to SST crypto-security transactions conducted through PEATS based upon the Post Trade Solution Software acquired from InteliClear. PEATS has entered into a letter agreement with Quantex Clearing, LLC pursuant to which Quantex will act as the clearing broker for PEATS pursuant to a clearing agreement currently being negotiated. |
| · | the “Prometheum Blockchain” which will use the Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (“PBFT”) consensus algorithm in order to provide a balance between performance and distributed reliability. We believe that PBFT is the most efficient method for validating transactions in a distributed system such as the Prometheum Blockchain. The Prometheum Blockchain is being developed based on the open source code of the Ethereum Blockchain and will have two components, a permissioned blockchain, referred to as the “Prometheum Core Chain,” and a public blockchain, referred to as the “Prometheum Utility Chain.” |
PBFT is a mechanism for having a distributed network of connected computers (referred to as nodes or validators) share information and agree on changes to a dataset (a blockchain). The PBFT algorithm was written to address two threats to the integrity of a blockchain, faulty nodes that verify changes to the blockchain incorrectly and malicious nodes that intentionally seek to corrupt the integrity of a blockchain. The PBFT algorithm identifies incorrect changes to a blockchain by polling a variety of different nodes and comparing such nodes results. Sequences that do not match a minimum percentage of all sequences are excluded and the majority sequence is validated and added to the blockchain.
The PBFT algorithm was originally conceived in 1999 and published by MIT. It uses a system of network communication that allows for finality (guarantees that once a transaction is accepted it forms a permanent part of the blockchain data) and resistance to byzantine faults (errors or malicious data that may cause a system to fail). Nodes on the network take turns to propose blocks in such a way that allows for faulty nodes to be identified and ignored.
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The algorithm achieves consensus in a manner that neither the integrity of the data nor the performance of the network are affected by faulty or malicious node behavior. The validation of transactions is done through the Prometheum blockchain smart contracts. Using the PBFT algorithm, transactions will be written to the Prometheum blockchain after it has been validated for correctness by seeking a minimum consensus of randomly selected nodes validating, or agreeing, on the transaction. If a certain minimum number of nodes, determined through the PBFT algorithm, agree on the transaction, it is written to the Prometheum blockchain. Nodes that reply late or that report a different transaction, either intentionally or mistakenly, are disregarded.
Because PBFT uses a randomly selected subset of nodes to validate transactions we believe that PBFT is the most efficient method for validating transactions in a distributed system such as the Prometheum Blockchain because using a randomly selected subset of nodes to validate specific transactions is faster and more efficient than polling all available nodes and because using a subset of nodes is particularly well suited to validating transactions on the internet where the universe of possible nodes could potentially make it impossible to validate a transaction in a timely manner.
| · | Prometheum Blockchain based digital account wallets (“Wallets”). There will be three types of Wallets. The first will be a secure, private Wallet account which will be created for persons that open accounts with PEATS, which we refer to as “Master Wallets.” Master Wallets will be created using the Prometheum Core Blockchain, which is a permissioned blockchain that will serve as the custody and control location for SST crypto-securities held at PEATS on behalf of customers. Customers seeking to access the Prometheum Network will be required to open a brokerage account with the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS and have a Master Wallet created for them. Master Wallets established by PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS will be under the control of PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS. The second type of Wallet, which we refer to as “Management Wallets” are used internally within the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS in order to interact with multi-signature processes required to update the location of SSTs on the Prometheum Core Chain. Management Wallets are not seen by users and are a part of the Master Wallet processes and system. The Master Wallet/Management Wallet system will allow clearing firms to custody SST crypto-securities in Management Wallets and to represent ownership in Master Wallets. The third type of Wallets, which we refer to as “Personal Wallets”, will be created using the Prometheum Utility Chain, which is not a permissioned blockchain. See “Prometheum Wallet System.” |
| · | our own SST crypto-securities engineered for use on the Prometheum Network which we refer to as “Ember Tokens” (which is the first SST) will provide the basis for issuer SST crypto-securities offered through the facilities of the Prometheum Network. Ember Tokens, when and if created, will function as the Prometheum Network’s medium of exchange. Once issued, upon exercise of Ember Warrants, Ember Tokens will function as a security. It is intended that the Company’s Ember Token will trade under the symbol “MBRTM”. |
| · | Ember Tokens will be used to pay transaction payments or fees, referred to as “gas” payments, on both the Prometheum Core Blockchain and Prometheum Utility Blockchain. Gas payments for transactions conducted on the Prometheum Core Blockchain (where all customer, broker-dealer, and PEATS interactions with Master Wallets occur) will be paid by the relevant entity (e.g. PEATS will pay the gas fees to write executed trade information to the Prometheum Core Blockchain). Gas payments for transactions conducted on the Prometheum Utility Blockchain (where customer interactions with their Personal Wallets occur) are made directly by customers. Commercial transaction fees charged by PEATS or the Broker-Dealer may be in fiat currency and it is expected, for example, that the PEATS will charge fees sufficient to cover the cost of any Ember Tokens required to pay related transaction gas fees. |
| · | nodes that will receive Ember Tokens for validating transactions written to the Prometheum Core Blockchain and Prometheum Utility Blockchain, using the PBFT algorithm. |
Blockchain functionality is being developed by the Company in consultation with the Company’s strategic partner Wanxiang. The technology architecture and intended processes have been agreed to in principle and development of our blockchain technology with Wanxiang is ongoing.
Ember Tokens
Creation of the Genesis Block
We intend to use “Ember Tokens” as the fundamental medium of exchange for the Prometheum Network. We expect to create a block of 270,000,000 Ember Tokens (the “Genesis Block”) at or around the time we launch the Prometheum Network. Of that number (i) 49,750,000 Ember Tokens will be allocated for issuance to holders of Ember Warrants included in the Units and 500,000 Ember Tokens will be allocated for issuance to holders of Incentive Warrants, (ii) 30,000,000 Ember Tokens will be allocated for issuance to holders of Ember Warrants included in units issued in our current private placements being conducted pursuant to Rule 506(c) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act (the “Reg D Unit Offering”) and Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act (the “Reg S Unit Offering”), (iii) 37,000,000 will be allocated for issuance to holders of Seed Ember Warrants and Founder Ember Warrants, (iv) 4,950,000 will be allocated for issuance to upon exercise of warrants issued to selling agents, if any are engaged for this Offering, (v) 5,000,000 will be allocated for issuance under our 2019 Employee Token Option Plan, and (vi) the remainder shall be allocated for issuance to various service providers. See “The Ember Token Genesis Block” on page 39. In the event we do not sell all the Ember Warrants in this Offering and the private placements, we reserve the right to conduct an additional offering of Ember Warrants or Ember Tokens or otherwise issue the remaining Ember Tokens so that all 270,000,000 Ember Tokens comprising the Genesis Block will eventually be issued.
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In order for an SST to be eligible to participate in transactions on the Prometheum Network, it must be based upon our Ember Tokens and written on the Prometheum Blockchain. Although the Genesis Block will be limited to 270,000,000 Ember Tokens, each Ember Token may be broken into at least eight decimal points which allows one Ember Token to be broken into approximately a hundred million parts.
As currently envisioned, Ember Tokens will be the only way of paying transaction “gas” payments on both the Prometheum Core Blockchain and Prometheum Utility Blockchain. Gas payments for transactions conducted on the Prometheum Core Blockchain (where all customer, broker-dealer, and PEATS interactions with Master Wallets occur) will be paid by the relevant entity (e.g. PEATS will pay the gas fees to write executed trade information to the Prometheum Core Blockchain). Gas payments for transactions conducted on the Prometheum Utility Blockchain (where customer interactions with their Personal Wallets occur) are made directly by customers.
Commercial transaction fees charged by PEATS or the Broker-Dealer may be in fiat currency and it is expected, for example, that the PEATS will charge fees sufficient to cover the cost of any Ember Tokens required to pay related transaction gas fees.
Ember Token Burn
After the completion of this Offering and the launch of the Prometheum Network, subject to Prometheum generating profits, of which no assurance can be given, we intend to allocate 10% of Prometheum’s profits to re-purchase outstanding Ember Tokens in the open market and then cancel their digital keys and “burn” them. See discussion on page 40.
Common Stock
As of the date hereof, we have 251,690,000 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding and we have issued options to purchase up to 415,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.32 per share to our Chief Marketing Officer. The options were issued pursuant to our 2019 Employee Stock Option Plan. Holders of Common Stock will have one vote per share and may vote to elect our board of directors and on matters of corporate policy. Holders of Common Stock will share equally in any dividend declared by our board of directors, if any, subject to the rights of the holders of any Preferred Stock. We have not issued any dividends in the past and we have no plans to issue any dividends in the future. Subject to and qualified by the rights of the holders of shares of any other class or series of preferred stock, in the event of a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, distribution of assets or winding up of the Company, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Company, and after the holders of shares of any other class or series of our preferred stock have received the amounts owed and available for distribution to them on a preferential basis, if any, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive all the remaining assets of the Company available for distribution to shareholders, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Common Stock held by them. See description of capital stock on page 55.
Prometheum Account System
Before a participant will be permitted to engage in transactions on the Prometheum Network, they will be required to open a brokerage account with PEATS using an online account application. Completed online account applications will be electronically submitted to a third-party service provider for anti-money laundering and know your customer (“AML/KYC”) checks and verifications. Upon successful completion of the AML/KYC review, PEATS will open a brokerage account and will create a Master Wallet account for the participant. Master Wallet accounts will be created for the benefit of the participants using the Prometheum Core Blockchain and will be maintained by PEATS. Participants will not have direct access to their Master Wallet account or to the SST crypto-securities held in their accounts. Participants holding SST crypto-securities in a Master Wallet that wish to have direct access to their SST crypto-securities, may do so by transferring such securities out of their Master Wallet to a Personal Wallet, created based upon the Prometheum Utility Blockchain. This transfer will be the functional equivalent of a stockholder requesting that its broker dealer holding shares of common stock in street name, have the shares certificated and sent to the stockholder. Participants holding SST crypto-securities in Personal Wallets will be required to transfer such securities to their Master Wallet in order to trade those SST crypto-securities on the Prometheum Network, provided, however that prior to any such transfer to PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS, the participant must pass AML/KYC checks.
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Clearing, Custody and Control
Prometheum is in the process of creating a mechanism which will provide for compliant clearing, settlement, custody and control of SST crypto-securities that addresses the issues raised by the Joint Statement. Master Wallets will be written using a combination of InteliClear’s Post Trade Solutions software and algorithms developed by the Company with its strategic partner Wanxiang to comply with the custody and control requirements of Exchange Act Rule 15c3-3(c)(7). Prometheum intends to enter into a clearing arrangement with Quantex, a registered clearing firm, that will implement Prometheum’s digital record keeping software developed using the InteliClear Post Trade Solutions software acquired by Promtheum (see discussion below) through which Quantex will provide PEATS with compliant clearing, custody and control of SST crypto-securities issued and traded on the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS. In the future, assuming we raise sufficient capital in this Offering, we may form a new subsidiary to become a clearing broker dealer and file a new member application for a new digital clearing firm with FINRA. We estimate that the cost of creating and capitalizing such a digital clearing firm is $12,000,000. The foregoing is dependent upon receiving approval from the SEC and FINRA that our systems will in fact meet Exchange Act requirements. There can be no assurance given that the necessary regulatory approvals will be secured to implement our clearing, custody and control structure for SST crypto-securities.
Books and Records
The Company intends to utilize the Post Trade Solution Software to construct the necessary infrastructure to meet broker-dealer recordkeeping obligations under Exchange Act Rule 17(a)(3) and related rules and regulations.
Delivery of Ember Tokens Upon Exercise of Ember Warrants
Purchasers of Units in this Offering will be required to create a brokerage account with PEATS and set up a Master Wallet account. Following the creation of the Genesis Block, Ember Tokens that are issued upon exercise of Ember Warrants, including Ember Warrants included in Units sold in this Offering, will be delivered to and held in investors’ Master Wallets.
Technology and Software
InteliClear Agreement
On August 9, 2019 we entered into a Software Purchase Agreement with InteliClear pursuant to which we acquired source code for a version of InteliClear’s Post Trade Solutions software which includes algorithms and processes for broker-dealers to perform clearance, settling, custody and control, and bookkeeping and recordkeeping functions in compliance with SEC and FINRA requirements. In consideration therefore we (i) issued to InteliClear 1,250,000 shares of Common Stock and 1,250,000 Ember Warrants, exercisable to purchase 1,250,000 Ember Tokens and, (ii) agreed to pay to InteliClear $5,000 per month for the four month period commencing December 1, 2019, $300,000 upon PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS commencement of operations, less any monthly payments made, $150,000 on the one year anniversary of PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS commencement of operations and an additional $150,000 on the second anniversary thereof.
The Wanxiang and HashKey Relationship
On December 14, 2018, we entered into a definitive Stock Purchase Agreement with HashKey whereby HashKey bought 68,875,000 shares of Common Stock and 10,150,000 founder Ember Warrants for $12,000,000 consisting of $3,000,000 cash and technology and related services valued at $9,000,000. Each founder Ember Warrant is exercisable to purchase one Ember Token for no additional consideration during the five year period following creation of the Genesis Block. A copy of the Purchase Agreement is attached as an exhibit to the Offering Statement of which this Offering Circular is a part. In connection with such purchase, effective December 14, 2018, the Company and Wanxiang entered into a Strategic Partnership and Joint Development Agreement, the Company, HashKey and Wanxiang entered into a Technology Agreement (the “Technology Agreement”), and the Company, HashKey, Wanxiang and certain other investors entered into an Investor and Founders Rights Agreement. Pursuant to the Investor and Founders Rights Agreement, HashKey was granted the right to purchase shares of our yet to be created Series A Preferred Stock convertible into that number of shares of our Common Stock equal to 10% of the then issued and outstanding common stock, on a fully-diluted basis, for $12,500,000 exercisable for 30 days following FINRA and SEC approval of PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS’ new member application to operate as a broker-dealer alternative trading system and filing an initial operation report on Form ATS.
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The Technology Agreement provides for the transfer and assignment to the Company of HashKey’s and its affiliates’ proprietary blockchain and trading software, relating to the operation of the Broker-Dealer/ATS and the Company’s proposed business and operations (the “Technology”). The Technology Agreement also provides for a one (1) year royalty-free, license to use HashKey’s hot/cold wallet storage software system. The Technology Agreement also provides for the provision of ongoing technology development support from HashKey and its affiliates, including with regard to the ongoing development of the Prometheum Network and the Prometheum Blockchain development, and the ATS trading system code and system development support (including, but not limited to, matching engine and market data components).
Timing
We expect that at least until the date that the Offering Statement of which this Offering Circular is a part is qualified, our efforts will be focused upon (i) raising funds in our Reg D Unit Offering, (ii) continuing development efforts and qualification of the Offering Statement of which this Offering Circular is a part, (iii) obtaining “no action” relief on our No Action request seeking recognition of our procedures for the safekeeping of our customer’s crypto-securities in compliance with SEC custody and control rules pending at the SEC, and (iv) further development, build out and commercialization of the Prometheum Network. We have and intend to use our resources and the proceeds from our Reg D Unit Offering to fund these on-going efforts.
During the one-year period following qualification of this Offering (the “Qualification Date”) we expect to conduct this Offering and the Reg S Unit Offering and to continue developing the Prometheum Network, hiring personnel and developing the Ember Token and the Prometheum Blockchain. If our initial development efforts are successful, we hope to commence testing and completion of the elements of the Prometheum Network and create the Genesis Block within one year of the date hereof.
Our Company
We were incorporated in Delaware in September 2017 for the purpose of developing, building out and commercializing the Prometheum Network. Our principal offices are located at 120 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005, and our phone number is (212) 514-8369. Our Internet address is www.prometheum.com.
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THE OFFERING
The following is a summary of the principal terms of this Offering and is not intended to be complete.
| Issuer | Prometheum, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
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| Securities Being Qualified | We are qualifying (i) Units consisting of one (1) share of Common Stock and one (1) Ember Warrant to purchase one Ember Token, when and if created; and (ii) Incentive Warrants (described below). We are also qualifying the Ember Tokens, when and if created, issuable from time to time upon exercise of the Ember Warrants included in the Units and the Incentive Warrants. The Units qualified hereby have no standalone rights and will not be certificated or issued as standalone securities. The Common Stock and Ember Warrants included in the Units offered hereby can only be purchased together as a Unit, but the Common Stock and Ember Warrants will be issued separately and will be immediately separable upon issuance. |
| Offering Amount | We are seeking to qualify a minimum of $5,000,000 of Units (the “Minimum Amount”) and a maximum of $49,750,000 of Units (the “Maximum Amount”), and the underlying Common Stock, Ember Warrants and the Ember Tokens issuable, when and if created, upon exercise of the Ember Warrants included in the Units. We are also seeking to qualify 500,000 Incentive Warrants (having an estimated value of $0.50 per Incentive Warrant) and the Ember Tokens issuable, when and if created, upon exercise of the Incentive Warrants. |
| Incentive Warrants | We intend to issue Incentive Warrants to persons that open brokerage accounts on the Prometheum Network on a first-come first-serve basis for no consideration. The amount of Incentive Warrants issued per each new account has not been determined. We will only issue Incentive Warrants during the Offering Period (defined below). Each Incentive Warrant, if issued, may be exercised to purchase one Ember Token for no additional consideration, during the five-year period following the issuance date. Although the Incentive Warrants will be issued for no cash consideration, we have valued the Incentive Warrants at $0.50. |
| Offering Price | $1.00 per Unit. The minimum amount that must be purchased by each investor is 1,000 Units. |
| Ember Warrant Exercise Period | Each Ember Warrant may be exercised to purchase one Ember Token, for no additional consideration, during the period commencing on the date the Genesis Block is created and ending on the five-year anniversary from the issuance date of the Genesis Block. See “Securities Being Offered” on page 53. |
| Commencement of the Offering | We expect to commence the sale of the Units within two business days following the Qualification Date. |
| Termination of the Offering | This Offering will terminate on the earlier of (i) one year from the Qualification Date; (ii) the date on which the Maximum Amount is sold, or (iii) the date that the Offering is earlier terminated by us, in our sole discretion. The period from the Commencement of the Offering to the Termination of the Offering is referred to herein as the “Offering Period.” |
| Escrow Account | All investor funds will be deposited in a non-interest-bearing escrow account (the “Escrow Account”) established by Cross River Bank, as escrow agent, for the benefit of the investors. If we do not sell at least the Minimum Amount by the Termination Date all funds will be promptly returned to investors without interest or deduction. |
| Warrant Agent and Transfer Agent | We have engaged VStock Transfer, LLC (“VStock”) to act as the warrant agent for the Ember Warrants pursuant to a Warrant Agent Agreement. We have also engaged VStock to act as our Transfer Agent for the Company’s Common Stock. We have not engaged VStock or any other person to act as our Transfer Agent for our Ember Tokens. |
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| Clearing Broker | PEATS has entered into a letter agreement with Quantex setting forth the general terms pursuant to which Quantex will be engaged as PEATS clearing broker. A clearing agreement has not been finalized as of the date hereof, however some of the services contemplated to be provided by Quantex include clearing and custody of SST digital securities traded on the PEATS ATS. |
| Closings | The Common Stock and Ember Warrants comprising the Units will be issued in one or more closings (the “Closings”). We must receive and accept subscriptions for the Minimum Amount in order to hold the initial closing (the “Initial Closing”) and release investor funds on deposit in the Escrow Account to the Company. After the Initial Closing, the Offering will continue and we will have additional Closings on accepted subscriptions until the Termination Date. If we have not held the Initial Closing prior to the Termination Date, we will instruct the Escrow Agent to return all funds to the investors without interest or deduction. |
| Investor Qualifications | The Units will be offered and sold solely to “Qualified Purchasers” (as defined in Rule 256 of Regulation A). |
Administrative Agent; Plan of Distribution
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We have engaged Manorhaven, a registered broker dealer, to act as the Administrative Agent for this Offering. As Administrative Agent, Manorhaven, will be responsible for oversight and administration of the subscriptions process, recordkeeping, escrow oversight, review of closing requirements and sending confirmations to investors.
Manorhaven shall receive an administrative fee equal to 2% of the gross offering sales proceeds, payable at each Closing of the Offering. Manorhaven will not solicit investments in the Company’s offering nor advise subscribers on suitability or advisability of such investments other than to assure that the terms of the offering are being complied with.
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| Relationship with Administrative Agent | Our Chairman and majority shareholder, Martin H. Kaplan, is the managing member of Coincross LLC and Manorhaven is a subsidiary of Coincross LLC. As a result, we and the Administrative Agent are under common control and are affiliates. |
| Common Stock Outstanding Prior to this Offering | As of the date hereof, we have 251,690,000 shares of restricted Common Stock issued and outstanding. This amount does not include 415,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options issued to our Chief Marketing Officer. |
| Ember Warrants Outstanding Prior to this Offering | As of the date hereof, we have Ember Warrants outstanding exercisable to purchase up to 51,190,000 Ember Tokens, when and if the Genesis Block is created. Such Ember Warrants have an exercise price of $0.00 per Ember Token and have substantially the same terms and conditions as the Ember Warrants offered herein. |
| Ember Token Options Outstanding Prior to this Offering | As of the date hereof, we have issued options to purchase up to 280,000 Ember Tokens to our Chief Marketing Officer. |
| How to Subscribe | Investors wishing to subscribe for Units will first be required to establish an account on the Broker-Dealer/ATS at Prometheum.com. Once an account has been set up, investors will complete and execute the Subscription Agreement accompanying this Offering Circular and deliver it to us and deliver full payment for all Units subscribed for to the Escrow Agent in accordance with the instructions provided in the Subscription Agreement. Subscriptions submitted by investors, subject to acceptance by us, are irrevocable. We have the right, at any time prior to the issuance of the Common Stock and Ember Warrants comprising the Units, to reject subscriptions in whole or in part in our sole discretion. |
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| Reg D Unit Offering | In 2018 we commenced a private offering to accredited investors of up to 30,000,000 Ember Warrants at a price of $0.50 per Ember Warrant and sold 4,840,000 Ember Warrants for gross proceeds of $2,420,000 pursuant to Rule 506(c) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In August 2019, we amended the terms of this private offering to an offering of up to 30,000,000 units (“Restricted Units”), each Restricted Unit consisting of one share of Common Stock and one Ember Warrant, at a price of $0.50 per unit. The Restricted Units being sold in the private offering are being offered pursuant to Rule 506(c) and have the same rights as those being sold in this Offering. The Ember Warrants underlying the units sold in the private unit offering (the “Reg D Unit Offering”) shall be exercisable to purchase up to 30,000,000 Ember Tokens, for no additional consideration, which will be subject to restrictions on resale. In August 2019 we issued to investors that purchased Ember Warrants prior to the change to a unit offering 4,840,000 shares of Common Stock, the number of shares the purchasers would have received had they purchased Restricted Units. In October 2019, we sold 900,000 Restricted Units for gross proceeds of $450,000 pursuant to Rule 506(c) in the Reg D Unit Offering. In November 2019, we amended the terms of the Reg D Unit Offering by providing investors with the option of placing their subscription funds in escrow and making a closing on their subscription contingent upon the Qualification of this Offering. Investors that subscribe for Restricted Units under this option will have their subscription funds returned if the Offering is not Qualified. If it is qualified, then their subscription funds will be released to us and they will be issued the Common Stock and Ember Warrants underlying their units. These securities will be restricted securities for 6 months after the Qualification date. In November and December 2019, we sold a total of 7,200,000 Restricted Units for gross proceeds of $3,600,000. None of these investors opted to place their subscription funds in escrow. We intend to terminate the Reg D Unit Offering once this Offering is Qualified. |
| Reg S Unit Offering | We are also offering Restricted Units to non-U.S. persons in a private placement exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, under Regulation S promulgated thereunder (“Regulation S”). We plan to continue our offering of Restricted Units under Regulation S (the “Reg S Unit Offering”) concurrently with this Offering under Regulation A. The Restricted Units (and the Common Stock, Ember Warrants and Ember Tokens) underlying the Restricted Units sold in the concurrent Reg S Unit Offering will be restricted securities that are sold for delayed delivery and will be subject to restrictions on transfer that will prevent their transfer for one year after sale. The Restricted Units sold in the Reg S Unit Offering will therefore be sold at a sale price of $0.38 per Restricted Unit (a 25% discount from the Reg D Unit Offering price of $0.50 per Reg D Unit). The maximum number of Restricted Units the Company intends to sell in both the Reg D Unit Offering and the Reg S Unit Offering is 30,000,000 Units. Accordingly, the maximum number of Restricted Units that the Company may sell in the Reg S Unit Offering will depend upon the number of Restricted Units sold in the Reg D Unit Offering. Therefore, as of the date hereof, the maximum number of Restricted Units that the Company may sell in the Reg S Unit Offering is 17,060,000. To date, we have not sold any Restricted Units under the Reg S Unit Offering.
All securities sold in the Reg S Unit Offering are deemed to be restricted securities as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act and therefore may only be resold by the purchasers in accordance the Regulation S, pursuant to a registration statement or in reliance upon an exemption from registration. Generally, purchasers in the Reg S Unit Offering will be subject to resale restrictions for a period of one-year (or six-months if at the time we are a reporting company under the Exchange Act). |
| Use of proceeds | We currently intend to use the net proceeds of this Offering for the development, build out and commercialization of the Prometheum Network which will include, obtaining FINRA approval of PEATS’ application to be admitted as a member of FINRA and commence operations as a broker-dealer and completion of the process for registering PEATS as an alternative trading system for SST crypto-securities with the SEC. Thereafter, provided we raise sufficient capital in this Offering, we intend to create and register our own digital clearing firm. Any remaining net proceeds will be used for working capital and corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds.” |
| Reporting
Company and OTCQB Application |
Within five calendar days of the Qualification Date, we intend to file a Form 8-A with the SEC to become a reporting company under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and thereafter file an application with the OTC Markets to have our Common Stock and Ember Warrants quoted on the “OTCQB.” |
| Risk factors | Investing in the Units, Common Stock, Ember Warrants and Ember Tokens involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors, beginning on page 10. You should read the Risk Factors section of, and all of the other information set forth in, this Offering Circular to consider carefully before deciding to purchase any Units in this Offering. |
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The investment described herein is highly speculative and involves a high degree of risk of loss of all or a material portion of an investor’s entire investment. Our proposed Prometheum Network is in the creation stage and the Ember Tokens issuable upon exercise of Ember Warrants and which we propose to be the basis of such network may never be created or issued. Prometheum Ember ATS, Inc.’s application to be admitted to FINRA as a broker-dealer is still pending and may not be approved. You should carefully consider the following risk factors as well as other information contained in this Offering Statement, this Offering Circular and the exhibits to the Offering Statement in which this Offering Circular has been filed with the SEC, before deciding to make an investment in the Company. The risks and conflicts set forth below are not the only risks and conflicts involved in an investment in the Company.
Risks Related to the Company’s Business
We were incorporated in September, 2017 for the purpose of developing the Prometheum Network and have no operating history upon which you can evaluate our prospects, and accordingly, our prospects must be considered in light of the risks that any new company encounters.
We were incorporated under the laws of Delaware in September 2017 and our operations to date have consisted of raising capital, planning, modeling and developing our Prometheum Network, creating the software and preparing necessary documents and filings in order to implement the Prometheum Network as currently conceived to enable the Prometheum Network, and developing relationships with potential service providers. Accordingly, we have no operating history upon which an evaluation of our prospects and future performance can be made. Our proposed operations are subject to all business risks associated with a new enterprise. The likelihood of our creation of a viable business must be considered in light of the problems, expenses, difficulties, complications, and delays frequently encountered in connection with the inception and development of a business operating in a relatively new, highly competitive, and developing industry. We anticipate that our operating expenses will increase for the near future. There can be no assurance that we will ever generate any operating activity or develop and operate the Prometheum Network. You should consider our limited history and our proposed business, operations and prospects in light of the risks, expenses and challenges faced by an early-stage company.
We may not receive necessary regulatory approvals to operate our Prometheum Network.
Prior to launching our Prometheum Network and creating and issuing our Ember Tokens, we will require regulatory approvals, and/or “no action” clearances, from the SEC and possibly State securities regulators. If we are unable to obtain these regulatory approvals or “no action” clearances, we may have to reconfigure our Prometheum Network or Ember Tokens so that they satisfy regulatory requirements. If we cannot obtain the necessary approvals, we may not be able to launch our Prometheum Network, in which case investors could lose all or most of their investments.
No assurance can be given when and if ever the creation of the Genesis Block of Ember Tokens will occur and if the Genesis Block is not created, the Ember Warrants will not be exercisable and will expire worthless.
The creation of the Genesis Block of Ember Tokens is contingent upon the successful development, build out and commercialization of the Prometheum Network, which is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the successful registration of the Broker-Dealer/ATS and completion of necessary programming to enable a smart contract based securities issuance and trading system. Accordingly, the Prometheum Network may not ever launch as currently envisioned. If the Prometheum Network is not fully developed, built out and commercialized, then the creation of the Genesis Block of Ember Tokens will not occur and Ember Warrants will not be exercisable and will expire worthless.
We intend to use the proceeds of this Offering to develop the Prometheum Network and there is a risk that competitors may develop and launch alternative blockchain based securities networks prior to the completion and launch of the Prometheum Network.
There is a risk that competitors may develop and launch alternative blockchain based securities networks, offering functionality similar to what we are proposing, prior to the development and launch of the initial version of our Prometheum Network. These alternative networks may be based on the same open source code and open source protocol upon which we intend build our technology. The launch of any such networks could make it more difficult for our Prometheum Network to gain market acceptance if and when launched which could have a material adverse effect on our prospects and the prospects of the Prometheum Network.
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Our proposed Prometheum Network and our Ember Tokens are in the development stage and are new untested concepts that may not achieve market acceptance.
Our concept of creating a blockchain based crypto-securities issuance and trading network based on our Prometheum Network and Ember Tokens is new and is currently in the development stages. There can be no assurance that our proposed Prometheum Network will be operational, or if it does become operational, that it will achieve market acceptance. Investors acquiring Units will bear the risks of investing in a novel untested type of securities transaction that will trade exclusively on a novel type of trading platform and be subject to a number of unusual restrictions, as well as the risks of investing in our business. Any failure of the Prometheum Network, the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS or the Ember Tokens to perform as expected will have a material adverse effect on our prospects.
The PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS must overcome a number of regulatory hurdles before it may commence operation as a broker-dealer based alternative trading system for SST crypto-securities and the failure to overcome any one of these hurdles may prevent the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS from operating, which may require us to reconfigure our proposed Prometheum Network.
The PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS has submitted an application to FINRA to become a broker-dealer alternative trading system and is currently responding to requests for additional information. The Broker-Dealer/ATS must satisfy a number of different requirements before FINRA will admit it as a member and allow it to commence operations as a broker-dealer. In addition, the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS must file a Form ATS with the SEC and meet applicable SEC requirements to operate as an alternative trading system. The Company believes that some of the items that it will have to address in its regulatory filings are its policies and procedures for: (i) establishing clearing, settlement, custody and control procedures suitable for blockchain based securities that meet the requirements of Exchange Act Rule 15c3-3, the “Customer Protection Rule,” and FINRA Rules; (ii) engaging an auditor with necessary expertise to verify the existence and value of blockchain based securities; and (iii) obtaining approval of the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS proposed procedures for recording trade information to the blockchain that meet the requirements of Exchange Act Rule 17a-3 and FINRA recordkeeping rules. Each of the foregoing presents novel issues in the context of blockchain based securities and there can be no assurance given that the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS will be able to provide FINRA and the SEC with the responses and comfort for them to approve PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS’s proposed operations. If the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS is not able to operate as a broker-dealer based alternative trading system, the Prometheum Network may not launch which could result in investors losing all of their investment.
Our independent registered public accounting firms’ report on our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 expresses substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our independent registered public accounting firms’ report on the Company’s financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 expresses substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The report includes an explanatory paragraph stating that we have recurring losses and negative cash flows from operations and that these conditions, among other, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. There is no assurance that we will be able to continue our operations and alleviate doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Inclusion of a “going concern qualification” in the report of our independent accountants or in any future reports may have a negative impact on its ability to obtain debt or equity financing and may adversely impact the price of our Common Stock.
We do not have an accounting department and have relied upon outside consultants to complete our bookkeeping and financial statements. We will have to engage full time accounting professionals and will have implement finance and accounting systems, procedures and controls as we grow our business and organization and to satisfy public reporting requirements.
As we grow our business and to ensure compliance with ongoing public reporting requirements, either under Regulation A or under the Exchange Act, we will be required to comply with a variety of extensive reporting, accounting, and other rules and regulations. Compliance with each of these requirements is expensive, time consuming and intricate and will require that we engage full time accounting professionals. Meeting these requirements will increase our costs and require additional management time and resources. We may need to implement additional finance and accounting systems, procedures and controls to satisfy our reporting requirements. If our internal controls over financial reporting are determined to be ineffective, such failure could cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, negatively affect the market price of our Common Stock, subject us to regulatory investigations and penalties, cause us to have to restate our financial statements, and adversely impact our business and financial condition.
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The crypto-securities market in which we intend to compete is subject to rapid innovation and change and there is a risk that changes or innovations in the crypto-securities market may occur while we are developing our Prometheum Network and Ember Tokens which could render our business model and developing technology obsolete.
Since its inception, the distributed ledger technology market in general and the crypto-securities market have been characterized by rapid changes and innovations and are constantly evolving. As a result, there is a risk that during the time that we are developing our Prometheum Network and Ember Tokens, there may occur changes or innovations which may render our proposed business model and technology obsolete. If we are not able to adapt to such changes or innovations, we may not be able to generate sufficient interest in our Prometheum Network or Ember Tokens, if any, which would have a material adverse effect on our prospects.
Our proposed Prometheum Network and Ember Tokens may be vulnerable to hackers and cyber-attacks.
Our proposed Prometheum Network and Ember Tokens are internet-based, which makes us vulnerable to hackers who may access the data of investors in this Offering, purchasers of Ember Tokens and users of the Prometheum Network. Further, any significant disruption in our operations, our Ember Tokens or the Prometheum Network could cause investors and potential users to lose trust and confidence in us and our business, which could result in our having to cease operations. In addition, we intend to rely on third-party technology providers to provide us with the various elements of our proposed Prometheum Network and technology. Any disruptions of services or cyber-attacks on our third party technology providers could harm our reputation and materially and negatively impact our prospects.
Cybersecurity breaches may delay implementation of our business plan and damage our reputation.
As the world becomes more interconnected through the use of the Internet and users rely more extensively on the Internet and the cloud for the transmission and storage of data, such information becomes more susceptible to incursion by hackers and other parties intent on stealing or destroying data on which we rely. We face an evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats in which hackers use a complex array of means to perpetrate cyber-attacks, including, but not limited to, the use of stolen access credentials, malware, ransomware, phishing, structured query language injection attacks, and distributed denial-of-service attacks, among other means. These cybersecurity incidents have increased in number and severity and it is expected that these trends will continue. Should our proposed Prometheum Network be affected by such an incident, we may incur substantial costs and suffer other negative consequences, which may include, but is not limited to:
| · | remediation costs, such as liability for stolen assets or information; |
| · | increased cybersecurity protection costs; |
| · | litigation and legal risks, including regulatory actions by state and federal regulators; and |
| · | loss of reputation. |
Our proposed Prometheum Network systems and those of third-party service providers we may engage may be vulnerable to cybersecurity risks. If our security measures are breached and unauthorized access is obtained to our Prometheum Network and our electronic trading platform, our business could suffer a material adverse effect.
Our proposed Prometheum Network will involve the processing, storage and transmission of transactions and data. The secure storage and transmission of confidential information over public networks will be a critical element of our operations. Cyber- attacks on our systems could expose us to a risk of misappropriation of this information, leading to litigation, reputational harm and possible liability. Despite the defensive measures we may take, these threats may come from external factors such as governments, organized crime, hackers, and other third parties such as outsource or infrastructure-support providers and application developers, or may originate internally from an employee or service provider to whom we have granted access to our computer systems. If our security measures are breached as a result of third-party action, employee error, malfeasance or otherwise, and, as a result, someone obtains unauthorized access to our confidential information, our reputation could be damaged, our business would suffer and we could incur material liability. Any such breach could compromise our Prometheum Network. Because techniques used to obtain unauthorized access or to sabotage computer systems change frequently and generally are not recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventive measures.
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We also face the risk of operational disruption, failure or capacity constraints of any of the third party service providers that facilitate our business activities, including clients, the clearing agent and network or data providers. Such parties could also be the source of a cyber-attack on and/or breach of our operational systems, data or infrastructure.
There have been an increasing number of malicious cyber incidents in recent years in various industries, including ours. Any such cyber incident involving our computer systems and networks, or those of third parties important to our businesses, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. A cyber-attack or security breach on our system or that of a third-party service provider could manifest in different ways and could lead to any number of harmful consequences, including but not limited to:
| · | misappropriation of financial assets, intellectual property or sensitive information belonging to us, our clients or our third-party service providers; | |
| · | corruption of data or causing operational disruption through computer viruses or phishing; and | |
| · | denial of service attacks to prevent users from accessing our platform. |
Our remediation costs and lost revenues could be significant if we fall victim to a cyber-attack. If an actual, threatened or perceived breach of our security occurs, the market perception of the effectiveness of our security measures could be harmed and could cause our broker-dealer and institutional investor clients to reduce or stop their use of our electronic trading platform. Moreover, prospective clients may be influenced by such events not to use our trading platform. We may be required to expend significant resources to repair system damage, protect against the threat of future security breaches or to alleviate problems, including reputational harm, loss of clients and revenues and litigation, caused by any breaches. We may be found liable to our clients for any stolen financial assets or misappropriated confidential information. Although we intend to continue to implement industry-standard security measures, no assurance can be given that those measures will be sufficient.
Our business model is dependent on continued investment in and development of distributed ledger technologies.
Our business model is dependent on continued investment in and development of distributed ledger technologies. If as a result of regulatory changes, hackers, general market conditions or innovations, investments in distributed ledger technologies become less attractive to investors or innovators and developers, it could have a material adverse impact on our prospects and possibly our ability to continue our developmental operations. It is not possible to accurately predict the potential adverse impacts on us, if any, of current economic conditions on our prospects.
Possible future acquisitions.
We may in the future acquire assets, technologies or companies that have services, products, technologies that extend or complement our proposed business. The process to undertake a potential acquisition is time-consuming and costly. If we were to undertake in the future any potential acquisition, we expect to expend significant resources to undertake due diligence on each potential acquisition, and there is no guarantee that we would be able to complete any such acquisition that we pursue. Moreover, if we were able to effectuate an acquisition, the process of integrating any such acquired assets or business into us could create unforeseen operating difficulties and expenditures and is itself risky.
We expect to face significant competition.
Through our proposed Prometheum Network and Ember Tokens, we hope to facilitate online capital formation through the issuance and trading of Tokenized Securities. Though we believe that that this is a novel concept, we believe that we will be in competition with a variety of competitors in the market as well as likely new entrants. Some of these new entrants could follow a regulatory model that is different from ours which might provide them with competitive advantages over us. New entrants could include those that may already have a foothold in the securities industry, including some established broker-dealers who could have significantly greater resources than us. Further, we may have to compete with a number of market participants, including, but not limited to, alternative trading systems, traditional venture capitalists, and crowdfunding platforms. Some competitors and future competitors may be better capitalized than us or have greater resources than us which could give them a significant advantage in marketing and operations.
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In order for us to implement our plan of operation and to create the Prometheum Network, we must identify, recruit, retain and develop the necessary personnel who have the needed technological background and experience.
While the Company’s strategic Partnership and Joint Development Agreement with Wanxiang has provided the Company with material and significant world recognized resources, never the less in order for us to implement our business plan we need to identify and recruit highly qualified personnel with backgrounds in developing distributed ledger technology applications and who have skills required for developing and managing developmental stage businesses. We believe that we will face intense competition for personnel. If we are not able to identify and recruit the necessary personnel to implement our business and launch the Prometheum Network, we may not have a successful Genesis Block and investors may lose all or most of their investments.
We may be unable to protect our proprietary technology or keep up with that of our competitors.
Our success will depend to a significant degree upon the protection of our software and other proprietary intellectual property rights. We may be unable to deter misappropriation of our proprietary information, detect unauthorized use, or take appropriate steps to enforce our intellectual property rights. In addition, our competitors may now have or may in the future develop technologies that are as good as or better than our technology without violating our proprietary rights. Our failure to protect our software and other proprietary intellectual property rights or to utilize technologies that are as good as our competitors’ could put us at a disadvantage to our competitors.
We may not be able to obtain trademark protection for our marks, which could impede our efforts to build brand identity.
We intend to file trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office seeking registration of our marks. There can be no assurance that the applications will be filed and if filed, if they will be successful or that we will be able to secure significant protection for our trademarks in the United States or elsewhere. Our competitors or others could adopt product or service marks similar to our marks, or try to prevent us from using our marks, thereby impeding our ability to build brand identity and possibly leading to customer confusion. Any claim by another party against us or customer confusion related to our trademark, or our failure to obtain trademark registration, could harm our business.
We may be accused of infringing intellectual property rights of third parties.
Other parties may claim that we infringe their intellectual property rights. In the future we may be subject to legal claims of alleged infringement of the intellectual property rights of third parties. The ready availability of damages, royalties, and the potential for injunctive relief has increased the defense litigation costs of patent infringement claims, especially those asserted by third parties whose sole or primary business is to assert such claims. Such claims, even if not meritorious, may result in significant expenditure of financial and managerial resources, and the payment of damages or settlement amounts. Additionally, we may become subject to injunctions prohibiting us from using software or business processes we currently use or may need to use in the future, or requiring us to obtain licenses from third parties when such licenses may not be available on financially feasible terms or terms acceptable to us or at all. In addition, we may not be able to obtain on favorable terms, or at all, licenses or other rights with respect to intellectual property we do not own.
There is little or no guidance regarding the accounting treatment of the proceeds received from the sale of crypto-securities and we have decided to classify the proceeds from the sale of Ember Warrants as cash flow from operating activities, however, there can be no assurance that this treatment will not be rejected and we will be required to restate our financial statements.
There is no clear official guidance from accounting or regulatory authorities, including the Internal Revenue Service, regarding the classification of crypto-securities and proceeds from their sales for financial accounting purposes. In the event that guidance is issued that is contrary to our current accounting treatment of our Ember Warrants and the proceeds we have received from their sales, we may be required to restate our financial statements to correspond with such guidance. A restatement of our financial statements would involve significant time and expense which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and our proposed business plan.
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In the event that the operations of the Prometheum Network cause the Company to be deemed a money service business (“MSB”) under the regulations promulgated by the Financial Crimes Network (“FinCEN”) under the authority of the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act, the Company may be required to comply with FinCEN regulations, including those that would mandate the Company to register as an MSB and to make certain reports to FinCEN and maintain certain records.
FinCEN, a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, is responsible for the federal regulation of currency market participants. Under FinCEN regulations, a money service business (“MSB”), is generally defined as a person doing business, whether or not on a regular basis or as an organized or licensed business concern, wholly or in substantial part within the United States, who functions as, among other things, a money transmitter. FinCEN’s regulations define the term “money transmitter” to include a person that provides money transmission services,” or “any other person engaged in the transfer of funds.
In the event that the operations of the Prometheum Network cause the Company to be deemed a MSB under the regulations promulgated by FinCEN under the authority of the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act, the Company may be required to comply with FinCEN regulations, including those that would mandate the Company to register as an MSB and to make certain reports to FinCEN and maintain certain records. Such additional regulatory obligations may cause the Company to incur additional expenses and may affect the Company’s ability to operate the Prometheum Network as currently envisioned. Further, if the Company is deemed to be an MSB and does not register as such with FinCEN or if FinCEN determines that the Company has operated as an unregistered MSB, the Company may become subject to FinCEN enforcement actions, including the assessment of civil money penalties, which could result in a cessation of the Company’s business.
Risks Related to this Offering, the Common Stock, the Ember Warrants and the Ember Tokens
The Offering is being conducted on a “best efforts all-or-none” basis with respect to the Minimum Amount and on a “best efforts basis” for the remainder and we may not raise sufficient funds in this Offering for us to fully develop, build out and commercialize the Prometheum Network.
The Units are being offered by us on a “best efforts, all-or-none” basis for the Minimum Amount and on a “best efforts” basis for the remainder, meaning that there is no assurance that any or all of the Units will be sold. Because there is a Minimum Amount that must be sold to hold the Initial Closing, there is an increased risk to investors who participate in the Offering if less than the Maximum Amount is raised, since the remainder of the funds may not be forthcoming. We are relying upon the proceeds from this Offering, together with our currently available cash to fund our business plan for the next 24 months. If we sell less than the Maximum Amount, we may be required to seek additional funding, which may not be available. If we do not raise sufficient funds in this Offering, or if we are not able to obtain additional funding, we may be required to modify or suspend our business plan, which could result in investors losing all or most of their investments. See “Use of Proceeds.”
Your investment may be held in escrow for up to a year.
The Offering may continue until one year from the Qualification Date. This means that your investment may continue to be held in escrow while the Company attempts to raise the Minimum Amount. Your investment will not be accruing interest during this time and will simply be held until such time as the Offering terminates without the Company receiving the Minimum Amount, at which time it will be returned to you without interest or deduction.
There is no public market for the Common Stock, the Ember Warrants or the Ember Tokens underlying the Ember Warrants and a public market may never develop.
Prior to this Offering, there has been no public market for the Common Stock, the Ember Warrants or the Ember Tokens. We cannot predict the extent to which a market for the Common Stock, the Ember Warrants or Ember Tokens will develop or be sustained after this Offering, or how the development of such a market might affect the market price of such securities. The initial offering price of the Units in this Offering was determined by our management based upon factors relating to the estimated value of our Common Stock, the Ember Warrants and the pricing of the proposed Ember Tokens and is not in any way indicative of our actual value, the value of the Common Stock, the Ember Warrants or the Ember Tokens, if and when issued, following the completion of this Offering. Investors may not be able to resell their Common Stock or Ember Warrants at or above the initial offering price, if at all.
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Currently, the creation of the Genesis Block is expected to occur within 12 months after the date of this Offering Circular. The Ember Tokens may never be created, and if created, a public market for the Ember Tokens may never develop.
The creation of the Genesis Block is expected to occur within 12 months after the date of this Offering Circular, and, if they are created, a public market for the Ember Tokens may never develop. If the Genesis Block is not created, the Ember Warrants may have little or no value. Further, even if the Genesis Block is created and issued, a public market for the Ember Tokens may never develop, which in turn would cause the Ember Warrants to have little or no value. Moreover, even if such a market forms, no assurances can be given that it will be sustained.
Our Common Stock and Ember Warrants may not be approved for quotation on the OTCQB and you may not be able to resell your Common Stock or Ember Warrants at a price above the price you paid, if at all.
We intend to file an application to have our Common Stock and Ember Warrants quoted on the OTCQB within 60 days after we hold the final Closing. No assurances can be given, however, that the application will be approved. Among other matters, in order for our Common Stock and Ember Warrants to become quoted on the OTCQB eligible, a broker-dealer member of FINRA, must file a Form 211 with FINRA and commit to make a market in and quote our securities once the Form 211 is approved by FINRA. As of the date of this Offering Circular, we have not made any arrangements with any market makers to file a Form 211 to apply to quote our Common Stock and Ember Warrants. If for any reason our Common Stock and Ember Warrants do not become eligible for quotation on the OTCQB or a public trading market does not develop, purchasers of our Common Stock and Ember Warrants may have difficulty selling their Common Stock and Ember Warrants should they desire to do so. If we are unable to satisfy the requirements for quotation on the OTCQB, any quotation of our Common Stock and Ember Warrants would be conducted in the “pink” sheets market. As a result, a purchaser of our Units of Common Stock and Ember Warrants may find it more difficult to dispose of, or to obtain accurate quotations as to the price of their Common Stock and Ember Warrants.
There is no assurance that investors in this Offering will receive a return on their investment.
There is no assurance that investors will realize a return on their investments or that their entire investments will not be lost. For this reason, each investor should carefully read our Offering Statement, this Offering Circular and the exhibits to the Offering Statement in which this Offering Circular has been filed with the SEC, and should consult with their own advisors prior to making any investment decision with respect to the Ember Tokens and the Ember Warrants.
Our management will have broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from this Offering.
Our management intends to use the net proceeds from this Offering to continue the creation and development of the Prometheum Network, to fund general operations and provide working capital. Provided sufficient net proceeds are available, management may use a portion of the net proceeds to fund the creation of a clearing firm for SST crypto-securities. Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds and you will have to rely upon their judgment with respect to the use of the net proceeds. Our management may utilize the net proceeds in a manner in which you disagree. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could have a material adverse effect on our ability to launch our Prometheum Network and the Ember Tokens. See “Use of Proceeds” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Capital Resources.”
Our management and principal stockholders own a significant percentage of our Common Stock and will be able to exert significant control over matters subject to stockholder approval.
As of the date hereof, our executive officers, directors, 5% stockholders and their affiliates beneficially own approximately 93.4% of our voting stock. After this Offering, assuming the sale of the Maximum Amount of Units, our executive officers, directors 5% stockholders and their affiliates will beneficially own approximately 78.0% of our voting stock. Therefore, these stockholders will have the ability to influence us through their ownership positions. These stockholders will be able to determine all matters requiring stockholder approval. For example, these stockholders, acting together, will be able to control elections of directors, amendments of our organizational documents, or approval of any merger, sale of assets, or other major corporate transaction which could adversely affect the market price of our Common Stock.
You may experience immediate and substantial dilution in the book value per share of the Common Stock included in the Units you purchase.
The public offering price per Unit is substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our Common Stock. Therefore, if you purchase securities in this Offering, you will pay an effective price per share of Common Stock you acquire that substantially exceeds our net tangible book value per share after this Offering. Assuming the sale of the Maximum Amount and assuming no value is attributed to the Ember Warrants included in the Units, you will experience immediate dilution of $0.97 per share (assuming the Minimum Amount is sold) and $0.82 per share (assuming the Maximum Amount is sold). These amounts represent the difference between our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to this Offering and the public offering price per Unit. See “Dilution” for a more detailed discussion of the dilution you may incur in connection with this Offering. See “Dilution” on page 22.
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The future issuance of equity or of debt securities that are convertible into equity would dilute our share capital.
We may choose to raise additional capital in the future, depending on market conditions, strategic considerations and operational requirements. To the extent that additional capital is raised through the issuance of shares of Common Stock or other securities convertible into shares of Common Stock, our stockholders will be diluted. Future issuances of our Common Stock or other equity securities, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the trading price of our Common Stock and impair our ability to raise capital through future offerings of shares or equity securities. No prediction can be made as to the effect, if any, that future sales of Common Stock or the availability of Common Stock for future sales will have on the trading price of our Common Stock.
An active trading market for our Common Stock may not develop.
Prior to this Offering, there has been no public market for our Common Stock. The initial public offering price for our Common Stock was determined by our management. We do not intend to list our Common Stock for trading on any exchange or over-the-counter market and an active trading market for our Common Stock may never develop. If an active market for our Common Stock does not develop, it may be difficult for you to sell shares you purchase in this offering without depressing the market price for the shares or at all.
Our Common Stock may become subject to the “Penny Stock” rules of the SEC which could limit the trading market for our Common Stock which could have an adverse effect on the price of our Common Stock.
Our Common Stock may become subject to the “penny stock” rules adopted under Section 15(g) of the Exchange Act. The penny stock rules generally apply to companies whose common stock is not listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market or other national securities exchange and trades at less than $5.00 per share, other than companies that have had average revenue of at least $6,000,000 for the last three years or that have tangible net worth of at least $5,000,000 ($2,000,000 if the company has been operating for three or more years). These rules require, among other things, that brokers who trade penny stock to persons other than “established customers” complete certain documentation, make suitability inquiries of investors and provide investors with certain information concerning trading in the security, including a risk disclosure document and quote information under certain circumstances. Many brokers have decided not to trade penny stocks because of the requirements of the penny stock rules and, as a result, the number of broker-dealers willing to act as market makers in such securities is limited. If we remain subject to the penny stock rules for any significant period, it could have an adverse effect on the market, if any, for our securities. If the price per share of our Common Stock is less than $5.00 and our average revenue or tangible net worth fall below the levels required by the penny stock rules, our Common Stock will become subject to the penny stock rules which could have the effect of limiting the trading market for our Common Stock which could have an adverse effect on the price of our Common Stock.
FINRA sales practice requirements may limit a shareholder’s ability to buy and sell our Common Stock.
In addition to the “penny stock” rules described above, FINRA has adopted rules that require that in recommending an investment to a customer, a broker-dealer must have reasonable grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for that customer. Prior to recommending speculative low-priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer’s financial status, tax status, investment objectives and other information. Under interpretations of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative low-priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. The FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy our Common Stock, which may limit your ability to buy and sell our stock and have an adverse effect on the market for our Common Stock.
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Upon the completion of this Offering, we intend to file a Form 8-A and register our Common Stock and Ember Warrants under the Exchange Act, and thereafter publicly report on an ongoing basis under the reporting rules set forth under Section 13 of the Exchange Act. We believe we will qualify as an “emerging growth company” under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) and this status will be significant if and when we become subject to the ongoing reporting requirements of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. An emerging growth company may take advantage of certain reduced reporting requirements and is relieved of certain other significant requirements that are otherwise generally applicable to public companies. In particular, as an emerging growth company we:
| · | will not be required to obtain an auditor attestation on our internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; |
| · | will not be required to provide a detailed narrative disclosure discussing our compensation principles, objectives and elements and analyzing how those elements fit with our principles and objectives (commonly referred to as “compensation discussion and analysis”); |
| · | will not be required to obtain a non-binding advisory vote from our shareholders on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements (commonly referred to as the “say-on-pay,” “say-on-frequency” and “say-on-golden-parachute” votes); |
| · | will be exempt from certain executive compensation disclosure provisions requiring a pay-for-performance graph and CEO pay ratio disclosure; |
| · | may present only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, or MD&A; and |
| · | will be eligible to claim longer phase-in periods for the adoption of new or revised financial accounting standards. |
We intend to take advantage of all of these reduced reporting requirements and exemptions, including the longer phase-in periods for the adoption of new or revised financial accounting standards under Section 107 of the JOBS Act. Our election to use the phase-in periods may make it difficult to compare our financial statements to those of non-emerging growth companies and other emerging growth companies that have opted out of the phase-in periods under Section 107 of the JOBS Act.
Under the JOBS Act, we may take advantage of the above-described reduced reporting requirements and exemptions for up to five years after our initial sale of common equity pursuant to a registration statement declared effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or such earlier time that we no longer meet the definition of an emerging growth company. Note that this offering, while a public offering, is not a sale of common equity pursuant to a registration statement, since the offering is conducted pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements. In this regard, the JOBS Act provides that we would cease to be an “emerging growth company” if we have more than $1 billion in annual revenues, have more than $700 million in market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates, or issue more than $1 billion in principal amount of non-convertible debt over a three-year period.
Certain of these reduced reporting requirements and exemptions are also available to us due to the fact that we may also qualify, once listed, as a “smaller reporting company” under the Commission’s rules. For instance, smaller reporting companies are not required to obtain an auditor attestation on their assessment of internal control over financial reporting; are not required to provide a compensation discussion and analysis; are not required to provide a pay-for-performance graph or CEO pay ratio disclosure; and may present only two years of audited financial statements and related MD&A disclosure.
There are no registered third party exchanges or alternative trading systems that can support secondary trading of Ember Tokens, when and if created and issued, and if PEATS application to operate as a Broker-Dealer/ATS is approved, it may be the only such alternative trading platform for secondary trading of Ember Tokens for the foreseeable future, which could have an adverse effect on Ember Token liquidity and value.
There are currently no registered third party exchanges that can support secondary trading of Ember Tokens, when and if created and issued, and if PEATS application to operate as a Broker-Dealer/ATS is approved, it may be the only such alternative trading platform for secondary trading of Ember Tokens for the foreseeable future. If the PEATS ATS is the only registered alternative trading system or exchange that can support secondary trading of Ember Tokens, the secondary market could be severely limited and the trading prices of Ember Tokens may be adversely affected.
Once issued, secondary purchases and sales of Common Stock, Ember Warrants and Ember Tokens, when and if created and issued, may be limited by State Blue Sky laws, which may limit or prevent the formation of an active secondary market.
Since we do not currently intend to list the Common Stock, the Ember Warrants or the Ember Tokens, when and if created and issued, on a national securities exchange, we will be required to comply with the Blue Sky laws for each State in which secondary trading is to occur. The State Blue Sky filing process can be time consuming and there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully obtain Blue Sky clearance in all the States where investors reside. Investors residing in States where we have not received Blue Sky clearance will have limited ability to resell their Common Stock, Ember Warrants and Ember Tokens, when and if created and issued, in or from those States.
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In the event that we undergo a change in ownership the successor entity that controls us may not honor the outstanding Ember Warrants, regardless of any obligation to do so, which could require the holders of Ember Warrants to litigate to enforce their rights, which could result in the value of the Ember Warrants to be reduced to below the purchase price.
The Warrant Agent Agreement provides that in the event of a change in control of the Company, which is referred to as a fundamental transaction, the Company will ensure that the successor entity assumes all the Company obligations under the Warrant Agent Agreement. However, there can be no assurance given that any successor will honor such agreement which would require the holders to litigate to enforce their rights. Such litigation could be lengthy and expensive and there can be no assurance of success. In such event, the Ember Warrants may expire worthless and investors could lose their entire investment.
Master Wallet accounts established on the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS for the benefit of investors in this Offering, could be hacked resulting in a complete loss of any Ember Tokens or other SST crypto-securities held in such Master Wallets.
Ember Tokens issued to investors that exercise Ember Warrants after the creation of the Genesis Block will be delivered to the investors’ Master Wallets. Master Wallets will be subject to the risk of unauthorized third parties gaining access, through security breaches or failures, and either taking any Ember Tokens or other SST crypto-securities stored in the Master Wallets or disabling the Master Wallets. In such event, investors may lose their Ember Tokens or other SST crypto-securities held in their Master Wallets. Further, such a hacking event would result in a material adverse effect on the business and reputation of the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS which would have a material adverse effect on Prometheum’s operations and the prices for its Common Stock, Ember Warrants and its Ember Tokens, when and if created and issued.
Investors that transfer Ember Tokens, when and if created and issued upon exercise of Ember Warrants, to Personal Wallets could lose access to their Personal Wallet or could lose access to their Ember Tokens.
Investors that exercise Ember Warrants following the creation of the Genesis Block and acquire Ember Tokens have the option of having their Ember Tokens transferred to their Personal Wallets. Personal Wallets will be subject to the risk of unauthorized third parties gaining access, through security breaches or failures, and either taking any Ember Tokens, or other SST crypto-securities held in the Personal Wallet, or disabling the Personal Wallet so investors cannot access their SST crypto-securities. In such event, the investor may lose access to any Ember Tokens held in their Personal Wallet a and lose their entire investment in Ember Tokens. In addition, an Ember Token holder may mistakenly send their Ember Tokens out of their Personal Wallet in such a manner that they cannot recover their Ember Tokens. Further, Ember Token holders could lose their Ember Tokens through misplacing their private key/password to their Personal Wallet. Further, if a holder does not maintain an accurate record of the holder’s password and loses the password to the wallet account, the holder will lose access to the Ember Tokens held in the Personal Wallet, and, as a result, lose his or her investment in Ember Tokens.
If we are able to create the Genesis Block and issue Ember Tokens, Ember Tokens sent to an incorrect wallet address may be difficult, if not impossible, to recover and may be permanently lost.
Ember Tokens sent to the wrong wallet address in some circumstances are unlikely to be recoverable and will likely be lost. It is unlikely Prometheum will have the ability to recover lost tokens, and investors in Ember Tokens must also accept the risk of permanently losing Ember Tokens sent to wrong wallet addresses. The occurrence of any such loss could have a material adverse effect on any affected holder of Ember Tokens and could reduce investor confidence in our network which would have a material adverse effect on our business.
If we are able to effect the issue of the Genesis Block of Ember Tokens, we intend to have trading data for Ember Tokens written to the blockchain which may make it difficult, if not impossible to correct trading errors in the Ember Tokens.
Since transactions executed through the Broker-Dealer/ATS will be recorded to the Prometheum Blockchain, it may be difficult or impossible to correct trading errors that might have been corrected prior to settlement under a typical T+3 system. Consequently, if the Genesis Block is issued, persons acquiring Ember Tokens must accept the risk that correction of any trading errors may be impossible. The occurrence of any such trading error could have a material adverse effect on any affected holder of Ember Tokens and could reduce investor confidence in our Prometheum Network which would have a material adverse effect on our business.
We currently do not intend to engage a transfer agent for our Ember Tokens and will rely upon the Prometheum Blockchain to maintain transfer and ownership records of our Ember Tokens. In the event the Prometheum Blockchain is corrupted and such records are lost or irretrievable, Ember Tokens would lose all of their value.
We currently do not intend to engage a transfer agent for our Ember Tokens and will rely upon the Prometheum Blockchain to perform the functions typically performed by transfer agents. These functions include (a) countersigning issued securities, (b) monitoring issued securities, with the goal of preventing unauthorized issuances, (c) registering transfers of issued securities, (d) exchanging or converting issued securities, or (e) transferring record ownership of securities by bookkeeping entry without physical issuance of securities certificates. We believe all of these functions will be intrinsically part of the Prometheum Blockchain and will be written into each Ember Token’s smart contracts. However, in the event that the Prometheum Blockchain is corrupted and such records are lost or irretrievable, without a transfer agent there will be no other records of ownership and as a result, holders of Ember Tokens would lose the entire value of their Ember Tokens.
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Risks Related to Blockchain
We may not be successful in developing clearance and settling mechanisms and procedures necessary for public trading of blockchain based Token Securities.
In order for securities to trade publicly, either through national exchanges, over-the-counter, or through other mechanisms, the intermediaries involved in executing such trades must have in place procedures and mechanisms for the prompt clearance and settlement of transactions. We are in the process of development of clearance and settlement algorithms for Prometheum Blockchain based Token Securities. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in developing the necessary procedures and mechanisms or that the procedures and mechanisms we create will be deemed to meet the standards of the Federal Securities Laws including but not limited to Exchange Act Rule 15c3-3.
We do not believe that there are any alternative trading systems approved by the SEC and FINRA for SST Crypto-Securities and we cannot assure you that we will be successful in developing the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS.
We believe that our proposed PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS dedicated to trading SST crypto-securities is a new concept in that we are not currently aware of any similar alternative trading systems that have been approved by the SEC and FINRA. Since the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS is a new concept that will require the continued development and testing of new trading procedures, we expect the SEC approval process to be lengthy. Further, we cannot assure you that we will be successful in developing the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS or that the SEC will approve its alternative trading system application. If we are not able to develop the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS and implement systems to allow for trading of our Ember Tokens, when and if issued, and other Prometheum Blockchain based securities, then we will not be able to launch the Prometheum Network.
Distributed ledger technology is relatively new and we believe that the application of distributed ledger technology to securities clearing and settlement is novel to our proposed Prometheum Network, therefore, we have no experience operating such a securities platform.
We have limited experience applying distributed ledger technology to securities clearing and settlement. The creation and operation of a digital system for the public trading of Ember Token based securities utilizing a distributed ledger to enable members of the public to confirm that the blockchain underlying these securities has not been altered is subject to potential technical, legal and regulatory constraints. Any problems we, or the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS encounters with the operation of our alternative trading system for SST crypto-securities, including technical, legal and regulatory problems, could have a material adverse effect on our business and plan of operations.
Blockchains, including Prometheum’s Core Blockchain and Utility Blockchain, are vulnerable to a variety of mining and network attacks.
As with other distributed ledger technologies, we believe that Prometheum’s Core Blockchain and Utility Blockchain will be susceptible to mining attacks, including but not limited to double-spend attacks, majority mining power attacks, selfish-mining attacks, and race condition attacks. Any successful attacks present a risk to these blockchains’ expected proper execution and sequencing of Ember Token transactions, and expected proper execution and sequencing of contract computations, which could have an adverse effect on the value of our Ember Tokens. Although we intend to limit the risk of mining attacks by utilizing the PBFT consensus mechanism that could reduce the risk of mining attacks, there can be no assurance that such measures, if implemented, will successfully defend against known or novel mining attacks.
The Prometheum Blockchain is being developed based on the open source code of the Ethereum Blockchain and such open source code could be used by third-parties to develop competing blockchains and tokens.
Since our Prometheum Blockchain is being developed based upon the open source code of the Etheruem Blockchain, which is publicly available, it is possible that third-parties could use the same open source code to develop products substantially similar to and competitive with our Prometheum Blockchain technology, our Ember Tokens and the Prometheum Network. If third parties were able to develop blockchains and tokens substantially similar to ours, that offer services competitive with the proposed services to be offered by the Prometheum Network, it could have a negative impact on our proposed business and operations and the value of our Ember Tokens.
The Ethereum Blockchain, upon which our Prometheum Blockchain is based, may be the target of malicious cyberattacks or may contain exploitable flaws in its underlying code, and if such vulnerabilities are incorporated in our Prometheum Blockchain it could result in security breaches would could negatively effect our Prometheum Network and the value of the Ember Tokens.
Our Prometheum Blockchain is based upon the Ethereum Blockchain. The Ethereum Blockchain, may be the target of malicious cyberattacks or may contain exploitable flaws in its underlying code, such vulnerabilities may be incorporated in our Prometheum Blockchain. If a malicious cyberattack on the Ethereum Blockchain is successful, or it malicious third parties discover exploitable flaws in the Ethereum Blockchain, such malicious actors may seek to launch attacks or seek to exploit such flows in our Prometheum Blockchain. In the event of a successful cyberattack on our Prometheum Blockchain, or if exploitable flows are discovered it could result in security breaches would have a negative impact on our reputation and could result in a loss of participants on the Prometheum Network and would have a negative effect on the value of the Ember Tokens.
As a result of these and other risks of malicious attacks, there can be no assurances that the creation, transfer or storage of Ember Tokens or the Prometheum Network itself will be uninterrupted or fully secure. Any such interruption or security failure may result in impermissible transfers of Ember Tokens, a complete loss of users’ Ember Tokens or an unwillingness of users to access, adopt and utilize the Prometheum Network, PEATS or our Ember Tokens as a result of reduced trust in the integrity of the Prometheum Network from bad publicity.
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Using the Ethereum Blockchain as the basis for the Prometheum Blockchain may cause difficulties in writing and maintaining our Prometheum Blockchain which may result in delays in finalizing and maintaining our Prometheum Blockchain.
Using the Ethereum Blockchain as the basis for our Prometheum Blockchain requires additional upfront effort to properly understand, review and verify the functionality of the existing Ethereum Blockchain codebase. In addition, if we encounter problems or have questions regarding the Ethereum Blockchain, we may not be able to have access to the original development team to resolve questions or problems. We may also encounter problems integrating of updates to the original code base (difficulty thereof, unpredictability of getting updates) and assumptions about continued updates to a code base are difficult to make (if relying on a codebase being updated there's no commercial relationship with the contributors to provide said updates). Also, licensing used in open-source code requires specific review and verification to ensure use of code is compatible with the licenses expected in the derived code. All of the foregoing difficulties could cause our costs of developing and maintaining our Prometheum Blockchain to exceed our estimates which could have an adverse effect on our development of the Prometheum Blockchain.
Conventional trading systems have established processes and systems to identify securities and process trades. If we are not able to adapt these systems for use on the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS, then the Prometheum Network will not launch.
We believe that for SST crypto-securities to trade publicly, at least initially, they will be required to meet the same requirements as conventional securities. For example, securities that a publicly traded are identified by their CUSIP numbers which is a unique identifier for a security, and trading systems generally require the activities of transfer agents to process securities transactions. We cannot assure you that current trading systems will adapt to accommodate trading of crypto-securities or that crypto-securities can be designed to be functional on current trading systems.
The Prometheum Network involves new, unproven concepts and procedures for processing transactions on a blockchain and may ultimately prove to be unworkable.
As originally conceived, distributed ledger technologies were intended to publicly record all transactions on the blockchain. Conventional securities transactions however, are private in nature, particularly if those securities being traded are held in street name. We are designing our Prometheum Network to include both private and public functionality. The public portion will have transactions in Token Securities validated on the Prometheum Blockchain and the private portion will provide Token Security holders with the ability to hold their securities privately, similar to street name securities. No assurance can be given that we will be successful completing the development of the Prometheum Network to allow public and private transactions.
Certain of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest.
Martin H. Kaplan, our Chairman and one of our directors is the Managing Member of Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC (“GKN”), our counsel. Aaron L. Kaplan and Benjamin S. Kaplan are Co-CEOs, and directors, and are Martin H. Kaplan’s sons who are both of counsel to GKN. Accordingly, there may be multiple conflicts of interest between us, GKN and our officers and directors.
We are under common control with the Administrative Agent.
The Administrative Agent is a wholly owned subsidiary of Coincross, LLC (“Coincross”). Our Chairman and majority shareholder, Martin H. Kaplan is the managing member of Coincross and a holder of a majority of the voting member interests of Coincross. Accordingly, we and the Administrative Agent are under common control and are affiliates.
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If you purchase Units in this Offering, your investment will be diluted immediately to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per Unit and the adjusted net tangible book value per share of our Common Stock after this Offering.
The net tangible book value of our Common Stock as of June 30, 2019, was approximately $4,090,107 or approximately $0.017 per share. Net tangible book value per share represents the amount of our total tangible assets, excluding goodwill and intangible assets, less total liabilities, divided by the total number of shares of our Common Stock outstanding.
Dilution in net tangible book value per share represents the difference between the amount per share paid by purchasers in this Offering and the net tangible book value per share of our Common Stock immediately after this Offering.
After giving effect to the sale of the Maximum Amount of Units in this Offering at a public offering price of $1.00 per Unit (attributing no value to the Ember Warrants), and after deducting the estimated costs and expenses of this Offering payable by us, our pro forma net tangible book value at June 30, 2019 would have been approximately $52,345,107 or $0.18 per share of Common Stock. This represents an immediate increase in pro forma net tangible book value of $0.16 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution of $0.82 per share to investors purchasing Units in this Offering.
After giving effect to the sale of the Minimum Amount of Units in this Offering at a public offering price of $1.00 per Unit (attributing no value to the Ember Warrants), and after deducting the estimated costs and expenses of this Offering payable by us, our pro forma net tangible book value at June 30, 2019 would have been approximately $8,490,107 or $0.035 per share of Common Stock. This represents an immediate increase in pro forma net tangible book value of $0.018 per share to our existing stockholders and an immediate dilution of $0.96 per share to investors purchasing Units in this Offering.
The following tables illustrates the dilution to the new investors on a per-share basis, assuming no value is attributed to the Ember Warrants included in the Units and assuming the sale of, respectively, the Maximum Amount and Minimum Amount of the Units for sale in this Offering:
| Assuming Maximum Amount of Units Sold: | ||||||||
| Public offering price per Unit | $ | 1.00 | ||||||
| Net tangible book value at June 30, 2019 | $ | 4,090,107 | ||||||
| Increase attributable to investors purchasing Units in this Offering | 48,255,000 | |||||||
| Pro forma net tangible book value after giving effect to this Offering | 52,345,107 | |||||||
| Dilution per share to investors in this Offering | $ | 0.82 | ||||||
| Percentage of dilution to investors in this Offering | 82 | % | ||||||
| Assuming Minimum Amount of Units Sold: | ||||||||
| Public offering price per Unit | $ | 1.00 | ||||||
| Net tangible book value at June 30, 2019 | $ | 4,090,107 | ||||||
| Increase attributable to investors purchasing Units in this Offering | 4,400,000 | |||||||
| Pro forma net tangible book value after giving effect to this Offering | 8,490,107 | |||||||
| Dilution to investors in this Offering | $ | 0.96 | ||||||
| Percentage of dilution to investors in this Offering | 96 | % |
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The following tables set forth, assuming the sale of, respectively, the Maximum Amount and the Minimum Amount of the Units offered for sale in this Offering; (i) the total number of shares of Common Stock previously sold to existing stockholders as of June 30, 2019, (ii) the total number of shares of Common Stock included in Units sold to new investors in this Offering, (iii) the total cash consideration paid by existing stockholders for their shares of Common Stock, and (iv) the total cash consideration paid by new investors purchasing Units in this Offering (assuming no value is attributed to the Ember Warrants).
| Shares Purchased | Total Consideration | |||||||||||||||
| Number | Percentage | Amount | Percentage | |||||||||||||
| Assuming Maximum Amount of Units Sold: | ||||||||||||||||
| Existing Stockholders | 237,500,000 | 82.7 | % | $ | 3,010,000 | 5.7 | % | |||||||||
| New Investors | 49,750,000 | 17.3 | % | $ | 49,750,000 | 94.3 | % | |||||||||
| Total | 287,250,000 | 100 | % | $ | 52,760,000 | 100 | % | |||||||||
| Shares Purchased | Total Consideration | |||||||||||||||
| Number | Percentage | Amount | Percentage | |||||||||||||
| Assuming Minimum Amount of Units Sold: | ||||||||||||||||
| Existing Stockholders | 237,500,000 | 97.9 | % | $ | 3,010,000 | 37.6 | % | |||||||||
| New Investors | 5,000,000 | 2.1 | % | $ | 5,000,000 | 62.4 | % | |||||||||
| Total | 242,500,000 | 100 | % | $ | 8,010,000 | 100 | % | |||||||||
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This is a Regulation A, Tier 2 offering which we will conduct on a “best efforts, all-or-none” basis with respect to the Minimum Amount and a “best efforts” basis with respect to the Maximum Amount. The Units will be offered and sold solely to “Qualified Purchasers” (as defined in Rule 256 of Regulation A). The minimum investment amount for investors is $1,000 (1,000 Units).
Our directors, officers, employees and affiliates (as defined in the Securities Act) may, but have no obligation to, purchase Units in this Offering and all such Units so purchased shall be counted toward the Minimum Amount and the Maximum Amount.
Issuances of Incentive Warrants during the Offering Period, if any, shall not be counted toward the Minimum Amount or the Maximum Amount and we will not receive any proceeds from the issuance of Incentive Warrants.
Determination of Offering Price
The offering price of the Units has been arbitrarily established by us after giving consideration to numerous factors, including market conditions and the perceived valuations. The offering price of the Units may not be in any way indicative of the Company’s actual value or the value of the Common Stock and the Ember Warrants following the completion of this Offering.
Administrative Agent
We have entered into an Administrative Services Agreement with Manorhaven, a registered broker dealer, pursuant to which Manorhaven has agreed to act as the Administrative Agent for this Offering. As Administrative Agent, Manorhaven, will be responsible for oversight and administration of the subscription process, recordkeeping, escrow oversight, review of closing requirements and sending confirmations to investors.
Pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement, Manorhaven shall receive an administrative fee equal to 2% of the gross proceeds of the Offering for such services, payable at each Closing of the Offering. Manorhaven will not solicit investments in the Company’s offering nor advise subscribers on suitability or advisability of such investments other than to assure that the terms of the Offering are complied with.
We have agreed to indemnify the Administrative Agent against liabilities under the Securities Act. We have also agreed to contribute to payments the Administrative Agent may be required to make in respect of such liabilities. Manorhaven is a related party. See Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions on page 51.
Escrow of Funds
We have executed an Escrow Agreement with Cross River Bank (the “Escrow Agreement”) pursuant to which Cross River Bank shall serve as the escrow agent (the “Escrow Agent”) in connection with this Offering. All monies collected from prospective purchasers of Units will be held in a separate non-interest bearing escrow account at the Escrow Agent (the “Escrow Account”) for the benefit of the investors in accordance with Exchange Act Rule 15c2-4. The Administrative Agent will instruct purchasers to transfer funds either directly to the Escrow Agent by wire transfer or by check payable to “Prometheum, Inc., Cross River Bank, as Escrow Agent.” The Administrative Agent shall deliver any funds it receives from prospective purchasers to the Escrow Agent by noon of the next business day. Funds will not be released to the Company until the Minimum Amount is raised.
Substantially simultaneously with each deposit to the Escrow Account, the Administrative Agent shall provide the Escrow Agent with the subscription information for applicable prospective purchaser. The Escrow Agent shall not be required to accept for credit to the Escrow Account or for deposit into the Escrow Account subscription funds which are not accompanied by the appropriate subscription information. Wire transfers representing payments by prospective purchasers shall not be deemed deposited in the Escrow Account until the Escrow Agent has received in writing the subscription information required with respect to such payments.
We have agreed to pay the Escrow Agent a fee for acting as Escrow Agent. The amount of the fee will vary depending on the number of investors that subscribe for Units.
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Offering Period; Closings
We expect to commence sales of the Units within two trading days following the date on which the Offering Statement of which this Offering Circular is a part is qualified by the SEC (the “Qualification Date”). This Offering will terminate on the earlier of (i) one year from the Qualification Date; (ii) the date on which the Maximum Amount is sold, or (iii) the date that the Offering is earlier terminated by us in our sole discretion (collectively, the “Termination Date”).
The Common Stock and Ember Warrants comprising Units will be issued in one or more closings (the “Closings”). We must receive and accept subscriptions for the Minimum Amount in order to hold the initial Closing (the “Initial Closing”) and release investor funds on deposit in the Escrow Account to the Company and deliver Common Stock and Ember Warrants to the investors accounts as described below. If we have not sold the Maximum Amount in the Initial Closing, the Offering will continue and we will have additional Closings (each an “Additional Closing”) on accepted subscriptions until the Termination Date.
Subscription funds deposited in the Escrow Account may not be withdrawn by investors. If we have not held the Initial Closing prior to the Termination Date, we will instruct the Escrow Agent to return all funds to the investors without interest or deduction. If we have held the Initial Closing prior to the Termination Date, the Offering will continue until the Termination Date during which time we will have Additional Closings from time to time. If prior to the Initial Closing, or any Additional Closing, the Offering is terminated, or the Company dissolves or liquidates, subscription funds on deposit in the Escrow Account will promptly be returned to the investors who deposited such funds in the Escrow Account without interest or deduction.
Offering Documents
This Offering Circular and the offering documents specific to this Offering will be available to prospective investors for viewing 24 hours per day, 7 days per week on our website at www.prometheum.com. Before committing to purchase Units, each potential investor must consent to receive the final Offering Circular and all other offering documents electronically. Prospective investors must read and rely on the information provided in this Offering Circular in connection with any decision to invest in the Units, Common Stock and Ember Warrants.
Subscription Procedure
Following qualification of this Offering, Prospective investors who submitted non-binding indications of interest during the “test the waters” period, will receive an automated message from us indicating that the Offering is open for investment.
Investors will be required to (i) complete and sign a Subscription Agreement, (ii) complete and sign an investor questionnaire and an accredited investor certification, and (iii) complete and sign a questionnaire regarding compliance with the investment limitations set forth in Rule 251(d)(2)(i)(C) of Regulation A under the Securities Act. The foregoing are referred to as the “Subscription Documents.” The Subscription Documents will available electronically on the Prometheum website. A form of the Subscription Agreement has been filed as an exhibit to the Offering Statement of which this Offering Circular is a part.
Completed Subscription Documents will be delivered electronically to the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall review the Subscription Documents and perform the following administrative functions:
| · | Review Subscription Documents for completeness and, if necessary, return incomplete or incorrectly completed Subscription Documents to investors; |
| · | Advise us as to accredited investor status and permitted investment limits for investors; |
| · | Advise us as to the need for any additional information or clarification from investors; and |
| · | Transmit Subscription Document information to the Escrow Agent. |
At the same time as an investor submits its Subscription Documents for review, the investor will be required to deliver to the Escrow Agent payment in full for the Units subscribed for in accordance with the instructions stated in the Subscription Agreement. All payments for Units must be in U.S. dollars. The Escrow Agent will notify the Administrative Agent as funds are received in the Escrow Account.
Following notification from the Administrative Agent that it has completed its review of an investor’s Subscription Documents and from the Escrow Agent that it has received the investor’s subscription funds, the Company will determine whether to accept or reject the investor’s subscription. If accepted by the Company, the investor’s subscription will be irrevocable and the subscription funds will remain in the Escrow Account until such time as the funds are released upon a closing or termination of the Offering.
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In addition to the foregoing, prospective investors whose subscriptions have been accepted will be required to open a brokerage account with the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS, or if the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS is not at that time a FINRA member, with the Administrative Agent. Brokerage accounts established with the Administrative Agent will be transferred to the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS following FINRA approval of its membership application. Brokerage account applications will be completed online on the Prometheum website and submitted to a third-party service provider for anti-money laundering and know your customer (“AML/KYC”) checks and verifications. Upon successful completion of the AML/KYC review, the brokerage account will be opened for the investor.
Ability to Void a Sale of Units
We have the right to void a sale of Units in the Offering and compel an investor to return to us any Common Stock and Ember Warrants issued to them, if we have reason to believe that such investor acquired the securities as a result of a misrepresentation, including with respect to such shareholder’s representation that it is a “qualified purchaser” or an “accredited investor” as defined pursuant to Regulation A or Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act, respectively, or if the investor or the sale to the investor is otherwise in breach of the requirements set forth in our certificate of incorporation, as amended, or bylaws, copies of which are exhibits to the Offering Statement in which this Offering Circular has been filed with the SEC.
Limitations on Your Investment Amount
Generally, no sale may be made to you in this Offering if the aggregate purchase price you pay is more than 10% of the greater of your annual income or your net worth. Different rules apply to accredited investors and to non-natural persons. Before making any representation that your investment does not exceed applicable thresholds, we encourage you to review Rule 251(d)(2)(i)(C) of Regulation A, which states:
“In a Tier 2 offering of securities that are not listed on a registered national securities exchange upon qualification, unless the purchaser is either an accredited investor (as defined in Rule 501 (§230.501)) or the aggregate purchase price to be paid by the purchaser for the securities (including the actual or maximum estimated conversion, exercise, or exchange price for any underlying securities that have been qualified) is no more than ten percent (10%) of the greater of such purchaser’s:
(1) Annual income or net worth if a natural person (with annual income and net worth for such natural person purchasers determined as provided in Rule 501 (§230.501)); or
(2) Revenue or net assets for such purchaser’s most recently completed fiscal year end if a non-natural person.”
For general information on investing, we encourage you to refer to www.investor.gov.
Application for Listing of Common Stock and Ember Warrants
We intend to file an application to have the Common Stock and Ember Warrants included in the Units quoted on the OTCQB within sixty (60) days after we hold the final closing. No assurance can be given that the Company will be able to identify a broker dealer to file a Form 211 and commence a market in the Company’s Common Stock or Ember Warrants. If not, we will not be able to list the Common Stock or Ember Warrants for trading on the OTCQB.
If and when issued, we do not intend to register the Ember Tokens under Section 12 of the Exchange Act and we do not expect to apply to list the Ember Tokens for trading on any securities exchange or quoted on the automated quotation system of any national securities association. We believe that, when and if issued, the Ember Tokens will trade on the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS. However, if we may in the future decide to register the Ember Tokens under Section 12 of the Exchange Act and we may decide to apply to have the Ember Tokens listed for trading on a securities exchange or quoted on the automated quotation system of any national securities association.
You should be prepared to retain the Common Stock, the Ember Warrants and, if issued, the Ember Tokens indefinitely and should not expect to benefit from or rely on any price appreciation.
Delivery of Ember Tokens
Prior to any exercise of Ember Warrants, and prior to the creation of the Genesis Block, a Master Wallet will be established for each investor for the purpose of receiving and holding Ember Tokens. Upon exercise of Ember Warrants by an investor, the Ember Tokens will be delivered to the Master Wallet and the ownership of the Ember Tokens will be recorded on the Prometheum Core Blockchain. Following delivery, Ember Tokens will be required to be held in Master Wallets in order to be traded on the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS. Master Wallet account holders will do so by placing buy/sell orders on PEATS. Buy and sell orders will be matched using traditional order matching logic (price, time priority) via the matching engine. Prometheum intends to allow other ATS platforms to trade Ember Tokens, but they will have to open an account as a broker dealer with the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS and use an external gateway (i.e. FIX and/or other API) to enter trades on behalf of their accounts.
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No assurance can be given that Ember Tokens will trade on any ATS or market.
Restrictions on Transfer
Generally, securities sold pursuant to Regulation A are not considered “restricted securities” under Securities Act Rule 144 and therefore, sales of Common Stock, Ember Warrants and Ember Tokens, if issued, by persons who are not considered affiliates of the Company would not be subject to any transfer restrictions under Rule 144. Affiliates of ours that purchase Common Stock, Ember Warrants and Ember Tokens, if issued, will be subject to the resale restrictions of Rule 144. However, various State Blue Sky laws may restrict secondary transactions of our Common Stock, Ember Warrants and Ember Tokens, if issued if such securities are not qualified or registered, or exempt from qualification or registration, for secondary trading in such States (see “State Blue Sky Information” below). Investors residing in States where our securities have not been so registered, or exempt from registration, will be restricted in their ability to resell Common Stock and Ember Warrants acquired in this Offering.
State Blue Sky Information
The holders of our Common Stock, Ember Warrants and the underlying Ember Tokens should be aware that there may be significant State Blue Sky law restrictions upon the ability of investors to resell their Common Stock and Ember Warrants and the underlying Ember Tokens. We intend to apply to have the Common Stock and Ember Warrants listed for trading on the OTCQB, we do not intend to have the Ember Tokens listed for trading. However, even if we are successful in obtaining a listing on the OTCQB for our Common Stock and Ember Warrants, State Blue Sky laws may cause any secondary market for the Company’s Common Stock and Ember Warrants to be a limited one.
The Company intends to apply to have its Common Stock, Ember Warrants and the underlying Ember Tokens qualify for secondary trading in various States, however, there can be no assurance that secondary trading will be allowed in all States in which investors reside.
Within five calendar days of the completion of this Offering, the Company intends to file a Form 8-A with the SEC to have its Common Stock and Ember Warrants registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act and to be subject to the ongoing reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. The Company does not intend to register the Ember Tokens under Section 12 of the Exchange Act at this time, however it may decide to register the Ember Tokens under Section 12 of the Exchange Act in the future. In the event that the Company is required to register the Ember Tokens under Section 12 of the Exchange Act pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, then it will so register the Ember Tokens. Until such time as the Company becomes subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, we intend to comply with the ongoing reporting requirements of Regulation A and file annual reports on Form 1–K, semiannual reports on Form 1–SA, and current event reports on Form 1–U. We intend to submit filings to qualify the Ember Warrants for secondary trading in such States as determined by our management.
Foreign Restrictions on Distribution of this Offering Circular
We have not taken any action to permit the possession or distribution of this Offering Circular outside the United States. Our securities may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this Offering Circular or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of the Ember Warrants be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this Offering Circular must inform themselves about and observe any restrictions relating to this Offering and the distribution of this Offering Circular in the relevant jurisdictions.
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We intend to use the net proceeds for the following purposes in the following order: (a) first towards the fees and expenses associated with qualification of this Offering under Regulation A, including legal, auditing, accounting, escrow agent, transfer agent, printing and other professional fees; (b) second towards the implementation of our business plan, including but not limited to, (i) development, build out and commercialization of the Prometheum Network, (ii) obtaining FINRA approval of the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS membership application and completing registration as an alternative trading system, (iii) creating and licensing a digital clearing firm or obtaining FINRA approval for the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS to clear its business with a clearing firm, (iv) ongoing legal and regulatory interaction and relations (iv) community building/development and (v) a national marketing campaign, and (c) the balance towards working capital and other corporate purposes. In the event that we sell less than the Maximum Amount, our first priority is to pay fees associated with the qualification of this Offering under Regulation A. No proceeds will be used to compensate or otherwise make payments to officers except for ordinary payments under employment, personnel sharing, consulting or retainer agreements. We reserve the right to use a portion of the proceeds to pay director fees.
Below is a table summarizing how we anticipate using the net proceeds of this Offering, after payment of the Administrative Agent fees and other estimated expenses of this Offering. As set forth in the table, if the Minimum Amount of Units offered hereby are purchased, we expect to receive net proceeds of approximately $4,400,000 after deducting Administrative Agent fees in the amount of $90,000 (2% of the amount sold in the Offering) and estimated fees for qualification of this Offering and other ongoing costs estimated to be $500,000 (the “Offering Costs”). If the Maximum Amount of Units offered hereunder are purchased, we expect to receive net proceeds from this Offering of approximately $48,255,000, after deducting Administrative Agent fees in the amount of $995,000 (2% of the amount sold in the Offering) and the Offering Costs. However, we cannot guarantee that we will sell any or all of the Units being offered by us.
| If the Minimum Amount of Units are Sold | If the Maximum Amount of Units are Sold | |||||||
| Gross Proceeds | $ | 5,000,000 | (1) | $ | 49,750,000 | (2) | ||
| Administrative Costs | $ | (100,000 | ) | $ | (995,000 | ) | ||
| Fees for Qualification of Offering under Regulation A and other related ongoing costs (includes legal, auditing, accounting, escrow agent, transfer agent, financial printer and other professional fees) | $ | (500,000 | ) | $ | (500,000 | ) | ||
| Net Proceeds(3) | $ | 4,400,000 | $ | 48,255,000 | ||||
| Prometheum’s intended use of the net proceeds is as follows: | ||||||||
| Prometheum Network Development/Commercialization | $ | 1,000,000 | $ | 2,000,000 | ||||
| PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS FINRA Application and SEC alternative trading system registration | $ | 500,000 | $ | 500,000 | ||||
| Ongoing Legal and Regulatory Matters | $ | 1,000,000 | $ | 3,000,000 | ||||
| National Marketing Campaign | $ | 1,000,000 | $ | 5,000,000 | ||||
| Legislative/Regulatory Effort | $ | — | $ | 5,000,000 | ||||
| Investor and Market Education | $ | $ | 5,000,000 | |||||
| International Inclusion | $ | $ | 5,000,000 | |||||
| Digital Clearing Firm (formation and capitalization) | $ | — | $ | 12,000,000 | ||||
| Working Capital and General Corporate Purposes(4) | $ | 900,000 | $ | 10,755,000 | ||||
| Total Use of Net Proceeds | $ | 4,400,000 | $ | 48,255,000 | ||||
| (1) | Gross proceeds from the sale of the Minimum Amount of Units. |
| (2) | Gross proceeds from the sale of the Maximum Amount of Units. |
| (3) | Assumes no cash commissions payable to selling agents. |
| (4) | Any unused funds will be added to Working Capital and General Corporate Purposes. |
We believe that if we sell the Maximum Amount of Units in this Offering, the net proceeds together with our current resources will allow us to operate for at least the next 24 months.
We also reserve the right to change the use of the proceeds if our business plans change in response to market, financing and/or regulatory conditions. Accordingly, our management will have significant flexibility in allocating the net proceeds of this Offering.
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Our Company
We were incorporated in Delaware in September 2017 for the purpose of developing, building out and commercializing an integrated network, which we refer to as the “Prometheum Network,” for the issuance, trading, clearing, and settlement of blockchain protocol based crypto-securities, which we refer to as “Smart Security Tokens”™ (“SSTs”). We believe that SST crypto-securities are “securities” as defined under the Securities Act and as such their issuance and trading are subject to Federal and State securities laws.
We intend to conduct our SST crypto-security operations through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Prometheum Ember ATS, Inc. (“PEATS”), a New York corporation formed in February 2018. PEATS filed its Form BD to register as a broker-dealer with the SEC and has filed a membership application with FINRA to operate as a broker-dealer and, if approved, PEATS intends to file an initial operation report on Form ATS with the SEC to operate as an alternative trading system (the “PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS”) for SST crypto-securities. We intend that the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS, if and when fully registered and authorized, will be the provider of brokerage and trading services for the Prometheum Network.
We have not commenced any operations and our activities to date have been devoted to developing the technology and infrastructure necessary to launch our Prometheum Network, which may never occur and raising capital to fund our development efforts. Accordingly, investors should be aware that the descriptions in this Offering Circular of our proposed Prometheum Network, the Units, Common Stock, Ember Warrants and our Ember Tokens are speculative and subject to significant risks.
Our principal offices are located at 120 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005, and our phone number is (212) 514-8369. Our Internet address is www.prometheum.com. You may obtain copies of our SEC filings through our website free of charge.
Regulatory Background
On July 25, 2017, the SEC issued an investigative report (the “DAO Report”) that found that tokens offered and sold by a virtual organization known as The DAO were securities and therefore subject to the Federal Securities Laws. The SEC’s report confirmed that issuers of distributed ledger or blockchain technology-based securities, therein referred to as Initial Coin Offerings or ICO’s, must register public distributions, offers and sales of such securities under the Federal Securities Laws unless a valid exemption to registration applies. The report also stated that those participating in unregistered offerings may also be liable for violations of the securities laws, unless they are exempt, and that securities exchanges providing for trading in crypto-securities must register.
In July 2019, the SEC and FINRA put out a Joint Staff Statement on Broker-Dealer Custody of Digital Asset Securities (the “Joint Statement”) raising a broad range of complications attendant to the distribution, clearing, settling and custody and control issues that are yet to be approved for the distribution, clearing, settling, custody and control of SST crypto-securities.
Our Business Plan
Our business plan consists of developing and launching the Prometheum Network, a blockchain technology-based differentiated platform designed to address the issues raised in the DAO Report and the Joint Statement. The Company, with its strategic partners and joint venturers, HashKey and Wanxiang are developing blockchain technology and smart contract systems for the Prometheum Network designed to (i) address the regulatory, legal, and liquidity challenges faced by issuers seeking to raise capital through the sale of SST crypto-securities (ii) provide a platform through which issuers may conduct initial and follow on offerings of SST crypto-securities pursuant to Regulation A of the Securities Act; and (iii) provide the infrastructure necessary to allow for secondary trading of SST crypto-securities. On August 9, 2019 we entered into a Software Purchase Agreement with InteliClear pursuant to which we acquired a version of InteliClear’s Post Trade Solution Software. The Company intends to integrate the Post Trade Solution Software with the technology acquired from and developed with HashKey and Wanxiang to provide the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS with the systems necessary to meet broker-dealer recordkeeping requirements set forth in Exchange Act Rule 17(a)(3) and its financial reporting obligations under Exchange Act Rule 17(a)(4) with respect to transactions in SST crypto-securities.
When completed, we intend the Prometheum Network to be an SST crypto-securities platform that will (i) allow issuers seeking to raise capital through the creation and distribution of SST crypto-securities to conduct their offerings in compliance with securities laws; and (ii) provide the infrastructure necessary to allow for secondary-market trading of SST crypto-securities. We believe that our Prometheum Network will provide the infrastructure to compliantly service the entire SST crypto-securities lifecycle.
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Regulatory Status
The launch of our Prometheum Network is contingent on receiving FINRA approval of PEATS’ application to be admitted to FINRA as a broker-dealer member and thereafter, PEATS successfully apply to the SEC to operate its alternative trading system. PEATS filed its initial application for FINRA membership on November 6, 2018 and submitted additional information to FINRA on November 7, 13 and 14 and on December 3 and 24, 2018. Pursuant to a letter dated January 3, 2019, FINRA requested additional information from PEATS regarding its application. PEATS submitted additional information to FINRA on March 19, March 20 and March 29, 2019 in response to the request. After reviewing PEATS’ response, pursuant to a letter dated April 29, 2019, FINRA requested additional information from PEATS. PEATS responded to FINRA’s request on June 12, 2019. FINRA requested addition information by email dated July 23, 2019. Thereafter, on August 6, 2019, PEATS and FINRA held a phone call to discuss the July 23, 2019 correspondence. We are currently awaiting FINRA’s response. While we believe that we have addressed FINRA’s information requests, we believe that we may be required to provide additional information and assurance to address the concerns raised by FINRA and the SEC in their Joint Statement. Of the issues raised, in the Joint Statement, we believe the issues that we must address in order to launch our Prometheum Network are demonstrating to FINRA and the SEC that the systems to be implemented by PEATS for maintaining custody and control of customers’ SST crypto-securities are in compliance with the SEC’s customer protection rule (Exchange Act Rule 15c3-3) and that the Prometheum Blockchain will provide PEATS with the necessary infrastructure to meet broker-dealer recordkeeping requirements (Exchange Act Rule 17(a)(3)) and financial reporting obligations (Exchange Act Rule 17(a)(4)) with respect to transactions in SST crypto-securities.
We submitted a no action request to the SEC in October, 2017 regarding our proposed custody and control systems and as of the date hereof, we have not received a formal response to our request.
The foregoing regulatory issues that must be addressed before we can launch our Prometheum Network involve new and novel approaches to address compliance with regulatory issues using blockchain based solutions. There is significant uncertainty that we will be successful in addressing any or all of these challenges which creates a substantial risk that we will be unable to launch our Prometheum Network or create and issue the Ember Tokens. For example, we are proposing a blockchain based system, using digital Wallets (as defined below) for use by PEATS and other broker-dealers participating in the Prometheum Network to establish and maintain custody of digital asset securities in compliance with the federal securities laws. However, there is currently no guidance on how a broker-dealer could establish and maintain custody of digital asset securities in compliance with the federal securities laws. We have proposed solutions, which we believe in theory address the federal securities laws requirements for maintaining custody and control of digital asset securities, however, until such time as we have received guidance that our solutions are acceptable, there is substantial uncertainty that we will be able to operate the Prometheum Network, PEATS and our business or create and issue our Ember Tokens as proposed. Further, we are proposing using blockchain based procedures for maintaining broker-dealer books and records in compliance with federal securities laws using blockchain based solutions. This is an integral part of our Prometheum Network necessary to the creation of our Smart Securities Network (as defined below). There is likewise no guidance on how broker-dealers can maintain their books and records for digital asset securities using the blockchain. Similarly, we a proposing that records of ownership and transfers, typically maintained by transfer agents, be built into the blockchain of our digital asset securities. This too is a novel untested concept and one which is integral to the operation of PEATS and our Prometheum Network. Accordingly, investors should be aware that the descriptions in this Offering Circular of our Prometheum Network, PEATS and our Ember Tokens are based upon unproven procedures and the application of new technologies to established systems which must be successfully implemented and created by us, and more importantly, accepted by the SEC and FINRA as satisfying their regulatory requirements. As such, an investment in our Units are subject to significant risks.
THE PROMETHEUM NETWORK
We are building the Prometheum Network to be an integrated network for initial and follow on issuances and secondary trading of blockchain protocol based crypto-securities, which we refer to as “Smart Security Tokens”™ (“SSTs”). The Prometheum Network will utilize the distinguishing characteristics of blockchain technology, indelibility and immutability, to create a system for the efficient issuance and secondary trading of SST crypto-securities, in compliance with securities laws and regulations. The Prometheum Network will consist of four core elements. The PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS which will provide a platform for secondary trading, clearance, settlement, custody and control of SST crypto-securities. The Regulation A platform through which issuers may raise capital through initial and follow on issuances of SST crypto-securities. Prometheum Ember Tokens, which will be blockchain based SST crypto-securities which will act as the underlying basis for all SST crypto-securities issued and traded on the Prometheum Network. Prometheum’s Wallet system which will provide the broker-dealer back office systems and procedures for clearing and settlement of digital securities.
Our Prometheum Network when fully functional will be a “Smart Securities NetworkTM” (“SSN”) which will include procedures and algorithms for the following:
| · | a platform for issuers seeking to raise capital to conduct initial and follow-on offerings of SST crypto-securities pursuant to Regulation A (the “Regulation A Platform”). SST crypto-securities offered through our Regulation A Platform will be controlled by smart contracts and will be based on our own Ember Tokens (described below). Issuers offering SST crypto-securities through our Regulation A Platform will be matched with buyers who have established accounts on the Prometheum Network. We refer to offerings of SST crypto-securities through our proposed Regulation A Platform as “Smart Security OfferingsTM” (“SSOs”). We intend to structure SST crypto-securities issued in an SSO to be compatible for secondary trading on PEATS, our Broker-Dealer/ATS. |
| · | an alternative trading system for secondary market trading of SST crypto-securities operated by PEATS which will function by matching buyer and seller orders. PEATS has registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC and has filed a membership application with FINRA and, pending approval of its FINRA membership application, intends to file an initial operation report on Form ATS with the SEC to operate as an alternative trading system. |
| · | back-office procedures providing for broker-dealer record keeping, customer account information, books and records required by Rule 17a-3, with respect to SST crypto-security transactions conducted through PEATS based upon the Post Trade Solution Software acquired from InteliClear. |
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| · | the “Prometheum Blockchain” which will use the Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (“PBFT”) consensus algorithm in order to provide a balance between performance and distributed reliability. We believe that PBFT is the most efficient method for validating transactions in a distributed system such as the Prometheum Blockchain. The Prometheum Blockchain will have two components, a permissioned blockchain, referred to as the “Prometheum Core Chain,” and a public blockchain, referred to as the “Prometheum Utility Chain.” |
PBFT is a mechanism for having a distributed network of connected computers (referred to as nodes or validators) share information and agree on changes to a dataset (a blockchain). The PBFT algorithm was written to address two threats to the integrity of a blockchain, faulty nodes that verify changes to the blockchain incorrectly and malicious nodes that intentionally seek to corrupt the integrity of a blockchain. The PBFT algorithm identifies incorrect changes to a blockchain by polling a variety of different nodes and comparing such nodes results. Sequences that do not match a minimum percentage of all sequences are excluded and the majority sequence is validated and added to the blockchain.
The PBFT algorithm was originally conceived in 1999 and published by MIT. It uses a system of network communication that allows for finality (guarantees that once a transaction is accepted it forms a permanent part of the blockchain data) and resistance to byzantine faults (errors or malicious data that may cause a system to fail). Nodes on the network take turns to propose blocks in such a way that allows for faulty nodes to be identified and ignored.
The algorithm achieves consensus in a manner that neither the integrity of the data nor the performance of the network are affected by faulty or malicious node behavior. The validation of transactions is done through the Prometheum Blockchain smart contracts. Using the PBFT algorithm, transactions will be written to the Prometheum Blockchain after it has been validated for correctness by seeking a minimum consensus of randomly selected nodes validating, or agreeing, on the transaction. If a certain minimum number of nodes, determined through the PBFT algorithm, agree on the transaction, it is written to the Prometheum Blockchain. Nodes that reply late or that report a different transaction, either intentionally or mistakenly, are disregarded.
Because PBFT uses a randomly selected subset of nodes to validate transactions we believe that PBFT is the most efficient method for validating transactions in a distributed system such as the Prometheum Blockchain because using a randomly selected subset of nodes to validate specific transactions is faster and more efficient than polling all available nodes and because using a subset of nodes is particularly well suited to validating transactions on the internet where the universe of possible nodes could potentially make it impossible to validate a transaction in a timely manner.
| · | Prometheum Blockchain based digital account wallets (“Wallets”). There will be three types of Wallets. The first will be a secure, private Wallet account which will be created for persons that open accounts with PEATS, which we refer to as “Master Wallets.” Master Wallets will be created using the Prometheum Core Blockchain, which is a permissioned blockchain that will serve as the custody and control location for SST crypto-securities held at PEATS on behalf of customers. Customers seeking to access the Prometheum Network will be required to open a brokerage account with the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS and have a Master Wallet created for them. Master Wallets established by PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS will be under the control of PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS. The second type of Wallet, which we refer to as “Management Wallets” are used internally within the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS in order to interact with multi-signature processes required to update the location of SSTs on the Prometheum Core Chain. Management Wallets are not seen by users and are a part of the Master Wallet processes and system. The Master Wallet/Management Wallet system will allow clearing firms to custody SST crypto-securities in Management Wallets and to represent ownership in Master Wallets. The third type of Wallets, which we refer to as “Personal Wallets”, will be created using the Prometheum Utility Chain, which is not a permissioned blockchain. See “Prometheum Wallet System.” |
| · | our own SST crypto-securities engineered for use on the Prometheum Network which we refer to as “Ember Tokens” (which is the first SST) will provide the basis for issuer SST crypto-securities offered through the facilities of the Prometheum Network. Ember Tokens, when and if created, will function as the Prometheum Network’s medium of exchange. Once issued, upon exercise of Ember Warrants, Ember Tokens will function as a security. It is intended that the Company’s Ember Token will trade under the symbol “MBRTM”. |
Each Ember Token qualified in the Offering and issued will include smart contract functions that will control subsequent transfers of Ember Tokens to ensure that such transfers are conducted in a manner compliant with the federal securities laws. As an initial matter, the smart contracts controlling subsequent transfers of qualified Ember Tokens will have provisions written into them that will ensure that secondary transfers are non-issuer transactions exempt under Section 4(a)(1) of the Securities Act. Further, such smart contracts will also have functions to ensure that secondary transfers of Ember Tokens are conducted in compliance with State blue sky laws.
The basic operating premise of the Prometheum Network is to create an ecosystem for the issuance and trading of digital securities that is compliant with federal securities laws. Therefore, smart contracts embedded in the fabric of the Ember Tokens will require that any exchange listing Ember Tokens be recognized by the smart contract as a registered exchange or as an SEC registered alternative trading system. As an initial matter, the Company expects that the PEATS ATS will be the only such recognized alternative trading system. Further, the creation of the Genesis Block and the operation of the PEATS ATS are both conditioned upon the successful registration of PEATS as a broker dealer alternative trading system. As other alternative trading systems, or possibly exchanges that can support secondary trading of Ember Tokens become registered, those exchanges will be added to the Ember Token smart contact thereby enabling trading of Ember Tokens on those exchanges. Accordingly, the Company does not intend to play a role in facilitating the sales of its tokens on unregistered exchanges, but instead will be actively working through the design of its Ember Tokens to prevent sales of Ember Tokens on unregistered exchanges in the United States.
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| · | Ember Tokens will be used to pay transaction payments or fees, referred to as “gas” payments, on both the Prometheum Core Blockchain and Prometheum Utility Blockchain. Gas payments for transactions conducted on the Prometheum Core Blockchain (where all customer, broker-dealer, and PEATS interactions with Master Wallets occur) will be paid by the relevant entity (e.g. PEATS will pay the gas fees to write executed trade information to the Prometheum Core Blockchain). Gas payments for transactions conducted on the Prometheum Utility Blockchain (where customer interactions with their Personal Wallets occur) are made directly by customers. Commercial transaction fees charged by PEATS or the Broker-Dealer may be in fiat currency and it is expected, for example, that the PEATS will charge fees sufficient to cover the cost of any Ember Tokens required to pay related transaction gas fees. |
| · | validators who will earn Ember Tokens for validating transactions written to the Prometheum Core Blockchain and Prometheum Utility Blockchain, using the PBFT algorithm. |
Technology and Software
InteliClear Agreement
On August 9, 2019 we entered into a Software Purchase Agreement with InteliClear pursuant to which we acquired source code for a version of InteliClear’s Post Trade Solutions software which includes algorithms and processes for broker-dealers to perform clearance, settling, custody and control, and bookkeeping and recordkeeping functions in compliance with SEC and FINRA requirements. In consideration therefore we (i) issued to InteliClear 1,250,000 shares of Common Stock and 1,250,000 Ember Warrants, exercisable to purchase 1,250,000 Ember Tokens and, (ii) agreed to pay to InteliClear $5,000 per month for the four month period commencing December 1, 2019, $300,000 upon PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS commencement of operations, less any monthly payments made, $150,000 on the one year anniversary of PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS commencement of operations and an additional $150,000 on the second anniversary thereof.
The Wanxiang and HashKey Relationship
Pursuant to the Technology Agreement HashKey and Wanxiang are providing the Company with blockchain technology, development services and resources in order to further develop, build out and commercialize the Prometheum Network, including, but not limited to, blockchain and trading software, relating to the operation of the Broker-Dealer/ATS and the Company’s proposed business and operations (the “Technology”), and certain development services relating to the Technology, its implementation and use.
The scope of the Technology and development services provided by HashKey and Wanxiang pursuant to the Technology Agreement include:
| · | Complete work on a system designed and developed with the Company and in a manner agreed to with the Company in order to achieve the Company’s goals as set forth in the Company’s system diagrams including, but not limited to, system diagrams provided by the Company to Investor on September 14, 2018. |
| · | Implement blockchain technology to meet the Company’s overall systems design that may include original work, extensions, or modifications to existing systems (e.g. including but not limited to the BCOS blockchain developed by Wanxiang). |
| · | Provide a trading system back-end suitable for the Company’s requirements as set forth in the Company’s system diagrams including, but not limited to, system diagrams provided by the Company on September 14, 2018. |
| · | Provide support, documentation, test systems and any relevant tools required for Prometheum to implement a trading front end using HashKey provided and developed trading backend. |
| · | Provide completed work and technologies that are free from licensing or intellectual property limitation or impairments to use. |
| · | Where restrictive open source licenses have been incorporated into the technology provided by Wanxiang, (disclosed to the Company in advance) and where those licenses prevent modification (e.g. GPL) their use is considered as part of the overall system design agreed with the Company. |
| · | Agree to provide access to technology, designs, and systems that are suitable and sufficient in their use and operation for compliance requirements as defined by the Company. |
| · | An agreement that any intellectual property developed by HashKey and the Company will be owned by the Company and that the Company will have the unfettered right to use all updates, changes to systems and software provided by HashKey. |
| · | All licenses and rights to use granted the Company, unless otherwise agreed shall be perpetual. |
The Technology Agreement provides for the transfer and assignment to the Company of HashKey’s and its affiliates’ proprietary blockchain technology and ATS trading technology. The Technology Agreement also provides for a one (1) year royalty-free, license to use HashKey’s hot/cold wallet storage software system. The Technology Agreement also provides for the provision of ongoing technology development support from HashKey and its affiliates, including with regard to the ongoing development of the Prometheum Network and the Prometheum Blockchain development, and the ATS trading system code and system development support (including, but not limited to, matching engine and market data components).
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Moreover, HashKey also agreed to:
| · | Consult the Company in regards to its Ember Token economic model. |
| · | Assist the Company with community building. |
| · | Develop new issuer deal flow for the Company’s business. |
| · | Assist with this Offering including, but not limited to, having the most qualified personnel of HashKey attend and present to potential investors including on road shows and conference calls and assist in the preparation of materials and the presentation thereof. |
| · | Coordinate with the Company’s public relations team/firm to contemporaneously publicize the Wanxiang strategic partnership in Asia and assist the Company’s PR team/firm in securing press regarding the Company, when needed. |
| · | The Company, HashKey and its affiliates have agreed that the valuation of such technology provided to the Company is $9,000,000. |
Regulation A Platform
The Prometheum Network will include a platform for issuers seeking to raise capital to conduct initial and follow-on offerings of SST crypto-securities pursuant to Regulation A (the “Regulation A Platform”). Issuers offering SST crypto-securities through Regulation A Platform will be matched with buyers and the details of the transaction, parties, price, quantity, and delivery of the SST crypto-securities and payment will be controlled by smart contracts. We refer to offerings of SST crypto-securities through our proposed Regulation A Platform as “Smart Security OfferingsTM” (“SSOs”). We intend to structure SST crypto-securities issued in an SSO to be compatible for secondary trading on PEATS, our Broker-Dealer/ATS.
PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS
Our wholly owned subsidiary, PEATS will function as the Broker-Dealer/ATS and the operational center for SST crypto-security transactions on the Prometheum Network. PEATS submitted its Form BD to the SEC and registered as a broker-dealer under Section 15 of the Exchange Act and has filed a membership application with FINRA to become a broker-dealer. After the FINRA membership application is approved, of which there can be no assurance, PEATS will submit a Form ATS with the SEC to become an alternative trading system for SST crypto-securities.
Initially, the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS is intended to create a marketplace for secondary market trading of Ember Token SST crypto-securities issued through the Regulation A Platform. At some time in the future, we intend for third party issuers that have compliantly issued crypto-securities on another blockchain to be able to list their tokens through the use of derivative issuances on our Broker-Dealer/ATS through smart contracts tied with the third party blockchain that will be integrated into Prometheum’s back end. All crypto-securities are intended to be traded over the Prometheum Blockchain and held in electronic wallets. All trades on the Prometheum Network are intended to be validated and written to the Prometheum Blockchain and transaction costs are intended to be paid with bits of Ember Tokens. Prometheum believes that secondary market trading of Ember-based issuer crypto-securities as well as the introduction of third-party service providers (BDs, investment banks, etc.) will significantly increase network activity on its blockchain, thus creating a flourishing ecosystem for all securities related crypto-securities activities on the Prometheum Network.
The Prometheum Network will in a later phase enable broker-dealers to tie into the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS to offer their respective clients, through their existing brokerage accounts, access to secondary market trading of Prometheum Network issued crypto-securities. Some of these third parties are anticipated to share in token and/or fiat currency earnings.
The PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS intends to use a maker/taker model for its charging/paying those providing or taking liquidity. To incentivize initial trading activity on the Prometheum Network, the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS may waive any fees or increase payments to increase liquidity.
In addition to providing for a secondary trading platform for SST crypto-securities, we intend to have PEATS perform the following services to participants on the Prometheum Network:
Brokerage Services
PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS will provide (i) brokerage account creation services, for issuers and investors, (ii) Master Wallet account creation services, for issuers and investors, (iii) coordination with issuers for secondary trading SST crypto-securities through the Regulation A Platform, (iv) distribution services, (v) a facility for secondary market trading of SST crypto-securities issued on our Regulation A Platform, and (v) record keeping, clearing and settlement services for transactions in SST crypto-securities.
We also intend to develop software that will allow qualified third-party broker dealers to tie into the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS and offer their clients access to SST crypto-securities investments.
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Account Creation and Record Keeping Functions
The Company intends to modify the InteliClear Post Trade Solution Software to construct the necessary infrastructure and back-office procedures to meet broker-dealer recordkeeping requirements set forth in Exchange Act Rule 17a-3 and financial reporting obligations set forth in Exchange Act Rule 17a-4 with respect to transactions in SST crypto-securities.
At first, the Company intends to employ a recordkeeping system that will be based upon a combination of traditional broker-dealer recordkeeping systems and blockchain based systems.
The following records will be maintained using traditional database technology used by broker-dealers today:
| · | Customer Account Information — such as names, dates of birth, tax identification numbers, address, investment objectives and risk disclosures. |
| · | Customer Order Records — such as orders (non-executed), cancels, rejects and all related details (time, price,shares, order type, side, etc.) |
| · | Customer Account Cash Balances — including details related to cash including wires, withdrawals, etc. |
| · | Customer Account Notices and Updates. |
| · | Records Related to Customer Communications — including discretionary orders, phone conversations, emails, etc. |
| · | Trading Activity Logs/Reports — including suspicious trading activity, malicious activity, compliance reports, and risk parameter settings. |
| · | Investment Records — full details related to investment by customers prior to distribution. |
| · | Records Related to Associated Persons of Broker-Dealer — including all information required by FINRA, including location. |
| · | All Logs — System settings, account settings, all changes/updates/edits, technical logs, notes and documentation. |
The following records will be maintained using a combination of blockchain technology and traditional database technology:
| · | Customer Securities Balances — all information related to a change in the ownership of a security and the most current settlement/custody details. |
| · | Executive Orders |
| · | Executive Order Details — full required details related to any executed order. |
| · | Distributions — all information related to distribution of securities after an offering. |
The following records will be maintained using blockchain technology:
| · | Digital Wallets — MWAL, GWAL, PWAL. |
| · | Digital Wallet Information — private and public keys, identifiers. |
| · | SST Smart Contracts. |
| · | Actual Custody of Securities — settlement, finality and custody of securities. |
| · | Genesis Block — initial creation of securities. |
Prometheum Blockchain
The Prometheum Blockchain is being designed to consist of multiple, connected blockchains, each serving a specific purpose and allowing for a separation of activities that have different regulatory requirements. The connected blockchains that will form the Prometheum Blockchain fall within two general categories, a permissioned core blockchain, where all regulated activities occur and a public utility blockchain where non-regulated activities occur. We refer to these two types of blockchains as the Prometheum Core Blockchain and the Prometheum Utility Blockchain, respectively.
Prometheum’s multiple connected blockchain design allows for (i) the creation specific purpose blockchains allowing for the separation of activities that have different regulatory requirements (ii) the creation of digital wallets tailored for specific functions on the Prometheum Network (see Prometheum Wallet System Below). In addition, this design has an added technical benefit of allowing for variable scaling of each blockchain based upon differing requirements. On a Prometheum Core Blockchain, we expect a predictable high volume of similar transactions (primarily purchases and sales of SSTs) through applications and services controlled by Prometheum. On the Prometheum Utility Blockchain, we expect a lower volume, but less predictable number of potentially varied transactions.
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In addition to the foregoing, the underlying blockchain technology being used to build the Prometheum Blockchain is intended to provide the following:
| · | A distributed ledger having no single points of failure or centralized services at the underlying technology level. |
| · | PBFT consensus mechanisms for Prometheum Core Blockchains and Prometheum Utility Blockchains. |
| · | Smart Contract compatibility and a standardised language across Prometheum Core Blockchains and Prometheum Utility Blockchains. |
| · | A public blockchain with permissioned account access for the Prometheum Core Blockchains. |
| · | Public verifiability (it will be possible to read data from Smart Contracts and events without having any pre-requisite permissions). |
| · | A scalable design for ongoing governance and future chains. |
| · | Compatibility with read-only nodes which can observe and independently verify transactions on the blockchain but do not contribute to consensus. Read only nodes are useful for providing quick access to data. |
Prometheum Blockchains will also provide common application building blocks in the form of:
| · | Reference node implementation - A blockchain is made up of nodes that run software that conforms to a particular protocol or set of protocols. A “reference node implementation” is normally the first implementation of the protocol or set of protocols and it is often created by the authors or affiliates of the protocol itself. Promotheum will be writing the protocol or set of protocols and the first implementation of those protocols, the reference node implementation, for the Prometheum Blockchain. |
| · | A node API - A critical part of any networked application is the ability for other network software to communicate with it. This is generally described as an Application Programming Interface (API). With respect to the Prometheum Blockchain, the Node API is required so that other pieces of software (the application layer in Prometheum’s trading systems for example) can communicate with the Prometheum Blockchain. |
| · | A wallet SDK - Similar to an API, a Software Development Kit (SDK) is a piece of software that is used to connect to some other system or work within some other system. The term SDK is more commonly used for traditional desktop/mobile software that isn’t necessarily connected to a network (whereas an API is normally used to refer to a connection over some form of network). Prometheum will require a Wallet SDK so that persons using Prometheum Wallets can generate keys and sign transactions using software running on their computer/device without necessarily being connected directly to the Prometheum Blockchain. This is particularly applicable for uses in cold storage where by definition, there will be no network connection. |
| · | Blockchain Explorer: A blockchain explorer is a piece of software (normally a web application/web site) that allows users to inspect the state of transactions on a blockchain network via a dashboard-style monitoring system. Explorers are also used to view performance information and diagnose issues on a blockchain network, including data related to the number of validators and the state of the network. |
| · | Test and main networks: A main network is a full, production blockchain running as intended with all functionality. A test network normally runs the same software as a main network (or sometimes upcoming versions) but is intended specifically for testing, experimentation and review. Because of the tokens (in the case of a token-specific network) relied on for a blockchain, test networks are important so that development and network participants can test the use of the network without putting real tokens (SSTs) at risk. These terms are common across token-based networks, crypto-currency networks and any other network that relies on some form of economic consensus. |
Prometheum Wallet System
Using the multiple connected blockchain architecture, the Prometheum Blockchain will be used to create three different types of account wallets which can be used to hold SSTs, to call Smart Contract methods and to create signatures for use in multi-stage approval processes. These wallets will initially consist of:
| · | Management Wallets – custody of SSTs at a clearing firm |
| · | Master Wallets – to represent custodied ownership of SSTs by specific account holders |
| · | Personal Wallets – to hold SSTs directly on the Prometheum Utility chain |
The Prometheum Blockchain will provide for the movement of SSTs between wallets written on the Prometheum Core Blockchain, which include Master Wallets and Management Wallets and wallets written on the Prometheum Unity Chain Chain, referred to as Personal Wallets. Master Wallets are a means of SST accounting used by Clearing Firms alongside the Management Wallets that they use to work with the Prometheum Blockchain. Personal Wallets are much like wallets on other public blockchains. Investors and Dapp users can create PWALs to interact with Smart Contracts on the Prometheum Utility Blockchain, which will be open to the public.
Transactions in SST crypto-securities held in Master Wallets will be controlled by smart contracts that are internal to the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS and created for the implementation of confidential transactions involving SST crypto-securities held in Master Wallets. SST crypto-securities held in Master Wallets are analogous to book-entry securities. Master Wallets are managed and operated via a Management Wallet. Management Wallets are used internally within the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS in order to interact with multi-signature processes required to update the location of SSTs on the Prometheum Core Chain. Management Wallets are not seen by users and are a part of the Master Wallet processes and system. Transactions in SST crypto-securities held in Personal Wallets will be conducted through the use of general purpose smart contracts. A general purpose smart contract is an abstract interface that allows Prometheum Network participants to interact with each other. General purpose smart contracts deployed to the Prometheum Blockchain can interact with SST crypto-securities (including Ember Tokens) held in Personal Wallets. SST crypto-securities held in Personal Wallets are analogous to certificated securities.
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Master Wallets
Master Wallets will be created using the Prometheum Core Blockchain, which is a permissioned blockchain that will serve as the custody and control location for SST crypto-securities held at PEATS on behalf of customers. Customers seeking to access the Prometheum Network will be required to open a brokerage account with the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS and have a Master Wallet created for them. Master Wallets established by PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS will be under the control of PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS.
In addition, Master Wallets will be the mechanism by which Clearing Firms for SST crypto-securities will provide a verifiable public record of settlement between wallet accounts that can (a) be associated to specific accounts and (b) be publicly verifiable against total SST crypto-security distribution and executed trade information without revealing specific account holder’s identity or SST crypto-security positions.
The term Master Wallet is also used generally to describe the concept of per-investor SST crypto-security storage in a Prometheum Core Blockchain. The actual storage of SSTs on a Prometheum Core Blockchain is done via a Clearing Firm’s GWAL settlement distribution system. Master Wallets themselves don’t hold SSTs. Master Wallets do not interact directly with the Prometheum Core Blockchain or Prometheum Utility Blockchain. Master Wallet identities (the “root” addresses) are known only to the Clearing Firm.
Master Wallet Derived Address
Although the permissions associated with a Prometheum Core Blockchain restrict its use (a permissioned model) all information published to Prometheum Blockchain is considered public. In order to maintain publicly verifiable information while ensuring regulatory compliance, it is critical to not reveal:
| · | the SST crypto-security balance of an investor’s brokerage account (i.e. SSTs crypto-securities held at a Clearing Firm) or |
| · | the detail of customer trades executed by the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS. |
In order to allow for both the public verification of SSTs on a Prometheum Core Blockchain and the trading activity published by the PEATS ATS, the root Master Wallet identity is used exclusively by the Clearing Firm to provide a mechanism by which “derived” addresses can be created (and internally linked) for the purpose of settlement of SST transactions.
By using derived addresses, total settlements can be verified and the Clearing Firm can privately verify account balances. The total amount of SSTs in Prometheum Core and Utility chains is publicly verifiable while ensuring regulatory compliance with relevant rules and regulations regarding privacy of customer data.
Management Wallets
Management Wallets are used internally within the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS in order to interact with multi-signature processes required to update the location of SST crypto-securities on the Prometheum Core Chain. Management Wallets are not seen by users and are a part of the Master Wallet processes and system.
Management Wallets will be required to:
| · | Use features of the Prometheum Core Blockchain including initiating and confirming steps in due diligence and multi-stage approval processes; and |
| · | Custody SST crypto-securities on the Prometheum Core Blockchain (SST crypto-security balances are represented by Master Wallets) |
Management Wallets may be used by broker-dealers, clearing firms and other regulated network participants to perform functions on a Prometheum Core Blockchain. Broker-dealers and clearing firms are expected to use several different Management Wallets for different purposes. For example, a Management Wallet that holds SST crypto-securities must register approval addresses for the various stages of its transfer methods (assuming that all transfer methods are subject to multi-stage approval).
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Example Management Wallet types for a Clearing Firm:
| · | Holding - Used to hold SSTs after an issue and before distribution to subscribers/investors |
| · | SST Storage - Used to establish custody and control of SSTs for normal operations, e.g. all SSTs allocated to Master Wallets custodied in storage Management Wallets |
| · | Operations - A wallet used to call Smart Contracts and create online signatures. |
| · | Offline - A wallet used to sign messages offline (i.e. cold storage) |
In this situation a Clearing Firm would have a separate SST storage GWAL for each broker-dealer they service. The Clearing Firm could still use the same operations and offline signature GWALs for all broker-dealers.
A broker-dealer or alternative trading system can operate with only one GWAL as it doesn’t need to hold SSTs for investors or create offline signatures (as both can be done by the Clearing Firm).
Personal Wallets (PWALs)
PWALs are public wallets created on the Prometheum Utility Blockchain. A user (of any type) can create an address (via a private/public key pair) and have it approved as a PWAL via their broker-dealer (who requests PWAL approval at the associated Clearing Firm).
A PWAL is used on the Prometheum Utility Blockchain to interact with Dapps, send SSTs to other users and to send those SSTs to an MWAL via their broker-dealer so they can be traded on the PEATS ATS. Some of the non-regulated parts of the Prometheum system also use PWALs including the auction system, for the purpose of bidding on staking/validating and receiving network incentive payments.
In order to get SSTs to their PWAL a user must receive them via a transfer from another PWAL or request a transfer from their MWAL via their broker-dealer.
Transferring SSTs from a MWAL on a Prometheum Core Blockchain or sending them to an MWAL (via their broker-dealer and the Clearing Firm’s GWAL) on a Prometheum Core Blockchain require a due diligence and AML/KYC process at the broker-dealer and Clearing Firm. This is implemented as a multi-stage approval processes in the applicable Smart Contracts.
For more information on the Prometheum Blockchain architecture and the Prometheum Wallet System, please refer to the White Paper describing the Prometheum Architecture filed as Exhibit 13.2 to this offering statement.
Clearing, Custody and Control
Prometheum is in the process of creating a mechanism which will provide for compliant clearing, settlement, custody and control of SST crypto-securities that addresses the issues raised by the Joint Statement. Master Wallets will be written using a combination of InteliClear’s Post Trade Solutions software and algorithms developed by the Company with its strategic partner Wanxiang to comply with the custody and control requirements of Exchange Act Rule 15c3-3(c)(7). Prometheum intends to enter into a clearing arrangement with Quantex, a registered clearing firm, that will implement Prometheum’s digital record keeping software developed using the InteliClear Post Trade Solutions software acquired by Promtheum (see discussion below) through which Quantex will provide PEATS with compliant clearing, custody and control of SST crypto-securities issued and traded on the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS. In the future, assuming we raise sufficient capital in this Offering, we may form a new subsidiary to become a clearing broker dealer and file a new member application for a new digital clearing firm with FINRA. We estimate that the cost of creating and capitalizing such a digital clearing firm is $12,000,000. The foregoing is dependent upon receiving approval from the SEC and FINRA that our systems will in fact meet Exchange Act requirements. There can be no assurance given that the necessary regulatory approvals will be secured to implement our clearing, custody and control structure for SST crypto-securities.
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Quantex Agreement
PEATS entered into a letter agreement, dated November 20, 2019 with Quantex Clearing LLC (“Quantex”) which provided that the two parties agreed that, subject to regulatory approvals, Quantex will provide PEATS with services for custody and control of SST crypto-securities held in customer accounts with PEATS and clearance and settlement for SST crypto-securities traded through PEATS’ facilities. Quantex and Prometheum will work to develop blockchain applications for use in connection with PEATS’ SST crypto-securities transactions using the Prometheum Blockchain for the purposes allowed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, FINRA or other relevant regulatory authority for maintaining compliance with broker-dealer books and records, 15c3-3 custody and control purposes and for such other and further broker-dealer applications approved under applicable law and regulation. Until such time as the necessary Prometheum Blockchain protocols are written, and pending acceptance of blockchain use for these functions by US regulatory agencies, Quantex will maintain conventional electronic records provided by PEATS of all transactions for clients introduced by PEATS to Quantex and their accounts.
Ultimately, it is the intention of PEATS, with the corporation of Quantex to build a crypto-securities clearance, reporting, custody and control infrastructure for all crypto-securities, including but not limited to Ember Tokens being issued by Prometheum which will trade through PEATS. It is intended that PEATS shall introduce all its customer accounts to Quantex on a fully disclosed basis.
Settlement Distribution Algorithm
Prometheum is creating a “Settlement Distribution Algorithm” for use in conjunction with InteliClear’s and Quantex’ systems and technology to enable Quantex to determine how to distribute information about transaction settlements between Derived MWAL Addresses (see below). The algorithm is being written so that this is accomplished in a manner that is efficient and does not reveal confidential information about participants when writing settlements to the blockchain. Specifically, Prometheum is designing this algorithm so that it will not provide information about the total amount of any settlement and it will not re-use addresses.
Prometheum Account System
Before a participant will be permitted to engage in transactions on the Prometheum Network, they will be required to open a brokerage account with PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS using an online account application. Completed online account applications will be electronically submitted to a third-party service provider for anti-money laundering and know your customer (“AML/KYC”) checks and verifications. Upon successful completion of the AML/KYC review, PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS will open a brokerage account and will create a Master Wallet account for the participant. Master Wallet accounts will be created for the benefit of the participants using the Prometheum Core Blockchain and will be maintained and controlled by PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS. Participants will not have direct access to their Master Wallet account or to the SST crypto-securities held in their accounts. Participants holding SST crypto-securities in a Master Wallet that wish to have direct access to their SST crypto-securities, may do so by transferring such securities out of their Master Wallet to a Personal Wallet, created based upon the Prometheum Utility Blockchain. This transfer will be the functional equivalent of a stockholder requesting that its broker dealer holding shares of common stock in street name, have the shares certificated and sent to the stockholder. Participants holding SST crypto-securities in Personal Wallets will be required to transfer such securities to their Master Wallet in order to trade those SST crypto-securities on the Prometheum Network, provided, however that prior to any such transfer to PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS, the participant must pass AML/KYC checks.
The Ember Tokens
Overview
We are creating our Ember Tokens to function as the fungible value source for the Prometheum Network. We believe, of which no assurance can be given, that the operation of the Prometheum Network will function as the value driver of the Ember Tokens (or derivative securities exercisable or exchangeable for Ember Tokens). We believe that the value of Ember Tokens will primarily be a function of supply and demand, therefore more activity on the Prometheum Network should result in increased demand for Ember Tokens. In order for an SST crypto-security to be eligible to participate in transactions on the Prometheum Network, it must be based upon our Ember Tokens and written on the Prometheum Blockchain. Although the Genesis Block will be limited to 270,000,000 Ember Tokens, each Ember Token may be broken into at least eight decimal points which allows one Ember Token to be broken into approximately a hundred million parts.
Each Ember Token qualified in the Offering and issued will include smart contract functions that will control subsequent transfers of Ember Tokens to ensure that such transfers are conducted in a manner compliant with the federal securities laws. As an initial matter, the smart contracts controlling subsequent transfers of qualified Ember Tokens will have provisions written into them that will ensure that secondary transfers are non-issuer transactions exempt under Section 4(a)(1) of the Securities Act. Further, such smart contracts will also have functions to ensure that secondary transfers of Ember Tokens are conducted in compliance with State blue sky laws.
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The basic operating premise of the Prometheum Network is to create an ecosystem for the issuance and trading of digital securities that is compliant with federal securities laws. Therefore, smart contracts embedded in the fabric of the Ember Tokens will require that any exchange listing Ember Tokens be recognized by the smart contract as a registered exchange or as an SEC registered alternative trading system. As an initial matter, the Company expects that the PEATS ATS will be the only such recognized alternative trading system. Further, the creation of the Genesis Block and the operation of the PEATS ATS are both conditioned upon the successful registration of PEATS as a broker dealer alternative trading system. As other alternative trading systems, or possibly exchanges that can support secondary trading of Ember Tokens become registered, those exchanges will be added to the Ember Token smart contact thereby enabling trading of Ember Tokens on those exchanges. Accordingly, the Company does not intend to play a role in facilitating the sales of its tokens on unregistered exchanges, but instead will be actively working through the design of its Ember Tokens to prevent sales of Ember Tokens on unregistered exchanges in the United States.
The Ember Token Genesis Block
We intend to create the Genesis Block, consisting of 270,000,000 Ember Tokens, contemporaneously with the launch of the Prometheum Network. The Genesis Block will be reserved for issuance to Ember Warrant holders and to various contributors, advisors, service providers, and network participants in the incentive pool. Assuming the Maximum Amount of Ember Warrants is sold in this Offering, and in the Reg D Unit Offering, we expect the Genesis Block to be allocated as follows:
| · | 49,750,000 Ember Tokens (representing approximately 18% of the Genesis Block) will be reserved for issuance upon exercise of Ember Warrants included in Units sold in this Offering. |
| · | 30,000,000 Ember Tokens and the (representing approximately 11% of the Genesis Block) will be reserved for issuance upon exercise of Ember Warrants sold in the Offering Reg D Unit Offering and the Reg S Unit Offering. As of the date hereof, we have sold a total of 12,940,000 shares of Common Stock and 12,940,000 Ember Warrants in the Reg D Unit Offering and no units in the Reg S Unit Offering. |
| · | 500,000 Ember Tokens (representing approximately 0.2% of the Genesis Block) will be reserved for issuance upon exercise of Incentive Warrants being qualified in this Offering. |
| · | 35,000,000 Ember Tokens (representing approximately 13% of the Genesis Block) will be reserved for issuance upon exercise of Ember Warrants issued to founders/promoters, which we refer to as “Founders” who have made significant contributions, financial and technological, to Prometheum, Inc. and its efforts to create the Prometheum Network. As of the date hereof, we have issued a total of 35,000,000 Founders Ember Warrants. |
| · | 2,000,000 Ember Tokens (representing approximately 0.7% of the Genesis Block) will be reserved for issuance upon exercise of Seed Ember Warrants issued to Martin H. Kaplan, our initial CEO and now Chairman, for his initial contributions. As of the date hereof, we have issued a total of 2,000,000 Seed Ember Warrants. |
| · | 4,950,000 Ember Tokens (representing approximately 2% of the Genesis Block) will be reserved for issuance upon exercise of Ember Warrants issued to selling agents that participate in the Offering, if we determine to engage selling agents. |
| · | 13,050,000 Ember Tokens (representing approximately 4% of the Genesis Block) will be reserved for contributors/advisors and service providers. These Ember Tokens will be issued at such times and in such amounts as determined from time to time by our board of directors. 1,250,000 of these Ember Tokens will be reserved for issuance upon exercise of Ember Warrants issued to InteliClear. |
| · | 5,000,000 Ember Tokens (representing approximately 2% of the Genesis Block) will be reserved for issuance upon exercise of Ember Token purchase options issued under our 2019 Employee Ember Token Option Plan. As of the date hereof, we have granted options exercisable to purchase up to 280,000 Ember Tokens. |
| · | 130,000,000 Ember Tokens (representing approximately 50% of the Genesis Block) reserved for distribution to network participants in an incentive pool. These “Incentive Ember Tokens” will be issued at such times and in such amounts as determined from time to time by our board of directors. |
In the event that the total amount of Units offered in this Offering and the Reg D Unit Offering are not sold or if selling agents are not engaged, or contributors/advisors not rewarded, then we intend to conduct additional offerings of Units so that, assuming all Ember Warrants underlying Units are executed, the entire Genesis Block of 270,000,000 Ember Tokens will be ultimately issued and outstanding.
Secondary trading of Ember Tokens on the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS will not commence until after the Genesis Block has been created and the Ember Tokens are issued following exercise of Ember Warrants.
Restrictions on Ember Tokens issued to Founders
All Ember Tokens issued upon exercise of Founders Ember Warrants will contain vesting provisions with an anticipated minimum of 2 years to a maximum of 5 years to be determined by the Board of Directors.
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Future Ember Token Supply
Following the launch of the Prometheum Network and the creation of the Genesis Block, the number of issued and outstanding Ember Tokens will generally be increased through incentives, additional distributions to contributors/advisors, and through other Prometheum Network activity. The number of circulating Ember Tokens may be decreased through holders losing Ember Tokens, or wallet accounts and other forms of attrition.
Ember Token Incentive Model
130,000,000 Ember Tokens (what we refer to as “Incentive Ember Tokens”) created in the Genesis Block will be reserved in an incentive pool to promote growth and activity on the Prometheum Network. The Ember Token incentive pool allocation will be distributed as network incentives to nodes on the Prometheum Network validating executed trades and other Prometheum Blockchain activities on the Prometheum Blockchain. The validators role on the Prometheum Blockchain is to ensure that blocks are validated as correct, using the PBFT consensus algorithm, and can therefore be added to the Prometheum Blockchain. Prior to being permitted to act as validator, a node will be required to open an account with PEATS and to provide such information as requested by PEATS in order for PEATS to complete a KYC/AML review. In addition, nodes seeking to act as validators will be required to provide PEATS with additional information setting forth their qualification to provide validator services.
Validators will receive Incentive Ember Tokens as compensation for the validation services they perform on the Prometheum Network. The amount of Incentive Ember Tokens they will receive for any such services will be calculated automatically by the Prometheum Network at a rate to be determined by the Company. Depending on the circumstances, Incentive Ember Tokens may be issued in un-qualified or unregistered form and therefore will be restricted securities, analogous to awards of restricted common or preferred stock, or they may be qualified or registered prior to issuance. The Company expects that Incentive Ember Tokens issued un-qualified or unregistered form may be issued pursuant to the private issuance exemption provided under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. Incentive Ember Tokens issued as restricted securities, will have applicable restrictions written into their SST smart contracts which will restrict secondary transfers until such time as they are qualified or registered or eligible for an exemption.
Ember Token Supply Mechanisms
We believe that the two primary drivers behind the creation and distribution of additional Ember Tokens will be (a) distributions to contributors and advisors and (b) incentive pool distributions to network participants. Following the creation of the Genesis Block we intend to optimize network adoption through incentive token distributions to nodes and other network participants.
Ember Token Burn Program
The Company’s Board of Directors intends to establish a plan pursuant to which 10% of the Company’s annual profits, if any, will be allocated to purchase in the open market and over time remove from circulation up to a maximum of 135,000,000 of its issued and outstanding Ember Tokens (the “Burn Program”).
“Burning” a token means that the token is transferred to an address that is a “blackhole” — one that is not owned by any entity and for which determining or guessing the applicable private key is effectively impossible using current computers based on known mathematical principles. This effectively destroys the token by making it unavailable for future use and decreases the total number of tokens available from that point forward.
The Company intends to conduct the Burn Program in accordance with Rule 10b-18 of the Exchange Act, and accordingly, intends to engage Manorhaven, a registered broker dealer, to manage the Burn Program. In addition, the Company will adopt a 10b5-1 Plan under which Ember Token purchases will be made. Under the terms of the 10b5-1 Plan, effective on the date that the Company publicly reports an annual profit, in an annual report on Form 10-K or if applicable Form 1-K, or through a press release if they Company is not subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act or Regulation A, 10% of the reported profits will be used to effect open market purchases under the Burn Program during the following 12 months on a monthly basis.
Since the Burn Program will not commence until such time as the Company is generating profits, it will not commence until well after the Offering has been completed, the Genesis Block has been created, and the Company has commenced generating income. Accordingly, the Burn Program will have no effect on the number of tokens issuable in the Genesis Block. There is no set number of Ember Tokens that must be purchased in any given fiscal year and, for years that the Company does not report a profit, there will be no Ember Tokens purchased under the Burn Program. The Burn Program will terminate once the total number of Ember Tokens purchased and burned equals 135,000,000 Ember Tokens. There is no set number of Ember Tokens that must be purchased in any given fiscal year and, for years that the Company does not report a profit, there will be no Ember Tokens purchased under the Burn Program. The Burn Program will terminate once the total number of Ember Tokens purchased and burned equals 135,000,000 Ember Tokens.
Proposed International Applications
We believe that if we are able to successfully launch the Prometheum Network as proposed, the systems established for the issuance and secondary trading of SST crypto-securities in compliance with United States securities laws can be adapted for use in other jurisdictions. We believe that the basic systems and components of the Prometheum Network can be adapted to operate in other jurisdictions, in compliance with local securities laws, through the use of smart contracts. In addition, any such foreign systems created by us would use as their fundamental basis, the Ember Token. As a result, we believe if we are able to establish Prometheum Networks in multiple jurisdictions, they would all be able to interact with each other through the common denominator of Ember Tokens and smart contracts.
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Proposed Revenue Model
We believe that that the components of our Prometheum Network provides us with the potential to generate revenue through a number of various sources.
Regulation A Platform
We intend to generate revenue through our Regulation A Platform by charging issuers that wish to issue SST crypto-securities on our Regulation A Platform fees and commissions which are determined by the amount of capital raised in the offering. As an initial matter, issuers will be required to pay to Prometheum an up-front fee for creating or modifying the SST crypto-security the issuer intends to offer so that it will be compatible with the Prometheum Blockchain and tradable on the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS. This fee will be a fixed, non-refundable amount. In addition, issuers will also be required to pay to PEATS a percentage of the actual proceeds raised in their offering. All fees charged in connection with an issuer’s offering will be submitted to FINRA for clearance.
PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS
We intend to generate revenue through the PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS in a manner similar to traditional equity alternative trading systems. The PEATS ATS will be structured similar to existing US equity electronic exchanges (such as NASDAQ, CBOE, and NYSE). The PEATS ATS pricing will be set using the types of fees commonly charged by these exchanges and will include some additional fees related to the PEATS ATS encompassing more of the order (token) life cycle than a traditional equity exchange. As a result, PEATS ATS pricing will be based upon a Maker Taker Liquidity Fee Model (as described below) as well as a standard transaction fee for executed orders that is in line with commission fees charged by retail brokers.
The PEATS ATS will charge trading participants two types of fees for executed trades: Liquidity fees and Transaction fees.
Liquidity fees will vary depending on whether an order adds liquidity (originating as a limit order and sitting in the order book and displaying the desired liquidity) or removes liquidity (never resides in the order book and is matched to a limit order from the order book). This is commonly known as a Maker Taker Liquidity Fee Model. We intend to waive the liquidity fee for adding liquidity, there will be no charge and no credit ($.00). We intend to charge a fee of $.002 per token executed for removing liquidity.
We will also charge a Transaction fee of $.005 per token traded on all PEATS ATS transactions, to both participants of a matched trade.
In addition, to the foregoing, the Company intends to charge the following fees related to the PEATS ATS and the Regulation A Issuance platform:
| · | Placement Fee Participation – Estimated to be 4% of total amount of cash raised by a token issuing company using our issuance platform, which shall be payable by the issuer. |
| · | Settlement fee (similar to NSCC fee) - Half a basis point on total dollar value of the executed transaction (.005%) will be charged to trading participants. |
| · | Interest on Deposits - One basis point on total cash deposit annually (.001%) paid in USD |
| · | PEATS ATS Membership Fee for Brokers - $1,000 per month, payable to PEATS, per MBID (Market Broker Identifier) |
| · | PEATS ATS Membership Fee for Market Makers - $1,000 per month, payable to PEATS by each market maker per MMID (Market Maker Identifier) |
| · | Market Data Redistribution Fee - $3,000 per month payable to PEATS by any person or company that receives PEATS market data and distributes this data to other persons or companies. |
| · | Transfer Agent Services - $1,000 per month, payable to PEATS after PEATS has completed applicable registrations and applications to act as a transfer agent. Payable by participants that engage PEATS to act as transfer agent for digital securities and whose records will be stored on the blockchain in addition to traditional electronic storage methods (approved ESM). |
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We currently intend to engage Quantex Clearing, LLC as the PEATS ATS clearing firm. However, in the future, if we are successful in creating our own digital clearing firm, either as a newly created subsidiary or through PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS, the digital clearing firm will generate revenue by charging a settlement fee for all executed SST crypto-security trades, if such entity is approved to hold customer funds, by earning interest on customer deposits similar to most existing clearing firms.
We also believe that we will be able to generate revenue through the operation of Prometheum Network internationally. The revenue generated could be from licensing arrangements or transaction fees based upon trading volume.
Description of Property
The Company owns no real property. It currently leases office space from Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC at 120 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005 pursuant to an oral lease of $5,000 a month which is subject to periodic review and change. Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC is a related party. See Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions on page 51.
Legal Proceedings
There are no legal proceedings material to our business or financial condition pending and, to the best of our knowledge, there are no such legal proceedings contemplated or threatened.
Employees
As of the date hereof, we have 12 full time employees and 1 independent contractor.
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of our operations together with our financial statements and the notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this Offering Circular. This discussion contains forward-looking statements reflecting our current expectations, whose actual outcomes involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from those stated in or implied by these forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” starting on page 10, “Forward-Looking Statements” starting on page ii, and elsewhere in this Offering Circular. Please see the notes to our financial statements for information about our significant accounting policies.
Plan of Operations
We were incorporated in September 2017 and since such time our operations have consisted solely of capital, raising and related activity and developing and building out the Prometheum Network. We have received no revenues from operations since our inception.
As of date hereof, we have raised $6,470,000 in our Reg D Unit Offering. In addition, our Chairman and founder, Martin H. Kaplan contributed $10,000 in cash to us and advanced funds to pay various costs incurred by us. Mr. Kaplan also provided administrative services and support without cost to us. We lease office space from GKN pursuant to a month to month lease for $2,500 per month. In July 2019 the rent increased to $5,000 per month. GKN has also been paid certain legal fees and reimbursed for payroll costs of Aaron L. Kaplan, our Co-CEO who continues to devote his full time to the affairs of the Company (see Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions on page 51).
In December 2018, we sold 68,875,000 shares of common stock and 10,150,000 founder ember warrants for $12,000,000 consisting of $3,000,000 cash and $9,000,000 in technology and related services to HashKey.
Following the qualification of this Offering, assuming we sell at least the Minimum Amount, our plan is to utilize the net proceeds of this Offering to structure the Prometheum Network components we have and to acquire and/or create the various other necessary components of the Prometheum Network, including the Broker-Dealer/ATS and to continue the development, build-out and, thereafter, the commercialization of the Prometheum Network. We currently believe that assuming we sell the Maximum Amount, the net proceeds thereof together with the remaining proceeds received from the sale of Units in our Reg D Unit Offering, will be sufficient to fund our developmental operations for an estimated 24 months (12 months if we sell the Minimum Amount).
We estimate that it will require approximately $12,000,000, in addition to the $6,470,000 raised to date, in the Reg D Unit Offering, to launch the Prometheum Network and be fully operational. This includes the development of the Prometheum Blockchain and the creation and issuance of the Ember Tokens, which we estimate will require approximately $7,000,000, and the commencement of operation of the Regulation A platform and PEATS, which we estimate will require approximately $5,000,000. This additional estimated $12,000,000 is $7,000,000 in excess of the Minimum Amount. The Company expects to raise the amount in excess of the Minimum Amount through this Offering and through private sales pursuant to its Reg S Offering. There can be no assurance however that the Company will be successful in raising the additional funding required to complete its development.
Results of Operations
Six Months Ended June 30, 2019 and 2018
For the six month period ended June 30, 2019, we recognized revenue of $1,787,688 compared to revenue of $0 for the six month period ended June 30, 2018. The increase in revenue resulted from the Company’s treatment of its research and development arrangement in connection with the sale of Ember Warrants. The revenue is being recognized over the estimated development period based on management’s assessment of project completion as of June 30, 2019. The Company did not have revenue in 2018 as the Company did not begin development of the project until early 2019. See “Revenue Recognition” below.
Total operating expenses for the six month period ended June 30, 2019 were $3,432,281 as compared to total operating expenses of $463,356 for the period ended June 30, 2018, an increase of $2,968,925 or 641%. This increase was due to an increase in research and development costs of $ 2,051,284 and an increase in general and administrative expenses of $917,641 due to additional personnel.
General and administrative expenses for the six month period ended June 30, 2019 were $1,255,997 as compared to $338,356 for the corresponding period in 2018, an increase of $917,641 or 271%. This increase was due to an increase in our personnel and also to increased expenses related to our marketing efforts. Research and development costs for the six month period ended June 30, 2019 were $2,176,284 as compared to $125,000 for the corresponding period in 2018, an increase of $2,051,284. This increase was due to the allocation of prepaid development costs over the expected life of the development for each project in connection with our Technology Agreement with Wanxiang.
For the six month period ended June 30, 2019, we had a net loss of $1,644,593 as compared to a net loss of $463,356 for the six month period ended June 30, 2018. The increase in net loss was the result of our increased total operating costs.
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Year Ended December 31, 2018 and 2017
During the twelve month period ended December 31, 2018, we generated no revenue and incurred a net loss of $1,066,378. For the period from September 18, 2017 (inception) through December 31, 2017, we generated no revenue and incurred a net loss of $55,787.
During the twelve month period ended December 31, 2018 we incurred total operating expenses of $1,066,378 consisting of $941,738 in general and administrative expenses and $125,000 in research and development costs. General and administrative expenses consisted primarily of professional fees, reimbursed executive compensation, systems consulting and other office expenses. Research and development costs consist primarily of platform costs related to integration of the Prometheum Network. Our operating expenses for the period from September 18, 2017 to December 31, 2017, were $55,787 consisting primarily of professional fees relating to our start up.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
To date, although we have recognized revenue as we have worked through the stages of our development activities, we have not generated any revenue from operations and generated negative cash flows from operating activities.
Our future expenditures and capital requirements will depend on numerous factors, including, but not limited to: the success of this Offering, the progress of our development efforts with HashKey and its affiliates and the time it takes for the Prometheum Network to be up and running.
In April 2018, we sold 4,700,000 Ember Warrants for $2,350,000. In September 2018, we sold 40,000 Ember Warrants for $20,000.
In December 2018 we sold 68,875,000 shares of Common Stock and 10,150,000 Ember Warrants for $3,000,000 in cash and technology and related services valued at $9,000,000.
As of December 31, 2018 we had cash of $4,206,734 and an accumulated deficit of $1,122,165. As of December 31, 2017, we had cash of $9,994 and an accumulated deficit of $55,787. Our cash balances as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 were derived from investors.
As of June 30, 2019, we had cash of $2,915,867 and an accumulated deficit of $2,766,758.
In July 2019, we sold 100,000 Units consisting of consisting of 100,000 Ember Warrants and 100,000 shares of Common Stock for total proceeds of $50,000. In October 2019, we sold 900,000 Units consisting of 900,000 Ember Warrants and 900,000 shares of Common Stock for total proceeds of $450,000. In November 2019, we sold 2,700,000 Units consisting of 2,700,000 Ember Warrants and 2,700,000 shares of Common Stock for total proceeds of $1,350,000. In December 2019, we sold 4,500,000 Units consisting of 4,500,000 Ember Warrants and 4,500,000 shares of Common Stock for total proceeds of $2,250,000. These sales were made in our private offering pursuant to Rule 506(c) of Regulation D.
Recent Developments
On August 9, 2019 we entered into a Software Purchase Agreement with InteliClear, pursuant to which we acquired source code for a version of InteliClear’s Post Trade Solutions software which includes algorithms and processes for broker-dealers to perform clearance, settling, custody and control, and bookkeeping and recordkeeping functions in compliance with SEC and FINRA requirements. In consideration therefore we (i) issued to InteliClear 1,250,000 shares of Common Stock and 1,250,000 Ember Warrants, exercisable to purchase 1,250,000 Ember Tokens and, (ii) agreed to pay to InteliClear $5,000 per month for the four month period commencing December 1, 2019, $300,000 upon PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS commencement of operations, less any monthly payments made, $150,000 on the one year anniversary of PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS commencement of operations and an additional $150,000 on the second anniversary thereof.
Going Concern Uncertainty
Our business does not presently generate any cash and our consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2019 have been prepared assuming that we will continue as a going concern which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. For the year ended December 31, 2018, we have incurred cumulative losses and have an accumulated deficit of approximately $1,100,000. For the six months ended June 30, 2019, we have incurred cumulative losses and have an accumulated deficit of $2,766,758 and we expect to incur further losses in the development of our business. We have been dependent on funding operations through the private sale of securities and Ember Warrants. These conditions raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustment relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or the amounts and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should we become unable to continue as a going concern.
We are currently developing our blockchain technology-based differentiated platform, known as the “Prometheum Network”, designed to address the regulatory, legal, and liquidity challenges faced by others in the crypto-securities market, that will allow issuers seeking to raise capital through the creation and distribution of tokenized securities to conduct their capital raise in a securities law compliant way. The Company also intends to create the infrastructure necessary to allow for after-market trading and processing of tokenized securities.
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Our plans include continuing to raise additional capital through the issuance of Units. We believe that if we raise the Maximum Amount in this Offering, we will have sufficient capital to finance our operations for the next 24 months, however, if we do not sell the Maximum Amount or if our operating and development costs are higher than expected, we will need to obtain additional financing prior to that time. Further, we expect that after such 24 month period, we may be required to raise additional funds to finance our operations until such time that we can conduct profitable revenue-generating activities.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our management’s discussion and analysis of Prometheum’s financial condition and results of operations is based on Prometheum’s financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles, or U.S. GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires Prometheum to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported revenue generated and expenses incurred during the reporting periods. Prometheum’s estimates are based on its historical experience and on various other factors that Prometheum believes are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Prometheum believes that the accounting policies discussed below are critical to understanding Prometheum’s historical and future performance, as these policies relate to the more significant areas involving management’s judgments and estimates.
Research and Development
Research and development costs consist primarily of platform costs related to integrating the Prometheum network. Such costs are expensed as incurred. Prepaid development costs will be expensed over time as each element of the Ecosystem is completed. In accordance with ASC 985, Software, Costs of Software to be sold, leased or marketed (“ASC 985”), all costs incurred to establish technological feasibility of a computer software product to be sold, leased, or otherwise marketed are research and development costs. Technological feasibility has not been established due to the constant changing technology and rapid advances in the space. As such, all of the Company’s development costs have been expensed. In accordance with ASC 985 the company allocates prepaid costs over the period of development. The Company expects to be completed with the development of these projects during 2020.
Revenue Recognition
The Company accounts for its Ember warrant issuances as research and development arrangements under ASC 730, Research and Development Arrangements (“ASC 730”). The Company believes at the time of the Ember warrant issuances, technological feasibility has not been established due to the constant changing technology and rapid advances in the space. As such, all of the Company’s development costs have been expensed. As the Company continues to develop the platform and before issuing the Genesis Block of Ember tokens, the Company will recognize revenue over the estimated development period in proportion to development costs incurred over total estimated costs.
Significant Judgments
The Company’s contracts include multiple stages in the creation and development of the platform before the issuance of Ember tokens. When a milestone is developed by the Company, judgment is required to determine the percent of the fully developed platform that is completed. For the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, the Company believes approximately 24% and 0%, respectively, of the platform has been completed.
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DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND SIGNIFICANT EMPLOYEES
| Name | Position | Age | Term of Office(1) | Approximate hours per week for part-time employees | ||||
| Executive Officers: | ||||||||
| Martin H. Kaplan | Chairman and Director | 69 | September 2017 to present | As needed | ||||
| Aaron L. Kaplan | Co-Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President, Secretary, Director | 35 | September 2017 to present | N/A | ||||
| Benjamin S. Kaplan | Co-Chief Executive Officer, Chief Regulatory Officer, Director | 30 | Director - July 2018 to present; Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Regulatory Officer – August 2018 to present | N/A | ||||
| Alex Shapiro | Chief Strategy Officer | 48 | May 2018 to present | N/A | ||||
| Gareth Jenkins | Chief Technology Officer | 39 | September 2018 to present | N/A | ||||
| Kirti Naik Srikant | Chief Marketing Officer | 40 | August 2019 to present | N/A | ||||
| Directors: | ||||||||
| Dr. Xiao Feng | Director | 57 | December 2018 to present | As needed | ||||
| Jerry Schneider | Director | 75 | October 2017 to present | As needed |
(1) Our directors each serve until the next annual meeting of our shareholders.
Martin H. Kaplan
Martin H. Kaplan (“Marty”) is the Managing Partner of Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC, a law firm he co-founded in 1975, and is recognized as one of the premier securities and regulatory attorneys in the United States. Marty brings over four decades of experience litigating highly sophisticated securities matters before federal and state courts, and regulatory bodies. Marty represents a broad range of participants in the financial services industry in regulatory and enforcement matters, internal and law enforcement investigations, negotiating complex settlements with FINRA and the SEC. Since 2014 Marty has served as the Managing Member of Coincross LLC, the parent company of Manorhaven Capital, LLC. From 2008 to 2016, Marty served on the board of directors of P2W, Ltd., an Israeli corporation specializing in water remediation. Marty earned his law degree from New York Law School and his BA from the City College of New York.
Dr. Xiao Feng
Dr. Xiao Feng (“Dr. Xiao”) is the Chairman of HashKey, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of China Wanxiang Holding Co., Ltd., and the Chairman and CEO of Shanghai Wanxiang Blockchain Inc. Dr. Xiao received his bachelors degree from Jiangxi Normal University and his PhD in economics from Nanhai University. Dr. Xiao has over 25 years experience in China’s securities and asset management industry. Dr. Xiao was one of the earliest evangelists and promoters of blockchain technology in China. Dr. Xiao is a worldwide recognized ideologist and blockchain community leader worldwide and developer of blockchain businesses throughout the world. Dr. Xiao was an early participant and sponsor of the Ethereum project. Under Dr. Xiao’s direction various affiliates have been funded and incubated in more than 50 blockchain projects throughout the world.
Aaron L. Kaplan
Aaron L. Kaplan (“Aaron”) was an attorney with and currently is of counsel to Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC, where he focused his practice on the applications of distributed ledger technology in the securities industry, and the related regulatory issues. He is now full-time co-CEO of the Company. Since 2016, Aaron has served as the Managing Member of EquityArcade Services LLC, a technology provider focused on online capital formation solutions. Prior thereto, he served as Managing Member of EquityArcade LLC, a Title III equity crowdfunding platform. In 2015, Aaron was a co-founder of Deckbound LLC, a blockchain video gaming and digital asset technology company. From 2007-2008 Aaron was an associated person with StockCross Financial Services, Inc., a broker-dealer, where he held Series 7, 63, 55, 4, 24, 27 and 53 securities licenses. In August 2018, Aaron was a keynote speaker at a blockchain symposium held in Hong Kong and in September 2018 in Shanghai. Aaron received a BA from the University of Wisconsin and a JD degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Aaron is a member of the Bar of the State of New York.
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Benjamin S. Kaplan
Benjamin S. Kaplan (“Benjamin”) was a Partner and is now of counsel to Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC. At Gusrae Kaplan, Benjamin practiced securities, corporate and commercial law, with a specific concentration on FINRA and enforcement and regulatory matters. Benjamin gained experience in broker-dealer and clearing firm regulatory compliance, building and operating broker-dealers, corporate structuring, guiding foreign owned U.S. broker-dealers and other broker-dealer related areas. Benjamin is also a member of the Board of Directors of Driver Partners, an automated platform for drivers in the ridesharing industry. Benjamin previously sat on the Board of Directors of Set the Set, a data collection company specializing in the music industry. Benjamin received a B.A. from the University of Hartford in 2010 and a J.D. from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2013. Benjamin is a member of the Bar of the State of New York.
Gareth Jenkins
Gareth Jenkins (“Gareth”) is an expert systems developer and blockchain technologist. Gareth has created some of the earliest examples of blockchain game applications and associated technologies. His Bitbind protocol (2014) addressed and solved the problem of digital asset creation on a transactional blockchain. The Deckbound card system (2015) demonstrated one of the first uses of blockchain for a video game. Gareth’s background is as a systems architect, developer/designer, studio lead, consultant and adviser for various platforms, video games and technologies. Gareth is a self-taught expert in systems design, software engineering and operations infrastructure. He studied UK A-A* standard GCSEs, as well as A-levels at Sandbach School in Cheshire, UK (1992-1997). He has also independently studied mathematics computer science and artificial intelligence at a degree and post-degree level at the Open University in the UK. From 1998 to 2006, Gareth served as Systems Director, BSS UK where he designed, developed and managed a web-based application for risk assessment and management for the UK commercial insurance sector. From 2006 to 2014, Gareth was the Founder, Managing Director of Productivity Balloon Ltd. running a software development studio specializing in cross-platform video games development and multiplayer of infrastructure. From 2012 to 2013, Gareth was CTO of Beluga Learning Ltd. where he designed and developed technologies for cognitive learning of mathematics through games and multi-user applications with big-data analytics. From 2015 to present, Gareth is the founder & CEO of Deckbound LLC where he created and built blockchain technology for digital items and their use in skills-based video games.
Kirti Naik Srikant
Kirti Naik Srikant (“Kirti”) joined us in August, 2019 as our Chief Marketing Officer. Prior to joining Prometheum, since 2017, Kirti served as the Global Head of Brand & Marketing Insights for Russell Investments and was responsible for developing the firm’s brand position “Embrace the PossibleTM”, establishing research and insights discipline, and launching client-facing platforms across the retail and institutional markets. Prior thereto, from 2010 to 2017, Kirti served as AVP and then VP, Global Head of Brand & Advertising global head of brand & advertising at OppenheimerFunds (now Invesco). From 2006 to 2010 she served as VP Marketing Strategy – Shared Customer Segment at Citibank North America where she launched new innovative communication platforms and led the company’s online communications strategy. She is also a member of the board of directors of the Fly A Kite Foundation, which raises awareness for pediatric brain cancer, and a member of the not-for-profit, Financial Communications Society and serves on the advisory board director for Emerging Markets Media. Kirti attended Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey from 1997 to 2001 and received her BS from City University of New York in 2002. In 2009 she received her MBA from the Columbia Business School.
Jerry Schneider
Jerry Schneider (“Jerry”) is a certified public accountant and has over 40 years of relevant accounting experience. Jerry is licensed to practice public accounting in New York and Florida and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Jerry was the Managing Partner of Schneider & Associates LLP, a CPA firm with approximately 20 professional staff and was the driving force in that firm’s growth and development until it merged with Marks Paneth LLP in 2008. From January 2011 to November 2017, Jerry was a Partner, Partner Emeritus and Senior Consultant at Marks Paneth LLP. Jerry has now retired from Marks Paneth LLP. Jerry’s practice was concentrated in the areas of business planning, high net worth individuals, manufacturing, retailing, securities broker-dealers, the hospitality industry and private educational institutions. Jerry is a board member and is Chairman of the Audit Committee for Siebert Financial Corp., a NASDAQ listed securities brokerage Company which pioneered discount brokerage approximately fifty years ago. Jerry also is a board member of the Fiduciary Trust International South, Inc., a subsidiary of Fiduciary Trust International which is owned by Franklin Templeton, chairman of its audit committee and a member of the trust committee.
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Alexander Shapiro
Alexander Shapiro (“Alex”) is currently the Chief Strategy Officer at Prometheum. Prior to Prometheum, Alex spent the last 12 years working in the financial technology space where he created and oversaw multiple projects related to high frequency trading, platform design, algo/SOR design and automated trading. He is also the founder and CEO of Rain River Inc., a consulting company specializing in management, technology, and strategy related advisory services for small to mid-tier financial services firms. Rain River has led consulting projects for numerous companies. Alex was also the founder and former Chief Strategy Officer at VeePiO, a social mobile app. Alex was the managing director at Singularity Technology Solutions (“STS”), an HFT software company. Prior to joining STS, Alex spent six years as a licensed representative and was a managing director at a high frequency trading and technology focused FINRA registered broker dealer. Alex was born in Leningrad, Russia and grew up in NYC. Alex attended The New York University Stern School of Business undergraduate program.
Certain Relationships
Martin H. Kaplan is the father of Aaron L. Kaplan and Benjamin S. Kaplan.
Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings
None of our directors or executive officers have been involved in any of the following events during the past ten years:
| · | any bankruptcy petition filed by or against any business of which such person was a general partner or executive officer either at the time of the bankruptcy or within two years prior to that time; |
| · | any conviction in a criminal proceeding or being subject to a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses); |
| · | being subject to any order, judgment, or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction, permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting his or her involvement in any type of business, securities or banking activities; or |
| · | being found by a court of competent jurisdiction (in a civil action), the SEC or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law, and the judgment has not been reversed, suspended, or vacated. |
Board Leadership Structure and Risk Oversight
The Board oversees our business and considers the risks associated with our business strategy and decisions. The Board currently implements its risk oversight function as a whole. At such time as the Board determines to establish committees, then each board committee, will also provide risk oversight in respect of its areas of concentration and reports material risks to the Board for further consideration.
Term of Office
Officers hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified. Directors are appointed to serve for one year until the meeting of the Board following the annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors have been elected and qualified.
Board Committees
Our Board of Directors has not established any committees, including an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee or a Nominating Committee, or any committee performing a similar function. The functions of those committees are being undertaken by the entire board as a whole. Our board of directors does not believe that it is necessary to have such committees at this time because it believes the functions of such committees can be adequately performed by our Board of Directors as a whole. Further, since our securities are not listed on an exchange, we are not subject to any qualitative requirements mandating the establishment of any particular committees.
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COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The following table summarizes the compensation paid to our directors and executive officers during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018:
| Name and Principal Position | Year | Compensation | Bonus | Option Awards | Other Compensation | Total | ||||||||||||||||||
| Martin H. Kaplan | 2019 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Chairman and Director | 2018 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 3,700 | (1) | $ | 3,700 | (1) | |||||||||||
| Aaron L. Kaplan | 2019 | $ | 240,000 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 240,000 | |||||||||||||
| Co-Chief Executive Officer, Director | 2018 | $ | 166,002 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 166,002 | |||||||||||||
| Benjamin S. Kaplan | 2019 | $ | 240,000 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 240,000 | |||||||||||||
| Co-Chief Executive Officer, Director | 2018 | $ | 36,923 | (2) | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 36,923 | (2) | |||||||||||
| Alex Shapiro | 2019 | $ | 240,000 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 240,000 | |||||||||||||
| Chief Strategy Officer | 2018 | $ | 100,000 | (3) | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 100,000 | (3) | |||||||||||
| Gareth Jenkins | 2019 | $ | 240,000 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 240,000 | |||||||||||||
| Chief Technology Officer | 2018 | $ | 80,000 | (4) | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 80,000 | (4) | |||||||||||
| Kirti Naik Srikant | 2019 | $ | 109,615 | (5) | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | See Footnote | (5) | $ | 109,615 | (5) | |||||||||||
| Chief Marketing Officer | 2018 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Jerry Schneider | 2019 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Director | 2018 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Dr. Fang Xiao | 2019 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Director | 2018 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||||||||||||
(1) In January 2018, the Company issued 24,850,000 Founder Ember Warrants to its Chairman of the Board, valued at $3,700. The value of the Seed Ember Warrants and Founder Ember Warrants were determined by management. The Chairman of the Board subsequently transferred 10,057,894 Founder Ember Warrants, by gift, to certain officers, directors and greater than 5% shareholders. See the section entitled “Security Ownership of Management and Certain Securityholders” below.
(2) Mr. Kaplan’s compensation for 2018 represents the partial year beginning in November 2018.
(3) Mr. Shapiro’s compensation for 2018 represents the partial year beginning in June 2018.
(4) Mr. Jenkin’s compensation for 2018 represents the partial year beginning in September 2018.
(5) Ms. Srikant’s compensation for 2019 represents the partial year beginning in August 2019. In August 2019, we issued to Ms. Srikant an option to purchase up to 415,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.32 per share and an option to purchase up to 280,000 Ember Warrants at an exercise price of $0.25 per Ember Token. The options are subject to a vesting schedule as described below under “Employment Agreements.”
Employment Agreements
We have not entered into employment agreements with Martin H. Kaplan, our Chairman or Aaron Kaplan or Benjamin Kaplan, our Co-CEO’s. However, we have oral agreements with each of our Co-CEO’s to pay them salaries equal to $240,000 per year.
We entered into an employment agreement with Kirti Naik Srikant dated as of June 18, 2019, pursuant to which she agreed to serve as our Chief Marketing Officer. Pursuant to the agreement, Ms. Srikant will receive a base salary of $300,000 per year. The agreement provides that Ms. Srikant is entitled to participate in all of the Company’s employee benefit plans and will be reimbursed for employment related expenses. In addition, we granted Ms. Srikant options to purchase up to 415,000 shares of Common Stock under our Employee Stock Option Plan and options to purchase up to 280,000 Ember Tokens under our Employee Token Option Plan. The options vest over a four year period commencing on the first anniversary of her employment. Ms. Srikant’s agreement contains confidentiality and non-competition and non-solicitation covenants. The agreement may be terminated by Ms. Srikant on 30 days notice and by us at any time, provided that if we terminate her employment without cause, she shall receive two months severance.
We entered into an employment agreement with Alex Shapiro, dated as of January 1, 2020, pursuant to which he agreed to continue to serve as our Chief Strategy Officer. Pursuant to the agreement, Mr. Shapiro will receive a base salary of $240,000 per year. The agreement provides that Mr. Shapiro is entitled to participate in all of the Company's employee benefit plans and will be reimbursed for employment related expenses. The agreement may be terminated by Mr. Shapiro on 14 days notice and by us at any time.
Consulting Agreements
We entered into a consulting agreement with Alex Shapiro dated as of June 1, 2018 pursuant to which he agreed to serve as our Chief Strategy Officer. As consideration for such services, we agreed to pay Mr. Shapiro a consulting fee of $20,000 per month ($240,000) per year. In addition, as further consideration for the services to be provided by Mr. Shapiro, we issued him 4,437,500 shares of restricted Common Stock and 653,947 Ember Warrants, exercisable to purchase 653,947 Ember Tokens, at an exercise price of $0.0 per Ember Token. The Ember Warrants issued to Mr. Shapiro are exercisable for a period of five years. Effective January 1, 2020, Mr. Shapiro entered into an Employment Agreement with us.
We entered into a consulting agreement with Gareth Jenkins dated September 1, 2018 pursuant to which he agreed to serve as our Chief Technology Officer. As consideration for such services, we agreed to pay Mr. Jenkins a consulting fee of $20,000 per month ($240,000) per year. The agreement may be terminated by Mr. Jenkins or us on 60 days notice.
Option Plans
In August, 2019, our board of directors approved our 2019 Employee Stock Option Plan (the “Stock Option Plan”) and 2019 Employee Token Option Plan (the “Token Option Plan”). The total number of shares of our Common Stock available for grant under the Stock Option Plan is 17,812,500 shares. The total number of Ember Tokens available for grant under the Token Option Plan is 5,000,000 Ember Tokens. Grants made under the plans must be approved by our board of directors. We intend to submit both plans to our stockholders for approval.
Director Compensation
We do not pay compensation to our directors for serving as directors.
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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT AND CERTAIN SECURITYHOLDERS
The following table sets forth the numbers and percentages of our outstanding Common Stock and Ember Warrants as of the date hereof (as qualified in the footnotes thereto) by:
| · | each person known to the Company to be the beneficial owner of more than 10% of any class of the Company’s outstanding voting securities; | |
| · | each of the Company directors; | |
| · | each of the Company’s executive officers; and | |
| · | all of the Company’s directors and executive officers as a group. |
The Company’s outstanding Common Stock are the Company’s only voting securities. Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with SEC rules and generally includes sole or shared voting or investment power with respect to voting securities. For purposes of this table, a person or group of persons is deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of any voting securities that such person or any member of such group has the right to acquire within 60 days of the date of this Offering Circular. For purposes of computing the percentage of the Company’s outstanding voting securities held by each person or group of persons named above, any securities that such person or persons has the right to acquire within 60 days of the date of this Offering Circular are deemed to be outstanding for such person, but not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Beneficial ownership as determined under SEC rules is not necessarily indicative of beneficial or other ownership for any other purpose. The inclusion herein of any securities listed as beneficially owned does not constitute an admission of beneficial ownership by any person.
Unless otherwise indicated below, the business address of each person or entity listed is c/o Prometheum, Inc., 120 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005.
As a term of the Investor and Founders Rights Agreement all of the Company’s shareholders have agreed to vote their shares for four directors designated by the Founders and one director designated by HashKey. HashKey has designated Dr. Xiao Feng as its Board of Directors designee. Percent of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned before and after Offering based upon 251,690,000 shares issued and outstanding as of the date hereof and assumes sale of the Maximum Amount of Units. Percent of Ember Warrants beneficially owned before and after Offering based upon 51,190,000 Ember Warrants issued and outstanding as of the date hereof and assumes sale of the Maximum Amount of Units and the issuance of 500,000 Incentive Warrants.
| Number of Shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned | Percent of Shares Beneficially Owned | Number of Ember Warrants Beneficially Owned | Percent of Ember Warrants Beneficially Owned | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Name of Beneficial Owner | Before and After Offering | Before Offering | After Offering | Before and After Offering | Before Offering | After Offering | ||||||||||||||||||
| Officers and Directors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Martin H. Kaplan(1) | 100,375,000 | 39.9 | % | 33.3 | % | 16,792,106 | 32.8 | % | 16.6 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Aaron L. Kaplan(2) | 23,750,000 | 9.4 | % | 7.9 | % | 3,500,000 | 6.8 | % | 3.5 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Benjamin S. Kaplan(3) | 23,750,000 | 9.4 | % | 7.9 | % | 3,500,000 | 6.8 | % | 3.5 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Alex Shapiro(4) | 4,437,500 | 1.8 | % | 1.5 | % | 653,947 | 1.3 | % | * | % | ||||||||||||||
| Gareth Jenkins | — | * | % | * | % | — | * | % | * | % | ||||||||||||||
| Kirti Naik Srikant(5) | — | * | % | * | % | — | * | % | * | % | ||||||||||||||
| Jerry Schneider(6) | 887,500 | * | % | * | % | 130,789 | * | % | * | % | ||||||||||||||
| Dr. Xiao Feng(7) | 68,875,000 | 27.4 | % | 22.8 | % | 10,150,000 | 19.8 | % | 10.0 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Executive officers and directors as a group (8 persons) | 222,075,000 | 88.2 | % | 73.7 | % | 34,726,842 | 67.8 | % | 34.2 | % | ||||||||||||||
| 5% or Greater Shareholders | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HashKey Digital Asset Group(7) | 68,875,000 | 27.4 | % | 22.8 | % | 10,150,000 | 19.8 | % | 10.0 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Triple A Investment Co., Ltd.(8) | 12,900,000 | 5.1 | % | 4.3 | % | 12,900,000 | 25.3 | % | 12.8 | % | ||||||||||||||
* Less than 1%.
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(1) The Ember Warrants beneficially owned consist of 2,000,000 Seed Funding Ember Warrants exercisable to purchase up to 2,000,000 Ember Tokens, when and if issued and 14,792,106 Founder Ember Warrants exercisable to purchase up to 14,792,106 Ember Tokens, when and if issued. The Seed Funding Ember Warrants were issued to Mr. Kaplan in exchange for capital contributions and services provided to us. The Seed Funding Ember Warrants and Founder Ember Warrants are each exercisable for a five (5) year period commencing on the date that the Genesis Block is created and have an exercise price of $0.00 per Ember Token.
(2) The Ember Warrants beneficially owned consist of 3,500,000 Founder Ember Warrants exercisable to purchase up to 3,500,000 Ember Tokens, when and if issued. The Founder Ember Warrants are each exercisable for a five (5) year period commencing on the date that the Genesis Block is created and have an exercise price of $0.00 per Ember Token.
(3) The Ember Warrants beneficially owned consist of 3,500,000 Founder Ember Warrants exercisable for up to 3,500,000 Ember Tokens, when and if issued. The Founder Ember Warrants are each exercisable for a five (5) year period commencing on the date that the Genesis Block is created and have an exercise price of $0.00 per Ember Token.
(4) The Ember Warrants beneficially owned consist of 653,947 Founder Ember Warrants exercisable for up to 653,947 Ember Tokens, when and if issued. The Founder Ember Warrants are each exercisable for a five (5) year period commencing on the date that the Genesis Block is created and have an exercise price of $0.00 per Ember Token.
(5) Does not include options to purchase 415,000 shares of Common Stock and 280,000 Ember Tokens issued pursuant to our Employment Agreement with Ms. Naik Srikant. The options were issued pursuant to our 2019 Employee Stock Option Plan and our 2019 Employee Token Option Plan and are subject to vesting. None of the options have vested as of the date hereof.
(6) The Ember Warrants beneficially owned consist of 130,789 Founder Ember Warrants exercisable for up to 130,789 Ember Tokens, when and if issued. The Founder Ember Warrants are each exercisable for a five (5) year period commencing on the date that the Genesis Block is created and have an exercise price of $0.00 per Ember Token.
(7) The shares of Common Stock and the Ember Warrants are held by HashKey Digital Asset Group Limited, an entity affiliated with Dr. Xiao. The Ember Warrants consist of 10,150,000 Founder Ember Warrants exercisable to purchase up to 10,150,000 Ember Tokens, when and if issued. The Founder Ember Warrants are each exercisable for a five (5) year period commencing on the date that the Genesis Block is created and have an exercise price of $0.00 per Ember Token.
(8) The Ember Warrants beneficially owned consist of 12,900,000 Ember Warrants exercisable for up to 12,900,000 Tokens, when and if issued.
The Founder Ember Warrants were issued to each of the forgoing as partial compensation for services provided to the Company that have had a profound impact on the creation and initial development of the Prometheum Network.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Martin H. Kaplan, our Chairman of the Board, Benjamin S. Kaplan, a member of our Board of Directors and Co-Chief Executive Officer, and Lawrence G. Nusbaum, a minority shareholder, are attorneys associated with GKN, which serves as our outside counsel, and counsel to the Administrative Agent. During 2017 we paid GKN approximately $55,781 for legal services and for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 we paid GKN approximately $109,995 for legal services. For the six months ended June 30, 2019 we paid GKN approximately $151,523 for legal services. We lease office space from GKN pursuant to a month to month lease. The initial rent was $2,500 per month which increased to $5,000 in July 2019. The total lease expense for the year ended December 31, 2018 was $5,000. The total lease expense for the six months ended June 30, 2019 was $27,500.
We have entered into an Administrative Services Agreement with Manorhaven. Manorhaven is a subsidiary of Coincross and Chairman of the Board and majority shareholder, Martin H. Kaplan, is the managing member of Coincross. We have entered to a number of agreements with Hashkey, a holder of approximately 28% of our Common Stock. Dr. Xiao, one of our directors is an affiliate of Hashkey.
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Indemnification Arrangements
We have entered into indemnification agreements and employment agreements with our directors and certain of our executive officers, respectively, pursuant to which we have agreed to indemnify such persons against any liability, damage, cost or expense incurred in connection with the defense of any action, suit or proceeding to which such persons are a party to the extent permitted by applicable law, subject to certain exceptions.
Policies and Procedures for Approving Related Party Transactions
Our Board of Directors has not adopted a written policy with respect to Related Party Transactions (as defined below), however, it is the policy of the Board of Directors to review and approve all Related Party Transactions by our Board of Directors. In determining whether to approve, recommend or ratify a Related Party Transaction. Factors considered in connection with such review may include; (i) whether the terms of the Related Party Transaction are fair to us, (ii) whether there are business reasons for us to enter into the Related Party Transaction, and (iii) whether the Related Party Transaction would present an improper conflict of interest for any of our directors or executive officers.
A “Related Party Transaction” means a transaction (including any series of related transactions or a material amendment or modification to an existing Related Party Transaction) directly or indirectly involving any Related Party that would need to be disclosed under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. Generally, under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, we are required to disclose any transaction occurring since the beginning of the last two fiscal years, or any currently proposed transaction, involving us or our subsidiary where the amount involved exceeds $120,000, and in which any Related Party had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.
A “Related Party” means any of the following: (i) any of our directors of the Company or Director Nominees; (ii) any of our executive officers; (iii) a person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock or (iv) an immediate family member of any of the foregoing.
Martin H. Kaplan, our Chairman and one of our directors is the Managing Member of Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC (“GKN”), our counsel. Martin H. Kaplan is also our controlling shareholder and the holder of the Company’s Seed Investor Ember Warrants and Founders Ember Warrants. Aaron L. Kaplan, our Co-CEO, Chief Financial Officer and a director is Martin H. Kaplan’s son and is of counsel to GKN. Benjamin S. Kaplan, Co-CEO is also Mr. Kaplan’s son and is of counsel to GKN. Jerry Schneider, one of our directors is also a director of Siebert Financial Corp., which has been represented in a number of matters, some of which are ongoing, by GKN. Accordingly, there may be multiple conflicts of interest between us, GKN and our officers and directors.
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Units
The Company is offering up to 49,750,000 Units, each consisting of one (1) share of Common Stock and one (1) Ember Warrant exercisable to purchase one (1) Ember Token at an offering price of $1.00 per Unit. Our Units will not be certificated and the shares of our common stock and the warrants part of such Units are immediately separable and will be issued separately in this Offering.
The offering price of the Units has been arbitrarily established by us after giving consideration to numerous factors, including market conditions and the perceived valuations. The offering price of the Units may not be in any way indicative of the Company’s actual value or the value of the Common Stock and the Ember Warrants following the completion of this Offering.
Ember Warrants Included in the Units
The following is a brief summary of certain terms and conditions of the Ember Warrants included in the Units. The Ember Warrants are subject in all respects to the provisions contained in the warrant agent agreement (the “Warrant Agent Agreement”) between us and our warrant agent, VStock Transfer, LLC (the “Warrant Agent”) filed as an exhibit to the Offering Statement of which this Offering Circular forms a part.
Each Ember Warrant included in the Units is exercisable to purchase one Ember Token, for no additional consideration, at any time commencing on the date that the Genesis Block has been created and terminating at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the fifth (5th) anniversary of the date of creation of the Genesis Block.
The Ember Warrants will be issued in registered form pursuant to the Warrant Agent Agreement. The Company and the Warrant Agent may amend or supplement the Warrant Agent Agreement without the consent of any holder for the purpose of curing any ambiguity, or curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained therein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the Warrant Agent Agreement as the parties thereto may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties determine, in good faith, shall not adversely affect the interest of the holders.
The Ember Warrants may be exercised upon delivery of an exercise notice at the offices of the Warrant Agent. The Ember Warrant holders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of Common Stock and no voting rights.
No Ember Warrants will be exercisable unless at or prior to the time of the exercise, the Genesis Block has been created. If we are unable to successfully create the Genesis Block, and therefore are unable to deliver Ember Tokens, the Ember Warrants may become worthless.
Fundamental Transactions
Pursuant to the terms of the Warrant Agent Agreement, if during such time as the Ember Warrants are outstanding, the Company (a) enters into a merger, consolidation or other similar transaction or series of transactions to which the Company is a party and pursuant to which (i) the Company is not the surviving entity in such transaction or (ii) if the Company is the surviving entity, the holders of shares of common stock immediately prior to such transaction represent less than 50% of the shares of common stock outstanding immediately following such transaction, or (b) effect any sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in one transaction or a series of related transactions (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then the Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under the Warrant Agreement and shall deliver to the holders of Ember Warrants created by this Warrant Agreement a security of the successor entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to the Ember Warrants which are exercisable for Ember Tokens.
Incentive Warrants
We intend to issue to Incentive Warrants to persons that open brokerage accounts on the Prometheum Network on a first-come first-serve basis for no consideration. The amount of Incentive Warrants issued per each new account has not been determined. We will only issue Incentive Warrants will only be issued by us during the period following the Qualification Date up to the Termination Date of this Offering.
Each Incentive Warrant will exercisable to purchase one Ember Token, at an exercise determined by our board of directors, for a period of five (5) years after the issuance date.
Each Incentive Warrant will be governed by a separate warrant agreement, substantially similar to the warrant agreements issued in our Reg D Unit Offering. Incentive Warrants may be may be exercised upon delivery of an exercise notice to the Company along with the exercise price of the Incentive Warrants. Incentive Warrant holders will not have the rights or privileges of holders of Common Stock and no voting rights. The Company does not intend to have the Incentive Warrants quoted on the OTCQB.
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Governing Law
The Ember Warrants are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Agent Ember Warrants
We have reserved the right to engage selling agent broker-dealers to participate in this Offering and to issue such agents, if any, agent Ember Warrants, having the same terms as the Ember Warrants. The form of Agent Ember Warrant is attached as an Exhibit to our Offering Statement of which this Offering Circular forms a part thereof.
Ember Tokens Included in the Units
Ember Warrants cannot be exercised to purchase Ember Tokens unless and until we have created the Genesis Block, which we intend will occur upon the launch of the Prometheum Network. Accordingly, the following, description of the Ember Tokens assumes the successful creation of the Genesis Block.
Ember Tokens will be designed as blockchain protocol crypto-securities tokens engineered for use on the Prometheum Network, what we refer to as SST’s, that will provide the basis for issuer crypto-securities offered through the facilities of the Prometheum Network. The Ember Tokens, when and if issued in exchange for the Ember Warrants, will function as a utility token, Prometheum’s native currency, and a crypto-security.
Ember Tokens will be created using a protocol designed for the Prometheum Network referred to as “Ember-X.” Ember-X will be the protocol that underpins the functionality of the Prometheum Blockchain, including network design (e.g. blockchain peer model, consensus mechanism, smart contract layer, address and wallet model), different wallet types, embedded master wallet smart contracts, smart contract layer and other functionality.
The rights and obligations associated with the Ember Tokens will be set forth in the smart contracts governing the Ember Tokens.
Modifications to the smart contracts would not remove or adversely impact any of the rights of Ember Token holders. New features added to the smart contract would have to preserve existing smart contract data and are only to ensure the ongoing proper operation of the smart contract on the Prometheum Blockchain.
The Ember-X protocol upon which the Company’s Ember Tokens will be based:
| · | Creates a set of SST smart contracts on both the Prometheum Core Chain and the Prometheum Utility Chain. These SST smart contracts will be based on templates produced by Prometheum and deployed to the Prometheum Blockchain by the Issuance Platform, thus ensuring all SSTs adhere to a single standard. |
| · | Provides a mechanism to restrict calling methods on smart contracts on a Prometheum Core Chain. These permissions are only available to regulated entities with a relevant role on the Prometheum Core Chain. |
| · | Has simple primary functionality, including: depositing SSTs in wallets; recording trading data; recording transfers of SSTs between wallets via multi-signature, multi-stage process; allowing transfers of SSTs from a master wallet to a personal wallet via a multi-signature, multi-stage process; allowing transfers of SSTs from a personal wallet to a master wallet via multi-signature, multi-stage process. |
A register of SST contracts on both the Prometheum Blockchain Core and Prometheum Utility Blockchain will be maintained by the Prometheum Network. This register will record identifying SST information (including a unique identifier for each SST) as well as a location for the SST’s smart contracts. Once deployed the contracts cannot be changed, but a new version of a smart contract can be created in the contract register. New versions of Ember-X SST smart contracts cannot change the data held within them about SSTs (e.g. wallet balances), but they can add additional features or data to the SST smart contract itself. These new contract versions can only be deployed by the Prometheum Network using a multi-signature process that includes the SST issuer.
Voting Rights
Holders of Ember Tokens will not have any voting rights, dividend rights, ownership rights to any of the assets of the Company or any rights upon liquidation of the Company. The Ember Tokens will not be part of our authorized common stock.
The Ember Tokens are intended to be tradeable through our yet to be fully authorized Broker-Dealer/ATS. It is intended that the Company’s Ember Token will trade as “MBR”.
Other Features of Ember Tokens
| · | Ember Tokens will function as the medium of exchange on the Prometheum Network. Payment for services on the Prometheum Network will occur with bits of Ember Tokens. |
| · | Ember Tokens will be the basis upon which issuers may create new crypto-securities for issuance through the Prometheum Network. |
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Other Ember Token Warrants
Seed Funding Warrants
As of the date hereof, we have 2,000,000 Seed Funding Warrants outstanding exercisable to purchase up to 2,000,000 Ember Tokens, for no consideration, at any time commencing on the date that the Genesis Block has been issued and terminating at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the fifth (5th) anniversary of the date of the Genesis Block. The Seed Funding Warrants were issued to Martin H. Kaplan in exchange for capital contributions and services provided to us. The Seed Funding Warrants were issued pursuant to the exemption from registration provided under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
Founders Warrants
As of the date hereof, we have 35,000,000 Founders Warrants outstanding exercisable to purchase up to 35,000,000 Ember Tokens, for no consideration, at any time commencing on the date that the Genesis Block has been issued and terminating at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the fifth (5th) anniversary of the date of the Genesis Block. Of such Founders Warrants, 24,850,000 were issued to certain officers and directors for nominal consideration and services provided to the Company and 10,150,000 Founders Warrants were issued to Haskey for consideration valued at $5,075,000. Founders are persons/entities that have had a profound impact on the creation and initial development of the Prometheum Network. The Founder Warrants were issued pursuant to the exemption from registration provided under Section 4(a)(2) and/or Regulation D of the Securities Act.
Regulation D Warrants
As of the date hereof, we have sold approximately 12,940,000 Ember Warrants to purchase Ember Tokens at a price of $.50 per Warrant pursuant to Rule 506(c) of Regulation D. The Warrants are exercisable to purchase up to 12,940,000 Ember Tokens, for no consideration, at any time commencing on the date that the Genesis Block has been issued and terminating at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the fifth (5th) anniversary of the date of the Genesis Block.
Ember Token Options
As of the date hereof, we have issued options to purchase up to 280,000 Ember Tokens to our Chief Marketing Officer. The options are exercisable to purchase up to 280,000 Ember Tokens at an exercise price of $0.25 per Ember Token. The options were issued pursuant to our 2019 Employee Ember Token Option Plan.
Capital Stock
The following is a summary of the rights and limitations of our capital stock as provided in our certificate of incorporation, and bylaws. For more detailed information, please see our certificate of incorporation and bylaws which have been filed as exhibits to the Offering Statement of which this Offering Circular is a part.
General
Our authorized capital stock consists of 500,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share, and 100,000 shares of blank check preferred stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).
Preferred Stock
Subject to limitations under the DGCL, our board of directors is authorized to issue, from time to time and without stockholder approval, up to an aggregate of 100,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the designations, powers, preferences, and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions of the shares of each such series, including the dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, redemption rights (including sinking fund provisions), liquidation preferences and the number of shares constituting any series. The issuance of preferred stock with voting and conversion rights could adversely affect the voting power of the holders of shares of our common stock. Any series of Preferred Stock will have the terms set forth in a certificate of designations relating to such class or series filed with the state of Delaware or otherwise made a part of our certificate of incorporation, as it may be amended and restated from time to time.
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As of the date hereof, we have not issued or designated any class of Preferred Stock.
Common Stock
As of the date hereof, we have 251,690,000 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding and we have issued options to purchase up to 415,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.32 per share to our Chief Marketing Officer. The options were issued pursuant to our 2019 Employee Stock Option Plan.
Voting Rights
Holders of Common Stock will have one vote per share and may vote to elect our board of directors and on matters of corporate policy.
Dividend Rights
Holders of Common Stock will share equally in any dividend declared by our board of directors, if any, subject to the rights of the holders of any Preferred Stock. We have not issued any dividends in the past and we have no plans to issue any dividends in the future.
Liquidation Rights
Subject to and qualified by the rights of the holders of shares of any other class or series of our Preferred Stock, in the event of a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, distribution of assets or winding up of the Company, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Company, and after the holders of shares of any other class or series of our Preferred Stock have received the amounts owed and available for distribution to them on a preferential basis, if any, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive all the remaining assets of the Company available for distribution to shareholders, ratably in proportion to the number of shares of Common Stock held by them.
The foregoing is a summary of the rights and limitations of the Common Stock provided for in the Company’s certificate of incorporation, as amended and restated from time to time. For more detailed information, please see the Company’s certificate of incorporation, as amended, and bylaws, copies of which are exhibits to the Offering Statement of which this Offering Circular forms a part, which Offering Statement has been filed with the SEC.
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
Prior to this Offering, there has been no public market for our Common Stock. Future sales of substantial amounts of our Common Stock in the public market could adversely affect prevailing market prices. Furthermore, since only a limited number of shares will be available for sale shortly after the offering because of contractual and legal restrictions on resale described below, sales of substantial amounts of shares of Common Stock in the public market after the restrictions lapse could adversely affect the prevailing market price for shares of our Common Stock as well as our ability to raise equity capital in the future.
Upon completion of this Offering, assuming the Maximum Amount of Units is sold, we will have 301,440,000 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding. 415,000 shares of Common Stock also will be issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options.
Of these shares, the 49,750,000 shares of Common Stock sold in this offering (assuming the sale of the Maximum Amount) will be tradable without restriction (other than state blue sky laws, or further registration under the Securities Act) except that any shares purchased by our affiliates may generally only be sold in compliance with Rule 144, which is described below. The remaining shares of Common Stock will be deemed “restricted securities” under the Securities Act. Restricted securities may be sold in the public market only if they are registered under the Securities Act or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rules 144 or 701 under the Securities Act, which are discussed below.
Lock-up Agreements
We have not entered into lock-up agreements with any of our executive officers, directors or significant shareholders.
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Rule 144
All shares of our Common Stock held by our “affiliates”, as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, generally may be sold in the public market only in compliance with Rule 144. Rule 144 defines an affiliate as any person who directly or indirectly controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the issuer, which generally includes our directors, executive officers and certain other related persons.
Under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, a person (or persons whose shares are aggregated) who is deemed to be an “affiliate” of ours would be entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of shares of our Common Stock that does not exceed the greater of (i) 1% of the then outstanding shares of our Common Stock or (ii) an amount equal to the average weekly trading volume of our Common Stock on the during the four calendar weeks preceding such sale. Sales by affiliates under Rule 144 are also subject to a six-month holding period and requirements relating to manner of sale, notice and the availability of current public information about us.
Rule 144 also provides that a person who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of ours at any time during the three months preceding a sale, and who has for at least six months beneficially owned shares of our Common Stock that are restricted securities, including the holding period of any prior owner other than one of our affiliates, will be entitled to freely sell such shares of our Common Stock without regard to the limitations described above, subject to our compliance with Exchange Act reporting obligations for at least 90 days prior to the sale, and provided that such sales comply with the current public information requirements of Rule 144.
Rule 701
In general, under Rule 701 under the Securities Act, an employee, consultant or advisor who purchases shares of our common stock from us in connection with a compensatory stock or option plan or other written agreement is eligible to resell those shares 90 days after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part in reliance on Rule 144, but without compliance with some of the restrictions, including the holding period restriction, contained in Rule 144.
Registration Rights
We have not granted registration rights to any of our stockholders.
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Certain legal matters with respect to the securities offered hereby will be passed upon by Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC, New York, New York. Martin H. Kaplan, our Chairman, director and controlling shareholder is the Managing Member of Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC. See “Conflicts of Interest” on page 52.
The consolidated financial statements, as of December 31, 2018 and for the year then ended, included in this Offering Circular have been so included in reliance on the report of Friedman LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm (the report includes an explanatory paragraph referring to our ability to continue as a going concern and uncertainty related to digital assets), given upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The financial statements of Prometheum, Inc. as of December 31, 2017, which includes the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the period from September 18, 2017 (inception) to December 31, 2017 included in this preliminary Offering Circular have been audited by Fruci & Associates II, PLLC, independent registered accounting firm, as stated in their report appearing herein. Such financial statements are included herein in reliance upon such report and upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL
We issued to Martin H. Kaplan, our Chairman, a director and the Managing Member of our legal counsel, Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC (“GKN”), 14,792,106 Founder Ember Warrants and 2,000,000 Seed Ember Warrants. Further, we issued to Aaron L. Kaplan, our Co-Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, director and Benjamin S. Kaplan, our Co-Chief Executive Officer, director and Mr. Kaplan’s sons each 3,500,000 Founder Ember Warrants. Martin H. Kaplan is the owner of 100,375,000 shares of our Common Stock and Aaron L. Kaplan and Benjamin S. Kaplan each own 23,750,000 shares of our Common Stock. We issued to Lawrence G. Nusbaum, a partner in GKN, 11,875,000 shares of Common Stock and 1,750,000 Founder Ember Warrants.
During 2017, we paid GKN approximately $55,781 for legal services and for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 we paid GKN approximately $109,995 for legal services. For the six months ended June 30, 2019 we paid GKN approximately $151,523 for legal services. We lease office space from GKN pursuant to a month to month lease. The initial rent was $2,500 per month which increased to $5,000 in July 2019. The total lease expense for the year ended December 31, 2018 was $5,000. The total lease expense for the six months ended June 30, 2019 was $27,500.
CHANGE IN CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT
During the last quarter of 2018, the Company dismissed Lipner, Sofferman & Co., LLP (“Lipner”) as its independent auditor. The decision to change independent registered public accounting firms was approved by the Company’s Board of Directors.
The audit report of Lipner on the balance sheet of the Company for the period ended October 23, 2017 did not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor was it qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles.
During the period from the Company’s inception on September 18, 2017 through the first quarter of 2018, there were no: (1) disagreements with Lipner on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedures, which disagreements if not resolved to their satisfaction would have caused them to make reference in connection with their opinion to the subject matter of the disagreement, or (2) reportable events (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).
The Company provided Lipner with a copy of this disclosure, and requested that Lipner furnish it with a letter addressed to the SEC stating whether it agrees with the statements made by the Company regarding the change in certifying accountants, and, if not, stating the respects in which it does not agree. Lipner’s letter addressed to the SEC is attached hereto as Exhibit No. 9.1.
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During the first quarter of 2018, the Company engaged Fruci & Associates II, PLLC (“Fruci”) as the Company’s certifying accountant for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. During the period from the Company’s inception, September 18, 2017 through the date of this Offering Circular, neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf consulted with Fruci regarding (i) the application of accounting principles to a specific transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements, and neither a written report or oral advice was provided to the Company that Fruci concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing, or financial reporting issue; (ii) any matter that was the subject of a disagreement within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K; or (iii) any reportable event within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
In March of 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors determined not to re-engage Fruci as its independent registered accounting firm for the 2018 fiscal year.
The audit report of Fruci on the balance sheet of the Company for the period ended December 31, 2017 did not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor was it qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles.
During the period from the Company’s retention of Fruci on February 6, 2018, through March 20, 2019, there were no: (1) disagreements with Fruci on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedures, which disagreements if not resolved to their satisfaction would have caused them to make reference in connection with their opinion to the subject matter of the disagreement, or (2) reportable events (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).
In March of 2019, the Company engaged Friedman, LLP, Certified Public Accountants (“Friedman”) as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. During the period from the Company’s inception, September 18, 2017 through the date of this Offering Circular, neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf consulted with Friedman regarding (i) the application of accounting principles to a specific transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements, and neither a written report or oral advice was provided to the Company that Friedman concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing, or financial reporting issue; (ii) any matter that was the subject of a disagreement within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K; or (iii) any reportable event within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
DISCLOSURE OF COMMISSION POSITION ON INDEMNIFICATION FOR SECURITIES LIABILITIES
Our amended Certificate of Incorporation and our bylaws, subject to the provisions of Delaware law, contain provisions which allow the corporation to indemnify any person against liabilities and other expenses incurred as the result of defending or administering any pending or anticipated legal issue in connection with service to us if it is determined that person acted in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed was in the best interest of the corporation. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons, 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.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
The Company has filed with the SEC a Regulation A Offering Statement on Form 1-A under the Securities Act with respect to the securities offered hereby. This Offering Circular, which constitutes a part of the Offering Statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the Offering Statement or the exhibits and schedules filed therewith. For further information about the Company and the securities offered hereby, the Company refers you to the Offering Statement and the exhibits and schedules filed therewith. Statements contained in this Offering Circular regarding the contents of any contract or other document that is filed as an exhibit to the Offering Statement are not necessarily complete, and each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the Offering Statement. Upon the completion of this Offering, the Company will be required to file periodic reports, and other information with the SEC pursuant to Regulation A. You may read and copy this information at the SEC’s Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information about issuers, including the Company, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of this site is www.sec.gov.
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| F-1 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
PROMETHEUM,
INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
AS OF
| JUNE 30, 2019 | DECEMBER 31, 2018 | |||||||
| ASSETS | ||||||||
| Current assets | ||||||||
| Cash | $ | 2,915,867 | $ | 4,206,734 | ||||
| Prepaid insurance | 33,336 | — | ||||||
| Prepaid development costs | 6,840,000 | 9,000,000 | ||||||
| Total current assets | 9,789,203 | 13,206,734 | ||||||
| Property and equipment, net | 45,370 | 11,950 | ||||||
| Other assets | ||||||||
| Intangible assets, net | 78,135 | 67,851 | ||||||
| Total assets | $ | 9,912,708 | $ | 13,286,535 | ||||
| LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY | ||||||||
| Current liabilities | ||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other current liabilities | $ | 83,454 | $ | 25,000 | ||||
| Token development obligation | 5,661,012 | 7,448,700 | ||||||
| Total current liabilities | 5,744,466 | 7,473,700 | ||||||
| Commitments | ||||||||
| Stockholders’ equity | ||||||||
| Preferred stock, $0.00001 par value, 100,000 shares authorized, 0 shares issued and outstanding | $ | — | $ | — | ||||
| Common stock, $0.00001 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 237,500,000 shares issued and outstanding | 2,375 | 2,375 | ||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 6,932,625 | 6,932,625 | ||||||
| Accumulated deficit | (2,766,758 | ) | (1,122,165 | ) | ||||
| Total stockholders’ equity | 4,168,242 | 5,812,835 | ||||||
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | $ | 9,912,708 | $ | 13,286,535 | ||||
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements
| F-2 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,
| 2019 | 2018 | |||||||
| Revenue | $ | 1,787,688 | $ | — | ||||
| General and administrative expenses | 1,255,997 | 338,356 | ||||||
| Research and development | 2,176,284 | 125,000 | ||||||
| Total operating expenses | 3,432,281 | 463,356 | ||||||
| Net loss | $ | (1,644,593 | ) | $ | (463,356 | ) | ||
| Net loss per share, basic and diluted | (0.007 | ) | (0.003 | ) | ||||
| Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted | 237,500,000 | 168,625,000 | ||||||
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements
| F-3 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,
| Common Stock | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | Additional
Paid- in Capital | Accumulated Deficit | Total | ||||||||||||||||
| Balance, January 1, 2018 - as adjusted, see note 4 | 168,625,000 | $ | 1,686 | $ | 8,314 | $ | (55,787 | ) | $ | (45,787 | ) | |||||||||
| Net loss | — | — | — | (463,356 | ) | (463,356 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Balance, June 30, 2018 | 168,625,000 | $ | 1,686 | $ | 8,314 | $ | (519,143 | ) | $ | (509,143 | ) | |||||||||
| Balance, January 1, 2019 | 237,500,000 | $ | 2,375 | $ | 6,932,625 | $ | (1,122,165 | ) | $ | 5,812,835 | ||||||||||
| Net loss | — | — | — | (1,644,593 | ) | (1,644,593 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Balance, June 30, 2019 | 237,500,000 | $ | 2,375 | $ | 6,932,625 | $ | (2,766,758 | ) | $ | 4,168,242 | ||||||||||
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements
| F-4 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,
| 2019 | 2018 | |||||||
| CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES | ||||||||
| Net loss | $ | (1,644,593 | ) | $ | (463,356 | ) | ||
| Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 14,855 | — | ||||||
| Prepaid development costs | 2,160,000 | — | ||||||
| Change in cash attributable to changes in assets and liabilities: | ||||||||
| Prepaid insurance | (33,336 | ) | — | |||||
| Accounts payable | — | (55,781 | ) | |||||
| Accrued expenses and other current liabilities | 58,454 | 35,431 | ||||||
| Token development obligation | (1,787,688 | ) | 2,350,000 | |||||
| Net cash used in operating activities | (1,232,308 | ) | 1,866,294 | |||||
| CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES | ||||||||
| Purchase of property and equipment | (36,114 | ) | — | |||||
| Purchase of intangible asset | (22,445 | ) | — | |||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities | (58,559 | ) | — | |||||
| Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents | (1,290,867 | ) | 1,866,294 | |||||
| Cash and cash equivalents, January 1, | 4,206,734 | 9,994 | ||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents, June 30, | $ | 2,915,867 | $ | 1,876,288 | ||||
See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements
| F-5 |
PROMETHEUM,
INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS
ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
NOTE 1 – NATURE OF OPERATIONS
Organization
Prometheum, Inc. (“Prometheum”,” we”, “us”, the “Company”), is a Delaware corporation formed on September 18, 2017 for the purpose of planning, creating and operating an integrated network for the issuance and trading of blockchain based and other digital tokens.
Prometheum Ember ATS, Inc. (“Prometheum ATS.”), a wholly owned subsidiary, was formed on February 27, 2018 as a New York corporation. The Company is in the process of registering to become a securities broker/dealer. After its registration as a broker/dealer, the Company will hold and/or introduce those who open accounts for the purchase and sale of Ember tokens or other tokenized securities and facilitate other broker/dealers who introduce their customers to engage in secondary transactions of Ember tokens or other tokenized securities through the Prometheum ATS.
Basis of Accounting and Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements are prepared on the accrual basis of accounting in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and include the accounts of Prometheum and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Prometheum ATS. Upon consolidation, all intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated.
In the opinion of management all adjustments (which include normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the financial position as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 and results of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 have been made. The results of operations for the periods presented is not necessarily indicative of the results of operations expected for the full year. These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018.
Going Concern Uncertainty
The Company’s unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company has incurred cumulative losses and has an accumulated deficit of approximately $2,800,000, expects to incur further losses in the development of its business and has been dependent on funding operations through the private sale of securities and Ember warrants. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The unaudited consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustment relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or the amounts and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.
Management’s plans include continuing to raise additional capital through the issuance of Ember warrants up to their registered maximum offering amount of $50,000,000. The Company is currently developing its blockchain technology-based differentiated platform, known as the “Prometheum Network”, designed to address the regulatory, legal, and liquidity challenges faced by others in the tokenized securities market, that will allow issuers seeking to raise capital through the creation and distribution of tokenized securities to conduct their capital raise in a securities law compliant way. The Company also intends to create the infrastructure necessary to allow for after-market trading and processing of tokenized securities.
| F-6 |
PROMETHEUM,
INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS
ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Concentration of Risk
The Company maintains cash in bank accounts which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and at times may exceed those limits or where no insurance is provided. At June 30, 2019, and December 31, 2018 there was approximately $2,511,000 and $3,956,731, respectively, on deposit at banks in excess of FDIC limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risk on cash.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company has defined cash equivalents as highly liquid investments, with original maturities of less than 90 days that are not held for sale in the ordinary course of business. As of June 30, 2019, and December 31, 2018 the Company did not hold any cash equivalents.
Use of Estimates
The Company prepares its unaudited consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. This requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the unaudited consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Management bases its estimates on certain assumptions which it believes are reasonable in the circumstances and does not believe that any change in those assumptions would have a significant effect on financial position or results of operations. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred; major renewals and betterments are capitalized. Depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives of the respective assets, which generally range from five to seven years. Depreciation expense for the six months ended June 30, 2019 was $2,694. There was no depreciation expense for the period ended June 30, 2018 as the assets were placed into service in December 2018.
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets consist of a domain name purchased in November 2018 for a total cost of $71,842 and a trademark in June 2019 for a total cost of $22,445. Rights to domain names have an estimated useful life of three years and trademarks have an estimated useful life of ten years. Both are classified as finite-lived intangible assets.
Amortization expense for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 amounted to $12,161 and $0, respectively.
| F-7 |
PROMETHEUM,
INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS
ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Intangible Assets (continued)
Future amortization as of June 30, is as follows:
| 2020 | $ | 26,192 | ||
| 2021 | 26,192 | |||
| 2022 | 10,227 | |||
| 2023 | 2,245 | |||
| 2024 | 2,245 | |||
| Thereafter | 11,034 | |||
| Total | $ | 78,135 |
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
The Company assess the impairment of long-lived assets on an ongoing basis and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. The impairment review process is based upon an estimate of future undiscounted cash flow. Factors considered that could trigger an impairment review include the following:
| - | significant underperformance relative to expected historical or projected future operating results, |
| - | significant changes in the manner of the Company’s use of the acquired assets or the strategy for the Company’s overall business, |
| - | significant negative industry or economic trends, and |
| - | significant technological changes, which would render equipment and manufacturing processes obsolete. |
Recoverability of assets that will be used in the Company’s operations is measured by comparing the carrying value of the future net undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset or asset group. Future undiscounted cash flows include estimates of future revenues, driven by market growth rates, and estimated future costs. The Company determined that there were no impairments to long-lived assets during the six months ended June 30, 2019.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expenses primarily include professional fees, reimbursed executive compensation, systems consulting and other office expenses.
Research and Development
Research and development costs consist primarily of platform costs related to integrating the Prometheum network. Such costs are expensed as incurred. Prepaid development costs will be expensed over time as each element of the Ecosystem is completed. In accordance with ASC 985, Software, Costs of Software to be sold, leased or marketed (“ASC 985"), all costs incurred to establish technological feasibility of a computer software product to be sold, leased, or otherwise marketed are research and development costs. Technological feasibility has not been established due to the constant changing technology and rapid advances in the space. As such, all of the Company’s development costs have been expensed. In accordance with ASC 985 the company allocates prepaid costs over the period of development. The Company expects to be completed with the development of these projects during 2020.
| F-8 |
PROMETHEUM,
INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS
ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Advertising and Promotion
Advertising and promotion costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising and promotion costs for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 was $7,407 and $0, respectively.
Revenue Recognition
The Company accounts for its Ember warrant issuances as research and development arrangements under ASC 730, Research and Development Arrangements (“ASC 730”). As the Company continues to develop the platform before issuing the first block of Ember tokens (the “Genesis Block”), the Company will recognize revenue over the estimated development period in proportion to development costs incurred over total estimated costs.
Significant Judgments
The Company’s contracts include multiple stages in the creation and development of the platform before the issuance of Ember tokens. When a milestone is developed by the Company, judgment is required to determine the percent of the fully developed platform that is completed. For the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, the Company believes approximately 24% and 0%, respectively, of the platform has been completed.
Loss per Share
The Company applies ASC 260 “Earnings per Share” to calculate loss per share. In accordance with ASC 260, basic and fully diluted net loss per share has been computed based on the weighted average of common shares outstanding during the period. A total of 23,750,000 shares of common stock that could potentially be issued upon the exercise and conversion of the Purchase Option on Series A Convertible Preferred Shares was excluded from the calculation of net loss per share as the exercise price was greater than the average market price of the common shares.
Fair Value Measurements
Fair value measurements are based on the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In order to increase consistency and comparability in fair value measurements, a fair value hierarchy prioritizes observable and unobservable inputs used to measure fair value into three levels as follows:
Level 1: Valuations are based on quoted prices (unadjusted) in an active market that are accessible at the measurement date for identical assets or liabilities. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs.
Level 2: Valuations are based on observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in inactive markets; or model-driven valuations in which all significant inputs are observable or can be derived principally from or corroborated with observable market data.
| F-9 |
PROMETHEUM,
INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS
ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Fair Value Measurements (continued)
Level 3: Valuations based on unobservable inputs are used when little or no market data is available. The fair value hierarchy gives the lowest priority to Level 3 inputs. This is not applicable to the Company’s financial assets and liabilities.
In determining fair value, the Company utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs, such as prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets (“market approach”), and minimizes, the use of unobservable inputs, to the extent possible in their assessment of fair value.
The Company recognizes transfers between levels in the fair value hierarchy at the end of the reporting period. There were no transfers between fair value levels during the six months ended June 30, 2019.
Income Taxes
The Company uses the asset and liability method of accounting for deferred income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities at currently enacted tax rates.
These temporary differences primarily relate to net operating loss carryforwards available to offset future taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, if necessary, to reduce a deferred tax asset to the amount that will more likely than not be realized.
The Company recognizes tax liabilities from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will not be sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the tax position. There are no uncertain tax positions that have been recognized in the accompanying financial statements. The Company is required to file tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various states and local municipalities. The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain tax benefits in operating expenses. No such interest and penalties have been accrued as of June 30, 2019.
Leases
Effective January 1, 2019, the Company accounts for its leases under ASC 842, Leases. Under this guidance, arrangements meeting the definition of a lease are classified as operating or financing leases, and are recorded on the unaudited consolidated balance sheet as both a right of use asset and lease liability, calculated by discounting fixed lease payments over the lease term at the rate implicit in the lease or the Company’s incremental borrowing rate. Lease liabilities are increased by interest and reduced by payments each period, and the right of use asset is amortized over the lease term. For operating leases, interest on the lease liability and the amortization of the right of use asset result in straight-line rent expense over the lease term. Variable lease expenses are recorded when incurred. In calculating the right of use asset and lease liability, the Company elected to combine lease and non-lease components.
The Company excludes short-term leases having initial terms of 12 months or less from the new guidance as an accounting policy election and recognizes rent expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
| F-10 |
PROMETHEUM,
INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS
ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities
In January 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-01, Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (collectively, “ASU 2016-01”). ASU 2016-01 requires equity investments to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income; simplifies the impairment assessment of equity investments without readily determinable fair values by requiring a qualitative assessment to identify impairment; eliminates the requirement for public business entities to disclose the methods and significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value that is required to be disclosed for financial instruments measured at amortized cost on the balance sheet; requires public business entities to use the exit price notion when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes; requires an entity to present separately in other comprehensive income the portion of the total change in the fair value of a liability resulting from a change in the instrument-specific credit risk when the entity has elected to measure the liability at fair value in accordance with the fair value option for financial instruments; requires separate presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities by measurement category and form of financial assets on the balance sheet or the accompanying notes to the financial statements; and clarifies that an entity should evaluate the need for a valuation allowance on a deferred tax asset related to available-for-sale securities in combination with the entity’s other deferred tax assets. ASU 2016-01 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2016-01 on January 1, 2018. In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-03, Technical Corrections and Improvements to Financial Instruments – Overall (ASC 825-10), which clarified certain aspects of the guidance issued in ASU 2016-01. The Company adopted the guidance in ASU 2018-03 on January 1, 2019. The guidance in both ASU 2016-01 and ASU 2018-03 did not have a material impact on the Company’s unaudited consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
NOTE 3 – EMBER WARRANT ISSUANCES
The Company issues Ember warrants in connection with research and development arrangements as well as to employees, board members, and consultants as token-based compensation. Each Ember warrant is exercisable into one Ember token for no additional consideration. The term of the warrants is five years from the creation of the Genesis Block of Ember tokens.
Token-Based Compensation
In October 2017, in connection with its initial formation, the Company issued 2,000,000 Ember warrants to its Chairman of the Board. There was no value assigned to these warrants based on management’s use of Level 3 inputs.
In January 2018, the Company issued 24,850,000 Ember warrants as token-based compensation to its Chairman of the Board. The warrants were valued at $3,700. The value of these warrants was determined by management using Level 3 inputs.
The above valuations were conducted prior to any significant development work on the Ember Warrant and Prometheum Network had begun and prior to any sale to the public. Because there was no market price for the warrant at the time, the Company used the cost approach, which is based on the expected costs of development of the software underlying the warrant. At the time of valuation, the warrants were valued at approximately $0.00001 per warrant.
| F-11 |
PROMETHEUM,
INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS
ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
NOTE 3 – EMBER WARRANT ISSUANCES (CONTINUED)
Research and Development Arrangements
In April and September 2018, the Company issued 4,740,000 Ember warrants for total proceeds of $2,370,000.
On December 14, 2018, in connection with the SPA, the Company issued 10,150,000 Ember warrants, see Note 5.
NOTE 4 – STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Common Stock and Preferred Stock
In October 2017, the Company issued 1,000 shares of common stock and 2,000,000 Ember warrants to the Chairman of the Board for proceeds of $10,000.
In November 2017, the Company amended its Certificate of Incorporation to increase its authorized shares to 500,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.00001 per share and 100,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.00001 per share.
In January 2018, the Chairman of the Board exchanged his 1,000 shares of common stock for 168,625,000 shares of common stock based upon the amended Certificate of Incorporation to increase the authorized shares to 500,000,000 shares of common stock. The Company accounted for the share exchange retroactively.
NOTE 5 – SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
On December 14, 2018, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (SPA) with HashKey Digital Asset Group Limited (“HashKey”), an entity organized under the laws of Hong Kong. Pursuant the agreement, HashKey purchased 68,875,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and 10,150,000 Ember warrants for a total purchase price of $12,000,000. Of this amount, $3,000,000 was paid in cash and $9,000,000 was for technology and technology related services and is shown as prepaid development costs on the consolidated balance sheet. In connection with this transaction the Company entered into a Technology Agreement with Shanghai Wanxiang Blockchain Inc (“Wanxiang”), a partner of HashKey, to provide the related technology services.
Also pursuant to the SPA, the Company entered into an Investor and Founder Rights Agreement with HashKey that provides HashKey the right to purchase shares of newly issued Series A convertible preferred stock of the Company for $12,500,000. The option, if exercised, will cause the Company to issue one preferred share of Series A Preferred stock, which is convertible into shares of Common Stock equal 10% of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock immediately prior to the exercise date. The Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to vote on “as converted” basis with the Common Stock as a single class and shall have no other voting rights other than as required by Delaware corporate law.
The Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled in connection with a Liquidation Event, as defined, to be paid a liquidation preference equal to $12,500,000, before any distribution of assets may be made to holders of capital stock ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Shares including the Common Stock. The Purchase Right shall be exercisable during the 30-day period immediately following the date the Company’s broker/dealer ATS receives FINRA and SEC approval to trade cryptographic security tokens, if ever granted.
| F-12 |
PROMETHEUM,
INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS
ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
NOTE 5 – SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (CONTINUED)
The Company obtained a valuation report from a third-party consultant to evaluate the allocation of the purchase price in connection with the SPA. The consultant used the hybrid method (probability-weighted expected return method, option-pricing method, and current-value method) to determine the fair value of each component of the transaction as of December 14, 2018.
The Company has allocated the total purchase of $12,000,000 as follows:
| Purchase Option on Series A Convertible Preferred Shares | $ | 848,368 | ||
| Common Stock | 6,076,632 | |||
| Subtotal | 6,925,000 | |||
| Token Development Obligation | 5,075,000 | |||
| Total Purchase Price | $ | 12,000,000 |
NOTE 6 – INCOME TAXES
As of June 30, 2019, and December 31, 2018, the Company had U.S Federal deferred tax assets of approximately $610,000 and $236,000, respectively, and state and local deferred tax assets of $264,000 and $102,000, respectively. No deferred income tax provision has been reported in the consolidated financial statements since the provision is offset by a valuation allowance of the same amount.
The reconciliation between the statutory and effective tax rates at June 30, 2019 are comprised of the following:
| Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation | ||||
| Federal statutory income tax rate | 21.0 | % | ||
| State and local income taxes, net of federal tax benefits | 9.1 | % | ||
| Change in valuation allowance | (30.1 | )% | ||
| Effective tax rate | 0.0 | % |
As of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had net operating loss carry forwards of approximately $2,800,000 and $1,100,000, respectively that may be offset against future taxable income. No tax benefit as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 has been reported in the unaudited consolidated financial statements since the potential tax benefit is offset by a valuation allowance of the same amount.
NOTE 7 – RISKS RELATED TO DIGITAL ASSETS
Mining Attacks
As with other distributed ledger technologies, we believe that the Prometheum Network is susceptible to mining attacks, including but not limited to double-spend attacks, majority mining power attacks, “selfish-mining” attacks, and race condition attacks. Any successful attacks present a risk to our blockchain, expected proper execution and sequencing of Ember transactions, and expected proper execution and sequencing of contract computations, which could have an adverse effect on the value of our Ember tokens.
| F-13 |
PROMETHEUM,
INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS
ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
NOTE 7 – RISKS RELATED TO DIGITAL ASSETS (CONTINUED)
Mining Attacks (continued)
Although we intend to limit the risk of mining attacks by creating a blockchain proof-of-stake security algorithm using a unique implementation of a GHOST-like protocol and possibly an implementation of hybrid proof-of-stake that could reduce the risk of mining attacks, there can be no assurance that such measures, if implemented, will successfully defend against known or novel mining attacks. In addition, using smart contracts can lead to theft or loss of coins due to human error if they aren’t coded properly.
Market Volatility
The prices of digital assets are extremely volatile. Fluctuations in the price of digital assets could materially and adversely affect the Company’s results of operations. The prices of cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ether, and other digital assets have historically been subject to dramatic fluctuations, and in the event of a decline in value of Bitcoin and/or Ether, the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
Digital Assets are Currently Unregulated
There are uncertainties related to the regulatory regimes governing blockchain technologies, cryptocurrencies, digital assets, cryptocurrency exchanges, the blockchain and Ember tokens, and new international, federal, state and local regulations or policies may materially adversely affect the Company and the value of the Ember tokens.
The Ember tokens are novel, and the application of U.S. federal and state securities laws is unclear in certain respects. Because of the differences between the Ember tokens and traditional securities, there is a risk that issues that might easily be resolved by existing law if traditional securities were involved may not be easily resolved for the Ember tokens. In addition, because of the novel risks posed by the tokens, it is possible that securities regulators may interpret laws in a manner that adversely affects the Company or the value of the Ember tokens.
Various legislative and executive bodies in the United States and in other countries may, in the future, adopt laws, regulations, or guidance, or take other actions that could severely impact the permissibility of the Ember tokens, tokens generally and, in each case, the technology behind them or the means of transacting in or transferring them. It is difficult to predict how or whether regulatory agencies may apply existing or new regulation with respect to this technology and its applications, including the Ember tokens, the blockchain and the network. In addition, self-regulatory bodies may be established that set guidelines regarding cryptocurrencies, the Ember tokens, and the network, which could have similar effects to new policies adopted by government bodies.
Any future regulatory actions applicable to the Ember Tokens, the blockchain, the network and related activities could severely impact the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows of the Company. The Company may need to restructure operations significantly to comply with any new regulation or guidance. These efforts could be costly and could involve fundamentally changing core portions of the Company’s business, operations and network. On the other hand, failure to restructure for compliance adequately or quickly enough could result in regulatory action (such as investigations by the government or a self-regulatory organization or government or private litigation or administrative actions) that requires the Company to spend significant time and effort, which could potentially deplete the Company’s resources. It could also result in negative publicity. Regulatory change could even potentially result in the Ember tokens or certain operations being viewed as impermissible, which could result in a need for the Company to dramatically alter or cease activities. Regulatory action could also affect the rights of holders of the Ember tokens, for example by severely limiting the ability of holders to transfer or sell their tokens.
| F-14 |
PROMETHEUM,
INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS
ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
NOTE 7 – RISKS RELATED TO DIGITAL ASSETS (CONTINUED)
Digital Assets are Currently Unregulated (continued)
Cryptocurrency networks, blockchain technologies, and coin and token offerings also face an uncertain regulatory landscape in many foreign jurisdictions, including (among others) the European Union, China and Russia. Various foreign jurisdictions may, in the future, adopt laws, regulations or directives that affect the Company. These laws, regulations or directives may conflict with those of the United States or may directly and negatively impact results of operations. The effect of any future regulatory change is impossible to predict, but any change could be substantial and materially adverse to the Company, its results of operations and adoption and value of the Ember tokens.
New or changing laws and regulations or interpretations of existing laws and regulations, in the United States and other jurisdictions, may materially and adversely impact the Company, its results of operations and the Ember Tokens, including with respect to their value, their liquidity, the ability of purchasers to access marketplaces or exchanges on which to trade the tokens, and the structure, rights and transferability of the Ember Tokens.
Concentration Risk
The Company uses Wanxiang as their sole project developer and relies on Wanxiang’s ability to create and maintain a successful platform. The loss of the services of Wanxiang could have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Company to develop, operate or maintain the Prometheum Network because the skillset required to successfully develop blockchains is rare. If the Company were to lose the services of Wanxiang, it could be difficult or impossible to replace them, and the loss of them could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s operations and financial conditions.
NOTE 8 – COMMITMENTS, INCLUDING RELATED PARTIES
The Company leases office space, pursuant to a month to month lease from Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC for $2,500 in January 2019 and $5,000 in February 2019 and forward. Total rent expense for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 was $27,500 and $0, respectively. The Company also has legal expenses paid to Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 of approximately $152,000 and $76,000, respectively.
On March 20, 2019, the Company entered into an agreement with Manorhaven Capital LLP (“Manorhaven”), a related party through common ownership, for compliance services. Such compliance services will include review of each Subscription Agreement required to be completed by prospective investors subscribing to purchase Ember Warrants. The Company will pay Manorhaven 2% of the gross proceeds of each purchase closing. The agreement terminates based on certain events as defined in the agreement.
NOTE 9 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
Management has evaluated, for potential recognition and disclosure, events subsequent to the date of the unaudited consolidated balance sheet through November 25, 2019, the date the consolidated financial statements were available to be issued.
In August 2019, the Company adopted the Prometheum 2019 Stock Option Plan (Incentive and Non-Incentive) (“2019 SOP”). The Plan provides for the granting of both incentive and non-incentive stock options, to eligible individuals, as defined. The Plan provides for the issuance of up to 17,812,500 shares of the Company’s common stock.
| F-15 |
PROMETHEUM,
INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE SIX MONTHS
ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
NOTE 9 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS (CONTINUED)
In August 2019, the Company adopted the Prometheum 2019 Token Option Plan (Incentive and Non-Incentive) (“2019 TOP”). The Plan provides for the granting of both incentive and non-incentive stock options, to eligible individuals, as defined. The Plan provides for the issuance of up to 5,000,000 tokens of the Company’s Ember Tokens.
In connection with an employment agreement, the Company agreed to grant two options to purchase 415,000 shares of common stock in accordance with its 2019 SOP and 280,000 tokens in accordance with its 2019 TOP, subject to certain vesting conditions as defined in the respective plans.
In August 2019, the Company issued 4,840,000 shares of common stock, on a one-for-one basis to holders of the Ember Warrants previously issued in the Company’s prior Regulation D offering.
On August 9, 2019, the Company entered into a Software Purchase Agreement with Inteliclear LLC pursuant to which the Company acquired source code for a version of Inteliclear’s Post Trade Solutions software which includes algorithms and processes for broker-dealers to perform clearance, settling, custody and control, and bookkeeping and recordkeeping functions in compliance with SEC and FINRA requirements. In consideration therefore the Company has (i) issued to Inteliclear 250,000 shares of Common Stock, 1,250,000 Ember Warrants, exercisable to purchase 1,250,000 Ember Tokens and, (ii) has agreed to pay Inteliclear $5,000 per month for the four month period commencing December 1, 2019, $300,000 upon PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS commencement of operations, less any monthly payments made, $150,000 on the one year anniversary of PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS commencement of operations and an additional $150,000 on the second anniversary thereof.
On October 2, 2019, the Company sold $450,000 of its Reg D offering to one unrelated party consisting of 900,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and 900,000 warrants to receive 900,000 Ember Tokens.
On November 27, 2019, the Company sold $1,350,000 of its Reg D offering to one unrelated party consisting of 2,700,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and 2,700,000 warrants to receive 2,700,000 Ember Tokens.
On December 3, 2019, the Company sold $100,000 of its Reg D offering to one unrelated party consisting of 200,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and 200,000 warrants to receive 200,000 Ember Tokens.
On December 19, 2019, the Company sold $500,000 of its Reg D offering to one unrelated party consisting of 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and 1,000,000 warrants to receive 1,000,000 Ember Tokens.
On December 24, 2019, the Company sold $900,000 of its Reg D offering to one unrelated party consisting of 1,800,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and 1,800,000 warrants to receive 1,800,000 Ember Tokens.
On December 27, 2019, the Company sold $700,000 of its Reg D offering to one unrelated party consisting of 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and 1,500,000 warrants to receive 1,500,000 Ember Tokens.
| F-16 |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board
of Directors and
Stockholders of Prometheum, Inc. and Subsidiary
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Prometheum, Inc. and Subsidiary (“the Company”) as of December 31, 2018, and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2018, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2018, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2018, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audit. 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 audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the 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 audit, 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 audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the 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 consolidated financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Emphasis of Matter — The Company’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. The Company has recurring losses and negative cash flows from operations. As described in Note 1, these conditions, among others, raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Emphasis of Matter — Uncertainties Related to Digital Assets
In forming our opinion we have considered the adequacy of the disclosures included in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements concerning, among other things, the risks and uncertainties related to the Company’s involvement in digital assets and the underlying technology. The risks and rewards to be recognized by the Company associated with its involvement in digital assets will be dependent on many factors outside of the Company’s control. Uncertainties related to the regulatory regimes governing blockchain technologies, digital assets, cryptocurrency exchanges and new international, federal, state and local regulations or policies may materially adversely affect the Company and the value of the Ember Tokens. The currently unregulated and immature nature of digital assets including clearing, settlement, custody and trading mechanisms and the dependency on information technology to sustain the continuity of digital assets all subject digital assets to unique risks of theft, loss, or other misappropriation. Furthermore, these factors also contribute to the significant uncertainty with respect to the future viability and value of digital assets and the Company. Our opinion is not modified in respect to this matter.
| /s/ Friedman LLP | |
| We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2019. | |
| East Hanover, New Jersey | |
| August 1, 2019 | |
| F-17 |
| F-18 |
| PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY | |
| CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS | |
| FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2018 |
| Revenue | $ | — | ||
| General and administrative expenses | 941,378 | |||
| Research and development | 125,000 | |||
| Net loss | $ | (1,066,378 | ) | |
| Net loss per share, basic and diluted | (0.006 | ) | ||
| Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted | 171,832,877 | |||
| F-19 |
| PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY | |||||||||
| CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY | |||||||||
| FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2018 |
| Common Stock | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | Additional Paid-in Capital | Accumulated Deficit | Total | ||||||||||||||||
| Balance, January 1, 2018 - as adjusted, see note 4 | 168,625,000 | $ | 1,686 | $ | 8,314 | $ | (55,787 | ) | $ | (45,787 | ) | |||||||||
| Issuance of common stock under SPA and option on Preferred A, see note 5 | 68,875,000 | 689 | 6,924,311 | — | 6,925,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Net loss | — | — | — | (1,066,378 | ) | (1,066,378 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Balance, December 31, 2018 | 237,500,000 | $ | 2,375 | $ | 6,932,625 | $ | (1,122,165 | ) | $ | 5,812,835 | ||||||||||
| F-20 |
| PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY | |
| CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS | |
| FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2018 |
| CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES | ||||
| Net loss | $ | (1,066,378 | ) | |
| Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities: | ||||
| Token based compensation | 3,700 | |||
| Amortization | 3,991 | |||
| Change in cash attributable to changes in assets and liabilities: | ||||
| Accounts payable | (55,781 | ) | ||
| Accrued expenses and other current liabilities | 25,000 | |||
| Token development obligation | 2,370,000 | |||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | 1,280,532 | |||
| CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES | ||||
| Purchase of property and equipment | (11,950 | ) | ||
| Purchase of intangible asset | (71,842 | ) | ||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (83,792 | ) | ||
| CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES | ||||
| Proceeds from issuance of common stock and option on Preferred A in connection with SPA | 3,000,000 | |||
| Net increase in cash | 4,196,740 | |||
| Cash and cash equivalents, January 1, 2018 | 9,994 | |||
| Cash and cash equivalents, December 31, 2018 | $ | 4,206,734 | ||
| SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION | ||||
| Cash paid during the year for interest | $ | — | ||
| Cash paid during the year for income taxes | $ | — | ||
| SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF NONCASH FINANCING ACTIVITIES | ||||
| Issuance of common stock and option on Preferred A in connection with SPA | $ | 3,925,000 | ||
| F-21 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2018
NOTE 1 – NATURE OF OPERATIONS
Organization
Prometheum, Inc. (“Prometheum”,” we”, “us”, the “Company”), is a Delaware corporation formed on September 18, 2017 for the purpose of planning, creating and operating an integrated network for the issuance and trading of blockchain based and other digital tokens.
Prometheum Ember ATS, Inc. (“Prometheum ATS.”), a wholly owned subsidiary, was formed on February 27, 2018 as a New York corporation. The Company is in the process of registering to become a securities broker/dealer. After its registration as a broker/dealer, the Company will hold and/or introduce those who open accounts for the purchase and sale of Ember tokens or other tokenized securities and facilitate other broker/dealers who introduce their customers to engage in secondary transactions of Ember tokens or other tokenized securities through the Prometheum ATS.
Basis of Accounting and Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements are prepared on the accrual basis of accounting in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and include the accounts of Prometheum and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Prometheum ATS. Upon consolidation, all intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated.
Going Concern Uncertainty
The Company’s consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company has incurred cumulative losses and has an accumulated deficit of approximately $1,100,000, expects to incur further losses in the development of its business and has been dependent on funding operations through the private sale of securities and Ember warrants. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustment relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or the amounts and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.
Management’s plans include continuing to raise additional capital through the issuance of Ember warrants up to their registered maximum offering amount of $50,000,000. The Company is currently developing its blockchain technology-based differentiated platform, known as the “Prometheum Network”, designed to address the regulatory, legal, and liquidity challenges faced by others in the tokenized securities market, that will allow issuers seeking to raise capital through the creation and distribution of tokenized securities to conduct their capital raise in a securities law compliant way. The Company also intends to create the infrastructure necessary to allow for after-market trading and processing of tokenized securities.
Concentration of Risk
The Company maintains cash in bank accounts which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and at times may exceed those limits or where no insurance is provided. At December 31, 2018, there was $3,956,731 on deposit at banks in excess of FDIC limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risk on cash.
| F-22 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2018
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company has defined cash equivalents as highly liquid investments, with original maturities of less than 90 days that are not held for sale in the ordinary course of business. As of December 31, 2018, the Company did not hold any cash equivalents.
Use of Estimates
The Company prepares its consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. This requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Management bases its estimates on certain assumptions which it believes are reasonable in the circumstances and does not believe that any change in those assumptions would have a significant effect on financial position or results of operations. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred; major renewals and betterments are capitalized. Depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives of the respective assets, which generally range from five to seven years. There was no depreciation expense for the year ended December 31, 2018 as the assets were placed into service in December 2018.
Intangible Asset
Intangible asset consists of a domain name purchased in November 2018 for a total cost of $71,842. Rights to domain names have an estimated useful life and are classified as finite-lived intangible assets.
Amortization expense for the year ended December 31, 2018 amounted to $3,991.
Future amortization as of December 31, 2018 is as follows:
| 2019 | $ | 23,947 | ||
| 2020 | 23,947 | |||
| 2021 | 19,957 | |||
| Total | $ | 67,851 |
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
The Company assess the impairment of long-lived assets on an ongoing basis and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. The impairment review process is based upon an estimate of future undiscounted cash flow. Factors considered that could trigger an impairment review include the following:
| F-23 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2018
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets (continued)
| - | significant underperformance relative to expected historical or projected future operating results, |
| - | significant changes in the manner of the Company’s use of the acquired assets or the strategy for the Company’s overall business, |
| - | significant negative industry or economic trends, and |
| - | significant technological changes, which would render equipment and manufacturing processes obsolete. |
Recoverability of assets that will be used in the Company’s operations is measured by comparing the carrying value of the future net undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset or asset group. Future undiscounted cash flows include estimates of future revenues, driven by market growth rates, and estimated future costs. The Company determined that there were no impairments to long-lived assets during 2018.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expenses primarily include professional fees, reimbursed executive compensation, systems consulting and other office expenses.
Research and Development
Research and development costs consist primarily of platform costs related to integrating the Prometheum network. Such costs are expensed as incurred.
Advertising and Promotion
Advertising and promotion costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising and promotion costs for the year ended December 31, 2018 was $1,239.
Revenue Recognition
The Company accounts for its Ember warrant issuances as research and development arrangements under ASC 730, Research and Development Arrangements (“ASC 730”). The Company believes at the time of the Ember warrant issuances, technological feasibility has not been established due to the constant changing technology and rapid advances in the space. As such, all of the Company’s development costs have been expensed. As the Company continues to develop the platform and moves closer to the issuing the first block of Ember tokens (the “Genesis Block”), the Company will recognize revenue over the estimated development period in proportion to development costs incurred over total estimated costs.
Loss per Share
The Company applies ASC 260 “Earnings per Share” to calculate loss per share. In accordance with ASC 260, basic and fully diluted net loss per share has been computed based on the weighted average of common shares outstanding during the year. A total of 23,750,000 shares of common stock that could potentially be issued upon the exercise and conversion of the Purchase Option on Series A Convertible Preferred Shares was excluded from the calculation of net loss per share as the exercise price was greater than the average market price of the common shares.
| F-24 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2018
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Fair Value Measurements
Fair value measurements are based on the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In order to increase consistency and comparability in fair value measurements, a fair value hierarchy prioritizes observable and unobservable inputs used to measure fair value into three levels as follows:
Level 1: Valuations are based on quoted prices (unadjusted) in an active market that are accessible at the measurement date for identical assets or liabilities. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs.
Level 2: Valuations are based on observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in inactive markets; or model-driven valuations in which all significant inputs are observable or can be derived principally from or corroborated with observable market data.
Leve 3: Valuations based on unobservable inputs are used when little or no market data is available. The fair value hierarchy gives the lowest priority to Level 3 inputs. This is not applicable to the Company’s financial assets and liabilities.
In determining fair value, the Company utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs, such as prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets (“market approach”), and minimizes, the use of unobservable inputs, to the extent possible in their assessment of fair value.
The Company recognizes transfers between levels in the fair value hierarchy at the end of the reporting period. There were no transfers between fair value levels during the year ended December 31, 2018.
Income Taxes
The Company uses the asset and liability method of accounting for deferred income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities at currently enacted tax rates.
These temporary differences primarily relate to net operating loss carryforwards available to offset future taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, if necessary, to reduce a deferred tax asset to the amount that will more likely than not be realized.
The Company recognizes tax liabilities from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will not be sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the tax position. There are no uncertain tax positions that have been recognized in the accompanying financial statements. The Company is required to file tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various states and local municipalities. The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain tax benefits in operating expenses. No such interest and penalties have been accrued as of December 31, 2018.
| F-25 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2018
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities
In January 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-01, Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (collectively, “ASU 2016-01”). ASU 2016-01 requires equity investments to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income; simplifies the impairment assessment of equity investments without readily determinable fair values by requiring a qualitative assessment to identify impairment; eliminates the requirement for public business entities to disclose the methods and significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value that is required to be disclosed for financial instruments measured at amortized cost on the balance sheet; requires public business entities to use the exit price notion when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes; requires an entity to present separately in other comprehensive income the portion of the total change in the fair value of a liability resulting from a change in the instrument-specific credit risk when the entity has elected to measure the liability at fair value in accordance with the fair value option for financial instruments; requires separate presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities by measurement category and form of financial assets on the balance sheet or the accompanying notes to the financial statements; and clarifies that an entity should evaluate the need for a valuation allowance on a deferred tax asset related to available-for-sale securities in combination with the entity’s other deferred tax assets. ASU 2016-01 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2016-01 on January 1, 2018. In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-03, Technical Corrections and Improvements to Financial Instruments – Overall (ASC 825-10), which clarified certain aspects of the guidance issued in ASU 2016-01. The Company adopted the guidance in ASU 2018-03 on January 1, 2019. The guidance in both ASU 2016-01 and ASU 2018-03 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
Leases
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, (Topic 842) Leases, which establishes a right-of use model (“ROU”) that requires a lessee to record a ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the statement of income. For lessors, the new standard requires a lessor to classify leases as either sales-type, finance or operating. A lease will be treated as a sale if it transfers all the risks and rewards, as well as control of the underlying asset, to the lessee. If risks and rewards are conveyed without the transfer of control, the lease is treated as financing. If the lessor does not convey risks and rewards or control, then the lease would be classified as an operating lease. The new standard requires a modified retrospective approach to adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact Topic 842 will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. This new pronouncement is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018.
NOTE 3 – EMBER WARRANT ISSUANCES
The Company issues Ember warrants in connection with research and development arrangements as well as to employees, board members, and consultants as token-based compensation. Each Ember warrant is exercisable into one Ember token for no additional consideration. The term of the warrants is five years from the creation of the Genesis Block of Ember tokens.
| F-26 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2018
NOTE 3 – EMBER WARRANT ISSUANCES (CONTINUED)
Token-Based Compensation
In October 2017, in connection with its initial formation, the Company issued 2,000,000 Ember warrants to its Chairman of the Board. There was no value assigned to these warrants based on management’s use of Level 3 inputs.
In January 2018, the Company issued 24,850,000 Ember warrants as token-based compensation to its Chairman of the Board. The warrants were valued at $3,700. The value of these warrants was determined by management using Level 3 inputs.
The above valuations were conducted prior to any significant development work on the Ember Warrant and Prometheum Network had begun and prior to any sale to the public. Because there was no market price for the warrant at the time, the Company used the cost approach, which is based on the expected costs of development of the software underlying the warrant. At the time of valuation, the warrants were valued at approximately $0.00001 per warrant.
Research and Development Arrangements
In April and September 2018, the Company issued 4,740,000 Ember warrants for total proceeds of $2,370,000.
On December 14, 2018, in connection with the SPA, the Company issued 10,150,000 Ember warrants, see Note 5.
NOTE 4 – STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Common Stock and Preferred Stock
In October 2017, the Company issued 1,000 shares of common stock and 2,000,000 Ember warrants to the Chairman of the Board for proceeds of $10,000.
In November 2017, the Company amended its Certificate of Incorporation to increase its authorized shares to 500,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.00001 per share and 100,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.00001 per share.
In January 2018, the Chairman of the Board exchanged his 1,000 shares of common stock for 168,625,000 shares of common stock based upon the amended Certificate of Incorporation to increase the authorized shares to 500,000,000 shares of common stock. The Company accounted for the share exchange retroactively.
NOTE 5 – SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
On December 14, 2018, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (SPA) with HashKey Digital Asset Group Limited (“HashKey”), an entity organized under the laws of Hong Kong. Pursuant the agreement, HashKey purchased 68,875,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and 10,150,000 Ember warrants for a total purchase price of $12,000,000. Of this amount, $3,000,000 was paid in cash and $9,000,000 was for technology and technology related services and is shown as prepaid development costs on the consolidated balance sheet. In connection with this transaction the Company entered into a Technology Agreement with Shanghai Wanxiang Blockchain Inc (“Wanxiang”), a partner of HashKey, to provide the related technology services.
| F-27 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2018
NOTE 5 – SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (CONTINUED)
Also pursuant to the SPA, the Company entered into an Investor and Founder Rights Agreement with HashKey that provides HashKey the right to purchase shares of newly issued Series A convertible preferred stock of the Company for $12,500,000. The option, if exercised, will cause the Company to issue one preferred share of Series A Preferred stock, which is convertible into shares of Common Stock equal 10% of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock immediately prior to the exercise date. The Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to vote on “as converted” basis with the Common Stock as a single class and shall have no other voting rights other than as required by Delaware corporate law.
The Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled in connection with a Liquidation Event, as defined, to be paid a liquidation preference equal to $12,500,000, before any distribution of assets may be made to holders of capital stock ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Shares including the Common Stock. The Purchase Right shall be exercisable during the 30-day period immediately following the date the Company’s broker/dealer ATS receives FINRA and SEC approval to trade cryptographic security tokens, if ever granted.
The Company obtained a valuation report from a third-party consultant to evaluate the allocation of the purchase price in connection with the SPA. The consultant used the hybrid method (probability-weighted expected return method, option-pricing method, and current-value method) to determine the fair value of each component of the transaction as of December 14, 2018.
The Company has allocated the total purchase of $12,000,000 as follows:
| Purchase Option on Series A Convertible Preferred Shares | $ | 848,368 | ||
| Common Stock | 6,076,632 | |||
| Subtotal | 6,925,000 | |||
| Token Development Obligation | 5,075,000 | |||
| Total Purchase Price | $ | 12,000,000 |
NOTE 6 – INCOME TAXES
As of December 31, 2018, the Company had a U.S Federal deferred tax asset of approximately $236,000 and a state and local deferred tax asset of $102,000. No deferred income tax provision has been reported in the consolidated financial statements since the provision is offset by a valuation allowance of the same amount.
The reconciliation between the statutory and effective tax rates at December 31, 2018 are comprised of the following:
| Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation | ||||
| Federal statutory income tax rate | 21.0 | % | ||
| State and local income taxes, net of federal tax benefits | 9.1 | % | ||
| Change in valuation allowance | (30.1 | )% | ||
| Effective tax rate | 0.0 | % |
| F-28 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2018
NOTE 6 – INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED)
At December 31, 2018, the Company had net operating loss carry forwards of approximately $1,100,000 that may be offset against future taxable income for the years 2018 through 2038. No tax benefit has been reported in the consolidated financial statements since the potential tax benefit is offset by a valuation allowance of the same amount.
NOTE 7 – RISKS RELATED TO DIGITAL ASSETS
Mining Attacks
As with other distributed ledger technologies, we believe that the Prometheum Network is susceptible to mining attacks, including but not limited to double-spend attacks, majority mining power attacks, “selfish-mining” attacks, and race condition attacks. Any successful attacks present a risk to our blockchain, expected proper execution and sequencing of Ember transactions, and expected proper execution and sequencing of contract computations, which could have an adverse effect on the value of our Ember tokens. Although we intend to limit the risk of mining attacks by creating a blockchain proof-of-stake security algorithm using a unique implementation of a GHOST-like protocol and possibly an implementation of hybrid proof-of-stake that could reduce the risk of mining attacks, there can be no assurance that such measures, if implemented, will successfully defend against known or novel mining attacks. In addition, using smart contracts can lead to theft or loss of coins due to human error if they aren’t coded properly.
Market Volatility
The prices of digital assets are extremely volatile. Fluctuations in the price of digital assets could materially and adversely affect the Company’s results of operations. The prices of cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ether, and other digital assets have historically been subject to dramatic fluctuations, and in the event of a decline in value of Bitcoin and/or Ether, the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
Digital Assets are Currently Unregulated
There are uncertainties related to the regulatory regimes governing blockchain technologies, cryptocurrencies, digital assets, cryptocurrency exchanges, the blockchain and Ember tokens, and new international, federal, state and local regulations or policies may materially adversely affect the Company and the value of the Ember tokens.
The Ember tokens are novel, and the application of U.S. federal and state securities laws is unclear in certain respects. Because of the differences between the Ember tokens and traditional securities, there is a risk that issues that might easily be resolved by existing law if traditional securities were involved may not be easily resolved for the Ember tokens. In addition, because of the novel risks posed by the tokens, it is possible that securities regulators may interpret laws in a manner that adversely affects the Company or the value of the Ember tokens.
Various legislative and executive bodies in the United States and in other countries may, in the future, adopt laws, regulations, or guidance, or take other actions that could severely impact the permissibility of the Ember tokens, tokens generally and, in each case, the technology behind them or the means of transacting in or transferring them. It is difficult to predict how or whether regulatory agencies may apply existing or new regulation with respect to this technology and its applications, including the Ember tokens, the blockchain and the network. In addition, self-regulatory bodies may be established that set guidelines regarding cryptocurrencies, the Ember tokens, and the network, which could have similar effects to new policies adopted by government bodies.
| F-29 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2018
NOTE 7 – RISKS RELATED TO DIGITAL ASSETS (CONTINUED)
Digital Assets are Currently Unregulated (continued)
Any future regulatory actions applicable to the Ember Tokens, the blockchain, the network and related activities could severely impact the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows of the Company. The Company may need to restructure operations significantly to comply with any new regulation or guidance. These efforts could be costly and could involve fundamentally changing core portions of the Company’s business, operations and network. On the other hand, failure to restructure for compliance adequately or quickly enough could result in regulatory action (such as investigations by the government or a self-regulatory organization or government or private litigation or administrative actions) that requires the Company to spend significant time and effort, which could potentially deplete the Company’s resources. It could also result in negative publicity. Regulatory change could even potentially result in the Ember tokens or certain operations being viewed as impermissible, which could result in a need for the Company to dramatically alter or cease activities. Regulatory action could also affect the rights of holders of the Ember tokens, for example by severely limiting the ability of holders to transfer or sell their tokens.
Cryptocurrency networks, blockchain technologies, and coin and token offerings also face an uncertain regulatory landscape in many foreign jurisdictions, including (among others) the European Union, China and Russia. Various foreign jurisdictions may, in the future, adopt laws, regulations or directives that affect the Company. These laws, regulations or directives may conflict with those of the United States or may directly and negatively impact results of operations. The effect of any future regulatory change is impossible to predict, but any change could be substantial and materially adverse to the Company, its results of operations and adoption and value of the Ember tokens.
New or changing laws and regulations or interpretations of existing laws and regulations, in the United States and other jurisdictions, may materially and adversely impact the Company, its results of operations and the Ember Tokens, including with respect to their value, their liquidity, the ability of purchasers to access marketplaces or exchanges on which to trade the tokens, and the structure, rights and transferability of the Ember Tokens.
Concentration Risk
The Company uses Wanxiang as their sole project developer and relies on Wanxiang’s ability to create and maintain a successful platform. The loss of the services of Wanxiang could have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Company to develop, operate or maintain the Prometheum Network because the skillset required to successfully develop blockchains is rare. If the Company were to lose the services of Wanxiang, it could be difficult or impossible to replace them, and the loss of them could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s operations and financial conditions.
NOTE 8 – COMMITMENTS, INCLUDING RELATED PARTIES
The Company leases office space, pursuant to a month to month lease from Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC for $2,500 per month. In July 2019, rent increases to $5,000 per month. Total rent expense for the year ended December 31, 2018 was $5,000.
The Company incurred legal expenses from Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC in the amount of $109,995 for the year ended December 31, 2018.
| F-30 |
PROMETHEUM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2018
NOTE 9 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
On March 20, 2019, the Company entered into an agreement with Manorhaven Capital LLP (“Manorhaven”), a related party through common ownership, for compliance services. Such compliance services will include review of each Subscription Agreement required to be completed by prospective investors subscribing to purchase Ember Warrants. The Company will pay Manorhaven 2% of the gross proceeds of each purchase closing. The agreement terminates based on certain events as defined in the agreement.
Management has evaluated, for potential recognition and disclosure, events subsequent to the date of the consolidated balance sheet through August 1, 2019, the date the consolidated financial statements were available to be issued.
NOTE 10 – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS - UNAUDITED
In August 2019, the Company adopted the Prometheum 2019 Stock Option Plan (Incentive and Non-Incentive) (“2019 SOP”). The Plan provides for the granting of both incentive and non-incentive stock options, to eligible individuals, as defined. The Plan provides for the issuance of up to 17,812,500 shares of the Company’s common stock.
In August 2019, the Company adopted the Prometheum 2019 Token Option Plan (Incentive and Non-Incentive) (“2019 TOP”). The Plan provides for the granting of both incentive and non-incentive stock options, to eligible individuals, as defined. The Plan provides for the issuance of up to 5,000,000 tokens of the Company’s Ember Tokens.
In connection with an employment agreement, the Company agreed to grant two options to purchase 415,000 shares of commons stock in accordance with its 2019 SOP and 280,000 tokens in accordance with its 2019 TOP, subject to certain vesting conditions as defined in the respective plans.
In August 2019, the Company issued 4,840,000 shares of common stock, on a one-for-one basis to holders of the Ember Warrants previously issued in the Company’s prior Regulation D offering.
In August 2019, the Company entered into a binding letter of intent and term sheet with Inteliclear LLC pursuant to which the Company will acquire source code for a version of Inteliclear’s Post Trade Solutions software which includes algorithms and processes for broker-dealers to perform clearance, settling, custody and control, and bookkeeping and recordkeeping functions in compliance with SEC and FINRA requirements. In consideration therefore the Company has agreed (i) to issue to Inteliclear 1,250,000 shares of Common Stock, 1,250,000 Ember Warrants, exercisable to purchase 1,250,000 Ember Tokens and, (ii) to pay to Inteliclear $5,000 per month for the four month period commencing December 1, 2019, $300,000 upon PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS commencement of operations, less any monthly payments made, $150,000 on the one year anniversary of PEATS Broker-Dealer/ATS commencement of operations and an additional $150,000 on the second anniversary thereof.
| F-31 |
| F-32 |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Prometheum, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Prometheum, Inc. (“the Company”) as of December 31, 2017, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows from September 18, 2017 (inception) through December 31, 2017, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the financial statements). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2017, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the period from inception to December 31, 2017, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. 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 audit 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 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 audit, 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 audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the 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 financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2018.
Spokane, Washington
May 10, 2018
| F-33 |
PROMETHEUM, INC.
DECEMBER 31, 2017
ASSETS
| Current assets: | ||||
| Cash | $ | 9,994 | ||
| Total current assets | 9,994 | |||
| Total assets | $ | 9,994 | ||
| LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY | ||||
| Current liabilities: | ||||
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses – related party | $ | 55,781 | ||
| Total current liabilities | 55,781 | |||
| Commitments and contingencies | — | |||
| Stockholders’ equity: | ||||
| Preferred stock, $0.00001 par value, 100,000 shares authorized, 0 issued and outstanding | $ | — | ||
| Common stock, $0.00001 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 1,000 shares issued and outstanding | — | |||
| Additional paid-in capital | 10,000 | |||
| Accumulated (deficit) | (55,787 | ) | ||
| Total stockholders’ equity | (45,787 | ) | ||
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | $ | 9,994 |
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
| F-34 |
PROMETHEUM, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE PERIOD SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2017
| Revenue | $ | — | ||
| Expenses: | ||||
| Professional fees | 55,781 | |||
| Bank fees | 6 | |||
| 55,787 | ||||
| Net income (loss) | $ | (55,787 | ) | |
| Loss per share, basic & diluted | $ | (79.16 | ) | |
| Weighted average shares outstanding, basic & diluted | 705 |
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
| F-35 |
PROMETHEUM, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
FOR THE PERIOD SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2017
| Common Shares | Common Stock (Par) | Additional Paid-in Capital | Accumulated (Deficit) | Total | ||||||||||||||||
| Balance, September 18, 2017 | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | $ | — | |||||||||||
| Issuance of common stock for cash | 1,000 | — | 10,000 | — | 10,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Net (loss) | — | — | — | (55,787 | ) | (55,787 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Balance, December 31, 2017 | 1,000 | $ | — | $ | 10,000 | $ | (55,787 | ) | $ | (45,787 | ) | |||||||||
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
| F-36 |
PROMETHEUM, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE PERIOD SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 (INCEPTION) THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2017
| Cash flows from operating activities: | ||||
| Net (loss) | $ | (55,787 | ) | |
| Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used) in operating activities: | ||||
| Increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses – related party | 55,781 | |||
| Total adjustments | 55,781 | |||
| Net cash (used) in operating activities | (6 | ) | ||
| Cash flows from financing activities: | ||||
| Issuance of common shares | 10,000 | |||
| Net cash provided by financing activities | 10,000 | |||
| Net increase in cash and cash equivalents | 9,994 | |||
| Cash and cash equivalents, beginning | — | |||
| Cash and cash equivalents, ending | $ | 9,994 | ||
| Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information: | ||||
| Cash paid during the year for: | ||||
| Income taxes paid during year | $ | — | ||
| Interest paid during year | $ | — |
See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.
| F-37 |
PROMETHEUM, INC.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2017
| 1. | Statement of Significant Accounting Policies: |
Organization:
Prometheum, Inc. (“Prometheum”, ”we”, ”us”, the “Company”), is a Delaware corporation formed on September 18, 2017 for the purpose of planning, creating and operating an integrated network for the issuance and trading of blockchain based and other digital tokens.
Prometheum Financial Services, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, was formed in 2017 as a New York corporation. It will be filing a registration as a broker/dealer in 2018. The Company after its registration as a broker/dealer will hold and/or introduce those who open accounts for the purchase and sale of ember tokens or other tokenized securities and facilitate other broker/dealers who introduce their customers to engage in secondary transaction of ember tokens or other tokenized securities through the broker/dealer. There was no activity or intercompany transactions for the period ended December 31, 2017.
Basis of Accounting:
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).
Concentration of Risk:
The Company maintains cash in bank accounts which, at times, may exceed federally insured limits or where no insurance is provided. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risk on cash and cash equivalents.
Cash and Cash Equivalents:
Cash equivalents are limited to short term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and of an original maturity of three months or less.
Use of Estimates:
Management uses estimates and assumptions in preparing financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Those estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported revenues and expenses. Actual results could vary from the estimates that were assumed in preparing the financial statements.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements:
The Company has implemented all new accounting pronouncements that are in effect. These pronouncements did not have any material impact on the financial statements unless otherwise disclosed, and the Company does not believe that there are any other new accounting pronouncements that have been issued that might have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations.
| F-38 |
PROMETHEUM, INC.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2017
| 1. | Statement of Significant Accounting Policies (continued): |
Fair Value Measurements:
The Company measures and discloses the estimated fair value of financial assets and liabilities using the fair value hierarchy prescribed by US generally accepted accounting principles. The fair value hierarchy has three levels, which are based on reliable available inputs of observable data. The hierarchy requires the use of observable market data when available. The three-level hierarchy is defined as follows:
Level 1 – quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets.
Level 2 – quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model derived valuations in which significant inputs and significant value drivers are observable in active markets; and. Level 3 – fair value measurements derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable.
Financial instruments consist principally of cash and cash equivalents and accounts payable. The fair value of warrants are determined based on “Level 3” inputs, which are significant and unobservable and have the lowest priority. There were no transfers into or out of “Level 3” during the period ended December 31, 2017. The recorded values of all other financial instruments approximate their current fair values because of their nature and respective relatively short maturity dates or durations. Fair value estimates are made at a specific point in time based on relevant market information. These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment and therefore cannot be determined with precision. Changes in assumptions could significantly affect the estimates.
Income Taxes:
The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles which require an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed annually for differences between financial statement and income tax bases of assets and liabilities that will result in taxable income or deductible expenses in the future based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets and liabilities to the amount expected to be realized. Income tax expense is the tax payable or refundable for the period adjusted for the change during the period in deferred tax assets and liabilities.
The Company follows the accounting requirements associated with uncertainty in income taxes using the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) ASC 740, Income Taxes. Using that guidance, tax positions initially need to be recognized in the financial statements when it is more likely than not the positions will be sustained upon examination by the tax authorities. It also provides guidance for derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. As of December 31, 2017, the Company has no uncertain tax positions that qualify for either recognition or disclosure in the financial statements. There are presently no ongoing income tax examinations.
The Company has elected to be treated as a C corporation under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and New York State tax regulations. No provision for federal and state income taxes is made in these financial statements.
| F-39 |
PROMETHEUM, INC.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2017
| 2. | Going Concern: |
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern. The going concern basis assumes that assets are realized and liabilities are extinguished in the ordinary course of business at amounts disclosed in the consolidated financial statements. Although the Company sustained a loss of $55,787 in 2017, the Company raised capital in excess of $2,000,000 through the date of issuance which exceeds anticipated operating costs for one year; as a result, management has considered whether substantial doubt exists regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and determined subsequent issuances were sufficient to alleviate doubt.
| 3. | Loss Per Share: |
The Company applies ASC 260 “Earnings per Share” to calculate loss per share. In accordance with ASC 260, basic and fully diluted net loss per share has been computed based on the weighted average of common shares outstanding during the year. The dilutive effects of convertible notes and the options outstanding are not included in the calculation of loss per share since their inclusion would be anti-dilutive.
Net loss per share for the period ended December 31, 2017 is computed as follows:
| Net loss | $ | (55,787 | ) | |
| Weighted average shares outstanding | 705 | |||
| Basic & fully diluted net loss per common share | $ | (79.16 | ) |
| 4. | Related Party Transactions: |
Martin H. Kaplan, our Chief Executive Officer and one of our directors is the Managing Member of Gusrae Kaplan Nusbaum PLLC (“GKN”), our counsel. Aaron L. Kaplan, our Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and a director, is Martin H. Kaplan’s son and is an attorney with GKN. Aaron L. Kaplan is the Managing Member of Equity Arcade Services, LLC, a potential service provider and licensor of software to us. Jerry Schneider, one of our directors is also a director of Siebert Financial Corp., which has been represented in a number of matters, some of which are ongoing, by GKN. Accordingly, there may be multiple conflict of interests between us, GKN and our officers and directors.
Included in the accrued expenses are legal fees and reimbursement of salary costs incurred by GKN of $55,781, which included $2,500 paid by GKN for accounting fees. The entire balance was due to GKN as of December 31, 2017.
| 5. | Common Stock Issuances: |
During 2017, the Company issued 100 shares of common stock to the Chief Executive Officer for proceeds of $10,000. On October 18, 2017, the Company declared a 10-1 positive stock split. The consolidated financial statements have been retrospectively adjusted to reflect the stock split.
| F-40 |
PROMETHEUM, INC.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2017
| 6. | Warrants: |
During 2017, two million seed warrants were issued and the warrant converts into one Ember Token upon future equity issuances. The term of the warrants is five years from issuance. The seed warrants were issued at a cost of $0.0001 per warrant to Martin H. Kaplan for a total cost of $200, the proceeds are included in additional paid-in capital and were paid with the initial capital investment of $10,000. The value of the warrants determined by management was based on the par value of common and preferred shares and the technique for valuation qualifies as level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
| 7. | Preferred Stock: |
The Company has 100,000 shares of preferred stock at $0.00001 par value authorized, none of which were issued or outstanding as of December 31, 2017.
| 8. | Income Taxes: |
At December 31, 2017, the Company had net operating loss carry forwards of approximately $55,787 that may be offset against future taxable income for the years 2018 through 2037. No tax benefit has been reported in the December 31, 2017 financial statements since the potential tax benefit is offset by a valuation allowance of the same amount.
| 9. | Market Risks: |
As with other distributed ledger technologies, we believe that the Prometheum Network is susceptible to mining attacks, including but not limited to double-spend attacks, majority mining power attacks, “selfish-mining” attacks, and race condition attacks. Any successful attacks present a risk to our blockchain, expected proper execution and sequencing of Ember transactions, and expected proper execution and sequencing of contract computations, which could have an adverse effect on the value of our Ember Tokens. Although we intend to limit the risk of mining attacks by creating a blockchain proof-of-work security algorithm using a unique implementation of a GHOST-like protocol and possibly an implementation of hybrid proof-of-stake that could reduce the risk of mining attacks, there can be no assurance that such measures, if implemented, will successfully defend against known or novel mining attacks.
| 10. | Subsequent Events: |
Management has evaluated subsequent events through April 1, 2018, the date the financial statements were available to be issued. In 2018, the Company issued 4,000,000 warrants to two individuals and received in excess of $2,000,000 in 2018.
The Company entered into a letter agreement and (the “Letter Agreement”), dated January 29, 2018 with TradeZero, Inc. (“TradeZero”) and Dan Pipitone, TradeZero’s CEO, pursuant to which we engaged TradeZero to create and implement the technology and software necessary to create and empower the Prometheum Network. Pursuant to the terms of the Letter Agreement, TradeZero agreed to deliver to us a minimal viable product (“MPV”) no later than June 15, 2018 in exchange for five percent (5%) of the equity in the Company and a cash payment of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) payable in four installments. We have made three payments in the aggregate amount of $100,000 and the final payment of $50,000 will be due upon delivery of the MPV. In addition, the founders agreed to transfer ten percent (10%) of the warrants exchangeable for Ember Tokens issued to them as founders to TradeZero.
| F-41 |
PART III – EXHIBITS
* Previously filed.
** To be filed by amendment.
+ Certain schedules, appendices and exhibits to this agreement have been omitted in accordance with Item 17, section 6(a) of Form 1-A. A copy of any omitted schedule and/or exhibit will be furnished supplementally to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.
Pursuant to the requirements of Regulation A, the issuer certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 1-A and has duly caused this Offering Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on January 29, 2020.
| PROMETHEUM, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Martin H. Kaplan | |
| Martin H. Kaplan | ||
| Chairman, Director | ||
| (Principal Executive Officer) | ||
| By: | /s/ Aaron L. Kaplan | |
| Aaron L. Kaplan | ||
| Co-Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Director | ||
| (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Form 1-A has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Name | Positions | Date | ||
| /s/ Martin H. Kaplan | Chairman and Director | January 29, 2020 | ||
| Martin H. Kaplan | ||||
| /s/ Aaron L. Kaplan | Co-Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Director | January 29, 2020 | ||
| Aaron L. Kaplan | ||||
| /s/ Benjamin S. Kaplan | Co-Chief Executive Officer, Director | January 29, 2020 | ||
| Benjamin S. Kaplan | ||||
| /s/ Jerry Schneider | Director | January 29, 2020 | ||
| Jerry Schneider | ||||
| /s/ Dr. Xiao Feng | Director | January 29, 2020 | ||
| Dr. Xiao Feng |
Signatures
Exhibit 6.1(a)
PROMETHEUM, INC.
2019 STOCK OPTION PLAN
August 27, 2019
Table of Contents
| i |
| ii |
PROMETHEUM, INC
2019 STOCK OPTION PLAN
1.1. Purpose of Plan. Prometheum, Inc. (“Prometheum”) 2019 Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”) is intended to encourage ownership of Shares of Prometheum by certain employees of the Company, to provide additional incentive for such employees to remain in the employ of the Company, and to promote the growth and success of the Company. It is intended that the Options issued pursuant to the Plan shall constitute either incentive stock options within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations thereunder or non-incentive stock options.
1.2. Definitions. Whenever used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates another meaning:
(a) “Board” the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b) “Business Day” any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to remain closed.
(c) “Code” the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(d) “Committee” the Board or, at the option of the Board, a committee designated by the Board, which committee shall consist of not less than one member of the Board who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board. Members of the Committee who are Eligible Individuals shall be eligible for grants of Options; provided that any such grant is approved by a majority of the other members of the Committee or Board. During any period of time in which the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Committee shall be comprised solely of not less than two members, each of whom shall be (i) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, as amended, and (ii) unless otherwise determined by the Board, an “outside director” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(e)(3) and Section 162(m) of the Code.
(e) “Company” Prometheum, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
(f) “Date of Grant” with respect to any Option, the date on which such Option is deemed granted pursuant to Section 5.2.
(g) “Disability” permanent and total disability.
(h) “Eligible Individual” (i) a Key Employee or (ii) any other Person that the Committee designates as eligible to receive a Non-incentive Stock Option (or, to the extent Incentive Stock Options may be granted to such Persons, an Incentive Stock Option) because such other Person performs services for the Company (such as a contractor, but other than a Person that provides services in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction capacity ) and the Committee determines that the Person has a direct and significant effect on the financial development of the Company, but excluding, under (i) and/or (ii), any Person that the Board may from time to time specify as ineligible.
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(i) “Employee-Participant” a Participant who is, at the Date of Grant of the relevant Option, an employee of the Company.
(j) “Exchange Act” the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(k) “Fair Market Value” (a) if Shares are listed on a national securities exchange, the last reported sales price, regular way, on the composite tape of the principal national securities exchange on which the Shares are so listed on the most recent Business Day prior to the date in question for which such price is available; (b) if clause (a) does not apply but the Shares are admitted to trading in the NASDAQ-National Market System (or a similar system then in use), the last reported sales price, regular way, on the NASDAQ-National Market System (or such similar system) on the most recent Business Day prior to the date in question for which such price is available; (c) if neither clause (a) or (b) applies but the Shares are traded in the over-the-counter market and bid and asked prices are reported by NASDAQ or any comparable system, the average of the closing bid and asked prices of Shares in the over-the-counter market as reported by NASDAQ or any comparable system on the most recent Business Day prior to the date in question for which such prices are available; (d) if none of clauses (a), (b), or (c) applies but bid and asked prices for the Shares are furnished by members of FINRA, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by two members of FINRA (selected from time to time by the Committee for that purpose) on the most recent Business Day prior to the date in question for which such prices are available; and (e) if none of clauses (a), (b), (c), or (d) applies, the fair market value of the Share as determined by the Committee from time to time.
(l) “FINRA” Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
(m) “Incentive Stock Option” an option to purchase Shares granted pursuant to the Plan that is an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
(n) “Initial Public Offering” the consummation of a sale of Shares (by the Company or shareholders or a combination thereof) that is registered on a registration statement (other than a registration statement on Form S-8 or its equivalent) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, pursuant to which the Company receives at least $100 million.
(o) “Issuable Number” at any time, the Maximum Number less the number of Shares theretofore issued or delivered under the Plan (appropriately adjusted to give effect to any changes in capitalization or Reorganization).
(p) “Key Employee” any employee of the Company who the Committee determines is key to the operations of the Company.
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(q) “Maximum Number” the maximum number of Shares that may be issued or delivered under the Plan, which is 17,812,500 (subject to adjustment as set forth in Sections 9.6 and 9.7 hereof).
(r) “NASDAQ” NASD Automated Quotation System.
(s) “Non-Incentive Stock Option” an option to purchase Shares granted pursuant to the Plan that is not an Incentive Stock Option.
(t) “Option” an option to purchase Shares granted pursuant to the Plan that is an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Incentive Stock Option.
(u) “Option Agreement” the agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (or such other form as may be revised and then approved by the Committee, from time to time, for use under the Plan pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof), between the Company and an individual participant, evidencing the grant of an Option under the Plan and containing the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the Plan, that are applicable to such Option. In the event that the form of Option Agreement is modified by the Committee, the form as revised shall be inserted as Exhibit A in substitution of the current form.
(v) “Participant” an Eligible Individual to whom an Option is granted under the Plan.
(w) “Person” any natural person, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, or other entity.
(x) “Plan” the Prometheum 2019 Stock Option Plan, as set forth herein, as created hereby, and as it may be amended from time to time in accordance with Section 9.9.
(y) “Reorganization” any merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving Person (other than a merger of the Company into a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company) or in which the holders of Shares receive cash, shares of another Person, a different class of shares of the Company, or other property; the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; or the sale, pursuant to an agreement with the Company, of Shares of the Company pursuant to which another Person acquires Shares that, after consummation of such sale, are 50% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Company.
(z) “Securities Act” the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(aa) “Share” a share of the Company’s present Common Stock, par value $ 0.00001 per share, and any share or shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company hereafter issued or delivered or issuable or deliverable upon, in respect of, in substitution of, or in exchange for each present share.
(bb) “Treasury Regulations” the regulations promulgated by the United States Department of the Treasury pursuant to and in respect of provisions of the Code. All references herein to sections of the Treasury Regulations shall include any corresponding provisions of succeeding, similar, substitute, proposed, temporary, or final Treasury Regulations.
(cc) “Vesting Schedule” a schedule on which an Option becomes exercisable as to a specific number of Shares subject to such Option.
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ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN
2.1. Administration. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee is authorized to take the following actions, in its sole and absolute discretion, in addition to each other action that the Committee is expressly authorized to take pursuant to the Plan:
(a) determine who is an Eligible Individual and determine the Eligible Individuals to whom Options are to be granted;
(b) determine the number of Shares to be covered by each of the Options, the time or times at which Options shall be granted and exercisable and terminate, the exercise price for Shares subject to the Options, whether such Options shall be Incentive Stock Options or Non-Incentive Stock Options, and the other terms and provisions of each Option Agreement (which need not be identical, and, for the avoidance of doubt, the Committee is fully authorized to draft the terms of each Option Agreement as it sees fit, in its sole and absolute discretion, with regard to each individual Participant) and to modify the form of Option Agreement attached as Exhibit A;
(c) interpret the Plan provisions;
(d) terminate the Plan;
(e) adopt, amend, and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan and the functioning of the Committee and advise the Board with regard to Plan amendment pursuant to Section 9.9;
(f) determine the Fair Market Value of Shares;
(g) accelerate the vesting of Options;
(h) retain external professionals to advise on Plan administration and rely on the employees of the Company for such clerical and record-keeping duties as may be necessary or desirable in connection with the administration of the Plan; and
(i) make all other determinations and take all other actions necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.
2.2. Absolute Discretion. All questions of interpretation and application of the Plan or any Option Agreement or pertaining to any Option granted hereunder shall be subject to the determination by a majority of the members of the Committee acting with sole and absolute discretion.
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2.3. No Liability for Good Faith Determinations. No member of the Committee shall be liable for any act, omission, or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Option, and members of the Committee shall be entitled to indemnification and reimbursement by the Company in respect of any claim, loss, damage, or expense (including attorneys’ fees, and the costs of settling any suit if such settlement is approved by independent legal counsel selected by the Company), and amounts paid in satisfaction of a judgment (except a judgment based on a finding of bad faith) arising therefrom to the full extent permitted by law and under any directors and officers liability or similar insurance coverage that may from time to time be in effect. This right to indemnification shall be in addition to, and not a limitation on, any other indemnification rights any member of the Committee may have.
2.4. No Liability of Company. The Company assumes no obligation or responsibility to any Participant for any act of, or failure to act on the part of, the Committee.
ELIGIBILITY OF PARTICIPANTS
3.1. Participants. An Option may be granted pursuant to the Plan only to a Person who is an Eligible Individual at the Date of Grant of such Option.
3.2. Factors in Determination. In making any determination as to whether a Person is an Eligible Individual, as to whether an Eligible Individual will be granted an Option, and as to the number of Shares to be covered by such Option, the Committee shall take into account the duties of such Person, the present and potential contributions of such Person to the growth and success of the Company, and such other factors as the Committee shall deem relevant in connection with accomplishing the purposes of the Plan. The Committee shall not be precluded from approving the grant of an Option to any Eligible Individual solely because such Person may previously have been granted an Option under the Plan.
ARTICLE
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SHARES SUBJECT TO PLAN
4.1. Shares. At no time shall the number of Shares subject to outstanding Options be greater than the Issuable Number. The Company shall cause the Issuable Number of Shares to be reserved for issuance or delivery under the Plan at all times the Plan is in effect.
4.2. Expiration or Cancellation of Options; Tendered Shares. Should any Option expire or be canceled without being fully exercised, the number of Shares with respect to which such Option shall not have been exercised prior to its expiration or cancellation will again be available for the granting of Options pursuant to the provisions hereof. Furthermore, if the exercise price of any Option granted under the Plan is satisfied by tendering Shares (by either actual delivery or by attestation), only the number of Shares issued net of the Shares tendered shall be deemed delivered for purposes of determining the Issuable Number; provided, however, that any increase in the Issuable Number resulting from the application of this sentence shall be reserved for issuance of Shares in satisfaction of Non-Incentive Stock Options only.
4.3. Description of Shares. The Shares to be delivered under the Plan shall be made available from (a) authorized but unissued Shares, (b) Shares held in the treasury of the Company, or (c) previously issued Shares reacquired by the Company, including Shares purchased on the open market, as the Board or the Committee may, in each situation, determine from time to time in its sole and absolute discretion.
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GRANT OF OPTIONS
5.1. Decision of Committee. From time to time the Committee shall, in its sole and absolute discretion but subject to all of the provisions of the Plan, determine which Eligible Individuals will be granted Options, the number of Shares subject to Options, and the terms and conditions of the Options, including whether the Options will be Incentive Stock Options or Non-Incentive Stock Options. The terms and conditions of an Option need not be the same for any other Option.
5.2. Date of Grant. The date of the particular Option Agreement shall be the date on which the Option is deemed granted (“Date of Grant”). In no event shall a Participant gain any rights in addition to those specified by the Committee in its grant, regardless of the time that may pass between the grant of the Option and the actual acceptance of the offer of the Option and execution of the Option Agreement by the Company and the Participant.
5.3. Acceptance of Grant. Each Eligible Individual granted an Option pursuant to Section 5.1 shall have an opportunity to accept or reject the grant of the Option. Execution and delivery of an Option Agreement relating to an Option shall qualify as such written acceptance. Each Eligible Individual who indicates a desire to accept the grant of the Option offered to him or her must enter into an Option Agreement pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof as a condition to such acceptance.
5.4. Limitation of Time of Grant. In no event shall any Incentive Stock Option be granted hereunder after the date that is 60 months after the earlier of (a) the date the Plan is adopted by the Board and (b) the date the Plan is approved by the shareholders of the Company pursuant to Section 9.1.
5.5. Limitation on Incentive Stock Options. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein to the contrary, no Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to an Eligible Individual under the Plan to the extent it, together with all other incentive stock options granted by the Company to such Eligible Individual, would relate to Shares that, in the calendar year they first become purchasable, have a Fair Market Value, at the Date of the Grant, in excess of $100,000, excluding token options granted pursuant to the Company’s Token Option Plan. Notwithstanding the above, to the extent that the $100,000 limit is exceeded, the Option shall automatically be deemed to be a Non-Incentive Stock Option. For the avoidance of doubt, in the calculation of such $100,000 limit, any amount of compensation such Eligible Individual may have received under any token option plan of the Company will not be taken into account.
5.6. Limitation on Recipients of Grant. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein to the contrary, in no event shall any Eligible Individual owning directly or indirectly (pursuant to Code Section 424) more than 10% of the total combined voting power of the Company (a “10% Holder”) be granted an Incentive Stock Option hereunder unless (a) the exercise price is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares at the Date of Grant of the Option and (b) the term of the Option does not exceed 54 months from the Date of Grant. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein to the contrary, in no event shall any Incentive Stock Option (or an incentive stock option under any other plan of the Company) be granted to any Eligible Individual unless such Eligible Individual is a Key Employee of the Company.
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS
6.1. Option Agreement. Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Option Agreement, setting forth the terms and conditions of the Options, consistent with the provisions of the Plan. The Option Agreement shall identify the Option granted as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Incentive Stock Option.
6.2. Number of Shares; Section 83(b) Election. Each Option Agreement shall specify the number of Shares subject to each Option. In the relevant Option Agreement, the Participant may elect, pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code, to include in such Participant’s gross income, as compensation for services, the excess (if any) of the Fair Market Value of the Options granted to such Participant over the amount paid for those Options.
6.3. Exercise Price. The exercise price for each Share purchased under any Option shall be specified in the Option Agreement relating to such Option, which shall not be less than the par value of a Share and, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, shall also not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Date of Grant.
6.4. Payment of Exercise Price. Payment of the exercise price for Shares purchased under the Plan shall be made upon the exercise of an Option and may be paid to the Company:
(a) in cash (including check, bank draft, or money order);
(b) at the discretion of the Committee, or if the Option Agreement so provides, by the delivery of Shares of the Company owned by the Participant (including Shares received upon exercise of such Option) that have a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the aggregate exercise price;
(c) at the discretion of the Committee, or if the Option Agreement so provides, by a combination of the foregoing; or
(d) by delivery of a properly executed notice together with irrevocable instructions to a broker providing for the assignment to the Company of the proceeds of a sale or loan with respect to some or all of the Shares being acquired upon the exercise of the Option (including, without limitation, through an exercise complying with the provisions of Regulation T as promulgated from time to time by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) (a “Cashless Exercise”).
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6.5. Vesting. If the relevant Option Agreement does not specify a Vesting Schedule but (assuming no event of the type described in Article VII that would shorten or extend such term occurs during such term) has a term of four (4) years from the Date of Grant, the Option shall become exercisable with respect to cumulative quantities of (i) up to 25% of the Shares subject thereto on the first anniversary of the Date of Grant and (ii) up to an additional 2.083% of the Shares subject thereto on the corresponding day of each of the succeeding 36 months thereafter (in each case, subject to adjustment as contemplated by Article 7).
6.6. Modification, Extension, and Renewal of Options. Subject to the terms and conditions of and within the limitations of the Plan and any consent required by the last two sentences of this Section, the Committee may (a) modify, extend, or renew outstanding Options, (b) accept the surrender of outstanding Options (to the extent not previously exercised) and authorize the granting of new Options (including those with a higher or lower exercise price) in substitution for outstanding Options (to the extent not previously exercised), and (c) amend the terms of an Incentive Stock Option at any time to include provisions that have the effect of changing the Incentive Stock Option to a Non-incentive Stock Option. Nevertheless, without the consent of the Participant, the Committee may not modify any outstanding Option so as to specify a higher or lower exercise price or accept the surrender of outstanding Incentive Stock Options and authorize the granting of new Options in substitution therefor specifying a higher or lower exercise price. In addition, no modification of an Option shall, without the consent of the Participant, alter or impair any rights or obligations under any Option theretofore granted hereunder to such Participant except, with respect to Incentive Stock Options, as may be necessary to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.
6.7. Exercise of Options Generally. An Option may be exercised only by written notice of exercise delivered to the Company during the term of the Option, which notice shall (a) state the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised, (b) be signed by the Participant (or, if the Participant is dead or Disabled, by the Person, if any, authorized to exercise the Option pursuant to the Plan and, if signed by a Person other than the Participant, be accompanied by or contain satisfactory evidence of such Person’s right to exercise the Option), (c) be accompanied by payment of the appropriate exercise price and by payment in full of all the applicable taxes required to be withheld with respect to such exercise, (d) state the Social Security number of the Participant or other Person exercising the Option as contemplated by clause (b) above, and (e) include or be accompanied by such other information, instruments, agreements, and documents required to satisfy any other condition to exercise specified in the Plan (including but not limited to those contained in Section 6.9, 6.10, and 6.15) or the Option Agreement. Unless otherwise consented to by the Committee, an Option shall not be deemed exercised until the requirements of this Section are completely fulfilled.
6.8. Certain Conditions to Exercise and Delivery of Shares. Nothing herein or in any Option or any Option Agreement shall require the Company to issue or deliver any Shares if that issuance or delivery would, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, constitute a violation of the Securities Act or any similar or superseding statute or statutes, any other applicable statute or regulation, or the rules of any applicable securities exchange or securities association, in each case, as then in effect. The Company may, as a condition precedent to the exercise of an Option, require from the Participant (or in the event of the death or Disability of the Participant, the Participant’s legal representatives, heirs, legatees, or distributees) such written representations, if any, concerning the Participant’s (or such other Person’s) intentions with regard to the retention or disposition of the Shares being acquired and such written covenants and agreements, if any, as to the manner of disposal of such Shares as, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, may be necessary to ensure that any disposition by that Participant (or in the event of the death or Disability of the Participant, the Participant’s legal representatives, heirs, legatees, or distributees), will not involve a violation of the Securities Act or any similar or superseding statute or statutes, any other applicable state or federal statute or regulation, or any rule of any applicable securities exchange or securities association, in each case, as then in effect.
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6.9. Additional Restrictions on Exercise. The exercise of each Option granted under the Plan shall be subject to the condition that if at any time the Company or the Committee shall determine, in its sole and absolute discretion, that (a) the satisfaction of withholding taxes or other withholding liabilities, (b) the listing, registration, or qualification of any Shares otherwise deliverable upon such exercise on any securities exchange or under any state or federal law, or (c) the consent or approval of any regulatory body is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, such exercise or the delivery or purchase of Shares thereunder, then in any such event such exercise shall not be effective unless such withholding, listing, registration, qualification, consent, or approval shall have been effected or obtained without any conditions not acceptable to the Company.
6.10. Non-transferability of Options. Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Stock Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Participant or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Stock Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Participant, no Option shall be transferable by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, in the case of a Non-Incentive Stock Option, a qualified domestic relations order; provided, however, that the Board of Directors or the Committee, as applicable, in its discretion, may allow for transferability of non-qualified stock options by the Participant. Following any such transfer, any such options shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable immediately prior to transfer.
6.11. No Fractional Shares. The Company shall not in any case be required to sell, issue, or deliver a fractional Share with respect to any Option. In lieu of the sale, issuance, or delivery of any fractional Share, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount in cash equal to the same fraction (as the fractional Share) of the Fair Market Value of a Share determined as of the date such Option was exercised.
6.12. Delivery of Certificates of Stock. The Company shall promptly issue and deliver a certificate representing the number of Shares as to which an Option has been duly exercised. The value of the Shares issuable or deliverable upon exercise of an Option shall not bear any interest owing to the passage of time, except as may be otherwise provided in an Option Agreement or approved in writing by the Committee.
6.13. Legends. Certificates for Shares issued or delivered upon exercise of an Option, when delivered, may bear such legends or statements as the Committee or the Company determines to be appropriate or advisable.
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6.14. Restrictions on Transfer of Shares; Rights to Acquire from Participant. Each Option Agreement may provide for (a) restrictions on the transferability of Shares acquired pursuant to an Option or otherwise and (b) options and rights of first refusal with respect to any or all of such Shares in favor of the Company and/or any or all of its shareholders that, in each instance, the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion may deem proper or advisable. To the extent that Participant (or other Person exercising the Option) has not already done so, the Participant (or other Person exercising the Option) will be deemed to have executed a counterpart thereof as of the date of exercise. The Committee may require, as a condition to the exercise of an Option, the Participant and his or her spouse (or other Person exercising the Option) to execute and deliver an agreement confirming the existence and enforceability of any such restrictions on the transferability of the Shares to be acquired upon exercise of such Option and otherwise evidencing their express agreement to be bound thereby. The failure to obtain any such confirmation and agreement shall not have any effect on the existence or enforceability of the restrictions on transferability applicable to such Shares.
6.15. No Rights as Shareholder. The holder of an Option shall not have any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to the Shares covered by the Option unless and until, and except to the extent that, one or more certificates for such Shares shall have been delivered to such holder or such holder has been determined to be a shareholder of record by the Company or its transfer agent upon due exercise of the Option.
TERMINATION OF OPTIONS
7.1. Term of Options. Unless the relevant Option Agreement expressly provides a different term, the term of each Option shall be from the Date of Grant until the date that is four (4) years after such Date of Grant; provided, however, that no Option Agreement relating to an Incentive Stock Option shall permit such Incentive Stock Option to be exercisable later than fifty four (54) months from the Date of Grant.
7.2. Termination Before Option Becomes Exercisable.
(a) Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Stock Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Employee-Participant or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Stock Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Employee-Participant, if an Employee-Participant ceases to be an employee of the Company for any reason whatsoever before the date that an Option shall first have become exercisable by the Employee-Participant, the Option and all rights of the Employee-Participant to exercise the Option shall terminate, lapse, and be forfeited at the time of such termination of employment.
(b) Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Stock Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Participant (other than an Employee-Participant) or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Stock Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Participant (other than an Employee-Participant), if the Participant ceases to serve the Company in the capacity in which the Participant was serving at the time the Option was granted for any reason whatsoever before the date an Option shall first have become exercisable by the Participant , the Option and all rights of the Participant to exercise the Option shall terminate, lapse, and be forfeited at the time the Participant ceases to so serve the Company.
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7.3. Discharge or Resignation.
(a) Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Stock Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Employee-Participant or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Stock Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Employee-Participant, if an Employee-Participant ceases to be an employee of the Company for any reason other than death or Disability, the Employee-Participant shall have the right to exercise an Option, but only to the extent exercisable on the date of such cessation of employment, at any time within three months after such cessation of employment; provided, however, that if the Employee-Participant shall die within three months after such date of cessation of employment without having exercised the Option, the personal representatives, heirs, legatees, or distributees of the Employee-Participant, as appropriate, shall have the right, up to one year from such date of cessation of employment (or such lesser period as is contemplated by Section 7.6 or 7.7, if applicable), to exercise any such Option to the extent that the Option was exercisable prior to the Employee-Participant’s death and had not been so exercised. The Option and all rights of the Employee-Participant to exercise the Option shall terminate, lapse, and be forfeited on the date of such cessation of employment to the extent the Option is not exercisable on such date.
(b) Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Stock Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Participant (other than an Employee-Participant) or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Stock Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Participant (other than an Employee-Participant), if the Participant ceases to serve the Company in the capacity in which the Participant was serving at the time the Option was granted for any reason other than death, the Participant shall have the right to exercise an Option, but only to the extent exercisable.
7.4. Death. Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Stock Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Participant or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Stock Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Participant, upon the death of a Participant, the personal representatives, heirs, legatees, or distributees of the Participant, as appropriate, shall have the right up to one year from the date of the Participant’s death (or such lesser period as is contemplated by Section 7.6 or 7.7, if applicable) to exercise any Option, but only to the extent that the Option was exercisable at the date of the Participant’s death and had not been so exercised. The Option and all rights of the Participant to exercise the Option shall terminate, lapse, and be forfeited on the date of such death to the extent the Option is not exercisable on such date.
7.5. Disability. Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Stock Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Employee-Participant or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Stock Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Employee-Participant, if an Employee-Participant ceases to be an employee of the Company due to such Employee-Participant’s Disability, as determined solely and exclusively by the Committee, the Employee-Participant shall have the right to exercise an Option, but only to the extent exercisable on the date of termination of employment, at any time within one year after such termination of employment (or such lesser period as is contemplated by Section 7.6 or 7.7, if applicable). The Option and all rights of the Participant to exercise the Option shall terminate, lapse, and be forfeited on the date of such termination of employment to the extent the Option is not exercisable on such date.
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7.6. Limitations on Exercise. Despite the provisions of Sections 7.4 and 7.5, no Incentive Stock Option shall be exercisable under any condition after the expiration of fifty four (54) months from the Date of Grant. In addition, the provisions of Sections 7.4 and 7.5, shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 9.6 and 9.7.
7.7. Forfeiture. Each Option Agreement may contain or otherwise provide for conditions giving rise to the forfeiture of the Shares acquired pursuant to an Option or otherwise. The conditions giving rise to forfeiture may include, but need not be limited to, the requirement that the Participant render substantial services to the Company for a specified period of time.
7.8. Compliance with Securities Law. The grant of Options and the issuance of Shares upon exercise of Options shall be subject to compliance with all applicable requirements of federal, state and foreign securities laws. Options may not be exercised if the issuance of Shares upon exercise would constitute a violation of any applicable federal, state or foreign securities laws or other laws or regulations or the requirements of any stock exchange or market system upon which the Shares may then be listed. In addition, no Option may be exercised unless (a) a registration statement under the Securities Act shall at the time of exercise be in effect with respect to the Shares issuable upon such exercise or (b) in the opinion of legal counsel to the Company, the Shares issuable upon exercise may be issued in accordance with the terms of an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The inability of the Company to obtain from any regulatory body having jurisdiction the authority, if any, deemed by the Company’s legal counsel to be necessary to lawfully issue and sell any Shares hereunder shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares. As a condition to the exercise of any Option, the Company may require the Participant to satisfy any qualifications that may be necessary or appropriate, to evidence compliance with any applicable law or regulation and to make any representation or warranty with respect thereto as may be requested by the Company.
8.1. Withholding. The amount, as determined by the Committee, of any federal, state, or local tax required to be withheld by the Company due to the exercise of a Non-Incentive Stock Option shall be satisfied (a) by payment by the Participant to the Company of the amount of such withholding obligation in cash, (b) through the retention by the Company of a number of Shares out of the Shares being purchased through the exercise of the Option having, at the date of withholding, a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of the withholding obligation, (c) through delivery by the Participant of Shares that have Fair Market Value at the date of withholding equal to the amount of the withholding, or (d) any combination of the foregoing. The Committee shall determine the time and must consent to the manner in which a Participant shall satisfy a withholding obligation. The cash payment or cash equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares so withheld, as the case may be, shall be remitted by the Company to the appropriate taxing authorities.
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8.2. Disqualifying Disposition. A Participant who makes a disqualifying disposition (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code) of Shares acquired through the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option shall notify the Company of such disposition and the amount realized upon such disposition. The Company shall have the right to require payment from the Participant to cover any federal, state, or local tax required to be withheld by the Company in the event of the disqualifying disposition of such Shares. If a Participant fails to give the Company notice of the disqualifying disposition and/or fails to make a payment of the applicable withholding taxes and the Company incurs any penalties or becomes liable for any interest under the Code for failure to withhold on wages, the Participant shall immediately reimburse the Company for the amount of such penalties and interest and shall pay the Company reasonable attorneys’ fees if the Company resorts to legal action to enforce its rights under this sentence.
8.3. Section 409A of the Code. To the extent that the Committee determines that any Option granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Option Agreement evidencing such Option shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A of the Code. To the extent applicable, the Plan and Option Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including, without limitation, any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the Effective Date. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date the Board determines that any Option may be subject to Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance (including such Department of Treasury guidance as may be issued after the Effective Date), the Committee may adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Option Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Committee determines are necessary or appropriate to (a) exempt the Option from Section 409A of the Code and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Option , or (b) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance and thereby avoid the application of any penalty taxes under such Section.
8.4. Federal Excise Tax under Section 4999 of the Code.
(a) Excess Parachute Payment. In the event that any acceleration of vesting pursuant to an Option and any other payment or benefit received or to be received by a Participant would subject the Participant to any excise tax pursuant to Section 4999 of the Code due to the characterization of such acceleration of vesting, payment or benefit as an “excess parachute payment” under Section 280G of the Code, the Participant may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, elect, in his or her sole discretion, to reduce the amount of any acceleration of vesting called for under the Option in order to avoid such characterization.
(b) Determination by Independent Accountants. To aid the Participant in making any election called for under Section 8.4(a), no later than the date of the occurrence of any event that might reasonably be anticipated to result in an “excess parachute payment” to the Participant as described in Section 8.4(a), the Company shall request a determination in writing by independent public accountants selected by the Company (the “Accountants”). As soon as practicable thereafter, the Accountants shall determine and report to the Company and the Participant the amount of such acceleration of vesting, payments and benefits that would produce the greatest after-tax benefit to the Participant. For the purposes of such determination, the Accountants may rely on reasonable, good faith interpretations concerning the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code. The Company and the Participant shall furnish to the Accountants such information and documents as the Accountants may reasonably request in order to make their required determination. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses the Accountants may reasonably charge in connection with their services contemplated by this Section 8.4(b).
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9.1. Effective Date. The Plan was adopted by the Board and shall be effective as of August 27, 2019 (the “Effective Date”). The Plan will be submitted for the approval of the Company’s shareholders within twelve (12) months of the date of the Board’s initial adoption of the Plan. Options requiring shareholder approval may be granted prior to such shareholder approval, provided that, such Options shall not be exercisable, shall not vest and the restrictions thereon shall not lapse and no Shares shall be issued pursuant thereto prior to the time when the Plan is approved by the shareholders, and provided further that, if such approval has not been obtained at the end of said twelve (12) month period, all Options that require shareholder approval and were previously granted or awarded under the Plan shall thereupon be canceled and become null and void.
9.2. Termination of Plan. The Board or the Committee may terminate the Plan at any time. However, termination of the Plan shall not affect any Options previously granted hereunder; such Options shall remain in effect until they have been terminated or exercised, all in accordance with their terms, unless such termination is necessary to comply with any applicable law, regulation or rule.
9.3. Furnish Information. Each Participant shall furnish to the Company all information requested by the Company to enable it to comply with any reporting or other requirement imposed upon the Company by or under any applicable statute or regulation.
9.4. Remedies. The Company shall be entitled to recover from a Participant reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with the enforcement of the terms and provisions of the Plan and any Option Agreement whether by an action to enforce specific performance or for damages for its breach or otherwise.
9.5. Information Confidential. As partial consideration for the granting of each Option hereunder, the Participant agrees with the Company to keep confidential all information and knowledge that the Participant has relating to the manner and amount of the Participant’s participation in the Plan; provided, however, that such information may be disclosed as required by law and may be given in confidence to the Participant’s spouse, tax and financial advisors, or to a financial institution to the extent that such information is necessary to secure a loan. In the event any breach of this promise comes to the attention of the Committee, it shall take into consideration that breach in determining whether to recommend the grant of any future Option to that Person as a factor militating against the advisability of granting any such future Option to that Person.
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9.6. Changes in Capital Structure. If there is any change in the capital structure of the Company through a Reorganization or otherwise, or if there shall be any dividend on the Shares, payable in Shares, or if there shall be a stock split or combination of Shares, the maximum aggregate number of Shares with respect to which Options may be exercised hereunder and the number and the exercise price of the Shares with respect to which an Option has been granted hereunder shall be proportionately adjusted by the Committee as it deems equitable, in its absolute discretion, to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants. The issuance or delivery of Shares for consideration shall not be considered a change in the Company’s capital structure. No adjustment provided for in this Section shall require the issuance or delivery of any fractional Share. The provisions of this Section shall not override the provisions of Section 9.7.
9.7. Dissolution, Liquidation, or Reorganization. In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion, may (a) declare any or all outstanding Options to be immediately exercisable, (b) pay cash to any or all Participants in exchange for the cancellation of their Options at a price determined by the Committee to be the fair value thereof, or (c) permit the Participant to elect the manner in which the Option shall be treated upon the liquidation or dissolution of the Company. In the event of a Reorganization of the Company, the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion, may (a) declare any or all outstanding Options to be immediately exercisable, (b) pay cash to any or all Participants in exchange for the cancellation of their Options at a price determined by the Committee to be the fair value thereof, (c) grant new Options, (d) substitute new Options for any or all Options awarded hereunder, (e) permit any or all of the Options to continue in accordance with their terms but with respect to the securities that would be issued in respect of the Shares subject to such Options in connection with such Reorganization, (f) make other adjustments to the Plan or any or all Options, or (g) permit the Participant to elect the manner in which the Option shall be treated upon the Reorganization of the Company.
9.8. Adjustments for Pooling of Interests Accounting. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any Option Agreement, if the Company enters into a transaction that is intended to be accounted for using the pooling of interests method of accounting, but it is determined by the Board that any Option or any aspect thereof could reasonably be expected to preclude such treatment, then the Board may modify (to the minimum extent required) or revoke (if necessary) the Option or any of the provisions thereof to the extent that the Board determines that such modification or revocation is necessary to enable the transaction to be subject to the pooling of interests method of accounting.
9.9. Amendment. The Board may, by resolution, amend the Plan at any time; provided, however, that, subject to the provisions of Section 9.6, 9.7, and 9.8 the Board may not, without approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares, (a) increase the Maximum Number, (b) reduce the exercise price with respect to an Option granted hereunder, contrary to the provisions of the Plan as hereinabove set forth, (c) change the class of employees eligible to participate in the Plan, or (d) otherwise materially increase the benefits accruing to Participants under the Plan or materially modify the requirements with respect to eligibility for participation in the Plan. The Board may not, without the consent of the holder of an Option, alter or impair any Option previously granted under the Plan except as authorized herein.
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9.10. Automatic Amendment for Requirements of and Changes in Code. The Plan, to the extent it relates to Incentive Stock Options, and each Option Agreement that relates to Incentive Stock Options shall automatically be amended to contain any and all of the restrictions and limitations required, by Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder, to be contained in the Plan and/or such Option Agreement, as appropriate. The Plan and each Option Agreement that relates to Incentive Stock Options shall automatically be amended to eliminate any and all of the restrictions and limitations set forth in the Plan or any Option Agreement with respect to Incentive Stock Options if and to the extent that Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder do not require such restrictions and limitations and either permit or do not prohibit such automatic amendments.
9.11. Non-guarantee of Employment. Nothing in the Plan shall confer upon a Participant any right to continue in the employ of, or to continue to perform services for the Company or interfere in any way with the right of The Company to terminate the Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company at any time.
9.12. Severability. If any provision of the Plan is held to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable under present or future laws effective during the term hereof, such provision shall be fully severable and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if such illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision had never comprised a part of the Plan; the remaining provisions of the Plan shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be affected by the illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision or by its severance from the Plan. Furthermore, in lieu of each such illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision, there shall be added automatically as a part of the Plan a provision as similar in terms to such illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be legal, valid, and enforceable. With respect to Incentive Stock Options, if the Plan does not contain any provision required to be included herein under Section 422 of the Code, that provision shall be deemed to be incorporated herein with the same force and effect as if that provision had been set out at length herein; provided, however, that, to the extent any Option that is intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option cannot so qualify, that Option (to that extent) shall be deemed a Non-Incentive Stock Option for all purposes of the Plan.
9.13. Rule 16b-3. With respect to Participants subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, transactions under the Plan are intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 promulgated thereunder, and with respect to such Participants all transactions shall be subject to such conditions regardless of whether they are expressly set forth in the Plan or any Option Agreement. In particular, to the extent that any Participant in the Plan is an “insider”, as defined in Rule 16b-3, at any time that any class of equity security of the Company is registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, the Plan shall be administered in compliance with the applicable requirements, if any, of Rule 16b-3. To the extent any provision of the Plan fails to so comply, the Plan shall automatically be amended to contain any and all of the restrictions and limitations required by Rule 16b-3. To the extent any action by the Committee fails to so comply, such action shall be deemed null and void to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by the Committee.
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9.14. Effect of Plans on Other Compensation Plans. The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other compensation or incentive plans in effect for the Company. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company: (a) to establish any other forms of incentives or compensation for employees, directors or consultants of the Company, or (b) to grant or assume options or other rights or awards otherwise than under the Plan in connection with any proper corporate purpose including without limitation, the grant or assumption of options in connection with the acquisition by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the business, stock or assets of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm or association.
9.15. Governing Law. The Plan and any agreements hereunder shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to conflicts of laws thereof.
9.16. Expenses. Any expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company.
9.17. Construction. Words used in the masculine shall apply to the feminine where applicable, and wherever the context of the Plan dictates, the plural shall be read as the singular and the singular as the plural. The section headings contained in the Plan are for reference purposes only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of the Plan.
9.18. Notice. All notices, requests, demands, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be personally delivered, delivered by facsimile or courier service, or mailed, certified with first class postage prepaid to the address specified by the person who is to receive the same in the relevant Option Agreement.
Unless otherwise provided in an Option Agreement, each such notice, request, demand, or other communication hereunder shall be deemed to have been given (whether actually received or not) on the date of actual delivery thereof, if personally delivered or delivered by facsimile transmission (if receipt is confirmed at the time of such transmission by telephone or facsimile-machine-generated confirmation), or on the third day following the date of mailing, if mailed in accordance with this Section, or on the day specified for delivery to the courier service (if such day is one on which the courier service will give normal assurances that such specified delivery will be made). Unless otherwise provided in an Option Agreement, any notice, request, demand, or other communication given otherwise than in accordance with this Section shall be deemed to have been given on the date actually received. Unless otherwise provided in an Option Agreement, any party may change its address for purposes of this Section by giving written notice of such change to all other persons who may be required or permitted to give any notice, request, demand, or other communication hereunder in the manner hereinabove provided. Any Person entitled to any notice, request, demand, or other communication hereunder may waive the notice, request, demand, or other communication.
9.19. Calculation of Time. In determining the time within which an event or action is to take place for purposes of the Plan, no fraction of a day shall be considered, and any act, the performance of which would fall on a day that is not a Business Day, may be performed on the following Business Day.
9.20. Successors. The Plan shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns and on the Participants and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, and legal representatives to the extent set forth in the Plan.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank]
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EXHIBIT “A”
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
This Stock Option Agreement (this “Option Agreement”) is made and entered into by and between Prometheum, Inc., (the “Company”), and [·] (the “Participant”), as of the effective date of this Option Agreement specified on Schedule I hereof (the “Date of Grant”), pursuant to the Prometheum, Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan adopted effective August 27, 2019 (as the same may have been or hereafter be amended from time to time, the “Plan”). Terms used herein with their initial letters capitalized that are defined in the Plan shall have the meaning given them in the Plan unless otherwise defined herein or the context hereof otherwise requires.
RECITALS:
A. The Company has adopted the Plan to strengthen the ability of the Company to encourage ownership of the Company by certain employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries, to provide additional incentive for them to remain in the employ of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and to promote the growth and success of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
B. The Committee that administers the Plan believes that the granting of the stock option herein described to Participant is consistent with the stated purposes for which the Plan was adopted.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and conditions hereinafter set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the Company and Participant agree as follows:
AGREEMENTS:
1. Plan Controls. The terms of this Option Agreement are governed by the terms of the Plan. Participant hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan, as amended through the date hereof. The Company hereby agrees to furnish to Participant a copy of the Plan, as amended through the date of request therefor, without charge, on request to the Company at the address to which notices are to be sent to the Company. In the case of any inconsistency between the terms of this Option Agreement and the terms of the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall govern.
2. Grant of Option. The Company hereby grants to Participant the right and option (the “Option”) to purchase an aggregate number of shares set forth on Schedule I hereof beside the caption “Number of Optioned Shares” (such number being subject to adjustment as provided in Section 9.6 of the Plan) of the Common Stock of the Company (the “Optioned Shares”) on the terms and conditions herein set forth. If designated on Schedule I hereof as an Incentive Stock Option, this Option is intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option as defined in Section 422 of the Code, and this Option Agreement shall be interpreted accordingly. By execution of this Option Agreement, the Participant accepts the grant of the Option.
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3. Exercise Price. The price at which Participant shall be entitled to purchase the Optioned Shares shall be the dollar amount per share set forth on Schedule I hereof beside the caption “Exercise Price” (such exercise price being subject to adjustment as provided in Section 9.6 of the Plan). The exercise price shall be paid with (a) cash (including check, bank draft, or money order); (b) if the use of shares of Common Stock is permitted according to Schedule I hereof or otherwise permitted by the Committee in writing, shares of Common Stock owned by Participant; or (c) any combination of the foregoing. To make an election under Code Section 83(b) pursuant to Section 6.2 of the Plan, the Participant may complete the Section 83(b) Election attached as Schedule II hereto
4. Option Period. The Option hereby granted shall be and remain in force and effect during the “Option Period.” The Option Period begins on the Date of Grant and terminates on the date that is fifty four (54) months after the Date of Grant (or, if a different date is shown on Schedule I hereof beside the caption “Termination Date”, such date); subject, however to earlier termination as provided by the provisions of Article VII of the Plan and this Option Agreement (it being understood that this Option Agreement contains no express provision that would provide any of the greater or lesser rights that Article VII of the Plan permits to be provided in an Option Agreement except to the extent any variation therefrom is specifically set forth in the language beside the caption “Greater or Lesser Article VII Rights” on Schedule I hereof) (the date of any such termination being called herein the “Expiration Date”).
5. Vesting Schedule. The Option may be exercised, in whole or in part, from and after the following dates and prior to the Expiration Date. Except only as specifically provided elsewhere herein or in the Plan, this Option shall be exercisable with respect to cumulative quantities of (i) up to 25% of the Shares subject thereto on the first anniversary of the Date of Grant and (ii) up to an additional 2.083% of the Shares subject thereto on the corresponding day of each of the succeeding 36 months thereafter (in each case, subject to adjustment as contemplated by Article VII).
6. Non-transferability of Options. Transfers of the Option are restricted as set forth in the Plan except to the extent, if any, transfers are expressly permitted in the language appearing beside the caption “Expanded Rights to Transfer Option” on Schedule I hereof. The Participant agrees to comply with such restrictions.
7. Non-transferability of, and Right to Acquire, Shares. Except to the extent, if any, the language appearing beside the caption “Modifications to Transfer/Repurchase Provisions” on Schedule I hereof modifies the provisions thereof, the Stock Transfer/Repurchase Provisions, which are attached to the Plan as Exhibit A, govern transfers of the Shares acquired upon exercise of the Option and grant certain Persons the right to buy such Shares under certain circumstances. The Participant agrees to comply with the Stock Transfer/Repurchase Provisions (if and as modified).
8. Information Confidential. As partial consideration for the granting of the Option, the Participant agrees with the Company to keep confidential all information and knowledge that the Participant has relating to the manner and amount of the Participant’s participation in the Plan; provided, however, that such information may be disclosed as required by law and may be given in confidence to the Participant’s spouse, the Participant’s tax and financial advisors, or financial institutions to the extent that such information is necessary to secure a loan.
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9. Administration. This Option Agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan. The Plan will be administered by the Committee in accordance with its terms. The Committee has sole and absolute discretion with respect to all matters reserved to it by the Plan and decisions of the Committee with respect to the Plan and to this Option Agreement shall be final and binding upon Participant and the Company. In the event of any conflict between the terms and conditions of this Option Agreement and the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall control.
10. Continuation of Employment. This Option Agreement shall not be construed to confer upon Participant any right to continue in the employ of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and shall not limit the right of the Company, in its sole and absolute discretion, to terminate the employment of Participant at any time.
11. Notice. All notices, requests, demands, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be personally delivered, delivered by facsimile or courier service, or mailed, certified with first class postage prepaid to the address specified by the person who is to receive the same.
Each such notice, request, demand, or other communication hereunder shall be deemed to have been given (whether actually received or not) on the date of actual delivery thereof, if personally delivered or delivered by facsimile transmission (if receipt is confirmed at the time of such transmission by telephone or facsimile-machine-generated confirmation), or on the third day following the date of mailing, if mailed in accordance with this Paragraph, or on the day specified for delivery to the courier service (if such day is one on which the courier service will give normal assurances that such specified delivery will be made). Any notice, request, demand, or other communication given otherwise than in accordance with this Paragraph shall be deemed to have been given on the date actually received. Either party to this Option Agreement may change its address for purposes of this Paragraph by giving written notice of such change to the other party in the manner herein above provided. Any person entitled to any notice, request, demand, or other communication hereunder may waive the notice, request, demand, or other communication. Until changed in accordance herewith, the Company and Participant specify their respective addresses as those set forth below their signatures at the end of this Option Agreement.
12. Paragraph Headings. The Paragraph headings contained in this Option Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Option Agreement.
13. Governing Law and Venue. This Option Agreement and the terms and conditions set forth herein, shall be governed by and construed solely and exclusively in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to the conflicts f laws principles thereof. The parties hereto hereby expressly and irrevocably agree that any suit or proceeding arising directly and/or indirectly pursuant to or under this Option Agreement shall be brought solely in a federal or state court located in the City, County and State of New York. By its execution hereof, the parties hereto covenant and irrevocably submit to the in personam jurisdiction of the federal and state courts located in the City, County and State of New York and agree that any process in any such action may be served upon any of them personally, or by certified mail or registered mail upon them or their agent, return receipt requested, with the same full force and effect as if personally served upon them in New York, New York. The parties hereto expressly and irrevocably waive any claim that any such jurisdiction is not a convenient forum for any such suit or proceeding and any defense or lack of in personam jurisdiction with respect thereto. In the event of any such action or proceeding, the party prevailing therein shall be entitled to payment from the other parties hereto of all of its reasonable counsel fees and disbursements.
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14. Attorney’s Fees. If any action is brought to enforce or interpret the terms of this Option Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs, and necessary disbursements in addition to any other relief to which such party may be entitled.
15. Counterparts. This Option Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and shall be effective when each party hereto has executed at least one counterpart, with the same effect as if all signing parties had signed the same document. All counterparts will be construed together and evidence only one agreement, which, notwithstanding the actual date of execution of any counterpart, shall be deemed to be dated the day and year first written above. In making proof of this Option Agreement, it shall not be necessary to account for a counterpart executed by any party other than the party against whom enforcement is sought or to account for more than one counterpart executed by the party against whom enforcement is sought.
16. Execution by Facsimile. The manual signature of any party hereto that is transmitted to any other party by facsimile shall be deemed for all purposes to be an original signature.
[THIS SPACE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY]
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Executed on the date or dates indicated below, to be effective as of [·], 20[·].
| Prometheum, Inc. | |||
| By: | |||
| Name: | |||
| Title: | |||
| Date: | |||
| Address: | 120 Wall Street, 25th Floor | ||
| New York, NY 10005 | |||
| Participant: | |||
| Name: | |||
| Date: | |||
| Address: | |||
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SCHEDULE I
| DATE OF GRANT: | [·] |
| TYPE OF OPTION: | Incentive Stock Option [_____] |
| Nonqualified Stock Option [ ] | |
| NUMBER OF OPTIONED SHARES: | [_______] |
| EXERCISE PRICE: | $[_____] |
| TERMINATION DATE: | [·] |
| PERMISSION TO PAY WITH SHARES: | Granted Denied |
| EXPANDED RIGHTS TO TRANSFER OPTION: | Granted Denied |
| GREATER OR LESSER ARTICLE VII RIGHTS: | [None] |
Schedule I
SCHEDULE II
Section 83(b) Election
Reference is made to that certain Prometheum Inc. 2019 Stock Option Plan, dated August 27, 2019 (the “Plan”) pursuant to which Options (as defined therein) have been granted to the tax payer referenced below.
The undersigned taxpayer hereby elects, pursuant to § 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, to include in gross income as compensation for services the excess (if any) of the fair market value of the Shares described below over the amount paid for those shares.
| 1. | The name, taxpayer identification number, address of the undersigned, and the taxable year for which this election is being made are: |
TAXPAYER’S NAME: _____________________________________________
TAXPAYER’S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: __________________________
ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________
TAXABLE YEAR: Calendar Year 20__
| 2. | The property which is the subject of this election is __________ Share (as defined above) of Prometheum, Inc. |
| 3. | The property was transferred to the undersigned on ___ __ ____. |
| 4. | The property is subject to the following restrictions: The restrictions set forth in Section 6.14 of the Plan. |
| 5. | The fair market value of the property at the time of transfer (determined without regard to any restriction other than a nonlapse restriction as defined in § 1.83- 3(h) of the Income Tax Regulations) is: $_______ per Share x ________ Share = $___________. |
| 6. | For the property transferred, the undersigned paid $______ per Share x _________ Share = $______________. |
| 7. | The amount to include in gross income is $______________. [The result of the amount reported in Item 5 minus the amount reported in Item 6.] |
The undersigned taxpayer will file this election with the Internal Revenue Service office with which taxpayer files his or her annual income tax return not later than 30 days after the date of transfer of the property. A copy of the election also will be furnished to the person for whom the services were performed. Additionally, the undersigned will include a copy of the election with his or her income tax return for the taxable year in which the property is transferred. The undersigned is the person performing the services in connection with which the property was transferred.
Dated:___________________________ Taxpayer: ___________________________
Schedule II
Exhibit 6.1(b)
PROMETHEUM, INC.
2019 TOKEN OPTION PLAN
August 27, 2019
Table of Contents
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PROMETHEUM, INC.
2019 TOKEN OPTION PLAN
1.1. Purpose of Plan. Prometheum, Inc. (“Prometheum”) 2019 Token Option Plan (Incentive and Non-Incentive) is intended to encourage ownership of Tokens of Prometheum by certain employees of the Company, to provide additional incentive for such employees to remain in the employ of the Company, and to promote the growth and success of the Company. It is intended that the Options issued pursuant to the Plan shall constitute either “incentive stock options” or “incentive options” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations thereunder or non-incentive token options.
1.2. Definitions. Whenever used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates another meaning:
(a) “Board” the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b) “Business Day” any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to remain closed.
(c) “Code” the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(d) “Committee” the Board or, at the option of the Board, a committee designated by the Board, which committee shall consist of not less than one member of the Board who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board. Members of the Committee who are Eligible Individuals shall be eligible for grants of Options; provided that any such grant is approved by a majority of the other members of the Committee or Board. During any period of time in which the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Committee shall be comprised solely of not less than two members, each of whom shall be (i) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, as amended, and (ii) unless otherwise determined by the Board, an “outside director” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(e)(3) and Section 162(m) of the Code.
(e) “Company” Prometheum, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
(f) “Date of Grant” with respect to any Option, the date on which such Option is deemed granted pursuant to Section 5.2.
(g) “Disability” permanent and total disability.
(h) “Eligible Individual” (i) a Key Employee or (ii) any other Person that the Committee designates as eligible to receive a Non-incentive Token Option (or, to the extent Incentive Token Options may be granted to such Persons, an Incentive Token Option) because such other Person performs services for the Company (such as a contractor, but other than a Person that provides services in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction capacity ) and the Committee determines that the Person has a direct and significant effect on the financial development of the Company, but excluding, under (i) and/or (ii), any Person that the Board may from time to time specify as ineligible.
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(i) “Employee-Participant” a Participant who is, at the Date of Grant of the relevant Option, an employee of the Company.
(j) “Exchange Act” the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(k) “Fair Market Value” (a) if the Tokens are listed on a national securities exchange or otherwise, either the last reported sales price reflected on the composite tape of such exchange on which the Tokens are so listed on the most recent Business Day or, if applicable, the average of the bid and ask prices reflected on such exchange on such Business Day and, (b) if clause (a) does not apply, the fair market value of the Tokens as determined by the Committee from time to time.
(l) “Incentive Token Option” an option to purchase Tokens granted pursuant to the Plan that could be construed as an “incentive stock option” or “incentive option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
(m) “Issuable Number” at any time, the Maximum Number less the number of Tokens theretofore issued or delivered under the Plan.
(n) “Key Employee” any employee of the Company who the Committee determines is key to the operations of the Company.
(o) “Maximum Number” the maximum number of Tokens that may be issued or delivered under the Plan, which is 5,000,000 (subject to adjustment as set forth in Section 9.7 hereof).
(p) “Non-Incentive Token Option” an option to purchase Tokens granted pursuant to the Plan that is not an Incentive Token Option.
(q) “Option” an option to purchase Tokens granted pursuant to the Plan that is an Incentive Token Option or a Non-Incentive Token Option.
(r) “Option Agreement” the agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (or such other form as may be revised and then approved by the Committee, from time to time, for use under the Plan pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof), between the Company and an individual Participant, evidencing the grant of an Option under the Plan and containing the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the Plan, that are applicable to such Option. In the event that the form of Option Agreement is modified by the Committee, the form as revised shall be inserted as Exhibit A in substitution of the current form.
(s) “Participant” an Eligible Individual to whom an Option is granted under the Plan.
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(t) “Person” any natural person, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, or other entity.
(u) “Plan” the PROMETHEUM 2019 Token Option Plan (Incentive and Non-Incentive), as set forth herein, as created hereby, and as it may be amended from time to time in accordance with Section 9.9.
(v) “Securities Act” the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(w) “Token” a unit or units of the Company’s Ember token or Ember token warrants.
(x) “Treasury Regulations” the regulations promulgated by the United States Department of the Treasury pursuant to and in respect of provisions of the Code. All references herein to sections of the Treasury Regulations shall include any corresponding provisions of succeeding, similar, substitute, proposed, temporary, or final Treasury Regulations.
(y) “Vesting Schedule” a schedule on which an Option becomes exercisable as to a specific number of Tokens subject to such Option.
ARTICLE
2
ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN
2.1. Administration. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee is authorized to take the following actions, in its sole and absolute discretion, in addition to each other action that the Committee is expressly authorized to take pursuant to the Plan:
(a) determine who is an Eligible Individual and determine the Eligible Individuals to whom Options are to be granted;
(b) determine the number of Tokens to be covered by each of the Options, the time or times at which Options shall be granted and exercisable and terminate, the exercise price for Tokens subject to the Options, whether such Options shall be Incentive Token Options or Non-Incentive Token Options, and the other terms and provisions of each Option Agreement (which need not be identical, and, for the avoidance of doubt, the Committee is fully authorized to draft the terms of each Option Agreement as it sees fit, in its sole and absolute discretion, with regard to each individual Participant) and to modify the form of Option Agreement attached as Exhibit A;
(c) interpret the Plan provisions;
(d) terminate the Plan;
(e) adopt, amend, and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan and the functioning of the Committee and advise the Board with regard to Plan amendment pursuant to Section 9.9;
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(f) determine the Fair Market Value of Tokens;
(g) accelerate the vesting of Options;
(h) retain external professionals to advise on Plan administration and rely on the employees of the Company for such clerical and record-keeping duties as may be necessary or desirable in connection with the administration of the Plan; and
(i) make all other determinations and take all other actions necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.
2.2. Absolute Discretion. All questions of interpretation and application of the Plan or any Option Agreement or pertaining to any Option granted hereunder shall be subject to the determination by a majority of the members of the Committee acting with sole and absolute discretion.
2.3. No Liability for Good Faith Determinations. No member of the Committee shall be liable for any act, omission, or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Option, and members of the Committee shall be entitled to indemnification and reimbursement by the Company in respect of any claim, loss, damage, or expense (including attorneys’ fees, and the costs of settling any suit if such settlement is approved by independent legal counsel selected by the Company), and amounts paid in satisfaction of a judgment (except a judgment based on a finding of bad faith) arising therefrom to the full extent permitted by law and under any directors and officers liability or similar insurance coverage that may from time to time be in effect. This right to indemnification shall be in addition to, and not a limitation on, any other indemnification rights any member of the Committee may have.
2.4. No Liability of Company. The Company assumes no obligation or responsibility to any Participant for any act of, or failure to act on the part of, the Committee.
ARTICLE
3
ELIGIBILITY OF PARTICIPANTS
3.1. Participants. An Option may be granted pursuant to the Plan only to a Person who is an Eligible Individual at the Date of Grant of such Option.
3.2. Factors in Determination. In making any determination as to whether a Person is an Eligible Individual, as to whether an Eligible Individual will be granted an Option, and as to the number of Tokens to be covered by such Option, the Committee shall take into account the duties of such Person, the present and potential contributions of such Person to the growth and success of the Company, and such other factors as the Committee shall deem relevant in connection with accomplishing the purposes of the Plan. The Committee shall not be precluded from approving the grant of an Option to any Eligible Individual solely because such Person may previously have been granted an Option under the Plan.
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ARTICLE
4
TOKENS SUBJECT TO PLAN
4.1. Tokens. At no time shall the number of Tokens subject to outstanding Options be greater than the Issuable Number. The Company shall cause the Issuable Number of Tokens to be reserved for issuance or delivery under the Plan at all times the Plan is in effect.
4.2. Expiration or Cancellation of Options; Tendered Tokens. Should any Option expire or be canceled without being fully exercised, the number of Tokens with respect to which such Option shall not have been exercised prior to its expiration or cancellation will again be available for the granting of Options pursuant to the provisions hereof. Furthermore, if the exercise price of any Option granted under the Plan is satisfied by tendering Tokens (by either actual delivery or by attestation), only the number of Tokens issued net of the Tokens tendered shall be deemed delivered for purposes of determining the Issuable Number; provided, however, that any increase in the Issuable Number resulting from the application of this sentence shall be reserved for issuance of Tokens in satisfaction of Non-Incentive Token Options only.
4.3. Description of Tokens. The Tokens to be delivered under the Plan shall be made available from (a) authorized but unissued Tokens, (b) Tokens held in the treasury of the Company, or (c) previously issued Tokens reacquired by the Company, including Tokens purchased on the open market, as the Board or the Committee may, in each situation, determine from time to time in its sole and absolute discretion.
5.1. Decision of Committee. From time to time the Committee shall, in its sole and absolute discretion but subject to all of the provisions of the Plan, determine which Eligible Individuals will be granted Options, the number of Tokens subject to Options, and the terms and conditions of the Options, including whether the Options will be Incentive Token Options or Non-Incentive Token Options. The terms and conditions of an Option need not be the same for any other Option.
5.2. Date of Grant. The date of the particular Option Agreement shall be the date on which the Option is deemed granted (“Date of Grant”). In no event shall a Participant gain any rights in addition to those specified by the Committee in its grant, regardless of the time that may pass between the grant of the Option and the actual acceptance of the offer of the Option and execution of the Option Agreement by the Company and the Participant.
5.3. Acceptance of Grant. Each Eligible Individual granted an Option pursuant to Section 5.1 shall have an opportunity to accept or reject the grant of the Option. Execution and delivery of an Option Agreement relating to an Option shall qualify as such written acceptance. Each Eligible Individual who indicates a desire to accept the grant of the Option offered to him or her must enter into an Option Agreement pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof as a condition to such acceptance.
5.4. Limitation of Time of Grant. In no event shall any Incentive Token Option be granted hereunder after the date that is 54 months after the earlier of (a) the date the Plan is adopted by the Board and (b) the date the Plan is approved by the shareholders of the Company pursuant to Section 9.1.
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5.5. Limitation on Incentive Token Options. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein to the contrary, no Incentive Token Option shall be granted to an Eligible Individual under the Plan to the extent it, would relate to Tokens that, in the calendar year they first become purchasable, have a Fair Market Value, at the Date of the Grant, in excess of $100,000. Notwithstanding the above, to the extent that the $100,000 limit is exceeded, the Option shall automatically be deemed to be a Non-Incentive Token Option. For the avoidance of doubt, in the calculation of such $100,000 limit, any amount of compensation such Eligible Individual may have received under any stock option plan offered by the Company will not be taken into account.
5.6. Limitation on Recipients of Grant. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein to the contrary, in no event shall any Eligible Individual owning directly or indirectly (pursuant to Code Section 424) more than 10% of the total combined voting power of the Company (a “10% Holder”) be granted an Incentive Token Option hereunder unless (a) the exercise price is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Tokens at the Date of Grant of the Option and (b) the term of the Option does not exceed four (4) years from the Date of Grant. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein to the contrary, in no event shall any Incentive Token Option (or an incentive Token option under any other plan of the Company) be granted to any Eligible Individual unless such Eligible Individual is a Key Employee of the Company.
ARTICLE
6
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS
6.1. Option Agreement. Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Option Agreement, setting forth the terms and conditions of the Options, consistent with the provisions of the Plan. The Option Agreement shall identify the Option granted as either an Incentive Token Option or a Non-Incentive Token Option.
6.2. Number of Tokens; Section 83(b) Election. Each Option Agreement shall specify the number of Tokens subject to each Option. In the relevant Option Agreement, the Participant may elect, pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code, to include in such Participant’s gross income, as compensation for services, the excess (if any) of the Fair Market Value of the Tokens granted to such Participant over the amount paid for those Tokens.
6.3. Exercise Price. The exercise price for each Token purchased under any Option shall be specified in the Option Agreement relating to such Option, which shall not be less than the par value of a Token and, in the case of an Incentive Token Option, shall also not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Token on the Date of Grant.
6.4. Payment of Exercise Price. Payment of the exercise price for Tokens purchased under the Plan shall be made upon the exercise of an Option and may be paid to the Company:
(a) in cash (including check, bank draft, or money order);
(b) at the discretion of the Committee, or if the Option Agreement so provides, by the delivery of Tokens of the Company owned by the Participant (including Tokens received upon exercise of such Option) that have a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the aggregate exercise price;
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(c) at the discretion of the Committee, or if the Option Agreement so provides, by a combination of the foregoing; or
(d) by delivery of a properly executed notice together with irrevocable instructions to a broker providing for the assignment to the Company of the proceeds of a sale or loan with respect to some or all of the Tokens being acquired upon the exercise of the Option (including, without limitation, through an exercise complying with the provisions of Regulation T as promulgated from time to time by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) (a “Cashless Exercise”).
6.5. Vesting. If the relevant Option Agreement does not specify a Vesting Schedule but (assuming no event of the type described in Article VII that would shorten or extend such term occurs during such term) has a term of four (4) years from the Date of Grant, the Option shall become exercisable with respect to cumulative quantities of (i) up to 25% of the Tokens subject thereto on the first anniversary of the Date of Grant and (ii) up to an additional 2.083% of the Tokens subject thereto on the corresponding day of each of the succeeding 36 months thereafter (in each case, subject to adjustment as contemplated by Article VII).
6.6. Modification, Extension, and Renewal of Options. Subject to the terms and conditions of and within the limitations of the Plan and any consent required by the last two sentences of this Section, the Committee may (a) modify, extend, or renew outstanding Options, (b) accept the surrender of outstanding Options (to the extent not previously exercised) and authorize the granting of new Options (including those with a higher or lower exercise price) in substitution for outstanding Options (to the extent not previously exercised), and (c) amend the terms of an Incentive Token Option at any time to include provisions that have the effect of changing the Incentive Token Option to a Non-incentive Token Option. Nevertheless, without the consent of the Participant, the Committee may not modify any outstanding Option so as to specify a higher or lower exercise price or accept the surrender of outstanding Incentive Token Options and authorize the granting of new Options in substitution therefor specifying a higher or lower exercise price. In addition, no modification of an Option shall, without the consent of the Participant, alter or impair any rights or obligations under any Option theretofore granted hereunder to such Participant except, with respect to Incentive Token Options, as may be necessary to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.
6.7. Exercise of Options Generally. An Option may be exercised only by written notice of exercise delivered to the Company during the term of the Option, which notice shall (a) state the number of Tokens with respect to which the Option is being exercised, (b) be signed by the Participant (or, if the Participant is dead or Disabled, by the Person, if any, authorized to exercise the Option pursuant to the Plan and, if signed by a Person other than the Participant, be accompanied by or contain satisfactory evidence of such Person’s right to exercise the Option), (c) be accompanied by payment of the appropriate exercise price and by payment in full of all the applicable taxes required to be withheld with respect to such exercise, (d) state the Social Security number of the Participant or other Person exercising the Option as contemplated by clause (b) above, and (e) include or be accompanied by such other information, instruments, agreements, and documents required to satisfy any other condition to exercise specified in the Plan (including but not limited to those contained in Section 6.9, 6.10, and 6.15) or the Option Agreement. Unless otherwise consented to by the Committee, an Option shall not be deemed exercised until the requirements of this Section are completely fulfilled.
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6.8. Certain Conditions to Exercise and Delivery of Tokens. Nothing herein or in any Option or any Option Agreement shall require the Company to issue or deliver any Tokens if that issuance or delivery would, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, constitute a violation of the Securities Act or any similar or superseding statute or statutes, any other applicable statute or regulation, or the rules of any applicable securities exchange or securities association, in each case, as then in effect. The Company may, as a condition precedent to the exercise of an Option, require from the Participant (or in the event of the death or Disability of the Participant, the Participant’s legal representatives, heirs, legatees, or distributees) such written representations, if any, concerning the Participant’s (or such other Person’s) intentions with regard to the retention or disposition of the Tokens being acquired and such written covenants and agreements, if any, as to the manner of disposal of such Tokens as, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, may be necessary to ensure that any disposition by that Participant (or in the event of the death or Disability of the Participant, the Participant’s legal representatives, heirs, legatees, or distributees), will not involve a violation of the Securities Act or any similar or superseding statute or statutes, any other applicable state or federal statute or regulation, or any rule of any applicable securities exchange or securities association, in each case, as then in effect.
6.9. Additional Restrictions on Exercise. The exercise of each Option granted under the Plan shall be subject to the condition that if at any time the Company or the Committee shall determine, in its sole and absolute discretion, that (a) the satisfaction of withholding taxes or other withholding liabilities, (b) the listing, registration, or qualification of any Tokens otherwise deliverable upon such exercise on any securities exchange or under any state or federal law, or (c) the consent or approval of any regulatory body is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, such exercise or the delivery or purchase of Tokens thereunder, then in any such event such exercise shall not be effective unless such withholding, listing, registration, qualification, consent, or approval shall have been effected or obtained without any conditions not acceptable to the Company.
6.10. Non-transferability of Options. Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Token Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Participant or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Token Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Participant, no Option shall be transferable by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, in the case of a Non-Incentive Token Option, a qualified domestic relations order; provided, however, that the Board of Directors or the Committee, as applicable, in its discretion, may allow for transferability of non-qualified Token options by the Participant. Following any such transfer, any such options shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable immediately prior to transfer.
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6.11. Restrictions on Transfer of Tokens; Rights to Acquire from Participant. Each Option Agreement may provide for (a) restrictions on the transferability of Tokens acquired pursuant to an Option or otherwise and (b) options and rights of first refusal with respect to any or all of such Tokens in favor of the Company and/or any or all of its shareholders that, in each instance, the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion may deem proper or advisable. To the extent that Participant (or other Person exercising the Option) has not already done so, the Participant (or other Person exercising the Option) will be deemed to have executed a counterpart thereof as of the date of exercise. The Committee may require, as a condition to the exercise of an Option, the Participant and his or her spouse (or other Person exercising the Option) to execute and deliver an agreement confirming the existence and enforceability of any such restrictions on the transferability of the Tokens to be acquired upon exercise of such Option and otherwise evidencing their express agreement to be bound thereby. The failure to obtain any such confirmation and agreement shall not have any effect on the existence or enforceability of the restrictions on transferability applicable to such Tokens.
6.12. No Rights as Shareholder. The holder of an Option, or the Tokens issued upon exercise of the Option, shall not have any of the rights of a shareholder or debt holder, or any category of creditor of, the Company.
ARTICLE
7
TERMINATION OF OPTIONS
7.1. Term of Options. Unless the relevant Option Agreement expressly provides a different term, the term of each Option shall be from the Date of Grant until the date that is four (4) years after such Date of Grant; provided, however, that no Option Agreement relating to an Incentive Token Option shall permit such Incentive Token Option to be exercisable later than fifty four (54) months from the Date of Grant.
7.2. Termination Before Option Becomes Exercisable.
(a) Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Token Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Employee-Participant or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Token Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Employee-Participant, if an Employee-Participant ceases to be an employee of the Company for any reason whatsoever before the date that an Option shall first have become exercisable by the Employee-Participant, the Option and all rights of the Employee-Participant to exercise the Option shall terminate, lapse, and be forfeited at the time of such termination of employment.
(b) Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Token Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Participant (other than an Employee-Participant) or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Token Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Participant (other than an Employee-Participant), if the Participant ceases to serve the Company in the capacity in which the Participant was serving at the time the Option was granted for any reason whatsoever before the date an Option shall first have become exercisable by the Participant , the Option and all rights of the Participant to exercise the Option shall terminate, lapse, and be forfeited at the time the Participant ceases to so serve the Company.
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7.3. Discharge or Resignation.
(c) Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Token Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Employee-Participant or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Token Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Employee-Participant, if an Employee-Participant ceases to be an employee of the Company for any reason other than death or Disability, the Employee-Participant shall have the right to exercise an Option, but only to the extent exercisable on the date of such cessation of employment, at any time within three months after such cessation of employment; provided, however, that if the Employee-Participant shall die within three months after such date of cessation of employment without having exercised the Option, the personal representatives, heirs, legatees, or distributees of the Employee-Participant, as appropriate, shall have the right, up to one year from such date of cessation of employment (or such lesser period as is contemplated by Section 7.6 or 7.7, if applicable), to exercise any such Option to the extent that the Option was exercisable prior to the Employee-Participant’s death and had not been so exercised. The Option and all rights of the Employee-Participant to exercise the Option shall terminate, lapse, and be forfeited on the date of such cessation of employment to the extent the Option is not exercisable on such date.
(d) Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Token Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Participant (other than an Employee-Participant) or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Token Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Participant (other than an Employee-Participant), if the Participant ceases to serve the Company in the capacity in which the Participant was serving at the time the Option was granted for any reason other than death, the Participant shall have the right to exercise an Option, but only to the extent exercisable.
7.4. Death. Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Token Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Participant or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Token Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Participant, upon the death of a Participant, the personal representatives, heirs, legatees, or distributees of the Participant, as appropriate, shall have the right up to one year from the date of the Participant’s death (or such lesser period as is contemplated by Section 7.6 or 7.7, if applicable) to exercise any Option, but only to the extent that the Option was exercisable at the date of the Participant’s death and had not been so exercised. The Option and all rights of the Participant to exercise the Option shall terminate, lapse, and be forfeited on the date of such death to the extent the Option is not exercisable on such date.
7.5. Disability. Unless the relevant Option Agreement with respect to a Non-Incentive Token Option expressly provides greater or lesser rights to the Employee-Participant or the relevant Option Agreement with respect to an Incentive Token Option expressly provides lesser rights to the Employee-Participant, if an Employee-Participant ceases to be an employee of the Company due to such Employee-Participant’s Disability, as determined solely and exclusively by the Committee, the Employee-Participant shall have the right to exercise an Option, but only to the extent exercisable on the date of termination of employment, at any time within one year after such termination of employment (or such lesser period as is contemplated by Section 7.6 or 7.7, if applicable). The Option and all rights of the Participant to exercise the Option shall terminate, lapse, and be forfeited on the date of such termination of employment to the extent the Option is not exercisable on such date.
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7.6. Limitations on Exercise. Despite the provisions of Sections 7.4 and 7.5, no Incentive Token Option shall be exercisable under any condition after the expiration of fifty four (54) months from the Date of Grant. In addition, the provisions of Sections 7.4 and 7.5, shall be subject to the provisions of Section 9.7.
7.7. Forfeiture. Each Option Agreement may contain or otherwise provide for conditions giving rise to the forfeiture of the Tokens acquired pursuant to an Option or otherwise. The conditions giving rise to forfeiture may include, but need not be limited to, the requirement that the Participant render substantial services to the Company for a specified period of time.
7.8. Compliance with Securities Law. The grant of Options and the issuance of Tokens upon exercise of Options shall be subject to compliance with all applicable requirements of federal, state and foreign securities laws. Options may not be exercised if the issuance of Tokens upon exercise would constitute a violation of any applicable federal, state or foreign securities laws or other laws or regulations or the requirements of any exchange, national or otherwise or market system upon which the Tokens may then be listed. In addition, no Option may be exercised unless (a) a registration statement under the Securities Act shall at the time of exercise be in effect with respect to the Tokens issuable upon such exercise or (b) in the opinion of legal counsel to the Company, the Tokens issuable upon exercise may be issued in accordance with the terms of an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The inability of the Company to obtain from any regulatory body having jurisdiction the authority, if any, deemed by the Company’s legal counsel to be necessary to lawfully issue and sell any Tokens hereunder shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Tokens. As a condition to the exercise of any Option, the Company may require the Participant to satisfy any qualifications that may be necessary or appropriate, to evidence compliance with any applicable law or regulation and to make any representation or warranty with respect thereto as may be requested by the Company.
8.1. Withholding. The amount, as determined by the Committee, of any federal, state, or local tax required to be withheld by the Company due to the exercise of a Non-Incentive Token Option shall be satisfied (a) by payment by the Participant to the Company of the amount of such withholding obligation in cash, (b) through the retention by the Company of a number of Tokens out of the Tokens being purchased through the exercise of the Option having, at the date of withholding, a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of the withholding obligation, (c) through delivery by the Participant of Tokens that have Fair Market Value at the date of withholding equal to the amount of the withholding, or (d) any combination of the foregoing. The Committee shall determine the time and must consent to the manner in which a Participant shall satisfy a withholding obligation. The cash payment or cash equal to the Fair Market Value of the Tokens so withheld, as the case may be, shall be remitted by the Company to the appropriate taxing authorities.
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8.2. Disqualifying Disposition. A Participant who makes a disqualifying disposition (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code) of Tokens acquired through the exercise of an Incentive Token Option shall notify the Company of such disposition and the amount realized upon such disposition. The Company shall have the right to require payment from the Participant to cover any federal, state, or local tax required to be withheld by the Company in the event of the disqualifying disposition of such Tokens. If a Participant fails to give the Company notice of the disqualifying disposition and/or fails to make a payment of the applicable withholding taxes and the Company incurs any penalties or becomes liable for any interest under the Code for failure to withhold on wages, the Participant shall immediately reimburse the Company for the amount of such penalties and interest and shall pay the Company reasonable attorneys’ fees if the Company resorts to legal action to enforce its rights under this sentence.
8.3. Section 409A of the Code. To the extent that the Committee determines that any Option granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Option Agreement evidencing such Option shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A of the Code. To the extent applicable, the Plan and Option Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including, without limitation, any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the Effective Date. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date the Board determines that any Option may be subject to Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance (including such Department of Treasury guidance as may be issued after the Effective Date), the Committee may adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Option Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Committee determines are necessary or appropriate to (a) exempt the Option from Section 409A of the Code and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Option , or (b) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance and thereby avoid the application of any penalty taxes under such Section.
8.4. Federal Excise Tax under Section 4999 of the Code.
(a) Excess Parachute Payment. In the event that any acceleration of vesting pursuant to an Option and any other payment or benefit received or to be received by a Participant would subject the Participant to any excise tax pursuant to Section 4999 of the Code due to the characterization of such acceleration of vesting, payment or benefit as an “excess parachute payment” under Section 280G of the Code, the Participant may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, elect, in his or her sole discretion, to reduce the amount of any acceleration of vesting called for under the Option in order to avoid such characterization.
(b) Determination by Independent Accountants. To aid the Participant in making any election called for under Section 8.4(a), no later than the date of the occurrence of any event that might reasonably be anticipated to result in an “excess parachute payment” to the Participant as described in Section 8.4(a), the Company shall request a determination in writing by independent public accountants selected by the Company (the “Accountants”). As soon as practicable thereafter, the Accountants shall determine and report to the Company and the Participant the amount of such acceleration of vesting, payments and benefits that would produce the greatest after-tax benefit to the Participant. For the purposes of such determination, the Accountants may rely on reasonable, good faith interpretations concerning the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code. The Company and the Participant shall furnish to the Accountants such information and documents as the Accountants may reasonably request in order to make their required determination. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses the Accountants may reasonably charge in connection with their services contemplated by this Section 8.4(b).
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9.1. Effective Date. The Plan was adopted by the Board and shall be effective as of August 27, 2019 (the “Effective Date”). The Plan will be submitted for the approval of the Company’s shareholders within twelve (12) months of the date of the Board’s initial adoption of the Plan. Options requiring shareholder approval may be granted prior to such shareholder approval, provided that, such Options shall not be exercisable, shall not vest and the restrictions thereon shall not lapse and no Tokens shall be issued pursuant thereto prior to the time when the Plan is approved by the shareholders, and provided further that, if such approval has not been obtained at the end of said twelve (12) month period, all Options that require shareholder approval and were previously granted or awarded under the Plan shall thereupon be canceled and become null and void.
9.2. Termination of Plan. The Board or the Committee may terminate the Plan at any time. However, termination of the Plan shall not affect any Options previously granted hereunder; such Options shall remain in effect until they have been terminated or exercised, all in accordance with their terms, unless such termination is necessary to comply with any applicable law, regulation or rule.
9.3. Furnish Information. Each Participant shall furnish to the Company all information requested by the Company to enable it to comply with any reporting or other requirement imposed upon the Company by or under any applicable statute or regulation.
9.4. Remedies. The Company shall be entitled to recover from a Participant reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with the enforcement of the terms and provisions of the Plan and any Option Agreement whether by an action to enforce specific performance or for damages for its breach or otherwise.
9.5. Information Confidential. As partial consideration for the granting of each Option hereunder, the Participant agrees with the Company to keep confidential all information and knowledge that the Participant has relating to the manner and amount of the Participant’s participation in the Plan; provided, however, that such information may be disclosed as required by law and may be given in confidence to the Participant’s spouse, tax and financial advisors, or to a financial institution to the extent that such information is necessary to secure a loan. In the event any breach of this promise comes to the attention of the Committee, it shall take into consideration that breach in determining whether to recommend the grant of any future Option to that Person as a factor militating against the advisability of granting any such future Option to that Person.
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9.6. Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion, may (a) declare any or all outstanding Options to be immediately exercisable, (b) pay cash to any or all Participants in exchange for the cancellation of their Options at a price determined by the Committee to be the fair value thereof, or (c) permit the Participant to elect the manner in which the Option shall be treated upon the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
9.7. Adjustments for Pooling of Interests Accounting. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any Option Agreement, if the Company enters into a transaction that is intended to be accounted for using the pooling of interests method of accounting, but it is determined by the Board that any Option or any aspect thereof could reasonably be expected to preclude such treatment, then the Board may modify (to the minimum extent required) or revoke (if necessary) the Option or any of the provisions thereof to the extent that the Board determines that such modification or revocation is necessary to enable the transaction to be subject to the pooling of interests method of accounting.
9.8. Amendment. The Board may, by resolution, amend the Plan at any time; provided, however, that, subject to the provisions of Section 9.7, and 9.8 the Board may not, without approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company, (a) increase the Maximum Number, (b) reduce the exercise price with respect to an Option granted hereunder, contrary to the provisions of the Plan as hereinabove set forth, (c) change the class of employees eligible to participate in the Plan, or (d) otherwise materially increase the benefits accruing to Participants under the Plan or materially modify the requirements with respect to eligibility for participation in the Plan. The Board may not, without the consent of the holder of an Option, alter or impair any Option previously granted under the Plan except as authorized herein.
9.9. Automatic Amendment for Requirements of and Changes in Code. The Plan, to the extent it relates to Incentive Token Options, and each Option Agreement that relates to Incentive Token Options shall automatically be amended to contain any and all of the restrictions and limitations required, by Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder, to be contained in the Plan and/or such Option Agreement, as appropriate. The Plan and each Option Agreement that relates to Incentive Token Options shall automatically be amended to eliminate any and all of the restrictions and limitations set forth in the Plan or any Option Agreement with respect to Incentive Token Options if and to the extent that Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder do not require such restrictions and limitations and either permit or do not prohibit such automatic amendments.
9.10. Non-guarantee of Employment. Nothing in the Plan shall confer upon a Participant any right to continue in the employ of, or to continue to perform services for the Company or interfere in any way with the right of The Company to terminate the Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company at any time.
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9.11. Severability. If any provision of the Plan is held to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable under present or future laws effective during the term hereof, such provision shall be fully severable and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if such illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision had never comprised a part of the Plan; the remaining provisions of the Plan shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be affected by the illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision or by its severance from the Plan. Furthermore, in lieu of each such illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision, there shall be added automatically as a part of the Plan a provision as similar in terms to such illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be legal, valid, and enforceable. With respect to Incentive Token Options, if the Plan does not contain any provision required to be included herein under Section 422 of the Code, that provision shall be deemed to be incorporated herein with the same force and effect as if that provision had been set out at length herein; provided, however, that, to the extent any Option that is intended to qualify as an Incentive Token Option cannot so qualify, that Option (to that extent) shall be deemed a Non-Incentive Token Option for all purposes of the Plan.
9.12. Rule 16b-3. With respect to Participants subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, transactions under the Plan are intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 promulgated thereunder, and with respect to such Participants all transactions shall be subject to such conditions regardless of whether they are expressly set forth in the Plan or any Option Agreement. In particular, to the extent that any Participant in the Plan is an “insider”, as defined in Rule 16b-3, at any time that any class of equity security of the Company is registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, the Plan shall be administered in compliance with the applicable requirements, if any, of Rule 16b-3. To the extent any provision of the Plan fails to so comply, the Plan shall automatically be amended to contain any and all of the restrictions and limitations required by Rule 16b-3. To the extent any action by the Committee fails to so comply, such action shall be deemed null and void to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by the Committee.
9.13. Effect of Plans on Other Compensation Plans. The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other compensation or incentive plans in effect for the Company. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company: (a) to establish any other forms of incentives or compensation for employees, directors or consultants of the Company, or (b) to grant or assume options or other rights or awards otherwise than under the Plan in connection with any proper corporate purpose including without limitation, the grant or assumption of options in connection with the acquisition by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the business, Token or assets of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm or association.
9.14. Governing Law. The Plan and any agreements hereunder shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to conflicts of laws thereof.
9.15. Expenses. Any expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company.
9.16. Construction. Words used in the masculine shall apply to the feminine where applicable, and wherever the context of the Plan dictates, the plural shall be read as the singular and the singular as the plural. The section headings contained in the Plan are for reference purposes only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of the Plan.
9.17. Notice. All notices, requests, demands, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be personally delivered, delivered by facsimile or courier service, or mailed, certified with first class postage prepaid to the address specified by the person who is to receive the same in the relevant Option Agreement.
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Unless otherwise provided in an Option Agreement, each such notice, request, demand, or other communication hereunder shall be deemed to have been given (whether actually received or not) on the date of actual delivery thereof, if personally delivered or delivered by facsimile transmission (if receipt is confirmed at the time of such transmission by telephone or facsimile-machine-generated confirmation), or on the third day following the date of mailing, if mailed in accordance with this Section, or on the day specified for delivery to the courier service (if such day is one on which the courier service will give normal assurances that such specified delivery will be made). Unless otherwise provided in an Option Agreement, any notice, request, demand, or other communication given otherwise than in accordance with this Section shall be deemed to have been given on the date actually received. Unless otherwise provided in an Option Agreement, any party may change its address for purposes of this Section by giving written notice of such change to all other persons who may be required or permitted to give any notice, request, demand, or other communication hereunder in the manner hereinabove provided. Any Person entitled to any notice, request, demand, or other communication hereunder may waive the notice, request, demand, or other communication.
9.18. Calculation of Time. In determining the time within which an event or action is to take place for purposes of the Plan, no fraction of a day shall be considered, and any act, the performance of which would fall on a day that is not a Business Day, may be performed on the following Business Day.
9.19. Successors. The Plan shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns and on the Participants and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, and legal representatives to the extent set forth in the Plan.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank]
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EXHIBIT “A”
TOKEN OPTION AGREEMENT
This Token Option Agreement (this “Option Agreement”) is made and entered into by and between Prometheum, Inc., (the “Company”), and [·] (the “Participant”), as of the effective date of this Option Agreement specified on Schedule I hereof (the “Date of Grant”), pursuant to the Prometheum, Inc. 2019 Token Option Plan adopted effective August 27, 2019 (as the same may have been or hereafter be amended from time to time, the “Plan”). Terms used herein with their initial letters capitalized that are defined in the Plan shall have the meaning given them in the Plan unless otherwise defined herein or the context hereof otherwise requires.
RECITALS:
A. The Company has adopted the Plan to strengthen the ability of the Company to encourage ownership of the Company by certain employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries, to provide additional incentive for them to remain in the employ of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and to promote the growth and success of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
B. The Committee that administers the Plan believes that the granting of the Token option herein described to Participant is consistent with the stated purposes for which the Plan was adopted.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and conditions hereinafter set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the Company and Participant agree as follows:
AGREEMENTS:
1. Plan Controls. The terms of this Option Agreement are governed by the terms of the Plan. Participant hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan, as amended through the date hereof. The Company hereby agrees to furnish to Participant a copy of the Plan, as amended through the date of request therefor, without charge, on request to the Company at the address to which notices are to be sent to the Company. In the case of any inconsistency between the terms of this Option Agreement and the terms of the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall govern.
2. Grant of Option. The Company hereby grants to Participant the right and option (the “Option”) to purchase an aggregate number of Tokens set forth on Schedule I hereof beside the caption “Number of Optioned Tokens” (such number being subject to adjustment as provided in Section 9.6 of the Plan) (the Optioned Tokens”) on the terms and conditions herein set forth. If designated on Schedule I hereof as an Incentive Token Option, this Option is intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” or “incentive option” as defined in Section 422 of the Code, and this Option Agreement shall be interpreted accordingly. By execution of this Option Agreement, the Participant accepts the grant of the Option.
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3. Exercise Price. The price at which Participant shall be entitled to purchase the Optioned Tokens shall be the dollar amount per token set forth on Schedule I hereof beside the caption “Exercise Price”. The exercise price shall be paid with (a) cash (including check, bank draft, or money order); (b) if the use of Tokens or shares of Common Stock is permitted according to Schedule I hereof or otherwise permitted by the Committee in writing, Tokens or shares of Common Stock owned by Participant; or (c) any combination of the foregoing. To make an election under Code Section 83(b) pursuant to Section 6.2 of the Plan, the Participant may complete the Section 83(b) Election attached as Schedule II hereto.
4. Option Period. The Option hereby granted shall be and remain in force and effect during the “Option Period.” The Option Period begins on the Date of Grant and terminates on the date that is fifty four (54) months after the Date of Grant (or, if a different date is shown on Schedule I hereof beside the caption “Termination Date”, such date); subject, however to earlier termination as provided by the provisions of Article VII of the Plan and this Option Agreement (it being understood that this Option Agreement contains no express provision that would provide any of the greater or lesser rights that Article VII of the Plan permits to be provided in an Option Agreement except to the extent any variation therefrom is specifically set forth in the language beside the caption “Greater or Lesser Article VII Rights” on Schedule I hereof) (the date of any such termination being called herein the “Expiration Date”).
5. Vesting Schedule. The Option may be exercised, in whole or in part, from and after the following dates and prior to the Expiration Date. Except only as specifically provided elsewhere herein or in the Plan, this Option shall be exercisable with respect to cumulative quantities of (i) up to 25% of the Tokens subject thereto on the first anniversary of the Date of Grant and (ii) up to an additional 2.083% of the Tokens subject thereto on the corresponding day of each of the succeeding 36 months thereafter (in each case, subject to adjustment as contemplated by Article VII of the Plan).
6. Non-transferability of Options. Transfers of the Option are restricted as set forth in the Plan except to the extent, if any, transfers are expressly permitted in the language appearing beside the caption “Expanded Rights to Transfer Option” on Schedule I hereof. The Participant agrees to comply with such restrictions.
7. Non-transferability of, and Right to Acquire, Tokens. Except to the extent, if any, the language appearing beside the caption “Modifications to Transfer/Repurchase Provisions” on Schedule I hereof modifies the provisions thereof, the Token Transfer/Repurchase Provisions, which are attached to the Plan as Exhibit A, govern transfers of the Tokens acquired upon exercise of the Option and grant certain Persons the right to buy such Tokens under certain circumstances. The Participant agrees to comply with the Token Transfer/Repurchase Provisions (if and as modified).
8. Information Confidential. As partial consideration for the granting of the Option, the Participant agrees with the Company to keep confidential all information and knowledge that the Participant has relating to the manner and amount of the Participant’s participation in the Plan; provided, however, that such information may be disclosed as required by law and may be given in confidence to the Participant’s spouse, the Participant’s tax and financial advisors, or financial institutions to the extent that such information is necessary to secure a loan.
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9. Administration. This Option Agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan. The Plan will be administered by the Committee in accordance with its terms. The Committee has sole and absolute discretion with respect to all matters reserved to it by the Plan and decisions of the Committee with respect to the Plan and to this Option Agreement shall be final and binding upon Participant and the Company. In the event of any conflict between the terms and conditions of this Option Agreement and the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall control.
10. Continuation of Employment. This Option Agreement shall not be construed to confer upon Participant any right to continue in the employ of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and shall not limit the right of the Company, in its sole and absolute discretion, to terminate the employment of Participant at any time.
11. Notice. All notices, requests, demands, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be personally delivered, delivered by facsimile or courier service, or mailed, certified with first class postage prepaid to the address specified by the person who is to receive the same.
Each such notice, request, demand, or other communication hereunder shall be deemed to have been given (whether actually received or not) on the date of actual delivery thereof, if personally delivered or delivered by facsimile transmission (if receipt is confirmed at the time of such transmission by telephone or facsimile-machine-generated confirmation), or on the third day following the date of mailing, if mailed in accordance with this Paragraph, or on the day specified for delivery to the courier service (if such day is one on which the courier service will give normal assurances that such specified delivery will be made). Any notice, request, demand, or other communication given otherwise than in accordance with this Paragraph shall be deemed to have been given on the date actually received. Either party to this Option Agreement may change its address for purposes of this Paragraph by giving written notice of such change to the other party in the manner herein above provided. Any person entitled to any notice, request, demand, or other communication hereunder may waive the notice, request, demand, or other communication. Until changed in accordance herewith, the Company and Participant specify their respective addresses as those set forth below their signatures at the end of this Option Agreement.
12. Paragraph Headings. The Paragraph headings contained in this Option Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Option Agreement.
13. Governing Law and Venue. This Option Agreement and the terms and conditions set forth herein, shall be governed by and construed solely and exclusively in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to the conflicts of laws principles thereof. The parties hereto hereby expressly and irrevocably agree that any suit or proceeding arising directly and/or indirectly pursuant to or under this Option Agreement shall be brought solely in a federal or state court located in the City, County and State of New York. By its execution hereof, the parties hereto covenant and irrevocably submit to the in personam jurisdiction of the federal and state courts located in the City, County and State of New York and agree that any process in any such action may be served upon any of them personally, or by certified mail or registered mail upon them or their agent, return receipt requested, with the same full force and effect as if personally served upon them in New York, New York. The parties hereto expressly and irrevocably waive any claim that any such jurisdiction is not a convenient forum for any such suit or proceeding and any defense or lack of in personam jurisdiction with respect thereto. In the event of any such action or proceeding, the party prevailing therein shall be entitled to payment from the other parties hereto of all of its reasonable counsel fees and disbursements.
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14. Attorney’s Fees. If any action is brought to enforce or interpret the terms of this Option Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs, and necessary disbursements in addition to any other relief to which such party may be entitled.
15. Counterparts. This Option Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and shall be effective when each party hereto has executed at least one counterpart, with the same effect as if all signing parties had signed the same document. All counterparts will be construed together and evidence only one agreement, which, notwithstanding the actual date of execution of any counterpart, shall be deemed to be dated the day and year first written above. In making proof of this Option Agreement, it shall not be necessary to account for a counterpart executed by any party other than the party against whom enforcement is sought or to account for more than one counterpart executed by the party against whom enforcement is sought.
16. Execution by Facsimile. The manual signature of any party hereto that is transmitted to any other party by facsimile shall be deemed for all purposes to be an original signature.
[THIS SPACE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY]
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Executed on the date or dates indicated below, to be effective as of [·], 20[·].
| Prometheum, Inc. | |||
| By: | |||
| Name: | |||
| Title: | |||
| Date: | |||
| Address: | 120 Wall Street, Floor 25 | ||
| New York, NY 10005 | |||
| Participant: | |||
| Name: | |||
| Date: | |||
| Address: | |||
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SCHEDULE I
| DATE OF GRANT: | [·] |
| TYPE OF OPTION: | Incentive Token Option [_____] |
| Nonqualified Token Option [ ] | |
| NUMBER OF OPTIONED TOKENS: | [_______] |
| EXERCISE PRICE: | $[._____] |
| TERMINATION DATE: | [·] |
| PERMISSION TO PAY WITH TOKENS: | Granted Denied |
| EXPANDED RIGHTS TO TRANSFER OPTION: | Granted Denied |
| GREATER OR LESSER ARTICLE 7 RIGHTS: | [None] |
Schedule I
SCHEDULE II
Section 83(b) Election
Reference is made to that certain Prometheum, Inc. 2019 Token Option Plan, dated August 27, 2019 (the “Plan”) pursuant to which Tokens (as defined therein) have been granted to the tax payer referenced below.
The undersigned taxpayer hereby elects, pursuant to § 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, to include in gross income as compensation for services the excess (if any) of the fair market value of the Tokens described below over the amount paid for those shares.
| 1. | The name, taxpayer identification number, address of the undersigned, and the taxable year for which this election is being made are: |
TAXPAYER’S NAME: _____________________________________________
TAXPAYER’S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: __________________________
ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________
TAXABLE YEAR: Calendar Year 20__
| 2. | The property which is the subject of this election is __________ Tokens (as defined above) of Prometheum, Inc. |
| 3. | The property was transferred to the undersigned on ___ __ ____. |
| 4. | The property is subject to the following restrictions: The restrictions set forth in Section 6.14 of the Plan. |
| 5. | The fair market value of the property at the time of transfer (determined without regard to any restriction other than a nonlapse restriction as defined in § 1.83- 3(h) of the Income Tax Regulations) is: $_______ per Token x ________ Tokens = $___________. |
| 6. | For the property transferred, the undersigned paid $______ per Token x _________ Tokens = $______________. |
| 7. | The amount to include in gross income is $______________. [The result of the amount reported in Item 5 minus the amount reported in Item 6.] |
The undersigned taxpayer will file this election with the Internal Revenue Service office with which taxpayer files his or her annual income tax return not later than 30 days after the date of transfer of the property. A copy of the election also will be furnished to the person for whom the services were performed. Additionally, the undersigned will include a copy of the election with his or her income tax return for the taxable year in which the property is transferred. The undersigned is the person performing the services in connection with which the property was transferred.
Dated: ___________________________ Taxpayer: ___________________________
Schedule II
Exhibit 6.11
SOFTWARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
SOFTWARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT, dated as of August 9, 2019 (this “Agreement”) is made by and between PROMETHEUM, INC. a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and InteliClear LLC, a Connecticut limited liability company (“InteliClear”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company and InteliClear have entered into that certain letter of intent and binding term sheet, dated August 8, 2019 (the “LOI”); and
WHEREAS, capitalized terms used and not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the LOI; and
WHEREAS, InteliClear desires to sell to the Company, and the Company desires to purchase the Purchased Software (as defined herein) on the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements and covenants set forth herein and the LOI, the Company and InteliClear agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
SALE AND ASSIGNMENT OF PURCHASED SOFTWARE
1.1 Sale and Assignment of Purchased Software. InteliClear does hereby absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably assign, transfer, deliver and convey to the Company, its successors and assigns, the rights, title and interest to a version of the source code of InteliClear’s Post Trade Solutions software to allow for clearance, settling, custody and control processes and records for traded crypto securities and any additional tools and their source code; installation guides, installation scripts and maintenance guides; specific protocol or API specifications (e.g. FIX and other supported interfaces); test documentation and test tools/scripts; any sample databases and access to test systems if available process/operational documentation and user guides (collectively, “Purchased Software”) free and clear of any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, security interest, claim or other encumbrance (“Encumbrance”).
1.2 Purchase Price. As consideration for the Purchased Software, the Company does hereby deliver to InteliClear, the purchase price, payable as follows:
(a) 1,250,000 shares of the Company’s restricted Common Stock;
(b) An Ember Warrant exercisable to purchase 1,250,000 Ember Tokens, when and if created in the genesis block;
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(c) Cash payments of $5,000 per month, commencing on the first day of the 4th month after the starting date of the Exclusivity Period (as hereinafter defined) and terminating upon the live implementation of the bookkeeping system for crypto securities;
(d) A one-time cash payment of $300,000 (less all payments previously made pursuant to Section 2(c) above) payable immediately following the commencement of public trading of crypto-securities on Prometheum Ember ATS, Inc.’s alternative trading system for crypto-securities (the “ATS Commencement Date”); In the event that the Company terminates its efforts for its subsidiary Prometheum Ember ATS, Inc. to be an alternative trading system the Company’s obligation to pay the remaining payments due to InteliClear will be payable at $10,000 per month until paid in full. Should the Company fail to pay its obligations to InteliClear and should such failure continue for 90 days after written demand for payment, InteliClear shall have the right to the return of the Purchased Software.
1.3 A one-time cash payment of $150,000 payable on the one-year anniversary of the ATS Commencement Date; and
1.4 A one-time cash payment of $150,000 payable on the two-year anniversary of the ATS Commencement Date.
ARTICLE
II
CLOSING
2.1 Closing. The closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Closing”) shall take place simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement on the date of this Agreement (the “Closing Date”),
2.2 Closing Deliveries. On the Closing Date the parties hereto shall make the following deliveries:
(a) InteliClear shall deliver to the Company, the Purchased Software and all source code relating to the Purchased Software.
(b) The Company shall deliver to InteliClear, a certificate representing 1,250,000 shares of restricted Common Stock, bearing a restrictive legend, and an Ember Warrant exercisable to purchase 1,250,000 Ember Tokens.
2.3 Exclusivity Period. Until February 8, 2020 (the date that is six (6) months from the date of execution of the LOI), InteliClear will not authorize any new licensees to allow for clearance, settling, custody and control processes and records for traded crypto securities recorded on a distributed ledger.
2.4 Non-Compete. The Company will not resell or license the Purchased Software for its independent use by third parties outside of the Company’s Prometheum ecosystem. The Company will not use the Purchased Software to trade securities currently using DTCC or NSCC for clearance, settling, custody and control. However, nothing herein or in the LOI will prevent the Company from selling or licensing its distributed ledger technology or the Company’s Prometheum ecosystem at the Company’s discretion. The Purchased Software may be used by the Company for any purpose other than those set out herein, including to further develop the Company’s intellectual property and to integrate directly into the Company’s proprietary crypto security (security token) and DLT infrastructure.
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ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLER
3.1 Organization and Authority of Seller; Enforceability. Seller is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Seller has full power to enter into this Agreement and the documents to be delivered hereunder, to carry out its obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, and to own all of its properties and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted. The execution, delivery and performance by the Seller of this Agreement and the documents to be delivered hereunder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all requisite limited liability company action on the part of the Seller. This Agreement and the documents to be delivered hereunder have been duly executed and delivered by the Seller, and (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Buyer) this Agreement and the documents to be delivered hereunder constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Seller, enforceable against the Seller in accordance with their respective terms.
3.2 No Conflicts; Consents. The execution, delivery and performance by the Seller of this Agreement and the documents to be delivered hereunder, and the consummation of the transactions provided for herein, do not and will not: (a) violate or conflict with the certificate of formation, operating agreement or other organizational documents of the Seller; (b) violate any agreement or commitment made by Seller, or any requirement binding on Seller; or (c) result in the creation or imposition of any Encumbrance on the Purchased Software. No consent, approval, waiver or authorization is required to be obtained by the Seller from any person or entity (including any governmental authority) in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Seller of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
3.3 Title to Purchased Software. The Seller owns and has good and marketable title to all of the Purchased Software, free and clear of Encumbrances.
3.4 Purchased Software Intellectual Property.
(a) “Purchased Software Intellectual Property” means any and all of the following in any jurisdiction throughout the world specifically tied to the Purchased Software: (i) trademarks and service marks, including all applications and registrations; (ii) copyrights, including all applications and registrations related to the foregoing; (iii) trade secrets and confidential know-how; (iv) patents and patent applications; (v) websites and internet domain name registrations; (vi) source code; and (vii) other intellectual property and related proprietary rights, interests and protections (including all rights to sue and recover and retain damages, costs and attorneys’ fees for past, present and future infringement and any other rights relating to any of the foregoing).
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(b) Seller owns or has adequate, valid and enforceable rights to use all the Purchased Software Intellectual Property, free and clear of all Encumbrances. Seller is not bound by any outstanding judgment, injunction, order or decree restricting the use of the Purchased Software Intellectual Property, or restricting the licensing thereof to any person or entity.
(c) Seller’s prior and current use of the Purchased Software Intellectual Property has not and does not infringe, violate, dilute or misappropriate the intellectual property rights of any person or entity and to Seller’s knowledge there are no claims pending or threatened by any person or entity with respect to the ownership, validity, enforceability, effectiveness or use of the Purchased Software Intellectual Property. To Seller’s knowledge, no person or entity is infringing, misappropriating, diluting or otherwise violating any of the Purchased Software Intellectual Property, and neither Seller nor any affiliate of Seller has made or asserted any claim, demand or notice against any person or entity alleging any such infringement, misappropriation, dilution or other violation.
ARTICLE
IV
COVENANTS
4.1 Seller’s Post-Closing Covenants. From and after the time of Closing, Seller shall provide the Company with the following:
(a) support as requested by the Company from time to time in connection with the Company obtaining regulatory approvals
(b) installation support for the Company’s production and testing systems;
(c) post ATS Commencement Date support and maintenance as requested by the Company from time to time;
(d) post ATS Commencement Date updates to the Purchased Software and the Purchased Software Intellectual Property; and
(e) general consulting and advisory services as requested by the Company from time to time on the best use of the Purchased Software (both technically and operationally).
4.2 Public Announcements. Unless otherwise required by applicable law (including required disclosures and filings under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and including quarterly and annual press releases regarding operations and financial results), no party shall make any public announcements regarding this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby without the prior written consent of the other party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
4.3 Further Assurances. Following the Closing, each of the Parties hereto shall execute and deliver such additional documents, instruments, conveyances and assurances and take such further actions as may be reasonably required to carry out the provisions hereof and give effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the documents to be delivered hereunder.
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ARTICLE
V
INDEMNIFICATION
5.1 Survival. All representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein and all related rights to indemnification shall survive the Closing.
5.2 Indemnification by the Company and InteliClear. Each party, shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the other party and its affiliates, and their respective stockholders, members, directors, officers, managers, and employees from and against all claims, judgments, damages, liabilities, settlements, losses, costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and disbursements, arising from or relating to:
(a) any inaccuracy in or breach of any of the representations or warranties of the Company or InteliClear contained in this Agreement or any document to be delivered hereunder; or
(b) any breach or non-fulfillment of any covenant, agreement or obligation to be performed by the Company or InteliClear pursuant to this Agreement or any document to be delivered hereunder.
ARTICLE
VI
MISCELLANEOUS
6.1 Effect of Agreement. The terms of the LOI shall remain binding on the parties hereto, however, in the event of any conflict between the provisions hereof and the provisions of the LOI, the provisions of this Agreement shall govern and control.
6.2 Governing Law. The parties acknowledge and agree that: (i) this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted pursuant to the laws of the State of New York without consideration to any conflict or choice of law provisions or principles; (ii) any claim, demand, action, lawsuit or other proceeding arising from, or related to, this Agreement or its subject matter shall be brought and determined solely in a state or federal court sitting in the County of New York in the State of New York; and (iii) each party expressly consists to the jurisdiction of the foregoing court.
6.3 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic method of transmission shall have the same force and effect as the delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Agreement. Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic method of transmission shall also deliver an original executed counterpart, but the failure to do so shall not affect the validity, enforceability or binding effect of this Agreement.
[Signatures on Next Page]
| 5 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
| PROMETHEUM, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Benjamin S. Kaplan | |
| Benjamin S. Kaplan, Co-CEO | ||
| INTELICLEAR LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Martin Barretto | |
| Martin Barretto, Managing Member | ||
Exhibit 6.13
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of January 1, 2020 by and between Prometheum, Inc., a Delaware corporation, its subsidiaries, affiliates, successors or assigns (collectively, the “Company”) and Alexander Shapiro (the “Employee”). As a condition of the Employee’s employment with the Company, and in consideration of the Employee’s receipt of Confidential Information (as defined below), the Employee’s employment with the Company and Employee’s receipt of any compensation the Company is paying the Employee, the Employee agrees to the following terms.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the Company and the Employee agree as follows:
| 1. | EMPLOYMENT |
The Company hereby agrees to employ the Employee and the Employee hereby accepts such employment, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
| 2. | AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT |
Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Employee’s employment with the Company is for an undefined duration and is at-will employment, which means it may be terminated at any time, with or without cause or notice, except as provided in Section 7. No representation to the contrary is authorized or valid unless made in writing and signed by Benjamin Kaplan, Co-CEO (the “Designated Officer”).
The Employee’s employment with the Company shall commence on January 1, 2020 (the period during which this Agreement is effective being referred to hereafter as the “Term”).
| 3. | POSITION AND DUTIES |
(a) Position. During the Term, the Employee shall serve as Chief Strategy Officer of the Company or in such other position or positions with a level of duties and responsibilities consistent with the foregoing with the Company and/or its subsidiaries and affiliates as the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) or a co-CEO, or his designee, may specify from time to time and shall have the duties, responsibilities and obligations customarily assigned to individuals serving in the position or positions in which the Employee serves hereunder and as assigned by the Board, or with the Board’s authorization, by a co-CEO or such co-CEO’s designee.
(c) Duties. The Employee agrees to devote all of his/her working time and efforts to the performance of his/her duties for the Company and to faithfully and diligently serve the Company in accordance with this Agreement and the guidelines, policies and procedures of the Company, whether written or oral, approved from time to time by the Board.
(d) Nature of Company. The Employee understands and acknowledges that the Company is a business in development and many of the Company’s operations, lines of business, policies, procedures, and internal rules (including with regard to compensation, promotion and benefit plans) are, and will be, evolving and may be subject to substantial change over the Term.
(e) Use of Images. During the Employee’s employment, the Company or its agents may obtain images of the Employee for subsequent use in Company materials, including promotional and marketing materials. The Employee’s name and biographical information may or may not be included along with such images. The Employee hereby grants the Company permission to use its images and biographical materials, both during and after the Employee’s employment, and Employee understands that Employee will not receive any royalties or other compensation for such use.
(f) Employee Handbook. The Employee acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Company’s Employee Handbook (the “Employee Handbook”). Within ten (10) days of execution of this Agreement, the Employee will read the entire Employee Handbook and hereby agrees to comply with all codes of conduct, policies and supplemental policies contained within the Employee Handbook, together with all such codes of conduct, policies and procedures that may be subsequently implemented by the Company and not contained in the Employee Handbook, as such codes of conduct, policies and procedures may be amended or supplemented from time to time (“Company Policies”).
| 4. | NO CONFLICTS; ACCURACY OF INFORMATION |
The Employee hereby represents to the Company that; (i) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Employee and the performance by the Employee of the Employee’s duties hereunder shall not constitute a breach of, or otherwise contravene, the terms of any other agreement or policy to which the Employee is a party or by which the Employee is otherwise bound including, but not limited to, any agreement or policy related to Intellectual Property (as defined herein); (ii) the Employee is not in possession of any information (including, without limitation, confidential information, proprietary information or trade secrets) the knowledge of which would prevent the Employee from freely entering into this Agreement and carrying out his/her duties hereunder; (iii) the Employee is not bound by any confidentiality, trade secret or similar agreement, including with regard to any rights of any third party, with any person or entity other than the Company and (iv) all prior information previously provided by Employee to the Company, including, but not limited to, all resumes, contact lists and background information is true and correct as of the date of delivery of such material.
| 5. | LOCATION |
The Employee will be based at 120 Wall Street, Floor 25, New York, NY 10005 or any other location as requested by the Company during the Term.
| 6. | COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS |
(a) Cash Compensation. As compensation for the performance by the Employee of his/her obligations hereunder, during the Term, the Company shall pay the Employee a base salary of $240,000 per annum, payable in equal installments on a weekly basis, unless otherwise determined by Company policy, less normal withholdings and deductions, from time to time (but no less frequently than monthly), subject to annual review and adjustment by the Board, a co-CEO or any committee subsequently established by the Board, in the sole and absolute discretion of the Board, such co-CEO or any such committee.
(b) Benefits. During the Term, the Employee shall be entitled to participate in all of the Company’s employee benefit plans and arrangements, including, but not limited to, any retirement plan, medical, dental and visual insurance plans (after expiration of the then applicable probationary period), vacation and sick day policies, commuter programs (including Transitchek), and holiday policies as described in the Employee Handbook
(c) Reimbursements. The Employee shall be reimbursed by the Company for work and travel related expenses as described in the Company Handbook, and as modified by any applicable Company Policies.
(d) [reserved]
| 7. | TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT |
(a) Termination; Effectiveness. The Company may terminate the Employee’s employment hereunder at any time upon written notice to the Employee. The Employee may terminate the Employee’s employment upon fourteen (14) days written notice (in the form of a letter of resignation) to the Company. Any such written notice shall be a “Notice of Termination” and shall be effective as of the date set forth in such Notice of Termination (and the expiration of fourteen (14) days in the case of a notice from the Employee). In the event that the Employee’s employment is terminated by Employee’s death, termination of the Employee’s employment will be effective as of the date of his/her death.
(b) Return of Company Property. Immediately upon Employee’s termination with the Company, the Employee will deliver to the Company and will not keep, recreate or deliver to any other person or entity, any documents and materials pertaining to Employee’s employment with the Company. The Employee agrees to deliver any and all of the Company’s electronic or physical property, facilities or systems (collectively “Company Property”), as applicable, in the Employee’s possession or control or in the possession of any third party if the Employee had transferred such Company Property to such third party, subject to Employee’s control. The Employee agrees, upon the Company’s request, to sign any document that Employee had fulfilled all of his/her responsibilities, with regard to the return of Company Property, set forth in this Section 7(b). The Employee will also immediately return to the Company all personal property of the Company in Employee’s possession, or in the possession of any third party, including, but not limited to, any other documents, contracts, agreements, plans, photographs, projections, books, files, correspondence, memoranda, manuals, magnetic tape, notes, records (including marketing and operating records), journals, electronically stored data and all copies, excerpts or summaries of the foregoing, as well as any automobile, personal property, business supplies, copy machine, fax machine, camera, computer, computer related accessories, cell phone, hand held device, office furnishings or other materials or equipment.
(c) Return of Company Information. Upon termination of Employee’s employment, the Employee will make a prompt and reasonable search for any Confidential Information (as defined below) in the Employee’s possession or control or any Confidential Information in the possession of any third party, if the Employee had transferred such Confidential Information to such third party, subject to Employee’s control. If Employee locates such information, Employee will notify the Company and provide a computer – usable copy of it. The Employee will cooperate reasonably with the Company to verify that the necessary copying has been completed and, when the Company confirms compliance, the Employee will delete fully all Confidential Information. The Employee agrees, upon the Company’s request, to sign any document that Employee had fulfilled all of his/her responsibilities, with regard to the return of Confidential Information, set forth in this Section 7(c).
(d) Compliance. The Employee has no reasonable expectation of privacy in any Company Property or in any other documents, equipment or systems used to conduct the business of the Company. The Company may audit and search any Company Property or such documents, equipment and systems without further notice to Employee for any business-related purpose at the Company’s discretion. The Employee will provide the Company with access to any documents, equipment or systems used to conduct the business of the Company immediately upon request. The Employee consents to the Company taking reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access to Company Property and Confidential Information. The Employee understands that the Employee is not permitted to add any unauthorized applications or any applications for which the Employee does not have a license or authorization to use such software or websites for which Employee does not have a license or authorization to use on Company Property. The Employee acknowledges that it is the Employee’s responsibility to comply with the Company’s policies governing the use of Company Property.
| 8. | CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-DISCLOSURE |
(a) Definition of Confidential Information. “Confidential Information” means, without limitation, any information in any form that relates to the Company or the Company’s business or anticipated business, and that is not generally known. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, the Company’s non-public information that relates to its actual or anticipated business, products or services, research, development, technical data, customers, customer lists, markets, software, hardware, finances, employee data, and evaluation, trade secrets or know how, intellectual property rights, including, but not limited to, Work Product (defined below), unpublished or pending patent applications, and all related patent rights, and user data (i.e., any information directly or indirectly collected by the Company from users of its services). Confidential Information also includes any information of third parties (i.e. advertisers, collaborators, subscribers, customers, suppliers, partners, vendors, licensees, or licensors) that was acquired by the Company on a confidential basis. Confidential Information does not include any items that have become publicly known through no wrongful act of the Employee or others under a relevant confidentiality obligation. Nothing in this agreement is intended to limit the employee’s rights to discuss the terms, wages, and working conditions of the Employee’s employment, as protected by applicable law.
(b) Nonuse and Nondisclosure. During and after the Employee’s employment with the Company, the Employee will hold in the strictest confidence and take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized use or disclosure of Confidential Information (whether disclosed to the Employee in anticipation of or during Employee’s employment with the Company), and the Employee will not (i) use Confidential Information for any purpose other than for the benefit of the Company in the scope of Employee’s employment, or (ii) disclose Confidential Information to any third party without prior written authorization. The Employee hereby agrees that Confidential Information used by the Employee or generated by in connection with the Employee’s employment belongs to the Company (or third parties identified by the Company). The Employee acknowledges that any unauthorized use by, or disclosure of, confidential Information by the Employee during or after the Employee’s employment may lead to disciplinary action, including termination and/or legal action.
(c) Third Party Information in the Company’s Possession. The Employee recognizes that the Company may have received, and in the future may receive, from third parties their confidential or proprietary information subject to a duty on the Company’s part to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use it only for certain limited purposes. The Employee agrees that the Employee owes the Company and such third parties, during the Term and thereafter, a duty to hold all such confidential or proprietary information in strict confidence and not to disclose such information to any person or firm, or otherwise use such information, in a manner inconsistent with the limited purposes permitted by the Company’s agreement with such third party.
(d) Former Employer Information/Definition of Company Property. The Employee will not use or disclose in connection with the Employee’s employment or bring on to the Company Property any proprietary information, trade secrets or any non-public material belonging to any previous employer or other person or entity unless consented to in writing by such employer, person, or entity.
(e) In the event that the Employee is required by applicable law to disclose any Confidential Information, the Employee agrees to give the Company prompt advance written notice thereof and to provide the Company with all necessary assistance in obtaining an order to protect the Confidential Information from public disclosure.
(f) The failure to mark any Confidential Information as “confidential”, “classified” or any similar designation shall not affect its status as Confidential Information under this Agreement.
(g) This Section 8 shall survive the termination of this Agreement for any reason. In the event the Employee breaches this Section 8, the Company shall have right to seek remedies permissible under applicable law and may seek equitable remedies as provided in Section 10 (d).
| 9. | INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY |
(a) Prior Inventions. The Employee has attached hereto, as Schedule A, a list describing all inventions, ideas, improvements, designs and discoveries, whether or not patentable and whether or not reduced to practice, original works of authorship and trade secrets made or conceived by or belonging to the Employee (whether made solely by the Employee or jointly with others) that (i) were developed by Employee prior to the Employee’s employment by the Company (collectively, “Prior Inventions”), (ii) relate to the Company’s actual or proposed business, products or research and development, and (iii) are not assigned to the Company hereunder; or, if no such list is attached, the Employee represents that there are no such Prior Inventions. The Employee will not incorporate any Prior Inventions into any Work Product, service or product of the Company or otherwise use any Prior Inventions in the course of Employee’s employment with the Company without the Company’s prior written permission. Except to the extent set forth in Schedule A, the Employee hereby acknowledges that, if in the course of his/her service for the Company, the Employee incorporates into a Company product, process or machine a Prior Invention owned by the Employee or in which he/she has an interest (with the prior written permission of the Company), the Company is hereby granted and shall have a nonexclusive, royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide right and license (which may be freely transferred by the Company to any other person or entity) to make, have made, modify, use, sell, sublicense, reproduce, modify, adapt, prepare derivative works of, display, otherwise exploit such Prior Invention and otherwise distribute such Prior Invention as part of or in connection with such product, process or machine.
(b) Assignment of Intellectual Property. The Employee hereby assigns to the Company or its designees, without further consideration and free and clear of any lien or encumbrance, the Employee’s entire right, title and interest (within the United States and all foreign jurisdictions) in and to any and all inventions, discoveries, improvements, developments, works of authorship, concepts, ideas, plans, specifications, mask work rights, know how, software, formulas, databases, designees, designations, sui generis data base rights, industrial work rights, processes and contributions to Confidential Information created, conceived, developed or reduced to practice by the Employee (alone or with others) during the Employee’s employment with the Company which (i) are related to the Company’s current or anticipated business, activities, products, or services, unless disclosed by the Employee and confirmed by the Company as not representing a conflict, or (ii) result from any work performed by Employee for the Company regardless of whether created, conceived, developed or reduced to practice with or without the use of Company property, including any and all Intellectual Property Rights (as defined below) therein (“Work Product”). Any Work Product which falls within the definition of “work made for hire”, as such term is defined in the U.S. Copyright Act, shall be considered a “work made for hire”, the copyright in which vests initially and exclusively in the Company. The Employee waives any rights to be attributed as the author or producer of any Work Product, including all rights of paternity, integrity, disclosure and withdrawal and any other rights that may be known as or referred to as “moral rights,” “artist’s rights,” “droit moral,” or the like (collectively “Moral Rights”). To the extent Employee retains any such Moral Rights in Work Product under applicable law, Employee hereby ratifies and consents to any action that may be taken with respect to such Moral Rights by or authorized by Company and agrees not to assert any Moral Rights with respect thereto. Employee will confirm any such ratifications, consents and agreements from time to time as requested by Company. The Employee agrees to immediately disclose to the Company all Work Product created, conceived, reduced to practice, or otherwise developed by the Employee, solely or jointly. For purposes of this Agreement, “Intellectual Property” shall mean any patent, copyright, trademark or service mark, trade secret, or any other proprietary rights protection legally available. The decision whether or not to commercialize or market any Work Product is within the Company’s sole discretion and for the Company’s sole benefit and the Employee will not claim any consideration as a result of the Company’s commercialization of any such Work Product.
(c) Patent and Copyright Registration. The Employee agrees to execute and deliver any instruments or documents and to do all other things reasonably requested by the Company in order to more fully vest the Company with all ownership rights in the Work Product. If any Work Product is deemed by the Company to be patentable or otherwise registrable, the Employee shall assist the Company (at the Company’s expense) in obtaining letters of patent or other applicable registration therein and shall execute all documents and do all things, including testifying (at the Company’s expense) as necessary or appropriate to apply for, prosecute, obtain, or enforce any Intellectual Property right relating to any Work Product. Should the Company be unable to secure the Employee’s signature on any document deemed necessary to accomplish the foregoing, whether due to the Employee’s disability (including any mental or physical incapacity) or other reason, the Employee hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Company and each of its duly authorized officers and agents as the Employee’s agent and attorney-in-fact to act for and on the Employee’s behalf and stead to take any of the actions required of Employee under the previous sentence, with the same effect as if executed and delivered by the Employee, such appointment being coupled with an interest.
(d) Maintenance of Records. The Employee hereby agrees to keep and maintain for the Company detailed and accurate written records in any format that the Company may specify of all Work Product that Employee makes (solely or jointly with others) for the Company. The records are and will remain the sole property of the Company.
This Section 9 shall survive the termination of this Agreement for any reason. In the event the Employee breaches this Section 9, the Company shall have right to seek remedies permissible under applicable law and may seek equitable remedies as provided in Section 10(d).
| 10. | NON-COMPETITION AND NON-SOLICITATION |
(a) Non-Competition. The Employee agrees that during the Employee’s employment and for one (1) year following the cessation of Employee’s employment with the Company, that Employee will not either directly or indirectly own, manage, operate, join, advise, control or otherwise engage or participate in or be connected as an officer, employee, partner, creditor, guarantor, advisor, or consultant in, or on behalf of, any other person or entity that competes against, with, or is in any way engaged in any business that is similar to the business in which the Company is engaged or anticipates to be engaged in.
(b) Non-Solicitation; Non-Interference. During the period of the Employee’s employment and for a period of twenty four (24) months following the termination of the Employee’s employment for any reason, the Employee agrees that he/she will not, directly or indirectly, for the Employee’s benefit or for the benefit of any other person or entity, do any of the following:
| (1) | solicit from any customer doing business with the Company, during the Employee’s employment, business of the same or of a similar nature to the business in which the Company is engaged; |
| (2) | solicit from any known potential customer of the Company business of the same or of a similar nature to that which has been the subject of a known written or oral bid, offer or proposal by the Company, or of substantial preparation with a view to making such a bid, proposal or offer; |
| (3) | solicit the employment or services of, or hire or engage, any person who is known to employed or engaged by the Company; |
| (4) | otherwise interfere with the business or accounts of the Company , including, but not limited to, with respect to any relationship or agreement between the Company and any vendor or supplier; |
| (5) | induce or attempt to induce any employee or independent contractor to terminate or lessen his or her affiliation with the Company or to violate the terms of any agreement or understanding between that individual and the Company; or |
| (6) | induce or attempt to induce a customer of the Company to terminate, lessen, or postpone its business with the Company or take any other action that might cause a financial disadvantage to the Company. |
(c) Conflicting Employment. The Employee hereby agrees that, during the Employee’s employment, he/she will not engage in any other employment, or other activities or services directly related to the business in which the Company is now involved, becomes involved, or has plans to become involved or that conflict with the Employee’s obligations to the Company without seeking and receiving written permission in advance from the Designated Officer or as provided for by Company Policy.
(d) Prior Agreements with Other Parties. The Employee represents that the Employee’s performance of all the terms of this Agreement and duties as an employee of the Company will not breach any invention assignment, proprietary information, confidentiality, or similar agreement with any former employer or other party.
(e) Injunctive Relief; Indemnity of Company. The Employee agrees that any breach or threatened breach of subsections (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 10, as well as Sections 8 and 9 hereof, would result in irreparable injury and damage to the Company for which an award of money to the Company would not be an adequate remedy. The Employee therefore also agrees that in the event of said breach or any reasonable threat of breach of such Sections, the Company shall be entitled to seek an immediate injunction and restraining order to prevent such breach and/or threatened breach and/or continued breach by the Employee and/or any and all persons and/or entities acting for and/or with the Employee. The terms of this Agreement shall not prevent the Company from pursuing any other available remedies for any breach or threatened breach hereof, including, but not limited to, remedies available under this Agreement and the recovery of damages. . The Employee agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company from and against all claims, liabilities, losses, costs and expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) which may be incurred by the Company in connection with, or arising out of, any violation of this Agreement by the Employee. This Section 10 shall survive the termination of this Agreement for any reason. The Employee hereby authorizes the Company to provide a copy of this Agreement, including any exhibits hereto, to any and all of the Employee’s future employers (as well as prospective future employers) and to notify any and all such future employers (and prospective future employers) that the Company intends to exercise its legal rights arising out of or in connection with this Agreement and/or any breach or any inducement of a breach hereof (including, but not limited to, the terms and provisions of Sections 8, 9, 11 and this Section 10).
(f) Employee understands that the restrictions contained in this Section 10 may limit Employee’s ability to earn a living in a business similar to the business of the Company but nevertheless agrees and acknowledges that the consideration provided in this Agreement is sufficient to justify such restrictions. In consideration thereof, and in light of Employee’s education, skills and abilities, Employee agrees that Employee will not assert in any forum that such restrictions prevent Employee from earning a living or otherwise should be held void or unenforceable.
(g) The Employee and the Company hereby agree that the provisions of this Section 10 are reasonable in all respects. Employee understands and recognizes that the market for the Company’s services and the Company’s Business is highly specialized and highly competitive and that other companies and business entities compete with the Company in various locations throughout the world, such that the provisions set forth in this Agreement and this Section 10 : (i) are reasonably necessary to protect the Company’s legitimate business interests, (ii) are reasonable as to the time, territory, and scope of activities that are restricted, (iii) do not interfere and are not inconsistent with public policy or the public interest, and (iv) are described with sufficient accuracy and definiteness to enable the Employee to understand the scope of the restrictions on the Employee.
(h) In the event that a court of competent jurisdiction or arbitrator(s), as the case may be, determine that the provisions of this Section 10 are unenforceable for any reason, the parties acknowledge and agree that the court or arbitrator(s) is expressly empowered to reform any provision of this Section 10 so as to make them enforceable as provided in Section 14 below.
| 11. | NON-DISPARAGEMENT |
Employee agrees that Employee will not, at any time make, publish, disseminate, or communicate to any person or entity or in any public forum any defamatory or disparaging remarks, comments, or statements concerning Company’s products, technology, services, officers or employees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement is intended to or will be used in any way to prevent Employee from testifying truthfully under oath in a judicial proceeding or to limit Employee’s right to communicate with a government agency, to the extent provided for, protected under or warranted by applicable law.
| 12. | WITHHOLDING TAXES |
Notwithstanding anything else herein to the contrary, the Company may withhold (or cause there to be withheld, as the case may be) from any amounts otherwise due or payable under or pursuant to this Agreement such national, state, provincial, local or any other income, employment, or other taxes as may be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.
| 13. | ASSIGNMENT |
This Agreement is personal in its nature and neither of the parties hereto shall, without the consent of the other, assign or transfer this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder; provided, however, that the Company may assign or transfer this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder to an affiliated entity without such consent.
| 14. | SEVERABILITY |
If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this Agreement which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or applications and to this end the provisions of this Agreement are declared to be severable.
| 15. | ENTIRE AGREEMENT |
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the Employee and the Company regarding the terms of the Employee’s employment and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreements concerning such subject matter, except that, the Company Policies are made part of this Agreement and in the event of any conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the Company Policies, such conflict will be resolved in favor of the Company Policies. The Employee acknowledges that he/she has not entered into this Agreement in reliance upon any representation, warranty or undertaking which is not set forth in this Agreement or the Company Policies.
| 16. | GOVERNING LAW AND VENUE |
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to the conflicts of law provisions thereof. In any action or proceeding to enforce rights under this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover costs and attorneys’ fees.
| 17. | AMENDMENT |
This Agreement may not be amended, modified or changed (in whole or in part), except by a formal, definitive written agreement expressly referring to this Agreement, which agreement is executed by both of the parties hereto.
| 18. | WAIVER |
Neither the failure nor any delay on the part of a party to exercise any right, remedy, power or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege preclude any other or further exercise of the same or of any right, remedy, power or privilege, nor shall any waiver of any right, remedy, power or privilege with respect to any occurrence be construed as a waiver of such right, remedy, power or privilege with respect to any other occurrence. No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and is signed by the party asserted to have granted such waiver.
| 19. | NOTICES |
All notices, requests, demands and other communications required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given and made if (i) delivered by hand, (ii) otherwise delivered against receipt therefor, (iii) sent by a recognized courier with next-day or second-day delivery to the last known address of the other party; or (iv) sent by e-mail with confirmation of receipt.
| 20. | COUNTERPARTS |
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original as against any party whose signature appears thereon, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement shall become binding when one or more counterparts hereof, individually or taken together, shall bear the signatures of all of the parties reflected hereon as the signatories. Photographic copies of such signed counterparts may be used in lieu of the originals for any purpose. This Agreement may be executed by facsimile or electronic (.pdf) signature and a facsimile or electronic (.pdf) signature shall constitute an original for all purposes.
| 21. | NO INTERPRETATION AGAINST DRAFTER |
Each party recognizes that this Agreement is a legally binding contract and acknowledges that such party has had the opportunity to consult with legal counsel of choice. In any construction of the terms of this Agreement, the same shall not be construed against either party on the basis of that party being the drafter of such terms.
| 22. | ARBITRATION |
(a) Arbitration. In consideration of Employee’s employment with The Company, its promise to arbitrate all employment related disputes, and Employee’s receipt of the compensation, pay raises and other benefits paid to Employee by the Company , Employee agrees that any and all controversies, claims, or disputes with anyone (including the Company and any employee, officer, director, shareholder or benefit plan of the Company in their capacity as such or otherwise),arising out of, relating to, or resulting from Employee’s employment with the Company or the termination of Employee’s employment with the Company, including any breach of this Agreement, will be subject to binding arbitration. Employee agrees that Employee may only commence an action in arbitration, or assert counterclaims in an arbitration, on an individual basis and, thus, Employee hereby waives Employee’s right to commence or participate in any class or collective action(s) against the Company , to the fullest extent permitted by law. Disputes that Employee agrees to arbitrate, and thereby agrees to waive any right to a trial by jury, include any statutory claims under local, state, or federal law, including claims under Title VII of The Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990,The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967,The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, the Sarbanes Oxley Act, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, The Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as claims of harassment, ,discrimination, wrongful termination and any other contractual, tort or statutory claims under federal, New York or local laws, to the extent allowed by law. Employee understands that this agreement to arbitrate also applies to any disputes that the Company may have with Employee.
(b) Procedure. Employee agrees that any arbitration will be administered by Judicial Arbitration & Mediation Services, Inc. (“Jams”), pursuant to its Employment Arbitration Rules & Procedures (the “Jams Rules”), which are available on the “rules/clauses” page of Jams’ public website, and no other rules from Jams. Employee agrees that the arbitrator will have the power to decide any motions brought by any party to the arbitration, including motions for summary judgment and/or adjudication, motions to dismiss or to strike, demurrers, and motions for class certification, prior to any arbitration hearing. Employee also agrees that the arbitrator will have the power to award any remedies available under applicable law, including injunctive relief, and that the arbitrator will award attorneys' fees and costs to the prevailing party, except as prohibited by law. Employee agrees that the decree or award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered as a final and binding judgment in any court having jurisdiction thereof. Employee understands that the Company will pay for any administrative or hearing fees charged by the arbitrator or Jams, except that Employee will pay any filing fees associated with any arbitration that employee initiates , but only so much of the filing fees as Employee would have instead paid had Employee filed a complaint in a court of law.
(c) Confidentiality. Employee hereby agrees to keep all matters related to any arbitration proceedings with the Company and all discussions in connection therewith and any materials that may be produced related thereto, in the strictest confidence and agrees not to disclose any information or materials, or respond to any inquiries, related to Employee’s arbitration proceedings with the Company.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE LEFT BLANK]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed as of the date first written above.
| PROMETHEUM, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Benjamin S. Kaplan | |
| Name: Benjamin S. Kaplan | ||
| Title: Co-CEO | ||
| EMPLOYEE | ||
| By: | /s/ Alexander Shapiro | |
| Name: Alexander Shapiro | ||
| Address: | ||
Exhibit 11.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the inclusion in this Offering Circular as filed with the SEC of our audit report dated May 10, 2018, with respect to the consolidated balance sheet of Prometheum, Inc. as of December 31, 2017 and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows from September 18, 2017 (inception) through December 31, 2017. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Offering Circular.
Spokane, Washington
January 29, 2020
Exhibit 11.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the inclusion in this Offering Statement on Form 1-A, as amended, of our report dated August 1, 2019, with respect to the audited consolidated balance sheet of Prometheum Inc. and Subsidiary as of December 31, 2018 and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year then ended, and the related notes to the consolidated financial statements. Our report includes explanatory paragraphs as to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and uncertainties related to digital assets.
We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Offering Circular.
/s/ Friedman LLP
East Hanover, New Jersey
January 29, 2020
Exhibit 13.1

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The Compliant Blockchain Securities Ecosystem |
| The Prometheum Network is transforming the financial industry with blockchain-powered tools for offering, distribution, trading, clearing, settlement and custody of digital assets. The Prometheum Network brings investors, traders, issuers, broker-dealers, validators, DApp developers and partners together. | |
| Read more |

Sign up now
Our Network
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| Issuance
For the first time, companies will be able to raise capital by offering blockchain securities to the general public on Prometheum’s Regulation A+ issuance platform. Read more |
Trading Prometheum’s Alternative Trading System (ATS) will provide liquidity for blockchain securities issued on our platform. All types of investors and traders will be able to buy and sell blockchain securities online by using this SEC/FINRA approved electronic market. Read more |
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| Clearing, Settlement and Custody Prometheum’s vertically integrated approach means clearing, settlement, and custody of blockchain securities happens within 24 hours of a trade. Read more |
Blockchain The Prometheum Network uses smart contracts to automate back-office functions, reducing overhead costs. That means blockchain securities issued and traded on our network maintain their utility value on our blockchain. Read more |
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What Makes it Possible
Issuers are generally discouraged from making conventional public offerings as a result of costs, legal concerns and accounting difficulties. Instead, Prometheum relies on Regulation A+ to streamline and minimize requirements for this process. Sometimes referred to as a “mini-IPO,” Regulation A+ enables companies to issue free trading blockchain securities to all investors, accredited and non-accredited.
| Regulation | Raise | Must be | Open | SEC Review | Free Trading | |||||||||||||||
| Type | Amount | Accredited | to Retail | Period | ||||||||||||||||
| Reg A+ | $50mm/yr | No | Yes | 4-6 months | Yes | |||||||||||||||
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| Issuers/companies
can raise up to $50mm (Legislation proposes increasing to $75mm) |
All investors, including non-accredited investors, can participate |
Regulation
A+ blockchain securities offerings have no trading restrictions | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Issuers/companies can advertise their offering to the public | Reduced
costs for legal, accounting and related professional services | |||||||||||||||||||
Articles
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| Sep 11, 2019 | |||||
| First SEC-compliant ICO trading platform is getting closer | |||||
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| Sep 11, 2019 | Sep 11, 2019 | ||||
| Tokenized Equity Brings New Way to Raise Capital, But Questions Remain |
Prometheum Files Reg A+ for ICO, Claims they have “Cracked the Code” as to How to Accomplish |
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| Keep Up to Date | |||||
| Enter your email address | Submit | ||||
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Disclaimer
No money or consideration is being solicited by the information in this or any other communication and, if sent, money will not be accepted and will be promptly returned. No offer by a potential investor to buy our securities can be accepted and, if made, any such offer can be withdrawn before qualification of this offering by the SEC.
A potential investor’s indication of interest does not create a commitment to purchase the securities we are offering. Any such indication of interest may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance is given and all other requirements to accept an investment from a potential investor are met after the offering qualification date. The offering, after qualification by the SEC, will be made only by means of the Offering Circular.
Any information on Prometheum.com or any other communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification for sale as provided in Regulation A+ in any such state or jurisdiction. You may obtain a copy of the Preliminary Offering Circular and the offering statement in which such Preliminary Offering Circular was filed with the SEC by clicking here.

The Problem with Existing Technology
| Financial Blockchain | |||||
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| Token Standards | |||||
| The open and effectively distributed development of, for example, smart contract standards (e.g. ERC-20, ERC-1400) to support user demand for features, has proven to be a valuable and engaging way of identifying feature requirements but doesn’t provide assurances needed for compliant security tokens. | |||||
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| Integrating with Regulated Infrastructure | Stability and Scale | ||||
| The fundamental technologies required to provide a modern security token infrastructure on a blockchain exist, but those technologies haven’t yet been combined to meet the needs of regulators, investors and token users. | Because they rely on immature and experimental technologies, existing public blockchains have failed to scale and achieve stability. Scalability and stability are vital when a broad set of requirements are competing for attention. | ||||
| Financial Blockchain | |||||
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| Investors and Traders | Companies | ||||
| Currently, investors and traders lack a venue providing a regulated and compliant cryptosecurity trading in the U.S. As history proves, crypto markets, such as those trading cryptocurrenclES, like Bitcoin and Ether, are confusing and have a high degree of associated risk resulting in harm to the investors and traders. | Companies face extreme expense, time and difficulty in going public through an IPO. Without a high valuation and extreme capital, companies are left without a vehicle for a public offering. Issuing a token for capital formation purposes had been curtailed with the release of the DAO report. With subsequent guidance and legal action by US regulators, companies lack sufficient means to publicly distribute cryptosecurities. | ||||
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| Broker-Dealers | DApp Developers | ||||
| “Broker-dealers are limited to “old” asset classes that function on 20th century systems that fail to meet their and their customers’ needs. Broker-dealers and other market participants rely on databases, FTPs and manual confirmations for secure electronic bookkeeping which are archaic methods to say the least. These archaic methodologies breed inefficiencies which most notable is clearing and settlement taking three days (T+3). | Developing applications that work with regulated financial instruments are difficult but developing applications that also run on a public distributed infrastructure is even harder! Existing public blockchains do not provide DApp developers the stability and surety required to meet regulatory and other thresholds. | ||||




Greater Than the Sum of its Parts
Issuance Platform ![]() |
ATS
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Trading ![]() |
Clearing, Settlement and Custody |
· Automated KYC/AML · Administrative software for issuers · Blockchain securities are immediately tradable after distribution · Available to retail investors · Integrated escrow and banking services · Compliant building blocks for required SST functionality |
· Alternative Trading System will be SEC/FINRA registered · FIX connectivity for brokers · Real time data and token research · Blockchain native · Proprietary order entry and API · Based on US equities markets structure |
· Designed with retail customers in mind · Real time level 1-2 data, prints, charts, historical data · Built-in KYC/AML · API, advanced order types · Administrative tool for brokers · Multi OS and device support
|
· SSTs clear and settle as securities and custody using cold storage · Proprietary middleware connects the Prometheum blockchain to existing clearing systems · Trades can clear and settle within one day · Blockchain integrated for security, reconciliation, decentralization and data storage |
| Keep Up to Date | |||||
| Enter your email address | Submit | ||||
© 2017 - 2019 Prometheum Inc. All rights reserved. FAQ Privacy Policy Terms of Use *Regulatory Approvals Pending |
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Disclaimer
No money or consideration is being solicited by the information in this or any other communication and, if sent, money will not be accepted and will be promptly returned. No offer by a potential investor to buy our securities can be accepted and, if made, any such offer can be withdrawn before qualification of this offering by the SEC.
A potential investor’s indication of interest does not create a commitment to purchase the securities we are offering. Any such indication of interest may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance is given and all other requirements to accept an investment from a potential investor are met after the offering qualification date. The offering, after qualification by the SEC, will be made only by means of the Offering Circular.
Any information on Prometheum.com or any other communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification for sale as provided in Regulation A+ in any such state or jurisdiction. You may obtain a copy of the Preliminary Offering Circular and the offering statement in which such Preliminary Offering Circular was filed with the SEC by clicking here.

| 50+ | Years in combined securities law |
20+ | Years combined in blockchain and distributed architectures |
30+ | Years combined building trading systems |
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| Martin H. Kaplan | Aaron Kaplan | Benjamin Kaplan |
Chairman |
Co-CEO |
Co-CEO |
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| Gareth Jenkins | Alexander Shapiro | Kirti Naik |
CTO |
CSO |
CMO |
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| Join the Team |
Partners
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| Keep Up to Date | |||||
| Enter your email address | Submit | ||||
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Disclaimer
No money or consideration is being solicited by the information in this or any other communication and, if sent, money will not be accepted and will be promptly returned. No offer by a potential investor to buy our securities can be accepted and, if made, any such offer can be withdrawn before qualification of this offering by the SEC.
A potential investor’s indication of interest does not create a commitment to purchase the securities we are offering. Any such indication of interest may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance is given and all other requirements to accept an investment from a potential investor are met after the offering qualification date. The offering, after qualification by the SEC, will be made only by means of the Offering Circular.
Any information on Prometheum.com or any other communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification for sale as provided in Regulation A+ in any such state or jurisdiction. You may obtain a copy of the Preliminary Offering Circular and the offering statement in which such Preliminary Offering Circular was filed with the SEC by clicking here.

| The Ember Smart Security Offering (SSO) | |
| Prometheum will offer it’s Ember warrant/SST to all investors through a Regulation A+ offering that will be qualified by the SEC. | ![]() |
| Regulation | Raise | Must be | Open | SEC Review | Free Trading | |||||||||||||||
| Type | Amount | Accredited | to Retail | Period | ||||||||||||||||
| Reg A+ | $50mm/yr | No | Yes | 4-6 months | Yes | |||||||||||||||

Indication of Interest
How much are you interested in investing?
| First Name* | Last Name* | |
| Email Address* | Company |
| Country* | State | Zip | ||
| Investment Amt.* | Annual Income* | Net Worth* | ||
| o Are you an Accredited Investor? | ||||
| Submit |
Disclaimer
No money or consideration is being solicited by the information in this or any other communication and, if sent, money will not be accepted and will be promptly returned. No offer by a potential investor to buy our securities can be accepted and, if made, any such offer can be withdrawn before qualification of this offering by the SEC.
A potential investor’s indication of interest does not create a commitment to purchase the securities we are offering. Any such indication of interest may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance is given and all other requirements to accept an investment from a potential investor are met after the offering qualification date. The offering, after qualification by the SEC, will be made only by means of the Offering Circular.
Any information on Prometheum.com or any other communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification for sale as provided in Regulation A+ in any such state or jurisdiction. You may obtain a copy of the Preliminary Offering Circular and the offering statement in which such Preliminary Offering Circular was filed with the SEC by clicking here.
|
| |||
Key Documents | |||
| Want to know more about Prometheum? | |||
| Download White Paper | |||
| Download No Action Letter | |||
| Go to SEC Offering Page | |||
Understanding Regulation A+
| Prometheum relies on Regulation A+ to enable companies to issue free trading cryptosecurities to all investors. Also known as a “mini-IPO”, this is an expansion of the capital raising Regulation A under the Securities Act of 1933. This update was passed in June of 2015 and is part of the SEC’s Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (The JOBS Act — Title IV) that allows U.S and Canadian companies to lawfully raise up to $50 million from all types of investors. Before Regulation A+, only IPOs could raise amounts in that range by offering securities to the public. Since IPOs are expensive and complicated, The U.S. government created Reg A+ to help companies raise capital faster, with less difficulty and at a lower cost. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Issuers/companies
can raise up to $50mm (Legislation proposes increasing to $75mm) |
All investors, including non-accredited investors, can participate |
Regulation
A+ Cryptosecurities offerings have no trading restrictions | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Issuers/companies can advertise their offering to the public | Reduced
costs for legal, accounting and related professional services | |||||||||||||||||||
| Keep Up to Date | |||||
© 2017 - 2019 Prometheum Inc. All rights reserved. FAQ Privacy Policy Terms of Use *Regulatory Approvals Pending |
120
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![]() |
Disclaimer
No money or consideration is being solicited by the information in this or any other communication and, if sent, money will not be accepted and will be promptly returned. No offer by a potential investor to buy our securities can be accepted and, if made, any such offer can be withdrawn before qualification of this offering by the SEC.
A potential investor’s indication of interest does not create a commitment to purchase the securities we are offering. Any such indication of interest may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance is given and all other requirements to accept an investment from a potential investor are met after the offering qualification date. The offering, after qualification by the SEC, will be made only by means of the Offering Circular.
Any information on Prometheum.com or any other communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification for sale as provided in Regulation A+ in any such state or jurisdiction. You may obtain a copy of the Preliminary Offering Circular and the offering statement in which such Preliminary Offering Circular was filed with the SEC by clicking here.

All Tech Operations |
Tech | ||||
| Full stack (NodeJS) Software Developer | New York, NY | — | |||
| Job type: Full-time · Experience level: Senior · Role: Full Stack Developer | |||||
| Remote details Preferred Timezone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time +/- 4 hours Office Location: New York, NY. Employees can also work full time from this office. | |||||
| Job description | |||||
| · 7+ years’ experience building, leading and maintaining multi-layer, services-oriented web-facing applications | |||||
| · Extensive experience of NodeJS and common packages, architectures | |||||
| · Experience designing, maintaining and expanding APIs via REST, WebSocket and other technologies | |||||
| · Experience building tool chain applications, agents, services, server and client applications in NodeJS or similar | |||||
| · Thorough working knowledge (and preferably DBA experience) working with a variety of database, NoSQL and other storage technologies in NodeJS (at least including PostgreSQL and Redis) | |||||
| · Application (and host) scaling experience with NodeJS | |||||
| · Some experience building with front-end frameworks (e.g. React, Vue) required | |||||
| · Full stack application architecture and design experience required (everything from the hardware and network to browser packaging and usability) | |||||
| · Live devops experience a big plus | |||||
| · Blockchain or cryptocurrency experience beneficial | |||||
| Senior Infrastructure Engineer | New York, NY | — | |||
| Job type: Full-time · Experience level: Senior · Role: Full Stack Developer | |||||
| Remote details | |||||
| Preferred Timezone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time +/- 0 hours | |||||
| Office Location: New York, NY. Employees can also work full time from this office. | |||||
| Job description | |||||
| We’re a primarily Linux-based operation with a mix of in-house, external and common open-source dependencies. Our internal systems are all based on a Linux / Postgresql / Redis / NGINX / NodeJS / Rust micro services stack. We also run some Java and SQL Server-based systems. | |||||
| We’re looking for candidates who can demonstrate excellent experience and skills and are wiling to get started designing, building and deploying Prometheum’s hybrid physical/cloud infrastructure. | |||||
| Requirements | |||||
| · 7+ years direct experience building and managing production web-facing infrastructure | |||||
| · 5+ years experience in one of C++, Java, Rust, Go, server-side Javascript or Python (or some combination) as well as extensive scripting experience | |||||
| · Hands on skills in key systems deployment (network, hardware, OS, modern application stacks) | |||||
| · Hands on skills with designing, configuring and deploying network security devices | |||||
| · Excellent knowledge of modern reporting, monitoring and alerting systems | |||||
| · Excellent demonstrable working knowledge of Linux systems | |||||
| · Excellent understanding of security principles across both modern and legacy infrastructures | |||||
| · Extensive experience of physical, cloud and hybrid deployments | |||||
| · Familiar with container-based solutions, including working experience with Kubernetes and Docker | |||||
| · Familiar with Windows Server deployments & SQL Server | |||||
| · Familiar with agile and agile project management (for development and infrastructure projects) | |||||
| · An understanding of basic blockchain principles and key software and network structures | |||||
| · Experience producing and maintaining technical and systems documentation | |||||
| · Experience working in or with a remote team | |||||
| · Willing to work on-call for production support | |||||
| You will be expected to demonstrate: | |||||
| · Strong organization and interpersonal skills | |||||
| · Excellent reasoning | |||||
| · Experience and understanding of working with regulatory or compliance functions | |||||
| It is beneficial if candidates can also demonstrate: | |||||
| · Deployment of fintech/trading software and systems | |||||
| · Deployment of blockchain software (e.g. running nodes and building blockchain-connected systems) | |||||
| · Experience with distributed or peer-to-peer systems | |||||
| · Senior DBA experience (Postgresql/SQL Server/other) | |||||
| · Test management and multi-environment design | |||||
| · Team management and leadership skills | |||||
| Apply at Stack Overflow | |||||
| https://stackoverflow.com/jobs/283894/senior-infrastructure-engineer-prometheum-inc | |||||
| Technical Program Manager | New York, NY | — | |||
| Job type: Full-time · Experience level: Senior · Role: Product Manager | |||||
| Remote details | |||||
| Preferred Timezone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time +/- 4 hours | |||||
| Office Location: New York, NY. Employees can also work full time from this office. | |||||
| Job description | |||||
| · 5+ years’ experience managing technical program delivery using common (e.g. scrum, agile) management structures, with direct involvement in requirements analysis, documentation and resource allocation | |||||
| · Experience running internal and external development teams | |||||
| · Experience working with regulated applications (preferably financial) expected | |||||
| · Experience of blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies preferred | |||||
| · Demonstrable technical writing experience expected | |||||
| · Some development or technical experience expected (preferably in NodeJS, Java or C++, but any demonstrable experience useful) | |||||
| · Direct experience with managing or working with QA and test teams a benefit | |||||
| · Candidates must be happy to work in a small team and get involved in a variety of non-core activities | |||||
| · Experience working with cross-time-zone teams a benefit | |||||
| · Mandarin speaker/reader a significant plus | |||||
| Operations | |||||
| Business Analyst | New York, NY | — | |||
| Job type: Full-time · Experience level: · Role: | |||||
| Remote details | |||||
| Preferred Timezone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time +/- 4 hours | |||||
| Office Location: New York, NY. Employees can also work full time from this office. | |||||
| Job description | |||||
| · Research, analyze, model and create internal revenue studies | |||||
| · Research, analyze, model and create internal budget related material | |||||
| · Research, analyze, model and create internal forecasting | |||||
| · Research, gather and analyze overall market research and data | |||||
| · Initiate and plan research/studies/models related to strategic planning and development | |||||
| · Create presentations related to business strategy initiatives, financial models, revenue studies, etc. | |||||
| · Develop, update and maintain financial planning models | |||||
| · Assemble and summarize data to structure sophisticated reports on financial status | |||||
| · Perform financial analysis, draw thoughtful conclusions and present recommendations on options, decisions and actions | |||||
| · Create clear communications of financial assumptions, risks, and valuation of proposed transactions | |||||
| · Identify, quantify and model key metrics that drive growth and revenue | |||||
| · Create and draft reports related to all responsibilities | |||||
| · Assist with daily operations and other duties as assigned | |||||
| · Create marketing materials including decks, teaser decks, website content & diagrams, supplementary papers | |||||
| · Work with different departments including tech, management, compliance, legal, marketing, and HR in order to create material that reflects a complete perspective | |||||
| Head of Business Development | New York, NY | ||||
| Job type: Full-time · Experience level: · Role: Manager | |||||
| Remote details | |||||
| Preferred Timezone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time +/- 4 hours | |||||
| Office Location: New York, NY. Employees can also work full time from this office. | |||||
| Job description | |||||
| Human Resources Manager | New York, NY | — | |||
| Job type: Full-time · Experience level: Senior · Role: HR Manager | |||||
| Remote details | |||||
| Preferred Timezone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time +/- 4 hours | |||||
| Office Location: New York, NY. Employees can also work full time from this office. | |||||
| Job description | |||||
| Keep Up to Date | |||||
| Enter your email address | Submit | ||||
© 2017 - 2019 Prometheum Inc. All rights reserved. FAQ Privacy Policy Terms of Use *Regulatory Approvals Pending |
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Wall Street, floor 25 Contact Us |
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Disclaimer
No money or consideration is being solicited by the information in this or any other communication and, if sent, money will not be accepted and will be promptly returned. No offer by a potential investor to buy our securities can be accepted and, if made, any such offer can be withdrawn before qualification of this offering by the SEC.
A potential investor’s indication of interest does not create a commitment to purchase the securities we are offering. Any such indication of interest may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance is given and all other requirements to accept an investment from a potential investor are met after the offering qualification date. The offering, after qualification by the SEC, will be made only by means of the Offering Circular.
Any information on Prometheum.com or any other communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification for sale as provided in Regulation A+ in any such state or jurisdiction. You may obtain a copy of the Preliminary Offering Circular and the offering statement in which such Preliminary Offering Circular was filed with the SEC by clicking here.

| General
questions Issuers/Companies Investors/Traders Broker-dealers Validators Dapp Creators |
Who is the Prometheum team?
The core Prometheum team is composed of professionals with many years of experience in Blockchain, Securities regulation, Risk management systems, Exchanges, and front end Trading systems. Our team page (here) has everyone’s LinkedIn profile links - please check us out! |
— | ||
| Where is Prometheum based? | ||||
| — | ||||
| Prometheum is based in Manhattan, NY. | ||||
| Is Prometheum licensed/regulated? | ||||
| — | ||||
| Prometheum is registered with the SEC and in the process of registering with FINRA. | ||||
What is the difference between cryptocurrency and a cryptosecurity?
Up until about three years ago, most people thought they were the same; in fact the idea of a cryptosecurity was pretty much unknown. There has been a fundamental change in this thinking based on what the SEC has said and it is at the core of what we are doing here at Prometheum. At the most basic level the difference is the difference between a currency and a security. A currency is actual money, it has intrinsic value and can be used as a direct means of payment for many different things. Securities are notes or contracts that represent some sort of promise to an investor, whether it be a part of a company (equity) or the promise of future payments, or a token that represents value that has the possibility of growth as it relates to the utility of that token on a blockchain supported network. Both cryptocurrency and cryptosecurities use a blockchain to keep a record of transactions, also known as a distributed ledger. |
— |
How is my personal information protected?
All personal information is encrypted and stored safety. Personal information is not written to a public blockchain and all personal data storage is done in a secure, firewalled environment hosted in the same data centers as major exchanges. |
— | |||
| Does Prometheum support 2 factor authentication (2FA)? | ||||
| — | ||||
| Yes. | ||||
How long does it take to open an account?
Once we go live, you will be able to open a trial account with Prometheum in about 5 minutes. This type of account will allow you to learn the trading system, get to know the different sections of the trading site, and even send orders and receive trades in our test market with play money. If you are ready to start trading, you can usually open an account within 24 hours depending on how fast we receive a deposit, and pending our automated customer verification. |
||||
What is Prometheum’s ecosystem?
The Prometheum ecosystem is a term we use to describe the digital world that is created by connecting the issuance platform, the ATS, the online broker and our clearing firm, and using the blockchain and smart contracts as the technology that connects, secures, records, and powers it all. The participants of this world are the online network of people interconnected by technology. |
— | |||
Who are the participants on the Prometheum ecosystem?
The Prometheum ecosystem is a term we use to describe the digital world that is created by connecting the issuance platform, the ATS, the online broker and our clearing firm. We use our blockchain and smart contracts as the technology that connects, secures, records, and powers it all. The participants of this digital world are the online network of people interconnected by technology. |
— | |||
Who can trade on Prometheum?
Anyone over the age of 18 that passes our KYC/AML procedures and has a funded account can trade - we do not require a person to be an accredited investor. |
— | |||
Is Prometheum creating its own blockchain?
Yes, Prometheum uses its own blockchain for a more secure, verifiable and modern data storage and management system. |
— | |||
How do other blockchains interact with the Prometheum ecosystem?
Issuing companies can interact with the Prometheum Blockchain using smart contracts. Transactions involving the transfer of SSTs happen in smart contracts on the Prometheum Blockchain, but can be extended to support integration with DApps built on either the Prometheum or another public blockchain. |
— | |||
What is the utility of Ember on Prometheumt’s blockchain?
Every transaction that is written to our blockchain must be verified by the Validators on our network. This is known as consensus. Only people that own Ember (MBR) tokens can verify transactions, they are known as validators. Verification is basically some simple work that is done by a computer that is connected to the network (known as a node on the network) that results in a new addition to our ledger of transactions (blockchain), which requires some small amount of time and energy, which costs money. In our specific consensus model, validators use the amount of MBR tokens they own to stake a claim to do a proportionate amount of this work in order to get paid back and rewarded in fractions of MBR tokens (Sparks). This reward is then added onto the transaction being recorded as a fee to the participants involved. |
— | |||
What is the Ember-X protocol?
This is the protocol and set of standards that underpin the functionality of the Prometheum Blockchain, including network design, the smart contract layer and the wallet system. |
— | |||
What is Ember?
Ember, or MBR is a cryptosecurity and utility token. It is the first Smart Security Token (SST) on the Prometheum network and it is created by Prometheum to power our network. |
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What is an SST?
A Smart Security Token or SST is a digital token that is able to be both a cryptographic token, meaning it can be used on a blockchain for utility, and a security. |
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How do I buy/sell Ember?
Ember will be bought and sold on the Ember ATS by opening and funding a brokerage account, and then accessing the trading/order entry page by logging into the online trading platform. |
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Does the Prometheum Blockchain allow for Dapps?
Yes, please take a look at the FAQ section for DAPP creators. |
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What type of asset classes does Prometheum offer?
Right now, only SSTs can be traded on the Ember ATS. |
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Can I use my phone to access my account?
We are working on a mobile interface. |
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Does Prometheum support Apple computers?
Yes. |
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Does Prometheum charge trading fees?
The Ember ATS rewards liquidity providers by paying them a small rebate for every executed trade, liquidity takers however pay a fee for every executed trade. Just like most retail brokerage firms, you will also be charged commission for every executed trade. |
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Does Prometheum charge fees to withdraw funds?
Prometheum does not charge fees for withdrawing funds - it’s your money, you trusted us with it, and you helped the network, why would we charge you to take it back? Banks on the other hand do charge wire, ACH, etc. fees, which you may still be charged. Unfortunately we are not a bank…yet. |
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Disclaimer
No money or consideration is being solicited by the information in this or any other communication and, if sent, money will not be accepted and will be promptly returned. No offer by a potential investor to buy our securities can be accepted and, if made, any such offer can be withdrawn before qualification of this offering by the SEC.
A potential investor’s indication of interest does not create a commitment to purchase the securities we are offering. Any such indication of interest may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance is given and all other requirements to accept an investment from a potential investor are met after the offering qualification date. The offering, after qualification by the SEC, will be made only by means of the Offering Circular.
Any information on Prometheum.com or any other communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification for sale as provided in Regulation A+ in any such state or jurisdiction. You may obtain a copy of the Preliminary Offering Circular and the offering statement in which such Preliminary Offering Circular was filed with the SEC by clicking here.
| General
questions Issuers/Companies Investors/Traders Broker-dealers Validators Dapp Creators |
How do companies offer SSTs through Prometheum’s issuance platform (also known as a Smart Security Offering or SSO)?
Companies interested in issuing a SST have to go through an approval and registration process. Part of this process is getting the SEC’s approval for the way they plan on raising capital, known as being “qualified” by the SEC. Once a company has been qualified, they create an offering by using our online issuance platform, we call this a Smart Security Offering, or SSO. Companies are required to provide detailed and extensive information about themselves and their employees. Part of this information becomes the company profile and is presented to potential investors when the offering goes live. If enough investors commit online to purchasing a companies tokens, the offering is successfully closed and the tokens are distributed to the investors digital wallets. |
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What regulation does Prometheum’s issuance platform currently rely on?
Regulation A+. |
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What is regulation A+?
Sometimes called a mini-IPO, Regulation A+ passed in June of 2015 (Title IV of JOBS act). Regulation A+ was specifically created to help small and midsize companies raise capital faster, and at a lower cost than a traditional IPO. Reg A+ is an expansion of the capital raising Regulation A of The Securities Act of 1933. This update is part of the SEC’s Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (The JOBS Act). It describes how U.S. and Canadian companies can lawfully raise up to $50 million via all types of investors. |
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What are the benefits of Regulation A+?
SST’s issued using Regulation A+ can be offered to all types of investors, companies can raise up to $50 million per year, it is much cheaper than an IPO, and the SST’s issued can be traded immediately. |
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Does Prometheum support any other types of capital raising regulations?
Our platform can also support companies raising capital via Regulation D and Regulation S. |
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How does a company get listed on Prometheum’s ATS
Prometheum does not actually “list” tokens. A company’s SST symbol is automatically added to the ATS once an SSO is completed and the tokens are distributed. This gives investors that received SST’s in a distribution immediate liquidity, and other investors the opportunity to buy and sell the tokens freely. |
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How much does it cost to list a token on Prometheum’s ATS?
Prometheum’s ATS doesn’t charge listing fees since the ATS does not actually offer tokens, it just operates technology that matches buyers and sellers once the tokens exist in their accounts after distribution. However, there is a $25,000 upfront fee plus a small percentage of an issuance that companies must pay to issue tokens on our issuance platform. |
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Does Prometheum have ongoing fees for companies whose tokens are listed on the ATS?
Yes, companies pay a quarterly fee of $2,500 in association with the quarterly reporting requirements. |
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| General
questions Issuers/Companies Investors/Traders Broker-dealers Validators Dapp Creators |
How do I sign up for the Prometheum Ecosystem?
By registering with Prometheum Ember ATS (PEATS) and then going through the activation process and funding your brokerage account. The activation process is the actual account opening process and is created with guidance from FINRA and the SEC as it relates to Know Your Customer, Anti-Money Laundering, and Investor Protection. |
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What information must I provide?
For individual accounts we
require all official personal information including, but not limited to, your legal name, phone number, address, a government
issued photo ID, DOB, social security number (where applicable), as well as your knowledge of the markets, your investment
goals and your risk tolerance. |
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What types of documents/lD are required to sign up for the Prometheum ecosystem?
You need a government issued photo ID from the country in which you reside or have citizenship in. |
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What type of investors are allowed to participate in Smart Security Offerings (SSO’s)?
All investors unless otherwise specified. |
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What type of investors are allowed to participate on the ATS?
All investors unless otherwise specified. |
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Can investors trade cryptocurrency on the Prometheum network?
No, we do not offer trading in existing cryptocurrency like Bitcoin and Ether. |
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Does the Prometheum ecosystem support all security tokens?
We only support security tokens that have passed our diligence process and qualify for trading under the Federal Securities Laws. |
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Is there a minimum deposit to open an account?
We require a minimum deposit of $100 to open an account. |
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Can I open a corporate account with Prometheum?
Yes. |
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How do I store my Ember tokens?
Every funded account has a Prometheum Master Wallet linked to it that automatically stores any tokens you own. |
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Can I use my existing wallet?
You can transfer tokens to a Prometheum Personal Wallet that you have full control of, but you can only sell tokens on the ATS if they are in your Prometheum Master Wallet. |
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Is there a minimum age to open an account?
You must be 18 years or older. |
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Can I open an account from outside the US?
Yes. |
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Can I open an account from any US State?
Yes. |
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How do I fund my account?
At the end of the account opening online application process, you will be able to enter your bank information to initiate a transfer. You can transfer additional funds into your account at any time. |
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How are new accounts verified?
We use a third party verification system called IdentityMind for AML (anti money laundering) and KYC (know your customer) checks. |
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Can I trade using Margin?
Not at this time |
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Can I short sell?
Not at this time |
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How do I withdraw money from my account?
Go to the banking page on the online trading platform and submit a money withdrawal request. |
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Can I take my Ember tokens out of my Prometheum account?
Yes, but you will not be able to sell them on the ATS. |
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Can I trade Ember tokens on another market?
It may be possible, but those transactions will not be recorded on the Prometheum Blockchain (also known as off chain), may not be secure, and may not be legal. We are not and cannot be responsible for what happens to Ember tokens once they are taken out of our network. |
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General questions
Issuers/Companies
Investors/Traders
Broker-dealers
Validators
Dapp Creators |
How do broker-dealers gain access to Prometheum’s ATS?
Broker-dealers must be registered with Finra and complete a short online New Broker application. Once completed and approved, there are multiple ways to connect to the ATS for sending orders and receiving market data. |
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How do broker-dealers offer their customers access to Prometheum’s ATS?
Brokers connected to the ATS can use the Prometheum front end, or they can use any of their own existing software by incorporating our market data and connecting to our OMS using FIX, our proprietary protocol or our API. |
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General questions
Issuers/Companies
Investors/Traders
Broker-dealers
Validators
Dapp Creators |
How do I become a validator?
Any account holder who owns Ember tokens can apply to be a validator by filling out the online validator application form. |
— | ||
Can anybody be a validator?
Any account holder who owns Ember tokens and has technical knowledge and hardware to operate a node on our network can become a validator as long as their application is approved based on their answers to our questions and a current verification and background check. |
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How do I receive payment as a validator?
Your payment will be deposited into your Prometheum wallet (brokerage account) after the trading session within which your validation occurred has ended and we have completed our clearing and settlement related processes, usually within the next trading session. |
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How do validators secure the network?
Validators are all owners of Ember, so it is in their best interest to secure the network that creates value for their tokens. Validators risk losing their stake if they don’t properly validate blocks. The consensus mechanism ensures that validators not acting properly don’t affect the integrity of the network. |
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Can I validate other networks as well as Prometheum?
Sure. |
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General questions
Issuers/Companies
Investors/Traders
Broker-dealers
Validators
Dapp Creators |
How do I become a Dapp creator?
Holders of the Ember token can deploy general purpose smart contracts to the Prometheum Blockchain. |
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What type of Dapps does the Prometheum ecosystem support?
DApps can be either directly deployed as Prometheum smart contracts or linked via other networks using a bridging contract. |
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I have a DApp deployed to the Ethereum network, can I use this with Prometheum?
Yes, you can create smart contracts on both the Prometheum and Ethereum networks that communicate with one another via a bridge. |
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Do my users need to own Ember to use my app?
This depends on how you deploy your DApp. Any user interacting with a smart contract deployed on the Prometheum Blockchain will need to own Ember. |
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Can my Dapp interact with Prometheum’s trading systems?
Interaction with Prometheum’s Ember token is embedded in Prometheum’s trading systems. Other SSTs deployed into the Prometheum ecosystem can be traded via Prometheum’s trading systems but are not embedded into it in the same way as Ember. DApps deployed to Prometheum’s blockchain interact with SSTs in personal wallets outside of the scope of the regulated trading activities. Users can move their SSTs in and out of their personal wallet via their broker-dealer. |
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If I issue my own SST can I deploy a Dapp that uses that SST?
Yes. Smart Contracts deployed to the Prometheum Blockchain can interact with any SST. |
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Disclaimer
No money or consideration is being solicited by the information in this or any other communication and, if sent, money will not be accepted and will be promptly returned. No offer by a potential investor to buy our securities can be accepted and, if made, any such offer can be withdrawn before qualification of this offering by the SEC.
A potential investor’s indication of interest does not create a commitment to purchase the securities we are offering. Any such indication of interest may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance is given and all other requirements to accept an investment from a potential investor are met after the offering qualification date. The offering, after qualification by the SEC, will be made only by means of the Offering Circular.
Any information on Prometheum.com or any other communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification for sale as provided in Regulation A+ in any such state or jurisdiction. You may obtain a copy of the Preliminary Offering Circular and the offering statement in which such Preliminary Offering Circular was filed with the SEC by clicking here.

By accessing and using this Website (the “Site”), you acknowledge, accept and agree to all of our Terms and Conditions of Usage embodied in the Terms & Use Policy, including the privacy policies described below (the “Privacy Policies”). If you do not agree to these Privacy Policies, you are not authorized to access and use this Site and may be suspended from access to this Site. You also acknowledge and agree that we may modify the Privacy Policies at any time, in our sole and absolute discretion, and that all modifications to the Privacy Policies will be effective immediately upon our posting of the modifications on this Site, as described in greater detail below. For purposes of these Privacy Policies, Prometheum means Prometheum, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any subsidiaries or affiliates thereof and “we” and “us” likewise means Prometheum and such subsidiaries and affiliates. The Site shall mean the website of Prometheum available to the general public and located at Prometheum.com, and selected other domains.
The Site does not require you to provide personal, nonpublic information. We only collect personal, nonpublic information that you knowingly and willingly supply to us. For example, you can sign up to receive email notifications by submitting your email address. You can also unsubscribe at any time. Visitors to the Site may choose to complete a contact form, which may request information such as name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, etc. Visitors may also use this form to share comments relating to our Site or our business in general. The information provided through this form will be used either to improve the content and services of the Site or to direct a member of our sales department to contact the visitor.
None of the information provided in the contact form will be sold, transferred or otherwise conveyed to any unaffiliated third party. To the extent there is any change to this non-sharing feature of the Privacy Policies, the Privacy Policies will be modified to reflect such change. We will not share your information with unaffiliated third parties unless required by applicable law or directed by a court of competent jurisdiction. We will store your information securely and only for the purpose of providing services that you have requested from us or as otherwise described herein.
Prometheum may also collect data on the general usage of the Prometheum site. Like most Websites, the Prometheum site maintains logs that, when analyzed, reflect internet protocol (“IP”) addresses of our visitors, date and time and pages viewed.
Our Site also uses “cookies.” Cookies are small text files that are placed in a site visitor’s computer that contain no personal information about the visitor, but enable us to determine whether the visitor has viewed the Site previously. In essence, cookies constitute a string of information that a website stores on a visitor’s computer, and that the visitor’s browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns to that particular website. Prometheum uses cookies to help identify and track visitors, their usage of our Site, and their general website access preferences. Prometheum visitors who do not wish to have cookies placed on their computers should set their browsers to refuse cookies before using the Site, with the drawback that certain features of the Site may not function properly without the aid of cookies.
Prometheum reserves the right to make changes to these Privacy Policies at any time in its sole and absolute discretion. Any changes to these Privacy Policies will become effective when posted. Prometheum encourages visitors to frequently check this page for any changes to the Privacy Policies. Your continued use of this site after any change in these Privacy Policies will constitute your acceptance of such change.
If you have any questions about our Privacy Policies, please contact us at: INFO@PROMETHEUM.COM.
Prometheum strongly encourages users to carefully read the Terms & Use Policy which governs and sets forth the terms and conditions to your access of the Site. In the event of a conflict between the Terms & Use Policy and these Privacy Policies, the Terms & Use Policy will prevail.
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Disclaimer
No money or consideration is being solicited by the information in this or any other communication and, if sent, money will not be accepted and will be promptly returned. No offer by a potential investor to buy our securities can be accepted and, if made, any such offer can be withdrawn before qualification of this offering by the SEC.
A potential investor’s indication of interest does not create a commitment to purchase the securities we are offering. Any such indication of interest may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance is given and all other requirements to accept an investment from a potential investor are met after the offering qualification date. The offering, after qualification by the SEC, will be made only by means of the Offering Circular.
Any information on Prometheum.com or any other communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification for sale as provided in Regulation A+ in any such state or jurisdiction. You may obtain a copy of the Preliminary Offering Circular and the offering statement in which such Preliminary Offering Circular was filed with the SEC by clicking here.

General
By accessing and using this Website (the “Site”) or using any Service (defined below) of this Site, you acknowledge, accept and agree to all of our Terms and Conditions of Usage embodied in this Terms & Use Policy, including all terms, conditions and privacy policies (the “Privacy Policies”), accessed elsewhere on this Site, and otherwise contained on or referenced in this Site (“Terms”). If you do not agree to these Terms, you are not authorized to access and use this Site. You also acknowledge and agree that we may modify these Terms at any time, in our sole and absolute discretion; that all modifications to these Terms will be effective immediately upon our posting of the modifications on this Site; and that you will review these Terms each time you access this Site, so that you are aware of and agree to any and all modifications made to these Terms. You also acknowledge and agree that, unless we specifically indicate otherwise, these Terms only apply to this Site and our other online activities and that the Terms do not apply to any of our offline activities. For purposes of these Terms, Prometheum means Prometheum, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any subsidiaries or affiliates thereof and “we” and “us” likewise means Prometheum and such subsidiaries and affiliates. The Site shall mean the website of Prometheum available to the general public and located at Prometheum.com, and selected other domains [such as -add such domains, if any]. All terms and conditions of the Privacy Policies are deemed incorporated by reference herein and made a part hereof.
The Site [and mobile application thereto, contemplated in the near future] (collectively, the “Service”) may include or may make available certain content (the “Content”). Content relates to the Service and includes, without limitation: (1) account positions, balances, transactions, confirmations, and order history; (2) general news and information, commentary, research reports, material and data, educational material and information and data concerning the financial markets, crypto currency markets, derivative markets, securities and other subjects; (3) market data such as quotations for securities transactions and/or last sale information for completed securities transactions reported in accordance with federal securities regulations; (4) financial and investment interactive tools, such as alerts or calculators and similar devices; (5) tax preparation, bill payment and account management tools; (6) company names, logos, product and service names, trade names, trademarks and services marks (collectively, “Marks”) owned by Promethium; and (7) any other products information, content, services, or software available on, or accessible through, the Site.
Content is provided exclusively for personal and non-commercial access and use. No part of the Service or Content may be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, publicly displayed, encoded, translated, transmitted or distributed in any way (including “mirroring”) to any other computer, server, web site or other medium for publication or distribution or for any commercial enterprise or otherwise, without Prometheum’s express prior written consent. These Terms are in addition to any other agreements between you and Prometheum, including any customer, brokerage or account agreements and any other agreements that govern your use of information, software, products, goods, services, content, tools, and data provided by Prometheum.
Disclaimer
The fact that Prometheum has made or may make Content available on, or accessible through, the Site does not constitute a representation by Prometheum that any such Content is suitable or appropriate for you. Prometheum is not soliciting any action based on the Content. The Content is not to be construed as a recommendation or an offer to buy or sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or to enter into any transaction in respect of, any security, financial product, derivative or other instrument. All Content contained herein is obtained by Prometheum from sources generally believed by Prometheum to be accurate and reliable. Because of the possibility of human and mechanical error as well as other factors, neither Prometheum nor any affiliates are responsible in any manner whatsoever for any inaccuracies, errors or omissions. ALL INFORMATION AND CONTENT IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS WHERE IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS WITHOUT REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY (EXPRESS OR IMPLIED) OF ANY KIND. Prometheum makes no representation or warranty and disclaims all express, implied, and statutory warranties of any kind or nature whatsoever to any user, including warranties as to accuracy, timeliness, completeness, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. Prometheum does not undertake to advise you of changes in any of the Content, and you should note the date of publication of each component of the Content. You acknowledge that: (a) the Site is provided for informational purposes only; (b) the Site may include information taken from third-party sources, such as media outlets; and (c) any reliance on any portion of the Content shall be at your sole risk. The Content may not be used for any illicit or illegal purpose or in any manner inconsistent with the Terms. The Content may not be used in any manner that would subject Prometheum to any registration or regulatory requirements or supervision in any jurisdiction or country. You may not display any Content in any way that creates a misimpression or likelihood of confusion that such Content is from any source other than Prometheum. Unless due to their willful misconduct or gross negligence, Prometheum and its affiliates, employees, officers and representatives shall not have any liability in tort, contract, or otherwise (and, as permitted by law, product liability), to any user and/or any third party. None of Prometheum, its affiliates, employees, officers, directors or representatives shall, under any circumstance, be liable to any user (and/or any third party) for any lost profits or lost opportunity, indirect, special, consequential, incidental, or punitive damages whatsoever, even if Prometheum has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
The content of the Site is not intended to provide financial, legal, tax or investment advice or recommendations. You are solely responsible for determining whether any investment, investment strategy or related transaction is appropriate for you based on your personal investment objectives, financial circumstances and risk tolerance. You should consult your legal or tax professional regarding your specific situation. For the avoidance of doubt and in addition to the foregoing, Prometheum is not offering any tax advice of any kind or nature whatsoever and users should consult their own tax advisors with respect to any tax planning or tax based decisions.
Prometheum assumes no responsibility for, and shall not be liable for, any damages to, or viruses that may infect, your computer equipment or other property on account of your access to, use of, or browsing the Site or your downloading of any materials, data, text, images, video, or audio from the Site. Prometheum does not guarantee that any content or information provided on the Site is true, correct, complete, current or viable and makes no representations or warranties with respect thereto.
Eligibility for Use of the Services
The Service is only available to individuals who are at least eighteen years old. You represent and warrant that if you are an individual, you are at least 18 years old, that you are fully able and competent to enter into the terms and conditions set forth in this and other agreements on the Site, and that all registration information you submit is truthful, accurate and complete. If you are accessing the Site and/or using the Services on behalf of an entity, such as your employer or a company you work for or control, you warrant and represent that you have the legal authority to bind that entity to these Terms.
User Profile Registration
You may access the Site generally and/or browse generally without registering with the Site. You must complete the registration process by providing us with current, complete and accurate information (such information constitutes your “Profile”). You are solely responsible for updating any and all pertinent registration information. Failure to do so shall constitute a breach of the Terms, which may result in immediate termination of your Profile. You will also choose a password and a user name. Prometheum reserves the right in its sole and absolute discretion to refuse registration of or cancel a User Name, and/or domain name. You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and Profile. You agree to notify Prometheum immediately in writing of any unauthorized use of your Profile or any other breach of security. You will not share your password, let anyone else access your Profile, or do anything else that might jeopardize the security of your Profile. You will not transfer your Profile to anyone without first getting our written permission. You acknowledge and agree that you are liable for any damages or losses to Prometheum and other Users by any use of your Profile, either authorized or unauthorized.
You agree that your Profile will be self-directed and that you are solely responsible for all purchases, orders, investment decisions and instructions placed in your Profile. Although the Site may provide data, information or content provided by third-parties or us relating to investment strategies and/or opportunities to buy and/or sell securities, you should not interpret any such content as tax, legal, financial, or investment advice by us or a recommendation by us to invest in any offering posted on the Site. Any decision to invest shall be based solely on your own consideration and analysis of the risks involving a particular offering and is made at your own risk. You acknowledge and agree that you are solely responsible for determining the suitability of an investment or strategy and accept the risks associated with such decisions, which include the risk of losing the entire amount of your principal. We have no special relationship with or fiduciary duty to you and your use of the Site or the Services does not create such a relationship. You agree and acknowledge that you are responsible for conducting your own legal, accounting and other due diligence review of the investment opportunities posted on the Site. You are strongly advised to consult a licensed legal professional and investment advisor for any legal, tax, insurance, or investment advice as the Site does not provide any of the foregoing advice or recommendations.
Investor Requirements
Prometheum hosts two types of offerings, made under Regulation A and Regulation D which are Regulation Crowdfunding offerings.
Regulation A-These securities offerings are available to U.S. investors who are “accredited investors” as defined by Rule 501 of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) as well as non-accredited investors subject to certain investment limitations as set forth in Regulation A, as amended, under the Securities Act (popularly known as “Reg A+”).
Regulation D - These securities offerings are only available to U.S. investors who are “accredited investors” as defined by Rule 501 of Regulation D under the Securities Act and are made under Rule 506(c) of Regulation D.
Regulation Crowdfunding - These securities offerings are available to U.S. accredited and non-accredited investors subject to certain investment limitations as set forth under Regulation Crowdfunding under the Securities Act.
Before you can invest in any of the securities offerings on the Site, you must register with the Site and (for Regulation A or Regulation D offerings) qualify either as an Accredited Investor or represent that you will meet the investment thresholds under Tier 2 of Reg A+ for Qualified Purchasers. Prior to investing, you may be asked to fill out a certification and provide necessary documentation as proof of your income and/or net worth, in addition to Know-Your-Customer and Anti Money Laundering checks, to verify that you are qualified to invest in offerings posted on this Site. You acknowledge and agree that all information you provide for the registration is complete and accurate. By registering with the Site for purposes of subscribing to securities offerings as an Accredited Investor, you represent and warrant that you come within at least one of the following categories:
· a natural person who has individual net worth, or joint net worth with the person’s spouse, that exceeds $1 million at the time of the purchase, excluding the value of your primary residence; · Explanation: In calculating net worth, you include all of your assets (other than your primary residence) whether liquid or illiquid, such as cash, stock, securities, personal property and real estate based on the fair market value of such property MINUS all debts and liabilities (other than a mortgage or other debt secured by your primary residence unless the liability exceed the fair market value of your primary residence). · a natural person with income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year; · a bank, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company; · an employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, if a bank, insurance company, or registered investment adviser makes the investment decisions, or if the plan has total assets in excess of $5 million; · a charitable organization, corporation, or partnership with assets exceeding $5 million; · a business in which all the equity owners are Accredited Investors; or · a trust with assets in excess of $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, whose purchases a sophisticated person makes. |
Qualifid Purchasers
By registering with the Site for purposes of subscribing to Regulation A securities offerings as a non-accredited investor, you represent and warrant that your investment in any Reg A+ offering posted on this site will not exceed the greater of 10% of your annual income or 10% of your net worth (excluding the value of your primary residence). YOU MUST MEET ONE OF THE ABOVE CRITERIA. WE ARE ENTITLED TO AND WILL RELY UPON YOUR REPRESENTATIONS. You agree that, should any material changes occur that might affect your status as an Accredited Investor, you shall immediately provide Prometheum with notice in writing.
Securities Products
The securities offered on the Site are only suitable for prospective investors who are familiar with and willing to accept the high risks associated with those investments, including the risk of complete loss of your investment. Securities sold pursuant to Regulation D through Prometheum are not publicly traded and, therefore, are illiquid unless registered with the SEC. Securities will be subject to restrictions on resale or transfer including holding period requirements. Investing in private placements requires high risk tolerance, low liquidity need, and long-term commitments. Users must be able to afford to lose their entire investment. Investment products are not FDIC insured, may lose value, and there is no bank guarantee.
The securities being offered have not been registered under the Securities Act, in reliance, among other exemptions, on the exemptive provisions of Reg A+ under Title IV of the JOBS Act and Regulation D. Similar reliance has been placed on apparently available exemptions from securities registration or qualification requirements under applicable state securities laws. Users must read each Issuer’s offering memorandum and transaction documents for more information and discuss any questions with each Issuer directly prior to investing. No assurance can be given that any offering currently qualifies or will continue to qualify under one or more of such exemptive provisions due to, among other things, the adequacy of disclosure and the manner of distribution, the existence of similar offerings in the past or in the future, or a change of any securities law or regulation that has retroactive effect. No governmental agency has rated the offerings posted on this Site and no state or federal agency has passed upon either the adequacy of the disclosure contained herein or the fairness of the terms of any offering. The exemptions relied upon for such offerings are significantly dependent upon the accuracy of the representations of the Users to be made to the Site and Issuers on the Site in connection with an offering. In the event that any such representations prove to be untrue, the registration exemptions relied upon by an Issuer in selling the securities might not be available and substantial liability to such Issuer would result under applicable securities laws for rescission or damages. These risks are non-exhaustive and are intended to highlight certain risks associated with investing in securities that are not registered with the SEC. WE STRONGLY ADVISE YOU TO CONSULT A LEGAL, TAX AND FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL BEFORE INVESTING, AND CAREFULLY REVIEW ALLTHE SPECIFIC RISK DISCLOSURES PROVIDED AS PART OF ANY OFFERING MATERIALS AND ASK THE ISSUER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE OR REQUEST ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Prometheum’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Prometheum Ember ATS (“PEATS”) receives compensation calculated by reference to the purchase or sale of securities through the Site, receives fixed fees in cash and/or securities of an issuer for services provided for live offerings and through other revenue generating events. Prometheum does not currently charge fees for companies that are “testing the waters” but may apply fees in the future. PEATS is a registered broker-dealer and does not offer investment advice or advise on the raising of capital through securities offerings. Prometheum does not recommend or otherwise suggest that any investor make an investment in a particular offering.
Securities Prices/Trading Data/No Investment Advice
Prometheum reserves all rights to the Prometheum ATS securities prices, if any, that it makes available to you through the Site. You understand and acknowledge that those Prometheum ATS securities prices are intended to provide you with a reference point only, rather than as a basis for making trading decisions. Prometheum does not guarantee that data, and shall not be liable for any loss due either to its negligence or to any cause beyond its reasonable control. Any redistribution of that data is strictly prohibited.
Prometheum provides self-directed investors with access to the Prometheum ATS Platform and its services, and does not make recommendations or offer investment advice of any kind or nature whatsoever. You are solely responsible for evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of any Content provided through the Service, before making any decisions, or taking any actions, based on such Content. You agree not to hold Prometheum liable for any possible claim for damages arising from any decision that you make based on the Content or other information made available to you through the Service. Past performance data should not be construed as indicative of future results.
Non-Liability; Indemnity
You will not hold Prometheum liable in any way for (a) any inaccuracy of, error or delay in, or omission of the Content; or (b) any loss or damage arising from or occasioned by (i) any error or delay in the transmission of such Content; (ii) interruption in any such Content due either to any negligent act or omission by any party that has been subject to, or impacted by, any “force majeure” (e.g., flood, extraordinary weather conditions, earthquake or other act of God, fire, war, act of terrorism, insurrection, riot, labor dispute, accident, action of government, communications or power failure, equipment or software malfunction), or (iii) to any other cause beyond the reasonable control of Prometheum, or (iv) non-performance.
By accessing the Site, users agree to indemnify and hold harmless Prometheum and its affiliates as well as their respective officers, directors, agents, partners, employees, licensors, distributors, and representatives of Prometheum and its affiliates, from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, causes of action, suits, proceedings, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising from or relating to access and/or use of, or interaction with the Content, or any act, error, or omission of use of accounts, in connection therewith, including, but not limited to, matters relating to incorrect, incomplete, or misleading information; libel; invasion of privacy; infringement of any copyright, trade name, trademark, service mark, or other intellectual property; any defective product or any injury or damage to person or property caused by any products sold or otherwise distributed through or in connection with the Service; or violation of any applicable law.
Communications
You agree, in your individual capacity and on behalf of any other person for whom that you are an authorized representative, that Prometheum may send communications to you via your mailing address, email, telephone or facsimile number that you have provided. You agree to notify us of any changes in your address or contact details. Prometheum may also deliver information verbally. Communications shall be deemed delivered to you when sent and not when received. Your use of electronic signatures to sign documents legally binds you in the same manner as if you had manually executed such documents. The use of electronic versions of documents fully satisfies any requirement that such document be provided to you in writing. If you sign electronically, you represent that you have the ability to access and retain a record of such executed documents. You agree that you are responsible for understanding these documents and agree to conduct business by electronic means. You are obligated to review the Site periodically for changes or modifications to the Terms and agree not to contest the admissibility or enforceability of the Site’s electronically stored copy of these Terms in any proceeding arising out of these Terms.
Although you consent to electronic delivery, you may elect to deliver communications by other means and such delivery will not impact your consent. By written notice to Prometheum, you may revoke your consent to electronic delivery of communications and receive a hard copy/paper version at your election. Upon receipt of such written notice, Prometheum shall have a reasonable period to effect such a change and Prometheum may charge you a fee for sending such hard copies. If you elect to use electronic delivery, you agree and represent that you have a suitable computer with internet access, an email address and the availability to download, save and print communications so as to retain a record of such communications. You agree that you are solely responsible for maintaining such equipment and services required for online access.
You represent and warrant that all information that you provide to Prometheum, whether through the Site or otherwise, is accurate, complete, current and truthful. You acknowledge and agree that Prometheum and its agents are entitled to rely upon the information that you provide as true, accurate and complete. Prometheum reserves the right to terminate your usage of the Site if any information provided at any time proves to be inaccurate, not current or incomplete.
You are prohibited from posting or transmitting any material on or through the Site that, in Prometheum’s sole opinion, is or could be offensive, fraudulent, unlawful, threatening, disingenuous, libelous, defamatory, obscene, scandalous, inflammatory, pornographic, or profane, or any material that could constitute or encourage conduct that could be considered a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, engender an issue with a regulator or otherwise violate any law. Prometheum will fully cooperate with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing Prometheum to disclose the identity of anyone posting or disseminating such information or materials.
You agree that any information that you transmit to the Site or to Prometheum in any manner including, but not limited to, pictures, videos, questions, comments, suggestions, investment strategies, proposed innovations, website addresses or links to other websites/ articles is non-confidential and non-proprietary and can be used by Prometheum for any purpose whatsoever. Prometheum is free to use any idea, concept, or technique contained in any communication to the Site for any purpose without any obligation to the sender of that communication.
You agree, as a result of your communications disseminated through the Site or otherwise, not to modify, damage, disrupt, disable, overburden, impair, alter or interfere with the use, features, functions, operation, security, or maintenance of the Site or the rights of use and enjoyment of the Site by any other person or entity in any manner. We reserve all of our rights with regard to damages and losses resulting from such actions.
Copyright
The works of authorship contained in this Site, including but not limited to, all design, text and images, are owned, except as otherwise expressly stated, by Prometheum, and may not be copied, reproduced, transmitted, displayed, performed, distributed, rented, sublicensed, altered, stored for subsequent use or otherwise used in whole or in part in any manner without the express prior written consent of Prometheum, except to the extent that such use constitutes “fair use” under the Copyright Act of 1976, as amended, [and except for one temporary copy in a single computer’s memory and one unaltered permanent copy to be used by the viewer for personal and non-commercial use only, with an attached copy of this page containing these specific provisions of the Terms together with the Privacy Policy]. Unless you have a written agreement in effect with Prometheum which states otherwise, you may only provide a hypertext link to the Site on another website provided that (a) the link must be a text-only link clearly marked Prometheum.com, (b) the appearance, position and other aspects of the link may not be such as to damage or dilute the goodwill associated with Prometheum’s name and trademarks, (c) the appearance, position and other aspects of the link may not create the false appearance that an entity is associated with or sponsored by Prometheum, (d) the link, when activated by a user, must display the Site full-screen and not within a frame on the linked website, and (e) Prometheum reserves the right to revoke its consent to the link at any time in its sole and absolute discretion without any prior notice.
Trademarks and Service Marks
Prometheum owns all Marks, including registered and common-law trademarks, service marks, domain names and trade dress protected by trademark laws in the United States and other countries. Marks used herein, whether or not appearing in large print, italics or with the trademark/service mark symbol, are trademarks or service marks of Prometheum, its subsidiaries and affiliates, unless otherwise noted. The use or misuse of these Marks or any other content or materials, except as permitted herein, is expressly prohibited and may be in violation of copyright law, trademark law and/or other relevant laws. Please be advised that Prometheum actively and aggressively enforces its intellectual property rights to the fullest extent of the law.
You acknowledge that Prometheum is the sole owner of Marks. You agree that you will not use any Marks for any purpose without the prior express written consent of Prometheum.
With regard to intellectual property rights, Prometheum grants users a limited, non-exclusive, and non-transferable license to view, copy and transmit Content on the Site for personal and non-commercial purposes, which license may be revoked at any time by Prometheum in its sole and absolute discretion.
Revisions
Prometheum may, at any time, revise these Terms by updating this document without any prior notice, consent or other such condition. You agree to be bound by subsequent revisions and agree to review these Terms periodically for changes. The most updated version of this document will be available for your review under the “Prometheum Terms and Conditions” link that appears on the Prometheum website.
Termination: Modification
You agree that, without notice, Prometheum may terminate these Terms, or suspend your access to the Service or the Content, with or without cause, at any time and upon immediate effectiveness. These Terms will terminate immediately with regard to you, without notice from Prometheum, if you, in Prometheum’s sole and absolute discretion, fail to comply with any provision of these Terms. Prometheum shall not be liable to you or any third party for the termination or suspension of the Service or the Content, or any claims related to such termination or suspension. Prometheum may discontinue or modify the Content, or any portion thereof, at any time. You release and agree to indemnify and hold harmless Prometheum for any loss or damages arising from or relating to such discontinuation or modification (in addition to, and not in limitation of, all of your indemnity obligations above).
Other Applicable Policies
In addition to these Terms, your access to, and use of, the Content and the Service is subject to Prometheum’s then-current policies relating to the Content and the Service, including, without limitation, the Prometheum Privacy Policy [consider link]. You agree to be bound by these policies and all other Prometheum policies applicable to the access and use of the Content and the Service as such policies may be modified in Prometheum’s sole and absolute discretion. By using the Service, you are consenting to have your personal data transferred to and processed by Prometheum and its affiliates. As part of providing you the Service, Prometheum may need to provide you with certain communications, such as service announcements and administrative messages. These communications are considered part of the Service, which you may not be able to opt-out from receiving.
Laws and Applicable Jurisdiction
You acknowledge and agree that your access to, and use of, this Site is subject to all applicable international, federal, state and local laws and regulations. The terms, conditions and policies contained in these Terms will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to any principles of conflicts of law. You acknowledge and agree that any legal action, whether at law or in equity, arising out of, or relating to, these Terms will be filed only in the state or federal courts located in New York City; that you irrevocably consent and submit to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of those courts for the purpose of litigating any such action; and that you will irrevocably waive any jurisdictional, venue or inconvenient forum objections to such court. The failure of Prometheum to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. Any clause of these Terms declared invalid shall be deemed severable and shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder. These Terms, and each provision thereof, may only be amended, or waived with regard to a specific user in a writing signed by Prometheum.
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Disclaimer
No money or consideration is being solicited by the information in this or any other communication and, if sent, money will not be accepted and will be promptly returned. No offer by a potential investor to buy our securities can be accepted and, if made, any such offer can be withdrawn before qualification of this offering by the SEC.
A potential investor’s indication of interest does not create a commitment to purchase the securities we are offering. Any such indication of interest may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance is given and all other requirements to accept an investment from a potential investor are met after the offering qualification date. The offering, after qualification by the SEC, will be made only by means of the Offering Circular.
Any information on Prometheum.com or any other communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification for sale as provided in Regulation A+ in any such state or jurisdiction. You may obtain a copy of the Preliminary Offering Circular and the offering statement in which such Preliminary Offering Circular was filed with the SEC by clicking here.
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