S-8 1 ea131035-s8_liongroup.htm REGISTRATION STATEMENT

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 4, 2020

Registration No. 333-                

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

Lion Group Holding Ltd.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

Cayman Islands   Not Applicable

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

Unit A-C, 33/F

Tower A, Billion Center

1 Wang Kwong Road

Kowloon Bay

Hong Kong

(Address of Principal Executive Offices and Zip Code)

 

2020 Share Incentive Plan

(Full Title of the Plans)

 

Cogency Global Inc.

122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor

New York, NY 10168

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

+1 (212) 947-7200

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

Copies to:

 

David T. Zhang, Esq.
Benjamin W. James, Esq.
Kirkland & Ellis International LLP
c/o 26th Floor, Gloucester Tower, The Landmark
15 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong
+852 3761-3300

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer   ☐    Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer     Smaller reporting company  
        Emerging growth company  

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☒

 

 

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Securities to be Registered(1)  Amount to be
Registered(2)
   Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price
per
Share(4)
   Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering
Price
   Amount of
Registration
Fee
 
Ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share   4,632,449(3)  US$11,256,851.07   US$2.43   US$1,228.12 

 

(1) The securities to be registered hereby may be represented by American depositary shares, or ADSs, of Lion Group Holding Ltd. (the “Registrant”). Each ADS represents one ordinary share, par value of US$0.0001 per share, of the Registrant (the “Ordinary Shares”). The Registrant’s ADSs issuable upon deposit of the securities registered hereby have been registered under a separate registration statement on Form F-6 (Registration No. 333-238516).

 

(2) In accordance with Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this registration statement on Form S-8 (this “Registration Statement”) also covers an indeterminate number of additional securities which may be offered and issued under the Registrant’s 2020 Share Incentive Plan (the “Share Incentive Plan”) to prevent dilution from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions as provided in the Share Incentive Plan.

 

(3) The amount to be registered represents the Ordinary Shares available for future issuance under the Share Incentive Plan.

 

(4) The proposed maximum offering price per share, which is estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee under Rule 457(h) and Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act, is based on the average of the high and low prices for the Registrant’s ADSs as quoted on the Nasdaq Capital Market on December 2, 2020, which is within five (5) business days prior to the date of this Registration Statement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART I

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

 

Item 1. Plan Information.*
   

 

Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.*

 

*Information required by Part I of the Form S-8 to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act and the introductory note to Part I of Form S-8. The documents containing information specified in this Part I of Form S-8 will be separately provided to the participants covered by the Share Incentive Plan, as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act.

 

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PART II

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

 

The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) are incorporated by reference herein:

 

(a)The Registrant’s prospectus dated October 30, 2020 (File No. 333-249185) filed with the Commission on October 30, 2020 pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) under the Securities Act; and

 

(b)The description of the Registrant’s Ordinary Shares and ADSs contained in its registration statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-39301) filed with the Commission on May 28, 2020, including any amendment and report filed for the purpose of updating that description.

 

All documents filed or furnished by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), subsequent to the effective date of this Registration Statement, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement indicating that all securities offered hereby have been sold or deregistering all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

 

Any statement contained herein or in any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed to constitute a part of this Registration Statement, except as so modified or superseded.

 

Item 4. Description of Securities.

 

Not required

 

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

 

Not applicable

 

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Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

 

Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences or committing a crime. Under the Registrant’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, to the fullest extent permissible under Cayman Islands law every director and officer of the Registrant shall be indemnified against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by him, other than by reason of such person’s own dishonesty, willful default or fraud, in or about the conduct of the Company’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions as a director or officer of the Registrant, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by him in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning the Registrant or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere.

 

Pursuant to the indemnification agreements, the form of which is filed as Exhibit 10.26 to the Registrant’s registration statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-237336), the Registrant has agreed to indemnify its directors and officers against certain liabilities and expenses incurred by such persons in connection with claims made by reason of their being such a director or officer of the Registrant.

 

The Registrant currently carries liability insurance for its directors and executive officers.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

  Item 7. Exemption From Registration Claimed

 

Not applicable

 

  Item 8. Exhibits.

 

See Exhibit Index beginning on page II-4 of this registration statement.

 

  Item 9. Undertakings

 

(a)The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

 

(1).To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

 

(i).to include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

(ii).to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement.

 

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(iii).to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; and

 

(2).That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(3).To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

(b)The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(c)Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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LION GROUP HOLDING LTD.

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number
  Description
     
4.1   Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant’s registration statement on Form F-4, as amended (File No. 333-237336) filed with the Commission)
     
4.2   Registrant’s Specimen Certificate for Ordinary Shares (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5 to the Registrant’s registration statement on Form F-4, as amended (File No. 333-237336) filed with the Commission)
     
4.3   Form of Deposit Agreement among the Registrant, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, and owners and holders from time to time of the American depositary shares issued thereunder (incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a) to the Registrant’s registration statement on Form F-6 (File No. 333-238516) filed with the Commission)
     
4.4   Form of Registrant’s Specimen American Depositary Receipt (included in Exhibit 4.3)
     
5.1*   Opinion of Ogier regarding the validity of Ordinary Shares being registered
     
10.1   2020 Share Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.24 to the Registrant’s registration Statement on Form F-4, as amended (File No. 333-237336) filed with the Commission)
     
23.1*   Consents of UHY LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
     
23.2*   Consent of Ogier (included in Exhibit 5.1)
     
24.1*   Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereto)

 

*Filed herewith.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Hong Kong on December 4, 2020.

 

  Lion Group Holding Ltd.
     
  By: /s/ Chunning Wang
  Name:  Chunning Wang
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

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POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints each of Jian Wang and Chunning Wang as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for and in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature   Title   Date
         
/s/ Jian Wang   Chairman of the Board   December 4, 2020
Name: Jian Wang        
         
/s/ Chunning Wang   Director and Chief Executive Officer   December 4, 2020
Name: Chunning Wang   (principal executive officer)    
         
/s/ Sze Hau Lee   Chief Financial Officer   December 4, 2020
Name: Sze Hau Lee   (principal financial and accounting officer)    
         
/s/ Hua Luo   Director and Chief Operating Officer   December 4, 2020
Name: Hua Luo        
         
/s/ Chi Fai Choi   Director   December 4, 2020
Name: Chi Fai Choi        
         
/s/ Chi-yang Chen   Director   December 4, 2020
Name: Chi-yang Chen        
         
/s/ Zhixiang Zhang   Director   December 4, 2020
Name: Zhixiang Zhang        
         
/s/ Walter Roudley Cook   Director   December 4, 2020
Name: Walter Roudley Cook        
         

 

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SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT

 

Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of Lion Group Holding Ltd., has signed this Registration Statement or amendment thereto in Hong Kong, on December 4, 2020.

 

  Authorized U.S. Representative
  Cogency Global Inc.
     
  By: /s/ Colleen A. De Vries
  Name:  Colleen A. De Vries
  Title: Senior Vice-President on behalf of Cogency Global Inc.

 

 

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