0001193125-22-132124.txt : 20220429 0001193125-22-132124.hdr.sgml : 20220429 20220429131209 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001193125-22-132124 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13D PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 FILED AS OF DATE: 20220429 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20220429 GROUP MEMBERS: CHANGPENG ZHAO SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: EQONEX Ltd CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001790515 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: SERVICES-BUSINESS SERVICES, NEC [7389] IRS NUMBER: 000000000 STATE OF INCORPORATION: U0 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-91761 FILM NUMBER: 22872970 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: SUITES 1206-1209, LEVEL 12 STREET 2: THREE PACIFIC PLACE, 1 QUEENS ROAD EAST CITY: HONG KONG STATE: K3 ZIP: 0000000 BUSINESS PHONE: 852-2248-0600 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: SUITES 1206-1209, LEVEL 12 STREET 2: THREE PACIFIC PLACE, 1 QUEENS ROAD EAST CITY: HONG KONG STATE: K3 ZIP: 0000000 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: Diginex Ltd DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20191231 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: Digital Innovative Ltd DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20191007 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: BIFINITY UAB CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001926202 IRS NUMBER: 000000000 STATE OF INCORPORATION: 1Q FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: TECHNOPOLIS BETA VILNIUS BUSINESS CENTRE STREET 2: J. BALCIKONIO STR. 3 CITY: VILNIUS STATE: 1Q ZIP: LT-08247 BUSINESS PHONE: (370) 613 60 184 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: DIDZIOJI STR. 18 CITY: VILNIUS STATE: 1Q ZIP: LT-01128 SC 13D 1 d259398dsc13d.htm SCHEDULE 13D Schedule 13D

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.    )*

 

 

EQONEX LIMITED

(Name of Issuer)

Ordinary shares, no par value per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

Y2074E109

(CUSIP Number)

Yu Helen Hai

c/o Bifinity UAB

Technopolis Beta Vilnius Business Centre

J. Balcikonio str. 3, LT-08247

Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania

Telephone: +370 613 60 184

(Name, Address, and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

April 19, 2022

(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

 

 

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition which is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§ 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box  ☐.

 

 

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See § 240.13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

 

 

 

*

The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

 

 

 


  1   

NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS

I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY):

 

Bifinity UAB

  2  

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

(a)  ☐        (b)  ☐

 

  3  

SEC USE ONLY

 

    

  4  

SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

 

WC

  5  

CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)

 

  6  

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

 

Republic of Lithuania

NUMBER OF

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY  

OWNED BY

EACH

REPORTING

PERSON

WITH

 

     7    

SOLE VOTING POWER

 

0

     8   

SHARED VOTING POWER

 

3,215,940(1)

     9   

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

 

0

   10   

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

 

3,215,940(1)

11  

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

 

3,215,940(1)

12  

CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

 

13  

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

 

6.5%(2)

14  

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

 

CO

 

(1)

Represents ordinary shares which are currently issuable upon conversion of the Loan described herein, including accrued but unpaid interest with respect to the Loan as of the date of the filing of this Schedule 13D.

(2)

Calculated based upon an aggregate of 46,442,058 ordinary shares as provided by the Issuer, plus 3,215,940 ordinary shares which are issuable upon conversion of the Loan.


  1   

NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS

I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY):

 

Changpeng Zhao

  2  

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

(a)  ☐        (b)  ☐

 

  3  

SEC USE ONLY

 

    

  4  

SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

 

OO

  5  

CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)

 

  6  

CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

 

Canada

NUMBER OF

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY  

OWNED BY

EACH

REPORTING

PERSON

WITH

 

     7    

SOLE VOTING POWER

 

0

     8   

SHARED VOTING POWER

 

3,215,940(1)

     9   

SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

 

0

   10   

SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

 

3,215,940(1)

11  

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

 

3,215,940(1)

12  

CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

 

13  

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

 

6.5%(2)

14  

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

 

IN

 

(1)

Represents ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the Loan described herein, including accrued but unpaid interest with respect to the Loan as of the date of the filing of this Schedule 13D.

(2)

Calculated based upon an aggregate of 46,442,058 ordinary shares as provided by the Issuer, plus 3,215,940 ordinary shares which are issuable upon conversion of the Loan.


Item 1

Security and Issuer

This Schedule 13D relates to the ordinary shares, no par value per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), of Eqonex Limited (the “Issuer”). The principal executive offices of the Issuer are located at Suites 1206-1209, Level 12, Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong.

 

Item 2

Identity and Background

(a) This Schedule 13D is being filed on behalf of Bifinity UAB, a company incorporated in the Republic of Lithuania, and its sole shareholder Changpeng Zhao, a Canadian citizen (each, a “Reporting Person” and collectively, the “Reporting Persons”).

The name, citizenship, business address and present principal occupation or employment of each director, executive officer and controlling person of Bifinity UAB are listed on Schedule A hereto.

(b) The principal business address of Bifinity UAB and Changpeng Zhao is Technopolis Beta Vilnius Business Centre, J. Balcikonio str. 3, LT-08247 Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania.

(c) The principal business of Bifinity UAB is payment technology related services. The present principal occupation of Changpeng Zhao is co-founder and chief executive officer of the Binance group.

(d)-(e) During the last five years, none of the Reporting Persons or any of the individuals named in this Item 2 has been (i) convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) or (ii) a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.

(f) See Item 2(a) above for the citizenship of the individual named in this Item 2.

 

Item 3

Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration

The information set forth in or incorporated by reference in Items 4, 5 and 6 of this Schedule 13D is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Item 3.

On March 7, 2022, Bifinity UAB and the Issuer entered into a convertible loan agreement (the “Convertible Loan Agreement”) pursuant to which Bifinity UAB may loan to the Issuer an aggregate of up to US$36,000,000 (the “Loan”). Subject to certain conditions, the Issuer may drawdown the Loan in six tranches as follows:

 

  (a)

US$3,000,000 on March 15, 2022;

 

  (b)

US$3,000,000 on April 15, 2022;


  (c)

US$3,000,000 on May 15, 2022;

 

  (d)

US$9,000,000 on June 15, 2022;

 

  (e)

US$9,000,000 on September 15, 2022; and

 

  (f)

US$9,000,000 on December 15, 2022.

Each tranche matures 18 months after its respective drawdown date.

The initial drawdown was subject to the condition that the Lender has caused the persons designated by Bifinity UAB to be appointed as the Issuer’s chief executive officer, chief financial officer and chief legal officer and that two of such appointed officers be appointed to the Issuer’s board of directors (the “Board”), in each case subject to the constitutional documents of the Issuer and applicable laws, regulations and listing requirements. The Issuer is obligated to maintain such appointments for so long as any amount of the Loan commitment and/or Loan and/or accrued interest remain outstanding under the Loan. Pursuant to such right, on March 17, 2022, the Board appointed Jonathan Farnell as chief executive office of the Issuer, and Yu Helen Hai and Jonathan Farnell as directors of the Issuer. On April 28, 2022, Yu Helen Hai resigned from the Board and the Board appointed Daniel Ling as a director. Jonathan Farnell is the head of the UK operations of Binance, an affiliate of Bifinity UAB, and chief executive officer and a director of Bifinity UAB. Yu Helen Hai is the president of Bifinity UAB as well as the head of the NFT and fan token platforms of the Binance group and the Binance Charity Foundation. Daniel Ling is the director of strategy at Bifinity UAB.

The first and second tranches of the Loan, each in the amount of US$3,000,000, have been drawn down by the Issuer and were paid by Bifinity UAB to the Issuer on March 15, 2022 and April 19, 2022, respectively.

Bifinity UAB may in its sole and absolute discretion, at any time while any part of the Loan remains outstanding, convert all (or a portion) of a tranche of the Loan (and all accrued but unpaid interest in connection with all (or a portion) of the relevant tranche being converted) into Ordinary Shares at a conversion price of US$1.87 per share (being the 50-day moving average of the Issuer’s public share price quoted on the Nasdaq Stock Market, calculated on the business day prior to the date of the Convertible Loan Agreement). However, Bifinity UAB may not exercise its conversion right to the extent that to do so would cause any breach by the Issuer of any law or regulation applicable to it or, unless a requisite waiver from the provisions of the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers has been obtained, cause Bifinity UAB to hold more than 29.9% of the entire issued share capital of the Issuer. If and when issued, such Ordinary Shares will rank pari passu in all respects with the then existing Ordinary Shares of the Issuer.

No portion of the Loan has been converted into Ordinary Shares as of the date of the filing of this Schedule 13D. If the entire Loan is drawn down and the entire principal amount is converted into Ordinary Shares at the conversion price of US$1.87 per share (but without taking into account any Ordinary Shares issuable upon conversion of accrued but unpaid interest) and assuming that 46,442,058 Ordinary Shares are issued and outstanding immediately prior to such conversion (being the total number of Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding as of the date of the filing of this Schedule 13D as provided by the Issuer), the Reporting Persons would own approximately 29.3% of the Issuer’s share capital after giving effect to such conversion.


Each tranche of the Loan accrues interest at the rate of 4% per annum until such time as the amount outstanding under such tranche is either repaid to Bifinity UAB or converted into Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Convertible Loan Agreement.

The Loan is secured by a charge over 24.9% of the issued share capital, from time to time, of Digivault Limited, a subsidiary of the Issuer, and any warrants, options and other rights to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire any such shares.

The Convertible Loan Agreement further provides that if the Financial Conduct Authority of the United Kingdom (the “FCA”) expresses any objection to any shareholder of the Issuer becoming a beneficial owner (as such term is defined under The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017) of Digivault Limited as a result of the entry into the Convertible Loan Agreement:

 

  (a)

Bifinity UAB has the right to propose new prospective investors in the Issuer to the Issuer;

 

  (b)

the Issuer may agree to any investment proposed by any such new investor, with the prior written consent of Bifinity UAB; and

 

  (c)

Bifinity UAB has the right to:

 

  (i)

sell its shares in the Issuer to any such new investor in priority to any shares held by any other shareholder in the Issuer or any new issuance of shares by the Issuer;

 

  (ii)

have any amounts outstanding under the Loan repaid out of the proceeds of such new investment; and

 

  (iii)

cancel any undrawn and outstanding commitments under the Loan, up to the total amount of such new investment (after taking into account any amounts of such new investment expended under sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii) above)).

In addition, for so long as any amount of the Loan and/or accrued interest remain outstanding, the Issuer shall not, and shall ensure that none of its subsidiaries will, (without Bifinity UAB’s prior written approval) undertake or incur any of the following:

 

  (a)

any single cost or expense in excess of US$500,000, or monthly cumulative related costs or expenses in excess of US$1,000,000;

 

  (b)

capital expenditures in excess of US$100,000 per month;

 

  (c)

transactions with related parties;

 

  (d)

declare, make or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash or in kind) on or in respect of its share capital;

 

  (e)

financial indebtedness other than any financial indebtedness incurred for the sole purpose of and contemporaneously with repaying a tranche of the Loan on its maturity date in an amount not exceeding the amount required to repay such tranche of the Loan on its maturity date and (in the case of the repayment of the final tranche of the Loan) to cover the Issuer’s subsequent working capital requirements;


  (f)

create or permit to subsist any security over any of its assets;

 

  (g)

(i)     sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its assets on terms whereby they are or may be leased to or re-acquired by the Issuer or any subsidiary of the Issuer;

(ii)     sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its receivables on recourse terms;

(iii)     enter into any arrangement under which money or the benefit of a bank or other account may be applied, set-off or made subject to a combination of accounts; or

(iv)     enter into any other preferential arrangement having a similar effect, in circumstances where the arrangement or transaction is entered into primarily as a method of raising financial indebtedness or of financing the acquisition of an asset;

 

  (h)

equity issuances other than in connection with certain existing commitments of the Issuer or for the sole purpose of and contemporaneously with repaying a tranche of the Loan in an amount not exceeding the amount required to repay such tranche of the Loan on its maturity date and (in the case of the repayment of the final tranche of the Loan) to cover the Issuer’s subsequent working capital requirements;

 

  (i)

payment or award of any bonus to staff or payment of any extraordinary compensation unless recommended to the Issuer’s Nomination and Compensation Committee by the Issuer’s chief executive officer and chief financial officer and subsequently approved by such committee; and

 

  (j)

prepayment of all of any part of the Loan other than as expressly permitted by the terms of the Convertible Loan Agreement.

The source of the funding for the Loan is cash flow generated by the business of Bifinity UAB.

 

Item 4

Purpose of Transaction

The information set forth in Items 3, 5 and 6 of this Schedule 13D is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Item 4.

Commencing in August 2021, the Reporting Persons, their affiliates and their respective representatives have engaged, and intend to continue to engage from time to time, in discussions with the Issuer’s management and/or Board, including any committees of the Board, and/or their respective advisors, regarding, among other things, the Issuer’s business, strategies, management, governance, operations, performance, financial matters, capital structure, corporate expenses, prospects, status of projects, market positioning and strategic and other transactions. In particular, the Reporting Persons have engaged in discussions regarding a potential business combination of Bifinity UAB and the Issuer, including through a merger or the Issuer’s acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding share capital of Bifinity UAB in exchange for the issuance of ordinary shares to Changpeng Zhao (“Mr. Zhao”) or a holding company owned by him (the “Proposed Business Combination”). Bifinity UAB engages in the provision of cryptocurrency related services, including services for the conversion of fiat currencies into cryptocurrencies and vice versa, operation of digital wallets and currency custody and storage services. It is part of the Binance group and the official fiat-to-crypto payments provider for Binance (a leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider). The Issuer offers regulatory-focused trading services centered around the Eqonex crypto exchange, digital asset investment solutions including an asset manager together with the pending launch of exchange traded products and structured products, and Digivault Limited, an FCA-regulated high security crypto and digital asset custody solution. The Reporting Persons and the Issuer have evaluated and discussed that the businesses of Bifinity UAB and the Issuer are complementary to each other and that combining such businesses could create significant business opportunities and enhance shareholder value.    


The Reporting Persons, their affiliates, the Issuer and their respective representatives, including their respective outside legal counsels, have engaged and may continue to engage in discussions regarding the commercial and legal terms of the Proposed Business Combination and the terms of the definitive agreements for such transaction, including the transaction structure, the valuation of the respective parties and other terms and conditions, as well as the nature and scope of any business cooperation between the Issuer and other entities within the Binance group if the Proposed Business Combination is completed, but the parties have not reached any definitive binding agreement. The Convertible Loan Agreement provides, however, that no later than three calendar months following the date of such agreement, Bifinity UAB and the Issuer shall discuss in good faith a merger (or similar process) between Bifinity UAB and the Issuer such that the shareholder of Bifinity UAB would ultimately own between 98% and 98.5% of the entire issued share capital of the Issuer. Such provision does not obligate Bifinity UAB or the Issuer to enter into definitive binding agreements or complete the Proposed Business Combination on such terms or at all or to engage in any other transaction. No assurance can be provided as to if or when the parties may enter into any definitive binding agreements in connection with the Proposed Business Combination and, if the parties enter into definitive binding agreements, if or when the completion of such transaction will occur. If the parties enter into definitive binding agreements, completion of the Proposed Business Combination will be subject to obtaining any necessary regulatory approvals and other closing conditions. If the Proposed Business Combination is completed, the Reporting Persons intend to maintain the Issuer’s listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market and the registration of its ordinary shares under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for the foreseeable future, although the Reporting Persons would in such case continue to evaluate their investment in the Issuer and their future plans with respect to the Issuer and reserve the right to change such intention.    


The Loan was provided to the Issuer for working capital purposes and to enhance the management and Board of the Issuer through the right to appoint representatives of Bifinity UAB to the positions of chief executive officer, chief financial officer and chief legal officer and to the Board, while the parties continue to engage in non-binding discussions regarding the Proposed Business Combination and ways to maximize business synergies between the two businesses and capitalize on opportunities to cooperate and further expand their businesses. In connection with the foregoing, the Reporting Persons, their affiliates and their respective representatives have engaged and may, from time to time in the future, engage in discussions with current or prospective holders of Ordinary Shares, industry analysts, existing or potential strategic partners, acquirers or competitors, financial sponsors, investment firms, investment professionals, capital or potential capital sources (including co-investors), operating and other consultants and advisors and other third parties regarding such matters (in each case, including with respect to the Proposed Business Combination and providing or potentially providing capital to the Issuer or to existing or potential strategic partners of the Issuer) as well as other matters set forth in clauses (a)-(j) of Item 4 of this Schedule 13D. These discussions have encompassed, and the Reporting Persons expect will encompass, a broad range of matters relating to the Issuer, including, among other things, the Issuer’s business, operations, finances, management, organizational documents, ownership, capital and corporate structure, corporate governance, the Board and committees thereof, strategic alternatives and transactions.

Given that the above-mentioned discussions are non-binding, there can be no assurance that the Proposed Business Combination, any potential alternative transaction, any components thereof, or any transaction at all, will be implemented. If the Proposed Business Combination or any similar transaction is not consummated, the Reporting Persons and/or their affiliates may to continue to participate in and influence the affairs of the Issuer, including as a shareholder of the Issuer if Bifinity UAB converts all or any part of the Loan or otherwise acquires any other Ordinary Shares, and may determine, from time to time, to engage in any of the events set forth in Items 4(a) through (j) of Schedule 13D.

The Reporting Persons, their affiliates and their respective representatives have exchanged, and intend to continue to exchange, information with the Issuer or other persons or entities pursuant to confidentiality or similar agreements. The Reporting Persons intend to consider, explore and develop plans, make proposals and negotiate agreements with respect to or relating to, among other things, the foregoing matters. The Reporting Persons may also take steps to explore or prepare for various plans, proposals or actions, or propose transactions, regarding any of the foregoing matters, before forming an intention to engage in any such plans, proposals or actions or proceed with any such transactions.

If Bifinity UAB converts all or any portion of the Loan into Ordinary Shares or the Reporting Persons acquire any other Ordinary Shares, the Reporting Persons intend to review their investment in the Issuer on an ongoing basis. Depending on various factors, including, without limitation, the outcome of any discussions referenced above, the Issuer’s business, financial position, results, strategic direction or prospects or any strategic alternatives or transactions, actions taken by the Issuer’s management or the Board, price levels of the Ordinary Shares, other investment opportunities available to the Reporting Persons, conditions in the securities, loan or bond markets, general economic or industry conditions or any changes in law or regulations, the Reporting Persons may in the future take such actions with respect to any investment in the Issuer as they deem appropriate, including, without limitation, the actions and matters described in the preceding paragraphs, acquiring, or causing to be acquired, additional Ordinary Shares (including through conversion of the Loan), including, without limitation, disposing of, or causing to be disposed, some or all of the Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by them, in the public market, in privately negotiated transactions or otherwise, providing additional debt financing or other forms of capital to the Issuer or to potential strategic partners or acquirers of the Issuer, pledging their interest in any securities of the Issuer as a means of obtaining liquidity or as credit support for loans or other extensions of credit, entering into strategic or other transactions involving the Issuer, its assets or securities or its subsidiaries and one or more of the Reporting Persons and/or their affiliates and/or other shareholders of the Issuer, or forming, making or undertaking other purposes, plans or proposals regarding the Issuer or any of its securities or its subsidiaries, businesses or assets. If the Reporting Persons were to acquire equity securities of the Issuer (including through conversion of the Loan) or other instruments convertible into or exercisable for equity securities of the Issuer, the Reporting Persons’ ability to influence the Issuer’s management, the Board or the policies of the Issuer may increase.


Item 5

Interest in Securities of the Issuer

(a)-(b) The information required by Items 5(a) and 5(b) is set forth in Rows 7-13 of the cover page for each of the Reporting Persons and is incorporated herein by reference. As a result of his ownership of Bifinity UAB, Changpeng Zhao may be deemed to control Bifinity UAB and may be deemed to share beneficial ownership and voting and dispositive power over the ordinary shares of the Issuer which are issuable upon conversion of the Loan.

(c) Not applicable.

(d) Not applicable.

(e) Not applicable.

 

Item 6

Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the Issuer.

The information provided and incorporated by reference in Items 3, 4 and 5 is hereby incorporated by this reference.

The Reporting Persons have entered into a Joint Filing Agreement, a copy of which is filed with this Schedule 13D as Exhibit 99.2.

Other than as described in this Schedule 13D, to the best of each of the Reporting Person’s knowledge, there are no other contracts, arrangements, understandings or relationships (legal or otherwise) among the persons named in Item 2 and between such persons and any person with respect to any securities of the Issuer.

 

Item 7.

Material to be Filed as Exhibits.

 

Exhibit

   No.   

  

Description of Exhibit

99.1    Convertible Loan Agreement between Bifinity UAB and Eqonex Limited dated as of March 7, 2022
99.2    Joint Filing Agreement by Bifinity UAB and Changpeng Zhao, dated as of April 29, 2022


SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Date: April 29, 2022

 

BIFINITY UAB
By:  

/s/ Yu Helen Hai

Name:   Yu Helen Hai
Title:   President

 

CHANGPENG ZHAO

/s/ Changpeng Zhao


Schedule A

Set forth below are the name, current principal occupation, citizenship and business address of each director, executive officer and controlling person of Bifinity UAB.

Bifinity UAB

 

Name

  

Principal Occupation

    

Citizenship

    

Business Address

Jonathan Stuart Farnell    Chief executive officer and a director of Bifinity UAB; head of the UK operations of Binance, an affiliate of Bifinity UAB; president of the Issuer      United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland      14 Pitfield Way, Nether Alderley, Cheshire, United Kingdom
Zuowen Wei    Director of Bifinity UAB      People’s Republic of China      2388 Hongqiao Rd, A1, Shanghai, China
Yu Helen Hai    President of Bifinity UAB; head of the NFT and fan token platforms of the Binance group and the Binance Charity Foundation      United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland      58 Stretton Mansions, Glaisher Street, London, SE8 3JP, United Kingdom
Changpeng Zhao    Sole shareholder of Bifinity UAB; co-founder and chief executive officer of the Binance group      Canada      #05-14, BLK 9A, 9 Sophia Road, Singapore, 228193, Singapore
EX-99.1 2 d259398dex991.htm EX-99.1 EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

DATED AS OF 7 March 2022

BETWEEN

BIFINITY UAB

as Lender

AND

EQONEX LIMITED

as Borrower

CONVERTIBLE LOAN AGREEMENT


This CONVERTIBLE LOAN AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made as of 7 March 2022

BETWEEN

 

(1)

BIFINITY UAB, a company established under the laws of the Republic of Lithuania and having its registered office at Didžioji st. 18, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania with registration number 305595206 (the “Lender”),

AND

 

(2)

EQONEX LIMITED, a limited liability company incorporated under the laws of Singapore, the shares of which are listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (stock code NASDAQ: EQOS) (the “Borrower”),

(collectively, the “Parties” and each a “Party”).

NOW IT IS HEREBY AGREED as follows:

 

1.

Definitions and Interpretation

 

1.1

In this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words shall have the following meanings:

Authorisation” means an authorisation, consent, approval, resolution, licence, exemption, filing, notarisation or registration.

Borrower’s Bank Account” means the bank account as nominated by the Borrower and with its details as provided by the Borrower to the Lender prior to the first Drawdown Date.

Business Day” means a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banks are open for general business in London, Singapore and for the purposes of payment in USD, New York.

Conversion Notice” means a written notice of conversion substantially in the form set out in Schedule 1 hereto.

Conversion Price” means, with respect to each Tranche, the price per Conversion Share expressed as the 50-day moving average of the Borrower’s public share price quoted on the NASDAQ stock market, calculated on the Business Day prior to the date of this Agreement.

Conversion Right” means the right to convert the Loan into Conversion Shares pursuant to Clause 5 (Conversion);

Conversion Shares” means the new Ordinary Shares to be issued by the Borrower to the Lender upon the exercise of the Conversion Right;

Data Room” means the data room established and accessible by the Lender and the Borrower prior to the date of this Agreement for the purposes of the transaction contemplated in Clause 14.7 (Future discussions).

Default” means an Event of Default or any event or circumstance specified in Clause 13 (Events of Default) which would (with the expiry of a grace period, the giving of notice, the making of any determination under the Finance Documents or any combination of any of the foregoing) be an Event of Default.

Digivault” means Digivault Limited, a private limited company registered in England and Wales with company number 11722222.

Drawdown Date” means, with respect to each Tranche, the date on which the funds of the relevant Tranche are disbursed to the Borrower by the Lender as set out in Clause 2.1 (Loan);

FCA Registration” means the registration of Digivault Limited by the UK Financial Conduct Authority as a custodian wallet provider under The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (as amended).

Finance Document” means this Agreement, the Transaction Security Document, any Drawdown Request and any other document designated as a “Finance Document” by the Lender and the Borrower.

 

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Group” means the Borrower and its subsidiaries from time to time.

Initial Drawdown Condition” means the appointment of certain officers to the board of directors of the Borrower by the Lender in accordance with Clause 9 (Appointment of Directors and Officers).

Initial Drawdown Date” means 15 March 2022.

Loan Amount” means USD 36,000,000.

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on:

 

  (a)

the business, operations, property, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Group taken as a whole; or

 

  (b)

the ability of the Borrower or any member of the Group to perform its obligations under the Finance Documents; or

 

  (c)

the validity or enforceability of, or the effectiveness or ranking of any Security granted or purporting to be granted pursuant to any of, the Finance Documents or the rights or remedies of any Finance Party under any of the Finance Documents.

Maturity Date” means, with respect to each Tranche, the date that is 18 calendar months from the respective Drawdown Date.

Notice of Conversion” means a notice of conversion in respect of all or part of a Tranche, substantially in the form set out in Schedule 1 or any other form agreed between the Borrower and the Lender.

Ordinary Shares” means the ordinary shares issued by the Borrower from time to time;

Original Jurisdiction” means, in relation to the Borrower or any member of the Group, the jurisdiction under whose laws such entity is incorporated as at the date of this Agreement.

Relevant Jurisdiction” means, in relation to the Borrower or any member of the Group:

 

  (a)

its Original Jurisdiction;

 

  (b)

any jurisdiction where any asset subject to or intended to be subject to the Transaction Security to be created by it is situated;

 

  (c)

any jurisdiction where it conducts its business; and

 

  (d)

the jurisdiction whose laws govern the perfection of the Transaction Security Document entered into by it.

Security” means a mortgage, charge, pledge, lien, hypothec or other security interest securing any obligation of any person or any other agreement or arrangement having a similar effect.

Shares” means any class of shares in the capital of the Borrower.

Termination Date” means 31 July 2024.

Transaction Security” means the Security created or expressed to be created in favour of the Lender pursuant to the Transaction Security Document.

Transaction Security Document” means the share charge granted by the Borrower in favour of the Lender over 24.9% of the shares of Digivault.

USD” or “US$” means the lawful currency of the United States of America.

 

1.2

In this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, a reference to:

 

  (i)

this Agreement” means this convertible loan agreement and includes all amendments, additions, and variations thereto agreed between the Parties;

 

  (ii)

the “Borrower”, the “Lender” or any “Party” shall be construed so as to include its successors in title, permitted assigns and permitted transferees to, or of, its rights and/or obligations under this Deed;

 

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  (iii)

person” shall include an individual, corporation, partnership, firm, trust, trustee, legal personal representative, unincorporated association, joint venture, syndicate or other business enterprise or any governmental, administrative or regulatory authority;

 

  (iv)

written” and “in writing” include any means of visible reproduction;

 

  (v)

a word or phrase that is defined in this Agreement includes its other grammatical forms, which shall be construed accordingly;

 

  (vi)

a gender includes any gender and the singular number includes the plural number, and vice versa;

 

  (vii)

include” or “including” is to be construed as incorporating “but not limited to” or “without limitation”;

 

  (viii)

a “calendar month” means a period starting on one (1) day in a calendar month and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the next calendar month, except that: (A) if the numerically corresponding day is not a Business Day, that period shall end on the next Business Day in that calendar month in which that period is to end if there is one, or if there is not, on the immediately preceding Business Day and (B) if there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month in which that period is to end, that period shall end on the last Business Day in that calendar month; and

 

  (ix)

Clauses”, and “Schedules” are to the clauses of, and the schedules to, this Agreement (unless the context otherwise requires). The Schedules form part of this Agreement and have the same force and effect as if expressly set out in the body of this Agreement.

 

1.3

Clause headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

1.4

Any thing or obligation to be done under the Finance Documents which is required or falls to be done on a stipulated day shall be done on the next Business Day, if the day upon which that thing or obligation is required or falls to be done falls on a day which is not a Business Day.

 

2.

Loan

 

2.1

The Lender makes available to the Borrower a convertible loan (the “Loan”) equal to the Loan Amount in six tranches (each a “Tranche”) on the following dates, subject in all respects to the Initial Drawdown Condition, and in the following amounts:

 

  (a)

15 March 2022, USD 3,000,000;

 

  (b)

15 April 2022, USD 3,000,000;

 

  (c)

15 May 2022, USD 3,000,000;

 

  (d)

15 June 2022, USD 9,000,000;

 

  (e)

15 September 2022, USD 9,000,000; and

 

  (f)

15 December 2022, USD 9,000,000.

 

2.2

Each Tranche shall be disbursed by the Lender into the Borrower’s Bank Account on the respective Drawdown Date.

 

2.3

Where the Initial Drawdown Condition has not been satisfied on or prior to the Initial Drawdown Date, the Initial Drawdown Date shall be the first Business Day following satisfaction of the Initial Drawdown Condition and the subsequent Drawdown Dates shall be amended accordingly.

 

3.

Conditions of Loan

 

3.1

The obligation of the Lender to make available the Loan to the Borrower on a Drawdown Date shall be conditional upon the following (“Conditions Precedent”):

 

  (a)

a copy of this Agreement and the Transaction Security Document duly executed by the Borrower;

 

4


  (b)

a formal written request (a “Drawdown Request”) not less than 3 Business Days prior to each Drawdown Date from the Borrower to the Lender to borrow an amount not exceeding the amount of the relevant Tranche detailed in Clause 2.1 above;

(c) a copy of a resolution of the board of directors and (if required by applicable law, regulation, listing requirements or the constitutional documents of the Borrower) shareholders of the Borrower:

 

  (A)

approving the terms of and the transactions contemplated by the Finance Documents and resolving that it execute, deliver and perform the Finance Documents;

 

  (B)

authorising a specified person or persons to execute the Finance Documents on its behalf; and

 

  (C)

authorizing a specified person or persons, on its behalf, to sign and/or despatch all documents and notices (including, if relevant, any Drawdown Request) to be signed and/or despatched by it under or in connection with the Finance Documents;

 

  (i)

in respect of the Initial Drawdown Date, a copy of the resolution of the shareholders of Digivault Limited amending the articles of association of Digivault Limited to remove certain restrictions on the transfer of shares; and

 

  (d)

all the representations and warranties set out in this Agreement being accurate and correct in all material respects at, and as if made on, that Drawdown Date.

 

3.2

The Borrower undertakes to use the proceeds of the Loan for the purposes of financing the operations and growth of the Borrower and other general corporate purposes.

 

4.

Interest

 

4.1

Subject to Clause 4.4 below, each Tranche of the Loan shall accrue interest at the rate of 4% per annum until such time as the amount outstanding under such Tranche is either repaid to the Lender or converted into Ordinary Shares pursuant to this Agreement (“Interest”).

 

4.2

The Borrower shall pay accrued interest on a Tranche on the Maturity Date of that Tranche.

 

4.3

Any Interest payable under this Agreement shall be calculated according to the actual number of days elapsed and a year of 365 days.

 

4.4

Where the Conversion Right attached to all (or a portion) of a Tranche shall have been validly exercised, Interest shall cease to accrue on all (or a portion) of such Tranche so converted from and including the relevant Conversion Date.

 

4.5

If the Borrower fails to pay any amount payable by it under a Finance Document on its due date, interest shall accrue on the overdue amount from the due date up to the date of actual payment (both before and after judgment) at a rate which is two (2) per cent. per annum higher than the rate which would have been payable if the overdue amount had, during the period of non-payment, constituted a Loan. Any interest accruing under this Clause 4.5 shall be immediately payable by the Borrower on demand by the Lender.

 

5.

Tax gross-up and indemnity

 

5.1

If the Borrower or any member of the Group is compelled by law to make any deduction or withholding from any sum payable under any Finance Document to the Lender, the sum so payable by the Borrower or any member of the Group shall be increased so as to result in the receipt by Lender of a net amount equal to the full amount expressed to be payable under the relevant Finance Document.

 

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5.2

The Borrower shall (within three Business Days of demand) pay to the Lender an amount equal to the loss, liability or cost which the Lender determines will be or has been (directly or indirectly) suffered for or on account of tax by the Lender in respect of a Finance Document.

 

6.

Conversion

 

6.1

The Lender may in its sole and absolute discretion, at any time while any part of the Loan remains outstanding, convert all (or a portion) of a Tranche (and all accrued but unpaid Interest under this Agreement in connection with all (or a portion) of the relevant Tranche being converted) (the “Conversion Amount”) into Ordinary Shares. Such conversion right shall be exercised in accordance with Clause 7 (Conversion Procedure).

 

6.2

Subject to Clause 6.4, the Conversion Amount shall be converted into such number of Ordinary Shares at the Conversion Price (“Conversion Shares”). The number of Conversion Shares to be issued on a conversion of any portion (or all) of a Tranche pursuant to this Clause 6 shall be determined by dividing the amount to be converted by the Conversion Price in effect at the Conversion Date. The Parties hereby agree and confirm that in the event that the number of Conversion Shares to be allotted and issued to the Lender pursuant to this Clause 6.2 is not a whole number, such number of Conversion Shares to be allotted and issued to the Lender shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number. The Parties further agree that fractions of Shares will not be issued on any conversion and no cash adjustments will be made by the Borrower in respect thereof.

 

6.3

The Conversion Shares shall be credited as fully paid up and free from all encumbrances, and will rank pari passu in all respects with the then existing Ordinary Shares.

 

6.4

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set out in this Agreement, the Lender shall not exercise its Conversion Right to the extent that to do so would:

 

  (a)

cause any breach by the Borrower of any law or regulation applicable to it; or

 

  (b)

(unless a requisite waiver from the provisions of the Singapore Takeover Code has been obtained) cause the Lender to hold more than 29.9% of the entire issued share capital of the Borrower.

 

7.

Conversion Procedure

 

7.1

Conversion Notice

To exercise the Conversion Right attaching to a Tranche (including any portion thereof), the Lender shall complete, execute and deliver a Notice of Conversion to the Borrower.

 

7.2

Conversion Date

The conversion date in respect of a Tranche (or any portion thereof) (the “Conversion Date”) shall be the next Business Day following the date of the relevant Conversion Notice.

 

7.3

Issue of Conversion Shares and Registration

As soon as practicable on or before the tenth Business Day after the Conversion Date, the Borrower shall (upon exercise by the Lender of the Conversion Right and in respect of which a duly completed Conversion Notice has been delivered as required by this Clause 7) issue to the Lender (or such other person designated for the purpose in the Conversion Notice) the relevant numbers of Conversion Shares and shall immediately upon the issue of those Conversion Shares, file the return of allotment of shares with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore in relation to the Lender (or such other person designated for the purpose in the Conversion Notice) in the share register of the Borrower as the holder of those Conversion Shares as at the Conversion Date.

 

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8.

Repayment of Loan

Subject to Clause 6, the Borrower shall repay the full outstanding amount of each Tranche (which for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include any portion of such Tranche that has been converted into Conversion Shares), together with accrued but unpaid Interest, to the Lender on each Maturity Date and, with respect to the final Tranche, on the Termination Date.

 

9.

Appointment of Directors and Officers

 

9.1

On and from the date of this Agreement and for so long as any amount of the commitment and/or Loan and/or accrued Interest remain outstanding under the Finance Documents, the Lender shall have the right (subject to applicable law) to appoint the following officers of the Borrower:

 

  (a)

Chief Executive Officer;

 

  (b)

Chief Financial Officer; and

 

  (c)

Chief Legal Officer.

 

9.2

On and from the date of this Agreement and for so long as any amount of the commitment and/or Loan and/or accrued Interest remain outstanding under the Finance Documents, the Lender shall be entitled to appoint two of the appointees specified in Clause 9.1 above as directors of the Borrower, provided that each such appointment shall be made in accordance with the constitutional documents of the Borrower and applicable laws, regulations and listing requirements.

 

9.3

The Lender shall provide all reasonable assistance and cooperation in the provision of such documents, information, action and other assistance that the Borrower may reasonably require to effect any appointment contemplated under Clauses 9.1 and 9.2 above and to maintain the FCA Registration of Digivault.

 

10.

FCA

 

10.1

If the UK Financial Conduct Authority expresses any objection to any shareholder of the Lender becoming a beneficial owner (as such term is defined under The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017) of Digivault Limited as a result of the entry into the Finance Documents:

 

  (a)

the Lender has the right to propose new prospective investors in the Borrower to the Borrower;

 

  (b)

the Borrower may agree to any investment proposed by any such new investor, with the prior written consent of the Lender; and

 

  (c)

the Lender has the right to:

 

  (i)

sell its shares in the Borrower to any such new investor in priority to any shares held by any other shareholder in the Borrower or any new issuance of shares by the Borrower;

 

  (ii)

have any amounts outstanding under the Finance Documents repaid out of the proceeds of such new investment; and

 

  (iii)

cancel any undrawn and outstanding commitments under the Finance Documents, up to the total amount of such new investment (after taking into account any amounts of such new investment expended under sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii) above)).

 

11.

Company’s Undertakings

 

11.1

The Borrower shall, and shall ensure that each member of the Group will, so long as any amount of the Loan and/or accrued Interest remain outstanding to the Lender under the Finance Documents:

 

  (a)

promptly obtain, comply with and do all that is necessary to maintain in full force and effect any Authorisation (including the FCA Registration) required under any law or regulation of a Relevant Jurisdiction to:

 

  (i)

enable it to perform its obligations under the Finance Documents;

 

  (ii)

ensure the legality, validity, enforceability or admissibility in evidence of any Finance Document; and

 

7


  (iii)

carry on its business as conducted as at the date of this Agreement.

 

  (b)

notify the Lender in writing of any Default (and the steps, if any, being taken to remedy it) promptly upon becoming aware of its occurrence and promptly following a request from the Lender supply a certificate signed by a director or senior officer on its behalf certifying that no Default is continuing (or if a Default is continuing, specifying the Default and the steps, if any, being taken to remedy it);

 

  (c)

comply in all material respects with all laws to which it may be subject, if failure so to comply would materially impair its ability to perform its obligations under the Finance Documents; and

 

  (d)

ensure that at all times any unsecured and unsubordinated claims of the Lender against it under the Finance Documents rank at least pari passu with the claims of all its other unsecured and unsubordinated creditors except those creditors whose claims are mandatorily preferred by laws of general application to companies.

 

11.2

So long as any amount of the Loan and/or accrued Interest remain outstanding under the Finance Documents, the Borrower shall not, and shall ensure that no member of the Group will, (without the Lender’s prior written approval) undertake or incur any of the following:

 

  (a)

any single cost or expense in excess of USD 500,000, or monthly cumulative related costs or expenses in excess of USD 1,000,000;

 

  (b)

capital expenditures in excess of USD 100,000 per month;

 

  (c)

transactions with related parties;

 

  (d)

declare, make or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash or in kind) on or in respect of its share capital;

 

  (e)

financial indebtedness other than any financial indebtedness incurred for the sole purpose of and contemporaneously with repaying a Tranche of the Loan on its Maturity Date in an amount not exceeding the amount required to repay such Tranche of the Loan on its Maturity Date and (in the case of the repayment of the final Tranche of the Loan) to cover the Borrower’s subsequent working capital requirements;

 

  (f)

create or permit to subsist any Security over any of its assets;

 

  (g)

 

  (i)

sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its assets on terms whereby they are or may be leased to or re-acquired by the Borrower or any other member of the Group;

 

  (ii)

sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its receivables on recourse terms;

 

  (iii)

enter into any arrangement under which money or the benefit of a bank or other account may be applied, set-off or made subject to a combination of accounts; or

 

  (iv)

enter into any other preferential arrangement having a similar effect,

in circumstances where the arrangement or transaction is entered into primarily as a method of raising financial indebtedness or of financing the acquisition of an asset (“Quasi-Security”);

 

  (h)

equity issuances other than (i) market making agreements with GSR Markets Limited, Parallel Management Limited and Kronos Asset Management Limited, provided such equity issuances are made in accordance with the terms of the corresponding market making agreements disclosed in the Data Room and/or (ii) for the sole purpose of and contemporaneously with repaying a Tranche of the Loan in an amount not exceeding the amount required to repay such Tranche of the Loan on its Maturity Date and (in the case of the repayment of the final Tranche of the Loan) to cover the Borrower’s subsequent working capital requirements;

 

8


  (i)

payment or award of any bonus to staff or payment of any extraordinary compensation unless recommended to the Borrower’s Nomination and Compensation Committee by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer and subsequently approved by such Committee; and

 

  (j)

prepayment of all of any part of the Loan other than as expressly permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

 

12.

Representations and Warranties

 

12.1

The Borrower makes the representations and warranties set out in this Clause 12.1 in respect of itself and each member of the Group to the Lender on the date of this Agreement and on each Drawdown Date:

 

  (a)

it is duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation;

 

  (b)

it has the power to enter into, perform and deliver, and has taken all necessary action to authorise its entry into, performance and delivery of, the Finance Documents, and the transactions contemplated by the Finance Documents;

 

  (c)

the obligations expressed to be assumed by it in each Finance Document are legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligations, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms;

 

  (d)

the entry into and performance by it of, and the transactions contemplated by, the Finance Documents and the granting of the Security do not and will not conflict with its constitutive documents, any agreement or arrangement to which it or its assets are bound, or any law, regulation or order to which it or its asset is bound or subject;

 

  (e)

no limits on its powers will be exceeded as a result of the borrowing, grant of security or giving of guarantees or indemnities contemplated by the Finance Documents to which it is a party;

 

  (f)

the execution and delivery of, and the performance by it of its obligations under, the Finance Documents to which it is a party and as contemplated therein will not require it to obtain any consent or approval of, or give any notice to or make any registration with, any governmental, regulatory or other authority which has not been obtained or made at the date hereof both on an unconditional basis and on a basis which cannot be revoked (save pursuant to any legal or regulatory entitlement to revoke the same other than by reason of any misrepresentation or misstatement);

 

  (g)

all Authorisations required to conduct its business have been obtained and are in full force and effect;

 

  (h)

the FCA Registration is in full force and effect;

 

  (i)

it is in compliance with all listing requirements of any stock exchange or regulatory authority on which its shares are admitted to trading;

 

  (j)

no regulatory or governmental authority or any stock exchange has threatened or taken any steps to suspend and/or revoke any Authorisations (including, but not limited to, the FCA Registration) or listing;

 

  (k)

the choice of governing law of the Finance Documents will be recognized and enforced in its Relevant Jurisdictions and any judgment obtained in relation to a Finance Document in the jurisdiction of the governing law of that Finance Document will be recognized and enforced in its Relevant Jurisdiction;

 

  (l)

no corporate action, legal proceeding or other procedure or step described in Clause 13.6 has been taken in relation to any member of the Group and none of the circumstances described in Clause 13.5 applies to any member of the Group;

 

9


  (m)

no Default is continuing or is reasonably likely to result from a utilisation of the Loan or the entry into, the performance of, or any transaction contemplated by, any Finance Document;

 

  (n)

save as disclosed in writing to the Lender prior to the date of this Agreement, any factual information provided to the Lender was true and accurate in all material respects as at the date of the relevant document containing the information (or as the case may be) as at the date the information is expressed to be given;

 

  (o)

so far as it is aware, it has conducted its business and affairs and dealt with its assets in all material respects in accordance with all applicable laws;

 

  (p)

no Security or Quasi-Security exists over all or any of the present or future assets of any member of the Group;

 

  (q)

the Transaction Security has or will have first ranking priority and is not subject to any prior ranking or pari passu ranking Security;

 

  (r)

the shares which are subject to the Transaction Security are fully paid or credited as fully paid and not subject to any option to purchase or similar rights;

 

  (s)

there are no actions, suits, claims or proceedings of material nature, pending or threatened against or affecting it or any of its property which, if adversely determined, would materially impair its ability to perform its obligations under the Finance Documents; and

 

  (t)

no order has been made or petition presented or resolution passed for the winding-up or administration of the Borrower or any member of the Group, and to the best of the knowledge, information and belief of the Borrower or any member of the Group, there are no grounds on which any person would be entitled to have the Borrower or any member of the Group wound-up or placed in administration.

 

12.2

The Lender makes the representations and warranties set out in this Clause 12 to the Borrower on the date of this Agreement and on each Drawdown Date:

 

  (a)

it is duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation;

 

  (b)

it has the power to enter into, perform and deliver, and has taken all necessary action to authorise its entry into, performance and delivery of, the Finance Documents,and the transactions contemplated by the Finance Documents;

 

  (c)

the obligations expressed to be assumed by it in each Finance Document are legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligations, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms;

 

  (d)

the entry into and performance by it of, and the transactions contemplated by, the Finance Documents do not and will not conflict with its constitutive documents, any agreement or arrangement to which it or its assets are bound, or any law, regulation or order to which it or its asset is bound or subject; and

 

  (e)

no corporate action, legal proceeding or other procedure or step described in Clause 13.6 has been taken in relation to it and none of the circumstances described in Clause 13.5 applies to it.

 

13.

Events of Default

Each of the events or circumstances set out in this Clause 13 is an Event of Default (save for Clause 13.1 (Acceleration)).

 

13.1

Non-payment

The Borrower or any member of the Group does not pay on the due date any amount payable pursuant to a Finance Document at the place at and in the currency in which it is expressed to be payable unless:

 

  (a)

its failure to pay is caused by administrative or technical error; and

 

10


  (b)

payment is made within 3 Business Days of its due date.

 

13.2

Other obligations

 

  (a)

The Borrower or any member of the Group does not comply with any provision of the Finance Documents (other than those referred to in Clause 13.1 (Non-payment).

 

  (b)

No Event of Default under paragraph (a) above will occur if the failure to comply is capable of remedy and is remedied within 20 Business Days of the earlier of (i) the Lender giving notice to the Borrower and (ii) the Borrower becoming aware of the failure to comply.

 

13.3

Misrepresentation

 

  (a)

Any representation or statement made or deemed to be made by the Borrower or any member of the Group in the Finance Documents or any other document delivered by or on behalf of the Borrower or any member of the Group under or in connection with any Finance Document is or proves to have been incorrect or misleading when made or deemed to be made.

 

  (b)

No Event of Default under paragraph (a) above will occur if the failure to comply is capable of remedy and is remedied within 20 Business Days of the earlier of (i) the Lender giving notice to the Borrower and (ii) the Borrower becoming aware of the failure to comply.

 

13.4

Cross default

 

  (a)

Any financial indebtedness of any member of the Group is not paid when due nor within any originally applicable grace period.

 

  (b)

Any financial indebtedness of any member of the Group is declared to be or otherwise becomes due and payable prior to its specified maturity as a result of an event of default (however described).

 

  (c)

Any commitment for any financial indebtedness of any member of the Group is cancelled or suspended by a creditor of any member of the Group as a result of an event of default (however described).

 

  (d)

Any creditor of any member of the Group becomes entitled to declare any financial indebtedness of any member of the Group due and payable prior to its specified maturity as a result of an event of default (however described).

 

13.5

Insolvency

 

  (a)

A member of the Group:

 

  (i)

is unable or admits inability to pay its debts as they fall due;

 

  (ii)

is deemed to, or is declared to, be unable to pay its debts under applicable law;

 

  (iii)

suspends or threatens to suspend making payments on any of its debts; or

 

  (iv)

by reason of actual or anticipated financial difficulties, commences negotiations with one or more of its creditors (excluding the Lender in its capacity as such) with a view to rescheduling any of its indebtedness.

 

  (b)

The value of the assets of any member of the Group is less than its liabilities (taking into account contingent and prospective liabilities).

 

  (c)

A moratorium is declared in respect of any indebtedness of any member of the Group. If a moratorium occurs, the ending of the moratorium will not remedy any Event of Default caused by that moratorium.

 

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13.6

Insolvency Proceedings

 

  (a)

Any corporate action, legal proceedings or other procedure or step is taken in relation to:

 

  (i)

the suspension of payments, a moratorium of any indebtedness, winding-up, dissolution, administration or reorganisation (by way of voluntary arrangement, scheme of arrangement or otherwise) of any member of the Group;

 

  (ii)

a composition, compromise, assignment or arrangement with any creditor of any member of the Group;

 

  (iii)

the appointment of a liquidator, receiver, administrative receiver, administrator, compulsory manager or other similar officer in respect of any member of the Group or any of their assets; or

 

  (iv)

enforcement of any Security over any assets of any member of the Group,

or any analogous procedure or step is taken in any jurisdiction.

 

  (b)

Paragraph (a) shall not apply to any winding-up petition which is frivolous or vexatious and is discharged, stayed or dismissed within 14 days of commencement.

 

13.7

Creditors’ Process

Any expropriation, attachment, sequestration, distress or execution or any analogous process in any jurisdiction affects any asset or assets of a member of the Group and is not discharged within 30 days.

 

13.8

Cessation of business

Any member of the Group suspends or ceases to carry on (or threatens to suspend or cease to carry on) all or a material part of its business.

 

13.9

Expropriation

The authority or ability of any member of the Group to conduct its business is limited or wholly or substantially curtailed by any seizure, expropriation, nationalisation, intervention, restriction or other action by or on behalf of any governmental, regulatory or other authority or other person in relation to any member of the Group or any of its assets.

 

13.10

Repudiation and rescission of agreements

Any member of the Group rescinds or purports to rescind or repudiates or purports to repudiate a Finance Document or any of the Transaction Security or evidences an intention to rescind or repudiate a Finance Document or any Transaction Security

 

13.11

Acceleration

On and at any time after the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Lender may:

 

  (a)

by notice to the Borrower:

 

  (i)

cancel the Loan at which time the Loan shall be immediately cancelled any undrawn Tranche shall immediately cease to be available for utilisation;

 

  (ii)

declare that all or part of the Loan, together with accrued interest and all other amounts accrued or outstanding under the Finance Documents be immediately due and payable, at which time they shall become immediately due and payable; and/or

 

  (iii)

that all or part of the Loan be payable on demand, at which time it shall immediately become payable on demand by the Lender; and/or

 

  (b)

exercise any or all of its rights, remedies, powers or discretions under the Finance Documents.

 

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14.

General Terms

 

14.1

Entire Agreement

The Parties expressly acknowledge that they have read this Agreement and have understood its provisions. No promise, inducement, representation or agreement other than as expressly set forth in this Agreement has been made to or by the Parties. The Parties agree that this Agreement, the Schedules hereto and all other documents referred to herein, shall constitute the entire agreement between them with respect to the subject matters of this Agreement, and shall supersede all prior or contemporaneous proposals, agreements and all other communications (whether written or oral, express or implied) entered into between the Parties in respect of the matters dealt with in it.

 

14.2

Duration and Termination

This Agreement shall terminate and cease to have any further force or effect upon the full repayment by the Borrower of all amounts due and owing to the Lender under the Finance Documents, upon the issuance of Conversion Shares, together with any amounts in excess of the Maximum Conversion Amount, in an amount equal to repay the Loan in full (as the case may be), or with the agreement of the Parties hereto in writing, whichever is earlier.

 

14.3

Relationship of the Parties

This Agreement shall not constitute or imply any partnership, joint venture, agency, fiduciary relationship or other relationship among the Parties.

 

14.4

Assignment

 

  (a)

The Borrower shall not transfer or assign all or any of its rights, obligations or benefits hereunder in whole or in part to any third party, unless with the prior written consent of the Lender.

 

  (b)

The Lender shall be permitted to transfer or assign all or any of its rights, obligations or benefits hereunder in whole or in part to any of its affiliates (including but not limited to its holding companies, subsidiaries and persons under common control with it) without the consent of the Borrower, provided such transfer or assignment is made to a person that satisfies the “know your customer” checks conducted by the Borrower pursuant to the applicable laws, regulations and listing rules (the “AML Proviso”). The Lender shall be permitted to transfer or assign all or any of its rights, obligations or benefits hereunder in whole or in part to any other person, subject to the AML Proviso and provided that the Lender’s rights under Clauses 9 and 11.2 shall not be assignable to any such other person without the Borrower’s prior written consent and the Conversion Price shall be separately agreed between the Borrower and such other person.

 

  (c)

All the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective permitted assigns and successors-in-title.

 

14.5

Severance

If any term of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be wholly or partly illegal, invalid or unenforceable, the same shall be deemed to be deleted from this Agreement and be of no force and effect, whereas the other terms hereof shall remain in full force and effect. In the event of such deletion, and if the commercial basis of this Agreement is, whether by reason of any illegality or change in circumstances, substantially altered, the Parties shall review and agree on revisions mutually acceptable to them which shall most closely reflect their original intent and purposes in place of the terms so deleted.

 

14.6

Further Assurance

 

  (a)

The Borrower and each member of the Group shall promptly do all such acts or execute all such documents (including assignments, transfers, mortgages, charges, notices and instructions) as the Lender may reasonably specify (and in such form as the Lender may reasonably require in favour of the Lender or its nominee(s)):

 

  (i)

to perfect the Security created or intended to be created under or evidenced by the Transaction Security Document (which may include the execution of a mortgage, charge, assignment or other Security over all or any of the assets which are, or are intended to be, the subject of the Transaction Security) or for the exercise of any rights, powers and remedies of the Lender provided by or pursuant to the Finance Documents or by law; and/or

 

13


  (ii)

to facilitate the realisation of the assets which are, or are intended to be, the subject of the Transaction Security.

 

  (b)

The Borrower and each member of the Group shall take all such action as is available to it (including making all filings and registrations) as may be necessary for the purpose of the creation, perfection, protection or maintenance of any Security conferred or intended to be conferred on the Lender by or pursuant to the Finance Documents.

 

14.7

Future discussions

No later than three calendar months following the date of this Agreement, the Parties shall discuss in good faith a merger (or similar process) between the Lender and the Borrower such that the shareholders of the Lender shall ultimately own between 98% and 98.5% of the entire issued share capital of the Borrower.

 

14.8

Amendments

No amendment, modification of or addition to any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless made in writing and signed by the duly authorised representatives of the Parties.

 

14.9

Costs

Each Party shall bear and pay its own costs and expenses in connection with the preparation of this Agreement, including without limitation, the fees of legal advisers incurred in connection with the preparation and negotiation of this Agreement.

 

14.10

Notices

 

  (a)

All notices or other communications under or in connection with this Agreement shall be in English and in writing and sent by courier or pdf attachment to an e-mail addressed to the intended recipient thereof at its address or e-mail address as notified by each Party to the other prior to the first Drawdown Date (or to such other address or e-mail address as any Party may from time to time notify the other Party).

 

  (b)

Any such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been served on and received by the addressee:

 

  (i)

if sent by courier, at the time that its receipt is signed for, whether or not the person signing for such receipt has authority to do so; and

 

  (ii)

if sent by e-mail, at the time of its transmission, provided that no notification was received by the sender that the e-mail was undeliverable and that where transmission occurs after 6:00 p.m. on a working day or on a day which is not a Business Day, service shall be deemed to occur at 9:00 a.m. on the next following Business Day.

 

14.11

Third Party Rights

A person who is not a party to this Agreement has no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any term of this Agreement.

 

14.12

Counterparts

This Agreement may be entered into in any number of counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Any Party may enter into this Agreement by signing any counterpart and each counterpart may be signed and executed by the Parties and transmitted by electronic transmission and shall be valid and effectual as if executed as an original.

 

14.13

Governing Law

This Agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it are governed by English law.

 

14


14.14

Jurisdiction

 

  (a)

The courts of England have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute arising out of or in connection with this Agreement (including a dispute relating to the existence, validity or termination of this Agreement or any non-contractual obligation arising out of or in connection with this Agreement) (a “Dispute”).

 

  (b)

The Parties agree that the courts of England are the most appropriate and convenient courts to settle Disputes and accordingly no Party will argue to the contrary.

 

  (c)

Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) above, the Lender shall not be prevented from taking proceedings relating to a Dispute in any other courts with jurisdiction. To the extent allowed by law, the Lender may take concurrent proceedings in any number of jurisdictions.

 

  (d)

Without prejudice to any other mode of service allowed under any relevant law, the Borrower:

 

  (i)

irrevocably appoints Digivault, as its agent for service of process in relation to any proceedings before the English courts in connection with any Finance Document; and

 

  (ii)

agrees that failure by an agent for service of process to notify the Borrower of the process will not invalidate the proceedings concerned.

(the rest of this page is intentionally left blank)

 

15


SCHEDULE 1

FORM OF CONVERSION NOTICE

 

  To:

Eqonex Limited as Borrower

 

  From:

Bifinity UAB as Lender

Dated:                     

Eqonex Limited — Convertible Loan Agreement dated 7 March 2022 (as amended and/or amended and restated from time to time) (the “Agreement”)

 

1.

We refer to the Agreement. This letter shall take effect as a Conversion Notice for the purpose of the Agreement. Terms defined in or construed for the purpose of the Deed have the same meaning in this letter unless given a different meaning in this letter.

 

2.

We refer to clause 6 (Conversion) of the Agreement and hereby irrevocably elect to convert [all or a portion of the outstanding principal amount] of the Tranche (the Conversion Tranche) drawn on                      and all accrued but unpaid Interest outstanding in connection therewith under the Agreement specified below into the fully paid Conversion Shares in accordance with terms of the Agreement.

 

(a)

Total outstanding US$ principal amount of all or a portion of the Conversion Tranche and all accrued but unpaid Interest outstanding in connection therewith under the Agreement, that needs to be converted:

Total outstanding US$ principal amount of all or a portion of the Conversion Tranche: USD                     

Accrued but unpaid Interest outstanding amounts:                     

 

(b)

Name(s) and address(es) of person(s) and/or their respective nominee(s) in whose name(s) the Conversion Shares required to be delivered on exercise of the Conversion Right are to be registered in the Register of Members on the pursuant to the Agreement:

 

Name of the person and/or

             its nominee              

  

Address

  

Number of Conversion

Shares to be allotted and

issued

     
     
     

 

(c)

[We hereby request that the certificates for the Conversion Shares, be dispatched (at our risk and expense) to the person whose name, contact person, address, are given below and in the manner specified below:

[    ]

 

3.

This letter and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it are governed by English law.

 

16


for and on behalf of

BIFINITY UAB

 

         

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

17


SIGNATURE PAGE

 

LENDER
Signed by

/s/ Jonathan Farnell

for and on behalf of BIFINITY UAB
Name: Jonathan Farnell
Title:   CEO
BORROWER
Signed by

                                          

for and on behalf of EQONEX LIMITED
Name:
Title:

 

18


SIGNATURE PAGE

 

LENDER
Signed by

                                          

for and on behalf of BIFINITY UAB
Name:
Title:
BORROWER
Signed by

/s/ Yoon Chi Won

for and on behalf of EQONEX LIMITED
Name: Yoon Chi Won
Title:   Chairman

 

19

EX-99.2 3 d259398dex992.htm EX-99.2 EX-99.2

Exhibit 99.2

Joint Filing Agreement

In accordance with Rule 13d-1(k) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the undersigned hereby agree to the joint filing on behalf of each of them of this statement on Schedule 13D (including any and all amendments thereto) with respect to the ordinary shares, no par value per share, of Eqonex Limited, and to the filing of this agreement as an exhibit thereto. This agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned hereby execute this agreement as of April 29, 2022.

 

BIFINITY UAB
By:  

/s/ Yu Helen Hai

Name:   Yu Helen Hai
Title:   President
CHANGPENG ZHAO

/s/ Changpeng Zhao